I clicked the link for chapter one and I got a list of what appears to be all the code, rather than the game itself.

Same here

Same.

As far as I can tell by looking at the codes, I can tell it will be interesting. What's the time period of the game?

It's a western, and the directories appear a little messed up o.O

I was afraid of that. Webs.com wasn't particularly co-operative with me before I stopped being able to access it last night.

The story is set in 1866, starting in California but moving out to Nevada where the Frontier is exactly that. No railroad, only a single telegraph line, Indians, prospectors, bears and boom towns.

Okay, does anyone have experience with webs.com? I know people have used it to host games before. I also have no doubt that I am currently assailing the problem of posting chapter one the hard way. That or it updates very slowly.

Step by step instructions for preparing a Beta via webs.com would be excellent if any are to be had.

@AllenGies I've had nothing but problems with webs.com, tbh--even to the point where, for no apparent reason (and with no actual changes on my part!) it suddenly decided that my game was no longer actually online . . . even though the files were still there, and even after I uploaded them all again!

On the advice of others here I've since been using dropbox, and without any problems. Moreover, with the free application provided, to 'publish' new / updated files online you simply have to copy them into the public area of the dropbox folder on your own computer--no messing about 'uploading' them one at a time as with webs.com. Dropbox uploads automatically, in the background. Highly recommended.

http://www.dropbox.com

not working

Indeed, and it won't be because I can't figure out how to make Webs.com do what I want. It just won't let people access the index with the chapter. And so, I'll give Dropbox a shot now. Thanks for the tip, Vendetta.

Ah. Webs.com has a seven day probationary period for uploading certain kinds of files. That's why it wouldn't work. What a waste. If they had told me straight up, I would have planned accordingly.

I'm sorry you didn't realize that. I use webs.com for my game and it works fine.

Bastiaan- Well, I can wait a few days until it unlocks. I would have rather set it up seven days ago and had it ready to play the Beta straight off...

That said, can I ask your advice on uploading a chapter of a game? Do I need to upload the index file with the chapter placed in the startup file and the stat screen in the stat file? Or is there some other method to use? I would like to get this right next time.

Make The Heist Game I Mentioned

Everything in the 'web' folder gets uploaded, except .htaccess (which, IIRC, Webs shouldn't allow you to upload anyways). Make sure to keep the folder structure intact (create the folders with Webs' file manager), and make sure to upload everything to the right folder (so mygame.js and one of the index files gets uploaded to the 'mygame' folder, and all the scenes get uploaded to a 'scenes' folder within the 'mygame' folder).

The first index file (the one the the 'web' folder, not the one in the 'mygame' folder) is what you'll probably want to link to. You can rename that freely, but to rename anything else (such as the 'mygame' folder) you'll need to edit that index file.

(I can give you a more detailed walkthough if you need it.)

Thanks Reaperoa. That is exactly the sort of detailed assembly of structure I need to know. It seems I'm a writer first and a programmer second or third.

If I have trouble, I'll definitely post. Thanks again.

So, I can't get webs.com to work despite loading in the whole architecture from the web folder, to mygame folder, to the scenes folder. It still says, when the button linking the index file (in the web folder) is pressed on the web page, that 'Sorry, this page was not found'.

Why magic box no work? ;) (That's what I was feeling after a frustrating hour of monkeying with things.)

Reaperoa, I definitely need that detailed walkthrough. :)

Dropbox it, seriously. It's just so simple to use in comparison--you set up the folders, and copy updated files to those folders, entirely on your own computer, and dropbox does the rest behind the scenes. It even seems to run better / faster online, with fewer loading problems. And it has yet to just 'lose' my entire game as webs.com eventually did! (Which sounds remarkably similar to what you're experiencing there).

The only advantage of webs.com is that you also have the static web page, but there's no reason why you cannot still have that and have a link pointing to the game index on dropbox (which is what I did when I switched--the webs.com page is still there).

I too am certain that dropbox would be easier. However, there is something you are overlooking, Vendetta....

I'm not going to let Webs.com get the better of me. They have tasked me, and I shall have them.

;)

Lol

I feel that, man. Lmao, don't let some stupid website make you look bad! come at him, webs! >:/

So any news from the Tin Star vs. Webs.com battle Allen?

Alas, there is no sighting of the white whale. However, I did sign up to dropbox.com as a temporary (perhaps permanent) solution. It is remarkably easy to just shove a whole folder into the dropbox and have it function as it should.

However, unlike webs.com, it seems I need the email address of those who I wish to grant access to those particular files. If you are still interested in Beta testing the first chapter of Tin-Star, send me a message via facebook with your e-mail and I'll hook you up.

Hmm... I'm probably missing a few steps here. I really wish webs.com hadn't laid a steaming turd in my shoes.

@AllenGies
Actually, there's a simpler way.
Go to your D.B. folder, go to the first index.html, right click, hover over the D.B. icon, click on "Get link to Dropbox", paste link.
Hope this helps.

@AllenGies Heh, good point. :)

As @Daisuke says, the method you want to use for your game is to have the game folders within the Public folder and then follow his instructions to create the public link so anyone can access it without also needing to be dropbox users.

The email-required option is for giving partial access to one or more specific individuals (who must also, I believe, be registered dropbox users themselves) to one of your non-public folders on dropbox. For example, I have a non-public game development folder to which my brother has access (as he is helping me with a hard save feature for the game), where I also store the latest version(s) of the game and other files as a remote backup--in case anything happens to my own computers and local network backups.

Attempting to do what Daisuke has generously laid out. However, I am running into a few technical issues. I can generate a link, but it leads to this;
First index: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4rxeclvnm0ygc5k/index.html
Second index: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6gvhthruafe13ax/index.html

Neither of these files seem to load up or run the game. No idea why. I'll work on this a bit over the fourth.

And thanks Vendetta, Daisuke, for trying to pull me over the finish line with this.

Your clicking on the share which just links to the page it self and the code on the page. I believe you have to right click and share I will see if I can find the post to help you with this.

*edit sorry just not seeing it, maybe one of the others will know the link I am talking about.

@Lordirish
I know what it is, I beleive it's on Seph's "Darkness" thread, i'd post it, but i'm on another device, no copy/paste.

I got the link thanks @Dalsuke
http://www.choiceofgames.com/forum/discussion/453/the-darkness-i-a-new-era-in-choice-of-games/#Item_26

"Hosting Works In Progress" By CJW

http://www.choiceofgames.com/forum/discussion/390/hosting-works-in-progess/#Item_15

Dropbox's own instructions for this process are as follows:

The Public folder lets you easily share single files in your Dropbox. Any file you put in this folder gets its own Internet link that you can share with others -- even non-Dropbox users!

Step 1: Drop a file into the Public folder.

Step 2: Right-click this file, then choose Dropbox > Copy Public Link. This copies an Internet link to your file that you can paste anywhere: emails, instant messages, blogs, etc.

That's it! To share your file, just send the link to a friend.

Happy Dropboxing!
- The Dropbox Team

P.S. You can only link to actual files within your Public folder, not to folders. For help with sharing files visit http://www.dropbox.com/help/16

That URL provides more detailed help.

so when's it going to be working

After following Vendetta's (and others) instructions; https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89217689/web/index.html

It works! It works! Suck it Webs.com!

And thanks to everyone for seeing me through these technical problems. At last, the Beta test of the first chapter of 'Tin Star' can begin.

First, Voltaire reference. Gods, I love you.

Now I will play the game.

Very well done. I cant wait for the rest of it.

Excellent so far

Wow. Really good. Like how your choices affect whether you're guilty or innocent and who you killed, or where framed for killing, and how people react to you. Hope we get a bit more character interaction once we get to the town. It's a great start... which just makes me sad there isn't more yet. :p

Liked your choice of weapon selection, reminded me of your previous games. A Little saddened that it didn't specify rifle selection, but all good. I've started to see a theme in your games, in all of them you're some sort of military/law enforcement. Just saying.

The Voltaire reference was awesome. As usual, Allen Gies wit for the win.

More comments later.

Voltaire references are easy when you're evil. :))

... I'm sorry. I'll hit myself. *Smack*

I've been waiting for a good western. Very well written so far, although it seemed to me at first you died at the rope and the guy recruiting you was a ghost or angel or something. That would've been interesting. :)

Oh well, maybe next time. I love it so far, keep it up. :D

I did not pick every option avalaible just yet, but I'd like to dissipate a doubt: The gender of the person you allegedly murdered, what difference does it make plot-wise?

The game definitely has your previously seen style, and I cannot wait to play the full version. I did not notice any grammatical mistake so far.

Well, I tested how much murder you could get into, and was pleasantly surprised to see a chance to blast away at lots of people.

One thing I noticed: if you shoot Denny, you get ((Yep, Denny's dead)) before you're asked about your gun. Is that placeholder dialog?

I'm glad people liked the Voltaire reference. It just popped in there when I started writing and stuck around because it felt like an excellent fit for the situation.

Zed- I had originally considered a couple of different character types to be playable. Gamblers, actors, cowboys, etc... but each of those would require a different back-story and motivation. If this production included more than one guy sitting in his bedroom plugging away at a keyboard (Actually two keyboards since my writing computer isn't powerful enough to run the testing programs past a certain point) then I would consider it. As things stand, being a Marshal gives you both reason and means to participate and lead in all portions of the story with only a minimum of fuss. If that is my present motif, then I'll consider breaking free of it next game.

ArchAngel950- That's an interesting idea, getting your second chance via divine intercession. I'm sure its been done before, but that doesn't make it any less tempting. But I think this game takes place in a world without the overt supernatural. Mind you, you can always choose to interpret Marshal James' presence and offer as being indicative of something more. But if he has wings or horns, he's hiding them well.

VoodooDolly- The answer to whether or not the gender of the person you killed matters is... I don't exactly know yet. I am nearly finished with the first draft of Chapter 3 and expect at least six chapters to this story. The victim's gender might be chrome but it might also come into play down the line when your outstanding debt comes due.

Either way, there is a variable that takes it into account. Do you have any insight or preference on the matter?

Ramidel- I deliberately made it possible to gun down a lot of people if your character is so inclined. You can even gun down potential companions, if you want. This is, after all, the old West. :)

The ((Yep, Denny's dead)) portion shouldn't even be visible, but apparently it is for some reason. I'll remove that as it was just a reminder to myself that the only way to access one fork of the story in Chapter one is by killing Denny and having to outrun the posse.

On a more general note, were there any rough spots? Lack of description? Improbable happenings? Odd scene jumps? These, and more, are all things I would like to fix.

The scene with Denny after you pick your weapon could be a bit longer instead of it just going on to how will you get to the next destination. I'm thinking maybe asking him some questions not sure what they would be about. I really hope that this made so much scents that it makes dollars.

Terrific start, Allen -- excited to see where it goes from here. A couple of possible fixes:

* After one of the ways I said yes, I'd be a Marshal, the Marshal responded, "Glad to hear it"... and then a second later, as he always does, he settled back with a little nod and said, "Glad to hear your affirmation." Unlike his other first responses, this one makes him sound weirdly repetitive.
* On one fork (where I didn't get the option to simply shoot Denny dead), I confronted Denny about the horse and put my hand on my gun... and suddenly I was leaving him to nurse his wounds. Would be good to have at least a little description for the gunfight.
* Keeping the "animal companion" an unspecified animal doesn't quite work for me -- the Marshal referring to "your unforgettable beast" or "scruffy companion" just sounds odd. Why not offer a specific option or two like "My old dog, Rawhide," or "My bear, Buck -- raised him from a cub and fed him two of my fingers."

Things I love:
*the Marshal's responses when you say your faith is the most important thing to you. ("That's asking a touch of the sea from me..." "Now, you've given me two fistfuls of smoke to grasp...")
*"There has to be a law against this!" "You want four years to find it or six seconds?"
*And of course, that Voltaire quote. Perfect.

@AllenGies,
I saw an option for a response, it was basically:
"So you're offering me a chance for Redemption?", and after I saw it and didn't click it, I never saw it again during subsequent play throughs. How do you get that response?