Build Windows Client

name	description
build_windows_client	Step-by-step instructions for configuring and compiling the .NET MAUI (WinUI 3), Win32 GUI, and ASCII console clients on Windows.

👉 This skill provides instructions for building the various Windows clients of GnollHack, including the modern .NET MAUI version and the legacy Win32 GUI and ASCII versions.

💻 Modern Client (.NET MAUI / WinUI 3)

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio with .NET MAUI workloads installed.
• Ensure tile sets and FMOD sound banks are installed in the repository.
• Ensure the secrets file (Assets\ghsecrets.sjson) is installed (this JSON file contains API keys and configuration secrets, is not part of the repository, and must be copied there separately by the programmer).

Build Steps

1. Open the native solution win\win32\vs\GnollHack.sln in Visual Studio.
2. Select the x64 platform and your desired configuration (Debug or Release).
3. Rebuild the solution. This builds gnollhackwin.dll and core data (nhdat), and copies them along with other assets to win\win32\xpl\GnollHackM\Platforms\Windows\gnh.
4. Open the MAUI solution win\win32\xpl\GnollHackM\GnollHackM.sln in Visual Studio.
5. Select the same configuration (Debug or Release) as used for the native solution.
6. Rebuild the GnollHackM.sln solution.
7. Set GnollHackM as the startup project and start debugging.

🖥️ Legacy Win32 GUI Client

1. Open win\win32\vs\GnollHack.sln.
2. Ensure tile sets and FMOD sound banks are installed.
3. Select the x64 platform and Debug or Release configuration.
4. Right-click the GnollHackW project and select Rebuild.
5. The executable GnollHackW.exe will be located in bin\Debug\x64 (or Release).
6. Debugging: Set GnollHackW as the startup project, set Working Directory to $(BinDir), and optionally set Command Arguments to -D -u wizard for wizard mode.

⌨️ Legacy ASCII Console Client

1. Open win\win32\vs\GnollHack.sln.
2. Select the x64 platform and Debug or Release configuration.
3. If building only ASCII, you can optionally unload the GnollHackW project to save time.
4. Rebuild the GnollHack project.
5. The executable GnollHack.exe will be located in bin\Debug\x64 (or Release).
6. Debugging: Set GnollHack as the startup project, set Working Directory to $(BinDir), and optionally set Command Arguments to -D -u wizard.