DaggerFX

DaggerFX is a native port of The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall that runs the original game code directly on modern Windows systems without DOS emulation. Its primary goal is to faithfully recreate the Daggerfall experience as players knew it in the late 1990s, preserving its quirks, rough edges, and vintage charm.

DaggerFX is not intended to compete with Daggerfall Unity, which remains the easiest and most feature-rich way to discover or revisit the game today. In comparison, DaggerFX is primarily aimed at old Daggerfall players from the early days who want to relive it as it was back then, or simply at those who are curious to try it in its original form.

WHY DAGGERFX?

• Native Performance: No DOS emulation overhead. The original game code is executed directly on your modern CPU.
• Clean Audio: No more crackling or desynchronized sound. Enjoy clean digital audio and native Win32 MIDI playback.
• Full Save Compatibility: DaggerFX hooks directly into the original savegame system, allowing you to load and use your existing DOS saves.
• Modern Backend: Low-level layers (VGA display, inputs, file access) are seamlessly redirected to modern Win32 and SDL2 equivalents, bringing native Alt+Enter fullscreen toggle and gamepad support.

REQUIREMENTS

• Windows 10 or 11 (Windows 7 and 8 are untested but likely compatible).
• A copy of Daggerfall updated to version 1.07.213, which was made available for free by Bethesda Softworks in 2009.

QUICK INSTALLATION

1. Ensure that Daggerfall is installed and updated to v1.07.213 (Using the unofficial DaggerfallSetup is highly recommended).
2. Extract the DaggerFX archive files directly into the root of your Daggerfall directory (where ARENA2 and Z.CFG are located).
3. Double-click start.bat to launch the game.

For advanced configurations (Windowed mode, FM sound, Troubleshooting, or Log analysis), please refer to the comprehensive README.txt file included in the archive.

KNOWN LIMITATIONS

• The main quest has been well tested, except for the final Mantellan Crux portion.
• Most side quests have not been broadly tested yet.
• Translations of the original FALL.EXE are not supported for now.

FEEDBACK & BUG REPORTS

Bug reports and general discussion are welcome on the DaggerFX Discord server: https://discord.gg/Bu3Ja8BQ.

Please make sure to check and share your DaggerFX.log file if reporting an issue!

Daggerfall names, code, and assets remain the property of Bethesda Softworks and ZeniMax Media. This project is entirely free and does not include original game data files.