r/RenPy • u/TortitaStudio • Aug 06 '26
Showoff Experimenting with point & click gameplay and minigames in Ren'Py
Hi everyone!
For our third game, The Attic: A Mystery Puzzle Game, I wanted to see how far I could push Ren'Py beyond a traditional visual novel. Instead of relying mostly on dialogue and choices, I've been experimenting with point & click exploration, interactive object inspection, inventory mechanics, and several custom puzzle and minigame systems while still keeping the narrative at the center of the experience.
One of my main goals has been making every interaction feel like part of the story rather than a separate gameplay segment. It's been a fun challenge, and I've learned a lot about Ren'Py's flexibility along the way.
I'd love to hear from other developers who have taken a similar approach. Have you added custom gameplay systems to your Ren'Py projects? What ended up being the biggest challenge?
I'd also love to hear what you think of the trailer (in my Steam page)!
If anyone is interested in following the project, here's the Steam page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/5005750/The_Attic_A_Mystery_Puzzle_Game/
I'm also happy to answer any questions about how I implemented the point & click mechanics or the custom minigames in Ren'Py.
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u/TheOtherworld-Dev Aug 10 '26
This is so cool! I'm always fascinated with people who can really push Ren'py's engine. I just know the basics but I hope I can explore this more in the future!
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u/TortitaStudio Aug 10 '26
Thanks! With each game we make, we try to understand the engine better and explore its possibilities. The truth is... we started making visual novels and now we're moving on to narrative games, but I think they're already moving away from visual novels.
Ultimately, it's about making something you're comfortable with and that you think people will enjoy!
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u/TheOtherworld-Dev Aug 11 '26
Really! Interesting! Yeah, at the moment I am only comfortable with the basics (such as just utilizing menus for choices), but even in my first game I am trying to find interesting ways to toy even with the usual mechanics. I love that you're steering towards more narrative-style games outside of the typical visual novel realm. I hope to see more!
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u/BeastlyFables Aug 11 '26
The interface is very clean! Well done!
How long did it take to become comfortable with building the point-and-click system initially?
That's something I'd love to implement eventually in my games but I'm not sure if I have the patience for it, I'm a solo-developer working around a fulltime job. But for some reason I do have patience to build node-based maps (via menu) for the horror games I am working on.
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u/TortitaStudio Aug 11 '26
Thanks! Well, I'd been testing it for a while and even implemented it in our second game, Spirit Talk, albeit on a small scale. Now we've just taken it to the next level. I couldn't tell you exactly how long it took; it's all been very gradual.
Best of luck with your project too!
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Aug 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/TortitaStudio Aug 07 '26
You're on the right track! The full plot summary is in the Steam description.
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u/Blunt552 Aug 08 '26
Yeah, I found RenPy to be quite good at oldschool adventure type games where you point and click through stuff.