Blinx 0.5.2 - Linux diagnostic reports

Playable public beta: tested through World 2. End-to-end completion is not guaranteed.

This update improves diagnostic reporting for Linux runtime failures.

• Linux now automatically creates a shareable diagnostic ZIP after a crash and shows its exact path.
• The ZIP includes selected runtime diagnostics, graphics options and recorded controller inputs. Console keys, EEPROM and native saves remain local.
• Enable Mods > Crash and input logs before reproducing a problem. Fresh installations enable it by default; saved choices are preserved. On Windows, use Copy diagnostic ZIP in the crash dialog.

The native gameplay executable is unchanged from 0.5.1. This is a diagnostic update; Linux crash investigation and Steam Deck performance qualification remain ongoing.

Windows: extract the complete ZIP and retain your existing data folder. Linux: replace the AppImage and retain your existing external data directory. Both require your own supported NTSC-U game files.

Validation covered the final Linux package on AMD Vulkan hardware, stage 1 startup, input capture, shareable export and preservation of saves/settings during an update. Windows package integrity, launcher defaults, saved choices and crash-report transport also passed. Input recordings repeat controls; host timing can still cause a different outcome.

Matching project source and unchanged prepared dependency source are included. SHA256SUMS.txt covers the downloads.

Blinx 0.5.2-xbe.1 — Experimental XBE compatibility test

Experimental Windows test for Blinx disc rips that 0.5.1 reports as Unsupported XBE Revision.

This prerelease attempts other Blinx XBEs and collects diagnostics automatically. It is based on 0.5.1; compatibility with a different executable is unverified. The stable release remains 0.5.1.

1. Download BlinxRecomp-windows-x64-0.5.2-xbe.1.zip and extract it into a separate folder.
2. Open Start Game.exe, choose Skip for console setup, and select your ISO/XISO or extracted default.xbe normally.
3. An unknown Blinx executable shows Experimental XBE - unverified. Start it and note whether it reaches the title screen and gameplay.
4. If it stops, use Copy diagnostic ZIP or Open report folder in the report window and attach that ZIP. After a normal exit, the report location is shown. Reports are under data/diagnostics/crash-reports.

No PowerShell commands are needed. The ZIP reports the actual XBE hash, public header metadata, section/layout differences, selected mods and runtime failure information. Original game files, console keys, saves and private paths are excluded.

Unknown XBEs use separate test saves. Normal saves, external save folders and HDD images are preserved and are not used by experimental attempts. Fresh graphics settings retain adaptive Fit to screen.

Validation: 73 relevant automated tests passed. The packaged launcher accepts the experimental same-title input and retains strict/wrong-game rejection. A deliberately header-modified owned XBE reached New Game and first-stage gameplay in adaptive 16:9; diagnostic ZIP contents and packaged file hashes were verified. This does not establish that the reported a5885cf7... XBE works; its returned report is needed.

This remains an early beta, with regular playtesting through World 2 and no end-to-end completion guarantee. Windows x64 only for this experiment. Matching project/framework source, prepared dependency source and SHA-256 checksums accompany the download.

Blinx 0.5.1 (beta)

Blinx 0.5.1 fixes buildings and other scenery disappearing when rotating the camera with widescreen enabled. The reported Deja Vu Canals case has been confirmed fixed in playtesting. Both the Windows ZIP and Linux AppImage include the correction.

This remains a beta, with testing through World 2 and no guarantee of end-to-end completion. Supply your own supported NTSC-U game files. Keep your existing settings, console identity and native saves when updating; the README covers setup and bug reports.

Technical details

The visibility correction checks rejected model bounds against the wider camera planes while retaining the original model setup and lighting. It includes the supersampling improvements from 0.5.0.

Matching project/framework source, dependency source and SHA-256 checksums accompany the downloads. Original game content and personal console files are not included.

Blinx 0.5.0 (beta)

Version 0.5.0 ? early beta. This starts SemVer versioning for the existing, tested supersampling-fix build. Future releases are distributed through GitHub.

Play Blinx on Windows or Linux with adaptive widescreen, higher resolutions and optional time-control mods. Built on XboxLLR, the same engine used by JSRF Recompiled.

This beta fixes the rendering overhead behind the slowdown at stage entrances with supersampling enabled. At Original internal resolution and 3x supersampling, the tested Windows stage openings are back at the original game's approximately 30 updates per second, including 21:9. A separate 6x check rendered at 3840x2880 in 21:9 and averaged 29.68 updates per second over the first 604 updates of the tested Stage 2-1 opening on the owner's Windows PC. This does not establish full-speed performance in every stage or on other hardware. Higher settings may cost more performance.

Early beta: tested through World 2, not to completion. Please report bugs with your version, mods, reproduction steps and diagnostic logs.

Fresh settings use Fit to screen widescreen, Original internal resolution and 3x supersampling. Existing choices are preserved. FXAA, texture filtering, blended presentation and optional time-control cheats remain available in Mods.

Download the complete Windows ZIP, extract it, and open Start Game.exe. Keep your existing data folder when updating. On Linux, make the AppImage executable and run it. It targets x86_64 Ubuntu 24.04 or newer with Vulkan 1.3; use --appimage-extract-and-run without FUSE. Actual 3x gameplay and external settings were checked through WSL using software Vulkan; this is a functionality check, not a Linux speed guarantee. For WSL, keep game files on its native Linux filesystem to avoid slow mounted-drive startup.

Supply your own supported NTSC-U game files. Original media, console keys and personal saves are not included. Linux settings and saves stay outside the AppImage at ${XDG_DATA_HOME:-~/.local/share}/xboxllr/xbox-4d530013/data/. Keep your console identity with your saves, including any selected external save storage.

Matching project/framework source, prepared dependency source and SHA-256 checksums accompany the downloads.

Blinx beta 2026.11.03.1

Play Blinx on Windows or Linux with adaptive widescreen, higher resolutions and optional time-control mods. Built on XboxLLR, the same engine used by JSRF Recompiled.

This beta fixes the rendering overhead behind the slowdown at stage entrances with supersampling enabled. At Original internal resolution and 3x supersampling, the tested Windows stage openings are back at the original game's approximately 30 updates per second, including 21:9. Higher settings and other hardware may cost more performance.

Early beta: tested through World 2, not to completion. Please report bugs with your version, mods, reproduction steps and diagnostic logs.

Fresh settings use Fit to screen widescreen, Original internal resolution and 3x supersampling. Existing choices are preserved. FXAA, texture filtering, blended presentation and optional time-control cheats remain available in Mods.

Download the complete Windows ZIP, extract it, and open Start Game.exe. Keep your existing data folder when updating. On Linux, make the AppImage executable and run it. It targets x86_64 Ubuntu 24.04 or newer with Vulkan 1.3; use --appimage-extract-and-run without FUSE. Actual 3x gameplay and external settings were checked through WSL using software Vulkan; this is a functionality check, not a Linux speed guarantee. For WSL, keep game files on its native Linux filesystem to avoid slow mounted-drive startup.

Supply your own supported NTSC-U game files. Original media, console keys and personal saves are not included. Linux settings and saves stay outside the AppImage at ${XDG_DATA_HOME:-~/.local/share}/xboxllr/xbox-4d530013/data/. Keep your console identity with your saves, including any selected external save storage.

Matching project/framework source, prepared dependency source and SHA-256 checksums accompany the downloads.

Blinx beta 2026.11.02.1

Blinx beta 2026.11.02.1

Play Blinx on Windows or Linux with adaptive widescreen, higher internal
resolutions, controller support and optional gameplay mods. It uses XboxLLR,
the same engine behind JSRF Recompiled.

This is an early beta, tested through World 2. End-to-end completion
is not guaranteed. Please report bugs with the release version, selected mods,
steps to reproduce and diagnostic logs.

Choose Fit to screen for adaptive widescreen, including ultrawide displays.
Graphics options include internal resolution, 1x–8x supersampling, FXAA and
texture filtering. Optional gameplay mods remove the stage time limit, expand
time-control stock or provide infinite time controls. See the README for details.

Known issue: higher internal resolution or supersampling can slow stage
intros and gameplay. Use Original resolution and 1x supersampling if affected.
The scaling slowdown is still under investigation. Fresh settings currently
use Original resolution with 3x supersampling; existing saved choices take
precedence when updating.

Extract the complete Windows ZIP and open Start Game.exe. On Linux,
make the AppImage executable and run it. The native Linux build targets
x86_64, Ubuntu 24.04 or newer and Vulkan 1.3; it includes the launcher and runtime
dependencies. FUSE-less environments can use --appimage-extract-and-run.

Supply your own supported NTSC-U game files. Original media, console keys and
personal saves are not included. Keep your Windows data folder when updating.
Linux settings, identity and saves stay outside the AppImage at
${XDG_DATA_HOME:-~/.local/share}/xboxllr/xbox-4d530013/data/.
Preserve any chosen external save storage and its matching console identity.

Matching project/framework and prepared dependency source archives are included
with the downloads. SHA-256 checksums cover the Windows and Linux assets.

Blinx: The Time Sweeper - Public alpha 2026.11.01.1

Release 2026.11.01.1 — retained Xbox optimization work

The original 27 architecture areas have been evaluated: 13 retained areas
(five previously integrated and eight later retained), ten tested candidates
not retained, three existing-baseline areas and one reuse evaluation.
R09 enhanced rendering is deferred and excluded from this release.

Retained changes include native draw/pipeline and memory ownership, immutable
preload file views, revision-qualified resource mirrors and scalar preparation,
pristine spatial-voice processing, bounded GP DSP caches/DMA, GPU packed-movie
uploads, owned replay/Session observations and one complete launch admission.
Selections remain game/revision-specific; experimental rejected paths are absent.
Individual earlier CPU/RAM/I/O observations concern separate packages and routes;
their percentages are not additive. No general FPS gain is claimed from the final combined capped-rate checks.

Original games and Dashboard files remain user-supplied. No original game bodies,
console keys, firmware, media or player saves are included. Retain existing data,
console identity and save folders when upgrading; saved preferences win.

Blinx remains a public alpha, tested through World 2; end-to-end completion is
not guaranteed. Existing adaptive aspect, 1080p/2x supersampling and presentation
defaults are preserved. GP caches/DMA, packed movies and replay reader are on;
resource mirrors, pristine spatial consumer and Session-page owner remain off.
No high-resolution controls from R09 are included.

Final combined build passed original native-save write and fresh-process reload, independent runtime review and owner visual/audio clearance. In one matched native-resolution/original-frame pair, peak private committed memory fell by 391.44 MiB and both builds maintained 30 original updates/s. Process CPU/update was 23.78 to 22.60 ms (-4.96% observed in this one pair); no general FPS increase is claimed.

Blinx: The Time Sweeper — Playable public alpha 2026.10.29.1

Playable public alpha — 2026.10.29.1

Tested through World 2. End-to-end completion is not guaranteed. Please
file GitHub issues.

This Windows x64 alpha adds a RAM-backed disposable FATX utility cache to the
accepted native architecture build. Native saves and console identity remain
persistent. The 750 MiB utility volume allocates pages on demand. In one short
matched Stage 1 pair, process writes fell from 28.7 MB to 4.2 KB over 15 seconds,
with about 570 MiB more private memory and essentially 30 original updates/s in
both modes. This measures process I/O, not physical SSD writes, and establishes
no general CPU or FPS speedup. Thanks to apexJCL for the design inspiration.

Includes adaptive widescreen, resolution through 2160p, FXAA, supersampling,
filtering, controller selection, camera inversion and blended 60/120 Hz
presentation at the original simulation rate. Optional off-by-default gameplay
mods remove the ten-minute stage limit, expand stock to 20, or keep infinite
time controls while suppressing non-heart crystals (except the final boss).
Hearts are unchanged. See README and docs/CHEATS.md for reserve/save limits.

The ZIP includes Start Game.exe, launcher, native runtime, embedded Python,
runtime DLLs, corresponding project source and prepared dependency source.
Supply your own supported NTSC-U ISO/XISO or complete extracted files.
No game media, keys, EEPROM, personal saves or used QA profiles are bundled.
Preserve your data folder, console identity, external saves and imported-disc
cache when updating. Linux playable releases are deferred.

Download: BlinxRecomp-windows-x64-2026.10.29.1.zip. Extract the full package and open Start Game.exe. Choose Skip for a new local console, select your supported NTSC-U ISO/XISO or complete extracted default.xbe, choose Player 1 and Mods, then play. No compiler required. Tested through World 2; end-to-end completion is not guaranteed.

Optional gameplay mods are off by default: remove the ten-minute failure limit while preserving the elapsed clock; hold up to 20 time controls (ten saved slots plus a process-local ten-control reserve); or start with and retain infinite controls while suppressing non-heart crystals except the final boss. Hearts are unchanged. Full feature/mod details.

Validation includes RAM storage/NT contracts, actual REW/REC checks, native-save loading and the packaged fresh virtual-console new-save/restart/load smoke. These bounded tests do not establish complete natural gameplay. Please file reproducible GitHub issues.

Compiled runtime framework: f27457f57ce24617838c322da91bcd6fd13035ad; title code/profile: bd4b3a5c8c05241a20a3efa646195f35093a42c6. Later packaging/documentation commits are recorded separately in BUILD-PROVENANCE.json.

Release source: b6c22e4281e598b7acb072a14509d9e41aa92b46.

SHA-256 checksums are supplied in SHA256SUMS.txt. Corresponding source and retained third-party notices accompany the downloads.