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To start off my fresh account, I've compiled a few Ren'Py tips into a bite-sized format! I've been programming in Ren'Py since 2018 and spent a ton of time working with it for all sorts of projects. Here are some less-common bits of knowledge ✨ #vndev #visualnovel #gamedev #renpy

Starting with one I see confused all the time: the special variable `main_menu` is True when you are *not currently in a save file*. Once you've started a new game or loaded one, main_menu will be False. Until then, it's True.

It is NOT a variable checking "you are on the main menu screen specifically" - to do that, use `if renpy.get_screen("main_menu")`. In short: can you hit Return to return to gameplay? Then `main_menu` is False. Otherwise, it's True.

Another special variable is `_menu`. It's True if you're in the "menu context" - so, when you're on the preferences screen, save/load, main menu, etc. This is most useful if you have a screen accessed both in-game or manually through the menu screens, and you need to know which is which.

It adds the two together, so `xpos position(1.0, -10)` positions the item at 100% of the available space, -10 (e.g. if the available space was 1920, this would put the xpos at 1920-10 = 1910). Extremely useful for offsetting positions or sizes a bit from the edge or center without using `offset`.

Does it bother you that the Window button in the default preferences screen is never highlighted, even when the game is not fullscreen? This is a quirk of how that button action checks if it's selected - technically, it's only highlighted if the window is exactly the game dimensions (e.g. 1920x1080)

Most people want it highlighted any time the game is not in fullscreen, regardless of size. Fix it by putting `selected not preferences.fullscreen` on the Window button.