LHS Arcade Instructions
Learning Target
- Create an account on the class arcade site
- Explore the arcade and understand how it works
- Submit a game ZIP to the arcade
Instructions
Step 1: Register for an Account
Complete the following steps to register with the classroom arcade:
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- Go to arcade.mrhelland.com
- Click Register (or Sign in with Google if that option is visible).
- When prompted, sign in with your school Google account — it must end in
@lebanon.k12.or.us.
Your account will show a pending status until it is approved.
Step 2: Wait for Approval
Your account must be approved by Mr. Helland before you can log in.
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- Check back at arcade.mrhelland.com periodically.
- Try logging in — if your account has been approved, you will be taken to the site.
- If you still see a pending message, check again later.
DO: Send Mr. Helland an email if you have not been verified within 24 hours
Step 3: Sign In
- Go to arcade.mrhelland.com
- Click Login and sign in with your school Google account or the username and password you created.
- Once signed in, you will be taken to your home page.
Step 4: Choose Your Display Name
The first time you log in, you will be asked to choose a display name. This is the name other students will see on the leaderboard and in reviews.
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- You will see a list of 10 generated name options. Read through them carefully.
- Click the name you want to use.
- If you do not like any of the options, you may click Regenerate List — but you may only do this once.
DO NOT rush this choice — your display name is permanent.
Step 5: Explore the Arcade
Take a few minutes to look around the site before submitting anything.
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- Browse the game gallery on the home page.
- Play a game if any are available.
- Check your profile and My Games pages.
- Find the Submit a Game page — you will use it in the next steps.
- Look at the Leaderboard to see how points are earned.
Step 6: Export Your GDevelop Game for the Browser
The arcade requires an HTML5 browser export — not the desktop or mobile version.
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- Open your game project in GDevelop.
- Click File → Export.
- Choose HTML5 / Web (sometimes labeled Web (browser) or HTML5 game).
- Click Package. GDevelop will build the game and open a local preview in your browser — leave it open for the next step.
- Choose a destination folder and save the exported files there.
DO: Confirm that the export folder contains a file named index.html — the arcade will reject any ZIP that does not have one.
Step 7: Take a Thumbnail Screenshot
Your game needs a thumbnail so it looks good in the gallery.
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- While the GDevelop in-editor preview is open, use the Snipping Tool (Windows key + Shift + S) to take a screenshot of the game window.
- Open Paint (or any image editor) and paste the screenshot.
- Crop it so only the game is visible — no title bars or browser chrome.
- Save the file as
thumbnail.png. - Place
thumbnail.pngin the root folder of your export (the same folder that containsindex.html).
thumbnail.png is inside your ZIP, the arcade will use it automatically — you will not need to upload it separately.Step 8: Create Your ZIP Archive
You need to compress your exported game files into a single ZIP or 7Z archive.
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- Open your export folder. It should contain
index.html,thumbnail.png, and several other files and folders. - Select all of the files and folders inside the export folder.
- Right-click the selection and choose Compress to ZIP file (Windows 11) or Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder (older Windows).
- Name the ZIP after your game — something like
PlatformPlayhouse.zip.
- Open your export folder. It should contain
DO NOT: ZIP the export folder itself — select the contents of the folder, so that index.html is at the root of the archive, not buried inside a subfolder.
index.html appears immediately when you open it, not inside another folder.Step 9: Submit Your Game
To submit a game to the arcade, you will need to do the following
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- Click My Games in the navigation.
- Click Submit New Game
- Fill in the Game Title and a Description (at least a sentence or two about what your game is).
- Select a Genre from the dropdown.
- Click the Game ZIP upload area and choose your
.zipor.7zfile. (You can also drop files in this area) - If you did not include a
thumbnail.pnginside your ZIP, upload a thumbnail image using the Thumbnail upload area. - Click SUBMIT GAME.
Your game will be reviewed before it is published in the gallery.
You will be able to see it in My Games with a status of unpublished until it is approved.
Extension:
Want to update or improve your game after submitting?
You can go to My Games, find your submission, and use the edit option to update the description, genre, or upload a new version of your ZIP.