Install Windows

Installing on Windows

Updated for v1.1.126. The installer is attached only after the Windows build and tests pass.

Download

Download OpenCaptive-X.Y.Z-setup-x64.exe from GitHub Releases.

Install

1. Run the installer
2. Windows SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC" because the installer is not code-signed:
   • Click More info
   • Click Run anyway
3. Follow the installer prompts
4. Optional: create a desktop shortcut (offered during install)

SmartScreen warning

The installer is built via GitHub Actions and is not signed with a certificate. This triggers SmartScreen on first run. The installer is reproducible from source and the release artifacts are attached to tagged GitHub releases.

Game data

Place your original game files in the install directory's data subfolder, typically:

C:\Program Files\OpenCaptive\data\
  CAPTIVE.ZIP
  LIBERATION.ISO

Or set a custom path in Settings > Data Path.

Files are identified by SHA-256 content hash, not filename. ZIP archives, ADF disk images, and ISO tracks are scanned automatically. Press D on the main menu to run the data scanner.

System requirements

• Windows 10 or later (x64)
• Original game data files (not included)

Portable use

Extract the tarball release instead of running the installer if you want a portable installation with no registry entries.

Building from source

Requires CMake 3.20+, MSVC or clang-cl, and Ninja.

cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build --config Release

SDL3, SDL3_ttf, and zlib are built from source automatically during the CI build. For local builds, install them via vcpkg or build from source.