ext5demon/donut-spider

Donut Spider is an experimental piece of software that lets certain GameMaker-engine games run on a PlayStation 3 console, even though those games were never officially released for that hardware. GameMaker is a tool developers use to build 2D games, and this project acts as a runner that reads the game's compiled bytecode and plays it back on the PS3. The current build specifically targets a version of that bytecode format called WAD 17 and is designed to work within the PS3's limited memory. The README is upfront that this is pre-alpha test software. It is playable in some cases but is described as not accurate or stable enough to be considered finished, and it warns users to back up their game saves before trying it. Importantly, the project does not include any actual games, game files, or extracted commercial assets. Users must supply their own legally obtained copy of a supported game, including its main data file and a texture bundle specific to the PS3 build. Installing it requires a PS3 that has been modified to run custom software, known as CFW or HEN. Once installed, the program lets you browse to a game file using the console's controller and launch it. Every session writes a detailed log to the console's hard drive, recording things like the selected game, memory usage over time, and why the session ended, which helps with reporting bugs. Known problems listed in the README include broken transparency in some captured graphics, frame rate drops during intense scenes, and incomplete support for some games or specific game features even within the supported WAD version. Building the project from source requires a specific PS3 development toolchain, CMake, and Python, and there is also a desktop build option for testing changes without needing PS3 hardware. The project builds on two earlier open-source projects, Butterscotch4PS3 and Butterscotch, and its source code is released under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.