Downloading Kristal

There are three methods of downloading and using Kristal.

• Using a beta release
• Using a nightly release
• Using the source code

Beta releases are created every time we deem the engine stable enough to be used by the public. As Kristal is still in development, we do not recommend beta releases. This is because they don't update very often, so they're frequently outdated.

Nightly releases are created every time a change is made to the code. This means that nightly releases are the most up-to-date version of Kristal, but they are also untested.

Using the source code is the most complicated method, but it also gives you the most control over Kristal. This method is recommended for developers who want to make mods, or contribute to Kristal.

If you want to play mods, use the latest nightly release.

If you want to make mods, use the source code.

Beta releases

To download a beta release, go to the releases page.

WINDOWS

Download the latest release as a .zip file. You can then extract the archive and run the executable.

OTHER

Download the latest release as a .love file. You can then run the file with LÖVE.

Nightly releases

To download a nightly release, download the archive from here.

WINDOWS

You can then extract the archive, extract the archive which ends with -win.zip, and run the executable.

OTHER

You can then run the .love file with LÖVE.

Source code

There are multiple ways to use the source code, but both require installing LÖVE.

Once LÖVE is installed, you can either use Git or download the source code as a ZIP archive.

Using Git (Recommended)

First, you need to install Git. You can download it from here. Once Git is installed, you have to open a terminal in the folder where you want to download Kristal.

If you are on Windows, you can right-click in the folder and select "Git Bash Here". Otherwise, you can open a terminal and use the cd command to navigate to the folder.

Next, you have to clone the repository. That can be done with the following command:

git clone https://github.com/KristalTeam/Kristal

This will download the source code to the folder you are in, and set it up to allow future updates, and even contributions to Kristal if you feel like it!

Finally, you can run Kristal.

Downloading the source code as a ZIP archive

To download the source code as a ZIP archive, go to the repository page and click on the green "Code" button. Then, click on "Download ZIP". You can then extract the archive in the folder of your choice.

Finally, you can run Kristal.

NOTE: This method is not recommended, as it does not allow you to update Kristal to the latest version easily, and you will not be able to contribute to Kristal. To update, you'll have to refollow these steps.

Running Kristal from sources

This part of the guide assumes you've followed the previous steps, and now have Kristal's code on your computer.

Now, locate where your LÖVE executable is. On Windows, it should be located at C:\Program Files\LOVE\.

Next, click on the Kristal folder, and drag it onto the LÖVE executable, love.exe. This should open Kristal.

Alternatively, you can open a terminal in the Kristal folder, and run the following command:

"C:\\Program Files\\LOVE\\love.exe" .

If you're doing mod development, a useful resource is the output console. To open it, use lovec instead of love.

Next Steps

Congratulations, you've successfully opened Kristal! Now, you can move on to playing mods, or learning how to make them!