This week I conducted some footwork on different media tools to help build my game. So far, I have engaged with Twine, Ren’Py, and WiMi5. The following are my thoughts about each as I engage with the tools.
Twine appeals to me in its usage of “nonlinear stories” as I will definitely be pursing this option. A potential downside is the lack of front facing UI advertised on the site. This might lead me to veer more toward Ren’Py in its abilities. One game that appealed to me, here was “Digital Witness” (https://ifdb.org/viewgame?id=tj3j2osc0181854n).
Ren’Py seems very promising in its potentiality to publish “visual novel engine” based games. I am especially interested in the UI overlays which Ren’Py features on its site. Of particular interest is the game SC2VN: The eSports Visual Novel (https://store.steampowered.com/app/404480/SC2VN__The_eSports_Visual_Novel/). Further, the site gives a ‘Quickstart’ Guide in which the user can see the different parts of the game and what to expect when making it.
The first issue I run into with WiMi5 is their site is entirely in Indonesian and I must translate to English to understand properly. As their name suggests, the application uses HTML5 in order to run created games. Within this model, the WiMi5 developer uses a cloud-based platform to run and publish games (in which you can also monetize!). One such game that runs on its service is “Baku’s Legend” (https://www.indiedb.com/company/wimi5/downloads/bakus-legend).
Though this service seems promising, I am more likely to choose either Twine or Ren’Py, considering all the factors presented. At this moment, I am stuck between Twine or Ren’Py. Ren’Py seems to be winning as its front facing UI seems sleek and professional and I am wary of my abilities to produce such polished UI on Twine.
Games and Philosophy 