{"assets":[],"author_link":"author\/sos\/","author_name":"Sos","cat":"LD #22","categories":["LD #22"],"comments":[],"epoch":1324378020,"event":"LD22","likes":54,"metadata":{"p_key":"76711","p_author":"Sos","p_authorkey":"0","p_urlkey":"284547","p_title":"Packaging your game","p_cat":"LD #22","p_event":"LD22","p_time":"1324378020","p_likes":"54","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":null,"us_name":null,"us_username":null,"event_start":"1323993600","event_key":"8","event_name":"LD22"},"source_url":"2011\/12\/20\/packaging-and-preparing-your-game\/","text":"<p>Ok, I guess everyone here packaged and submitted the game already, but as I was trying some of them out, I thought that it\u2019s a good thing to post some advice on how to make your game work out of the box, thus getting more views and plays. Consider repackaging the game if some of the below points apply to yours!<\/p>\n<p>How to have your game working out the box:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>First of all<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Listen to suggestions<\/strong>, people will surely feedback if the game is not working for some reason! Check comments, come to IRC and ask if the game runs fine.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make a gameplay video<\/strong> and include it in your game links! Even if someone is unable to play, he can give you some ratings (e.g. Graphics and Audio)!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Downloadable games<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Subdirectory <\/strong>- Include a directory with your game files in the downloadable archive, it makes unpackaging way easier!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Decrease size<\/strong> \u2013 make sure you remove all redundant files form the archive!<\/li>\n<li><strong>File name<\/strong> \u2013 avoid using file names such as <em>ld.zip<\/em>, <em>ld22.zip<\/em>, <em>alone.zip<\/em> etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Java <\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Make a <em>web applet! <\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dereksewell.co.uk\/projects\/ld22_applet.zip\">Link to Daze\u2019s web applet snippet<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Or, use <a href=\"http:\/\/docs.oracle.com\/javase\/6\/docs\/technotes\/guides\/javaws\/index.html\">Java Web Start<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>AS3\/Flash\/HAXE\/Stencyl<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Include <em>classid <\/em>parameter when embedding!<\/li>\n<li>Add a <em><a href=\"http:\/\/flashpunk.net\/forums\/index.php?topic=633.0\">preloader<\/a> <\/em>if your game is over 1MB!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Love2D <\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/love2d.org\/wiki\/Game_Distribution\">Create Love executable!<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Keep the original <em>.love<\/em> for <em>Linux <\/em>and <em>Mac <\/em>users!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Python <\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Use <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.py2exe.org\/\">Py2exe<\/a><\/em>!<\/li>\n<li>Keep the source inside too!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>C#\/XNA\/Mono<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Provide <em>links to framework<\/em> you used in the game description! <\/li>\n<li>Framework links: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=15537\">XNA 2.0<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=15163\">XNA 3.1<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=20914\">XNA 4.0<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=19\">.NET 2.0<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=21\">.NET 3.5<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=17851\">.NET 4.0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>JavaScript\/HTML5\/WebGL<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure your game works in different browsers! At least Firefox and Chrome!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>C\/C++\/Native<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure you included all the <em>dlls <\/em>and that these are right version!<\/li>\n<li>Add links to redistributables: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=3387\">VS 2005<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?displaylang=en&amp;id=29\">VS 2008<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/download\/en\/details.aspx?id=5555\">VS 2010<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Use static linking if possible!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ruby<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Use <a href=\"http:\/\/ocra.rubyforge.org\/\">OCRA<\/a> to package your game into executable!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Game maker<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Submit the game to <a href=\"http:\/\/sandbox.yoyogames.com\/\">Yoyogames sandbox<\/a>! It will allow people to play it online.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Linux<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Use <a href=\"http:\/\/linux.about.com\/library\/cmd\/blcmdl1_ldd.htm\">ldd<\/a> to pick and package correct libraries with your game!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mac users<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Use <a href=\"http:\/\/winebottler.kronenberg.org\/\">WineBottler<\/a> to play most of the windows entries!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ludumdare.com\/compo\/2011\/12\/13\/dos-and-donts-for-setting-up-your-game\/\">Read DO\u2019s and DON\u2019Ts list by Mathias Zarzecki!<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><em>\u201c[\u2026] Damn. I spent ages searching for such a place. Ah well. I\u2019ll do it next time.\u201d<\/em> <font style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">SUPERBAD!<\/font>\n<ul>\n<li>Do it now! That\u2019s what this guide is for!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>If you run across anything annoying regarding packaging, or have a piece of valuable advice, write it in the comments, and I will snip it to the list!<\/strong><\/p>","time":"December 20th, 2011 10:47 am","title":"Packaging your game"}