Sharing a Visual Novel
Once you've finished creating a visual novel, you'll likely want to share it with others.
There are 3 file types that you can compile your visual novel to.
Compiled lvna files contain all the images, audio, dialogue text that your visual novel needs in one file.
After your viewers have obtained a compiled .lvna file of your visual novel, LVNAuth will be needed to play the visual novel because .lvna files don't contain LVNAuth Player.
This option will create a compressed tarball archive (tar.gz) designed for Linux. It will include your visual novel (.lvna) and LVNAuth Player for Linux. Your viewers won't need to download LVNAuth separately, it will already be included.
Instructions for your viewers: extract the .tar.gz file and run command this in the terminal: sh run.sh
That command will play your visual novel.
This option will create a compressed zip file designed for Windows. It will include your visual novel (.lvna) and LVNAuth Player for Windows. Your viewers won't need to download LVNAuth separately, it will already be included.
Instructions for your viewers: extract the .zip file and run player.exe
That file will play your visual novel.
The easiest way to share your visual novel with others it to compile to .tar.gz (Linux) or .zip (Windows), because those two options will include LVNAuth Player, so your viewers won't have to download the player separately.
.lvna is a good choice if your viewers already have LVNAuth and know how to play .lvna visual novels with LVNAuth.
It's important to note that compiled lvna files are not encrypted. Compiling your visual novel to a .lvna file does not protect your images or audio or dialogue text from being extracted and getting copied.
Last updated: Fri 03 April 2026