PulseDepot

PulseDepot is the mod manager for the PC (Steam) releases of FINAL FANTASY XIII and XIII-2. It installs mods made with CrystalWorkshop, and older Nova Chrysalia mod packages, without editing your game archives or your save files.

Beta

This is the first public build. It is tested in game and passed automated tests on Linux and under Wine, but it has not been tested on a real Windows PC. Mods never change your save files. Report problems with the files listed under Troubleshooting.

How it works

• A shard (.cws) is a mod made with CrystalWorkshop. It stores the mod’s changes as differences from your own game files, plus optional native code (“units”) that Crux loads.
• PulseDepot keeps your mod list, checks it, and merges every enabled mod into one Crux image, active.crximg.
• Crux is the mod host the game loads. It serves the image’s files to the game while it runs and loads the mods’ units. PulseDepot picks the right build and installs it when you apply. See Crux.

The guide, step by step

Install PulseDepotWindows, or Linux with Steam Play (Proton).

1. First setupPick the game, its folder and how Crux runs.

2. Install shard mods (.cws)Add CrystalWorkshop shards and read their details.

3. Install Nova Chrysalia mods (.ncmp)Older mod packages, also as .zip.

4. Order, enable and resolve conflictsLater mods win; see who overrides whom.

5. Review and applyBuild the Crux image, then install it.

6. Launch the gameSteam, the Game launcher, Proton and offline play.

7. Update and remove modsNew versions, downgrades and removals.

8. UninstallRemove every mod, Crux and PulseDepot itself.

Requirements

• The Steam release of FINAL FANTASY XIII and/or XIII-2. LIGHTNING RETURNS is in the game list, but no LR mods ship with this release: treat LR support as experimental.
• Microsoft Store versions: only XIII-2, and only as an experiment: PulseDepot cannot start Store games yet. See Compatibility.
• Windows: 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 with Direct3D 12 or Vulkan drivers.
• Linux: x86_64 with a Vulkan or OpenGL driver. The games run through Steam Play (Proton).
• NovaFix is optional. With NovaFix, Crux runs as its addon. Without it, Crux runs as version.dll beside the game executable.
• Only for mods that change game scripts: a 64-bit JDK 17 or newer (java and javac, not just a Java runtime). No Java is bundled. See Script mods and Java.

Download

PulseDepot

v0.1.0-betaBetaAppXIIIXIII-2LR2026-10-21

SteamMicrosoft Storeexperimental

Windows

File

pulsedepot-0.1.0-beta-windows-x86_64.zip

Size

13.8 MB

Platform

Windows 10/11 x64 · Steam, Microsoft Store (experimental)

SHA-256

e18e9d78874f219ce015a2dae8f4c3135405526dcff074a732b267be9766f7a3Copy

Virus scans

VirusTotal 0/53 MetaDefender 0/21 Kaspersky: no verdictSecurity and scans

Requirements

• PulseDepot: Windows 10/11 x64; D3D12 or Vulkan
• The game: Steam
• Script mods and script editing: A JDK 17 or newer (not bundled), e.g. Eclipse Temurin

Download for WindowsDocumentationChangelog

Linux

File

pulsedepot-0.1.0-beta-linux-x86_64.zip

Size

15.6 MB

Platform

Linux x86_64 · Steam, Microsoft Store (experimental)

SHA-256

20cb10b259c9512863d27e0504d6fdb1de7b3f448be45cf711b0124a3d5336c7Copy

Virus scans

VirusTotal 0/68 MetaDefender 0/21 Kaspersky: no verdictSecurity and scans

Requirements

• PulseDepot: x86_64; Vulkan or OpenGL
• The game: Steam with Proton. The standalone Crux needs the launch option WINEDLLOVERRIDES="version=n,b" %command%
• Script mods and script editing: A JDK 17 or newer from your distribution (not bundled)

Download for LinuxDocumentationChangelog

Report a problemSuggest a featureOpens a form on GitHub, prefilled for PulseDepot v0.1.0-beta.

What is in the package

File	What it is
pulsedepot.exe / pulsedepot	PulseDepot (64-bit Windows / x86_64 Linux).
Crux/Crux.dll	Crux as a NovaFix addon (32-bit, loaded by the game).
Crux/version.dll	Crux standalone (32-bit). It forwards every Windows version.dll call to the system copy.
Crux/CRUX-MANIFEST.json	Size and SHA-256 of both Crux builds. PulseDepot checks them before it installs one.
Crux/Crux.ini.example	Starting Crux settings for a new setup.
Vineflower 1.12.0 jar	The Java decompiler used to merge script mods. Nothing to download.
Start-PulseDepot.cmd, Check-Java.cmd (Windows) / start-pulsedepot.sh, check-java.sh (Linux)	Start PulseDepot with JAVA_HOME’s JDK, or show the Java it will use.
docs/	The guide and its screenshots.
LICENSE, THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.txt, licenses/	The licence and the third-party notices. See Legal.

Known issues (beta)

• Not code-signed and no installer.
• Not yet tested on a real Windows PC.
• The Linux build is a native x86_64 binary, not an AppImage. Its runtime has been tested less than the Windows build’s.
• PulseDepot never removes Crux itself (see Uninstall).
• LIGHTNING RETURNS appears in the game list, but no LR mod ships with this release.
• Only the ▲/▼ buttons reorder the list (no drag and drop).