emulator: mkxp-z
type: libretro
source: "https://github.com/mkxp-z/mkxp-z"
profiled_date: "2026-03-18"
core_version: ""
display_name: "RPG Maker XP/VX/VX Ace (mkxp-z)"
cores:
  - mkxp-z
systems:
  - rpgmaker

# mkxp-z is an open-source player for RPG Maker XP, VX and VX Ace games.
# Heavily modified fork of mkxp implementing the RGSS (Ruby Game Scripting
# System) interface versions 1, 2 and 3.
#
# The libretro .info file (mkxp-z_libretro.info) declares 3 firmware entries,
# all optional. These are RTP (Run-Time Package) directories, not individual
# files. Each RTP contains default assets (tilesets, sprites, music, sound
# effects, fonts) shared by games that don't bundle their own.
#
# Games that ship all assets internally need no RTP at all.
#
# firmware0: mkxp-z/RTP/Standard   (RPG Maker XP RTP)   optional
# firmware1: mkxp-z/RTP/RPGVX      (RPG Maker VX RTP)   optional
# firmware2: mkxp-z/RTP/RPGVXAce   (RPG Maker VX Ace RTP) optional
#
# Directory layout under <system_dir>:
#   mkxp-z/RTP/Standard/           RPG Maker XP RTP
#     Audio/                       BGM, BGS, ME, SE in ogg/midi/wav
#     Graphics/                    tilesets, characters, battlers, etc.
#   mkxp-z/RTP/RPGVX/             RPG Maker VX RTP
#     Audio/
#     Fonts/
#     Graphics/
#   mkxp-z/RTP/RPGVXAce/          RPG Maker VX Ace RTP
#     Audio/
#     Fonts/
#     Graphics/
#
# RTP installers are available from https://www.rpgmakerweb.com/run-time-package
# On non-Windows, use innoextract to unpack the Windows installers.
#
# RTP path resolution (sharedstate.cpp:144-145, config.cpp:326):
#   config.rtps[] is populated from the "RTP" JSON array in mkxp.json.
#   The libretro port sets these to <system_dir>/mkxp-z/RTP/<name>.
#   Each path is added to PhysFS search path via fileSystem.addPath().
#
# Additional optional directories:
#   mkxp-z/Fonts/                  custom fallback fonts (.otf/.ttf)
#   mkxp-z/Scripts/Preload/        Ruby scripts run before game scripts
#   mkxp-z/Scripts/Postload/       Ruby scripts run before rgss_main (RGSS3)
#
# MIDI playback: mkxp-z uses FluidSynth internally. A soundfont can be
# specified per-game in mkxp.json via "midiSoundFont". No global soundfont
# file is declared as firmware.
#
# Supported extensions: ini, json, rxproj, rvproj, rvproj2, mkxp, mkxpz, zip, 7z
# Required GPU: OpenGL Core >= 2.0 or OpenGL ES >= 2.0

notes: |
  No individual BIOS or firmware files required. The three RTP directories
  listed below are optional collections of default game assets. Only needed
  when a game references stock RPG Maker assets instead of bundling them.

  RPG Maker XP uses RGSS1 (Ruby Game Scripting System 1).
  RPG Maker VX uses RGSS2.
  RPG Maker VX Ace uses RGSS3.

  Each RTP is a directory tree containing Audio/ and Graphics/ subdirs,
  plus Fonts/ for VX and VX Ace. These are not hashable single files.

files:
  # ================================================================
  # RPG Maker XP RTP (optional, game-dependent)
  # mkxp-z_libretro.info firmware0
  # ================================================================

  - name: "RPG Maker XP RTP (Standard)"
    path: "mkxp-z/RTP/Standard/"
    required: false
    type: directory
    source_ref: "mkxp-z_libretro.info:firmware0, sharedstate.cpp:144-145"
    note: >
      Run-Time Package for RPG Maker XP (RGSS1) games. Contains default
      tilesets, character sprites, battle animations, panoramas, windowskins,
      BGM, BGS, ME and SE audio files. Only needed by games that reference
      stock XP assets. Distributed by Enterbrain as a Windows installer,
      extractable with innoextract on other platforms.

  # ================================================================
  # RPG Maker VX RTP (optional, game-dependent)
  # mkxp-z_libretro.info firmware1
  # ================================================================

  - name: "RPG Maker VX RTP (RPGVX)"
    path: "mkxp-z/RTP/RPGVX/"
    required: false
    type: directory
    source_ref: "mkxp-z_libretro.info:firmware1, sharedstate.cpp:144-145"
    note: >
      Run-Time Package for RPG Maker VX (RGSS2) games. Contains default
      tilesets, character sprites, face graphics, battle animations, fonts
      and audio assets. VX uses a different tileset format than XP. Only
      needed by games that reference stock VX assets.

  # ================================================================
  # RPG Maker VX Ace RTP (optional, game-dependent)
  # mkxp-z_libretro.info firmware2
  # ================================================================

  - name: "RPG Maker VX Ace RTP (RPGVXAce)"
    path: "mkxp-z/RTP/RPGVXAce/"
    required: false
    type: directory
    source_ref: "mkxp-z_libretro.info:firmware2, sharedstate.cpp:144-145"
    note: >
      Run-Time Package for RPG Maker VX Ace (RGSS3) games. Largest of the
      three RTPs with expanded tilesets, character generators, battle system
      assets, fonts and audio. VX Ace is the most commonly used RPG Maker
      version on the RGSS engine. Only needed by games that reference stock
      VX Ace assets.