DRAKAN: THE ANCIENTS' GATES - PC VERSION
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This setup builds a native Windows version of the PlayStation 2 game from YOUR OWN
copy of the disc. It contains no game data: you need a disc image (.iso) of the
PAL release (SCES-500.06) or the USA release (SCUS-971.28, experimental: keyboard
and mouse work, most PC additions do not), and the game is made from it on this PC.

What happens:

  1. You choose an install folder and your .iso file, and optionally NVIDIA DLSS
     (downloaded from NVIDIA under its licence) and a browser version (needs WSL).
     You can also choose how many CPU cores the build may use, and whether it
     compiles at low priority so the PC stays responsive.
     Optional: add your own Drakan: Order of the Flame (PC) as a second
     campaign (3 to 8 minutes, 1 GB), and make HD textures with an AI upscaler
     on your graphics card (17 to 32 minutes on a fast card, 23 to 43 with Order
     of the Flame, more on older cards; the build shows the estimate for your PC).
  2. The builder is copied to the install folder.
  3. A build window opens. On the first run it downloads and installs
     Microsoft's free "Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools" (the C++ compiler,
     about 3 GB). Windows asks for permission once. By continuing you accept
     the Visual Studio Build Tools license:
     https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/license-terms/
  4. The game is built. This takes one to two hours, depending on your PC.
     The multiplayer map pictures ship with the builder. Only if one is missing
     does the build start the finished game, in a small window that closes by
     itself, to take it. That is normal: leave such a window alone.
     You can keep using the PC meanwhile; leave the window open.
  5. When it says "Done", start the game with the "Drakan - The Ancients' Gates"
     shortcut.

To BUILD (once): Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), an internet connection for
step 3, about 10 GB of free disk space and at least 16 GB of memory (24 GB or
more recommended). Some files take about 10 minutes each to compile, so the
build window can look stuck for a while; leave it open.

To PLAY: 8 GB of memory, a 4-core CPU and a graphics card with Vulkan or
Direct3D 12 drivers (a Direct3D 11 card can use the Direct3D 11 renderer in
the game's PC settings). DLSS needs an NVIDIA RTX card.

Keep the .iso where it is: the game reads it while it runs.

If the build window shows an error, run "Rebuild Drakan" from the Start menu
to try again; it continues where it stopped. A log is written to
build-log.txt in the install folder.

The built game is for your own use only; please do not share it.
