Install TaystJK

Before you start

You need a legal Jedi Academy installation and these files from its GameData/base directory:

assets0.pk3
assets1.pk3
assets2.pk3
assets3.pk3

Download the build for your operating system from the latest TaystJK release. Extract the whole archive; do not copy only the executable, because the renderer and game libraries beside it are also required.

Install for your platform

Choose your operating system to see its prerequisites and installation steps. Your selection is saved on this device.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install libsdl2-2.0-0 libgl1 libjpeg-turbo8 libpng16-16 zlib1g libstdc++6

# Fedora
sudo dnf install SDL2 libglvnd-glx libjpeg-turbo libpng zlib libstdc++

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S sdl2 libglvnd libjpeg-turbo libpng zlib

ldd ./taystjk.x86_64 | grep "not found"

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/path/to/taystjk.app"

codesign --verify --deep --strict "/path/to/taystjk.app"

Installing several modded clients

Do not merge every client’s executables and shared libraries into one GameData directory. Different projects—or 32-bit and 64-bit builds of the same project—may ship incompatible SDL2 or OpenAL libraries.

Recommended: one shared asset directory

Keep the retail assets once and give every client its own directory:

MyGames/
├── JediAcademy/
│   └── base/
│       ├── assets0.pk3
│       ├── assets1.pk3
│       ├── assets2.pk3
│       └── assets3.pk3
├── TaystJK/
│   ├── taystjk/
│   │   └── japro-assets.pk3
│   ├── taystjk.x86_64.exe
│   └── run-taystjk.bat
└── AnotherClient/
    ├── another-client files…
    └── run-client.bat

On Windows, put this beside the TaystJK executable as run-taystjk.bat:

@echo off
start "" taystjk.x86_64.exe +set fs_cdPath "../JediAcademy"

Use the executable name that actually appears in your release archive. On Linux, the equivalent launch command is:

./taystjk.x86_64 +set fs_cdPath ../JediAcademy

fs_cdPath supplies the shared retail assets while TaystJK keeps its own executable, libraries, mod directory, and user files separate.

Simpler alternative: copy base

Copy the complete retail base directory into each client’s directory. This uses more disk space, but needs no launch script and keeps each installation self-contained.

Put PK3s that should affect every client in that client’s base directory. Put TaystJK-only content in taystjk/, beside japro-assets.pk3.

Run TaystJK with another client-side mod

The TaystJK executable is the engine. The game, client-game, and UI modules are separate native libraries:

macOS uses the equivalent .dylib files. TaystJK does not currently execute QVM bytecode; both its current module API and the older dllEntry/vmMain API load native libraries. A module must match the operating system and CPU architecture of the TaystJK executable.

What fs_forcegame does

On a normal client, fs_forcegame defaults to taystjk. This keeps TaystJK’s directory at the highest filesystem priority when a server supplies a different fs_game, and keeps configs, demos, screenshots, and other generated files under taystjk/. A server cannot change fs_forcegame.

The default is therefore appropriate when you want TaystJK’s client-side files and settings while joining servers that run JA+, JA++, jaPRO, or another server-side mod. You can state it explicitly in a shortcut or launch script:

taystjk.x86_64.exe +set fs_forcegame taystjk

Use the executable name for your platform. Do not add fs_game merely to join a server; the server sends its own game directory during connection.

Native libraries are a separate concern: when a matching loose library exists in the server-selected fs_game directory, the engine tries that library before the copy in taystjk/. Keep other mods’ native client libraries out of a clean TaystJK installation unless you intend to load them.

To deliberately use another mod’s client-side libraries and assets, install them in that mod’s directory and select it at startup. For example, JA++ uses japlus/ for compatibility with JA+:

taystjk.x86_64.exe +set fs_game japlus +set fs_forcegame japlus

Setting both values loads the mod from the beginning—including a custom UI—and prevents a later server-provided fs_game from changing the directory used for files and generated output. To return to the normal TaystJK client setup, remove the fs_game japlus argument and either remove the fs_forcegame argument or set it back to taystjk.

When to use vm_legacy

TaystJK first expects the newer OpenJK-style GetModuleAPI interface and normally falls back to the older dllEntry/vmMain interface. vm_legacy skips the newer interface for selected module slots. Use it when the particular native mod library requires the older interface or crashes while the engine probes it as a newer module; it does not enable QVM support.

vm_legacy is a bitmask:

Add values to force more than one module. For example, an older JA++ build with a legacy custom UI can be launched with:

taystjk.x86_64.exe +set fs_game japlus +set fs_forcegame japlus +set vm_legacy 4

Use vm_legacy 6 only when both the JA++ cgame and UI libraries require the legacy interface. Use vm_legacy 0 for modern libraries, including JA++ builds that implement GetModuleAPI. Put this setting on the command line so it is applied before the UI and client-game modules load; changing it after a module has loaded does not convert that running module.

If the console reports VM_CreateLegacy: ... succeeded, the requested legacy interface loaded. If it reports an architecture mismatch, a missing entry point, or repeated load failures, recheck the mod build and directory rather than trying unrelated bit values.

First-launch checks

• Open the console with Shift + ~ and run version to confirm that TaystJK is running.
• If the console reports that it cannot find default.cfg, TaystJK cannot see base/assets0.pk3. Recheck the extraction directory or fs_cdPath.
• If the client cannot load a renderer or library, re-extract the complete release, confirm its architecture, and revisit the platform prerequisites above.
• If settings or downloaded PK3s appear in an unexpected place, run path in the console and inspect fs_homepath, fs_basepath, and fs_game.

This layout is adapted from the longer multiple modded clients guide on JKHub.

Next steps

• Host a dedicated server
• Search cvars and commands
• Compile TaystJK from source