That post above makes about as much sense to me as the real hints. I'm in the same boat.... I have an swf decompiler (swf > fla) and flash mx '04, but I am a noob as well who needs a walkthrough... once I understand the basics I can run with it.
I went through Google's cached storage of the now deleted v3arcade forums and found the following random hints. I think that I may beginning to grasp it, but I'm missing the zipped files it talks about.
I'll post my full list of (real) bits of info below.... perhaps someone can put them in perspective for us. I don't know who the authors of these are, so I cannot give the credit to the gurus who originally posted this:
random notes taken from v3arcade
TIPS
If the score is not being submitted, check the following:
the page will not be redirected if the score var is invalid
the score var must be:
- A Number
- Integer
- Stored as a: _root.score
Check if the score is stored in that var name,
if not, you can add a small line of code into the
mc_arcade movieclip to track our score:
Code:
PHP Code:
if ( Number(_root.game_score_var) > _root.score) {
_root.score = Number(_root.game_score_var); }
this assumes that the game stores the score
in the custon var: _root.score_game_var
This code saves the "Best Score" of the user (not the last one)
If you don't know which var stores the Score,
go to the Game Over Page, select the text that shows
What Was Your Score... Click on the text,
open the "Properties" Window and there you will see the "var" name
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How To Convert Games to v3 Arcade
Edit: From John's guide on vBulletin.org.
please use this New Guide in instead of the old one
since this has new actionscript code to improve new games
to work with the challenge minimod... (that you should install btw)
Converting Games
You will need the .FLA file (game source) to convert a game.
Converting a game is quite simple,
providing you have some basic knowledge of Flash.
Step 1.
Create a blank movie clip, containing two keyframes.
Step 2.
On frame 1 of this blank movieclip, insert this code (not forgetting to change the gamename value to something unique - THIS PRESUMES THAT _root.score CONTAINS THE SCORE VALUE!):
Code:
PHP Code:
// HERE THE ARCADE SESSION IS INITIATED
// DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE THE GAMENAME VALUE!
if (this.sessionstarted != 1) {
this.arcade = new LoadVars();
this.sessionvars = new LoadVars();
this.arcade.gamename = "tetris";
this.arcade.sessdo = "sessionstart";
this.arcade.sendAndLoad("arcade.php", sessionvars, "POST");
if (this.sessionvars.sessiontype ==2)
{_root.is_a_challenge=1;}
else {_root.is_a_challenge=0;}
this.sessionstarted = 1;
}
// IF GAMEOVER=1, SUBMIT THE SCORE AND REDIRECT THE PAGE
if (_root.gameover == 1) {
if ((this.askpermission != 1) && (this.sessionvars.connStatus == 1)) {
this.prequestvars = new LoadVars();
this.pranswer = new LoadVars();
this.prequestvars.gametime = this.sessionvars.gametime;
this.prequestvars.fakekey = this.sessionvars.initbar;
_root.score=int(Number(_root.score));
if (_root.score == 0) {
this.prequestvars.score = -1;
} else {
this.prequestvars.score = _root.score;
}
this.prequestvars.id = this.sessionvars.lastid;
this.prequestvars.sessdo = "permrequest";
this.prequestvars.note = (this.prequestvars.id*this.prequestvars.score*this.prequestvars.fakekey);
this.prequestvars.sendAndLoad("./arcade.php", this.pranswer, "POST");
this.askpermission = 1;
}
if ((this.pranswer.validate == 1) && (this.finalsent != 1)) {
this.burnscore = new LoadVars();
this.burnscore.microone = this.pranswer.microone;
this.burnscore.gametime = this.prequestvars.gametime;
this.burnscore.id = this.prequestvars.id;
if (_root.score == 0) {
this.burnscore.noscore = 1;
}
this.burnscore.sessdo = "burn";
this.burnscore.send("./arcade.php", "_self", "POST");
this.finalsent = 1;
}
}
Step 3.
create a new Layer in the flash movie that
starts on frame 1 and goes to the last frame of the movie.
Insert in the first keyframe the movieclip you just created
Step 4.
Now, you need to let the game know when to finish the game and redirect the page. This is done by the setting of a new variable, "gameover". When _root.gameover==1, the game will end.
Find the FRAME of the "Game Over" page,
and add this actionscript to the frame:
Code:
PHP Code:
if (_root.is_a_challenge) {
_root.gameover=1;
replay_button._visible=0;
}
Step 5.
Submit and Replay Buttons
you have to create two buttons:
(you can draw a rectangle an convert it to a button symbol)
Replay Button
select the the button you just created,
paste it in the gameover page,
click on properties, and change the "instance name" to replay_button
select the button, and then in the Action window insert this code:
Code:
PHP Code:
on (release) { if (_root.is_a_challenge) {
// nothing here
} else { _root.gotoAndPlay(1); }
}
Submit Button
select the button you created (or you can create a new one),
drag it from the library again and paste it in the gameover page,
select the button, and then in the Action window insert this code:
Code:
PHP Code:
on (release) {
_root.gameover=1;
}
Optional
Insert this actionscript in the FIRST frame of the movie, to disable Right-Click on Games... (to prevent cheating)
Code:
PHP Code:
Stage.showMenu=false;
Now You're Done
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(note from simtech) Now this one is a bit easier, I was able to see how to create a movieclip & how to insert a blank keyframe but I could not download any attachments because I pulled this list from Google's cache of the now closed website:
1 Attachment(s)
More Detailed Instructions for Flash Newbies
How to Create a New Movieclip
in Macromedia flash Menu: Insert / New Symbol... (Ctrl+F8)
Behavior: MovieClip
name: mc_arcade
Right click on the second frame of the movieclip
and select: "Insert blank Keyframe"
Select the first frame and add the actionscript
posted in the first message of this thread
remember to change the "game_id" and check
if the score of the game is stored as "_root.score"
Note: i just created a movieclip that i think you can import into your movie,
remember to edit the actionscript on it.
check attachment
SIMTECH NOTE: THIS ATTACHMENT IS THE PART THAT I AM MISSING
How to paste the Movieclip on the movie:
Create a new layer, rename it to "arcade"
you will have a blank keyframe in the first frame of the movie.
go to the last frame of the movie (in the same layer), right click on the frame
and select "Insert Frame" (not keyframe)
Open the library (Ctrl+L)
drag and drop the "mc_arcade" movieclip into the first frame of the layer "arcade"
there you go
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If anyone can offer any input on the above two (real) methods it would be appreciated!
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