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Adding a locally downloaded game to the application. - "This title is posted on an incompatible third-party website"

A topic by gregstout-lt created Aug 01, 2024 Views: 521 Replies: 3

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There's a few games I want to play that when I click to install them, I got a message that says
"This title is posted on an incompatible third-party website"

Using this fantastic app, I can still go to the site and download the game, but I want to then add it to itch.app, but I can't figure out how to do that. I can see where the app folder is, but putting the game in there isn't enough. It seems like I need to add some sort of installation instruction file for the system, but it's unclear what I need to do and how I can do that. Any guidance would be appreciated.

An example of what I need to add would be amazing.

Also, using a MAC. :)

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redonihunter134 days ago

Apps are not manuall added or tested to the Itch app repository. It just is a dedicated browser with some extras to access the normal Itch website. And those games on the site are also not added by Itch staff. They are added by the publishers. Often amateurs. And with a gazillion different ways of distribution. Including file hosters.

tl;dr Not all games are compatible with the Itch app.

And I do not think it is conceptually a general purpose game launcher, as you cannot add third party games. And even if it is from the Itch website, you would need ability to add 3rd party games to add games, even if you downloaded them from Itch.

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gregstout-lt133 days ago

I appreciate your feedback. In fact, there is a section where you can add apps to the library, and there is clearly a process by which it can scan apps that have been download that are locally on your system in the apps folder to then add them to the library in case they were not added prior.

I agree it is not a general app launcher, but it can certainly launch apps of the type that it already launches, and all of these are of that type.

So, there must be a way to do that, and I'd like to have someone who has done that tell me how.

Either a system developer could explain how the system recognizes that a downloaded app can be added to the system, and I think it has something to do with the related folders that come down with the application but I can't figure it out. Or someone who has figured it out can explain to me what they they have done.

It doesn't sound like you have done that, so I don't want your comment to to confuse people because clearly it's possible. If you don't know how that's fine, please remove your comment.

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redonihunter133 days ago(+1)

You talk about the button Scan install locations for games, do you not? This is for games installed by the Itch app, for instance if you manually move the install location.

I suggest you visit https://itch.io/board/12011/itch-app-development , maybe there is more information. Also here https://itch.io/docs/itch/integrating/quickstart.html and most importantly here https://itch.io/docs/itch/integrating/manifest.html

My best guess is, that it might be possible to add games that have a manifest in their directory. It is not mandatory and I have no clue how many games do have a manifest. But chances are, if you can't install the game with the Itch app, it has also no valid manifest to begin with. Those games are meant to be uploaded by the butler app and therefore are hosted on Itch and not a third party hoster.

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