We're Moar Interactive. We make Signed in Secret, a story-rich adult visual novel set at a hidden magic school. We make it in Ren'Py. It's the remake of Bancroft Academy. Episode I is in production, and there's no build to play yet. Following us on Patreon is free.
What Ren'Py is
Ren'Py is a game engine. That's the base a game is built on. This one is made for story games: visual novels and dating sims.
The name mixes two words. "Ren'ai" is Japanese for romantic love. "Python" is the coding language it's built on.
Writers can use it without being coders. A line of dialogue looks a lot like a line in a play script. If a team wants more, like stats, a map or mini-games, they can add Python code.
Why so many adult visual novels use it
- It's free. There's no fee to use it or to sell a game made with it. It doesn't take a cut of Patreon or Steam money.
- It's open source. Anyone can look at the code and fix things.
- The basics come built in. Saves, a menu, a log of past lines, skipping, and going back a line all work from day one.
- It runs almost anywhere. Windows, Mac and Linux, and many games also come to phones.
- There's a big community. Lots of guides, tools and people who have solved the same problem before.
Most adult visual novels are made by one to five people. A free tool that does the boring parts is a big deal for a team that size.
Does "made in Ren'Py" mean a game is cheap?
No. Ren'Py tells you how a game is built, not how good it is. Some players feel Ren'Py games look alike, because many teams keep the default menus. Others like that every Ren'Py game works the same way, so they already know the controls. The writing, the art and the care a team puts in are what make the difference.
Keys every player should know
Most Ren'Py games use these. A game can change them, so check its settings if one doesn't work.
- Go back a line (rollback): mouse wheel up, or Page Up
- Skip fast while you hold it: Ctrl
- Turn skipping on or off: Tab
- Hide the text box to see the picture: H, or middle-click
- Open the menu (save, load, settings): Esc, or right-click
- Take a screenshot: S
- Full screen on or off: F, F11 or Alt+Enter
- Text size, voice reading and other help: Shift+A
Tip: in the settings you can often tell the game to skip only lines you've already read. That's handy on a second run.
Where are my Ren'Py saves?
On Windows, most Ren'Py games keep a copy of your saves in %APPDATA%\RenPy\, in a folder named after the game. Many also keep saves in the game's own game\saves folder. If you move to a new version, back up both before you delete anything.
For a deeper walkthrough, read Where are Ren'Py save files stored?. We also made a free tool for Ren'Py makers, the Save-Safe Update Checker (Lite). It checks an update for changes that would break players' saves before it goes out. It's pay what you want, and $0 is fine. (It isn't made or backed by the Ren'Py team.)
Where does Signed in Secret fit?
Signed in Secret is made in Ren'Py, with custom 3D renders made for this game. The plan is 8 episodes in 3 seasons. Episode I is still in production, and no build is out yet. There's no release date.
When it's out, it's $10, one time. If you own Bancroft Academy on Steam, it's free for you. The free itch.io copy of Bancroft Academy doesn't count.
Follow along
The best way to hear when Episode I is ready is to follow us on Patreon. Following is free. A paid pledge is monthly, and you can cancel anytime. Paid supporters get builds sooner, but everyone plays the same game. Nobody gets locked out of scenes.