# ONScripter

> NScripter-compatible visual novel engine

**Wikidata**: [Q131316485](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131316485)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/onscripter

## Summary
ONScripter is a free, open-source visual novel engine compatible with NScripter, enabling games created for that platform to run on multiple operating systems. It serves as a scripting language interpreter for visual novels.

## Key Facts
- **License**: GNU General Public License, version 2.0
- **Primary Compatibility**: NScripter
- **Software Classification**: Visual novel engine (scripting language interpreter)
- **Official Website**: http://onscripter.osdn.jp/onscripter.html (English language)
- **SourceForge Project**: onscripter
- **Debian Package**: onscripter
- **Homebrew Formula Name**: onscripter
- **Repology Project Name**: onscripter
- **Free Software Directory Entry**: Onscripter

## FAQs
### Q: What is ONScripter?
A: ONScripter is a free, open-source visual novel engine that allows games created for the NScripter scripting engine to run on operating systems beyond the original platform, such as Linux and macOS.

### Q: What license is ONScripter released under?
A: ONScripter is licensed under the GNU General Public License, version 2.0, making it free software.

### Q: Can ONScripter run any visual novel?
A: ONScripter is specifically designed to be compatible with games created using the NScripter scripting language and engine, not visual novels built on other platforms.

### Q: Where can I get ONScripter?
A: ONScripter is available through its official website (http://onscripter.osdn.jp/onscripter.html), SourceForge (project: onscripter), and package repositories like Debian (package: onscripter) and Homebrew (formula: onscripter).

## Why It Matters
ONScripter plays a crucial role in the preservation and accessibility of visual novel history. By providing a free, open-source alternative to the original NScripter engine, which was often Windows-only, it ensures that games created in this popular scripting language can continue to be played on modern systems and diverse platforms long after the original tools become obsolete or unavailable. This cross-platform capability (supporting Linux, macOS, and others) democratizes access to these interactive narrative experiences, prevents them from becoming abandonware, and supports the community's efforts to preserve digital cultural artifacts. Its existence directly solves the problem of platform lock-in for NScripter-based games.

## Notable For
- **NScripter Compatibility**: Its defining feature is providing an open-source, cross-platform engine capable of running games developed specifically for the proprietary NScripter scripting engine.
- **Longstanding Free Software**: Maintained as free software under the GPL v2.0 for years, enabling community-driven development and wide distribution.
- **Multi-Platform Support**: Enables NScripter games to run beyond Windows, notably on Linux and macOS, significantly broadening their audience and lifespan.
- **Active Distribution**: Widely available through established software repositories like Debian, Homebrew, SourceForge, and the Free Software Directory.

## Body
### Licensing
- Licensed under the GNU General Public License, version 2.0.
- Designated as free software.

### Compatibility
- Explicitly compatible with games created for the NScripter scripting engine.
- Functions as a scripting language interpreter for visual novels.

### Software Distribution
- **SourceForge**: Hosted under the project name "onscripter".
- **Debian**: Included in the Debian stable repositories as the package "onscripter".
- **Homebrew**: Available as a Homebrew formula named "onscripter".
- **Repology**: Listed under the project name "onscripter".
- **Free Software Directory**: Entry titled "Onscripter".
- **Official Website**: Primary source at http://onscripter.osdn.jp/onscripter.html (English language content indicated).

### Related Entity
- Classified as a "visual novel engine" (specifically a "scripting language interpreter" within that class).