Platform: Windows

System Requirements

• Windows 10 or later (x86_64)
• OpenGL 2.1 or later (virtually all GPUs)
• SDL3 (bundled in release packages)

Install from Release

Installer

1. Download Firestaff-x.y.z-windows-installer.exe.
2. Run the installer. Windows SmartScreen may show a warning since the binary is not EV-signed — click More info > Run anyway.
3. Follow the wizard. Default install location is C:\Program Files\Firestaff.
4. Launch from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut.

Portable ZIP

1. Extract Firestaff-x.y.z-windows.zip to any folder.
2. Run firestaff.exe directly.

Build from Source (MSYS2 UCRT64)

pacman -S mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-gcc mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-cmake \
  mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-ninja mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-sdl3
cmake -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build --target firestaff --parallel

Game Data Location

%USERPROFILE%\.firestaff\data\

This typically resolves to C:\Users\YourName\.firestaff\data\. Place original game files here, organized by game subdirectory. See Game Data for the full directory layout. The data directory can be changed in Settings within the launcher.

Bundled Tools

The Windows release includes three companion tools:

• firestaff_artpack_studio.exe — create and edit V2.2 modern graphics artpacks
• firestaff_dungeon_studio.exe — dungeon viewer and editor
• firestaff_savegame_editor.exe — inspect and edit save files

Troubleshooting

SmartScreen blocks the installer

Click More info then Run anyway. This happens because the binary is not code-signed with an EV certificate.

Missing DLLs

The installer and portable ZIP bundle all required DLLs including SDL3. If you built from source, ensure SDL3.dll is in the same directory as firestaff.exe or on your system PATH.

Controller not detected

Firestaff uses SDL3’s gamepad API. Connect your controller before launching. SDL3 supports Xbox, PlayStation, Switch Pro, and generic HID controllers.