Hey everyone!
I just released a major technical update available on the beta branch "oldbuilds"! This represents a complete architectural overhaul of the file delivery system, bringing enterprise-grade security and cross-platform compatibility to Anti-Extinction.
What Changed: From .NET to Native C++
OLD SYSTEM:
❌ .NET Framework bootstrapper (Windows-only)
❌ .NET 10 decompressor for .zst files
❌ Clunky multi-runtime dependency chain
❌ Windows-locked architecture
NEW SYSTEM:
✅ Pure C/C++ implementation
✅ Zero runtime dependencies
✅ Native performance with optimized algorithms
✅ Cross-platform foundation (Windows, Linux, macOS ready)
Enhanced Security Architecture
The new C++ system implements NASA/NSA-grade security standards with:
Cryptographic Verification
Ed25519 Digital Signatures: Every file delivery is cryptographically signed
Multi-Algorithm Hash Verification
Integrity Manifests: TOML-based file verification with complete audit trails
TLS Certificate Validation: Secure downloads with proper certificate chains
Real-Time Verification Process
[INFO] Starting Ed25519 signature verification...
[SUCCESS] Integrity manifest signature verification successful!
[INFO] Using Ed25519 public key: REDACTED
[INFO] Found 42 files to verify in integrity manifest
[SUCCESS] All extracted files passed integrity verification!
Advanced Error Recovery
Selective File Extraction: Only re-downloads corrupted files
Temporary Isolation: Corrupted files extracted to temp directories
Automatic Cleanup: Secure deletion of temporary files
Smart Recovery: Automatically launches game after successful verification
Performance Improvements
Faster Downloads & Extraction
Streaming Decompression: Process files as they download
Parallel Hash Computation: Multi-threaded verification
Memory-Efficient Processing: Handles large files without memory spikes
Progress Tracking: Real-time progress bars with detailed status
Optimized File Handling
ZSTD Native Integration: Direct C library calls for maximum speed
libarchive TAR Support: Professional-grade archive extraction
Memory-Mapped Files: Efficient handling of large game assets
Intelligent Caching: Verification results cached to avoid re-processing
Cross-Platform Foundation
This rewrite paves the way for Linux/macOS support later this year!
Platform Abstraction Layer
Windows: WinHTTP + Windows Crypto API
Linux: libcurl + OpenSSL (coming soon)
macOS: Native networking + Security framework (coming soon)
Universal Dependencies
TOML++: Modern configuration parsing
libsodium: Cross-platform cryptography
BLAKE3: High-performance hashing
CMake Build System: Professional cross-platform builds
What This Means for You
Immediate Benefits
⚡ Faster game startup - Native code performance
🔒 Enhanced security - Military-grade file verification
🛠️ Better reliability - Automatic corruption detection and repair
📊 Detailed logging - Complete audit trail of all operations
Coming Soon
🐧 Linux Support - Full Steam Deck compatibility
🍎 macOS Support - Native Apple Silicon optimization
🔄 Delta Updates - Only download changed files
📦 Background Verification - Check files while you play
Technical Deep Dive
Architecture Highlights
// Modern C++ with enterprise patterns
class ArchiveProcessor {
bool verifyExtractedFiles(const IntegrityManifest& manifest);
bool handleCorruptedFiles(const IntegrityManifest& manifest);
bool launchApplication();
// Automatic temp directory management and cleanup
};
Security Standards Compliance
NASA NPR 7150.2D: Software Safety Standards
NSA CNSS Policy 15: Cryptographic Security
FIPS 140-2: Cryptographic Module Validation
Common Criteria: Security evaluation standards
Modular Design
src/
├── verification/ # Crypto and integrity checking
├── extraction/ # Archive processing
├── core/ # Platform abstraction
└── utils/ # Secure memory and utilities
📝 Important Notes
About the Current Game Build
P.S. The game version included in this test is an older concept build of Anti-Extinction showing early mechanics development. This is intentional for testing the new delivery system without affecting main branch development.
Beta Testing Focus
We're specifically testing:
Download and extraction performance
Integrity verification accuracy
Error recovery mechanisms
Cross-platform compatibility layers
Security audit trail generation
How to Access the Beta
Right-click Anti-Extinction in your Steam library
Select "Properties"
Go to "Betas" tab
Select "oldbuilds" from the dropdown
Steam will download the new C++ system
Feedback Welcome!
This is a major technical milestone representing months of architecture design and implementation. Please report:
⚠️ Any verification failures or corruption detection
🐌 Performance issues during download/extraction
🔍 Missing or unclear log messages
💾 Temporary file cleanup issues
🖥️ Platform-specific problems
Your feedback directly influences the Linux/macOS release timeline and helps ensure a rock-solid foundation for cross-platform expansion!
Looking Ahead
This C++ rewrite represents the foundation technology for:
Anti-Extinction's full release with enhanced security
Cross-platform expansion to Linux and macOS
Future Furr-Tec projects requiring secure file delivery
Modding support with verified asset delivery
DLC and content updates with delta patching
The old .NET system served us well, but this new architecture positions us for the next generation of secure, cross-platform game delivery. Thanks for being part of this technical evolution!
— Furr-Tec Development Team