Can't Play RPG Maker MV Deployed Games? [SOLVED]

[SmashArtist]

Hey there!
I tried playing a game made in RPG Maker MV a while back but came across a game breaking bug. The developer made an update and gave me a key to the new version. I downloaded it, but ran into a strange issue where, when I launched the game, I would come across only the game window showing off some of my computer folders for some reason. I dismissed this issue as being that it got corrupted when I downloaded it.
I then re-downloaded it. The same thing happened. I tried a third time and gave up, thinking it was the game which had the issue.
(I downloaded the original version off itch.io, then (the updated version) off google drive and then back off itch.io where the same issue continued)

Just today, in preparation for the 29th RPG Maker "Release something" event, I decided to look back on two of my older deployed MV projects to get inspiration. (I downloaded them off itch.io)
I then ran into the same issue as above.
(so it seems where I download it from doesn't matter)

EDIT:
Tried downloading and playing my deployed Rhuneworld prototype/demo/game, which I created more recently, it appears to be working fine. (This game was created using RPG Maker MV)

Not sure what the issue is.
Possibly a plugin?
Here are some screenshots of the game files(from just one of the games) and then the game window, displaying my computer files(blurred for my privacy).

Spoiler: Screenshots

Any help would be greatly appreciated! (would love to be able to play these games again)

 

[Poryg]

If you deployed the two projects in past and they ran ok back then and now they don't, it's impossible a plugin would do that by default.
What is happening:
In order to access a website's filesystem you have to enter a valid path to a folder that doesn't contain index.html. By default websites solve this by creating an index.html that rejects all communication unless it comes from the site admin. However, you naturally generally don't go around creating these kinds of index.html files in your computer (note that nwjs is a browser, so it will behave like one. In fact even firefox would do it if you opened a folder in xour computer in it)
So:
Either package.json is corrupted. Which can be an option, because the filesize of it looks off to me.
Or there's badly specified filepath to your index.html.
Or there's a completely different reason I'm missing.
If it's nothing secret, can I download and check the game too?

 

[SmashArtist]

Well, the first game which I encountered this, the developer said it(the game) still worked fine for them. (Maybe I should go ask them if they ever added a new plugin when they updated, but I doubt they did)

The second game (Harold Grows a Tree) was a one map challenge and (if I recall correctly) it did not use ANY plugins.
If you're interested it's available here.
People have downloaded it more recently though and have not reported any problems.

And the last one is an unpublished game I made, so it's not available to the public. It did use a very small amount of plugins.

I'm beginning to wonder if my computer specifically has beef with these project for some reason.
Hopefully you can figure this out.

 

[Poryg]

Naturally I can't. Because the game you sent me is working fine on my end.

There's a reason why I have asked about the dev's game. The reason is, if the two of your games worked fine in past and now they don't and some other game of yours is working fine, that means the games that don't work have something in common with the game and that may mean one or several things.
1. Your computer has gone crazy in regards to games made in RPG makers older than 1.6. What version is your Rhuneworld game made in?
2. Your computer dislikes the spaces in your filepath. This can be an issue in regards to web and html.
3. The dev's game has injected a virus in your windows computer that will detonate only the current version of nwjs. Which I think is pretty unlikely, because making such a virus would be a rather inefficient way to spend time
4. Some other reasons I'm missing out on.

So, if you eliminate all spaces from the filepath, will it work?

 

[SmashArtist]

Please explain what "eliminating all spaces from the filepath" means. I'm not the brightest when it comes to computers. XD

 

[Poryg]

Changing the filepath into somethingLikeThis instead of something like this.
For example if you have:

C:\users\Name and Surname\Desktop\Game directory with spaces and additional special characters

it's not something web browsers like.
So instead you just may want to move the game to

C:\GameDirectoryWithNoSpecialCharacters

 

[SmashArtist]

Still confused on how to do this.
I'm sorry.

 

[Poryg]

Right click the game folder and rename it or click on its name. And make sure the game folder itself is not in a directory that has additional white spaces. If it is, you need to move it somewhere else, the safest filepath would be directly the C:\ or D:\ or E:\

 

[SmashArtist]

I'll try this once I get to my computer later today, thanks for the help!

 

[JtheDuelist]

@Poryg I'll say it now- he was talking about my game, and I can guarantee you it isn't reason 3 (I can't code to save my life plus I wouldn't do that to anyone in the first place). Also, this may more be a problem with his computer, as I have video proof of someone else who was able to play my game from start to end without these issues:

 

[Poryg]

@JtheDuelist Thanks for the notice. I took a look at the game. Noticed that both this game and the game @SmashArtist linked were both below version 1.5.2, so I think that the problem is either related to invorrect filepath formatting or some sort of weird incompatibility between the version of nwjs and their PC. But for that we'll need to wait and see the answer.

 

[SmashArtist]

Thanks for explaining @JtheDuelist!

I tried out what @Poryg suggested, I moved the game folder to the desktop-and lo and behold it works! (this was for Harold Grows a Tree)
I then tested the same with Therese Preps a Meal and Downfall FES Re:Boot and they both worked, plus I was able to use my old save file for the Downfall! (can't wait to finally beat it!)

Thank you so much for your help!
I know know if I encounter this problem in the future I should move the game to the desktop.~

 

[slimmmeiske2]

This thread is being closed, due to being solved. If for some reason you would like this thread re-opened, please report this post and leave a message why. Thank you.