Noble Archimedes

Noble Archimedes

Latest beta: v0.9.1b. The Windows download is USA Xbox only and compiles the game locally on first run. This build adds direct mouse look and over-the-shoulder/first-person cameras; see modern PC controls. A companion source archive and SHA-256 checksums accompany the release.

A community Windows PC recompilation project for Castlevania: Curse of Darkness. The primary path recompiles the original Xbox release into native x64 code and uses Direct3D 12 rendering and XAudio2 sound. Bring your own game (BYOG): no disc image, game executable, game assets or generated game implementation is provided.

The Xbox foundation is jmafort/CastlevaniaCOD-PC, imported at commit 1d9edf6b2bdbb683cb95dff5b317916aec31db84. It builds on Pazzi7054's port and TGP482's Xbox XBE Recomp, with research credited to Neguchads and PCSX2 texture naming. Their recompiler, renderer, fixes, launcher and options are the base of this path. Upstream credits and source are preserved in the imported README; import notes record provenance and local checks.

Play and build

Target: Windows x64 and a Direct3D 12 capable GPU. Building requires Python 3, Git, CMake 3.25+, Ninja, LLVM Clang/LLD and the Visual Studio C++ Build Tools/Windows SDK environment. Supply your own extracted USA Xbox disc with default.xbe, data/, movie/ and sound/ in extracted/.

& ".\Build Noble Archimedes.cmd" --full-game
& ".\Launch Noble Archimedes.cmd"

The build helper verifies the upstream snapshot, prepares an isolated working copy and fetches the pinned open-source SDK. Game code is generated locally from your XBE. The launcher and game are written to output/jmafort-port/out/build/release/ as NobleArchimedesLauncher.exe and NobleArchimedes.exe. Primary CMake targets and generated game-DLL names use NobleArchimedes*; some internal window classes, logs and settings retain upstream compatibility names. See BUILDING.md for input validation, EU preparation, alternate asset paths and the experimental PS2 workflow.

Xbox features and validation

The imported implementation includes:

• Native x64 Xbox recompilation, Direct3D 12 graphics, XAudio2 audio and a settings launcher.
• Widescreen rendering and menus, configurable resolution, anisotropic filtering, shader cache and shadow fixes.
• Optional PCSX2-format PNG/DDS HD texture packs, PS2 button layout, Moai bonus and Crazy/Trevor name codes. Acquire packs separately; none is bundled.
• USA and European release configurations, region-specific hooks and a separate EU executable; launcher language and graphics options.

The branded USA build passed 7/7 new-game scenario steps, including movement and pause/resume. A separate first-run test started without a game DLL, generated it from the supplied XBE in about 85 seconds, and passed all 8 startup/gameplay checks. Short courtyard samples in that run measured about 59.4 FPS on an RTX 3080. All six main CTest groups (30 checks) passed. The v0.9.0b runtime ZIP also passed all 9 installation/startup/gameplay checks outside the source tree, including PE dependency checks and first-run DLL compilation. The launcher was visually inspected, including its original artwork, icon and persisted music toggle.

Local qualification is limited. These checks do not certify every scene or a clean-Windows release package. The EU game image was unavailable: EU gameplay, compilation and language selection remain unqualified here. HD packs, later rooms, combat and broader sound/save/movie coverage still need local validation. Upstream texture coverage and performance numbers are upstream claims.

The launcher uses our own observatory artwork and astrolabe icon, plus The Quiet Orrery, an original 32-second instrumental loop with a music switch. Asset provenance and generation prompts and the reproducible music generator are included. No game logo, extracted icon or soundtrack is bundled as launcher branding.

Keyboard/controller bindings and graphics, game and language options are available through the imported launcher/menu; consult upstream controls for the Xbox path. The primary Xbox build also adds mouse look, an RE2 Remake-style over-the-shoulder camera (the default), a first-person camera and PC mouse buttons; see modern PC controls. Historical PS2 bindings and renderer environment variables apply only to the experimental PS2 host.

Experimental PS2 and renderer research

The USA PlayStation 2 SLUS-21168 recompilation remains available as an experimental, separate program. It translates MIPS EE code and supplies PS2 compatibility services, with paraLLEl-GS or an optional PCSX2 GS adapter. The older Xbox D3D8/OpenGL research host is retained too. These implementations are independent from the primary Xbox D3D12 build.

Enable NOBLE_EXPERIMENTAL_PS2=ON to select the PS2 root CMake configuration. Its established manual generation/build workflow, limitations and toolchain differ from the primary path. A fresh public PS2 checkout has not been qualified end-to-end through gameplay. Private optimized VU modules and game-specific GPU translations are excluded. Historical PS2 performance measurements do not describe the Xbox build. See PS2 build variants, research status and BUILDING.md.

Forks, licensing and attribution

Forks, experiments and pull requests are welcome. Start with CONTRIBUTING.md. Original project code is offered under GPL-2.0-only OR GPL-3.0-or-later, subject to the explicit component exceptions in LICENSE: the Xbox donor stays GPLv2, its SDK patch stays MIT, and PS2 GPLv3-derived components stay GPLv3. The programs are built separately. Third-party terms are preserved; nothing grants rights to the game. Original Noble Archimedes branding art and synthetic audio in assets/noble/ use CC0 where rights are held. Read licensing scope and third-party notices before redistributing a build.

“Noble Archimedes” is an independent engineering/preservation codename. This is an unofficial fan project, unaffiliated with Konami, Microsoft, Sony or the credited upstream projects. Castlevania, its game content and all trademarks belong to their respective rights holders.