Developer Support

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Documentation

• General Developer Questions

  • Is my game eligible to join MochiAds?

    We accept Flash games in all languages, not just English. Currently MochiAds supports Flash 6 through Flash 10, with ActionScript 1, ActionScript 2 and ActionScript 3. We do not accept Flash content that is not a game (e.g., movies or tools) or games containing adult or mature content. For further information, please refer to our Developer Program Policies.

  • Do you require a contract or exclusivity?

    MochiAds does not bind you to any contract or exclusivity terms. You are free to distribute your games or include other forms of sponsorship as you see fit. All that we ask is that the games abide by the MochiAds Developer Program Policies. Our goal is to help maximize the return on your games by working with you, not against you.

  • How is MochiAds different from a sponsorship?

    While a sponsorship means someone pays you money to put their logos and links into your game permanently, MochiAds is a non-exclusive way to monetize your site by embedding ads which you can turn off at any time. We make it even easier for you by allowing you to filter ads on a per-domain basis, run your own ads, and all without a contract. Many sponsors will allow you to negotiate sponsorships to allow ads in your game.

  • Are MochiAds and sponsorships mutually exclusive?

    Sponsorships and MochiAds are not mutually exclusive. Many well-known sponsors welcome our ads. Kongregate, for example, sponsors many games that include them. And because of our wide-reaching distribution, including MochiAds can benefit sponsors because MochiAds for Publishers helps games reach a wider audience.

    We also think that MochiAds can help you negotiate better deals. You might offer a non-exclusive sponsorship, and retain rights to distribute the game yourself with MochiAds in it, or to provide licenses to other sites. You might also offer a lower price if they leave MochiAds in it. This protects you so that when the game leaves their site, you still make money. You can also turn the ads off just for their site to make the offer even more attractive. So go ahead and negotiate a deal that works for you, and don't sell yourself short.

  • Does MochiAds accept games with adult content?

    We do not support games with adult themes. Our founding principles are to provide advertisers a selection of games that are clean and family friendly. Refer to the MochiAds Developer Program Policies for our criteria on what is an acceptable game.

  • Can I use MochiAds in movies?

    At this time we only support Flash games. The video, animation, and gaming markets are all very distinct. Our energies are focused on gaming because it's what we love and it's the market we know best. Even though our technology might work with other kinds of content, the other markets would need their own sets of publishers, features, ad sales, etc.

  • Will MochiAds support non-Flash games or content in the future?

    Currently MochiAds supports Flash 6 through Flash 10 with ActionScript 1, ActionScript 2, or ActionScript 3. Our technology is not compatible with any other platforms unless those platforms can host Flash content. We are always researching new technologies and trends, but at this time we are fully committed to supporting Flash.

• Adding A Game

  • What kind of thumbnail formats can I upload?

    Game profile thumbnails must be 100x100 ".jpg", ".gif", or ".png" files. If an animated ".gif" is uploaded, only the first frame will be used.

  • How long does it take for my game to get approval?

    The game approval process begins once ads are installed properly in a game and the game profile is 100% complete. Once you've done both of these things we usually approve your game within 24 hours, but in cases of high volume it may take longer.

    If you do not provide accurate information, especially in the game URL field, it will take much longer to get approved or it will be denied. Game URLs linking to sites that require registration or password may also increase your approval time. Additionally, games that get played more are approved with a higher priority.

  • What is the game profile for?

    The game profile is used during the approval process for your game and targeting ads (by category and keyword). It is also used as the information we send out to users of MochiAds for Publishers in the game distribution feed if you are participating in the distribution program.

  • My game is already made, do I have to redesign it?

    Nope! We make it simple for you to add MochiAds into your game through our quick and easy setup process. Within the MochiAds interface, simply download and copy our MochiAd.as file next to your game's .FLA file. Then, paste the ActionScript that you get from the MochiAds site into your game where you want ads to show. If you have any questions about setting it up, feel free to email us, or our community forums are a great resource!

• Ad Settings

  • What ad units are available?

    We currently have four different types of ad units. We offer pre-game, inter-level, click away and peel away ads in our inventory. These ads are available in static, rich media and video formats. Pre-game shows as the game is loading, inter-level can be shown at any point in a natural break in the game. Click away ads have the flexibility to be integrated anywhere into the game. Peel away ad units appear as a teaser ad at the top right of the leaderboards screen, and can be clicked to peel down into a full ad. Developers should refer to the Developer Program Policies for our advertising rules. Pre-game, inter-level and peel away are available in three sizes: 500x350, 336x280, and 300x250. Click away ads are currently available only in the 300x250 size.

  • What are click away ads?

    Click away ads are untimed ads that can be removed through user initiated action. Unlike pre-game and inter-level ads, these new ad units do not have a 10 second timer and are designed to provide developers with more flexibility . These ads are available in a 300x250 size and can be placed in custom locations throughout a game. With these ads, the game player can close the ad at any time and continue playing the game. Refer to the Developer Program Policies for additional information on acceptable use.

  • What are peel away ads?

    The peel away ad appear in a game's leaderboards. It shows as a triangular teaser at the top right corner of the high score screen. The user is able to click the teaser ad, and it "peels" down to reveal the full ad which can be closed at any time. Any approved game using the MochiAds leaderboards service is eligible to use the peel away ads. Peel away ad settings can be selected from your game dashboard by selecting the "Edit" button under ad settings.

  • Can I control the ad's appearance?

    Yes! You can control when and how often the ad shows in the game. Through our ad formats, we provide developers with the flexibility to choose when to insert an ad and what type of ad. You can choose your own preloader bar colors with the pre-game ads, and you can develop your own custom backgrounds to integrate the ad display into your game. In the case of peel away ads, you can enable or disable these ads separately.

  • Can I show my own ad?

    Yes! MochiAds allows you to upload a custom ad to show in your own game. This can be used for many purposes such as to temporarily promote a new game of yours, a new site or even to provide you with the flexibility for a timed license to advertise for another site during a fixed time-period.

  • What is domain filtering?

    When you enter in a domain to be filtered, whenever the game is played on that site, we will not show any network or custom ads if the game is played from a file hosted on that domain. Each domain you enter will be filtered.

  • Am I allowed to put multiple ads in a single game?

    Yes, you can do definitely place multiple ads in a game. A pre-game ad can only be shown once while the game is loading, but an inter-level, click away or peel away ad can be shown multiple times. However, there is a frequency cap on inter-level ads. We won't show an ad more than once every five minutes during a game play. If you try and show the inter-level ad more often then it will just be skipped until the time period has passed.

  • How often can I show my ad?

    Pre-game ads can only be shown once. Inter-level ads can be shown multiple times, however there is a frequency cap on advertisements. You can't show your ad more often than once every five minutes during a game play. If you try and show the ad more often then it will just be skipped until that five minutes has passed. Click away ads are not subject to time limits.

  • Can I encourage users to click ads?

    No. Anything in a game encouraging a user to click an ad is not allowed. In order to ensure a good experience for users and advertisers, the game should not request that users click on MochiAds advertisements or rely on deceptive implementation methods to gain clicks. In addition, developers may not circumvent existing MochiAds restrictions on frequency which an ad is showed. Refer to our MochiAds Developer Program Policies for more information.

  • Why does my game sometimes show network ads when it is set to show custom ads?

    Even if a game is set to use custom ads, we will show network ads on sites that use our distribution and/or hosting services.

  • I've added the MochiAds code but why don't I see an ad?

    If you've having any issues, we're here to help! Just email us. Our forums are a great resource!

    There are three scenarios that would prevent an ad from showing. The first scenario is if a connection cannot be made to the MochiAds server. The second scenario is if a game has been disapproved due to conflicts with the MochiAds Program Policies. Under these scenarios nothing will appear and the game will continue without pause. The third scenario is when a game is awaiting approval by the MochiAds team. The third scenario is if the game is not at least 300x300, and we may not have ads to fit that small size.

  • If a sponsor wants a version of the game not containing ads, is there a simple way to block the ad for the sponsor's site?

    Yes, we allow domain filtering. When you enter in a domain to be filtered, whenever the game is played from that host, we will not show any network or custom ads. Each domain you enter will be filtered. This way, if the game gets copied to another site, then ads are turned on and you make more money. No need for domain locking!

• Game Analytics

  • How are MochiAds stats different from MochiBot?

    Our two products provide analytics in different ways. MochiAds tracks ad impressions and revenue, and MochiBot tracks game plays and the sites where your game is being hosted. MochiAds data may be different for a few reasons. First, in a game showing multiple ads MochiAds data will be inflated because it displays the number of ad impressions not plays. Second, MochiAds will not load 100% of the time. If the end user's connection takes too long to communicate with our server, we will abort the ad to preserve the user experience. The third reason why your data may look different is that MochiAds data is real-time, and MochiBot only processes data once per day.

  • What counts as an ad impression?

    An ad impression is the successful showing of an ad to a game player for its entire expected duration. This is not a measurement of the number of times the game was played, because depending on your game the user may see more than one ad in a single session.

  • What are skipped impressions?

    A skipped impression happens when a request to our server does not return an ad to show. Common reasons for skipped ads are frequency capping and domain filtering. Frequency capping prevents ads from showing up too often: only one pre-game ad can be shown in a game, and inter-level ads can't be shown more than once every five minutes. Domain filtering is a feature you can use in the ad settings tab to disable the showing of ads on certain domain names. Some domains are always filtered due to distribution partner agreements, such as with kongregate.com.

• Game Distribution

  • What is the MochiAds Game Distribution program?

    The MochiAds Game Distribution program gets your game on our partner sites and portals automatically. Games enabled for distribution will be available to the hundreds of publishers signed up for MochiAds for Publishers. All you have to do is select your game from the dashboard, and follow the directions under Distribution to upload your game and give us permission to distribute. It's as easy as checking a box and you'll get more traffic (and ad revenue)!

  • I distribution enabled my game, why don't I see it in the feed?

    Your game will not be instantly available to in the MochiAds for Publishers feed. In order to assure the high quality content for our publishers, games enabled for distribution go through a second review process. Please make sure you do not upload a site-locked version of your game when you enable distribution.

• Leaderboards

  • Do I need to put ads in my game to use the leaderboard?

    No, you don't! Game developers can take advantage of the MochiAds leaderboard service without running ads in their game. Simply login to your account and set up a game.

  • What does banning an entry do?

    Banning an entry will remove all the scores for that person, and will refuse any more submissions from them. We do this based on a unique ID given to each player and not their IP address. You can undo your bans by pressing 'undo bans'. This will allow previously banned players to submit scores again. However, this will not bring back their previous entries.

  • What are the requirements for using leaderboards?

    To use the MochiAds leaderboards service your game must be published for at least Flash 7 and ActionScript 2.0. The minimum game size for the in-game widget (optional) is 270 pixels wide by 250 pixels. Your game does not have to be approved for ads, nor do the ads need to be active in order to use the service.

  • What is 'getPlayerInfo' for?

    'getPlayerInfo()' can be used to retrieve player information from the MochiAds leaderboard service. Currently we are storing the players username and last score submitted for each leaderboard. This is stored as a Flash SharedObject. This can be used to welcome the user on repeat game play and show them their last score.

  • Can I put the leaderboard on my website instead of in-game?

    Yes, you are not limited to using the MochiAds leaderboard service in-game. We have also provided some methods so you can retrieve the data and create your own version. Please refer to our API documentation for more details.

• Traffic Share Program

  • What is the MochiAds Traffic Share program?

    The MochiAds Traffic Share program allows developers to make use of the network for their own ads. When participating in the Traffic Share program, a fraction of a percent of your games' ad impressions will be ads from other game developers, and your ad will show up in games made by other developers. The more ad impressions your games get, the more times your traffic share ad will be shown across the network. We also show traffic share ads in games while they're being tested and before they are approved for paid ads.

  • What are the requirements for my ad?

    Traffic Share ads must be 300x250 or 336x280, and they must be uploaded in ".jpg", ".png", or ".gif" format. Only the first frame from animated ".gif" files will be used.

  • Does the Traffic Share program reduce my earnings?

    The MochiAds Traffic Share program only accounts for a fraction of a percent of your ad impressions, and is designed not to negatively impact your earnings. The people playing your game will be much happier to see a wider variety of ads, and you'll get more traffic to your site and other games through your ad.

• Version Control and Encryption

  • What is version control?

    The MochiAds version control technology enables developers to update their game at any time no matter where it spreads across the web. When you use this technology, your game is completely self contained - it can work anywhere, on or off-line, and with or without MochiAds servers. However, once you have an update, upload the new version to your account, and we'll patch your game in real time, giving players across the world the latest version without any effort on their part. Using version is seamless and invisible to the user and the host of the game.

  • Will the encryption service work with my already encrypted file?

    Nope! Yes, if you already use an existing encryption service the MochiAds version control and encryption service will work with it. We recommend using another encryption service on top of our service so that your game is as secure as possible.

  • Can I still implement domain blocking with the version control service?

    Yes, you can still implement domain blocking within your game by parsing the _url variable in AS2 or loaderInfo.loaderURL for AS3. You can put whatever scheme you want when it finds the game loading from a blocked domain. Since you can update your game at any time you can add new blocked domains easily.

  • Will my game still play if the MochiAds servers go down?

    Yes! The cool part is that your game still works even if you're offline or our server doesn't respond for any reason, because the game is still self-contained and our server just stores the patches. Encryption will not be impacted.

• Free Game Hosting

  • What's the benefit of hosting my game on MochiAds?

    We added the hosting feature for several reasons. The main reason is because most game developers get hit really hard with bandwidth costs when their games get popular. That can be a real drag so since we have the ability to negotiate low bandwidth costs we offer our developer community the ability to host your games for free with us. Once you have uploaded your game you can find a URL to your SWF in the 'distribution' tab for your game. All you have to do is use that URL in your embed and object tags instead of the .swf file on your server.

    Another reason why we offer game hosting is because we will work to get your games more exposure by doing deals with companies like RockYou to syndicate your games to their site. The more people that play your game the more you can earn from them. We want to see everyone do well with their games so we're doing all that we can to make that happen!

  • Can I upload a multi-file game?

    Yes! To host a multi-file game simply upload all your game files in a zip file. Please note however that we do not support folders within multi-file games so all your files need to be in the same place. If you happen to have multiple SWF files in your ZIP file, we'll take the first SWF alphabetically and make that your main SWF. So just make sure your main SWF file is named correctly to get the right URL to run your game. If you need to change the main SWF to something else, upload it individually.