GameCI 3: Build and Deploy with Linux

GameCI 3: Build and Deploy with Linux

Continuing from GameCI 2, let’s examine the Build with Linux job matrix, along with the Deploy to the Google Play Store and Deploy to the Web via GitHub Pages jobs.

Build with Linux

We would ideally run all builds on Linux, but there are some constraints that mean we are only able to run a subset of our target builds on Linux. The eligible target platforms are Android, iOS, StandaloneLinux64, and WebGL. Make sure to have read the GameCI GitHub docs before examining this job matrix.

  buildWithLinux:
    name: Build for ${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: tests
    strategy:
      fail-fast: false
      matrix:
        targetPlatform:
          - Android
          - iOS
          - StandaloneLinux64
          - WebGL
    outputs:
      buildVersion: ${{ steps.buildStep.outputs.buildVersion }}
    steps:
      - name: Free Disk Space for Android
        if: matrix.targetPlatform == 'Android'
        run: |
          df -h
          sudo swapoff -a
          sudo rm -f /swapfile
          sudo rm -rf /usr/share/dotnet
          sudo rm -rf /opt/ghc
          sudo rm -rf "/usr/local/share/boost"
          sudo rm -rf "$AGENT_TOOLSDIRECTORY"
          df -h
      - name: Checkout Repository
        uses: actions/checkout@v3
        with:
          fetch-depth: 0
      - name: Create LFS file list
        run: git lfs ls-files -l | cut -d' ' -f1 | sort > .lfs-assets-id
      - name: Restore LFS cache
        uses: actions/cache@v3
        id: lfs-cache
        with:
          path: .git/lfs
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-lfs-${{ hashFiles('.lfs-assets-id') }}
      - name: Git LFS Pull
        run: |
          git lfs pull
          git add .
          git reset --hard
      - uses: actions/cache@v3
        with:
          path: Library
          key: Library-build-${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}-${{ hashFiles('Assets/**', 'Packages/**', 'ProjectSettings/**') }}
          restore-keys: |
            Library-build-${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}-
            Library-build-
      - name: Build Unity Project
        id: buildStep
        uses: game-ci/unity-builder@v2
        env:
          UNITY_EMAIL: ${{ secrets.UNITY_EMAIL }}
          UNITY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.UNITY_PASSWORD }}
          UNITY_SERIAL: ${{ secrets.UNITY_SERIAL }}
        with:
          targetPlatform: ${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}
          buildMethod: Cgs.Editor.BuildCgs.BuildOptions
          androidAppBundle: true
          androidKeystoreName: finoldigital.keystore
          androidKeystoreBase64: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYSTORE_BASE64 }}
          androidKeystorePass: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASS }}
          androidKeyaliasName: cgs
          androidKeyaliasPass: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYALIAS_PASS }}
          androidTargetSdkVersion: AndroidApiLevel31
      - name: Upload Build
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
        if: github.event.action == 'published' || contains(github.event.inputs.workflow_mode, matrix.targetPlatform) || (contains(github.event.inputs.workflow_mode, 'Steam') && matrix.targetPlatform == 'StandaloneLinux64')
        with:
          name: cgs-${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}
          path: build/${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}
      - name: Zip Build
        uses: montudor/action-zip@v1
        if: github.event.action == 'published' && matrix.targetPlatform == 'StandaloneLinux64'
        with:
          args: zip -qq -r build/cgs-${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}.zip build/${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}
      - name: Upload Zip to GitHub Release
        uses: svenstaro/upload-release-action@v2
        if: github.event.action == 'published' && matrix.targetPlatform == 'StandaloneLinux64'
        with:
          repo_token: ${{ secrets.CGS_PAT }}
          asset_name: cgs-${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}.zip
          file: build/cgs-${{ matrix.targetPlatform }}.zip
          tag: ${{ github.ref }}
          overwrite: true
          body: ${{ github.event.release.body }}

Most of this job matrix should be self-explanatory after reading the GameCI Builder docs, but you can find some additional details for each target platform below.

Android

A common issue with Android builds on the GitHub runners is running out of disk space. The Free Disk Space for Android step attempts to free up some space to hopefully prevent this issue, but if you have a larger project, you may need to do further work to avoid this issue:

df -h
sudo swapoff -a
sudo rm -f /swapfile
sudo rm -rf /usr/share/dotnet
sudo rm -rf /opt/ghc
sudo rm -rf "/usr/local/share/boost"
sudo rm -rf "$AGENT_TOOLSDIRECTORY"
df -h

For additional details about Android builds and deployment, refer to the GameCI Android docs.

iOS

Building for iOS is a 2-stage process: This Build with Linux job is the first stage, but the second stage requires a macOS runner. This job generates an Xcode project, which is uploaded as an artifact to be used in GameCI 4: Build and Deploy with MacOS.

For additional details about iOS builds and deployment, refer to the GameCI iOS docs.

StandaloneLinux64

The Linux executable can be deployed via Steam (see GameCI 6: Conclusion), but the Zip Build and Upload Zip to GitHub Release steps also enable players to get the build from the GitHub Releases page. Note that the Upload Zip to GitHub Release step requires a Personal Access Token.

WebGL

WebGL builds simply create files which need to be hosted on a web server. See the Deploy to the Web via GitHub Pages job below.

Deploy to the Google Play Store

As mentioned earlier, the GameCI Android docs is the best resource for Android builds and deployment.

  deployToGooglePlay:
    name: Deploy to the Google Play Store
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: buildWithLinux
    if: github.event.action == 'published' || (contains(github.event.inputs.workflow_mode, 'release') && contains(github.event.inputs.workflow_mode, 'Android'))
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Repository
        uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Download Android Artifact
        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
        with:
          name: cgs-Android
          path: build/Android
      - name: Update Release Notes
        if: github.event.action == 'published'
        env:
          RELEASE_NOTES: ${{ github.event.release.body }}
        run: echo "$RELEASE_NOTES" > fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/default.txt
      - name: Add Authentication
        env:
          GOOGLE_PLAY_KEY_FILE: ${{ secrets.GOOGLE_PLAY_KEY_FILE }}
          GOOGLE_PLAY_KEY_FILE_PATH: ${{ format('{0}/fastlane/api-finoldigital.json', github.workspace) }}
        run: echo "$GOOGLE_PLAY_KEY_FILE" > $GOOGLE_PLAY_KEY_FILE_PATH
      - name: Setup Ruby
        uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
        with:
          ruby-version: 2.7.2
          bundler-cache: true
      - name: Upload to Google Play
        env:
          GOOGLE_PLAY_KEY_FILE_PATH: ${{ format('{0}/fastlane/api-finoldigital.json', github.workspace) }}
          ANDROID_BUILD_FILE_PATH: ${{ format('{0}/build/Android/Android.aab', github.workspace) }}
          ANDROID_PACKAGE_NAME: com.finoldigital.cardgamesim
        uses: maierj/fastlane-action@v2.2.1
        with:
          lane: 'android playprod'

An additional detail about this job is that it only runs when triggered by either a GitHub Release or a workflow dispatch with release Android as the input. Also note that we use fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/default.txt to publish the release notes.

Deploy to the Web via GitHub Pages

  deployToGitHubPages:
    name: Deploy to the Web via GitHub Pages
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: buildWithLinux
    if: github.event.action == 'published' || (contains(github.event.inputs.workflow_mode, 'release') && contains(github.event.inputs.workflow_mode, 'WebGL'))
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Repository
        uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Download WebGL Artifact
        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: cgs-WebGL
          path: build/WebGL
      - name: Copy the WebGL build artifacts to the GitHub Pages directory
        env:
          WEBGL_BUILD_PATH: ${{ format('{0}/build/WebGL/WebGL/.', github.workspace) }}
          WEBGL_PAGES_PATH: ${{ format('{0}/docs', github.workspace) }}
        run: cp -r $WEBGL_BUILD_PATH $WEBGL_PAGES_PATH;
      - name: Deploy to GitHub Pages
        uses: stefanzweifel/git-auto-commit-action@v5
        with:
          branch: main
          file_pattern: docs/**
          commit_message: Deploy to GitHub Pages

This job only runs when triggered by either a GitHub Release or a workflow dispatch with release WebGL as the input. All this job does is copy the WebGL artifact to the correct location in the /docs folder of GitHub Pages. Once copied, simply committing the files will trigger a GitHub Pages deployment. Note that this web page relies on custom html in the form of cgs-WebGL.html, though work remains to make this web page look and feel nicer.

Continue

Continue with GameCI 4: Build and Deploy with MacOS.