Arkham Sword — Half Sword mod prototype scaffold

Status: prototype scaffold only — not a working Batman port.

This project captures the first implementation milestone for the proposed mod:

• target game: Half Sword Early Access (Unreal Engine 5.4.4, verify your installed build)
• target loader: UE4SS, subject to compatibility checks against the exact game version
• target experience: control Batman in Half Sword's existing world
• enemy requirement: retain native Half Sword AI, weapons, and physics
• intended later features: Arkham-style combat, counters, dodges, takedowns, and gadgets

Important technical boundary

Batman: Arkham Knight's gameplay code and assets cannot simply be loaded into Half Sword. This scaffold deliberately does not include extracted copyrighted game assets, pretend-to-work character files, or unverified game hooks. It is a starting point for inspecting the actual installed game and testing the smallest safe integration step.

First test

1. Back up your Half Sword save and game files.
2. Confirm you are using the Steam Early Access build, not the old Demo/Playtest.
3. Install a UE4SS release that explicitly supports your installed Half Sword build, following its official instructions.
4. Copy the ArkhamSword folder into UE4SS's Mods directory and enable it in the loader's mod list if the installed loader version uses that layout.
5. Launch the game and inspect the UE4SS log for the marker ArkhamSword prototype loaded.
6. This only verifies that the prototype script is discovered and executed. It does not add Batman or alter combat.

Do not install this in a live game folder until you have backed it up. If UE4SS is not already working, establish a known-good UE4SS setup before testing this mod.

Development milestones

1. Loader smoke test — confirm the mod script is discovered.
2. Runtime inspection — identify the actual player pawn, animation system, damage/physics interaction, and spawn pipeline in the installed build.
3. Character feasibility — test a user-owned/licensed model or a permitted placeholder rig for skeleton compatibility. Do not redistribute extracted Arkham assets.
4. Combat vertical slice — one Batman-style strike that interacts with a real Half Sword enemy without replacing enemy AI/physics.
5. Expansion — combos, counters, dodges, takedowns, then gadgets.
6. Packaging and publishing — only after repeatable in-game tests and a clear asset-permission review.

Publishing

This archive is source scaffolding only. It is not ready to list as a playable mod on Melty.gg or any other platform. No publication has been attempted.