Install the Runtime

Preview is useful while you write, but it is not the thing players run. Players need the installed runtime bundle: player-facing UI, save/load behavior, settings, networking, and story execution code.

Install the runtime when you are ready to test your visual novel as part of a Roblox game.

Before installing, create or load a VNC project, save the place, and resolve the warnings on the route you want to test. If you do not have a route yet, build your first story first.

What gets installed

• DirectoryReplicatedStorage

  • DirectoryVisualNovelCreatorRuntime

    • VNCClient
    • StoryAssets
• DirectoryServerScriptService

  • VNCServer

The runtime contains the player-facing UI, save/load behavior, settings, networking, story execution code, extension contracts, and the StoryAssets folders used by playable stories.

Your editable project data stays separate from the runtime scripts. When you save or compile, VNC stores the story project in the place; when a play session starts, the runtime server reads that saved project and compiles the playable story for that session.

Install or update

1. Open the plugin.
2. Compile the project.
3. Choose Install / Update Runtime.
4. Start a Studio play session to test the in-game menu and story flow.

Use Install / Update Runtime when the runtime is missing, after updating the plugin, or when you want to force-refresh the installed runtime scripts and contracts. Compile Project already refreshes the compiled story data and installs the runtime if it is missing.

After changing story data, runtime menu fields, dialog styling, sprite assets, or extension settings, compile the project and restart the Studio play session you are using to test. You do not need to reinstall the runtime for ordinary authoring edits unless the installed runtime itself is missing or outdated.

Runtime assets are different: imported StoryAssets are place-owned assets under the runtime root. Reinstalling the runtime preserves those assets; it does not repopulate deleted demo assets unless you explicitly create a demo project. If the current project references bundled VNC assets, runtime install copies only those referenced bundled assets.

Runtime responsibilities

Story state

The runtime tracks active story progress, save data, text filtering, and world-facing actions.

Presentation

Players see menus, dialog, sprites, audio, settings, logs, and input prompts.

This split is intentional. The runtime accepts actions only when the active story is waiting for them. A choice click should not matter unless a Choice node is active.

Test both preview and runtime

Preview is for fast authoring feedback. Play testing is for runtime behavior such as saves, settings, and player-facing UI.

The payoff is confidence. Preview tells you the scene reads correctly; runtime testing tells you the game behaves correctly.

For a fuller checklist, use Testing Runtime.