> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://axiomemu.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://axiomemu.gitbook.io/docs/tools/configencoder.md). # ConfigEncoder ConfigEncoder packs client configuration into signed, encrypted blobs ConfigEncoder reads three plain-text XML inputs and writes encrypted binary blobs that the client and launcher load at startup. It is the only supported way to update connection details, client-side tunables, and launcher branding after a release has shipped - the client will not load an edited `.xml`. Output files are AES-256-GCM encrypted. The per-file key is derived from the embedded master key (the same master key shared by every AXIOM-EMU binary) and the canonical lowercase filename of the blob, so the client can decrypt any bundle produced by a matching build. ## Tool Location ``` Tools/ConfigEncoder/ ConfigEncoder.exe AxiomConfigEditor.exe (optional GUI) EncoderConfig.xml ServerConfig.xml ClientConfig.xml ``` ### AxiomConfigEditor (optional GUI) `AxiomConfigEditor.exe` is a form editor for the same files. It opens `ClientConfig.xml` and `ServerConfig.xml` from its own folder (or use **Open config folder...**), and also `MapFog.xml` from the client's `Data\Local\` (found through `Output Path` in `EncoderConfig.xml`). **Save** writes the XML files only. **Save + Run ConfigEncoder** saves and then runs `ConfigEncoder.exe` for you. The editor itself never encrypts anything - you can still edit the XML by hand and run ConfigEncoder yourself. ## Inputs All three files live next to `ConfigEncoder.exe` and must be present for a run to succeed. | File | Purpose | | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `EncoderConfig.xml` | Tool settings: output folder, client install root, license key | | `ServerConfig.xml` | ConnectServer IP/port, client `Serial` and `Version` | | `ClientConfig.xml` | Client-side tunables - graphics, interpolation, animation timing, auto-updater, launcher branding, economy caps | ## Outputs Written to the `Output Path` configured in `EncoderConfig.xml` (typically the client's `Data\Local\` folder): | File | Consumer | Contents | | -------------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `ServerInfo.axiom` | Client | ConnectServer IP/port, client serial, client version | | `ClientConfig.axiom` | Client | All tunables from `ClientConfig.xml` | | `UpdateConfig.ini` | Launcher | Plain text. Patch server and the server-status address. Always written | | `LauncherConfig.ini` | Launcher | Branding and launcher UI options (only if a `` block exists) | The C++ servers (GameServer, DataServer, ConnectServer, JoinServer) do **not** read these `.axiom` blobs - they read their own `.dat` / `.ini` files. ### UpdateConfig.ini ConfigEncoder writes this file on every run. The Launcher reads it (the Launcher cannot read `.axiom` files). ```ini [Update] Enabled=1 ; from ServerIP=... ; from ServerPort=80 ; from UseHTTPS=0 ; from [Game] GameServerIP=... ; from ServerConfig.xml GameServerPort=... ; from ServerConfig.xml ``` `[Game]` is only used for the server online/offline status shown in the Launcher. {% hint style="warning" %} The Launcher skips updates unless `Enabled=1`. If the file or the line is missing, updates are **off**. This is on purpose: the updater deletes local files that are not in the patch manifest, so it never runs unless you switch it on. {% endhint %} ## EncoderConfig.xml ```xml ``` | Attribute | Meaning | | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Output Path` | Folder where `ServerInfo.axiom` / `ClientConfig.axiom` (and the optional `.ini`s) are written. Point this at the client's `Data\Local\` directory. | | `DLLIntegrity Path` | Root of the client install. ConfigEncoder computes SHA-256 hashes of the DLLs under this path and embeds them in `ClientConfig.axiom` for the client's integrity check at startup. | | `License Key` | Your portal license key. Recorded here for operator reference (the first 8 chars are printed on each run); the `.axiom` encryption itself uses the embedded master key, not this field. Keep it in sync with the four servers so operators don't get confused about which deployment a bundle belongs to. | ## ServerConfig.xml ```xml ``` | Attribute | Meaning | | ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Connection IP` | Public IP of your ConnectServer - the address the client connects to first. | | `Connection Port` | ConnectServer TCP port. Matches `ConnectServerPortTCP` in `ConnectServer.ini`. | | `Client Serial` | Arbitrary token. Must match `ServerSerial` in every GameServer's `GameServerInfo - Common.dat`. | | `Client Version` | Arbitrary version string. Must match `ServerVersion` in every GameServer's `Common.dat`. | ## ClientConfig.xml Template for the client's runtime configuration. Each top-level block is documented inline in the shipped file. Sections actually read by ConfigEncoder: | Block | Purpose | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `` | `MaxFPS` cap | | `` | FPS-adaptive animation timing (`GlobalDivisor`, `PlayerMultiplier`, `MountMultiplier`, `WingMultiplier`, `EffectBlurDivisor`) | | `` | Visual smoothing between 25Hz logic ticks (master + per-category toggles for Objects, Characters, Effects, Camera) | | `` | Chrome LOD distances and frustum culling cap | | `` | Terrain frustum expansion (widescreen black-corner fix) | | `` | Ground item rendering caps and name distance | | `` | Light beams over valuable drops (excellent, ancient, socket, jewels) | | `` | FXAA, bloom, motion blur, fog, SSAO toggles + tuning, wing shadow opacity | | `` | Client-side zen caps (trade, warehouse, owned, personal shop) | | `` | Patch server host/port/HTTPS toggle | | `` | Item tooltip option colors | | `` | Launcher branding (title, splash, URLs, color palette) | | `` | Bottom hotbar scale | | `` | Discord Rich Presence card shown on players' Discord profiles | | `` | Create Account button on the login box | | `` | Authorized client plugin DLLs, hash-locked at encode time | | `` | `Path` template for screenshot captures (folders created on demand) | | `` | `SortBySoonest` — `1` (default) orders the 'H' event window dynamically (running events first, then countdowns soonest-first, then always-open, then disabled); `0` keeps the classic fixed index order | | `` | Optional `` rows added on top of the built-in DLL list whose hashes get baked into `ClientConfig.axiom` | | `` | `Skin` - look of the new (AxiomUI) windows: `classic` (default, the vanilla look) or `axiom`. Old windows ignore it. An unknown or broken skin falls back to `classic` | | `` | `MaxZoomFOV` - how far the mouse wheel can zoom out, in degrees (default `70`, range `25`-`150`; `35` = normal view). Higher shows more map but stretches the screen edges and costs FPS. Players' last zoom is remembered between sessions | Every value in this file is consumed by the client only. Edit it, re-run ConfigEncoder, and the new `ClientConfig.axiom` replaces the previous one in `Output Path`. The `` `Path` is a printf-style template that must contain exactly five integer placeholders, in order: month, day, hour, minute, per-session counter. Default: ``` ScreenShots\Screen(%02d_%02d-%02d_%02d)-%04d.jpg ``` Relative paths resolve against the client folder; absolute paths work too. Missing folders are created at capture time. A template with the wrong number or type of placeholders is rejected by the client (ConfigEncoder prints a warning) and the default is used. The `` block also writes a plaintext `LauncherConfig.ini` next to the `.axiom` blobs. The `` block goes into the plaintext `UpdateConfig.ini`, which is written on every run (see the `UpdateConfig.ini` section above). Both are read by the Launcher (not the game client). ### Discord Rich Presence Shows a live status card on the Discord profile of every player running the client. | Attribute | Type | Shipped | Effect | | ------------------ | ------ | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Enabled` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Master toggle. `0` disables the card entirely | | `ApplicationID` | string | *(AXIOM's)* | The Discord application this card belongs to. Required when `Enabled="1"` | | `ServerName` | string | `AxiomEMU Demo` | Server name shown on the card | | `ServerWebsite` | string | *(AXIOM's)* | First card button. Must begin with `https://` | | `DiscordInviteURL` | string | *(AXIOM's)* | Second card button. Must begin with `https://` | | `ImageKey` | string | `logo` | Name of an art asset uploaded to the Discord application | | `ShowMap` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Include the player's current map | | `ShowLevel` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Include the character level | | `ShowResets` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Include the reset count | | `ShowGrandResets` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Include the grand reset count | To set this up for your own server: 1. Create an application in the Discord developer portal. 2. Upload your art asset there and use the name you gave it as `ImageKey`. 3. Copy the application's ID into `ApplicationID`. {% hint style="danger" %} The shipped template points at **AXIOM's own Discord application**, name and invite link. Replace `ApplicationID`, `ServerName`, `ServerWebsite` and `DiscordInviteURL` with your own before distributing the client, or set `Enabled="0"`. Button URLs must start with `https://` or Discord silently drops the whole card, and at most two buttons are supported. {% endhint %} ### Login box | Attribute | Type | Parser default | Effect | | --------------------- | ------ | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `CreateAccountButton` | 0 or 1 | `0` | Shows a Create Account button under the login box | | `CreateAccountURL` | string | *(empty)* | Opened in the player's default browser when that button is clicked | `CreateAccountURL` must begin with `http://` or `https://`; anything else suppresses the button. {% hint style="warning" %} The shipped template sets `CreateAccountButton="1"` and points `CreateAccountURL` at AXIOM's demo registration page. Change it to your own registration page before distributing the client. {% endhint %} ### Cash shop Web pages for the Recharge and Gift buttons in the X cash shop. ```xml ``` | Attribute | Type | Parser default | Effect | | ------------- | ------ | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | `RechargeURL` | string | *(empty)* | Opened in the player's default browser when Recharge is clicked | | `GiftURL` | string | *(empty)* | Opened in the player's default browser when Gift is clicked | Both must begin with `http://` or `https://`. Empty or invalid = the button shows the vanilla "not available" box. ### Authorized plugins Optional integrity loader for client-side plugin DLLs. Each entry is one row: ```xml ``` `Name` is a path relative to the client folder, at most 63 characters. At most 8 entries are read. ConfigEncoder hashes each file at encode time and bakes the hash into `ClientConfig.axiom`. The shipped template ships with both example rows commented out, so the loader is inert until you opt in. {% hint style="danger" %} The hash is baked into `ClientConfig.axiom`. If a listed DLL is later missing, replaced, rebuilt, or fails to load, the client shows an integrity error and **refuses to start**. Re-run ConfigEncoder and redistribute `ClientConfig.axiom` every single time a listed plugin changes. Leave the block empty to disable the loader entirely. {% endhint %} ### Block attributes The shipped XML carries inline comments for these blocks. The parser defaults below are what applies when an attribute is **removed** - note that several differ from the value the template ships. {% tabs %} {% tab title="RenderingOptimization" %} | Attribute | Type | Parser default | Shipped | Effect | | ---------------------------- | --------- | -------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `ChromeLOD_CloseDistance` | int tiles | `2` | `3` | Within this distance, characters get full chrome and item effects | | `ChromeLOD_MediumDistance` | int tiles | `5` | `5` | Between close and this distance, chrome is reduced. Beyond it, `ChromeLOD_FarRenderLevel` applies | | `ChromeLOD_FarRenderLevel` | 0-2 | `0` | `0` | Chrome detail kept for distant characters. `0` = none (cheapest) | | `FrustumCulling_MaxDistance` | int tiles | `15` | `17` | Objects beyond this distance are culled regardless of the view frustum | | {% endtab %} | | | | | {% tab title="Frustum2D" %} | Attribute | Type | Shipped | Effect | | ----------------- | ----- | ------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `WidthMultiplier` | float | `1.3` | Widens the terrain frustum. Raise it if widescreen resolutions show black corners | | `DepthMultiplier` | float | `1.5` | Extends the frustum forward | | `ExtraMargin` | float | `20.0` | Flat margin added on top of both multipliers | | {% endtab %} | | | | {% tab title="GroundItems" %} | Attribute | Type | Shipped | Effect | | ------------------- | --------- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `MaxZenCopies` | int | `10` | Cap on rendered zen piles. Extra drops still exist and are pickable, they just are not drawn | | `NameMaxDistance` | int tiles | `12` | Beyond this distance, dropped item names stop being drawn | | `SkipChromeEffects` | 0 or 1 | `1` | `1` skips chrome shine on ground items | | {% endtab %} | | | | {% tab title="PostProcessing" %} | Attribute | Type | Shipped | Effect | | ----------------------- | ------ | --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `EnableFXAA` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Anti-aliasing pass | | `FXAA_SpanMax` | float | `4.0` | Maximum blur span | | `FXAA_ReduceMin` | float | `0.03125` | Lower bound on edge reduction | | `FXAA_ReduceMul` | float | `0.25` | Edge reduction multiplier | | `EnableBloom` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Glow around bright effects (spells, auras, +15 glows, lava). UI is never affected. Players can turn it off with the "Glow" graphics option | | `Bloom_Threshold` | float | `0.72` | Brightness where glow starts. Lower = more things glow. Range 0.5 - 0.95 | | `Bloom_Intensity` | float | `0.45` | Glow strength. Range 0.0 - 2.0 | | `Bloom_BlurPasses` | int | `3` | Glow width. Each pass doubles the reach: `1` = tight rim, `3` = wide soft halo, `4` = very wide. Use 1 - 5. Values outside 1 - 10 are clamped | | `EnableMotionBlur` | 0 or 1 | `0` | Motion blur pass | | `MotionBlur_Strength` | float | `0.15` | Blur strength | | `EnableFog` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Height fog master switch. Fog is thicker low down and thinner on high ground. Per-map fog lives in `MapFog.xml` (see below) | | `Fog_DensityScale` | float | `1.0` | Multiplier over every map's fog `Density`. Turn this down if the whole game feels too hazy. Range 0.0 - 3.0 | | `Fog_SkyDepth` | float | `0.9999` | Depth at or above which a pixel counts as sky. Range 0.99 - 1.0 (above 1.0 or at/below 0 is corrected) | | `Fog_AutoAdaptSeconds` | float | `1.5` | How fast the automatic fog colour follows the screen, on maps that use `AutoColor` in `MapFog.xml`. Lower = faster. Range 0.2 - 6.0 | | `Fog_EmissiveThreshold` | float | `0.60` | Brightness above which a pixel counts as a glowing effect for fog purposes. Must be 0 to below 1.0 | | `Fog_EmissivePreserve` | float | `0.70` | How much glowing effects keep shining through the fog. `0` = fogged like everything else, `1` = not fogged. Range 0.0 - 1.0 | | `EnableSSAO` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Ambient occlusion: darkens creases where objects meet the ground, so monsters and items look placed instead of floating | | `SSAO_Radius` | float | `90.0` | Sample radius in world units (one tile is about 100). Range 30 - 250 | | `SSAO_Intensity` | float | `0.55` | How dark the occlusion gets. Range 0.0 - 1.0. Turn this down first if it looks smudgy | | `SSAO_Bias` | float | `8.0` | Raise it if flat floors show faint noise or banding. Range 2 - 30 | | `SSAO_Power` | float | `1.4` | Contrast of the occlusion. Higher = crisper creases. Range 0.5 - 3.0 | | `SSAO_Samples` | int | `12` | Taps per pixel. More = smoother and slower. Clamped to 4 - 16 | | `Shadow_WingAlpha` | float | `0.35` | Opacity of the wing part of a character's shadow. `1.0` = old solid black slab, `0.0` = no wing shadow. Weapons and shields always cast solid. Clamped to 0.0 - 1.0. Atlans ignores it | Fog and SSAO need a GPU that accepts a depth texture. If it does not, they switch themselves off and the rest keeps working (the client log says "depth TEXTURE attachment rejected"). {% endtab %} {% tab title="LootBeams" %} | Attribute | Type | Shipped | Effect | | ------------------ | ------------- | ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Enable` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Master switch for loot beams. Players can also turn them off with the "Loot Beams" graphics option | | `Excellent` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Beam over excellent drops | | `Ancient` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Beam over ancient (set) drops | | `Socket` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Beam over drops that actually have sockets | | `Jewels` | 0 or 1 | `1` | Beam over jewels (Bless, Soul, Chaos, Life, Creation, Guardian, Gemstone, Harmony, refining stones, jewel packs) | | `Height` | float | `360` | Beam height in world units (one tile is about 100) | | `Width` | float | `48` | Beam width in world units | | `Intensity` | float | `0.8` | Brightness, 0.0 - 2.0. Beams also feed the bloom glow | | `ColorExcellent` | `R,G,B` 0-255 | `26,255,128` | Excellent beam colour | | `ColorAncient` | `R,G,B` 0-255 | `61,89,255` | Ancient beam pillar colour | | `ColorAncientCore` | `R,G,B` 0-255 | `0,255,0` | Ancient beam core colour | | `ColorSocket` | `R,G,B` 0-255 | `179,102,255` | Socket beam colour | | `ColorJewel` | `R,G,B` 0-255 | `255,204,77` | Jewel beam colour | Ordinary drops never get a beam. An item that fits several groups uses the tooltip order: ancient, then socket, then excellent. Default colours match the item name colours. {% endtab %} {% tab title="Economy" %} | Attribute | Type | Shipped | Effect | | ---------------------- | ---- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | `MaxTradeZen` | int | `4999999999` | Client-side cap on zen entered into a trade | | `MaxWarehouseZen` | int | `500000000000` | Cap on warehouse zen | | `MaxOwnedZen` | int | `100000000000` | Cap on zen a character may carry | | `MaxPersonalShopPrice` | int | `100000000000` | Cap on a personal shop price | These are display and input limits only. The server enforces its own caps; set these to match or players will be able to type values the server then rejects. {% endtab %} {% tab title="Animation" %} | Attribute | Type | Shipped | Effect | | ------------------- | ----- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `GlobalDivisor` | int | `45` | Base divisor for FPS-adaptive animation timing. Lower = faster animation overall | | `PlayerMultiplier` | float | `1.0` | Per-category scale for player animation | | `MountMultiplier` | float | `1` | Per-category scale for mounts | | `WingMultiplier` | float | `0.8` | Per-category scale for wing flap | | `EffectBlurDivisor` | int | `30` | Divisor for effect trail/blur timing | | {% endtab %} | | | | | {% endtabs %} | | | | ## MapFog.xml (per-map fog, colour grade and bloom) ``` \Data\Local\MapFog.xml ``` Per-map look settings live in this plain XML file in the **client** folder, not in `ClientConfig.xml`. It is **not encoded**: edit it, restart the client, and the change shows. No ConfigEncoder run is needed. `AxiomConfigEditor.exe` can edit it too. ```xml ``` | Element | Meaning | | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `` | `0` turns post-process fog off on every map, without re-encoding the client config | | `` | Values used by every map that has no `` row | | `` | Override for map number `N`. Anything it does not set comes from `` | Each `` / `` row can set fog (`Color`, `AutoColor`, `Density`, `HeightFalloff`, `BaseHeight`, `MaxOpacity`, `SkyOpacity`, `StartDistance`, `AmbientTint`), sun tint (`SunColor`, `SunAzimuth`, `SunElevation`, `SunExponent`, `SunAmount`), contact shadows, colour grade (`Grade`, `GradeSharpen`, `GradeContrast`, `GradeSaturation`, `GradeWarmth`, `GradeVignette`) and per-map `Bloom` strength. Every attribute is optional and explained in the comment at the top of the shipped file. The global switches stay in `ClientConfig.xml`: `EnableFog`, `Fog_DensityScale`, `EnableBloom` and the rest of ``. If `MapFog.xml` is missing or broken, the client uses built-in values and writes a `MapFog -` line to its log. ## Usage 1. Edit the three XML files in `Tools\ConfigEncoder\`. 2. Run `ConfigEncoder.exe` from its own folder. It takes no command-line arguments. 3. The tool writes the output blobs directly into `Output Path` - no manual copy. Re-run ConfigEncoder any time you change `ServerConfig.xml` or `ClientConfig.xml`. The client reads the blobs on startup; editing the XML alone has no effect. {% hint style="warning" %} **Re-encode after every client update.** The client only accepts a `ClientConfig.axiom` of the exact size it expects. A file made by an older ConfigEncoder is rejected: the client logs `ClientConfig.axiom is N bytes but this client expects M` and uses its built-in defaults for **all** settings (your Discord card, login button, beams, etc. silently go back to defaults). Update `ConfigEncoder.exe` together with the client, then re-run it. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} For end-to-end setup - where ConfigEncoder fits between editing your XML and launching the servers - see [Launching Your Server](/docs/guides/launch-server.md). {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} Keep `License Key` in `EncoderConfig.xml` in sync with every server's `LicenseKey`. The `.axiom` encryption itself does not depend on this field, but tracking it here avoids confusion about which deployment a bundle was built for. {% endhint %}