I've been following Squidi.net's 300 series since day one. Something that has always thrown me was that he suggested using images as downloadable "upgrades" or "expansions" for the Tiny Crawl game series. I've researched this a bit and while I see it as very valid and easily distributable (which was Squidi's reasoning for using them; everyone can download a jpg or png file), and while I do think that Tiny Crawl would make a really great viral flash game for facebook, myspace, or the iPhone, I don't think that jpg's would be the best way to create expansion packs. My question, or poll rather, is what would be a better type of distribution system to deliver upgradable/in-game-purchasable expansions?
I can assume that by creating an unusual aspect to a flash game arises several problems. Not only would you require a validation process to enable a user to "purchase" a new expansion, but also a way to prevent users from freely re-distributing those expansions for free to other uses (one though would be to make character requirements like needed X experience to enter a new section, should that be included in the expansion or upgrade).
I see this better suited to a external application where you could literally include an import system or save the graphics to a folder where the game could detect and "install" if you will, new things if and when the images are purchased.
The last thing that I've been pondering is if generating these types of encoded images is even possible with Flash? I understand the security and stability issues involved with flash/php and saving pngs to the user's system, so what would be a good method of implimentation? I'd really like to play around with this idea of generating expansion data-graphics and maybe even using them one day.
Your thoughts?
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