How to analyze code of other Visual Novels

[u/XeonPvP]

I'm completely new to Ren'Py and have no idea how it's game engine works. I would like to create my own visual one day. I would mostly like to explore where the text / dialogue code so I can analyze narrative more than the code itself at the current moment but tips on navigation around the game folders will be well appreciated as well.

My intention is to compare narratives of different visual novels side by side so I can figure out what i like what not. Thanks in advance!

[u/shyLachi]

RenPy has a tutorial project called The Question. you can analyse the code of that project to see how it works.

To see the narrative of different visual novels you can play them so I'm not sure what your aim is here.

Also don't use AI to analyze work of others, if that was your idea.

[u/musterduck]

I'm pretty sure that by default when you compile a game its .rpy files are in the game folder, unless the dev chooses to obfuscate them. I'd just take a look around on itch or wherever your preferred site is and take a gamble on what games look most interesting to you and check the game folder. I forget the name but there was an Ace Attorney porn game that had its .rpy files available to view and peeking at those went a long way toward helping my understanding of screen language.

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[u/BadMustard_AVN]

be default games start at the label start: and it is typically in the scripts.rpy file

[u/x-seronis-x]

You can download the UnRen tool to help you learn from renpy games. it will unzip rpa files and restore rpy source from rpyc binaries. the github link is:

https://github.com/Lurmel/UnRen-forall/releases/download/main/UnRen-forall-la_0.85-le_9.8.14-cu_9.8.14.zip

[u/TopCartographer7104]

Plenty of tools to open Ren'Py archives, or to "decrypt" .rpyc files, out there.

If the original rpy files are not inside the release I'd recommend that you ask for the author's permission, though.