Thread 107082322

How would you begin programming a VN?

>>107082322 (OP)
Download ren'py and just write your bullshit novel.

>>107082341
fpbp
you could also use godot setting up the basic structure for a VN would be piss easy in that (or literally any engine)

For starters learn to write

>>107082322 (OP)
that's a big hand

>>107082341
LOLNO renpy is pure shit. If you aren't competent enough to design a simple visual novel engine you aren't competent enough to write a visual novel.
>>107082322 (OP)
Sketch out a design either on paper or in a image editing program if you want to do something unique, if not just consider what data you have and how you want to directly translate them to the player
do I want audio? video? how should I render the text. Should each scene be it's own image or should I split this into background and foreground. Do I wanna draw ui on top or bake it into the image?
Many of these choices are made for you and result in poor performance if for example you game could have just been still images for most of the time.

>>107082413
>want to write a book
>LOLNO you need to master printing first
Kill yourself midwit

>>107082341
>no Live2D support
into the trash it goes

>>107082322 (OP)
Love you Mikan!

I'd make a simple state machine that interprets some file format that expresses the story.

>>107082443
The fact that you think the two are even comparable is hilarious. I guess if you implicitly accept that formatting doesn't matter and that "ren'py" is an acceptable standard. However neither are true with visual novels. ren'py even acknowledges this by allowing customization. Anyway you can just check vndb ratings and see that even paid renpy novels are rarely average or above.

>>107082456
I'm pretty sure renpy has a live2d extension
>>107082483
If you can code a state machine it's not really that hard to make a VN engine but I see zero reason to reinvent the wheel (which includes handling choices, variables, name entry, saving, loading, skipping, backtrace, and more).
I wrote my own engine because I don't like renpy but it's perfectly fine if you'd rather get the VN finished than spend hundreds of hours programming shit
My main problem with renpy is that the syntax is complete garbage and the ui customisation is honestly pretty poor compared to using Godot/Unity/etc

>>107082413
Post a single VN that you made.

>>107082322 (OP)
Download UE5.
Then download Source Filmmaker for the CG's

>>107082322 (OP)
>Wanko to Kurasou
Well, don't mind if I do!

Love2D and Raylib are reasonable choices if you want to start from scratch. Obviously use Renpy if you don't want to do the heavy lifting. Otherwise, I think VNDB has a feature that lets you sort by engine, so you might want to look if in this list there is a free-to-use VN engine.

>>107082740
Funny that the title got it banned when it's just "let's live with a puppy" Sure there are sex scenes but you'd have to play the game to see them

>>107082606
It's an extremely apt comparison, especially so since you think that better software inherently saves shitty stories. If your story is good it doesn't matter (too much) how you present it. DDLC was made in renpy. inb4 "wah wah ddlc isn't ACTUALLY good because these reasons I confabulated because I don't want to admit that I'm a contrarian hipster faggot"
>Anyway you can just check vndb ratings and see that even paid renpy novels are rarely average or above
Okay, I know zoomers have shit critical thinking skills and that /g/ is one of the boards with the highest zoomer concentration, but do you really think that these novels are held back by renpy rather than the writing?

>>107082621
There is nothing difficult about a VN engine. It literally does not matter if you roll your own or not.

>>107082757
>the title got it banned
??

You can learn to make a VN in like a single day in godot.

Renpy is also good, but you wont be able to do things like gameplay mechanics like using a 3D model to move around.

The bigger issue would be to get the lolies pantsu art, unless you use IA or pay a philiphino or bolivian artist.

>>107082322 (OP)
vibecode the ui elements and then add the illustrations and dialogue yourself

>>107082758
DDLC took 2 years and he was fighting the engine the whole time, essentially writing an engine inside a less capable engine. That is just how he trained himself to learn to program (through modding games like smash and stepmania). Sure you can train yourself to drive with your feet and pedal with your hands, doesn't make it wise.
Even so he ended up needing help from people in the industry who don't use ren'py for example with character design.

Anyhow the scope of the game is inherently limited and nothing visually interesting happens outside still images and the occasional gif. You can look at NotITG to get a sense of the realistic limits of using prebuilt engines for visual effects.

>>107082807
People can't understand the idea of different languages having words that happen to sound similar but have no actual relation so they flipped out over "Wanko"

I made a tiny vn in Godot with dialogue manager; here's what was a pain to program:

- nuanced ui behavior, like buttons that don't overlap characters, skipping text without animations bugging out
- complicated animations that needed godot's animation editor (godot's animation system is cool until it sucks)
- managing dialogue-controlled behavior like global flags without having planned it out in advance

It took me about 6 months but I did the art and music and effects myself. It's sobs.moe/bwb if you want to see the result.

>>107082322 (OP)
Are you sure you're ready to think about the programming? If you want to succeed, you need to first ensure you have a top-tier idea, and then spend a sticky or two recruiting a team of like-minded true artists. You'll have many years to figure out the programming at that point, and you can rest easy in knowing that you'll end up with something incredible.

>>107082322 (OP)
kys pedo

>>107082889
where, on steam?

Games are mostly art.

>>107082322 (OP)
Unity.

>>107082918
cute vn

>>107082322 (OP)
what about qsp?
https://github.com/QSPFoundation/qspgui

>>107082758
>but do you really think that these novels are held back by renpy rather than the writing?
You will not be able to get through to gtards. They are contrarian autists who never created anything of value and just circlejerk over the same stale memes for years on end. The mindset of technology for technology's sake vs. technology to get something done is what sets apart people who ever accomplish something and people who spend their lives fantasizing about the technologies without ever using them for something productive.

>>107082322 (OP)
first do the needful sar
https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

>>107082918
bugs:
>game is off-center and mouse is fucked after loading
>have to resize window to fix this
>audio glitches when music loops
>have ate
non-bugs:
>cute cat

ONScripter-EN.

>>107082322 (OP)
every time i see a vn using kirikiri i feel relieved, there are so many absolutely horrible engines (for the user)

>>107082871
now instead of "fighting the engine" you're just bugfixing. that's just the game dev cycle you fucking retard. refining your game is the longest and most taxing phase. it will be present whether you enginedev'd or not and using someone else's shit means you're on well trodden path.

>>107082322 (OP)
VNs are simple. just pick an engine (unity or godot) and vibecode some slop up and focus on your writing instead

The answer is Common Lisp: https://codeberg.org/shirakumo/trial

>>107082322 (OP)
Just use KiriKiriZ? That's what YuzuSoft does anyway
Also Nene best 角オナ majo
>>107083529
What is so bad about not-KiriKiri?

>>107084118
writing to registry and making the game not portable

>>107082918
Played on Firefox. After resizing the window like you said, it worked perfectly. Very clever, super cute. I liked the touch of the clock changing. I only played through what I assume is the basic, res-paw-nsible ending. Good stuff anon, I'll definitely check out future things you make.

>>107083687
No, instead of creating your own engine and bugfixing in c or some sane language you are creating your own engine ontop of a medicocre engine writing in a stunted bash clone.

>>107082322 (OP)
Just use powerpoint like a normal person

>>107082322 (OP)
for starters understand the concept of immediate mode graphics

I recommend the manga: ‘How to rise a boring girlfriend’ to start the project (I love the VN developing as well; Good luck)

>>107082871
>DDLC took 2 years and he was fighting the engine the whole time
Writing something like that ought to take two years and you're either fighting someone else's engine or slowly developing and bugfixing your own.
>character design
and this has to do with game engines how?
>>107083135
I know. /g/ is a terrible place to discuss technology. You'd think that being a denizen on a board dedicated to a certain thing would make its users very good at said thing, but all it results in on 4chan is the same mediocrity being spread around. Go to a propah forum if you want results

>>107082918
>drawn in krita
>made with godot
>music made in fl studio
holy mother of based.

>>107085345
>image editor with furry mascot
>tranny game engine
>nigger music program
I don't think that's based. Not a bit.

>>107082322 (OP)
You don't need to program VN. Just pick existing engine and focus on writing good story and drawing good art. Programming is 1% of making a VM if any.

>>107082817
>You can learn to make a VN in like a single day in godot.
No you can't. You can read about making a VN in a single day in godot but then when you actually try doing what you've read, you'll encounter a million problems, crash and burn

>>107082322 (OP)
>>107082341
>>107082994
>>107083235
>>107085440
Who the fuck looks at something that already exists and thinks "WOW I WANT TO MAKE A SHITTIER VERSION OF THAT!"
Learn to program and make something better.

>>107085462
there's a literal addon for making a VN in godot that is literally a visual tool like rpg maker.

>>107082817
What kind of mongoloid are you? It takes longer than that to learn Ren'py, the simplest fucking one. If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it.

>>107082322 (OP)
Just use ren'py, it's literally all already done for you.

>>107085476
you must be low IQ if you think a VN is a real challenge in gamedev beyond making the child porn anime pictures.

>>107085488
You must be low IQ if you think people making VN are anything but mouthbreathing gooners

making VNs is piss easy just look at the amount of pornslop with AI art

>>107085470
People read VNs for story, not for it's programming. That's like saying if you want to read a book you should design your own font.

>>107085588
This is myopic as saying people play games for fun so you shouldn't program just focus on making fun gameplay

>>107082413
>If you aren't competent enough to design a simple visual novel engine you aren't competent enough to write a visual novel.
fucking retard

>>107082322 (OP)
You don't need to. It's Point-n-Click today. So many options. Why re-invent the wheel? If you need customization, the engine has it already built in. You need to build on it.

But I think you need Jesus in your life. A healthy career and a good Church.

>>107085634
You are more then welcome to scroll through all the itchio slop renpy games

>>107082322 (OP)
Use an engine, then spend all the effort that would've gone into programming the engine into writing the novel

The same argument someone would give to use Godot over Renpy or whatever is the same argument (has no)gamedev gives for writing your own renderer. So why stop there! Write it in libraryless C++!
Getting immediate results is better for progress, iteration, and morale. You won't ever outpace any hacky workarounds you might need to do some niche thing in a dedicated VN engine.

>>107082322 (OP)
>>107082468

>>107082412
it's for giving adult cocks handjobs

>>107082758
wasn't katawa shoujo also built on renpy

>>107085992
>wanko
Funny name

>>107082737
>Source Filmmaker
>not Blender
kekt

>>107082322 (OP)
isn't vn the shit women make to pretend to be game developers?

>>107086263
I think women want to make rpg maker farming games more than VN.

>>107082322 (OP)
speak the truth OP you are trying to make a sex game aren't you

>>107086279
No they actually make RPG Maker horror games where the protagonist girls get raped

>>107086055
Yes

>>107085623
That's true. Every hour you spent fine tuning your perfect ECS framework is hour not spent making sure gameplay is fun, story is engaging, characters are interesting, graphics are appealing etc.
Undertale managed to get huge success despite being made in GameMaker with disgusting spaghetti code. Minecraft code is so bad people are still fixing it to this day.
Not every game is Factorio or Noita where people are going to create huge complex simulations that necessitate sophisticated algorithms. Especially VN. It's a fucking picture book. All you need is just be able to display few sprites, draw text and play sounds. It doesn't matter if you can do all of that in 100ns or 100ms.

>>107082606
>Anyway you can just check vndb ratings
Most VNs just use an off-the-shelf visual novel engine, most are KiriKiri, NScripter, or YU-RIS. Unless you're a company like Nitroplus, who did it for console ports, there's zero reason to program your own engine.

>>107082413
Retarded midwit

>>107084797
you don't "fight the engine" by writing code nigger. you fight it by tweaking values and custom logic until your game works. I don't mean bugfixing the engine, I mean bugfixing the game.

I'd focus on the art and writing first. Programming is an afterthought here.

>>107082341
I pirate all ren'py vns by default. Most soulless engine, immediately recognizable. If they don't make an effort to not make it look like ren'py slop I never purchase these visual novels. Utterly soulless

I love MIkan!

>>107088005
>WEG 0.4.34-infinite hiatus.
>Daz 3D
>VN
>Its some jeet, ruski or ukrainian grifting porn starved fuckers.
Every single time. RPG maker games are horrid usually if they don't change around the spritework at all and looks like a sloppy amateur work too.

>>107082413
a poor craftsman blames his tools.

>>107082341
fpbp

>>107082413
VNs are barely games as it is, there is no reason to roll your own engine for a VN. if you really need extra features, it ceases to be a pure VN anyway and is out of scope for this discussion

RenPy VNs tend to be trash because 99.99999999% of VNs are trash

>>107082413
>LOLNO renpy is pure shit. If you aren't competent enough to design a simple visual novel engine you aren't competent enough to write a visual novel.
gotta agree with this one. i know the whole game vs engine problem, but renpy is so fucking ass that it's better to ask chatgpt to write a vn engine from scratch instead

>>107082918
game looks soulful and cute but i'm not playing a vn with a built-in tutorial for how to read ffs

>>107087148
Delsusional. I can only assume you've only ever played default ren'py VNs at this point.
Factorio and Noita are hobbiest dogshit compared to some VNs

>>107088166
See >>107091556
VNs are trash because the creators are lazy niggers, the first and largest nonstep towards being a lazy nigger is using an engine for a problem you don't even know the scope of yet. Clearly because you seem to have a nonsensical definition of VN. The onlything that makes a VN is having minimal gameplay relative to story. Gameplay code very rarely takes up most of the runtime of a game.
Even if you aren't going to have any gameplay at all, whatever interactive element you need for your VN has to already be included in ren'py exactly in the state that your game needs it or you are going to have to bootstrap yourself to the point where you can add it anyway,
You know you are being disingenuous with your numbers, the likelihood that your game is shit if you start with ren'py is much higher and it's not just because ren'py increases the probability of release.

>>107091556
I fail to see what point are you even trying to make.

>>107085588
This isn't true. You read a book for story and even then, reading on shitty paper, in a shitty font, with shitty printing will make the experience bad. A VN is far more than just it's story and the programming is a big contributer, if it's good.

Gay thinking like this is why we don't have even basic shit like moving lips in VNs anymore despite it being more common in the early 00s when people actually took pride in it.

>>107082322 (OP)
I began writing one for another chan that were discussing making their own vn (with sdl2 and sdl_ttf from memory) and the thread died

>>107092185
No one starts writing a book by designing their own font and paper.

>>107092185
>fonts, paper
so for a VN this would be the font and ui art. which arent programming challenges.

>>107082322 (OP)
Any good visual novels that have lolis?
I mean translated and kinda niche not Nekopara

>>107082322 (OP)
https://github.com/dialogic-godot/dialogic

>>107092625
Neko kawaigari?
I haven't read that much but I liked that one.
Engrish in the opening always makes me chuckle.
https://youtu.be/rIS5RgORotM

FURISUBI
FURISUBI

>>107092810
Nigga, what in the holy name of fuck is that shit?

>>107082606
would be fun to train a baby to predict logic gates. like it only gets food if it predicts the logic gates correctly. i wonder how good it could be as an adult

>>107093324
Playing doctor with loli catgirls, ie. kino

>>107085476
>If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it.
nobody cares about visual novels outside of mongolion basket weaving forums

>>107088166
>VNs are barely games as it is
Exactly. Its like discussing book binding instead of just fucking writing your novel.

>>107093664
>novel
>literally the same shit over and over again
Nobody gunna read dat

>Entire of nu-/g/ filtered hard by defining and traversing a graph
I should leave this place honestly, at this point is just bots, browns and retarded zoomers exclusively

>>107093324
it's evidence that will be used against me in the UK courts

>>107082322 (OP)
Don't listen to retarded elitists, just use renpy and just concentrate your effort on finishing your project instead of reinventing the wheel

What's so bad about renpy? A visual novel is just static images / branches / sounds. I can't imagine any engine being too limiting to make this

>>107082322 (OP)
Draw a flowchart first

>>107092810
Too fucking old, want younger

>>107091775
He's either incredibly stupid or extremely smart if he's encouraging people to reinvent the wheel.

>>107082322 (OP)
The first thing I would do is order a brand new pair of programming socks.

>>107093895
it's python

>>107093895
You must be new here. That's the only explanation for not having realized yet that /g/ loves to be contrarian. They are literally hipsters, rebels without a cause. There are one or two who are okay, but most here just want to act like know-it-alls. Deep down, most of them aren't capable of doing anything useful in the "God tier" languages they love so much.
Go create your novel with renpy, in time you'll see if it's useful for you or not. Don't expect legitimate advice from anyone here. We're here to have fun, not to give good advice.
However, I would still suggest that you try creating your own engine just for fun. That is, if you enjoy programming. Otherwise, use Renpy and be happy.

>>107094187
That doesn't matter. VN is not a high performance thing. And "I don't like this language so it's bad" is not a legitimate grievance.

>>107094341
I'm not new to the contrarianism here I was just hoping for a real reason and not "it wasn't created in my favorite obscure programming language" or "it must be from scratch with C / SDL3 only"

>>107094365
the only downside would be, that python knowledge is pretty much next to useless, if someone wanted to learn making "serious" games, that would require performant engine through making a VN

on the other hand first Isaac was made in Flash

>>107092600
VNs aren't a book.

>>107092589
They can start with whatever they want.

>>107092589
They did before kikes took over and made it illegal to publish your own book

vibe code a VN engine in rust or go

>>107091556
name one VN that makes factorio look like dogshit

>>107095849
Unteralterbach

>>107095849
Boku no Pico
The Shakespeareian story alone blows factorio out of the water

>>107095878
At least say Enzai, that was the first shota bl VN. Not that draw a girl and call it a boy crap

>>107095981
I'm still trying to figure out how boku no pico connects to its supposed sequel, boku no hero academia

>>107082322 (OP)
this thread made me go down the rabbit hole of getting my scrappy and ancient vn engine building again. hit with a wave of nostalgia thinking back to how I would stay up till 4am working on it and then call it a night with a bowl of ramen and majikoi. good times...
>dipicting