Fairlight PC-Port

PC port of Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness developed with Godot.

About the project

This project is a PC port of the classic isometric adventure games Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness, originally released for 8-bit systems in the mid-1980s.

The port has been developed from scratch, with all the programming work carried out specifically for this version, with the aim of:

• Preserving and showcasing Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness for modern platforms
• Making both games accessible on current operating systems
• Allowing fans and developers to explore, study, and experiment with the code
• Contributing to the preservation and dissemination of two important historical titles

Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness were originally developed in the 1980s for 8-bit home computers, including ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW and Commodore 64. Both games are considered landmark titles of the isometric adventure genre, notable for their advanced game engine, systemic design, and technical ambition on very limited hardware.

This PC port of Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness has been developed by organizing the game progression into three distinct chapters. The first chapter, A Prelude, includes the full content of the original Fairlight game. The second chapter, A Trail of Darkness, covers the first part of Fairlight II. Finally, the third chapter, A Quest in the Shadows, is based on the content of the second part of Fairlight II, extending and completing the narrative arc of the original games.

For reference and historical context, full walkthroughs of the original games can be found online:

• Fairlight – A Prelude (original version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWe7dhAWF-A
• Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness (original version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK3L46D6S7A

A video showing the final result of this PC port is also available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhGVymi0Aoo . This video demonstrates the current state of the project, including gameplay, visuals, and overall behaviour of the PC port.

The project is published with the explicit permission of EDGE Games, Inc., respecting all rights related to the original games.

Screenshots

Splash Screen	Start room (Chapter 1)	Carnivore plants (Chapter 1)
Entry to cave (Chapter 1)	Outdoor bridge (Chapter 2)	Forbidden City (Chapter 2)
Entry to Dark Lord Castle (Chapter 3)	Flying on a magic carpet (Chapter 3)	Using a magic crystal (Chapter 3)

Technology

• Engine: Godot 4.5
• Platform: PC (Windows binaries provided)
• Programming: Original implementation developed for this PC port

Project scope

This repository includes:

• The full source code of the PC port
• The game assets used in this version, covering both Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness
• Build configurations and project files for Godot

The project is made available for educational, preservation, and development purposes, and follows a custom source-available license. Please read the LICENSE.txt file carefully before using the code or assets.

License

This project is released under a custom Source-Available License.

• The code may be studied, modified, and reused, including for commercial purposes, provided that it is not used in connection with Fairlight – A Prelude or Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness and does not include any Fairlight-related content.
• All Fairlight-related content (game design, graphics, names, levels, story, etc., from both Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness) remains the exclusive property of EDGE Games, Inc. and may not be used for commercial purposes.

See the LICENSE.txt file for the full license terms.

⚠️ Important notice

Any redistribution of the Software or parts thereof that include Fairlight Content must literally include, without any modification, an informational document containing the following notice:

“Fairlight and Fairlight II are registered trademarks of EDGE Games, Inc., all rights reserved.
All Fairlight game design and graphic design are copyright EDGE Games, Inc. and may not be used for commercial purposes other than by EDGE Games, Inc.
Anyone is welcome to explore this code and assets and improve on it, or create alternate versions of it.
You are invited to submit any work you do on this code and assets to EDGE Games through its website (https://www.edgegames.com).”

How to use this repository

This section explains how to obtain the source code, open the project in Godot, and run or explore the PC port.

1️⃣ Clone the repository

Clone the repository from GitHub:

git clone https://github.com/j-pastor/fairlight.git

Alternatively, you can download the repository as a ZIP file using Code → Download ZIP on GitHub.

2️⃣ Open the project in Godot

This project has been developed using Godot 4.5.

• Download and install Godot 4.5 from the official website: 👉 https://godotengine.org/download
• Launch Godot and select Import.
• Choose the folder where you cloned or extracted the repository.
• Godot will automatically detect the project.godot file and import the project.

3️⃣ Run the project

Once the project is open in Godot:

• Open the main scene (if it is not already set).
• Press F5 or click Run Project.
• The game should start and run directly from the editor.

4️⃣ Explore and modify the code

The repository is intended to be explored, studied, and experimented with:

• Scripts are written in GDScript.
• Scenes and assets are organized by functionality.
• The project structure is suitable for learning, experimentation, and further development.

⚠️ Important While the code may be reused and adapted, any reuse of Fairlight – A Prelude or Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness content is subject to the limitations described in the LICENSE.txt file.

5️⃣ Exporting / building the project

To build your own executable using Godot:

1. Open Project → Export.
2. Configure the desired platform (Windows, Linux, macOS).
3. Make sure the appropriate export templates for Godot 4.5 are installed.
4. Export the project.

ℹ️ Notes

• ✔️ Compiled executables for Windows, Linux, and macOS are provided separately for convenience.
• ✔️ This repository is intended for educational, preservation, and development purposes.
• ✔️ Please read the license carefully before redistributing the project or its contents.

Need help?

If you are new to Godot or GitHub projects, you can:

• Open the project in read-only mode and explore the scenes.
• Use the compiled executables instead of building the project.
• Consult the official Godot documentation: https://docs.godotengine.org

Credits

• **Original games: Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness: EDGE Games, Inc.
• PC port development: Juan-Antonio Pastor-Sánchez
• Music and sound effects: All music and sound effects included in this project are distributed under the Pixabay License.
• Engine: Godot Engine

Acknowledgements

• EDGE Games, Inc. for their availability, good faith, and support in making this project publicly available under clear and respectful terms.
• Bo Jangeborg, original creator and programmer of Fairlight, for taking the time to review this PC port and for sharing his opinions, insights, and constructive comments.
• Thanks to Richard Jordan, whose Fairlight PC demo showed that a PC port was possible and encouraged me to pursue this project.

This project is shared with the hope that it will be useful to fans, researchers, and developers, and that it will help keep Fairlight – A Prelude and Fairlight II – A Trail of Darkness alive as part of video game history.

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