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This guide covers building the project using Visual Studio 2022 with the provided solution file. This is the recommended approach for Windows development.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:
  • Visual Studio 2022 with the following components:
    • Desktop development with C++
    • MSVC v143 or later (x64/x86 build tools)
    • Windows 10 SDK or later
    • C++/CLI support for v143 build tools
  • Git for cloning the repository
  • Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
The project requires a 64-bit (x64) toolchain. Make sure you have the x64 build tools installed in Visual Studio.

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Opening the project

1

Clone the repository

Clone the MinecraftConsoles repository to your local machine:
git clone https://github.com/smartcmd/MinecraftConsoles.git
cd MinecraftConsoles
2

Open the solution

Locate and open MinecraftConsoles.sln in Visual Studio 2022. You can do this by:
  • Double-clicking the .sln file in File Explorer, or
  • Opening Visual Studio and selecting File > Open > Project/Solution
3

Set the startup project

In Solution Explorer, right-click on Minecraft.Client and select Set as Startup Project. This ensures the client executable runs when you press F5.

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Build configuration

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Selecting the configuration

The project supports two build configurations:
  • Debug (recommended): Includes debugging symbols and diagnostic menus. Best for development and testing.
  • Release: Optimized for performance with compiler optimizations enabled. Note that Release mode may have some known bugs.
Release builds are optimized but may contain bugs. It’s recommended to use Debug configuration for development.

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Selecting the platform

Set the target platform to Windows64 using the platform dropdown in the Visual Studio toolbar. The project only supports 64-bit Windows builds.

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Building the project

1

Select configuration and platform

In the Visual Studio toolbar:
  • Set the configuration to Debug
  • Set the platform to Windows64
2

Build the solution

Build the entire solution using one of these methods:
  • Press Ctrl+Shift+B
  • Select Build > Build Solution from the menu
  • Right-click the solution in Solution Explorer and select Build Solution
3

Wait for compilation

The build process compiles two main targets:
  • MinecraftWorld (static library)
  • MinecraftClient (executable)
The first build may take several minutes.

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Running the game

1

Start debugging

Press F5 or select Debug > Start Debugging to launch the game.
2

Run without debugging

Alternatively, press Ctrl+F5 to run without attaching the debugger for better performance.
The game relies on relative paths (e.g., Common/Media/...) and must be launched from the output directory. Visual Studio handles this automatically when you run from the IDE.

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Build output

After a successful build, you’ll find the compiled files in: 
x64/Debug/MinecraftClient.exe
or 
x64/Release/MinecraftClient.exe
The build process automatically copies required assets to the output directory, including:
  • Game media files (Common/Media/)
  • Sound files (Windows64/Sound/)
  • Tutorial and trial content
  • Required DLL files (iggy_w64.dll, mss64.dll)

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Compiler settings

The Visual Studio project uses the following MSVC settings:

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Debug configuration

  • Runtime Library: MultiThreadedDebug
  • Warning Level: /W3
  • Exception Handling: /EHsc
  • Multi-processor Compilation: /MP
  • Preprocessor Definitions:
    • _LARGE_WORLDS
    • _DEBUG_MENUS_ENABLED
    • _DEBUG
    • _CRT_NON_CONFORMING_SWPRINTFS
    • _CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS
    • _WINDOWS64

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Release configuration

  • Runtime Library: MultiThreaded
  • Warning Level: /W0 (warnings disabled for external code)
  • Optimizations: /GL /O2 /Oi /GT /GF
  • Link-Time Code Generation: /LTCG
  • Incremental Linking: Disabled (/INCREMENTAL:NO)

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Troubleshooting

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Build fails with “cannot open file”

Ensure all required library files are present in:
  • Minecraft.Client/Windows64/Iggy/lib/
  • Minecraft.Client/Windows64/Miles/lib/
  • Minecraft.Client/Windows64/4JLibs/libs/

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Game crashes on launch

Make sure the working directory is set correctly. The game requires asset files in relative paths. Visual Studio automatically sets this, but if you’re running the executable directly, launch it from the output directory.

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Missing DLL errors

The build process should automatically copy required DLLs (iggy_w64.dll, mss64.dll) to the output directory. If they’re missing, check that the files exist in the source tree under Windows64/Iggy/lib/redist64/ and Windows64/Miles/lib/redist64/.

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Next steps

  • Learn about CMake builds for command-line compilation
  • Review platform support for compatibility information
  • Check the Controls documentation to learn how to play the game

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