RustRaptor/README.md

RustRaptor

The independent Linux and Windows Rust game and its complete local mod packages live here. SDL2 handles platform services; gameplay, asset decoding, rendering, audio, saving and mod scripting run in Rust.

This folder is the Git repository root. Run from here:

./run.sh
cargo test --locked

The self-contained runtime uses bin/raptor-rust, its sibling data/ catalog and the bundled mods/. ./run.sh launches that executable without Cargo or the old engine; paths remain valid after moving the folder. For development, the launcher falls back to Cargo when no packaged executable is present. --data DIR selects another catalog. Some optional comparison tests use retained source. On Windows, double-click run.cmd; it starts the included bin/raptor-rust.exe with its adjacent SDL2 DLL and the same data and mods. See Windows builds and packaging.

Refresh the executable and copied original/approved-HD data with python3 tools/assemble_runtime.py. Add --zip dist/RustRaptor-linux-x86_64.zip to export a distributable folder containing the runtime, mods, source and API documentation, excluding build caches and review drafts. See standalone packaging.

The Mods screen discovers the bundled mods/ packages when no user mods folder exists. Enable Iron Coast Campaign to select all six mission mods, their enemies, distinct bosses, weapons and original soundtrack automatically, then apply at the main menu. Missions, bosses and the three weapons can also be enabled individually; each mission selects its own dependencies. Lightning Cannon and Lightning Shield are two additional independent weapon mods. Enable them in Mods and buy them in the supply room. The cannon is a selected special that chains through nearby targets; the shield fires with your primary guns while Fire is held. Both ship SD/HD icons and sounds.

Iron Coast II: Black Tide adds eight more missions, eight separate bosses, three shared enemy types and three original FM music tracks. Enable its campaign in Mods, apply at the main menu, then choose Nightbreak Inlet in the Hangar's mission menu to begin the linked campaign. The campaign selects its dependencies automatically. Railburst Cannon (685,000 credits) and Depth Charge (525,000 credits) are optional shop purchases; completing missions does not grant either weapon. Each mission, boss and weapon is also an individual mod. See Stage 2. For a user mods folder, pass --mods DIR or create $XDG_DATA_HOME/RaptorReplica/mods/ on Linux or %APPDATA%\RaptorReplica\mods\ on Windows. Saves and configuration use separate user profile directories, with read-only legacy import.

Enter the Hangar to fly, choose missions, visit the supply room, manage equipment or Save pilot. New pilots have editable names, callsigns and ID pictures and difficulty; existing pilots can edit their ID from the hangar. Registration starts with 10,000 credits and 75 energy, as in the original. The original Apogee/Cygnus logos and intro play on normal startup and through Watch intro. Saves with changed or missing mods show the differences and offer Load anyway, retaining unavailable equipment and progression. The first subsequent save keeps a backup of the previous file. The supply room shows an equipment image, description, price, resale value, quantity and whether it fires automatically, is selectable, is consumed or works passively.

Default keyboard controls are arrow keys to move, Ctrl to fire, Space to drop a bomb, Alt or Shift to cycle equipment, and Z to use a selected consumable. Custom bindings remain configurable in Options. Existing untouched Rust default bindings migrate to these controls.

Folder	Contents
src/	Engine, SDL host and validation CLI
mods/	45 packages: Aurora example, two Iron Coast campaigns with 14 missions, seven weapons, shared enemies, bosses and original music
schemas/	Version 1 mod API schemas
tests/	Portable fixtures and opt-in original-data checks
tools/	Replay comparator, content-table generator and asset reference tools
docs/	API, artwork, build and validation documentation
bin/, data/, lib/	Included Linux/Windows executables, shared data and SDL2 runtimes
target/	Local Cargo builds, excluded from Git

The bundled executable, libraries, original game catalog and approved HD assets are tracked in Git, along with mod definitions, scripts, SD/HD PNGs, WAVs, generation prompts and recipes. Build caches and local review files are excluded. See repository layout. The engine supports original and 2×/3×/4× crisp scaling, plus an optional HD artwork setting. Bundled mods have SD/HD artwork; the reviewed base-game pack covers a complete light-player banking sequence and selected enemies, boss, equipment, projectiles, effects and terrain: 5,131 of 5,753 original pictures are now included. The HD backlog records the remaining artwork and drafts awaiting review.

First-mission wins at difficulties 1 and 2, a complete 1,889-step native demo comparison, assisted coverage of all 27 missions at four difficulties, and sample-exact audio comparisons have passed. These checks cover their documented cases; wider playtesting and complete base-game HD coverage remain work in progress.

• Build and validation
• Mod API
• AI mod authoring checklist
• Iron Coast packages
• Iron Coast II: Black Tide
• Weapon prices and balance
• Sprite and shadow validation
• Sound playback validation
• Classic intro validation
• Menu screenshot review
• Campaign music
• Display measurements
• First mission
• Campaign coverage
• Optional HD artwork
• Milestones

Code is GPL-2.0-or-later; the vendored Rust FM emulator is LGPL-2.1-or-later.