Flashpoint Archive

The Flashpoint Archive (BlueMaxima's Flashpoint until 29 June 2023) is a webgame preservation project originally created by Ben Latimore (BlueMaxima) and currently developed by contributors of The Flashpoint Project. This project is dedicated to preserve content made on web platforms using Adobe Flash (primarily) as well as other plugins so that such content isn't lost with the closure of such programs. Since early 2018, Flashpoint has saved more than 100,000 games and 10,000 animations running on 70 different platforms. This project is and will always be entirely non-profit, to preserve the sense of community and sharing that came with Flash and its ilk.
With the exception of the source files of the supported plugins (which can't be released for legal reasons), all of Flashpoint's code is freely available on GitHub.
== History ==
Flashpoint was started in January 2018 by BlueMaxima in an attempt to outrun the disappearance of content prior to the death of Adobe Flash. It has since evolved into an international project involving over 100 community contributors, encompassing both webgames and animations created using numerous internet plugins, frameworks, and standards.
== Technicalities ==
Flashpoint utilizes a strong selection of open-source software. By combining the power of Apache, a custom-built launcher, and their own application called the "Flashpoint Secure Player", they can play web-based media in a quick, user-friendly environment without leaving permanent changes or security holes on a user's computer. The app circumvents sitelocks by emulating the internet, tricking the games into thinking that they are being played on their original server. Some games that use them also have their servers emulated, altough this is not always the case and not a priority for the Flashpoint team.
Flashpoint was written in the following programming languages:
* Python (FPCurator, curation validation bot, FPCLib, credits generator, BlueZIP, indexer, Flashpoint Ultimate updater, API, FPDocker, Flashpoint Scouter, Flashpoint-Linux)
* PHP (Database browser, router, SVRoot, AMFPHP fork)
* TypeScript (Launcher, analytics, paste server, submission website)
* JavaScript (AMFPHP fork, AutoMount, troubleshooter, ZIPOnImport, analytics, paste server, Launcher, submission website, FPDocker, Flashpoint-Linux)
* C# (paste server, secure tools, curation creator tool, submission website, TrrntZIP fork)
* C (TrrntZIP fork, proxy, Shockwave extender, CLI, OFILb, FPDocker, FPMicro)
* C++ (Proxy, Shockwave extender, CLI, OFILb)
* Go (Microservice, submission system)
* VBScript (Shortcut maker, URL redirector)
* Objective-C (Proxy for Mac, window focus tool)
* Java (Dependency scanner)
* Visual Basic .NET (Flashpoint Curator)
* ActionScript (AMFPHP fork)
* Rust (Mounting daemon, backend rewrite)
* Lingo (Shockwave Projector redirector)
* Batchfile (cURLsDownloader, FPCLib, BlueZIP, dependency scanner, URL redirector)
* Bash (FlashpointVM, Flashpoint-Linux)
* Assembly language (Proxy)
== Software versions ==
Two versions of the software are offered; Ultimate, which contains every piece of media in an offline ready format, and Infinity, a smaller distribution that allows the user to download and play content at will. Both versions are unaffected by the end of support for Flash and other plugins.
== Supported Plugins and Formats ==
* 3D Groove GX
* 3DVIA Player
* AboutPeople
* AboutTime
* ActiveX Controls
* Alambik Plugin
* Ambulant
* AnimaFlex
* ASAP WebShow
* Atmosphere Web Player
* Authorware Web Player
* Axel Player
* BitPlayer
* Blender
* Burster
* Calendar Quick
* Cult3D Player
* D'Fusion
* DeepV
* DPGraph
* e-animator
* Envoy
* EVA
* Flash Player
* Flatland Rover
* Formula One
* Fractal Viewer
* FreeHand
* GoBit Games Plugin
* Harvard WebShow
* HotSauce
* HTML5
* Hyper-G
* Hypercosm
* Illuminatus
* iPix
* Java
* JCAMP-DX
* Lightning Strike
* LiveMath
* Live Picture Viewer
* MapGuide
* MHSV
* NoteWorthy Composer
* o2c-Player
* Octree View
* Pixound
* Play3D
* PointPlus
* PopCap Plugin
* ProtoPlay
* Pulse Player
* REBOL
* ShiVa3D
* Shockwave
* Show It!
* Silverlight
* SmoothMove Panorama
* Squeak
* Surround Video
* SVF Viewer
* TCL Plugin
* ThingViewer
* Unity Web Player
* Viscape
* Vitalize!
* VRML
* WebAnimator
* X3D
* Xara Plugin
== Related projects ==
=== Newgrounds Auditorium ===
Newgrounds Auditorium is a sister project of Flashpoint that contains roughly 130,000 animations from Newgrounds, collected through a scrape of the site. Most of the animations in it are not in Flashpoint, but the Auditorium uses the same launcher. Just like Flashpoint, it is offered in a full, disk space-heavy offline version, and a lite version that downloads on the go.
=== Kahvibreak ===
Kahvibreak is a desktop application that preserves and immortalizes roughly 3,000 Java 2 Micro Edition games originally created for older mobile phones during the 2000's. It uses a modified copy of the Flashpoint Launcher and uses two emulators to load the games. The name is derived from the Finnish word for coffee.
=== instance_archive ===
instance_archive is a desktop app that preserves and immortalizes 880 old GameMaker games (Pre-Studio era) that have grown dysfunctional on newer Windows versions. Because of this, it must be run in a Windows XP virtual machine, unlike their other software. Also unlike Flashpoint, NA and Kahvibreak, instance_archive does not use a launcher.
In July of 2021, a beta version of a launcher for instance_archive was released on Google Drive, with the link published in the project's Discord. The launcher allows the GameMaker titles to be played on modern Windows versions without the need to use an XP virtual machine, using a successful workaround. Roughly 40 to 50 of the 880 games are currently available through the launcher, with more to be added later. In order to add the games to the launcher, one must create a folder within the "instance_archive X" folder, name it "Games", and paste all games from the instance_archive zip downloaded from BlueMaxima's website there.
=== Voyager ===
Voyager is a new package initially released in 2021, which compiles over 500 parser-based text adventures, packed with several interpreters that run the adventures out of the box. The Full version includes the music for Cryptozookeeper, which was left out of the Compact edition due to the soundtrack's large file size. 
=== Happy Wheels Offline ===
Happy Wheels Offline is a standalone package containing the Flash game Happy Wheels and all of its user-created levels up until 26 November 2018 for offline play. It does not require Flashpoint in any capacity and uses 8 GB of storage space. The full version of the Flash edition of Happy Wheels, featuring an additional set of user-created levels up until 24 March 2019, is available in Flashpoint Ultimate. Happy Wheels Offline can be downloaded here.
=== Moshi Monsters Standalone ===
Moshi Monsters Standalone is a standalone version of the Flash-based MMORPG Moshi Monsters, which was shut down in 2019 due to the then-upcoming discontinuation of Flash. It can be downloaded here, but is also available in Flashpoint.
== Links ==
* Download BlueMaxima's Flashpoint
* Full list of available games
* Full list of animations
* Request content for archival
* Wiki / guide
* GitHub
* Discord
* Newgrounds Auditorium
* Kahvibreak
* instance_archive
* Voyager
Category:Software