How I’m Sharing Prototypes of My Godot Game

Intro

Prototyping is a huge part of my game dev process, and being able to share those prototypes quickly makes a big difference. In this post, I'll walk through how I'm using Final Parsec's game hosting feature to deploy builds of my game built with Godot to the web automatically. This process makes it easy to test, share, and gather feedback in a tight rapid cycle.

Fast iteration and feedback help me catch issues early, test ideas before overbuilding, and stay motivated by seeing progress in action. When I can easily share a playable version of my game with others, I get useful feedback sooner and make better decisions through development.

Starting Point

Before you can share a prototype, you need something to share. I'm not covering how to make a game in this post, but if you're looking for help getting started, check out the tutorials on my blog.

To share your game in the browser, you need to make sure it can export as a web build. Godot support HTML5 exports, and you can follow this guide to set that up. This also works with Unity (see this guide instead) or any engine that can export to WebGL.

Setup

Start by signing up for Final Parsec, which is free to get started. You will need an account to claim any games you upload, and once claimed, they will appear on your profile and be linked in the site's community features. An account also unlocks access to a growing suite of tools for game developers, so hosting is just the beginning.

To automate your game deployments, add Final Parsec's Github Action to your workflow. You can see an example workflow file from my open source Godot office sim game. This workflow checks out your code, sets up Godot, builds a web version of your game, and publishes it directly to Final Parsec. Once set up, every pull request builds and deploys automatically.

Deploying and Claiming a Game

Once your workflow is in place, all you need to do is open a pull request. Final Parsec will automatically build and deploy your game, giving you a link to a playable version with no extra steps required.

After your game is deployed, go to the games page on Final Parsec to find it. Open the game's page and you will see a button that lets you claim it and associate it with your account.

Sharing and Feedback

Once you have claimed your game, the URL you see while viewing and testing it is public. You can copy that link and share it with others to get quick feedback or show off progress.

Anyone with the link can play your game directly in their browser, with no downloads or setup required. It really is that simple.

Try It Yourself

What I love about this setup is how simple it is. I can push a change, open a pull request, and within minutes I have a playable version of my game live and ready to share.

If you are working on a game that supports WebGL, give this workflow a try. It only takes a few minutes to set up, and being able to instantly share playable builds can completely change how you get feedback and make progress.

If you want to go deeper or integrate Final Parsec in a more advanced workflow, check out the API documentation. The API is what powers the GitHub Action behind the scenes, and it gives you full control over how your games are uploaded and managed.