Deploying your app

  • On the web
  • On the desktop
  • On mobile
  • Mobile App stores

On the web

Self-hosting (static)

  • Host static assets on Amazon s3 (documentation)
  • Use CDN (e.g. Amazon cloudfront) for worldwide reach
  • PRO: very simple (no server!) and cheap
  • CON: no audience, no backend
  • ...but can use cheap services like Parse, Pubnub for backend

Self-hosting (dynamic)

  • Can use VPS provider (virtual private server) like Amazon EC2, Linode, Digital Ocean
  • PRO: flexible, allows backend
  • CON: no audience, more expensive, worldwide distribution is hard

Facebook

  • Docs
  • Show game within facebook website
  • List on Facebook App Center
  • PRO: APIs for friend data, invites, monetization
  • CON: still have to host website yourself, extra code to use APIs

Kongregate

Chrome web store

  • Instructions at: https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/publish
  • PRO: very easy
  • CON: not popular (order of magnitude), low quality outside of top few apps

On the desktop

node-webkit

  • https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit
  • package HTML apps as desktop apps
  • ex. A Wizard's Lizard
  • PRO: go wherever binaries go
  • CON: performance overhead

Steam Greenlight

  • $100 signup fee
  • Community decides which games are approved
  • FAQ

Going mobile

Phonegap

  • Turns web apps into mobile apps (website)
  • Same performance as you see in your mobile browser
  • PRO: easiest and simplest way to get game on mobile, good for board games
  • CON: canvas animation can be slow (other animation tech include css3, like http://famo.us/)

Lime.js

  • PRO: free, runs on iOS, good performance
  • CON: no android support

    • Voodoo friends on lime.js

Cocoon.js

  • PRO: runs on iOS and Android, supports 3d (webGL)
  • CON: Canvas and webGL only

Run Pixie Run on iOS and Android

Game Closure

  • http://doc.gameclosure.com/
  • example Kiwi Run
  • PRO: good performance on Android and iOS
  • CON: have to use GC timestep game library

Impact.js w/ejecta

  • ejecta - iOS implementation of HTML Canvas
  • Tutorial
  • PRO: partially open source, runs on iOS, good performance
  • CON: $99 license fee, doesn't run on Android, canvas-only

Mobile app stores

App Store Comparison

App store comparison

iOS app store

  • $99 yearly developer fee
  • https://developer.apple.com
  • tutorial
  • PRO: big reach, high monetization
  • CON: fickle review process lasting 1-4 weeks, 30% "tax"

iOS app store

iOS app store

iOS app store

iOS app store

iOS app store

iOS app store

iOS app store

Android app store (Google Play)

  • $25 one-time developer fee
  • https://play.google.com/apps/publish
  • PRO: no review process, big reach
  • CON: Android users spend less than iOS users, 30% "tax"