Quite some time ago, a feature was added in Dream Maker to allow you to create an executable file to distribute your game. This is really handy to get your game to people who don't ordinarily use BYOND.
The executable file (correct me if I'm wrong, haven't actually tested this part) will even install BYOND on a computer that doesn't already have it. That means that with the proper use of arguments with the hub URL, the person running the .exe file will never even have to see the BYOND website.
Now, you could take this a step further by using a custom accounts library for your multi-player games. This means your users won't even need BYOND Keys to play. But, is this really such a good thing?
Sure, it looks a bit neater and maybe even more professional to not have to go through all the hassle of the pager and the hub to play your game. However, is hiding the platform your game is distributed on from your players really okay?
I've always wanted to support BYOND to it's fullest. While I don't have any published games yet, from the day BYOND had support for identifying BYOND Members and providing them perks, I made up my mind that if I ever published a game, I would make sure to give out perks to members.
So that's why I've decided to go for a compromise. The package for my latest project uses the ##remote and ##guest arguments to ensure that as long as I have a server up and running, people will be able to play without seeing the BYOND Hub or being logged into the pager. However, you have options at the login screen.
There's the standard username/password inputs with the buttons for logging in and creating an account, but there's also a Login with BYOND Key button. To prevent any confusion, if you're using your guest key, that button is greyed out. There's also a big label underneath all three buttons that will tell you if you are not currently logged in to BYOND, or if you are, which key you are on.
If you are logged in when you create a new account/character, you are prompted to either link it with your BYOND Key or create a username/password. You can also link your game account to a key at a later time by going to an account management menu.
I am really pleased with this setup because you can still promote BYOND without forcing it on your users.
ID:105765
 Dec 15 2010, 2:41 pm
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Dec 15 2010, 2:49 pm
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Masschaos100
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Well sounds like a good idea, I'll try doing something like that :)
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The Make EXE function has been around for a long time and it isn't actually as useful as you'd think. It doesn't work for offline installations and it doesn't act as a stand-alone executable for the game itself.
Really, all it's good fore is downloading and installing the latest version on BYOND for a computer which doesn't already have it. You still need the dmb and rsc for the game, and if you have those you might as well launch the dmb anyway. | |
SuperAntx wrote:
Really, all it's good fore is downloading and installing the latest version on BYOND for a computer which doesn't already have it. You still need the dmb and rsc for the game, and if you have those you might as well launch the dmb anyway. I'll have to test this more when I get home, since I don't have access to it here, but I think you're missing the point of specifying the hub url and commands when building the executable. | |
Zagreus wrote:
I'll have to test this more when I get home, since I don't have access to it here, but I think you're missing the point of specifying the hub url and commands when building the executable. That requires downloading resources from the BYOND website. Would wouldn't be able to distribute it at say, a LAN party, and have everyone launch the game right then and there. | |
SuperAntx wrote:
The Make EXE function has been around for a long time and it isn't actually as useful as you'd think. It doesn't work for offline installations and it doesn't act as a stand-alone executable for the game itself. If you include the zipped version of BYOND with the EXE, it'll just use that. No internet connection required. Someone wrote a tutorial a little while ago for how to combine all the necessary stuff (BYOND zip, game EXE, DMB, and RSC) into a single executable: http://www.byond.com/members/ Metamorphman?command=view_post&post=98410 | |
DarkCampainger wrote:
If you include the zipped version of BYOND with the EXE, it'll just use that. No internet connection required. That's completely bypassing the entire point of having an exe. You might as well just zip up the BYOND installer along with the game files. | |
SuperAntx wrote:
DarkCampainger wrote: If you're looking for a standalone EXE, use the method in the second paragraph. It's completely hidden from the end-user. No installation needed, just a temporary directory. | |
DarkCampainger wrote:
If you're looking for a standalone EXE, use the method in the second paragraph. It's completely hidden from the end-user. No installation needed, just a temporary directory. I'm not looking to make anything. I was just explaining the shortcomings of BYOND's next to useless Make EXE function. | |
It's a good idea, especially if you plan to take advantage of the Flash client.
Just remember to delineate between those who logged in with their BYOND keys and those who made their own game-local account, so someone can't make the account "Tom" to impersonate the BYOND key "Tom". There was another project planning something similar, and they had some good discussion on that note, but I can't remember what it was. It might have been Isorath... | |
SuperAntx wrote:
DarkCampainger wrote: Well, what do you want it to do? | |
DarkCampainger wrote:
SuperAntx wrote: Install BYOND silently and not have to download anything? | |
DarkCampainger wrote:
Well, what do you want it to do? You should be able to create an executable which runs your packaged game without needing to download or install anything. If you compile a game with a certain version of BYOND the exe shouldn't be downloading new updates which could potentially break the game. Should the author choose so, the exe should install the game in the end-user's BYOND game directory if they already have BYOND installed. Most of this can be done with an NSIS script, but that's besides the point. | |
Sinfall wrote:
DarkCampainger wrote: Why would installing BYOND be preferable to not needing to install it at all? As an end-user, I would prefer it if EXEs don't install random software I've never heard of before. | |
The only reason to hide that you've used BYOND is to mask your shame of not using one of the "Big Boy" programming languages. I honestly would love to see a day were DM is a well known language(and yes, it is a programming language). I really think if BYOND did some sort of "flash" knock off were you could embed a game into a web page it'd see much more success. And popularity =).
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Ss4toby wrote:
The only reason to hide that you've used BYOND is to mask your shame of not using one of the "Big Boy" programming languages. That one came out of left field. Lets just ignore the fact people don't like installing foreign software. | |
DarkCampainger wrote:
Sinfall wrote: Not so much as install as put the files needed in the same directory as the game program. I should of been a little more specific, sorry. | |
SuperAntx wrote:
I'm not looking to make anything. I was just explaining the shortcomings of BYOND's next to useless Make EXE function. I dunno, it's pretty transparent. If you follow these instructions, all the end-user has to do is click on the EXE and they'll play your game. There's no need to download BYOND or install anything. | |
If I wanted to run Minecraft I'd just download and run Minecraft.exe. That executable is single, portable file I can use to launch the game from no matter where it's located on my computer.
BYOND's Make EXE function requires the use of multiple files which have to be unpacked. If any of them are moved the whole thing breaks. | |
Well, most distributables require you to download an installer and run it. This is about the same level of difficulty. I don't think you lose users by requiring them to download and unzip or install a file; you lose them by requiring them to download anything at all. So hopefully the Flash version solves that problem.
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