v0.9.0 — Display quality, smoother audio and Apple Silicon

v0.9.0 — Display, background and audio improvements

New in this release

• 9× / 2160-line internal rendering and optional four-sample GPU SSAA.
• Nearest, Bilinear, Integer smooth, GPU Bicubic and GPU Lanczos display filters.
• Saved vertex-precision and sharper-background controls for reviewed Scenario 1–3 profiles; bounded higher-precision perspective reduces camera-depth scale stepping.
• High-resolution sampling for supported transparent rotation-plane interiors, RGB888 sources and ordinary floor blending.
• Extended colour calculation and NBG0/NBG1 line scroll/zoom, with tests of enabled table fields, intervals and colour-format restrictions.
• Fullscreen in the menu, F11/Alt+Enter, toolbar Auto/Shown/Hidden with F10, and persistent VSync.
• Audio-friendly catch-up on repeated VDP1 fields, improved device read-ahead handling, faster PNG encoding and bounded asynchronous capture export.
• Windows x64, Linux x86-64 and Apple Silicon ARM64 application builds. Intel Mac is excluded.

All application packages bundle preparation tools. Players supply a registered CUE/CHD and use Prepare game; no compiler, Python, Homebrew or Xcode installation is needed. No disc, BIOS, extracted asset, generated game program, artwork pack or save is distributed. The optional Windows graphics builder is separate; generation stays local.

Starting settings and updating

Start at 5× with SSAA Off, then increase quality. 9× with SSAA is demanding. Display filters affect final resizing and can look similar at high internal resolutions. Vertex precision and sharper backgrounds are saved switches; unsupported paths retain native output. Use AI graphics Off with 16:9.

Extract the new application into a separate folder, select your existing scenario data folder and run Prepare game again. Ordinary in-game saves remain separate and persistent. Keep the old application/prepared build for old native quick states and replay checkpoints: these require an exact build/disc identity. The locally tested checkpoint migration is not automatic compatibility for public downloads. Use ordinary saves between releases.

Validation and limits

• Six required native runtime regressions and compiled-entry emission checks pass locally.
• Sixteen Windows routes cover original/translated Scenario 1, supplied Scenario 2 V1.003 and translated Scenario 3. The expected Scenario 3 blending change was reviewed; its raw video dump is unchanged.
• 213 shader cases pass locally on Vulkan and Direct3D 12. Five-filter GPU tests cover resizing, alpha overlays, constants, minification and target restoration; UI tests cover persistence and switching.
• Five supplied BOOT files representing four unique families pass isolated projection/formatter tests. This is separate from campaign coverage.
• The recorded Scenario 2 route with 9×, SSAA and vertex precision measured about 59.7–59.8 fields/sec with Nearest, Bicubic and Lanczos and zero measured audio shortages. These are local measurements, not a performance guarantee.
• Hosted Linux/Apple Silicon validation uses invented data and bundled tools. It cannot validate real-disc gameplay, physical controllers or audio devices. Shader checks require a usable GPU/display; unavailable checks remain labelled unavailable.

Earlier camera-angle/transform/keyframe rounding, several complex VDP2 paths, widescreen culling gaps and full-game coverage remain unresolved. F8 GPU readback can still cause a brief high-resolution capture interruption. Optional AI artwork is experimental and is not a supported widescreen path.

The Apple Silicon app is ad-hoc signed and not Apple-notarized. macOS may require explicit approval to open it. Linux targets Ubuntu 22.04 or newer x86-64 desktops with their normal graphics/system libraries; no Steam Deck or every-distribution certification is implied.

Build checks: source and synthetic regressions, Linux and Apple Silicon packaging and synthetic checks. Platform summaries and SHA-256 checksums are attached below.

v0.8.0 — Official widescreen release

v0.8.0 — official widescreen release

This release adds 16:9 widescreen rendering for the registered Scenario 1–3 editions. It expands the original Saturn viewport while preserving the native game framing and uses the GPU path for the additional geometry. Windows hybrid-GPU systems request the high-performance adapter before SDL initializes.

Important widescreen note

Use AI graphics: Off with widescreen. The optional local artwork packs are experimental and may misalign, pop in, or leave seams when the viewport is expanded. Original game graphics are the supported widescreen presentation in v0.8.0.

Included

• Windows x64 first-run package with local CUE/CHD preparation.
• Linux x86-64 package with hosted synthetic validation report attached.
• Optional Windows offline graphics builder; it is not required for widescreen.
• Registered USA Scenario 1 and translated Scenario 1–3 profiles.
• 1×, 2× and 5× GPU rendering, native save states, save import/export, controller setup, and internal/cartridge backup storage.

Validation

• dsp_regression, core_regression, bup_regression, machine_regression, background_regression and audio_buffer pass.
• Compiled-entry emission check passes.
• Scenario 2 V1.003 title, town/house, and current-player-save routes pass with unchanged review frames.
• Complete campaigns, every scene, all spell/character paths, and real-disc Linux gameplay remain unvalidated.

macOS is not included in this release. Intel Mac packages are no longer published; an Apple Silicon package will return when a hosted build is available.

See the README and release notes for setup, registered editions, save import/export, and validation details.

SFIII Native v0.7.0-preview1 — Widescreen Preview

Widescreen preview

• Adds the official 16:9 preview for the registered Scenario 1–3 editions.
• Use AI graphics: Off with widescreen. AI artwork can misalign or pop in at 16:9 and is not the supported presentation path.
• Windows hybrid-GPU systems request the high-performance GPU before SDL starts.
• Windows x64, Linux x64, and the optional offline graphics builder are included. Intel Mac is no longer published; the Apple Silicon runner was unavailable, so no substitute Mac package is included.

No game files, BIOS, saves, extracted assets, or generated game code are included. Preparation compiles code locally from a supported player-supplied CUE/BIN or CHD.

Validation

The Windows candidate passed the six required runtime regression targets, compiled-entry emission, and three available Scenario 2 V1.003 routes with matching review frames. Missing historical fixtures are unavailable validation, not passing coverage. Complete campaigns and all hardware behavior remain unvalidated.

v0.6.1-preview1 — Expanded editions, performance and audio

Shining Force III Recomp 0.6.1 preview

This experimental preview updates the Windows, Linux and macOS packages from the current source. Bring your own supported Saturn disc image; the application prepares its native game code locally. Game assets and generated game code are not included.

Highlights

• Six exact-content profiles: original USA Scenario 1, translated Scenario 1 v25.1, Scenario 2 v24, the experimental Scenario 2 v25.1 migration, the supplied Scenario 2 V1.003 image, and Scenario 3 v25.1. A filename or patch label alone does not identify a disc. The supplied Scenario 2 image reports V24 in its header; its exact translation version remains unverified. Premium Disc and other revisions remain unsupported.
• Faster module identification for overlays sharing a loading address. A measured Scenario 2 volcano lookup fell from roughly 116 ms to under 2 ms; other stalls remain.
• More efficient GPU artwork uploads and demand-filled artwork caches that scale with host RAM. The cache can help retain previously used textures; it does not eliminate first-use reads.
• Adaptive audio recovery: the cushion starts at 100 ms and increases to 150 ms after repeated underruns. This may reduce interruptions while adding up to 50 ms of latency; sustained slow rendering can still stutter.
• Artwork style labels are now Animated, Illustrated and General. Existing settings and packs retain their original identifiers. The optional builder remains a separate Windows download.
• Controller setup, supported Saturn save import/export, native quick states, optional 1x/2x/5x rendering, 2x/3x game speed and experimental widescreen.

Installation and compatibility

Extract the entire archive and start the launcher. Select your own registered BIN/CUE or CHD image and a separate game-data folder, then choose Prepare game. The included tools generate and compile native code on your PC; you do not need to run compiler commands yourself. Keep the application folder because it contains the preparation tools.

When updating an existing installation, keep your old application, prepared build, game-data folder and backups. Use the new launcher to prepare the same disc in your existing game-data folder; normal in-game saves are retained. Native quick states and replay checkpoints are build- and disc-specific. Make an ordinary in-game save before updating and load it normally in the new build.

On Windows, clean preparation and the automatic startup check passed for one registered image from each scenario, and all six registered images were identified by content. Windows x64 has the broadest local gameplay coverage, concentrated on selected Scenario 2 routes. The recent shared runtime optimizations have not been revalidated through whole campaigns or on every scenario. Linux x64 and macOS Apple Silicon/Intel packages are experimental build and synthetic-test candidates; real-disc gameplay, physical controllers and audio have not been validated on those platforms. macOS builds are ad-hoc signed, not notarized, and Windows binaries are unsigned. Graphics, audio, compatibility and widescreen edge issues remain.

Use the checksum files to verify downloads. Generated artwork, disc images, saves and local game code are never shipped.

v0.6.0-preview1 — Optional local AI graphics builder

This Windows preview adds an optional graphics experiment. The game still works with its original artwork; download the builder separately only if you want to try the new styles.

• Local GPU upscaling for eligible world textures and decoded CHR/CHP character frames from your own supported Scenario 1 USA V1.001, Scenario 2 Translation v24, or Scenario 3 Translation v25.1 disc.
• Choose Off, AnimeVideo v3, x4plus anime, or x4plus general in the game's graphics menu. Menus/HUD keep their original artwork. The resolution menu now offers 1×, 2× and 5×.
• Indexed artwork startup, lazy texture loading, bounded caches and visible-material GPU uploads. On the local Scenario 2 test, warm artwork initialization fell from 16.9 seconds to 1.16 seconds; this measures pack loading, not total launch time.
• Launcher buttons attach optional packs or return to original artwork. Matching disc/profile and manifest checks prevent accidentally attaching another revision's packs.
• Expanded synthetic tests for character transparency, animation/material caching, pack indexes, interrupted builder work and launcher attachment.

Downloads and setup

Game: extract the whole SFIII-Native-0.6.0-preview1-win64.zip, open SFIII Native.exe, choose your disc and a separate scenario data folder, then Prepare game and Play. Tools are bundled; no manual compiler, Python or terminal setup is required. No BIOS is required by the current runtime.

Optional builder: extract the whole SFIII-Offline-Graphics-Builder-0.6.0-preview1-Windows-x64.zip separately, then run Start Offline Graphics Builder.cmd. The ZIP is about 21 MB. First run downloads checksum-pinned upstream tools and prepares the extractor automatically; CHD support downloads its converter on first use. After setup, processing runs locally with a Vulkan-capable GPU and uses no API keys, paid services or Codex tokens. A full job can take hours and tens of GB across all scenarios/styles. Try Quick check first, keep all three styles selected for the playable packs, then Attach packs to game. See the step-by-step guide.

When updating the application, choose your existing scenario data folder and run Prepare game again. Ordinary saves remain there. Native quick states are build-specific; retain the previous application/build for old quick states and transfer progress using an ordinary in-game save.

Same-frame graphics examples

These are actual native renderer compositions of captured Scenario 2 gameplay, with identical camera/framing and original HUD. Full-size images are attached below and linked in the README gallery.

Validation and limits

Windows checks passed: six required runtime regression targets, compiled-entry emission and nine focused Scenario 2 routes; 12 scene/style GPU comparisons and four live style continuations retained native video/frame results. The Python suite ran 113 tests: 112 passed, with the POSIX file-lock test unavailable on Windows. The clean builder's automatic setup, three supported disc revisions, CHD conversion and all three GPU models passed limited sample checks.

These checks do not establish complete-game compatibility. Unsupported images and background planes remain original; styles may soften details or introduce seams. Extracted character coverage is separate from executed gameplay coverage. This optional builder is Windows x64 only; existing Linux/macOS v0.5.0-alpha packages remain available, and AI gameplay on those platforms is unvalidated.

No commercial disc/BIOS data, saves, extracted assets, generated artwork packs or generated game code are distributed. Build your packs locally from your own supported discs; do not upload the resulting game-derived data. SF3Tools is obtained directly upstream for local preparation; its unlicensed binaries/resources are excluded from this download. Third-party notices are included. SHA-256 checksums accompany the application and builder downloads.

v0.5.0-alpha — Scenario 3, Light AA and expanded native coverage

Experimental native Windows, Linux and macOS packages. Use your own supported disc; no game data, BIOS, extracted assets, generated game code or saves are included. Preparation runs automatically with bundled tools; players do not install a compiler or run build commands.

Additions since the previous downloads

• Scenario 3 Translation Project v25.1 joins Scenario 1 USA V1.001 and Scenario 2 Translation Project v24 in the launcher, with separate game-data folders and supported BIN/YSBAK save import.
• Optional 1×/2×/3× game speed, controlled with F6 or the menu. Start at 2×; 3× is experimental and depends on hardware/scene. Audio speeds up in pitch too. Resolution stays fixed.
• Optional Edge AA > Light for supported GPU geometry; Off remains the default. Ordinary sprite/text paths are protected. No replacement texture pack is required.
• Expanded effect and scene compilation: 810 module images across the three registered revisions, including 59 Scenario 2 effect programs and 69 separately loaded Scenario 3 EFFECT.BIN sections. Seven additional mappings were corroborated through loader/call evidence.
• The reported Medion lightning crash was reproduced in the old executable. The new packaged build executes X3SPARK, completes the animation and advances to the next turn; repeated snapshots during the effect also passed.
• Stronger same-address overlay restoration tests, native snapshot validation, module-boundary checks and automatic source/synthetic regression CI. Native states are direct snapshots; legacy replay checkpoints remain separate.
• Controller setup keeps its detection console visible. PlayStation, Xbox, generic and configurable Saturn USB controllers remain supported.

Updating

Extract the whole new archive into a new application folder. Select your existing scenario data folder and run Prepare game again, then Play. The bundled tools perform this automatically. Preparation retains your ordinary in-game saves and earlier prepared builds; keep the old application folder until you have confirmed your progress.

Quick states are specific to the executable and disc. Use an ordinary in-game save to move progress to this release. Keep the matching previous application/build to load older quick states; general cross-build snapshot compatibility is not promised. Supported real Saturn, emulator and cartridge save exports can be brought in with Import saves while the game is stopped. Prefer cartridge storage for multiple large saves and scenario carryover.

Validation and limits

• Windows: all six required runtime regression targets and 29 recorded routes passed (9 Scenario 1, 12 Scenario 2, 8 Scenario 3), with unchanged native baseline frames. Repeated snapshots during the Egress and lightning transitions matched video, audio and backup memory; corrupt/wrong-build states were rejected.
• Static review: all 285 normal/special effect dispatch entries resolve to mapped images. This is not proof that every spell animation works. Healing Drop, Medion's Spark/lightning cast, Egress and the no-target magic path have limited exercised coverage; individual uncast effects remain unvalidated.
• Seven mapping/entry review records plus existing discovery/indirect-call findings remain. Complete games, every battle/menu/transition, full hardware fidelity and Premium Disc are not certified. Scenario 2 X1SAR_S2 retains a layout/discovery finding.
• Linux/macOS archives are native hosted builds with synthetic validation, not real-disc gameplay certification. Their platform validation JSON accompanies each archive. Synthetic GPU shader cases passed on the Linux and Apple Silicon runners; the Intel Mac runner exposed no usable GPU/display, so that check is unavailable. GPU-unavailable checks remain unavailable rather than passed. Mac apps are ad-hoc signed, not notarized; Windows binaries are unsigned.

Supported images are the registered disc contents, not every region or translation with a similar filename. CHDs are verified/extracted locally with bundled chdman. Each download has a SHA-256 checksum. No developer captures, personal machine paths or historical test saves are distributed.

v0.4.0-preview1: Linux and macOS preview

Experimental native Linux and macOS preview for players willing to test the new platforms.

Downloads

• Linux x86-64: linux-x86_64.tar.gz (Ubuntu 22.04 or newer desktop environment, Vulkan drivers).
• Apple Silicon Mac: darwin-aarch64.tar.gz (macOS 13 or newer).
• Intel Mac: darwin-x86_64.tar.gz (macOS 13 or newer).

Extract the complete archive and open SFIII Native (SFIII Native.app on Mac). Choose your supported Scenario 1 USA V1.001 or Scenario 2 Translation Project v24 CUE/CHD, choose a separate writable game-data folder, then click Prepare game and Play. Preparation generates and compiles native game code locally with bundled tools; users do not need to install a compiler/Python or run build commands.

Included

• Linux Vulkan and macOS Metal rendering, with the existing 1×/2×/4×/5× resolution options and experimental widescreen.
• Scenario selection, CHD conversion, controller setup/testing and BIN/YSBAK save imports.
• Internal and cartridge backup memory, direct native save/load states and separate legacy replay checkpoints.
• Per-session logs and exact pre-load backup retention. Existing live progress is not replaced with test/replay saves.

No disc, BIOS, extracted game assets, game saves or generated game code is included. Provide your own game data. Ordinary in-game saves are the way to move progress between native builds/platforms; snapshots and replays require matching native executable/disc identities.

Validation limits

Native hosted builds run the six runtime regression targets, 9,300 synthetic instruction vectors through actual SH-2 generation/native execution, CHD data/audio round trips, controller/state/launcher UI tests, relocation and package-integrity checks. The Mac bundled-tool check hides Xcode discovery. Per-platform validation reports, source/build identities and SHA-256 checksums accompany these archives. Hosted build results passed on all three targets. Synthetic shader checks passed using software Vulkan on Linux and the Apple Silicon runner’s paravirtual Metal device; the Intel Mac runner exposes no usable Metal device, so its GPU check is marked unavailable.

Real-disc gameplay transitions, towns, battles, audio-device behavior, physical controllers and hardware GPU performance on Linux/macOS remain unvalidated. Synthetic checks do not certify the full game or resolve all static findings. Keep backups and report platform-specific issues without uploading disc/BIOS/game files.

Mac previews are ad-hoc signed, not Apple-notarized; macOS may require explicit approval in Privacy & Security. The Windows installation is unchanged; its v0.3.0-alpha release remains available.

v0.3.0-alpha — Scenario 2, CHD, native states and 5x rendering

Download SFIII-Native-0.3.0-alpha-win64.zip below for the Windows application. GitHub's automatic Source code downloads are for developers.

Changes since v0.2.0-alpha

• Game selector: separate installations and remembered disc paths for Scenario 1 USA V1.001 and the registered Scenario 2 Translation Project v24 edition.
• CHD input: select a standalone CHD or BIN/CUE. Bundled chdman verifies and converts CHDs locally; the original image stays unchanged.
• Scenario 2 save imports: import supported per-save SFORCE32_XX.BIN and version-1 JSON .ysbak exports, alongside Scenario 1 saves. Internal and cartridge storage are available, with validation and destination backups.
• Direct native save states: F5/F9 and Save state / Load state capture and restore runtime state directly. Loading restarts the native process without replaying earlier inputs. Legacy replay checkpoints remain separate menu actions.
• 5× GPU rendering: the toolbar and Display menu now offer 1× / 2× / 4× / 5×. At a 320×240 source size, 5× renders at 1600×1200, or 2135×1200 with the expanded widescreen viewport. Source textures remain original; 5× renders about 56% more pixels than 4×.
• Launcher settings: writable application folders remember their own selection and paths, with a fallback to existing per-user settings.

Install and play

1. Extract the entire Windows ZIP to a new application folder.
2. Open SFIII Native.exe, select the scenario, then browse to your own supported CUE or CHD.
3. Choose a separate game-data folder and click Prepare game. Keep CUE BIN tracks beside their CUE.
4. After preparation, click Play. Controller setup and save import are available in the launcher.

Preparation runs offline using bundled tools and may take several minutes and several GB of disk space. Players do not install a compiler, Python, Git or Visual Studio, or run compilation commands. Game code is generated and compiled locally from the supplied disc. No BIOS is required by this runtime.

Requires Windows 10 version 1903 or newer / Windows 11 x64, .NET Framework 4.8, a Vulkan or Direct3D 12 capable GPU, and an x86-64-v2 CPU for the bundled CHD tool. This package is unsigned.

Updating and saves

Close the game before updating. Extract into a new application folder, then select the existing game-data folder for the same scenario and run preparation. Keep a backup of your game-data folder. Setup retains existing ordinary saves and previous native builds; each scenario needs its own data folder.

Native states and replay checkpoints require the exact executable/disc identity and are not interchangeable with emulator states. Create a new F5 quick state after updating. Older state/checkpoint folders remain available for their original build. Loading a native state restores the internal/cartridge memory captured in it; exact pre-load backups are retained in the session folder. Use in-game saves for progress across builds.

Experimental compatibility and limitations

Only the registered Scenario 1 USA V1.001 and Scenario 2 translated-v24 profiles are accepted. A filename or translation label does not establish compatibility. Other revisions, Scenario 3, Premium Disc, parent/delta CHDs and ISO input are unsupported.

Scenario 2 and native snapshots remain experimental. Limited recorded routes cover startup, opening sequences, docks, and imported-save church/town transitions. Later gameplay, battles, campaign transfers and all possible snapshot times are not certified. Widescreen can expose missing terrain or objects at the sides because original game-side culling remains incomplete. Graphics/audio defects may remain.

Static compilation, emitted entry coverage, executed gameplay and hardware fidelity are separate claims. The Scenario 2 audit has 219 configured/candidate compiled modules, including 195 X1 scene programs; the four-route suite exercises six X1 scenes. It retains 69 mapping/entry reviews, 25 discovery findings and 541 unresolved indirect sites. The previous Scenario 1 baseline and its outstanding findings are documented in the README.

No game images, BIOS, extracted assets, generated game code, game executable, saves, private captures or validation fixtures are distributed. Report issues using revision, scene, settings and reproduction steps; do not upload copyrighted game data or memory dumps.

Release validation

Fresh offline preparation completed from the packaged tools for Scenario 1 BIN/CUE and Scenario 2 CHD. All six required native regression targets passed, along with nine existing Scenario 1 routes and four Scenario 2 routes, with no changed reference frames. These routes cover 12 of 169 Scenario 1 X1 scenes and six of 195 Scenario 2 X1 scenes; they do not certify the complete games.

Direct snapshot/restoration tests on a Scenario 1 battle-save route and a Scenario 2 church/town route matched final frames, raw video, audio suffixes and backup contents; repeated snapshots and rejection of corrupt/incompatible states also passed. The package passed 41 Python tests, 64 Vulkan shader cases including 5×, virtual-controller checks, toolbar/native-state UI checks, launcher first-run/settings tests, and Play tests for both profiles. Source/file audits and ZIP integrity checks passed. Physical-device, audio and GPU-driver coverage remains limited; this has not been independently validated on a second Windows PC.

The accompanying SHA-256 file verifies the Windows ZIP. See the repository README and desktop documentation for controls, supported saves and setup details.

v0.2.0-alpha — Windows desktop app

Windows desktop alpha

Download SFIII-Native-0.2.0-alpha-win64.zip below. GitHub's automatically generated Source code archives are for developers.

1. Extract the entire ZIP to a local folder.
2. Open SFIII Native.exe.
3. Select your own unpatched Shining Force III Scenario 1 USA V1.001 CUE, keeping its BIN tracks alongside it.
4. Choose a separate game-data folder and click Prepare game.
5. Once preparation completes, click Play.

The app bundles its offline preparation tools. Players do not need to install a compiler, Python, Git or Visual Studio, or run terminal commands. First preparation can take several minutes and needs several GB of free space. Keep the extracted application folder after setup.

Requires Windows 10 version 1903 or newer / Windows 11 x64, .NET Framework 4.8 (normally included), and a Vulkan or Direct3D 12 capable GPU. The application is unsigned, so Windows may show an unknown-publisher prompt.

Included

• Automatic disc identification, local native-code generation and compilation, and launch.
• Controller setup for supported PlayStation, Xbox, Saturn USB and generic controllers.
• Save-import utility for supported Saturn save formats, with internal and cartridge backup memory.
• 1x / 2x / 4x rendering and experimental widescreen support.
• Preparation preserves existing saves and retains previous builds. Replay checkpoints remain build-specific.

No disc images, BIOS, extracted game assets, generated game code, game executable or personal saves are distributed. Game code is generated locally from your own supported dump; this preparation path does not require a BIOS.

Alpha limitations and validation

Only the unpatched USA Scenario 1 revision above is currently supported. Scenarios 2–3, Premium Disc and translation patches are future work. Widescreen can expose original scene-culling limits. Complete-game compatibility is not certified.

Local validation passed all six required runtime regression targets, nine existing replay routes plus a Unicode-path variation, and setup, GUI launch, cancellation and save-preservation checks. The replay suite exercises 12 of 169 scene programs; static compilation of 250 modules is a separate coverage claim. Unresolved static findings remain documented in the repository. A short paced 4x rendering sample reached approximately 60 fields per second with dummy audio; this does not validate physical audio playback or the whole game.

Preparation and launch were tested with isolated bundled tools on the development machine, including Unicode paths. This has not yet been independently tested on a second Windows PC. Please report issues with the selected revision and relevant logs; do not upload disc data, BIOS files or copyrighted assets.

The SHA-256 file below can be used to verify the ZIP download.

v0.1.0-alpha — Experimental source release

Shining Force III Native v0.1.0-alpha

An experimental source release for Windows x64 and unpatched Scenario 1 USA, MK-81383 V1.001. This is an early testing version; the complete game has not been validated.

Getting started

Download the source archive or clone the repository, then follow Building on Windows. Install the documented compiler prerequisites, run tools/setup-dependencies.ps1, then use tools/prepare-game.ps1 with your own supported BIN/CUE dump and an external work directory. Preparation generates and compiles your game executable locally.

The supported data-track SHA-256 is 089c77470dec14f1dbffaad1ab50d584f06df5e28b475fc712b8e67e5890f951. The current runtime supplies high-level BIOS services and does not require a BIOS file.

This release includes no prebuilt game executable, generated game code, disc/BIOS files, game assets or saves. It is not a download-and-play installer.

Included features

• Keyboard and configurable SDL controllers, including Saturn USB pads.
• Vulkan/Direct3D 12 rendering of supported geometry at 1x, 2x and 4x.
• Experimental 16:9 framing, including the expanded rotation-floor window.
• Internal/cartridge backup storage and the Import Saturn Saves utility for supported raw SFORCE31_XX.BIN exports.
• Replay checkpoints that reconstruct progress by fast-forwarding recorded input.

Known limitations

• Only the specified Scenario 1 USA revision is supported. Other scenarios, Premium Disc and translated editions remain planned.
• Full-game stability, graphics, audio and save behavior are not certified. Widescreen object culling remains incomplete, with possible edge gaps and pop-in.
• Save import accepts the documented per-save format, not arbitrary emulator/Saroo memory images or emulator save states. Keep original exports and back up progress.
• Checkpoints are build/disc-specific input replays, not instant save states.
• Setup has been reproduced locally from clean source; independent PC validation is still needed.

Validation

A clean local disc-to-executable build passed all six runtime regression targets and nine recorded transition routes, with matching reference frames. Additional checks passed: 15 Python tests, 145 synthetic controller checks, 51 GPU shader cases, checkpoint integrity and menu controls. The route suite exercises 12 of 169 compiled X1 scenes; static emission of 250 modules does not establish complete gameplay coverage. Remaining static findings are documented in the README.

Report issues with the revision, scene, settings and reproduction steps. Do not upload game data, saves, memory/video dumps or generated game code. See the README for controls, save import, the roadmap and optional support.