Build System

Core pipeline

The build pipeline is orchestrated by tools/build.py and powered by Ninja.

High-level flow:

1. Clean/create working directories.
2. Copy filtered source data from src/ to obj/src/.
3. Generate build rules into build.ninja.
4. Convert/copy files into obj/ark/ and obj/raw/.
5. Pack output ark/hdr into out/gen/.
6. Copy selected XEX binaries into out/.
7. Optionally generate Xenia patch and run Xenia.

File conversion behavior

• .png -> converted with superfreq to .png_xbox
• .dta -> validated with dtacheck, serialized and encrypted via dtab to .dtb
• Other files -> copied as-is

Platform-specific tools are selected from:

• tools/linux/
• tools/macos/
• tools/windows/

Build variants

By default, the build includes deluxe retail.

Flags add more variants:

• --vanilla adds vanilla retail
• --debug adds debug builds for whichever families are enabled

CLI reference

./tools/build.py src bin [options]

Common options:

• --output <dir> set output root
• --includes <dir> include additional files in output
• --clean remove generated cache directories after successful build
• --allow-dtacheck-errors keep building even if dtacheck reports errors
• --patch-output <dir> copy Xenia patch to directory
• --xenia-root <path> Xenia root directory (patch will be copied to patches/ subdirectory)
• --xenia-path <path> path to Xenia executable
• --xenia-run 0..4 auto-launch selected build in Xenia
• --xenia-args "..." pass extra args to Xenia

Wrapper scripts

• scripts/build.sh: Linux/macOS wrapper for default build
• scripts/build.bat: Windows wrapper for default build

Both wrappers call tools/build.py with src bin.

Installation

Prebuilt release ZIP

1. Download the prebuilt ZIP from the GitHub release.
2. Extract it into your game folder, the one that already contains default.xex and gen/.
3. Launch definitive.xex.

Optional: Back up default.xex and rename definitive.xex to default.xex if you want the base game hidden from the dashboard.

The ZIP also includes the Xenia patch under xenia/patches/373307D9 - Dance Central 3.patch.toml.

With Xenia emulator

1. Download the prebuilt ZIP from the GitHub release.
2. Copy xenia/patches/373307D9 - Dance Central 3.patch.toml from the ZIP into your Xenia installation's patches/ folder.
3. Launch definitive.xex (or default.xex if renamed) through Xenia.