**This project is currently seeking help! To learn what coding help we need or to apply as a tester, tag @lordmonoxide in the #severed-chains channel of the LoD Discord server.

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Press Kit for journalists – Coming Soon!

Project Summary

Severed Chains is an unofficial port of Legend of Dragoon for PC and SteamDeck, created by Monoxide. Unlike emulation, a native port removes the boundaries typically present. The game runs faster, leaner, and has breakout modding capabilities. Experience the game in 4K, 60FPS, and true widescreen for the first time. Try out a party that doesn’t include Dart! Get a feel for many quality-of-life improvements, as well as accessibility options.

Please note that Severed Chains only works with the North American release of the game at this time. After the next major release, the devteam will look into supporting the other regional releases.

Useful Links

• PC Setup Guide (SteamDeck Setup)
• Mods
• Known Issues
• Github Repository

Gallery

Features

>>> Click or tap to expand Full List of Features <<<

Core

• Fast loading speed
• Unlimited save slots
• Full mouse support in menus
• Keyboard and controller input (1800+ controllers supported)
• Campaigns
  • Separate saves for different playthroughs
  • Different settings and mods per campaign
• Lots of bug fixes
• Rumble – adjust intensity up/down
• Quit to Title
• Pause, Frame Advance
• Free Camera (Battle and World Map)

Visuals & Audio

• 4K+ Native Resolution
• 60 FPS (except Battle)
• Fullscreen (Borderless)
• True Widescreen (Battle, World Map)
• Improved Animations
• High-Quality Projection
• Expanded Submaps (BGs that are longways can sometimes fill a widescreen monitor)
• Improved Audio
• Volume Slider – Music (keeps other sounds including ambience active)
• Menu – centered text for main selections

Accessibility & Quality-of-Life

• Game Saves
  • Save points optional
  • unlimited slots; more stable than save states
  • Save on almost every map.
• Quick Text & Auto-Advance Dialog
• Increased Game Speed (fast-forward, press-and-hold turbo)
• Skip FMVs

Battle

• Additions
  • Swap combos mid-battle
  • View completion count
  • Widened input window (easier to land the hits)
  • Disable square guides (tougher)
  • Automatic Additions
• Dragoons
  • D-Magic descriptions fixed
  • Track D’Level / SP progress on post-battle screen
  • De-transform early
  • Automatic D-attacks
• Items
  • Item stacking (i.e. 10 Healing Potions = 1 slot)
• Item Magic
  • throw effects now colored for all elements.
  • Can be set to Automatic or “while button is held down.”
• Widescreen
  • Supports 16:9, 21:9, etc.
• Other
  • Encounter Rate: Retail (bugged), Average (fixed), Intended (higher), or None
  • Damage cap removed (10,000+)
  • HP Bars
  • All characters can perform boss finishers (place in slot 1)
  • Disable status effects
  • Unlock Party – Dart Optional; Solo; Duo
  • Transition Speed (normal, fast, instant)
  • 1-9999 item slots
  • Bench EXP multiplier (0%-100% of active split; retail is 50%)
  • Display Turn Order

Modding API (Custom code, asset replacement, et cetera)

• Editable game files
• Fonts
• Weapons (incl. 3D models)
• Characters
• Randomization
• Items & Equipment
• Much more!

Miscellaneous

• Recolor: battle bar BG, addy guide squares, addy counterattack effect, dialog boxes
• Optional integration with Discord (disable in Discord settings)
• Fixed Stealing interactions for Crafty Thief / Spring Hitter
• Debuggers:
  • Map teleporting
  • Start any battle at any time. Edit ally/enemy stats during battle.
  • Choose what battle stage you want to fight on
  • Submaps: change model and particle source size, position, rotation, and collision status
  • GameState Editor (gold, items, party members, Goods, Keep Lavitz/Shana, et cetera)

Roadmap

The next version, Severed Chains 3.0, is expected to release ASAP following unforeseen delays. It features a massive graphics overhaul: 4K native resolution, 60 frames per second, fullscreen, and optional widescreen support. There will also be many other improvements such as: Dart being an optional party member, accessibility improvements, and numerous bugfixes. All of this is in the rolling devbuild linked at the top of this page.

Build 4 will focus on the modding API, allowing more types of mods to be created. Thus far, it is confirmed to include support for script modding (any language, not just English).

Build 5 will focus on adding 60FPS support for battle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Severed Chains available to download and play?
A: Yes. View the Setup Guide linked above.

Q: Does it come with all the game files / isos / roms?
A: No. Users must supply their own legal copy of the game (see last question about legal matters). Severed Chains is only a revised game engine; it cannot function without your legal copy present.

Q: Does Severed Chains change the gameplay?
A: No, generally speaking. Apart from core improvements like bugfixes, better rendering, and reduced load times, changes to the game will only be present via mods and settings that a player must opt into.

Q: Can I bring over my savefiles from emulator, or an older version of SC?
A: Yes! Starting with RB3 and current devbuilds, emulator savefiles and PS1-ripped savefiles can be placed in the “/saves” directory. SC will convert them next time you open it. Old SC saves are forward compatible. However, saves from a newer version of SC won’t work with an older version of SC.

Q: Do I still need a PS1 bios file?
A: Nope! 🙂

Q: When can we expect a given feature or mod to be added?
A: It is hard to create predictable timelines for each component of Severed Chains, as the team is very small and it is a volunteer project. You can follow the latest updates in the LoD Discord server‘s #severed-chains channel or study the Issues section of our Github repository.

Q: I saw someone playing Severed Chains. How come I can’t find an option for XYZ feature this person showcased?
A: It depends. Perhaps you missed the setting in the options – though we try to keep it simple and clear along with helper hints for many options. It’s also possible this person is using a fork of SC, a mod, or an external tool. (mouse-over for explanations of each). If you can, ask the person how they got it – else check with the devteam in the #severed-chains channel of the LoD Discord server.

Q: Why isn’t this considered emulation?
A: The general purpose of emulators is to act as a platform that imitates the original hardware – how it works, the processing power it can use, et cetera. This is why, although LoD can run with many improvements through Beetle or Duckstation, it still doesn’t have faster loading times even with overkill processors and graphics cards. By contrast, Severed Chains doesn’t try to imitate the PS1 at all. This allows for many enhancements that are either not feasible or borderline impossible with standard emulation.

Q: I’m a coder and I want to help. What do you need?
A: Generally speaking, it depends on the moment. Please check in with Monoxide in the #severed-chains channel of the LoD Discord server. If you are experienced and willing to do the work, check in on Discord first and we’ll go from there.

Q: How long has this project been in development? What is the history/timeline?
A: Monoxide began the decompilation process in December 2020. In August of 2022, the game was starting to be playable. At that time, development was opened up to the community and made open-source. The first Stable release came out some months later. Stable release #2 was deployed in July 2023 with almost all retail features in place. Stable release #3 has been in development since then, and is nearing completion.

Q: Is this project legal? Can I get in trouble for using it?
A: Yes, the project is legal. Illegality comes from rebuilding the game via leaked source code or making fan games that don’t rely on a legal copy to run. This project uses reverse-engineered assembly code and creates a new game engine out of it, but still relies on a legal copy of LoD to run. Therefore, you cannot get in trouble for downloading and using the Severed Chains platform. Your disc image files or “roms” must be obtained by making legal backups of a physical copy that you own. We will not provide downloads of LoD disc images.