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                        AKUJI THE HEARTLESS RECOMPILED
                          Standalone Windows 64-bit
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Version: v0.1.0
Target Platform: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
Engine: psxrecomp (PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0) + recomp-ui (MIT)
BIOS: OpenBIOS clean-room replacement (MIT)

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1. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
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- Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit, Version 1903+) or Windows 11 (64-bit)
- Processor: x86_64 Dual-Core CPU (Intel Core i3 / AMD Ryzen 3 or newer)
- Memory: 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended for 4K / SSAA supersampling)
- Graphics: Dedicated GPU or modern integrated graphics supporting OpenGL 3.3+
- Storage: ~150 MB for the recompiled package + ~700 MB for your CD-ROM image
- Runtime: Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x64)

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2. REQUIRED USER-SUPPLIED FILES (ZERO ASSETS INCLUDED)
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In compliance with international copyright laws, this release contains ZERO
copyrighted game assets, video cutscenes, music, textures, or level data.

You MUST provide your own legally obtained retail disc image of:
  Akuji the Heartless (USA) - Sony PlayStation (SLUS-00715)

NOTE: This static recompilation was tested and verified with the SLUS-00715
version of the game (USA, NTSC-U). Ensure your dump matches this version.

SUPPORTED DISC FORMAT:
- Multi-track CUE / BIN format (Raw 2352 bytes/sector) matching Redump specs.
- Track 1 (.bin): Game data track
- Track 2 (.bin): CD-DA Audio track
- Track 3 (.bin): CD-DA Audio track
- Disc sheet (.cue): Akuji the Heartless (USA).cue

NOTE: Single-track .iso files are NOT supported because .iso format strips the
Redbook CD-DA audio tracks, which will result in silent music.

HOW TO INSTALL YOUR DISC:
1. Copy your "Akuji the Heartless (USA).cue" and associated ".bin" files into
   the "disc" subfolder inside this folder.
   (Alternatively, browse for your .cue file from the launcher dashboard).
2. Double-click "AkujiTheHeartless_Recompiled.exe".
3. The launcher will detect the disc, verify its layout, and enable "Launch".

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3. CONTROLS & SHORTCUTS
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KEYBOARD MAPPINGS:
- Movement: Arrow Keys (Up, Down, Left, Right)
- Jump / Cross: / (Slash) or Space
- Attack / Square: Z
- Spells / Circle: X
- Action / Triangle: S
- Look / Target: Q (L1) / E (R1)
- Inventory / Shift: A (L2) / D (R2)
- Start: Enter
- Select: Right Shift

GAMEPAD SUPPORT:
- Native plug-and-play support for Xbox (XInput), PlayStation (DualShock 4 /
  DualSense), Switch Pro, and standard DirectInput controllers.
- Button bindings can be customized under the "Controller" tab in the launcher.

IN-GAME HOTKEYS:
- Alt + Enter: Toggle Fullscreen / Windowed mode
- F1: Quicksave (Slot 1)
- F3: Quickload (Slot 1)
- F5: Cycle Internal Resolution (Native -> 720p -> 1080p -> 1440p -> 4K)
- 7: Toggle PGXP Geometry Correction (removes polygon jitter)
- 8: Toggle Perspective Texturing (corrects texture warping)
- 9: Toggle Texture Filtering (Nearest / Bilinear)
- F11: Toggle CRT Scanlines
- Backspace (Hold): Real-time Rewind (up to 10 seconds)
- Tab (Hold): Fast Forward

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4. SAVES & MEMORY CARDS
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The game saves to standard PlayStation memory card format stored in:
  saves/card1.mcd
You can transfer this save file to or from standard PlayStation emulators.

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5. KNOWN LIMITATIONS & SCOPE
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- Mode: Single-Player only.
- Audio: Requires multi-track BIN/CUE dump with CD-DA audio tracks for music.
- CD-ROM Streaming: Background voice and XA dialogue stream from disc images.

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6. LEGAL NOTICE, LICENSING & DISTRIBUTION STATUS
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- Underlying Game Copyright:
  Akuji the Heartless is (C) 1998 Crystal Dynamics / Eidos Interactive /
  Embracer Group. All rights reserved.

- Non-Affiliation Disclaimer:
  This fan-made project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by
  Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Interactive, Embracer Group, or Sony Interactive
  Entertainment.

- Engine Licensing:
  The static recompilation engine (psxrecomp) is licensed under the PolyForm
  Noncommercial License 1.0.0. Commercial distribution, monetization, sale,
  or ad-supported distribution is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
  The launcher (recomp-ui) is licensed under the MIT License.
  The BIOS (OpenBIOS) is a clean-room implementation licensed under the MIT License.
  See licenses/THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md for full legal notices.

- Distribution Legal Status Notice:
  The executable file (AkujiTheHeartless_Recompiled.exe) contains native x86_64
  machine code mechanically translated from the commercial PlayStation MIPS
  binary. Under copyright law in multiple jurisdictions, statically recompiled
  executables may be considered derivative works of the underlying copyrighted
  software. While this binary includes zero retail media assets (no video, no
  music, no textures, no models), public distribution without express rights-holder
  authorization or clear legal clearance remains an unresolved legal question.

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7. COMMUNITY & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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This project was developed with assistance from Google's Gemini AI models, the
project is maintained as an open-source community effort, and contributions from
other developers are welcome.
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