emulator: TheXTech
type: standalone
core_classification: game_engine
source: "https://github.com/TheXTech/TheXTech"
upstream: "https://github.com/TheXTech/TheXTech"
profiled_date: "2026-10-04"
source_commit: "48f15208ff2857985d3534f191dab494ea3cd3d0"
display_name: "TheXTech"
cores: []
systems: [smbx]

notes: |
  C++ reimplementation of the SMBX 1.3 engine. The engine itself ships
  no game assets; an asset pack is probed at startup from
  AppPathManager::assetsSearchPath() and the first pack with a valid
  graphics/ui/ directory is used.
  ref: src/main/asset_pack.cpp:249-340 (s_find_asset_packs,
       s_scan_asset_pack), lib/AppPath/private/app_path.cpp:135-170

  A pack is accepted when it carries graphics/ui/ plus an identification
  file. Two schemas are recognized:
    _meta.ini      modern asset pack (engine field "TheXTech", platform
                   field matching the running target, pack-id)
    gameinfo.ini   legacy SMBX-style descriptor read under [android]
  ref: src/main/asset_pack.cpp:138-212

  Three images are loaded unconditionally to render the pack-selection
  menu; without them the pack is rejected ("Could not load UI assets
  from possible asset pack").
  ref: src/main/asset_pack.cpp:115-117, 285-291

  TheXTech is content-agnostic. The reference packs that TheXTech
  releases alongside the engine are the SMBX 1.3 asset pack
  (`thextech-assets-smbx13`) and the free Adventures of Demo pack
  (`thextech-assets-adventures-of-demo`); any pack that satisfies the
  structure above runs.

files:
  # ================================================================
  # Asset pack identification files (one of the two is required)
  # ================================================================

  - name: "_meta.ini"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/main/asset_pack.cpp:138-168 (modern asset pack schema)"
    note: "Modern asset pack descriptor. [content] engine=TheXTech + pack-id."

  - name: "gameinfo.ini"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/main/asset_pack.cpp:169-180 (legacy schema)"
    note: "Legacy SMBX descriptor. [game] id + [android] logo/background."

  # ================================================================
  # UI assets probed to validate an asset pack
  # ================================================================

  - name: "thextech_128.png"
    category: game_data
    path: "graphics/ui/icon/thextech_128.png"
    required: true
    source_ref: "src/main/asset_pack.cpp:115 (assets_icon)"
    note: "Pack icon. Loaded during pack scan."

  - name: "MenuGFX2.png"
    category: game_data
    path: "graphics/ui/MenuGFX2.png"
    required: true
    source_ref: "src/main/asset_pack.cpp:116 (logo_image_path_default), 285-291"
    note: "Main menu logo. Pack rejected if this image fails to load."

  - name: "background2-2.png"
    category: game_data
    path: "graphics/background2/background2-2.png"
    required: true
    source_ref: "src/main/asset_pack.cpp:117 (bg_image_path_default)"
    note: "Menu background. Covered by the UI-assets gate."

  # ================================================================
  # Core content directories (engine iterates on disk, filenames are
  # the pack's own; the directory contract is what the engine checks)
  # ================================================================

  - name: "graphics/"
    category: game_data
    required: true
    source_ref: "src/main/asset_pack.cpp:275-291 (DirMan::exists(root + \"graphics/ui/\"))"
    note: "Pack validation requires graphics/ui/ to exist."

  - name: "sound/"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/load_gfx.cpp:443 (LoadGFXFromList), src/sound.h"
    note: "SFX directory read from sounds.ini. Game runs without sounds."

  - name: "music/"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/sound.cpp (music loader)"
    note: "Music tracks read from music.ini."

  - name: "sounds.ini"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/sound.cpp (SFX index file)"

  - name: "music.ini"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/sound.cpp (music index file)"

  - name: "intro/"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/main/game_main.cpp (intro level loader)"
    note: "Intro level episode; played before the main menu when present."

  - name: "outro/"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/main/game_main.cpp (outro episode)"

  - name: "worlds/"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/main/game_main.cpp (world loader)"
    note: "Default world episodes shipped with the pack."

  - name: "battle/"
    category: game_data
    required: false
    source_ref: "src/main/game_main.cpp (battle mode levels)"