Skyrim Android 0.23 adds custom GPU drivers
Skyrim Android 0.23 is out and adds custom GPU driver selection to ttom795’s unofficial Android project. It targets the original 2011 PC release, with an APK, a graphics settings launcher and touch controls.
This is a different approach from the Switch based Skyrim project we previously covered. Here, the starting point is the original Windows game.
And another technical explanation
The project uses static recompilation to convert the game’s x86 code into code compiled for ARM64. It recompiles TESV.exe and several supporting libraries instead of reconstructing Bethesda’s original source code.
A patched dxvk-native translates Direct3D 9 graphics into Vulkan, while the project supplies Windows API replacements. SDL2 handles the window, input and audio, with XAudio2 reimplemented on top. this is a recompilation with compatibility code, not an official Android source port.
Version 0.23 adds driver ZIP importing through libadrenotools, and lets you select a compatible custom driver or keep the system driver. Driver compatibility still depends on the GPU, meaning there are no guarantees when it comes to stability and performance.
The preceding 0.22 update added a full touch controller, including movement and camera sticks, triggers and shoulder buttons. Physical controllers are also supported.
You need the original PC version
The requirements are Android 9 or newer, ARM64, Vulkan 1.1, at least 3 GB of RAM and around 7 GB of free storage. You need your own Skyrim installation matching Steam version 1.9.32.0.8, its Data folder and the executable and DLL files specified in the instructions. Setup also requires an unpacked executable, so installing the APK alone is not enough.
Special Edition will not work. DLC and mods remain untested.
There are other limitations as well. Music and voices stored in xWMA format are currently silent, and the developer reports low performance on the tested Adreno 610 hardware. The launcher offers resolution and detail adjustments, but we have not tested this build ourselves.
Links
M.J.