Dashingdon: Free ChoiceScript Game Hosting

boredhypocrite · 2016-09-04T07:19:45.680Z

Ey, just question. What if I just want selected people to play my game? Will hosting it at dashingdon dot com make game link automatic public? thanks you.

dashingdon · 2016-09-04T07:36:23.963Z

You can choose to make your game public (listed on the main site) or you can choose to keep it private - which means only those you give the URL to will know the URL to use to view your game. By default, games are private, and you have to check the option to allow them to be listed on the site.

boredhypocrite · 2016-09-04T07:41:17.647Z

Thanks, me game is just for laughs and I like it private just for my close friends. Thanks, site looks great. Will try it out. Thanks again

Laguz · 2016-09-04T07:46:17.708Z

I can’t search for games on your site: I’ve seen more games hosted there than are on your front page. How do I see them?

dashingdon · 2016-09-04T08:06:55.035Z

If they are not on the front page, then they are set to private. I assure you that all games set to public are displayed on the front page. Perhaps some games you saw before have since been set to private?

If/when the public list grows, I will paginate the listing and/or provide search functionality. However, as it is now, there are only about 50 games set to public and that number is few enough to display wholly on the front page list.

dashingdon · 2016-09-10T00:56:16.833Z

Added in support for text color variety. Works as follows:

[red]This text would be red.[end]

[blue]This would be blue text.[end]

So the format is [colorname]Text goes here[end] (always use [end] to close the styled span regardless of the color)

The following colors are currently supported:

[red]
[blue]
[green]
[purple]
[pink]
[orange]
[cyan]

You can see a proof-of-concept here: https://dashingdon.com/play/dashingdon/phobia/mygame/

dashingdon · 2016-09-21T21:03:30.317Z

DashingDon.com has been updated to use the original style.css file by default for new games. As requested by @Vendetta the original stylesheet is also now available for selection in your game management area in the Edit Details section.

EDIT: Also added a new theme called ‘Story First’ that attempts to make the story the prominent element by shuffling and muting the details. I’ve only been able to test it for a little while so please let me know if you experience issues with this theme - or of course if you have any suggestions. Thanks.

dashingdon · 2016-09-22T01:18:38.531Z

The updates keep coming today.

You can now upload a compiled HTML version of your game.
You now have the option of using either the ‘scenes’ version or a ‘compiled’ version of your game for others to play.
You can now permit the compiled HTML version of your game to be directly downloaded (download link will show at the bottom-right of the game card on the front page).

These new features are in your “Manage Your Games” dashboard. The options are in the “Edit Details” section - be sure to “Upload Compiled HTML” first or the options will be ignored.

As always, let me know if there are any issues with these features. Thanks.

boredhypocrite · 2016-09-22T02:02:24.818Z

Wow, this good news. To tell you the truth, I don’t really know how compile work, but I like the feature to allow someone else to download the file in case the author want it. Nice job

Curious_Boy · 2016-09-22T04:58:33.540Z

dashingdon:

You can now permit the compiled HTML version of your game to be directly downloaded (download link will show at the bottom-right of the game card on the front page).

THANK YOU @dashingdon !!!

ParrotWatcher · 2016-09-22T07:27:46.937Z

My compiled games are .htm, rather than .html, and it doesn’t look like I can upload them without changing the extension (which is doable, but a bit of a hassle on a Windows machine).

dashingdon · 2016-09-22T07:55:46.062Z

Golly gosh cheese on a cracker, what an oversight. Now .htm files can be uploaded as well.

ParrotWatcher · 2016-09-22T08:04:11.909Z

That’s odd, it still doesn’t seem to work… In fact, now I can’t get either to work. Does it prevent the upload if there’s already an uploaded file?

Also, the Playtest Game button seems to lead to the standard version, not the compiled version, even if the link on the main site goes to the compiled version.

dashingdon · 2016-09-22T08:24:20.950Z

Yeesh, It’s been a long day! I obviously need some sleep with these goofs haha

But I did fix the upload issue and the playtest link on the manage page will now link to the appropriate version (you have to refresh the page if you change it – I’ll fix it so the refresh is not necessary tomorrow).

Thanks for your help!

dashingdon · 2016-09-23T03:15:23.228Z

It’s raining updates around here.

Editing and uploading files is now less compartmentalized and more user-friendly
TXT files are now prevented from being cached, so updated scenes will show immediately (on compliant browsers)
Authors now have the option of providing “feedback” URL for readers to find your game discussion here at Choice of Games (or elsewhere if you’re a heathen) - button will appear on the bottom left of your game card
Some database updates that nobody cares about; not even me

That’s it for now. On the docket next I think is adding categories so that people can find what they like. Maybe search functionality. I dunno.

EDIT I just put in functionality to allow Twitter posts to the @dashingdon_com Twitter account when your game is first made available or when it is updated. I was messing with Twitter for something else the other day and thought, eh, why not? I dunno if anyone will use it or follow it or whatever but that account won’t be used for anything other than game updates so maybe people will like it. People like weird things. Any feedback on this option would be good to have - even if you think it’s dumb and should be put out of its misery like Old Yeller. Thanks.

Oh yeah, also as a by-product of that I made “short” URLs for games available. They show up in your Manage Games area so you can share the more succinct URLs if you want (instead of dashingdon.com/play/super-awesome-guy/this-is-my-cool-game-name/mygame it would just some something like dashingdon.com/go/###)

EDIT AGAIN There’s nothing tweeted on that account right so first one to do it wins… uh… the first tweet!

Isn’t that exciting?

No, you say?

Rude.

Vendetta · 2016-09-27T08:07:32.034Z

Just (belatedly) tested the Twitter functionality and it works brilliantly, very easy to use.

This has terrific potential as a means of being kept easily informed of any updates to all the various dashingdon-hosted WIPs I’m most interested in following (and a few I may not have otherwise noticed!), without having to be constantly checking various WIP threads or whatever – it just needs more authors making use of the facility, and more actual followers to encourage that use… One kinda feeds off the other, no?

One suggestion to actively encourage more actual followers would be an unmissable mention of this wonderful facility (and a follow button!) near the very top of the actual homepage / games listing, so all future visitors are properly made aware of the potential benefits.

dashingdon · 2016-09-27T09:09:03.871Z

Awesome! Glad the feature is getting some use. I do think it has potential but you’re right, it’s gonna need to ramp up on use and followers to be of any real value.

As per your suggestion, I’ve added a button at the very top of the site for following the account. Let me know if it’s too gaudy or intrusive. I tried a few different options but went with the custom button in the end. But I could go with something more subtle.

Vendetta · 2016-09-27T09:14:28.058Z

Wow, that was quick!

IMO it’s perfect - it has to stand out to serve its vital purpose and that does the job nicely.

yougal · 2016-09-27T16:35:59.129Z

hey you still working on your game because I love it and would like to know if I can live the dream of playing your game or should I just bury my hopes

Lithophene · 2016-09-27T16:42:13.405Z

It hasn’t even been two weeks since they last posted on their thread… Patience is a virtue, friend. So is following the forum rules against asking authors when their next update will be.