renpy(1)

NAME
renpy - a visual novel engine

SYNOPSIS
renpy game_directory

DESCRIPTION
renpy (Ren'Py) is a visual novel engine - used by hundreds of creators from around the world - that helps you use words, images, and sounds to tell interactive stories that run on computers and mobile devices. These can be both visual novels and life simulation games. The easy to learn script language allows anyone to efficiently write large visual novels, while its python(1) scripting is enough for complex simulation games.

RUNNING A GAME
In order to run a game, provide game_directory as an argument to renpy. Exact directory name may vary depending or a game, but usually this path corresponds to */game wildcard and contains script_version.rpy* file within. Game directory usually contains other *.rpy* and *.rpa files. One may use find(1) tool to locate required directory within unpacked game top directory:
    find -O3 top_directory -type f -iname "script_version.rpy*"
A directory one level above may be provided as an argument as well.

PORTABILITY
All renpy games are written in python(1), so one can run then on any platform and architecture. As you may have noticed, Ren'Py games are often distributed in different archives for different architectures. This happens due to bundling of python(1) interpreter and required libraries in a game's tarball. Since you are using OS native renpy setup, you should be able to run any of these games.

GAMES CATALOGUE
A large catalogue of Ren'Py powered games is available at http://games.renpy.org/.

TROUBLESHOOTING
In some cases game may fail to run with current renpy version due to various errors. In such case please try to use the closest renpy version to one used by game developer. Most games contain script_version.rpy file in the game directory. This file actually contains renpy version used during a game build. You may install multiple slots of renpy in Gentoo and use eselect renpy module to switch between various versions. If game directory contains both *.rpyc (or *.rpyo) and *.rpy files, delete *.rpyc (or *.rpyo) files, they will be regenerated by the interpreter. Another solution will be to switch between version of python(1) using eselect(1) tool in order to find one suitable to interpret game's *.rpyc files. Some games may lack general media files, e.g. click.ogg sound, so you should create or download one and place in the game directory. Also please pay attention to problems.html page from renpy html documentation, see FURTHER READING section.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
renpy supports a number of environment variables to control its behaviour. Please refer to html docs for further details (see FURTHER READING section).

FURTHER READING
renpy comes with extensive html documentation. To use it install renpy with USE="doc" and go to /usr/share/doc/renpy-*/html/doc/index.html Alternatively one may refer to online documentation: http://www.renpy.org/doc/html/. Be warned that online docs maybe different from your current active version, so it recommended to use shipped documentation instead.

BUGS
Any bugs related to Gentoo packaging (e.g. omitted dependencies) please report on bugzilla: https://bugs.gentoo.org. For bugs in the Ren'Py engine itself, please contact upstream: https://github.com/renpy/renpy/issues and add a Gentoo bug if you feel it necessary. For issues with games themselves please contact corresponding authors.

SEE ALSO
python(1) - an interpreter used by Ren'Py engine. unrpa(1) - a tool to unpack *.rpa data files (Ren'Py Archives).