EZ Flasher (Simple Flash Loader)

[Rain]

Okay today I am back yet again to release EZ Flasher which is a SWF loader designed especially for use with HyperSpin. Using EZ-Flasher is well, EZ. To install simply unpack the contents of the file located here into a directory and rename your SWF file to game.swf, then run EZ-Flasher.exe.

EZ Flasher has key bindings that allow you to use your keyboard/tankstick to mouse buttons, cursor movements as well as other various features. I don't know how a flash wrapper could get easier than this. Read the settings.ini file for more details. I have tested EZ-Flasher with up to twenty-two key bindings. Hope someone can find use of this, I know I have over the past several days!

Download Here!

[dustind900]

This is really cool Rain.

[guyverjay]

Sorry Rain I'm a bit thick, what exactly is this for?

[evil eye]

Rain, this is great! Works just as described. I only tested one game, Borderlands 2, and it's not going full screen even after I verified the settings.ini. Is is just because some games cannot be stretched? Also, to incorporate this into Hyperspin, I guess we would just make a unique folder for each game and rename the EZ-Flasher.exe to match the game title on our database? It looks like the PC Games module would work with this method, but I am at work now and cannot test this theory out.

[evil eye]

Sorry Rain I'm a bit thick, what exactly is this for?

Adobe Flash based games, aka .swf files.

http://gaming.adobe.com/

[dustind900]

Rain, this is great! Works just as described. I only tested one game, Borderlands 2, and it's not going full screen even after I verified the settings.ini. Is is just because some games cannot be stretched? Also, to incorporate this into Hyperspin, I guess we would just make a unique folder for each game and rename the EZ-Flasher.exe to match the game title on our database? It looks like the PC Games module would work with this method, but I am at work now and cannot test this theory out.

I think an OpenBOR or a PopCap setup would be ideal for this.

1. Would require its own Module
   
2. GameFolders named to match xml - (optional)
   
3. Settings.ini in Module folder
   
4. A copy of EZ-Flasher.exe and its associated settings file in each GameFolder
   

Settings.ini would be formatted like so -

[borderlands 2]
gamePath = Borderlands 2\EZ-Flasher.exe

[Happy Wheels]
gamePath = Happy Wheels\EZ-Flasher.exe

[Rain]

I think an OpenBOR or a PopCap setup would be ideal for this.

1. Would require its own Module
   
2. GameFolders named to match xml - (optional)
   
3. Settings.ini in Module folder
   
4. A copy of EZ-Flasher.exe and its associated settings file in each GameFolder
   

Settings.ini would be formatted like so -

[borderlands 2]
gamePath = Borderlands 2\EZ-Flasher.exe

[Happy Wheels]
gamePath = Happy Wheels\EZ-Flasher.exe

Thanks for the interest guys, I really though this program would slip through the cracks lol. I can adjust it so that it can take command line arguments (ie. EZ-Flasher.exe -c:\path\to\game.flv

Just let me know if you guys want any adjustments made.

[zerojay]

I'm not at home to test it out but how does it handle various resolutions?

[evil eye]

I think an OpenBOR or a PopCap setup would be ideal for this.

1. Would require its own Module
   
2. GameFolders named to match xml - (optional)
   
3. Settings.ini in Module folder
   
4. A copy of EZ-Flasher.exe and its associated settings file in each GameFolder
   

Settings.ini would be formatted like so -

[borderlands 2]
gamePath = Borderlands 2\EZ-Flasher.exe

[Happy Wheels]
gamePath = Happy Wheels\EZ-Flasher.exe

Perfect, that's what I was imagining. Ahh, ok, I don't have PopGames or OpenBOR yet so I couldn't compare. Thanks for the tip! Actually, now that I think about it, I believe djvj has a module already for flash games but not sure if this would work with that.

[evil eye]

I'm not at home to test it out but how does it handle various resolutions?

Not sure, but I couldn't get it to go full screen on the one game I tried. I also tried different resolutions as well.

[dustind900]

Some flash games, no matter what you do, will not go fullscreen.

@Rain

Yes, being able to run this with cmd line switches would make it very nice. If that was the case there would be no need for a settings.ini in the module folder like i described above, and it would make for a very easy to write module.

Also could you make it so the rom name doesn't have to be named game.swf. That way roms would not have to be in a folder of thier own.

[evil eye]

That's what I was afraid of. Thanks for confirming, Dustin.

[Rain]

Okay, so I was thinking that this application could use a little sprucing up; so here is what I have come up with (Flash Arcade Project.) The basic goal of the system would be allow users to create theme files in ZIP format (much like for MAME, or HyperSpin) and then allow users to use the artwork files via Flash Arcade. I think that this would add a new element of artistic expression and would allow us to make flash games more presentable, if this is something that users would like to see then I can create this application along with the help of Baddie (Baddie - you have a new project!) to make it happen. Each theme would have an XML file, and individual artwork files (flash files would be supported as well.) I have already added a command line parameter to the application that allows for loading of games from an external SWF file; and if users are interested in this than I will cover the entire application using either SDL or managed DirectX to make it a hair more "compliant" on different resolutions.

Basic Theme Structure

Jimmy Goes Swimming.zip

(contains x files)

Artwork1

Artwork2

Artwork3

Artwork4

Background

theme.xml

theme.xml

<theme>
    <artwork1 x=200 y=200 />
    <artwork2 x=762 y=480 />
    <artwork3 x=361 y=420 />
    <artwork4 x=400 y=408 />
    <movie x=200 y=200 height=600 width=800 />
</theme>

The application would read from the zipped theme file and then layer out the artwork according to the information and data contained within the theme.xml file. This could allow users to implement custom bezels, titles, etc. This is all just a passing thought at the moment; but if interest is there than perhaps I will assemble a team and we can start development on an application of this type. I created a very crude theme file for a game that my daughter likes to play and the results were promising, mind you that I am no graphical artist but below is proof of concept, that the overall framework does indeed work. The application would be built using .NET layering technology that was introduced in Microsoft.NET 4.0 framework with managed DirectX/SDL independent libraries. I would love to hear more from the community as to whether or not this would be something that we would like to see come to life, thanks guys!

Some flash games, no matter what you do, will not go fullscreen.

@Rain

Yes, being able to run this with cmd line switches would make it very nice. If that was the case there would be no need for a settings.ini in the module folder like i described above, and it would make for a very easy to write module.

Also could you make it so the rom name doesn't have to be named game.swf. That way roms would not have to be in a folder of thier own.

Very true on this aspect of things, the current system will now search for a default theme file in /artwork and if no theme file is found then the application will automatically use a default settings ruleset which is hardcoded within the application itself. However, if a theme file is found then all of the data that is needed for a specific game can be packaged along with the game being loaded. For all intents and purposes this would mean that Adobe Flash would finally have a respectable frontend system comparable to the way MAME handles its own ROM files, and the customization options would be endless.

Thanks for your interest.

[evil eye]

Wow, now that's some good thinking, Rain! I for one would love to see this happen. What happens if a theme dosn't exist for a game though, can it still be played? I assume yes, just want to make sure.

[Rain]

Wow, now that's some good thinking, Rain! I for one would love to see this happen. What happens if a theme dosn't exist for a game though, can it still be played? I assume yes, just want to make sure.

Yes, a game could still be played even if a theme file was not present; it would just default much the same way MAME already does (defaults to fullscreen display.) But essentially yes every SWF would be able to be loaded and executed by the frontend system.

Until I am done with the above application I will release a modified version of EZ-Flasher with some more enhanced options & settings that will make it much better; Thanks for the interest guys!

[evil eye]

That's what I thought, cool! Is there a way to center a game, either in the existing app or the next version? Right now the game is defaulting to the upper left corner.

[Rain]

That's what I thought, cool! Is there a way to center a game, either in the existing app or the next version? Right now the game is defaulting to the upper left corner.

It is not possible using the current version you have; however, I did push an update which can be found here (http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=5201) that allows you some extended variables for your flash games. Enjoy!

Changes

Added docking parameters to the settings.ini file, added height/width to the SWF loader as well as relative X/Y coordinates. Please read the settings.ini file for usage. Also, I added a command line switch that will load a game from an external flash file (if desired.) The usage for the command line switch is: flasher.exe -"c:\my path\to\gaming\my flash game.swf" Please note: You have to wrap the path in quotes if wanting to load a file from a directory with spaces in the name. Hopefully, it won't be long before an AHK file is written for this emulator (I suspect it will be very easy given that this program was designed for use with HyperSpin.)

Random Screenshot

Me playing one of my favorite flash games Jingle Balls. Love it cause I get to be a real bastard!

[dustind900]

Just gave this a trial run through HS and all went well.

Are the keys that are in the "Controls" section the only ones that can be remapped or can I add a remap for any key? I could very well just test it again but Im away from my HS PC right now and I just thought of it.

[Rain]

Just gave this a trial run through HS and all went well.

Are the keys that are in the "Controls" section the only ones that can be remapped or can I add a remap for any key? I could very well just test it again but Im away from my HS PC right now and I just thought of it.

You can map an infinite amount of keys.

just add the button to press and the key you want it mapped to. Phew, glad it worked in HyperSpin lol.

[dustind900]

Could I just use keymapper to set my controls for each game? That seems like it would be easier than trying to make a default list of remaps that you would still have to use keymapper for certain games anyway.

[Rain]

@dustind900; you can use whatever you would like.

I will go ahead and program the application and put everything into place. Over time theme creators can get around to creating themes if they would like; the framework is already there. There are a couple of things that I would like to be able to work on, the first is the application is restricted to resolutions no lower than 1024 x 768. The next thing would be to draw a shockwave flash object on a DirectX layer. Perhaps I will give the SDL libraries a go just to see how they work out/look. I am always excited about new software and I think that people might get some use out of this one.

[dustind900]

The final version isn't even out yet and this is already my favorite flash emu.

[djvj]

Made a basic module for this here:

http://hyperlist.hyperspin-fe.com/index.php?module=browseahk

Great job so far rain.

Rain, I noticed your windows class name is:

WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.0.33c0d9d

Are you able to change that to something a little more static so that it might not change in the future? Don't know if that's something you can set or not.

[dustind900]

Made a basic module for this here:

http://hyperlist.hyperspin-fe.com/index.php?module=browseahk

Thats funny. That is the exact module i wrote earlier to test this. For this current version though the module needs to write to the E-Z Flasher settings file per game.

[djvj]

I'm not sure how you want me to incorporate the ini. The fullscreen key does not get passed to the emu, the emu reads from the ini, the module does not get involved.