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Overview

Windows is the largest PC gaming market. This guide walks you through creating a Windows build of your game. Time to complete: 10-15 minutes (first time)
Good news: Windows export is simpler than macOS! No bundle identifiers or code signing complexities (unless you want them).

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Prerequisites

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Enable S3TC BPTC Texture Compression

Windows graphics cards use S3TC/BPTC texture compression.
1

Open Project Settings

Go to Project → Project Settings in the menu bar
2

Navigate to Textures

Rendering → Textures → VRAM Compression
3

Enable S3TC BPTC

Toggle Import S3TC BPTC to On
4

Wait for Reimport

Summer will reimport all textures (1-5 minutes)Progress shown in bottom status bar. Keep Summer open during this.
Also releasing on Mac? Enable Import ETC2 ASTC too. Both formats can coexist - just enable them both at once to avoid re-importing twice.

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Creating a Windows Export Preset

1

Open Export Menu

Go to Project → Export in the menu bar
2

Add Windows Preset

Click Add… → Select Windows DesktopYou’ll see the Windows export configuration panel.
3

Configure Settings

Windows is simpler than Mac - most defaults work fine!
Binary Format:
  • Architecture: x86_64 ✅ (64-bit, modern Windows)
    • Don’t use x86_32 (32-bit) unless you have a specific reason
    • 64-bit supports more RAM and is standard for games
Embed PCK:
  • On ✅ - Creates single .exe file (easier distribution)
  • Off - Creates .exe + .pck file (slightly faster loading)
For Steam and itch.io: Use Embed PCK: On for single-file distribution. Players prefer downloading one file.
Debug Settings:
  • Export Console Wrapper:
    • Debug Only ✅ - Recommended for testing (shows console output in test builds)
    • No - For final release
    • Debug and Release - If you want console output in released game
Application:
  • Icon: (Optional) Browse to a .ico file for your game’s Windows icon
  • Company Name: Your studio name
  • Product Name: Your game’s name
  • File Description: Brief game description
  • Copyright: Copyright text (e.g., ”© 2024 Your Studio”)

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Exporting Your Windows Game

1

Set Export Path

Click the folder icon next to Export PathChoose where to save (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\MyGame.exe)
2

Click Export Project

Bottom right: Export Project…
3

Wait for Export

Takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Progress bar shows status.
4

Done!

Your Windows game is ready!

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Testing Your Windows Build

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Test on Your PC First

  1. Navigate to export location
  2. Double-click MyGame.exe
  3. If Windows Defender SmartScreen appears:
    • Click More info
    • Click Run anyway
    • This is normal for unsigned executables
The SmartScreen warning appears because your game isn’t code signed. This is normal during development and for itch.io releases. Steam-distributed games don’t show this warning.

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Test on a Different Windows PC

Critical for catching issues! Test on:
  • ✅ A friend’s PC
  • ✅ A clean Windows install (virtual machine works)
  • ✅ Windows 10 AND Windows 11 (if possible)
What to verify:
  • Game launches without errors
  • Graphics render correctly
  • Audio works (no crackling or silence)
  • Controls work (keyboard, mouse, gamepad)
  • Windowed and fullscreen modes work
  • Save files persist after closing

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Code Signing (Optional)

Code signing removes the Windows Defender SmartScreen warning. Do you need it?
Publishing ToCode Signing Recommended?
Steam❌ No - Steam handles it
itch.io❌ No - Players expect unsigned indie games
Direct download✅ Yes - Improves trust, prevents warnings

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How to Code Sign (Advanced)

Requirements:
  • EV Code Signing Certificate (~$400/year from DigiCert, Sectigo, etc.)
  • signtool.exe (included with Windows SDK)
Process:
  1. Export your game as .exe
  2. Sign the exe with signtool: 
    signtool sign /f "YourCert.pfx" /p "password" /tr http://timestamp.digicert.com /td sha256 /fd sha256 MyGame.exe
  3. Distribute the signed exe
Code signing is expensive ($400/year minimum). Only worth it if you’re doing direct downloads (not Steam/itch.io).For your first game release, skip code signing and use Steam or itch.io instead.

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Export Formats

Summer Engine can export Windows games in different formats:
  • Export as: MyGame.exe
  • Embed PCK: On
  • Best for: Steam, itch.io, direct downloads
  • Players get: One file to run

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Executable + Data Pack

  • Export as: MyGame.exe
  • Embed PCK: Off
  • Best for: Faster loading times (minor difference)
  • Players get: MyGame.exe + MyGame.pck (must keep both files together)

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ZIP Archive

  • Export as: MyGame.zip
  • Best for: Manual distribution
  • Contains: All game files in compressed archive
For most games: Use single executable with Embed PCK enabled. It’s the most user-friendly option.

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Common Windows-Specific Issues

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”VCRUNTIME140.dll not found”

Cause: Missing Visual C++ Runtime on user’s PC. Solution:
  • Most Windows PCs already have this
  • For clean installs, users can download from Microsoft
  • Summer Engine exports include these by default

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Graphics Not Working

Possible causes:
  • Outdated GPU drivers
  • Missing DirectX 11 (Windows 7/8)
  • Integrated Intel GPU (may need settings adjustment)
Solution: Have users update GPU drivers from manufacturer website.

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Game Runs Slowly on Windows

Check:
  • Are you running in Debug mode? Export as Release for final version
  • Is the user’s PC below minimum specs?
  • Profile performance in editor first (Debug → Profiler)

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File Size Optimization

Typical Windows export sizes:
  • Small 2D: 60-120 MB
  • Medium 3D: 220-450 MB
  • Large 3D: 600 MB - 2 GB
Summer Engine runtime on Windows: ~70MB To reduce size:
  1. Compress audio: Use Ogg Vorbis instead of WAV
  2. Optimize textures: Ensure S3TC BPTC is enabled (you did this!)
  3. Remove debug symbols: Export as Release, not Debug
  4. Strip unused resources: Clean unused assets from project before export

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Next Steps

Now that you have a Windows build:

Test Your Build

Verify everything works on a clean PC

Publish to Steam

Upload to Steam for maximum reach

Publish to itch.io

Quick indie publishing with no approval process

Export for macOS

Add Mac support to reach more players
Need help? Discord • X/Twitter @SummerEngineCom • founders@summerengine.com