Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 12
Creating a Viral Game: Tunnel Panic
Throughout the first eleven chapters, we have explored nine different games and multiple
updates to the framework presented in the Part 1. In this chapter, we are going start by
discussing what it means to create a viral web game. Next, we will apply the game framework to
one more simple game in the context of making a game for viral consumption. We will also
explore how to add a preloader to in both the Flex SDK-based AS3 and the Flash IDE versions of
the game. To finish up the framework, we will explore how to add in the Mochi Media Services
framework to show advertisements and display high scores.
Tunnel Panic, the game we are going to create, was put together using our game framework in
under two days. This mimics a possible viral game creation scenario that many readers might
undertake. There are many possible methods for a viral game developer to earn money from
games. We will discuss a few of these, such as licensing (with the help of
FlashGameLicense.com) and self-hosting, but we will explore one of the most common methods:
Using Mochi Media Services. Mochi offers a wealth of features for viral game developers. Our
game will make use of the basic preloader ad and high score (leader board) functions.
Defining viral web games
Viral web games? They sound dangerous. In a way, they are. Viral web games have been
devastating to parts of the traditional game industry for the past few years. In fact, some people
point to the rise in viral web games as one of the contributing factors to the slow demise of the
traditional PC game industry.
So what defines a
viral web
game? Here are some common traits that most viral web games
share:
These games play directly in a web browser using a plug-in that allows the game to work
independently of the web page it sits on.
They are written in Flash, Shockwave, Java, or more recently, Silverlight, HTML 5,
and Unity.
