AC-X-Windows-Native-Recompilation

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception - Recompilation

An unofficial enhancement project maintained by uzir1127, based on sal063/Ace-Combat-X-Recompilation. This is a standalone repository that preserves the original project's history, license and credits.

Huge thanks to sal063 for the amazing work on the original Ace Combat X recompilation. Their recompiler, native runtime and renderer made this version possible. Please check out and support the original project. Also check out his other recompilations for other Ace Combat games, really amazing work.

Download and play

Get the Windows ZIP asset from Releases. The green Code button and GitHub's automatic “Source code” downloads are for development, not the ready-to-play package.

1. Extract the entire Windows ZIP.
2. Put your own US Ace Combat X ISO (ULUS10176) inside the main "Ace Combat X - Recompilation" folder.
3. Double-click Play.bat.

The ISO can have any filename. Keep one ISO inside the folder. No Python, LLVM, compiler, installer or separate image.bin is needed to play. Use 64-bit Windows with a working Vulkan driver and Media Foundation. The ISO is read-only and is not included.

What this version adds

• Native 60 FPS gameplay with corrected physics, mission timers, weapon cadence and frame-counted systems.
• Original-cadence prerecorded movie playback, with optional 2x cinematic scaling and rotating-buffer frame handling.
• Included OstrichMods HD Texture Pack v2.0.8, with recomp-specific font matching/filtering for clearer briefings, dialogue and UI. Artwork credits remain with the pack's creators.
• Modern keyboard/mouse and controller defaults, plus F4 bindings for SDL gamepads, joysticks, HOTAS buttons, axes and hats. Separate devices can work together.
• Extended F4 settings and F5 performance overlay with FPS/frame time and CPU/GPU names and utilization.
• Direct ISO startup and a portable Windows package with matching source and license notices, no need to download LLVM or Python just drag and drop the ISO into the folder and it will work.

sal063's original project already provided the recompiler, native runtime/renderer, baseline F4 menu, controller input and right-stick camera. This version extends those features.

Controls

Action	Keyboard / mouse	Standard controller positions
Pitch / roll	W/S and A/D; mouse movement	Left stick
Yaw	Q/E	LB/RB, L1/R1 or L/R
Brake / accelerate	Ctrl / Space	LT/RT, L2/R2 or ZL/ZR
Gun	J / left click	Bottom face button
Missile / selected special	L / right click	Right face button
Switch weapon	K / mouse wheel	Left face button
Change target	T / middle click	Top face button
Camera	Numpad 4/6/8/2; Alt+WASD; Alt+mouse	Right stick
View	V	Right stick click
Radar / map	M or Tab	View / Share / Create / minus
Pause	Escape	Menu / Options / plus

Menus use WASD/arrows, Enter/Space to confirm and Escape/Backspace to go back. Controller bottom confirms and right goes back. F1 supplies Start/skip; Alt+F4 exits. F4 > Input > Rebind flight controls changes bindings. Unknown devices need manual setup and a compatible Windows/SDL driver. Throttle axes operate ACX's original brake/accelerate actions; pitch/roll/rudder retain proportional input.

Updates and settings

Keep memstick/, pspreco.toml and controls.ini when updating. Saves and personal settings are not included in the downloadable ZIP. Pause a mission before opening F4. Keep normal pacing, 100% speed and frame skipping off for intended game speed.

Validation and remaining work

This is a release candidate. Seven native timing/physics/input suites pass. The current binary completed a 30-second mission-1 section at the expected simulation/timer/weapon cadence. A fresh Windows ZIP was extracted and launched through its unmodified Play.bat with Python/LLVM/SDK paths removed; F4 and F5 were checked.

Full-campaign objective/debrief/save completion is not yet certified. Intermittent missing radio voices during the Gleipnir fight remain under investigation. Physical PlayStation/Switch/HOTAS and complete raw-mouse checks remain pending; virtual-device tests do not certify every driver. Performance depends on hardware. Cinematic scaling retains the original PSP video's available detail. Uncapped FPS is not part of this release.

See VALIDATION.txt in the Windows ZIP for the measured scope and earlier checks.

Credits and source

Read CREDITS.md and NOTICE.md for source, artwork, reference and library attribution. Runtime licensing is in LICENSE; each third-party component retains its own license. This is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bandai Namco or the original creators.

The Windows ZIP includes matching source at licenses/source.zip. A separate matching-source asset is also provided on the release page. It contains the generated C needed for that release's build; game-derived generated output remains ignored in the maintained repository. Developer instructions are in SOURCE-BUILD.txt inside the source asset and README.txt. Development requires Python/compiler/SDL/Vulkan development files; playing the Windows release does not.

Rain and controller vibration

• Added controller vibration for gunfire, missile/special launches, damage and low-speed flight. Feedback starts automatically during gameplay. Low-speed buffet begins at 700 km/h and increases toward 350 km/h. Change Controller vibration, Vibration strength and Test vibration under F4 → Input.
• Improved rain with finer, softer tapered streaks and subtle moving droplets/trails on the cockpit windshield. The effect follows the game's existing rain. Toggle both additions under F4 → Renderer → Rain clarity and cockpit water.