Curation Format

The Golden Rule

You only upload a game to Flashpoint once. I'll accept edits for mistakes later, but you won't be uploading the game twice. So, try and get it right the first time. If you need to make an edit or addition, describe them on #curator-lounge and ping BlueMaxima.

Barred Games

These are games/animations not allowed in Flashpoint for any reason. You can make an effort to get them working in Flashpoint if you want, but you may not request or submit them.

• Games/animations that are still on sale, we will not distribute currently paid content. (Don't forget that some games start in web browsers for free then get paid versions later, the web browser version would be allowed in Flashpoint in this case; be sure to check the history before you archive.)
• Any outright emulation of a commercial game (Such as a swf of Contra which contains the Contra ROM image). Ports of games are absolutely fine, but games that are a ROM wrapped in an emulator are not allowed unless they contain only non-commercial games and/or allow you to load your own.
  • While not emulation, fan remakes/conversions of Nintendo projects like Full Screen Mario are too risky to add if they were taken down by Nintendo. Not all remakes/conversions are risky though, if you are unsure just ask in #curators.
• Videos embedded in SWF files:
  • If the SWF has nothing on it other than it requiring a separate FLV to run the SWF file properly (and if the FLV works perfectly fine on VLC), then it won't be allowed on Flashpoint and it should rather be uploaded through Archive.org
  • If it uses any Flash elements like ui, special effects, loop etc., it can be curated.
  • This means that your curation can't be only a video embedded in a SWF.
  • Games, animations and websites that use video are allowed, and you should include the video files and/or SWFs containing video in the curation.
• Animations using the HTML5 platform have to include animated components and make use of HTML5-specific tags, CSS, and/or Javascript.
• Games/animations with cub, shotacon or lolicon content.

• The following are not allowed at developer request:
  • Any game from XForm Games that is not already in the database
  • Windows 93
  • Dragon Ball Devolution, and other games from www.txori.com
  • Any game developed by Nitrome
  • Flash Flash Revolution
  • Any game developed by Farrago Fiction
  • Any game/animation developed by Anonymous-Frog
  • Non-classic versions of Cookie Clicker

It should go without saying that blatantly illegal games/animations are not allowed, either.

Testing

You'll want Flashpoint Core to help test games in a copy of Flashpoint that you can afford to break. You can find it in #downloads on the Discord.

All games should be tested in Flashpoint, if not Core then at least the full version. Just opening the game in the flash projector is not enough of a test.

SWFs

All SWFs need to be placed inside a 'content' folder, then arranged in the same way that they would be placed in Flashpoint proper from the htdocs folder - the best practice is to try and recreate the same structure that the game had on the internet. For example, if an SWF was hosted at 'http://uploads.ungrounded.net/59000/59593_alien_booya202c.swf' you would do the folders in the first example in the example image below. If that is not available or not working for some reason, a secondary format is acceptable - a domain folder, a folder with the game's name, then the game SWF/files, displayed as the second example.

Never have https:// at the beginning of a URL, it will eventually break something. Always, ALWAYS, use http://. If a URL has https:// at the beginning, it's wrong, end of story.

The domain folder should never be localflash after 5.1.

Examples

• 

  This is assuming you've already tested the game with Flashpoint Core. Don't forget the folder with the game's name!

Logo

Logos must be in PNG format, and have the entire title of a game, or something that is representative of the game. To be named 'logo.png' in all cases.

Recommended tools include Snipping Tool and Paint, both included in Windows 10 by default. You're free to use other tools, just remember, always use PNG.

Examples

• 

  Bad example. Crop it down to just the logo.

• 

  Good example. Logo is sufficiently cropped.

• 

  Good example. Can show off a bit of the artists work, but no menu options or other things to get in the way.

• 

  Good example. If no title is available, a decent shot of the focal point of the game will do instead.

Screenshot

Screenshots must be in PNG format, and have a credible 'action shot' of the game (no menus or obvious tutorials). To be named 'ss.png' in all cases.

Recommended tools include Snipping Tool and Paint, both included in Windows 10 by default. You're free to use other tools, just remember, always use PNG.

Examples

• 

  Bad example. Don't show obvious tutorials.

• 

  Bad example. Don't show menus, unless the entire point of the game is menus. Work your way to a battle in an RPG or strategy game.

• 

  Good example. Shows some action. Dying is sometimes unavoidable - don't feel bad if the screenshot is otherwise good.

• 

  Great example. Shows a lot of action and what the game's big draw is.

Metadata

The metadata must be included in a file named 'meta.txt', and contain all of the fields in the following examples.

Example

List of Metadata Required

You need to add the field, but you can leave it blank if the field is not applicable (unknown developer, no series, no notes, etc.)

• Title: The name of the game, in full. If the game's been hacked, add (Hacked) onto the end of the title.

• Series: The series the game is in. Not the series of the franchise it belongs to; i.e. Spongebob, but the series in the web game sphere, i.e. Crush the Castle.

• Developer: The name of the developer, or developers. Separate multiple developers with the ; symbol.

• Publisher: The site that published (released/branded) the game.

• Play Mode: One or more of the following, seperated by the ; symbol:
  • Single Player: A solo experience from start to finish.
  • Cooperative: Like "Single Player", but with others being in the journey of finishing the game from start to finish.
  • Multiplayer: Playing against someone else or multiple players in session on who wins.

• Release Date: The date the game was originally released. If you have the full date, format like this: January 1, 1990. If just the year, only do the year.

• Status: One of the following:
  • Not Working: The game doesn't work.
  • Playable: Fully playable from beginning to end.
  • Playable (Partial): The game is playable but incomplete/unfinishable.

• Extreme: Whether or not the game should be hidden when asked because of thoroughly extreme content not appropriate for younger people. (Yes or No)

• Languages: Use ISO 639-1 two letter language codes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ISO_639-1_codes). Separate multiple with a ; symbol.

• Tags:
  • See Tags.

• Source: The website you retrieved the game from. Both a full URL and simply the name of the website (with the .com/etc at the end) are acceptable.

• Platform: The web game plugin that the game runs on. See Flashpoint itself for a specific full list.

• Application Path: The application path as listed in Flashpoint.

• Launch Command: The launch command as listed in Flashpoint. This is case-sensitive. And again, never have https:// at the beginning of a URL, it will eventually break something. Always, ALWAYS, use http://. If a URL has https:// at the beginning, it's wrong, end of story.

• Game Notes: Anything that will appear between the metadata and before the screenshots in LaunchBox's Details interface.

• Original Description: The original description as seen on the site that the game was taken from. Not a requirement.

• Curation Notes: This line will only be seen in the curation process. If there is some special circumstance, here is the place to put details.

A Good meta.txt

Title: Alien Hominid
Series:
Developer: The Behemoth
Publisher: Newgrounds
Play Mode: Single Player
Release Date: August 7, 2002
Status: Playable
Extreme: No
Languages: en
Tags: Action, Shooter, Platformer
Source: Newgrounds.com
Platform: Flash
Application Path: FPSoftware\Flash\flashplayer_32_sa.exe
Launch Command: http://uploads.ungrounded.net/59000/59593_alien_booya202c.swf
Game Notes: |


Original Description: |
Alien Hominid HD is now available on Xbox 360 Live Arcade! Go try it and buy it!

Your UFO has crash landed, and the FBI is out to get you! Time to take them out!

Programming by Tom Fulp of Newgrounds.com!
Art by Dan Paladin! 

Controls:
Use the arrows to run around and aim your gun. The 'a' key shoots and the 's' key jumps. When jumping over an enemy, press DOWN and 's' to do a freak attack!

****HINTS****
* You can ride enemy heads past roadblocks. they can run right through while they are freaking out!

* Eat enemy skulls in front of other enemies while on their shoulders -- their friend's reaction will give you a free cheapshot!

* If all else fails, you can try crawling your way to the end like the scum you are! haha

8/20/02 UPDATE:
Fixed grenade / Freak Attack Glitch
Fixed CAPS LOCK issues
Removed first grenade guy (now just 1)
Added first level intro cinema!
 
Curation Notes: |
The Game Notes were intentionally left blank.
You can do multi-line notes like this.
Not doing it this way will probably break something.

Blank meta.txt

Title: 
Series:
Developer: 
Publisher:
Play Mode:
Release Date:
Status: Playable
Extreme: No
Languages: en
Tags: 
Source: 
Platform: 
Application Path: 
Launch Command: 
Game Notes: |


Original Description: |


Curation Notes: |

Packing it up

All of these files should now be packed into a single .ZIP file and submitted to our #curator-lounge on the Discord. If your curation is up to snuff, you'll be given Trial Curator status, which will let you submit curations through the curation channels. You can use Discord's drag and drop for files under 8MB, an external filehost for bigger files, or our file host, which is in the pinned messages in #flash-game-curations.

You can download a full example ZIP file here.