Flash content for Wii and PS3

[hp3]

I am curious about what is happening with Flash for Wii and PS3.

Has anyone developed a revenue sharing type of business model for these platforms?
Do both Wii and PS3 have similar performance for Flash content?

From what I've read Wii browser costs $5 (or some points) and includes Flash 7 in the browser. Developers can use a javascript technique (wiicade api) to trap remote events in addition to those directly supported by ActionScript.

Does PS3 come with Flash pre-installed or does the user need to upgrade firmware for this (sort of like the PSP flash player)?
Are there any technical issues with PS3?

Thanks for any information.

[JerryScript]

The PS3 also has the F7 player. You do have to upgrade your PS3 before going online (I believe). There is no charge for the browser or internet access. AFAIK there are no special APIs available for the PS3 flash player or the browser. (there are drivers available for using the 6axis controller on your PC)

There is the ability to install Linux on the PS3, so anything you can do with the Linux flash player you could do on the PS3.

I can't wait to see the PS3's Home environment. Originally it was supposed to be release this past Nov, but now I believe it's scheduled for release in the first quarter of 08.

[tonypa]

As far I understand PS3 comes with FP7 installed (tho 1.5 firmware update supposedly improved the perfomance). For what FP can do on them, this is pretty much only thing I found:
http://www.kennybunch.com/blogarchives/52
http://www.kennybunch.com/blogarchives/64

[rachil0]

I got a Wii for Christmas so I am very interested in this topic as well. When you say Flash 7/8/9, where can I find what features are supported in each version? I've only recently jumped on the flash train - never worked with anything older than flash9/as3. I would hope "a swf is a swf is a swf", and any swf I make with mxmlc/as3 will work in a Flash v7 player, but I have no clue.

I am drooling at the prospect of double-fisted missle command action with two Wii remotes. Of course, I can't even figure out how to get my Wii on the 'net to begin with!

[Squize]

Flash 7 is pretty limited ( Although at the time, we were giddy ) in that you don't have any bitmapData support ( And no as3 ).

Squize.

[Lord Midnight]

wow...so if I want my game to run in the indy console scene...and I'm designing with gamepad in mind...I shouldn't be trying to use AS3...or even the bitmapData class...or really even a tile based game at all...wait you use movie clips with keyframes of each tile...guess animated tiles are easy that way...but..Flash7 huh...was that MX04 ?...maybe I'm trying to be too conforming...maybe what i had been thinking originally wasn't so bad...I'd like to read up player7...what version of AS did it use ?

[Squize]

as1/2

Squize.

[jbanes]

Has anyone developed a revenue sharing type of business model for these platforms?

I don't know if it's what you're looking for, but WiiCade has started a $200/game Sponsorship program. Depending on how it works out, we may be able to offer more money in the future.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[samvillian]

link doesnt work bro.....

[jbanes]

link doesnt work bro.....

Sure it does. You just have the bad luck of being up at 4 AM during server maintenance. :P

Try it again. It should work fine.

[hatu]

Neither of the companies care much about Flash though. The player kinda works with some updating on the consoles but be prepared to jump through some hoops.
Like Nintendo disabling the B button usage for Flash just because they felt like it.

[jbanes]

Neither of the companies care much about Flash though. The player kinda works with some updating on the consoles but be prepared to jump through some hoops.

It's hard to argue with that. None the less, WiiCade still pays for games for the Wii. And the games will still work on the PC (as long as you have a PC mode) long after the Wii is dead and buried.

Like Nintendo disabling the B button usage for Flash just because they felt like it.

Funny you should mention that. I just uploaded a fix last night. It's not in the main download yet, but you will notice that games like Territory Wars are working again. Some functionality around the B button still isn't working (e.g. It's not possible to disable scrolling and shortcuts) but it can be read again.

[Lord Midnight]

wow, a perfect platform for indies nuked over by disabling a button...not like nintendo could try to make things easy and make$$

$200 per game, but what if it is a long game...like as well done as a gba game but with better graphics...is it worth the money ?

[jbanes]

$200 per game, but what if it is a long game...like as well done as a gba game but with better graphics...is it worth the money ?

It's the money we have to give out at the moment. Is it worth it to you? Maybe, maybe not. We're currently counting on Indies who want to make Wii games but need incentive.

If the program pans out and nets WiiCade more traffic, then we'll be looking to offer larger sponsorships in the future.

[Lord Midnight]

hmm, if it was like a one screen game or something maybe, but for a full length game it would have to be much more money...I want to make several thousand dollars of some of the games I have in mind, and some that are geared to continuously make money, although that might only be $200 a month...but I am in this to make a living. I think it would be cool for small casual games though. one screen and simple type stuff, guess that is the kind what flash is best for though, right ?

[jbanes]

hmm, if it was like a one screen game or something maybe, but for a full length game it would have to be much more money...

Well, we have sponsored one game already.

http://www.wiicade.com/gameDetail.aspx?gameID=759

It's doing quite well over on NewGrounds, and even managed front page exposure over the holidays.

We have several other authors interested in doing games for us.

At the end of the day, I doubt you could make a living off of what we pay today. (Unless you can chuck out a lot of high quality "single screen" games at a rapid rate. :P) We simply can't afford to compete with what NewGrounds or Armor would give to a professional author for a AAA title.

YET anyway.

If we can pull more traffic from what we are sponsoring, we'll be able to offer more money. As I said before, the money we're currently offering is intended to be an incentive for authors to write a game for the Wii. It's not going to get someone to make us another NewGrounds Rumble. (Which we only got because NegativeOne is on staff. )

That being said, no one else is paying for Wii games right now*. Which means that what we're paying is more than the "going rate" for console games written in Flash. It's up to you to make a judgement call on whether it's worth it to you just to make a Wii game. Worst case, keep checking in and see if we start offering more moola in the future.

* If anyone was paying for Wii specific games, we'd be happy to go get permission to grab 'em and throw them up on WiiCade. So don't think we haven't checked. Of course, you can usually get someone like Armor to sponsor a game that is dual-mode for the Wii/PC as long as it's a good game. So that's not out of the question, either, but you may not feel you have as much freedom to use the Wii-specific features. Your call.

[Lord Midnight]

I find the whole thing really cool, I hope you get a ton of games going, the wii controller with flash could make some really neat games, for me I am focusing on a bit different scale I think...but it may be fun to tinker with some gameplay ideas....for me, I want to get my tales to people...some good 2D RPGs w good graphics and gameplay and story I think could do well on the big consoles...but polish is key, scope I think is operative, eh ? I think wiiflash pool or mini golf is prime for you guys...that kind of thing ?

lot of good games for wii could be done in flash...

[Son of Bryce]

I recently got a Wii and discovered that playing Flash games on Wii isn't as enjoyable as I expected since sites with Flash games (ie WiiCade, homestarrunner) don't work well with the formatting of the web browser. The Flash would always get cropped weird with whatever settings I used when I tried. Hopefully this is something that can be worked out.

In addition to that, the lack of quality games disappointed me as well. I haven't seen anything designed specifically for the Wii, mostly just stuff that has Wii control tacked on or "the game uses the mouse so it's Wii-compatible!"

I messed around for a little bit but I considered it a waste of time and would rather mess around with Virtual Console titles on Wii, and play the Flash games on my PC.

I'm curious about PS3 Flash player, if you can get the buttons mapped to the keys. PSP does it very well so I would assume PS3 does so as well. Too bad I don't know anybody that bought a PS3.

[JerryScript]

Flash gaming on the Wii is brand new, which tends to explain the lack of quality games. I think the begining of sponsorship opportunities will help to change that, kudos to WiiCade for getting the ball rolling.

As for the PS3, there is no special mapping of buttons from the 6axis controller to the web-browser, flash or not. You have the joysticks acting as directional controls, the d-pad acting as a sort of tab key going from focus point to focus point, and the X button acting as the left-click button. You have some rudimentary zoom controls with R3 and the other R buttons, but that's it.

I think the target audience needs to be defined for this type of gaming. In my house, we have 3 kids ages 5, 9, 13. The 9 and 13 year olds play the games on the PS3, but the 5 year old struggles with it. Flash games on the PC are easier for the 5 year old. With games on consoles costing $60+ each, a collection of childrens games via flash would make the PS3 usable for all ages with little or no extra expense.

On a side note, there are drivers available for the 6axis controller to be used on a PC.

[jbanes]

I recently got a Wii and discovered that playing Flash games on Wii isn't as enjoyable as I expected since sites with Flash games (ie WiiCade, homestarrunner) don't work well with the formatting of the web browser. The Flash would always get cropped weird with whatever settings I used when I tried. Hopefully this is something that can be worked out.

If I were to take a wild guess, I'd say you were zoomed in on the page. WiiCade actually has code that resizes the movie to fit within the configured screen size of your television. However, the code can only mildly compensate for a zoomed screen, thus resulting in cropping if it's zoomed in.

After the 1.0 release of the Internet Channel, the default zoom behavior was set to save the same zoom from page to page. This may have been seen as a usability improvement, but it causes no end of pain and anguish to sites designed for the Wii.

My best recommendation is that you try setting Zoom to "Auto" in the Internet Channel settings panel. It should work better that way. And consider setting the bottom bar to "auto-hide". That improves the experience as well.

In addition to that, the lack of quality games disappointed me as well. I haven't seen anything designed specifically for the Wii, mostly just stuff that has Wii control tacked on or "the game uses the mouse so it's Wii-compatible!"

Hey now! That may have been true a year ago (before I developed the WiiCade API), but it doesn't hold true these days. There are a variety of games that have been designed for or enhanced by the Wii controls. Here's a few:

NewGrounds Rumble - Enhaced for up to FOUR PLAYER support on the Wii!
Key to Adventure - Designed specifically for the Wii's unique controller.
Slipstream - Up to four players can combat each other in this Tron-like game!
WiiMote Wars 2 - Nothing says "Party" like 2-4 players blasting each other with Wii controllers!
Tactical Assasin - Use the zoom feature to find your prey... and shoot them!
Bumper Car Madness - Use motion controls to turn, speed up, and grab the tokens for the win! 1-4 players.
MiniHydra - Use the motion controls to blast invaders! (Surprisingly fun despite the low-qual graphics.)
SnowBlitz for Wii - Demonstrates perfectly how a Wii Controller can feel WAY better than a keyboard. (Owwwww! That didn't hurt!)
Paintball - Okay, so I just like this game. :P

The authors usually make the effort to see that the game is playable on the PC (especially since I wrote the API to be as helpful in this area as possible), but don't confuse that with them not being designed for Wii play.