Arcade guide

General

Which features are included in phpBB Arcade?
  • Extensive games support
  • Unlimited categories, sub-categories and links (mimics phpBB3 forums)
  • Full ACP, MCP and UCP modules
  • Administrator permissions for ACP modules
  • Moderator permissions for MCP modules
  • Global arcade based permissions
  • Local category based permissions
  • Password protected categories
  • Age protected categories
  • Very simple game installation
  • Automatically convert all supported save type game tar files
  • Shows who is playing which game
  • Favorite games system
  • Built-in game download system
  • Detailed statistics
  • Game rating system
  • Game comments system
  • Game challenge system
  • Game tournament system
  • Game group tournament system
  • Game reporting system
  • Play games regular or in a pop-up window
  • Search system for games
  • Points System integration
  • Plus more…
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Which styles are supported?
  • Supported styles can be downloaded HERE.
  • If you have a new style, please share it with us HERE.
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Which languages are supported?
  • Supported languages can be downloaded HERE.
  • If you have created a new language package, please share it with us HERE.
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Can I use style specific images inside the arcade?
Yes. Any image located inside the default image path “[ROOT]/ext/jv/arcade/styles/all/theme/images/” can be style specific. All you have to do is placing an image of the same name inside the “[ROOT]/ext/jv/arcade/styles/your_style/theme/images/” folder. If a style doesn’t have a specific image, the default image will be used. This also applies to category images. To use style specific category images, first choose the default “[ROOT]/ext/jv/arcade/styles/all/theme/images/cats/” image while creating/editing the category and then upload an image with the same name to the “[ROOT]/ext/jv/arcade/styles/your_style/theme/images/cats/” folder.
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Installation/Updating/Uninstallation

Which databases does the phpBB Arcade support?
The arcade should work correctly with any database that is supported by phpBB3.
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How do I install the phpBB Arcade?
  • Download the latest release and unpack it.
  • Copy the files to your server into the forum “[ROOT]/” directory while maintaining the structure of folders.
  • Go to the Administration Control Panel and click on the “Customise” menu item, within it click on the phpBB Arcade “Enable” link to install the phpBB Arcade.
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How do I update the phpBB Arcade?
  • Download the latest release and unpack it.
  • Go to the Administration Control Panel and click on the “Customise” menu item, within it click on the phpBB Arcade “Disable” link.
  • Copy the files to your server into the forum “[ROOT]/” directory while maintaining the structure of folders.
  • Go to the Administration Control Panel and click on the “Customise” menu item, within it click on the phpBB Arcade “Enable” link and your phpBB Arcade is updated.
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How do I uninstall the phpBB Arcade?
Go to the Administration Control Panel and click on the “Customise” menu item, within it click on the phpBB Arcade “Disable” link. After that click on the “Delete data” link, then remove all phpBB Arcade files from the server.
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phpBB Arcade modules

Which ACP modules does phpBB Arcade have?

The arcade includes the following ACP modules:
 Configuration
  • System settings - Enables general switching on and off of systems.
  • General settings - Control general settings for the arcade.
  • Extensions settings - Control extensions settings for the arcade.
  • Game settings - Control game settings for the arcade.
  • Challenge settings - Control challenge settings for the arcade.
  • Tournament settings - Control tournament settings for the arcade.
  • Group tournament settings - Control group tournament settings for the arcade.
  • Feature settings - Control feature settings for the arcade.
  • Pages settings - Control page settings for the arcade.
  • Path settings - Control path settings for the arcade.
  • Load settings - Load settings for the arcade.
  • Activity rank settings - Activity rank settings for the arcade.

Manage arcade
  • Manage menu - You can add or edit, delete menu buttons. The main menu buttons can only be moved or renamed.
  • Manage categories - Add, edit, delete, move, and resync categories and games.
  • Manage games - Edit/delete games.
  • Manage users - Edit scores for any of the games.
  • Manage tournaments - Allows you to create, edit and delete tournaments.
  • Manage group tournaments - Allows you to create, edit and delete group tournaments.
  • Manage Announcements - Settings/edit announcements.
  • Manage ranks - Ranks added/edit and delete.

Games feature
  • Add games - Add a game to the arcade, multiple games can be added to a category at once.
  • Upload/Unpack games - If the installation folder contains compressed games, you can unpack or you can upload one or more files at once. After unpacking, the game(s) are ready for installation.
  • Backup games - Backup all the games in the selected categories.
  • Download games - Download games from sites that are hosting game downloads ready to use with the arcade.

Utilities
  • View reports - View any reports submitted by users about a game.
  • Deleted games - View Deleted games and its causes.
  • Banned users - View Banned Users / unban them.
  • Download Statistics - View statistics of the download system.
  • Create game install file - Create new install file to download/view/save on the server or download/view existing games install file.
  • User guide - Displays the phpBB Arcade user guide.

Arcade logs
  • Administration log - Admin actions are listed.
  • Moderation log - Moderator actions are listed.
  • User log - User actions are listed.
  • Error log - Various errors are listed.

Permission roles
  • Category roles - Manage the roles for arcade category permissions.

Category based permissions
  • Category permissions - Manage which users and groups can access which arcade categories.
  • Users’ category permissions - Assign arcade permissions to users.
  • Groups’ category permissions - Assign arcade permissions to groups.
  • Copy category permissions - Copy category permissions from one category to one or more other categories.

Permission masks
  • View category-based permissions - View the arcade permissions assigned to the selected users/groups and categories.

Installation features
  • Installation verify - Check whether phpBB Arcade is installed correctly.
  • Update game data - Games sizes automatic detection and update, if the data isn’t correct.
  • Convert game installation files - Converting game installation files to the latest version.

The arcade includes the following MCP modules:
  • Manage games - Edit/move and reset games.
  • Manage tournament - Create/edit tournaments.
  • Manage group tournaments - Create/edit group tournaments.
  • Moderation log - Moderator actions are listed.

The arcade includes the following UCP modules:
  • Manage settings - These settings controles various aspects of the arcade.
  • Game settings - Personalize settings for game page.
  • Post settings - Post personalization settings.
  • Manage favorites - You can view, highlight and delete your favorite games below.
  • Manage local storage - View and delete device browser local data.
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Why can’t I see all the ACP modules for the arcade?
To see all the modules you need to be set as a founder or have the correct administrative permissions set. If you still can’t see all the modules then most likely there are duplicate auth options in the acl_options table. Please run the install check for a list of duplicate values.
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Where are the permissions to set?/Why don’t I have permission to view/use the phpBB Arcade?
Once the phpBB Arcade is installed, you will need to set the permissions in the ACP to use it. The arcade uses category based permissions that mimics the forum based permissions that phpBB3 uses, including the use of roles. You will need to set global phpBB Arcade user/group permissions as well. Also, you can use administrator permissions to set user/group access to phpBB Arcade ACP modules.
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Why can’t I add any games?
To add games, first make sure that categories have been created to add them to. Use the Manage arcade ACP Module to do this. Creating them is very similar to creating forums in phpBB3.
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How do I provide game downloads to others?
The ability to download games is controlled by the arcade permissions. Set the permission how you want and users browsing the arcade will see the download links when viewing the games in the categories. To make it easier to download the games, you can enable the download listing setting in the phpBB Arcade ACP settings. This will allow others to use the “Download games” ACP module to access the downloads on your site.
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How do I use the “Download games” module?
All you have to do is enter the url to the phpBB forum root of the site that is offering arcade downloads from their installation of the phpBB Arcade. You will then see a listing of games available to download. If the game is highlighted in green, this is because the same game was found on your server. Please keep in mind that the downloads are still controlled by the permissions on the site you are downloading them from. So you might have to be logged in and/or be a member of a special usergroup to download games. Contact the site admininstrator if you have any questions.

ACP Download games
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Why doesn’t the “Download games” module ever find any games?
This module needs to have “allow_url_fopen” set to on or PHP’s cURL library installed. This can be checked by viewing the phpinfo() of your server. If the value for “allow_url_fopen” is off and the cURL library isn’t installed, the module will not work.
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Why don’t you see your favorite module?
The favorite module is only visible if you have permission to do so, the permissions can only be changed by the administrator.
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Games

Which game types are supported?
The arcade supports the following game types:
  • Html5
  • Flash - Converted to Html5.
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Which game save types are supported?
The arcade supports the following game save types:
  • phpBB Arcade
  • IBPro
  • IBPro V32
  • Relax Arcade
  • Olympus Arcade
  • None scoring games
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What is the easiest way to install games?
The easiest way would be to use games that are already in phpBB Arcade or IBPro tar format. The arcade will automatically detect when you upload or unpack a game. If the format isn’t good, you need to change it to the correct format, or if it doesn’t work in any way, you may want to share the game on the support site and ask for a game check.
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What is required for the game to be installed?
If you want to upload and install a game that has already been unpacked, these are the following requirements:
In the [ROOT]/arcade/“games”/t/ folder you need to upload the main files of the game that are needed for the installation, these are the following:

Html5
  • 1. test.php (Game installation file)
  • 2. test.png (Game image 60x60 px)
  • 3. index.html (The index.html file is responsible for starting the game.)

Flash
  • 1. test.php (Game installation file)
  • 2. test.png (Game image 60x60 px)
  • 3. test.swf (The test.swf file contains the data needed for the game.)
  • 4. index.htm (The index.htm is an empty file.)
  • 5. gd/ (If the game has a “gamedata” folder, rename it to “gd” because the gamedata folder name is no longer supported.)

The name of the game folder must always match the name of the game installation file.

So in this case, the correct folder structure is as follows:
  • 1. [ROOT]/arcade/games/t/test/test.php
  • 2. [ROOT]/arcade/games/t/test/index.html (The index.html file is responsible for starting the game.)

The “t” folder after the “games” folder is always meant as the first letter of the file name. Because “phpBB Arcade” places games in “ABC” order folders for a better overview.
The file “index.html” can only be included once. The correct filename is “index.htm” for an empty file to protect the subfolders.
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How can I install a game?
There are three ways to install a game.
  • If you download the game using the phpBB Arcade’s built in download system you will be provided with a compressed folder that you can upload via FTP to [ROOT]/arcade/install/ and install through the ACP.
  • If you download the game using the phpBB Arcade’s built in download system you will be provided with a compressed folder that you can upload via the ACP Upload/Unpack module. After uploading, the game can be unpacked and then the game can be installed.
  • Third option is to use FTP. Upload the already unpacked game to the correct location “[ROOT]/arcade/games/{First character}/” folder. However, this isn’t recommended because the permissions on the folders and files may be different in this case.
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Can I create my own compressed file to install a game?
Yes. For correct compression, the following folder structure is required:
  • test/ (Game folder)
  • test/test.php (Game installation file)
  • test/test.png (Game image 60x60 px)
  • test/index.html (The index.html file is responsible for starting the game.)

If that’s all right, you can package the game directly. The completed compressed file will be named correctly test.zip or test.tar.
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Is there a sample install file?
Yes.
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Do I have to create the install file by hand?
No, although its possible there are two tools in the phpBB Arcade ACP that will help in this task.
  • There is a tool to create an install file from scratch. Just enter all the required information and you can have the install file downloaded, displayed or created on the server.
  • There is a tool to download or view existing install files from the games already installed.
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How do I delete games?
You are able to delete games by clicking the “Manage categories” or “Manage games” module in the acp and select a game to delete. Here you will be able to confirm the deletion of the files from the server, use this only if you don’t want to delete the game permanently and don’t want to reinstall it again.
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Scoring

Why won’t my scores save?
The first thing to check is that the game has a type supported by the arcade and that the score variable is set correctly. The last thing to check is the cookie settings in the ACP. If your site url is http://www.example.com then the cookie domain should be example.com, as well the cookie security must be disabled in the ACP, because the cookie security supports only the phpBB Arcade game type.
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Why can’t guests submit scores even though they have the correct permissions?
Even if you give the guest usergroup the correct permission they can’t submit scores to the arcade. This is by design.
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How do I enable “Test mode” for a category?
Go to the “Manage arcade” ACP module. Click edit on the category. You want to enable “Test mode” and then set the “Test mode” option to yes.
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What does “Test mode” do?
This will now allow you to play games in a category and have no data or scores saved. This allows you to test out games to make sure they function correctly. Once finished with a game you will be displayed a message detailing what would have occured. At the end of the game, administrators will receive detailed information about the game if the “phpBB-DEBUG” system is enabled.
To enable the “phpBB-DEBUG” system, we need to install the “JVA - Debug” extension.
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Display arcade data outside arcade

Yes, there are extensions for the phpBB Arcade software - see: Extensions
Are there extensions?
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