How to package a Mini Micro game

To "package" a Mini Micro game means to bundle up all the files into a format that end-users can download (or access on the web) and play without needing anything else.

The basic idea is simple: Mini Micro will automatically look for a zip file (or folder) next to the executable called user.minidisk, and if it finds this, it would automatically mount that as /usr and run any program it finds there as /usr/startup.ms. So packaging amounts to taking a standard Mini Micro distribution, adding the desired user.minidisk file, and tweaking things like the app name and icon. Exact details, though, vary with the platform you're targeting.

Note that while the directions below include links to zip instructions/tools on the corresponding platform, it is not necessary to be on the platform you are packaging for. In other words, it should work perfectly well to package for all platforms, from whatever platform you happen to use. Also note that the first three steps in each section below are the same, and only need to be done once no matter how many platforms you package for.

Packaging for Windows Download

1. Make a virtual disk containing just the files needed for your game or app.
2. Add a startup.ms script that loads and runs your program.
3. If your virtual disk is (in the real file system) a folder, zip it. Rename the zip file exactly user.minidisk.
4. Download the Windows distribution of Mini Micro from the official web page.
5. Put your user.minidisk file next to the Mini Micro.exe file.
6. If you like, rename Mini Micro.exe to the name of your game.
7. Zip up (or otherwise archive, as you prefer) the whole folder containing the .exe, your user.minidisk file, and everything else that came with the original Windows distribution.

The resulting archive file can then be uploaded to DropBox or itch.io, or otherwise distributed to your players.

Packaging for MacOS Download

1. Make a virtual disk containing just the files needed for your game or app.
2. Add a startup.ms script that loads and runs your program.
3. If your virtual disk is (in the real file system) a folder, zip it. Rename the zip file exactly user.minidisk.
4. Download the MacOS distribution of Mini Micro from the official web page.
5. Put your user.minidisk file next to the MiniMicro.app file. (If you are doing this in Windows or Linux, MiniMicro.app will appear as a folder; on a Mac, the same folder appears as an app, and the .app extension may be hidden.)
6. If you like, rename MiniMicro.app to the name of your game.
7. Zip up (or place on a disk image) the whole folder containing the app and your user.minidisk file.

The resulting zip or DMG can then be uploaded to DropBox or itch.io, or otherwise distributed to your players.

Packaging for Linux Download

1. Make a virtual disk containing just the files needed for your game or app.
2. Add a startup.ms script that loads and runs your program.
3. If your virtual disk is (in the real file system) a folder, zip it. Rename the zip file exactly user.minidisk.
4. Download the Linux distribution of Mini Micro from the official web page.
5. Put your user.minidisk file next to the MiniMicro.x86_64 file.
6. If you like, rename MiniMicro.x86_64 to the name of your game.
7. Zip up (or otherwise archive, as you prefer) the whole folder containing the executable, your user.minidisk file, and everything else that came with the original Linux distribution.

The resulting archive file can then be uploaded to DropBox or itch.io, or otherwise distributed to your players.

Packaging for the Web

1. Make a virtual disk containing just the files needed for your game or app.
2. Add a startup.ms script that loads and runs your program.
3. If your virtual disk is (in the real file system) a folder, zip it. Rename the zip file exactly user.minidisk.

(To-Do: remaining steps.)