Server-Side

One of the keys to creating portable games is the ability to maintain a small file size (or at least as much as possible) and an easy way to extract and run the game. Another factor in portable game creation is making sure that administrative rights on the local computer are never needed.

The easiest way to build a file like this is creating a self-extracting .zip file. With this installation type, we can set it to load all the games files into the local users’ temporary folder and launch the game from there. This helps both slow flash drives and slow computers, and also making distribution and launching that much easier.

The utility itself

DOWNLOAD: ZIP 2 Secure EXE (900 KB)

This wonderful utility by chilkatsoft holds the key to creating self-extracting archives. Of course, the main part of that utility is the fact you can secure the executable, but it has many things that we can use to create a portable game launcher. (Heck, maybe you DO want to password protect the game.) Some things we can do is allow/disallow choosing where to extract the archive, set to default location or automatically extract to the users’ temporary directory, add/remove buttons and text (immediately start extract on starting the .exe or wait for Unzip to be clicked? Totally up to you.)

Once you package your portable game or application, archive it in a .zip file. Open it with this utility and set your settings accordingly. Some important things that you will want to set will be where to unzip the archive to, and ‘Run this “setup” file after extracting.’ The “setup file” is actually what you will want to point for whatever executable or shortcut link launches your game from inside the extracted directory.  Make sure this will extract to a common directory that everyone has if you disable the users’ ability to choose where it will be extracted to.

If you’re building something for being run on computer that will not have administrative rights for the local user, you’ll probably want to pick the temporary directory and launch it from there.

Hopefully, this helps some people get started on creating self-extracting, portable games. Feel free to try out any I have posted here or leave a comment.