Electron for Construct

Steam integration with Construct 3

[BETA] - Written by MikalDev

See the greenworks plugin documentation on adding greenworks keys to the project config.js.

Preview

While previewing using efc, you will now have access to Greenworks features. Though, the overlay will only work as long as you launch Electron through Steam.

To do so, you need to make use of the preview executable located in your app (if not already there, you can downlaod it from there (opens new window) and place it inside your project folder). Go to your steam app, add a non-steam game and select this executable. Right click on the entry, go to properties, click on Set Set Launch Options. If using Construct 3, enter the remote preview url, otherwise enter the Construct 2 regular preview url. Finally, launch your app from steam to have all the benefits: Testing greenworks, live-reload and overlay.

Running the executable

You:

  • Must have Steam running and user logged in
  • Must have valid steam_appid.txt: efc should already place it alongside your executable
  • Must launch your executable from Steam for the overlay to work

WARNING

On MacOS, the steam_appid.txt should be in the user's home directory, and the application should be launched from mygame.app/Contents/MacOS/mygame.

::: note If the game is installed through Steam and Steam servers, no steam_appid.txt is required. :::

The overlay is not working!

Steam overlay currently only works with Windows and Greenworks/Electron/NW.js. Sometimes, you need to configure more things for the overlay to work.

The following switch must be added to the exe application command line: --in-process-gpu This can be added to the application's Steam launch options on Steam server's application configuration site. For example mygame.exe --in-process-gpu

NOTE

In the case of not moving or rendering every frame, the overlay will be buggy. Place a small (1x1 px) rotating sprite, for example in a corner. That will fix the overlay being not corectly responsive.

Using greenworks to access the Steamworks APIs, two methods

Use The Greengrinds plugin (includes example project)

Greengrinds Addon (opens new window)

Valery Popoff's Javascript plugin

If you are familiar with Javascript development, you can make calls to Greenworks yourself using the official Greenworks documentation (opens new window).

  • Create a Construct 3 project
  • Download and install the plugin (opens new window)
  • Create a scriptfile e.g. greenworks.js
  • In greenwork.js, require the greenworks modules, instantiate greenworks object, create functions that you can call from JS plugin which in turn call greenworks APIs.
  • For some guidance in this see the official greenworks docs and unzip the Greengrinds plugin and look at the domSide.js code.
  • Use self.c2_callFunction in JS to call back to C3 functions as needed (e.g. on data return or logging)

NOTE

Currently, no tests were made for Construct 2

Note about Steam4C2

I'm sure people are wondering what's about Steam4C2. There is work in progress with the original author to support the plugin

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