Flash collection (Flashpoint) import guide

[Retrofrogg]

This is a guide on how to import the Flashpoint flash games collection into Launchbox the proper way - each game is listed with image and metadata, and they are working with use of the required redirector and web server. 10015 games with the latest version:

Flashpoint is an ongoing flash games archival and preservation project masterminded by BlueMaxima. You can read all about the history and development of it here:

https://medium.com/@bluemaximax011/how-we-saved-flashs-gaming-legacy-and-started-a-web-game-preservation-revolution-51c2e5098209

And here:

https://blog.usejournal.com/adobe-flashs-gaming-legacy-thousands-upon-thousands-of-titles-and-my-efforts-to-save-it-58c14811558a

Guide to importing the Flashpoint flash games library into Launchbox

1. Download the latest version of the Flashpoint Ultimate package (version 5.3 at the time of writing - 57.6GB) from here:

http://bluemaxima.org/flashpoint/

2. Extract the contents of the zip to a folder; it should look something like this:

3. Now test the Flashpoint app to make sure that everything is working. The collection comes with its own game browser; they used to use Launchbox but moved to a more stripped down and modified browser. When you launch a game via the browser, it should start the web server and redirector. Most games (not all!) require these processes to be running, otherwise the game will not work.

4. Now decide where you are going to store the games and the media. I stored my games on a NAS, with the media stored in the Launchbox folder on my local drive.

5. Transfer the relevant files from the Flashpoint download to your Launchbox - the data files (XMLs, located in Arcade/Data/Platforms in the Flashpoint collection, and in Launchbox/Data/Platforms in Launchbox) and the image files.

6. Edit the Flash games XML files if necessary - make sure that the "ApplicationPath" which points to the Flash.exe is correct; if not, then you can do a "find & replace". The CommandLine entry refers to the game itself, and shouldn't need to be changed.

7. Download this batch file which must be run before running the games from Launchbox:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/g3zqbztdruczgmd/run_without_LB.bat/file

This file runs the web server and redirector that come with the Flashpoint library, but without starting Launchbox as well. Launchbox does not currently allow you to add an "additional app" for a platform, and so using this batch file is the easiest way I have found to do it. I also tried to follow user @syntax_X's instructions (see below), but they are fairly complicated and after going through them it didn't work for me:

8. Run the batch file, start up Launchbox and enjoy the flash games!

Edited January 20, 2019 by Retrofrogg

[harryoke]

Worked perfectly. Many thanks mate.

Now i will have to make a Flash platform video

 

Edited January 21, 2019 by harryoke

[Retrofrogg]

I like the look of the video!

[fromlostdays]

This is awesome, thanks!

Just to be clear, I'm a little confused about changing the application path. I think I get it, I just want to make sure.

For instance, it now reads: 

<ApplicationPath>Games\flashplayer.exe</ApplicationPath>

I should change this to the absolute path to the exe? I keep my roms (in this case, transferred the whole flashpoint folder intact to the rom drive), so for me it would look like:

<ApplicationPath>R:\Flashpoint 5.3 Ultimate\Arcade\Games\flashplayer.exe</ApplicationPath>?

This isn't on my C drive, or the drive launchbox is on. Will this cause any problems?

More advanced question, is there any way to add games to this set? I've collected about 80 of my favorite swfs, and all of them are already in here except one. Desktop Tower Defense is in the set, but its the older version, while I have the newer version SWF. Previous to this I had the swf launching find through rocketlauncher, so I can just leave that entry in launchbox, but I'd prefer using the same source for everything if possible.

Thanks for any advice!

 

 

 

 

[Retrofrogg]

@fromlostdays - I think that if you didn't change the folder structure of the download at all, then you should be OK to leave the applicationpath as it stands. Test it out and if it doesn't work, just change it to the absolute path as you outlined above. Having it on a separate drive to Launchbox shouldn't cause problems. You might want to copy the data files (XMLs) to the Launchbox data folder as well as copy the images across - this will make Launchbox more snappy, but you don't have to. You can certainly add games to the set. The games in this collection are stored in the Arcade\Games folder, and the the subfolder depending on the flash "platform". I think you can drag and drop your extra flash games into Launchbox and set them up in a similar way to the existing games. I'm by no means an expert in this - what I have discovered so far is through some reading, asking on the Flashpoint discord and trial and error!

[Starbuck]

Got the games working and the images to show but still having problems getting the games to run in Launchbox. They run fine outside of launch box. I have the games on F:\Games\Flash Games.    The emulator is under H:\Launchbox No Intro\Flash Games\Arcade. Believe my problem lies within the bat file

pushd %~dp0
cls
@echo off

cd H:\Launchbox No Intro\Flash Games\Arcade
cd F:\Games\Flash Games
cd :\Launchbox No Intro\Flash Games\Arcade\Redirector\Redirect.exe

echo.
echo Setting up web server...
php.exe -f "update_httpdconf_main_dir.php"

echo.
echo Starting web server...don't close this window! Close Launchbox when it opens and this'll go with it!
start "Apache Server" /b httpd.exe

cd ..
cd ..
cd Redirector
echo.
echo Starting games redirector...don't close this window! Close Launchbox when it opens and this'll go with it!
start "Apache Server" /b Redirect.exe

 

 

[Retrofrogg]

What happens when you try and run the games in Launchbox? The most likely problem is that the web server and redirector aren't starting up properly, or alternatively the links to the games within Launchbox aren't correct.

Looking at your batch file, it seems that you have edited the "cd" lines at the top to the wrong thing. These should not be pointing to 3 different directories. It should be "cd arcade", then "cd games", then "cd flash" in order to reach the flash subdirectory. Basically this part of the batch file points towards the "flash" directory" (not the ones you have specified).

 

[Starbuck]

Had that to start. When I ran it it said It couldn't find hhttpd.exe or Redirext.  Since I had the games on my f drive and the launcher on H i thought i needed to change it. Changed back and got the error again

[Retrofrogg]

Does the standalone Flashpoint browser launch the games for you OK?

[Starbuck]

Yes

[Retrofrogg]

Try keeping the directory structure the same as in the download; with the launcher and the games in the same location. The media and XMLs should be copied across to your Launchbox folders however.

[Starbuck]

Have played with this so much I completely confused. I DL both Flashpoint5.3Infinity & Flashpoint 5.3 Ultimate. Put both on an external drive.

Flashpoint5.3Infinity opens fine and plays fine. Takes a little to dl game but then plays fine

Flashpoint 5.3 Ultimate opens loads the flashplayer and then nothing. all games should already be dl. but flashplayer opens and never starts a flash game

In Launchbox everything show up but does the same as standalone Flashpoint 5.3 Ultimate abpve

Rechecked Flashpoint 5.3 Ultimate torrent says everthing fine

 

[Retrofrogg]

If it works fine in the Flashpoint frontend then you should be able to get it working through Launchbox. If it opens the flashplayer and then nothing, the problem is likely that the web server and redirector haven't started properly. Does your batch file start these processes?

[fromlostdays]

I'll jump back in here.  I also have everything on different hard drives. Roms (Flashpoint Launcher included) on R:, Launchbox on L:. No problems moving the xmls, no problem using find and replace to set the directory to the flash.exe. But, when I ran the batch file, it only popped up saying (Don't close this, Launchbox will open and this will close with that), but launchbox never opened and eventually I closed the batch.  Everything works fine when launching through the customer gui. But in launchbox, when I launch most games a flash window just comes up but no game is playing. I say most because for SOME weird reason, Deal or No Deal works fine through launchbox. haha. 

[Starbuck]

Same issue I have been having. Now I have transferred everything to a single folder on an external.  The processes start but when I click a game, flash window comes up with no game on the external set up

[Retrofrogg]

Are you using the batch file I uploaded? The file should read this:

pushd %~dp0
cls
@echo off

cd Arcade
cd Games
cd Flash

echo.
echo Setting up web server...
php.exe -f "update_httpdconf_main_dir.php"

echo.
echo Starting web server...don't close this window! Close Launchbox when it opens and this'll go with it!
start "Apache Server" /b httpd.exe

cd ..
cd ..
cd Redirector
echo.
echo Starting games redirector...don't close this window! Close Launchbox when it opens and this'll go with it!
start "Apache Server" /b Redirect.exe

It doesn't actually start Launchbox; after running the batch file, you run Launchbox.  The cmd window should read this:

Setting up web server...

Starting web server...don't close this window! Close Launchbox when it opens and this'll go with it!

Starting games redirector...don't close this window! Close Launchbox when it opens and this'll go with it!

You should also see the redirector window open. If you don't see this then the problem is with the batch file. If this is all working, then the final step is to make sure that the games are set up properly in Launchbox. The game details in Launchbox should look like this (substituting the correct path and games of course):

Edited February 23, 2019 by Retrofrogg

[fromlostdays]

I can't explain it except to say that maybe the place where the games are stored is failing to access sometimes? It would have made more sense for such a big download to have the swfs stored locally too. I'm not sure how the download is so big while still having the actual swfs on the net?

However, I tested a lot more games, and more work than I previously thought. Testing from #-A I'd say about 5 to 10 percent work. All of the applications paths and (I'm assuming the command lines) are correct on all the games. The ones that don't work just bring up a blank Adobe Flash Player 29 window. 

The ones that do work, work instantly and consistently.

So maybe with so many games trying to access various websites, it's the websites themselves that are the problem? How many of these have you tested?

At any rate, I definitely appreciate you trying to help us sort this out. It's not a huge deal, since the games all work in the Flashpoint launcher. It's just perplexing. I don't remember if I opened launchbox the first time I ran that batch, but from my experience these two things could made clearer in the instructions:

1: Run the batch file from the flashpoint directory. (Not the launchbox directory)

2: The batch file reads like launchbox is supposed to open automatically, and then you close it and the file closes with it. I don't know if you can do this, but could be updated to say, leave this window open, then open launchbox, then close launchbox.

I'm not sure exactly how I screwed up, but it was one of those two steps.

Thanks!

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by fromlostdays

[Retrofrogg]

5-10% is about the amount that will work without the redirector running. Are you sure that the redirector and the server are running?

The original batch file did open Launchbox, but I didn’t want to have to load a specific instance of Launchbox whenever I wanted to play flash games. 

Edited February 23, 2019 by Retrofrogg

[fromlostdays]

Omg I'm such an idiot haha. Now I understand.

To anyone else having this problem, If you're like me it's user error. I misunderstood the directions, and thought you only had to run the batch file once. Now I get what you meant by saying "you can't set up an additional app per system". Meaning, you can't have the batch file start up automatically with every game unless you set it up as an additional app for every game which could take a while. 

I was running the batch file and then closing it. Launchbox never did/does open with it for me but if I

1: run the batch file and just leave it running in the background

2: Open launchbox with the batch file still running in the background

ALL of the games launch fine from launchbox! 

This was all just me misunderstanding the directions. Apologies and thanks for talking me through it @Retrofrogg

Edit:

"8. Run the batch file, start up Launchbox and enjoy the flash games!"

This is what I misunderstood, I thought this meant run the batch file once, the first time, and it would do some magic to launchbox and it never had to be opened again. ?

 

Edited February 24, 2019 by fromlostdays

[Retrofrogg]

@fromlostdays glad you worked it out! Yes, the batch file needs to be run every PC restart if you want to run the games.