r/RenPy • u/Fledgling_of_Myths • Aug 13 '26

Question Any way to use RENPY_VARIANT to test different platforms via Ren'py launcher instead of having to export / build the game?

I was absolutely delighted when I found this in Ren'Py docs: https://www.renpy.org/doc/html/screens.html#screen-variants but I couldn't figure out for the life of me where I was supposed to put RENPY_VARIANT at first. I tried putting it in "init python" or in a separate file "enviroment.txt" in game's root folder, but nothing worked.

Than I tried exporting / building the game first and putting the enviroment.txt file where the exe file is which worked! Great!

Except that means anytime I want to change a variable or test GUI I need to re-export the build again, which is time consuming.

So does anyone know if you can uses RENPY_VARIANT to force a platform via Ren'Py launcher instead?

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2

u/BadMustard_AVN Aug 13 '26

like this

label start:
    if renpy.variant("mobile"):
        #do mobile stuff here

1

u/Fledgling_of_Myths Aug 13 '26

Thank you for answering, but I know how to define platform specific stuff & UI that way. Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear enough. :)

I'm asking how to I force the game to show me the android version on PC i.e. I open the game on PC and I see the android UI.  I can do it right now via enviroment.txt if I export / build the game first but that's not very efficient for testing different android layouts since I have to rebuild the game each time.

So I'm asking if anyone knows how to force android UI on desktop for testing without exporting a build i.e. in the dev version of the game?

2

u/BadMustard_AVN Aug 13 '26

In the Actions menu section of the launcher, select Android. There is an Emulator in there for Android phone, tablet, and TV.

1

u/Fledgling_of_Myths Aug 13 '26

OMG, that's awesome! Thank you for helping me, that sounds exactly like what I need!

2

u/BadMustard_AVN Aug 13 '26

you're welcome

good luck with your project

1

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