Game installation package?

[rpallen]

The Löve wiki page at https://love2d.org/wiki/Game_Distributi ... Executable says, "When distributing the windows executable you will need to include the dll files that came in the folder of the love.exe you used (so don't mix the 32 bit dll's with the 64 bit dll's). Without these files you will get error message when attempting to run SuperGame.exe on a windows machine."

I had no problem creating the "MyGame.exe" Windows executable file, but I'm not sure what to do now to distribute the game to people who know next to nothing about computers. From what I understand, once I have the executable, I package this in a .zip file with the necessary .dll files. OK, I can do that. But then what? So Isend this .zip file to someone who knows nothing about computers. What does he do with this .zip file. Is there a way to create an executable installation program that will walk someone through whatever is necessary to install the .dll files and play the game? Is it possible to make a CD or DVD that will install the game like any other Windows program that you can get on a disk?

[zorg]

You usually either tell or show them to right click the zip in explorer or on the desktop or in a normal file manager like total commander, then select unzip / extract or whatever the name of the option is. The files will be barfed into wherever the zip was, and they can start the program with the exe.

On the other hand, you can try NSIS, which can be used to create installers.

[T-Bone]

The big problem with the Wiki's approach is that Windows will complain about the modified .exe, and the user has to tell the OS that the app is fine. This can scare off lots of people.

[ivan]

I've been using NSIS for standalone distribution and it's great.
Highly recommended and it's free.

[zorg]

The big problem with the Wiki's approach is that Windows will complain about the modified .exe, and the user has to tell the OS that the app is fine. This can scare off lots of people.

Weird, never did that for me... i mean, Chrome complains that there's an executable inside the zip, but that's another thing.

I've been using NSIS for standalone distribution and it's great.
Highly recommended and it's free.

Although do have an alternative for those who like "portable" apps, i.e. who dislike keeping both the installed stuff and the installers on their computers.

[davisdude]

Although do have an alternative for those who like "portable" apps, i.e. who dislike keeping both the installed stuff and the installers on their computers.

You can also just delete the installer

[T-Bone]

The big problem with the Wiki's approach is that Windows will complain about the modified .exe, and the user has to tell the OS that the app is fine. This can scare off lots of people.

Weird, never did that for me... i mean, Chrome complains that there's an executable inside the zip, but that's another thing.

Now when I think about it, that might be because I changed the icon via a resource hack But you can't release a game with Löve's default icon, can you?

[ivan]

Most non-tech savvy people just expect
to click 'install' and get a shortcut icon on their desktop.
.zip files are cool, but then you have to know how to extract it.
A lot of users don't even know or care where
files are stored when they download something.
I'm not familiar with portable apps, but it sounds cool.

Now when I think about it, that might be because I changed the icon via a resource hack But you can't release a game with Löve's default icon, can you?

With NSIS you don't need to do that.
Even if you use the standard Love icon,
NSIS can put any icon that you want
on the desktop/start menu as a shortcut.

[zorg]

Although do have an alternative for those who like "portable" apps, i.e. who dislike keeping both the installed stuff and the installers on their computers.

You can also just delete the installer

Probably not love related, since that can be usually copypasted after it's installed (i.e. it doens't have to be reinstalled on reinstalled OS-es), but with other software that won't run without a reinstall (that barfs into other places or even into the registry), keeping the installer is necessary (I'm generalizing)

On the other hand, for better or for worse, i expect people who use computers to know how to handle them, and that includes more than just using facebook with ie, like how to unzip a file...

[T-Bone]

Now when I think about it, that might be because I changed the icon via a resource hack But you can't release a game with Löve's default icon, can you?

With NSIS you don't need to do that.
Even if you use the standard Love icon,
NSIS can put any icon that you want
on the desktop/start menu as a shortcut.

That's really good to know! I'll do that for my future games, it sounds convenient.