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"Play On Browser" Games Can Be Downloaded ?

A topic by RzeL created Apr 15, 2021 Views: 8,163 Replies: 12
Viewing posts 1 to 5
(1 edit) (+1)

I create a games... But all my Ggmes are "Play On Browser" games... I check my statistics... My game got downloaded even though my game is for playing on browser...

Is that possible...??? I'm kinda concerned...


(+1)

I keep seeing this too. Am curious how they do it.

Moderator(+12)

Yes, it is. The Itch.io app downloads web games and caches them, so app users show up as downloads. Don't worry about it.

Thanks For Explaining...

(+1)

Oh thanks, this had been confusing me for some time. 

(+3)

Interesting to hear that plays through the Itch app count as downloads - I was wondering about those stats myself.

That said, it is also possible to right-click and select "Save Frame As..." which can be used to download browser games. I think it'll only really work with things like Twine games where the index.html file or whatever is all that's needed to play: if it's zipped up with other assets and whatnot then I'm pretty sure you'll end up missing those (though imagine there must be some way of getting hold of them since ultimately everything must be available to the player in order for them to run the game). I wouldn't be concerned about it, though: it shouldn't do any harm. The only reason I've ever downloaded stuff like that is to open it up and see how it's made.

Yap... I was concerned about the thing that you said... Open the game by yourself to see how it's made... It's still ok tho... But... For me... It's better to ask the dev first rather than just download it yourself... Especially the game that "Play On Browser" that aren't supposed to be "Downloaded"...

Well... Different people have different thing to be concerned about... But for me... On this case... If someone want a copy of a game that "Play On Browser"... It would be nice to try ask the dev first...

(+2)

I mean, they are technically downloading it either way, just to their cache. I don't think you can really expect people to ask permission before downloading a copy of a free game that's public on the internet. Of course, they shouldn't redistribute it without permission since that would violate your copyright. But you should probably assume that anything you put on the web could be downloaded and examined.

This is a little like putting a book out on a table with a big sign saying "Please take a look!" and then being horrified when someone picks it up and skips to the last page. It may not be what you'd expect people to do (and most probably won't), but you haven't put in place any measures to prevent it or (more importantly) asked people not to. If anybody is downloading your games through the right-click menu, they can't possibly know they're not "supposed" to do that. Some developers actually include Easter eggs that can only be found this way.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't download and examine one of your games now that you've said this here, but if it's important to you then I'd put a note in the description. Even then I think you'd be counting on people simply respecting your wishes rather than having any legal power to enforce them. After all, as William O'Connell says, everyone technically has to "download" the game in order to play it in the first place.

I'm Agree With You All... And Maybe... I'm The One That Wrong Here... So I'm Sorry... Back Then Maybe I'm Not Really Deeply Think About The Problem And Just Jump To The Point... But Now... Yea... You All Right... Thanks For Telling Me The Thing That Correct Me...

Once Again... I'm Sorry...

(+1)

I've experienced this too, the downloads are occurring without the page even being visited. Is anyone able to confirm if game page views on the app show up in analytics?

Well... What you say is true... It get downloaded without getting visited... I just realize it when I read your reply...

Maybe you need to open a new topic to know the answer for this one...

Admin(+3)

This can also be caused by the app, someone can have the game in their library and play it directly from there.

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