A simple warning beforehand: Everything you do from here on out is your own responsiblity. If you break a save or potentially even your game, you are the only one responsible. Back up your files before you even think to change anything. By continuing to read, you are choosting to accept that responsibility.
With that clear message out of the way, let me introduce you to some tools.
Ren'Py
Ren'Py is obviously the most used engine when it comes to AVN games, and there are many tools available to help finetune your experience. In order of severity, here are some recommendations:
Developer Console
The developer console will allow you to adjust variables and inject a few things into the game. While some games might have the developer console unlocked, many will have locked it away to keep the game safe. Here's how you can unlock it for any Ren'Py game that still has it available:1. Open any text editor on your computer.
2. Paste in the following text:
init 999 python:
config.developer = True
config.console = True
3. Save the file as dev-mode.rpy and copy it to a safe place.
4. Copy the dev-mode.rpy file to the /GAME folder of your Ren'Py game.
5. Run the game and hit SHIFT+O to get into the developer console.
> Alternatively, you can snatch the dev-mode.rpy file from my archive here.
Beware the power of the developer console. You can now inject code and change variables in the game.
URM (Universal Ren'Py Manager)
> Download the Universal Ren'Py Manager Mod from the official siteWhen you are unsure what to even inject or feel stuck in a game without knowing where to go, that's when the URM by 0x52 comes into play. This tool will allow you to listen for pathways, track new variables and change them, all in a nice interface. It takes some getting used to, but can really help you figure out what goes on inside a game. Debuggers use it to look for error and cheaters use it to skip unnecessary elements or grind. This is basically the developer console on steroids.
Installing the URM is easy enough. Just download the file, drop in into the /GAME directory of the game and fire it up. Press ALT+M when you started your game and you have just enabled the URM. Just beware - using the URM does alter savefiles that had the URM installed when saving. You won't be able to use them in a game without URM. A common technique is to use URM to find the variable you want to change, then removing the URM without saving and changing the variable with the developer console. That way, you're safe from save corruption due to the mod.
UNREN
> Visit the UnRen.BAT topic on forumWhen all fails, you can consider using UnRen to decompile the game. This will allow you to looking into actual game code, rather than just fishing for variables. That is all the guidance I am allowed to give you on this tool, because you can do some serious damage with the tool. Modders and builders use this tool to create Android or compressed versions of games, which is often illegal in practice. You really should not be using this to change a game unless you're actively looking to change parts of a game for good.
Save Editor Online
> Visit the Save Editor OnlineWhile I am absolutely not a fan of online tools for modifying games, installing things can be quite daunting for players. Suppose you know which variable you want to adjust and all you have is a Ren'Py .SAVE file close by. In that case, you can use this online editor to load up the save, find the variable and change it. I haven't actually tried this myself, but multiple users have recommended me sharing this tool as a bonus for those cases where you just want to add some money to your save. Personally I would just use the developer console, but I can at the very least offer you the knowledge.
For now, those are all the tools I can teach you about. Use them responsibly, okay babes?