Installation

Game Framework consists of two main components: the SDK (Flutter packages) and the CLI (command-line tool). You'll need both for the complete development experience.

Prerequisites

Before installing Game Framework, ensure you have:

• Flutter SDK: 3.3.0 or higher
• Dart SDK: 3.0.0 or higher
• Unity: 2022.3.x or higher (if using Unity)
• Unreal Engine: 5.x (if using Unreal)

Verify your Flutter installation:

flutter --version
flutter doctor

SDK Installation

The Game Framework SDK consists of multiple packages that you add to your Flutter project.

1. Add Dependencies

Add the packages to your pubspec.yaml:

dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter
  gameframework: ^0.0.1
  gameframework_unity: ^0.0.1  # If using Unity
  # gameframework_unreal: ^0.0.1  # If using Unreal

2. Install Packages

Run the Flutter pub get command:

flutter pub get

3. Initialize Plugin

In your Flutter app's main file, initialize the engine plugin:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:gameframework/gameframework.dart';
import 'package:gameframework_unity/gameframework_unity.dart';

void main() {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  
  // Initialize Unity plugin
  UnityEnginePlugin.initialize();
  
  runApp(MyApp());
}

CLI Installation

The game-cli tool automates game exports, file syncing, builds, and publishing. Choose your preferred installation method:

# Add the tap
brew tap xraph/tap

# Install game-cli
brew install game-cli

# Verify installation
game --version

brew upgrade game-cli

# Extract the archive
tar -xzf game-cli-*.tar.gz

# Move to your PATH
sudo mv game /usr/local/bin/

# Verify installation
game --version

# Extract the zip file
Expand-Archive game-cli-*.zip

# Move to system directory
Move-Item game-cli-*\game.exe C:\Windows\System32\

# Verify installation
game --version

git clone https://github.com/xraph/game-cli.git
cd game-cli

dart pub get

# Use Make for automated installation
make install

# Add to your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc)
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

# Reload your shell
source ~/.zshrc  # or source ~/.bashrc

game --version

make rebuild

Verify Installation

Check SDK Installation

Create a simple Flutter app to verify the SDK works:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:gameframework/gameframework.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(MaterialApp(
    home: Scaffold(
      body: Center(
        child: Text('Game Framework SDK Installed!'),
      ),
    ),
  ));
}

Run the app:

flutter run

Check CLI Installation

Verify the CLI is installed and accessible:

# Check version
game --version

# View available commands
game --help

# Check CLI configuration
game config show

Next Steps

Now that you have Game Framework installed, here are some recommended next steps:

For SDK Development

• SDK Overview - Learn about the SDK architecture
• API Reference - Explore the GameWidget API
• Unity Integration - Integrate Unity games
• Unreal Integration - Integrate Unreal games

For CLI Usage

• CLI Overview - Learn about CLI features
• Commands Reference - Explore available commands
• Workflows - Common development workflows
• Configuration - Configure your projects

Troubleshooting

SDK Installation Issues

Problem: Package not found on pub.dev

The gameframework packages may be published to a private registry or not yet on pub.dev. Check the repository README for alternative installation methods.

Problem: Platform-specific build errors

Ensure you have the required platform tools installed:

• Android: Android SDK and NDK
• iOS: Xcode and CocoaPods
• Desktop: Platform-specific build tools

CLI Installation Issues

Problem: Command not found

Ensure the CLI is in your PATH. Check your shell configuration:

# Check if game is in PATH
which game

# If not, add to PATH
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

Problem: Permission denied

Make the game executable:

chmod +x /path/to/game

Problem: Dependencies missing

Install Dart dependencies:

cd game-cli
dart pub get

Platform-Specific Notes

Android

Additional requirements for Android:

• Android SDK 22+
• NDK for native builds
• Gradle 7.0+

iOS

Additional requirements for iOS:

• macOS with Xcode 14+
• CocoaPods
• Valid Apple Developer account for device deployment

Desktop

Additional requirements for desktop:

• macOS: Xcode command-line tools
• Windows: Visual Studio 2022 with C++ workload
• Linux: Build essentials and GTK3

Getting Help

If you encounter issues during installation:

• Check the Troubleshooting Guide
• Search GitHub Issues
• Ask in GitHub Discussions