18 Getting Started
Emily edited this page 2026-11-11 10:36:59 +01:00

Getting Started

Universal Gaming runs on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux and the web. All games work offline. An account is optional and is only needed for online chess and submitting scores to the competitive leaderboard.

Download

The latest builds are attached to the releases page. Release 2.12.2+35 provides:

File Platform Notes
UniversalGaming-2.12.2-android.apk Android 7.0+ Universal, release-signed APK; enable installation from unknown sources
UniversalGaming-2.12.2-android.aab Android App bundle for Google Play Console
UniversalGaming-2.12.2-ios-unsigned.ipa iOS 15+ Unsigned; re-sign with Sideloadly/AltStore or build from source
UniversalGaming-2.12.2-macos.dmg macOS 12+ Drag Universal Gaming into Applications
UniversalGaming-2.12.2-linux-x86_64.AppImage Linux x86_64 chmod +x, then run; no install needed
UniversalGaming-2.12.2-web.zip Web Static build; unzip and serve over HTTP(S)
SHA256SUMS.txt All SHA-256 checksums for every artifact

Linux ships a single-file AppImage (UniversalGaming-<version>-linux-x86_64.AppImage): download it, chmod +x, run. Windows binaries are built from source with the native toolchain (Flutter only produces Windows executables on Windows); see Building.

Verify a download

shasum -a 256 -c SHA256SUMS.txt

On Windows, use certutil -hashfile <file> SHA256 and compare the result with SHA256SUMS.txt.

First run

The first launch shows a short onboarding screen:

  1. Start playing — go straight to the game hub. No account is required.
  2. Create an account — optional; opens the registration form.
  3. I already have an account — sign in with a username or e-mail.

You can add, change or remove an account later from the main menu.

Install notes

Android

  1. Download the APK.
  2. Allow installation from unknown sources for the browser or file manager.
  3. Open the APK and install it.
  4. The release APK is signed with the project release key. Upgrades must use the same signing key.

For Play Store distribution, upload the .aab.

iOS

The provided IPA is unsigned. Use Sideloadly, AltStore or Xcode with your own signing identity. Free Apple IDs produce seven-day development builds. Universal Links and password-manager credentials require a signed build with the correct associated-domain entitlement.

macOS

Open the DMG and drag the app into Applications. Because the build is ad-hoc signed rather than notarized, the first launch may require System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway. To remove the quarantine flag manually:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Universal Gaming.app"

Web

Play the hosted build at https://games.emilyh.de, or self-host the ZIP. The app uses path-based URLs, so the web server must serve index.html for unknown paths. See Deployment.

Optional account setup

The public build defaults to https://account.games.emilyh.de. To use another server:

  1. Open Account from the main menu.
  2. Open Account server.
  3. Enter the server URL.
  4. Tap Test connection.
  5. Sign in or create an account.

Unencrypted http:// servers are allowed but show a warning: passwords are sent in the request body and can be read on the network. Use HTTPS for anything other than local development.

Accounts support:

  • Username/password registration and sign-in.
  • Sign-in with either username or e-mail.
  • Optional e-mail confirmation.
  • Rename without changing the account UUID.
  • Password reset when a confirmed e-mail address is assigned.
  • Account deletion with password confirmation.

E-mail confirmation never blocks gameplay. If the server has no SMTP configuration, the app still works and shows the address as Not confirmed.

Local data

Saves, settings, statistics, local leaderboard results and the account session are stored with shared_preferences:

  • Sudoku and Killer Sudoku have separate saved-game and statistics keys.
  • The competitive/local leaderboard choice is stored locally.
  • Signed-in players can copy their saved games to the account server and restore them on another device; see Save backups.
  • Clearing browser site data or uninstalling the app removes local data.
  • Account data on the server is not removed by uninstalling the app; delete the account from the Account screen instead.

Next steps

  • Learn the games in Games.
  • Read about accounts, leaderboards and Discord in Features.
  • Build from source in Building.