v0.1.7 - Sharper subtitles, Steam launch, and rendering fixes

Download and play

Download The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.7-windows-x64.zip, extract the whole ZIP, copy your own supported Xbox 360 dump into Darkness, and run Launch.cmd. Use LaunchWithSettings.cmd to choose settings and language before playing. Windows 10/11 x64, an SSSE3-capable CPU, and a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device are required. The Windows package includes the audio and Visual C++ runtimes; playing does not require a compiler or Python.

Diagnostic launchers are a separate optional download: The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.7-diagnostic-launchers.zip. Extract it beside the installed Launch.cmd when troubleshooting. It contains LaunchStallProfiler.cmd, LaunchShadowCapture.cmd, instructions, and a hash manifest. The normal release ZIP contains neither diagnostic launcher. Both ZIPs have SHA-256 checksum files.

Changes since v0.1.6

• Added persistent in-game mouse sensitivity, including Russian menu wording.
• Improved subtitle rendering with scalable Arial glyphs, retaining the game's spacing, wrapping, fades and outlines, with original bitmap glyphs as a fallback. Options > Subtitles > Subtitle Size now adjusts dialogue text from 50% to 200%, applies immediately, and saves the setting. Added localized subtitle controls.
• Fixed missing Darkness voice masks and keyboard prompts after texture cache eviction, and recovered texture cache capacity.
• Prepared authored shaders before gameplay and reduced scene capture overhead. Diagnostic input reads now run on a separate worker.
• Made DarkRecomp.exe launch directly from Steam without launch options. Existing shortcuts targeting DarkRecompPreview.exe need to be retargeted manually; see START_HERE.txt.
• Added the Windows executable icon and corrected Russian keyboard action translations.
• Split diagnostic launchers into their own optional ZIP.

Implementation includes assistance from OpenAI Codex.

Updating

Close the game and extract the complete Windows ZIP over the folder containing your existing Launch.cmd, replacing the included program files. Keep Darkness, saves, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini. Game files, private settings, saves, logs, and debug symbols are excluded from the downloads.

Older installations may still have diagnostic launchers left over from a previous release; this ZIP does not add them. The separate diagnostic ZIP is optional for normal play.

LaunchWithUpdates.cmd builds the latest official main-branch source and requires the development prerequisites described in START_HERE.txt. To update only published release packages without compiling, use:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File tools\update_release.ps1

For an existing WSL installation, rerun SetupLinux.cmd to update its Linux copy while retaining Linux saves and settings.

Validation

• A fresh strict Windows build passed all 123 automated contracts. AOT verification checked 93 generated files with zero semantic diagnostics. The audio codec was rebuilt from pinned source; its source, patch, provenance, and license notices are included.
• Both ZIP CRCs, their downloadable SHA-256 checksums, and all 48 Windows manifest hashes and 3 diagnostic manifest hashes verified. The optional diagnostic ZIP has exactly four entries, and the normal ZIP contains neither diagnostic launcher. Checks found no game-file copies, private settings/saves, logs, debug symbols, or credential patterns in the packages.
• The final source is 91ff247, based on merged main 6ca72dc with packaging changes. After clarifying the F8 capture instruction, the packaging contract passed again; all 343 native source input fingerprints remained identical to the tested build, and strict AOT verification passed again.
• Extracted Launch.cmd setup checks passed against a physical game dump and an isolated copy. A direct extracted Preview-helper run verified 22,127 AOT functions, initialized D3D11 at 1280x720, rendered 5,011 native frames, and reached the expected 90-second diagnostic deadline. The inspected capture shows the opening legal screen; this verifies startup rendering, not in-world gameplay. The supervisor did not retain the process exit code. Original settings and all five existing save files retained their exact baseline hashes, and no test game/helper processes remained.
• The automated Launch.cmd play invocation through the hidden CMD test harness stalled before starting the helper. Its ordinary-launch result remains inconclusive in this environment; the direct extracted helper completed the startup rendering check above. The normal CMD launcher code is unchanged by this packaging update.

Known limits

This remains a prerelease without a complete gameplay playthrough. Linux runs the Windows executable through Proton; native Linux and Steam Deck gameplay/performance remain unverified. See STEAM_DECK.md.

Include the newest build_native/run/ runtime log when reporting a problem. Do not upload game files.

Full source changes since v0.1.6

v0.1.6 - Commit updates, Russian PC menus, and SMAA/MSAA

Download and play

Download The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.6-windows-x64.zip under Assets. Extract the entire ZIP, copy your own supported Xbox 360 dump into Darkness, and run Launch.cmd. Use LaunchWithSettings.cmd to choose settings and language first.

Windows 10/11 x64, an SSSE3-capable CPU, a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device, and the original supported default.xex with matching game assets are required. The packaged Windows game plays without Python, a compiler, or a separate audio installation.

Changes since v0.1.5

• LaunchWithUpdates.cmd now follows the latest official main commit. It builds and tests that exact commit locally before installing and playing. Source checkouts fast-forward only when clean; downloaded installations retain a separate build clone and a physical copy of the user's own dump. Updates verify packaged file hashes, preserve game files, saves, achievements and settings, and retain logs and recovery backups. The explicit tools/update_release.ps1 updater remains available for published releases only.
• Added Russian translations for the PC video menu, keyboard/mouse bindings, live values, binding feedback and Exit dialog. The editable UTF-8 catalog and translation guide are included. Use an approved Russian dump with matching assets and choose English, or System default on Russian Windows, to use its translated content slot.
• Added SMAA and MSAA 2x/4x/8x alongside Off and FXAA, including multisampled depth handling and exposure-query preservation during attachment growth.
• Improved fractional shadow filtering and preserved native shadow-atlas detail.
• Fixed mouse capture when resuming gameplay through Continue, and corrected input, startup-video and menu transitions.
• Restored persistent tentacle-menu glow and corrected backdrop colors; adjusted Darkness-arm emission for a softer bloom halo.
• Fixed invisible Darkness guns granted through developer tools and preserved developer speed selection.

Implementation and the initial Russian PC-menu wording include assistance from OpenAI Codex.

Updating

From v0.1.5 or earlier, extract this complete ZIP once. The older updater does not accept the newly added Russian-menu files. Close the game and extract over the folder containing your existing Launch.cmd, replacing included program files. Keep Darkness, saves, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini.

Future commit updates through LaunchWithUpdates.cmd require Git, Python 3.11+, CMake 3.24+, Visual Studio 2022 C++ and Clang tools, MSYS2 MinGW64 build tools at C:\msys64, and LLVM at C:\Program Files\LLVM. Allow disk space for another copy of your game and build outputs. The first build may take several minutes. The updater checks prerequisites without installing global tools; missing tools or a failed build stop the update. Use Launch.cmd to play the installed version.

To update only published releases without compiling, run:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File tools\update_release.ps1

For an existing WSL installation, rerun SetupLinux.cmd to update its Linux copy while retaining Linux saves and settings.

Validation

• Packaged from clean merged source commit 8f3a41d, whose Git tree is identical to the tested PR head 8f3fcf3. Strict AOT verification checked 93 generated files with zero semantic diagnostics. The audio codec was rebuilt from pinned source with its patch and license notices included.
• All 118 Windows automated contracts passed, including SMAA/MSAA, Russian glyph/menu checks, native shutdown, and live/staged XMA decoding. Developer captured-XMA oracle checks also passed using private fixtures; fresh source builds retain the ordinary decoder checks without requiring those fixtures.
• 92 latest-commit updater assertions and 134 release-updater assertions passed on Windows PowerShell 5.1. Checks cover real CMD execution, exact commits, fast-forward/divergence handling, shared locking, build/installation rollback, self-replacement, user-data preservation, and missing-tool errors. Real installed toolchain preflight passed.
• Independent integration, updater and package reviews found no remaining blockers. All 49 manifest file hashes, the ZIP CRC and the downloadable SHA-256 checksum verified. Game dumps, saves, settings, logs and debug symbols are excluded. Extraction preserved game/save/settings fixtures, and the extracted launcher setup check passed with build tools removed from PATH.
• Private runtime captures verified readable Russian main-menu, Exit-dialog and Video-settings text, including all six anti-aliasing values. The final run exited normally through the Exit dialog with code 0, no diagnostic timeout, and no reported audio device errors. All three test profile/settings files were restored to their exact baseline SHA-256 hashes. This is menu validation rather than a complete gameplay playthrough.

Known limits

This remains a prerelease without a complete gameplay playthrough. Linux uses the Windows executable through Proton; native Linux and Steam Deck gameplay/performance remain unverified. See STEAM_DECK.md.

Darkness-arm bloom is still under investigation in issue #61; the automated rendering checks and Russian-menu smoke test do not establish that every power effect matches the original. The Video menu's bottom hint can overlap the original Russian Back footer, as in the preexisting layout reported in issue #91.

Include the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log when reporting a problem. Do not upload game files.

Full changes since v0.1.5

v0.1.5 - Update launcher, achievements, and rendering fixes

Download and play

Download The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.5-windows-x64.zip under Assets. Extract the entire ZIP, copy your own supported Xbox 360 dump into Darkness, and run Launch.cmd. Use LaunchWithSettings.cmd to choose settings and language first.

The original default.xex is required. Windows 10/11 x64, an SSSE3-capable CPU and a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device are required. Python, a compiler, and a separate audio installation are unnecessary for Windows players.

Changes since v0.1.4

• Added LaunchWithUpdates.cmd: check official GitHub releases, including prereleases, before playing; choose whether to install. The updater verifies the ZIP checksum and every packaged file, preserves game files, saves, achievements and settings, and keeps recovery copies of replaced files. Network failures still allow the installed game to launch.
• Added persistent local achievements and a native achievement viewer, and fixed crashes when opening the original achievement menu.
• Added support for the Russian localization identified in issue #37, with matching executable and assets.
• Fixed missing apartment floors and ghost-child transparency.
• Improved keyboard prompts and mouse-button remapping, including Alt bindings and chooser clicks. Fixed Darkness gun grants in developer tools.
• Added bounded texture preloading and reduced measured runtime stalls. Added an optional LaunchStallProfiler.cmd for hitch diagnostics.
• Fixed native shutdown hangs when closing the game.
• Corrected high-resolution bloom sampling and restored lamp-flare visibility queries.
• Added Xbox user clip-plane support and corrected flashback picture centering on wide displays.
• Fitted intro, character-name and credit text on narrow displays, preserving authored layout and shadows.

Updating

Close the game and extract this ZIP over the folder containing your existing Launch.cmd, replacing included program files. Keep Darkness, saves, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini. After installing this release, use LaunchWithUpdates.cmd for future updates. The updater prints its recovery folder if program files are replaced.

For an existing WSL installation, rerun SetupLinux.cmd to update its Linux copy while retaining Linux saves and settings.

Validation

• Built and packaged from clean source commit 00cfc8a. The AOT manifest verified 93 generated files with zero semantic diagnostics.
• All 109 Windows automated contracts passed. The updater suite includes 125 assertions on Windows PowerShell 5.1, covering checksum and unsafe-archive rejection, self-replacement, process locking, partial-write rollback, argument forwarding, network fallback, and preservation of user data.
• Verified all 45 manifest file hashes, ZIP integrity and the downloadable SHA-256 checksum. Game dumps, saves, settings and logs are excluded; required runtime DLLs, native menu overrides and third-party source/license notices are included.
• Extraction over game/save/settings fixtures preserved all three. The extracted launcher setup check passed with Python and compiler tools removed from PATH, and the updater successfully queried the official GitHub release API.
• Private 720p/1440p head/eye captures preserved all six original save/settings files. These captures do not validate the red Darkness-arm effect.

Known limits

This remains a prerelease and has not undergone a complete gameplay playthrough. Linux uses the Windows executable through Proton; native Linux and Steam Deck gameplay/performance remain unverified. See STEAM_DECK.md.

Darkness-arm bloom remains under investigation. The general high-resolution bloom and lamp-flare fixes do not establish that the red arm/power-marking effect matches the original. Issue #61 is not fully resolved. Private 720p/1440p captures verified the head/eye draws, but did not reproduce that red effect; original saves and settings were preserved.

Include the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log when reporting a problem. Do not upload game files.

Full changes since v0.1.4

v0.1.4 - Native PC controls, graphics fixes, and developer tools

Download and play

Download The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.4-windows-x64.zip under Assets. The Source code archives are for developers.

Extract the entire ZIP, copy your own supported Xbox 360 game dump into Darkness, then run Launch.cmd. Use LaunchWithSettings.cmd to choose graphics settings and language before playing. The original default.xex is required; XexTool preparation is unnecessary. Requires 64-bit Windows 10/11, an SSSE3-capable CPU and a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device. No compiler or Python installation is required to play on Windows.

Changes since v0.1.3

Menus and controls

• Added mouse cursor hover and click selection through the original menu hit testing.
• Added Options > Controls > Keyboard bindings: remap primary and secondary keys for 24 actions across four pages, with Save, Cancel, Defaults and clear-binding controls. In-game keyboard prompts follow your selected bindings.
• Added confirmed Exit Game actions to the main and pause menus.
• Updated the native menu layout, labels and saved-setting feedback.

Graphics and video

• Restored the original Xbox gamma calibration, tables and default while preserving existing profile choices.
• Fixed color grading and banding at higher internal render resolutions, including the issue reported in #25, and retained original ten-bit frontbuffer precision.
• Corrected the captured video chroma path that could turn some videos blue.
• Added Original / 2x / 4x / 8x / 16x texture filtering, with 16x as the default. Anisotropic filtering (AF) is working, but its visual improvement is barely noticeable in the tested scenes. Close-up surfaces magnify the original low-resolution textures, which limits the visible benefit.
• Added optional live 720p / 1440p switching through F6, preserving supported render targets and caches. Enable F6 resolution shortcut in the F5 panel first; it starts disabled each launch. Regular menu resolution changes still apply after restarting.

Developer tools and runtime

• Expanded F5 developer tools with noclip, all six Darkness abilities and maximum Darkness level, alongside mission selection, speed and invincibility. Mission loading and progression grants can affect later autosaves; back up your checkpoint before changing progression.
• Added validated disk caching for compiled world shaders and reduced geometry, constant-buffer, audio and dispatcher work.
• Reused unchanged display frames and audio submission storage. These optimizations do not establish a specific gameplay FPS improvement.

Updating from v0.1.3

Close the game. Extract this ZIP into the folder containing your existing Launch.cmd, replacing the included program files. Keep Darkness, saves, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini to preserve your dump, progress and settings.

For an existing WSL installation, rerun SetupLinux.cmd to update its Linux copy while retaining its saves and settings.

Validation

• Built and packaged from clean, merged source commit 4b1c5ce. The AOT manifest verified 93 generated files with zero semantic diagnostics.
• All 89 Windows automated checks passed, including native menu, keyboard, settings, saves, audio, game-file loading and hardware/WARP rendering contracts.
• Verified all 40 manifest file hashes, ZIP integrity and the downloadable SHA-256 checksum. The ZIP excludes original game dumps, saves, local settings and diagnostic logs; it includes the generated PC menu overrides.
• Tested extraction over existing game, save and settings fixtures; all three were preserved.
• The extracted launcher setup check and native renderer smoke test passed with Python and compiler tools removed from PATH.

Known limits

This remains a pre-release and has not undergone a complete gameplay playthrough. Linux uses the Windows executable through Proton; there is no native Linux build. Steam Deck gameplay and performance remain unverified. See STEAM_DECK.md for the verified Linux test scope.

Include the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log when reporting a problem. For Proton failures, also include the Proton log and Linux/Proton versions. Do not upload game files.

Full changes since v0.1.3

v0.1.3 - Easier setup, restored effects, and Linux launch tools

Download and play

Download The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.3-windows-x64.zip under Assets. The Source code archives are for developers.

Extract the entire ZIP, copy your own supported Xbox 360 game dump into Darkness, then run Launch.cmd. Only the original extracted files, including default.xex, are required: XexTool preparation, _uncrypted.xex, and basefile.exe are no longer needed. The supported game revision is checked automatically at launch.

Use LaunchWithSettings.cmd to choose graphics settings and language before playing. No game files are included. Requires 64-bit Windows 10/11, an SSSE3-capable CPU and a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device. No compiler or Python installation is required to play on Windows.

Changes since v0.1.2

Rendering and effects

• Restored missing water materials, projected marks and lit blood/decal effects.
• Restored in-world TV video playback and corrected video chroma ordering.
• Restored missing ground blood spatter by retaining the original decoded geometry until its matching draw.
• Fixed death effects that rejected the original game's deliberately empty mask bindings.
• Restored the original Other World grain and scene composition, fixing the smaller duplicate view visible in the upper-left corner of the sewers.
• Fixed player screen fades leaving uncovered edges on ultrawide displays.

Settings and controls

• Added LaunchWithSettings.cmd, sharing saved graphics settings with Options > Video Settings.
• Added language selection: System default, English, German, French, Spanish, or Italian. Matching language content must exist in your dump; in-game changes apply after restarting.
• Added mouse-wheel navigation for dialogue and menus, including while the mouse is captured. E confirms.
• Added F5 developer tools for mission selection, player speed and invincibility. Mission loading can autosave; see CONTROLS.md before using it.
• Updated every README and setup guide with current release, build and launcher instructions.

Linux launch and setup

• Added Launch.sh for running the Windows build through UMU/Proton.
• Added SetupLinux.cmd and PlayLinux.cmd for Ubuntu under WSL2, plus a Python setup tool for Linux desktops.
• Added Proton file I/O compatibility fixes and Linux/Steam Deck setup instructions.
• Setup keeps Linux saves, settings and the Proton prefix when updating.

Updating from v0.1.2

Close the game. Extract this ZIP into the folder containing your existing Launch.cmd, replacing the included program files. Keep Darkness, saves, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini. Existing prepared executable files may remain in Darkness, but this release reads the original default.xex.

For an existing WSL installation, rerun SetupLinux.cmd to update its Linux copy while retaining its saves and settings. Windows saves/settings are not copied into Linux automatically.

Validation

• Packaged from clean source commit 69fec5342bf61b7eabc2c9dac9cab3bc544559c9. The AOT manifest reported zero semantic diagnostics, and native source fingerprints matched the validated build after the final documentation-only edit.
• All 76 Windows automated checks passed, including hardware and WARP rendering, effects, original game-file loading, file I/O, saves, audio, settings, controls and setup contracts.
• Ubuntu fixture suites passed, including all 40 Linux setup tests and 19 WSL graphics tests, plus the applicable release checks.
• Verified the ZIP, every file hash in RELEASE.json, and the SHA-256 checksum file. Game dumps, saves, local settings and diagnostic logs are excluded.
• Tested extraction over a v0.1.2 fixture: game files, saves, settings and the existing Linux setup configuration were preserved.
• The extracted launcher setup check and native renderer smoke test passed with Python and compiler tools removed from PATH.

Known limits

Linux development testing used Ubuntu 24.04 under WSL2/WSLg with UMU 1.4.4 and GE-Proton11-7. It reached the opening first-person level with audio and created Chapter1 and Checkpoint saves. This does not establish Steam Deck performance or full-game Linux compatibility. Visible camera movement and completion of the opening tutorial were not confirmed; physical controller input, audio quality and suspend/resume still need target-device testing. There is no native Linux executable.

This remains a pre-release and has not undergone a complete gameplay playthrough. Include the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log when reporting a problem. For Proton failures, also include the Proton log and Linux/Proton versions.

Full changes since v0.1.2

v0.1.2 - Shadows, Darkness Vision, and high-resolution rendering fixes

Download and play

Download The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.2-windows-x64.zip under Assets. The Source code archives are for developers, not the playable download.

Extract the entire ZIP, place your own prepared Xbox 360 game files in the included Darkness folder, then run Launch.cmd. See START_HERE.txt for the supported revision and preparation steps. Game-file requirements and supported hashes are unchanged from v0.1.1. No game files are included. Requires 64-bit Windows 10/11 and a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device; no compiler or Python installation is required to play.

All fixes since v0.1.1

Darkness Vision - #8

• Restored the original golden edge glow around objects in dark areas. The first vision pass now writes its depth mask even when depth testing is disabled, preventing the following pass from painting over the glow.
• Preserved the original intensity, near/far fading, and restoration of distant pixels.
• Added recovery of the vision noise textures after a CPU texture-cache miss, while keeping scene, depth, and effect-atlas inputs on the GPU.

Character and object shadows - #7

• Fixed character shadows disappearing or flickering as the camera moves around them.
• Restored stencil-volume shadows for small props such as stools, including static and skinned casters. The original near/far vertex extrusion is now retained when the game switches shadow techniques.
• Corrected shadow-map comparison polarity and polygon bias, addressing incorrect dark regions and shadow placement.
• Preserved alpha-tested coverage for depth-only shadow casters instead of treating transparent cards as solid geometry.
• Restored the original projected-texture shader and perspective division.

High-resolution lighting and presentation - #6

• Fixed the grey-green cast in dark areas above 720p by preserving the original color-correction lookup texels at higher render scales.
• Fixed rejected 1080p frontbuffer copies at partial tile boundaries, retaining rendered pixels and clearing only the undrawn fringe.
• Restored the original shadow projector and its 4×4 filter at 1×, 2×, and 3× render scales.

Diagnostics and setup - #5, #7

• Added optional F8 frame/shadow captures with ordered rendering data and matching screenshots. Use Launch.cmd preview --shadow-capture to enable the two-capture diagnostic mode.
• A failed diagnostic screenshot save no longer terminates gameplay; existing capture files are protected from overwrite.
• Included the corrected setup guide inside the ZIP. It explains how to generate _uncrypted.xex and basefile.exe from your own default.xex using XexTool, includes the verified commands and hashes, and documents the tested Title ID, Media ID, and version. Region labels alone do not establish compatibility.

Updating from v0.1.1

Close the game. Extract this ZIP into the folder containing your existing Launch.cmd, replacing the included files. Keep your Darkness game files, saves, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini. Start using the updated Launch.cmd; the executables are in build_native/Release.

Validation

• Built from merged main commit 63cc32545db61c1d4dd0eeaf898f156ddd5ea413, including a fresh audio-codec rebuild.
• All 68 automated tests passed, including hardware and WARP rendering, Darkness Vision masks and fades, shadow rendering, high-resolution presentation, and runtime contracts. Runtime asset tests used the complete supported game directory.
• Verified the downloadable ZIP, every file hash in RELEASE.json, and the published SHA-256 checksum file. No game files, saves, or local settings are included.
• Tested extraction over the published v0.1.1 package: existing game files, saves, and settings were preserved.
• The extracted launcher setup check and native renderer smoke test passed with Python and compiler tools removed from PATH.

This remains a pre-release and has not undergone a complete gameplay playthrough. If you encounter a problem, include the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log in your report.

Full changes since v0.1.1

v0.1.1 - Easy Windows setup and generator fixes

Missing _uncrypted.xex or basefile.exe?

These files must be generated from your own default.xex using XexTool; they are not normally present in a disc extraction. Follow the verified preparation commands and version checks.

Download the separate START_HERE.txt asset below for the corrected setup guide. It supersedes the guide inside the original v0.1.1 ZIP; the ZIP and game binaries have not changed.

Download and play

Download The-Darkness-Recomp-v0.1.1-windows-x64.zip under Assets below.
The Source code links are for developers; they are not the playable download.

1. Right-click the Windows ZIP and choose Extract All.
2. Copy your own extracted Xbox 360 game dump into the included Darkness folder. Include _uncrypted.xex, basefile.exe, default.xex, Content, System, and all the other files and folders from the dump.
3. Double-click Launch.cmd.

No compiler, Python, or separate Visual C++/audio installation is needed. Use 64-bit Windows 10/11 and a Direct3D 11-capable graphics device. Game files are not included; an ISO alone will not work. The dump must contain the decrypted images for the supported game revision.

F1 shows the controls. F2 toggles mouse capture. Esc releases the mouse. Graphics settings are in the game's Options > Video Settings menu.

What's fixed

• Includes the generator and instruction-correctness fixes from #2, rebuilt into the game executable.
• Fixes the v0.1.0 ZIP layout: the binaries now live where Launch.cmd expects them.
• Includes the Visual C++ and audio runtime DLLs.
• Adds clear missing-game-file instructions and a short START_HERE.txt guide.
• Provides release provenance, audio-library source/notices, and a SHA-256 checksum.

Updating v0.1.0

Close the game. Extract this ZIP into the folder containing your existing Launch.cmd, replacing the included files. Keep Darkness, saves, and DarkRecomp.settings.ini. Start with the updated Launch.cmd; the current executables are inside build_native/Release.

Validation

All 68 CTest tests passed, including 486 generated-instruction checks and 13 release/launcher/source-integrity cases. The extracted ZIP passed a renderer smoke test with developer tools removed from PATH. An upgrade over the published v0.1.0 ZIP preserved game files, saves, and settings. This remains a pre-release; these checks do not constitute a full gameplay playthrough.

If the game closes after launch, attach the newest build_native/run/desktop-*/runtime.log to a GitHub issue.

v0.1.0

First binary pre-release of The Darkness native Windows port (Xbox 360 static recompilation, D3D11, no emulation at runtime). Smoke-tested: renderer initializes and presents cleanly. Playable: gameplay, mouse look + controller, video settings, XMA audio, saves. See CONTROLS.md and RENDERING.md in the repo for details. REQUIREMENTS: 64-bit Windows and your own Xbox 360 game dump (not included). SETUP: 1. Extract this zip. 2. Copy your dumped game files into a Darkness folder next to Launch.cmd (needs _uncrypted.xex, basefile.exe, default.xex, Content and System folders). 3. Run Launch.cmd. CONTENTS: DarkRecomp.exe, DarkRecompPreview.exe, XMA/audio DLLs, native menu assets, Launch.cmd, README.md, CONTROLS.md.