discussion Ren'py discarding support for older OS in exchange for what exactly?

[Rapenyan]

I'm still running Win 7 (nah, not gonna update) and lately I've seen a lot of Ren'py games not working because they now require windows 10 at least. So, is the new(ish) Ren'py so groundbreaking and adds so much functionality that it absolutely needed win10-11? Or is it much of the same with only marginal improvements?

This might be a rant here, but we've had lewd and non-lewd VNs and games since the 80s. I wonder how they freakin did it without the freakin windows 10...

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Oh and btw, they also dropped support for Ren'py 7.x versions.

 

[mikeross]

This most likely has to do with python rather than ren'py specifically. The engine dropped support for win7 when they updated to newer python versions, those don't support win7. You can check the announcement here:

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It also has links to what those newer python versions add.

 

[Rapenyan]

I read that before posting here.
But since I can't play those new ren'py games, I'm asking ppl here if there's much difference. If games are much better and such.

My point is that if there are not groundbreaking improvements, Ren'py could have stuck with the older python versions (or use some compatible fork).

 

[mikeross]

I read that before posting here.
But since I can't play those new ren'py games, I'm asking ppl here if there's much difference. If games are much better and such.

My point is that if there are not groundbreaking improvements, Ren'py could have stuck with the older python versions (or use some compatible fork).

Changes like that are under the hood and incremental. It's unlikely they would be noticed in-game unless examining things at greater timeframes. But python ended support for win7 years ago. This was going to happen if they wanted to not become obsolete.

 

[Rapenyan]

Changes like that are under the hood and incremental. It's unlikely they would be noticed in-game unless examining things at greater timeframes. But python ended support for win7 years ago. This was going to happen if they wanted to not become obsolete.

So basically the answer is "no".
Thus game devs on ren'py, unless they use the unsupported older versions, will potentially get 3-5% less backers for their ren'py games with no big increase in quality (or functionality) as a tradeoff.

 

[Uthuriel]

Using W7 in 2025 is just plain stupid. Your PC has probs all sort of malware and viruses on it and you don't even know it.
If you want to be edgy at least install a linux. Also why are you surprised that Ren'Py won't support an OS that had "End of Life" in 2015?

 

[yukiea]

I'm still running Win 7 (nah, not gonna update) and lately I've seen a lot of Ren'py games not working because they now require windows 10 at least. So, is the new(ish) Ren'py so groundbreaking and adds so much functionality that it absolutely needed win10-11? Or is it much of the same with only marginal improvements?

This might be a rant here, but we've had lewd and non-lewd VNs and games since the 80s. I wonder how they freakin did it without the freakin windows 10...

---
Oh and btw, they also dropped support for Ren'py 7.x versions.

Man, I made the switch to windows 10 when 7 stopped security update and 11 when they announced that they're gonna stop security updates in 6 months. i update late, but windows 10/11 after debloating hard is actually quite good and userfriendly. You really should update

 

[Rapenyan]

Using W7 in 2025 is just plain stupid.

Not quite. Losing all my shit and having to find all the skyrim (and other games) mods, having to go through the chore of reinstalling all my things again is more stupid.
Also having to use newer but increasingly anti-consumer and anti-privacy windows just because trends is not very smart either.

Your PC has probs all sort of maleware and viruses on it and you don't even know it.

No. That's a meme.

If you want to be edgy at least install a linux.

Will do for my next laptop/pc.
Still, to note that newer ren'py wouldn't run on older Linux distros either.

Also why are you surprised that Ren'Py won't support an OS that had "End of Life" in 2015?

Because playerbase? As I said in my previous post, it is cutting off about 3-5% of players or backers for those games.
That's why I even started this thread. Does this change really help or just hurts the bottom line of the devs?

 

[yukiea]

Because playerbase? As I said in my previous post, it is cutting off about 3-5% of players or backers for those games.
That's why I even started this thread. Does this change really help or just hurts the bottom line of the devs?

Supporting an OS without security updates and vulnerabilities (though probably minor) comes with its own sets of risks. OS side, windows 7/10/11 are actually quite similar in terms of architecture if we just take the 64 bit version. The real answer is likely that you are a diminishing player base.

 

[Uthuriel]

Not quite. Losing all my shit and having to find all the skyrim (and other games) mods, having to go through the chore of reinstalling all my things again is more stupid.
Also having to use newer but increasingly anti-consumer and anti-privacy windows just because trends is not very smart either.

Back up your files and then install a debloated Windows... not that hard...

No. That's a meme.

It's not. Only someone clearly uneducated on the subject matter would think that.

Will do for my next laptop/pc.
Still, to note that newer ren'py wouldn't run on older Linux distros either.

Then use a current version distro??? What is it with you and software from 19 hitler...

Because playerbase? As I said in my previous post, it is cutting off about 3-5% of players or backers for those games.
That's why I even started this thread. Does this change really help or just hurts the bottom line of the devs?

Most of the userbase isn't using software more than a decade old. Hardware maybe but not software.

 

[Rapenyan]

Back up your files and then install a debloated Windows... not that hard...

It's not. Only someone clearly uneducated on the subject matter would think that.

Then use a current version distro??? What is it with you and software from 19 hitler...

Most of the userbase isn't using software more than a decade old. Hardware maybe but not software.

1. nah, too lazy for that
2. using win7 since forever with no issues, but clearly I need """educating"""? No thanks, mate, I'm fine.
3. it's an annoying practice having to "upgrade" everytime someone has a brainfart for "setting the trends"
4. that's why I mentioned 3-5%. It's still a loss with no gain whatsoever.

 

[BoinkBanana]

I think you got your answer: OS support, security and development costs.

You have also been informed that your current choices leaves you in a spot where you will find it increasingly difficult to use new releases of software.

If you want to stick with your current choices then you will have to accept the consequences of that decision else you will have to find a path forward to stay current with a system that works for you.

Not much else to it in this case.

 

[AlBetGam]

The gain is that they're able to keep up with the language that they're based on and the modern OSes it's running on. Losing the tiny fraction of their playerbase (or their customers' playerbases) that still insist on using a mothballed OS is worth that.

And of course it would be infinitely worse for them if they didn't update and some minor future change to Win 11 meant their product was suddenly incompatible with the majority of devices. Would be really really really stupid of them to risk that for a few thousand people won't move on from 7.

 

[Uthuriel]

I think you got your answer: OS support, security and development costs.

You have also been informed that your current choices leaves you in a spot where you will find it increasingly difficult to use new releases of software.

If you want to stick with your current choices then you will have to accept the consequences of that decision else you will have to find a path forward to stay current with a system that works for you.

Not much else to it in this case.

The gain is that they're able to keep up with the language that they're based on and the modern OSes it's running on. Losing the tiny fraction of their playerbase (or their customers' playerbases) that still insist on using a mothballed OS is worth that.

And of course it would be infinitely worse for them if they didn't update and some minor future change to Win 11 meant their product was suddenly incompatible with the majority of devices. Would be really really really stupid of them to risk that for a few thousand people won't move on from 7.

Guys leave him be... dude has clearly no idea what he's doing and is fine with it... ignorance is bliss, I guess.
Just hope he doesn't come over with an USB full of maleware and plugs it into your PC... :kek:

 

[yukiea]

Guys leave him be... dude has clearly no idea what he's doing and is fine with it... ignorance is bliss, I guess.
Just hope he doesn't come over with an USB full of maleware and plugs it into your PC... :kek:

Malware's pretty rare unless you're looking for it, but obsolescence is gonna creep soon enough

 

[Uthuriel]

Malware's pretty rare unless you're looking for it, but obsolescence is gonna creep soon enough

Obsolescence already fucked him and malware is just one example. I bet he has all sort of funky shit on his drive without him even knowing.
Especially because he doesn't seem very tech savvy.

 

[mikeross]

So basically the answer is "no".
Thus game devs on ren'py, unless they use the unsupported older versions, will potentially get 3-5% less backers for their ren'py games with no big increase in quality (or functionality) as a tradeoff.

In other words this really is a rant.
Ok.

 

[brutulf]

Chances are you can still use renpy. Just copy an old renpy distribution that is compatible with windows 7 and replace the game directory with the game directory of your new game.

 

[z_shadowalker]

I hate to say it, but I think you gotta bite the upgrade bullet

 

[Rapenyan]

And of course it would be infinitely worse for them if they didn't update and some minor future change to Win 11 meant their product was suddenly incompatible with the majority of devices. Would be really really really stupid of them to risk that for a few thousand people won't move on from 7.

I wouldn't put it past Microshaft.
Still even they wouldn't dare without an advance notice. For now ren'py 7.x is compatible with windows 11, no?
If it would become incompatible with windows 12 or whatever they name it, yeah, it would be understandable. Otherwise, not quite.

Obsolescence already fucked him and malware is just one example. I bet he has all sort of funky shit on his drive without him even knowing.
Especially because he doesn't seem very tech savvy.

You know best, champ.
How did I even manage all this time without you, I wonder.

Chances are you can still use renpy. Just copy an old renpy distribution that is compatible with windows 7 and replace the game directory with the game directory of your new game.

I'll try to recompile some game using renpy 7.8.