Ren'Py 8.1 and Ren'Py 7.6 Prerelease

I'm happy to announce that Ren'Py 8.1 and Ren'Py 7.6 are now in prerelease.

(I'm sending this up to my sponsors because I think you'll be interested. I'm not going to make a post for every prerelease, because that would be annoying - please check https://www.renpy.org for every update.) 

Ren'Py 8.1 is the second feature release of Ren'Py that supports Python 3. This release is the first version of Ren'Py 8 to run on the web platform, and is recommended for all new games and games that plan to release after May 2024.

I'm happy to announce Ren'Py 7.6, a feature release that retains support for Python 2.7. This release is intended to support games that do not support Python 3 yet, and plan to release before May 2024.

Ren'Py 8.1 and Ren'Py 7.6 are a joint release that add improved documentation, fixes, and many new features to Ren'Py. Some of the new features are:

• Ren'Py Sync, an easy way to synchronize save games between computers, phones, and the web.
• A built-in way for displaying character dialogue in speech bubbles, including an interactive editor for positioning the bubbles.
• Ren'Py 8-only support for progressive web apps, including features like installing on a device and caching data locally.
• Apple Silicon support.
• Sticky layers, such that an image tag remains associated with a layer until it's hidden.
• Detached layers, that are displayables themselves.
• Support for displaying AVIF images.
• Support for displaying SVG images.
• Support for oversampled images, which can be used to upgrade a game to a higher resolution.
• Support for AV1 video on PC and Mobile platforms, with web support depending on browser support.
• A rewritten audio mixing system that works on a per-sample basis, allowing for smoother fadeouts and removing clicks.
• Volume sliders that work in decibels, and hence are more responsive.
• Viewports that can be dragged on touch screen devices, even if the player is touching a button or bar.
• Support for _ren.py files, that allow Ren'Py script to be edited using Python text editors (allowing for better completion of Python-heavy files).
• The use of lenticular brackets as a simpler syntax for ruby text (furigana).
• The ability to substitute text before self-voicing is performed, allowing pronunciation to be changed.
• A new warning that reminds people that it's insecure to load saves from people you do not fully trust.
• New transform properties that control rotation on the 3D Stage.

As well as many more new features, improvements, fixes, and a dark theme for the documentation.

Downloads of 8.1.0 can be found at:

https://www.renpy.org/release/8.1.0

Downloads of 7.6.0 can be found at:

https://www.renpy.org/release/7.6.0

A full list of changes to Ren'Py can be found at:

https://www.renpy.org/dev-doc/html/changelog.html

A list of changes that may require you to update your game can be found at:

https://www.renpy.org/dev-doc/html/incompatible.html

Please also check out the credits and sponsor list.