This is a documentation for Board Game Arena: play board games online !
Studio file reference
This is a quick reference for the files used to implement a game. For more information, follow the wiki links.
software versions
img/
This directory contains the images for your game (the game art).
When game graphics changes it require full reload in browser (Ctrl+F5) to clear the cache. Changing marketing graphics and deleting files require extra actions from control panel.
gameinfos.inc.php
In this file you describe the meta-information for your game: game name, publisher name, number of player, game categories, etc...
When this file changes it requires special reloading using control panel.
See Game_meta-information:_gameinfos.inc.php.
dbmodel.sql
File for creating specific database tables that you will need to persist data during the game (for example a table for cards).
When this file changes it requires restart of the game. If game was already in production it requires migration.
See Game database model: dbmodel.sql
gameoptions.json, gamepreferences.json (was: gameoptions.inc.php)
File for describing your game options (or game variants).
When this file changes it requires special reloading using control panel.
See Options_and_preferences: gameoptions.json, gamepreferences.json.
<gamename>.action.php
IMPORTANT NOTE: This file is deprecated, you shouldn't need to use it if you use autowired actions. See the dedicated page about it for more information.
File used to describe methods that can be called from the client interface through javascript, get parameters and call the appropriate game functions.
When this file changes reloading is not required.
See Players actions: yourgamename.action.php.
<gamename>.css
CSS styles specific to your game.
When this file changes it requires forced reloading (Ctrl+F5) to clear the cache.
See Game interface stylesheet: yourgamename.css.
modules/php/Game.php
This is the main file for your game logic. Here you initialize the game, persist data, implement the rules and notify changes to the client interface.
When this file changes reloading is not required.
See Main game logic: Game.php.
<gamename>.js
This is the main file for your game interface. Here you will define:
- which actions on the page will generate calls to the server
- what happens when you get a notification for change from the server and how it will show in the browser.
When this file changes you need to do simple reloading of currently running game (F5).
See Game interface logic: yourgamename.js.
<gamename>.view.php, <gamename>_<gamename>.tpl
IMPORTANT NOTE: These files are deprecated, you shouldn't need to use it if you generate the template from the JS file.
Files are used to set up the page layout ('view') for the game.
When this file changes you need to do simple reloading of currently running game (F5).
See Game layout: view and template: yourgamename.view.php and yourgamename yourgamename.tpl.
material.inc.php
IMPORTANT NOTE: This file is deprecated, see the dedicated page about it for more information.
File used to describe all the game material (cards with their description, dices, tokens...). You can also use it to define game constants.
When this file changes reloading is not required, however if your js side using some data from there (which it should) do simple reloading of currently running game (F5) .
See Game material description: material.inc.php.
states.inc.php
This file describes the game states machine of your game (all the game states properties, and the transitions to get from one state to another).
When this file changes it requires simple reloading, however if changes are breaking it requires to start a new game.
See Your game state machine: states.inc.php.
stats.json (was: stats.inc.php)
File used to list statistics that you want to update during the game to be presented to players at the end of the game.
When this file changes it requires special reloading using control panel.
See Game statistics: stats.json.
version.php
Don't edit this file. It is used internally by the build system.
modules/
Modules directory can contain additional php files which can be included in main game.php via include or require. It also can contain addition js files. This directory is checked in version control.
misc/
Directory containing files you would like to keep with project but not needed on production server. This directory is checked in version control. Total limit is 1 Mb for this directory.
<other files>
You can use other files but they won't be checked in source control and published in production. That includes any additional .js or .php files. If you need them use modules/ directory.