Play before publish/upload.

Hey, new game creator here.

I've been searching but not finding the information I wish to know.

I'm in the middle of creating my first game, and I was wondering if there is a way I could play it offline before I put it on a website or what not.

Example: I make the game, and then I put it on a USB stick and have a friend test the game out for me, search for any issues etc.

PS: Is it okay for me to throw my game up on Kongregate, even though I am using the free version? Are there any legal requirements for me if I do?

You can export your game as HTML 5, then just copy the folder (making sure to include the Index.html file) zip it up and send it to your friend. It should work fine. Just open index.html and you can play the game.

For licensing you need to read the licensing info article. I would highly recomend reading the manual and the tutorials as 99% of your questions will be answered there. Here is the link to the licensing info:

scirra.com/tutorials/57/how-construct-2-licenses-work

FAQ

Which license do I need?

If the license will be used inside a for-profit organisation you will need the Business Edition license.

If you are an individual not affiliated with a commercial organisation you only need the Personal Edition license.

If however as an individual you make more than $5000 USD in revenue from your Construct 2 creations you will need to upgrade to a Business Edition license. Read more about how license with Construct 2 work.

How do I order it as a gift?

Once payment has been received, you will be emailed a key which can be redeemed on our website. If you wish to gift the license, simply give the key to the lucky recipient who can then claim the license from our website.

Do you offer educational discounts?

All educational insitutions are welcome to use the Free Edition! If an educational institution wishes to order more than 10 copies with all the features unlocked please contact us for a quote.

Do you offer discounts for students?

Unfortunately at this time we do not offer student discounts.

How do I order more than 1 license?

Simply add the number of licenses you require to your basket. Once payment has been received you will receive an email with redeemable keys. Once you redeem a key, you will be able to enter the details for each license.

The problem I am having (This is most likely just due to me not understanding.) is when I do export into HTML5, and run the index.html it'll come up saying "Exported games won't work until you upload them.". Am I doing something wrong?

I have read that article and a lot of the tutorials, but I can't seem to find a direct and easy to understand answer.

So I take it that Kongregate etc. Is classed as For-Profit organisation? Therefore I cannot post there until I purchase a License.

If that's the case, with free edition is it okay to publish to the Scirra Arcade?

You should be able to publish to scirra arcade just fine, you can put the game other places too, as long as it is not being sold for money. That would require a personal or business license...

Thank you for your help BluePhaze. You've helped me understand the whole process a bit easier.

Posting your game to dropbox is quite easy way to make it available for testing. Heres a linky: scirra.com/tutorials/42/upload-your-game-to-dropbox