A modding app and command-line toolkit for Dead Rising 2: Case Zero and Dead Rising 2: Case West (Xbox 360), built for their Xenon recompilations. Browse the games, make your own weapons and combo weapons, edit textures and models, change levels, and package your work as mods.
Development handoff — October 15, 2026: the original developer has stopped active development. Contributors are welcome. The handoff checklist links 30 issues with known bugs, unfinished work, research and future plans.
Install · First launch · First mod · Weapons and combos · Level editing · Sharing mods · Troubleshooting
| What you want to do | What Studio provides | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Create a weapon | A wizard with your own .glb model or a sample sword, borrowed moves, adjustable damage/durability, fire/freeze/shock, an inventory icon and names |
Make a weapon |
| Create a combo weapon | Choose two ingredients, the resulting custom weapon, combo-card text and a generated or custom card picture | Combo weapon steps |
| Make custom effects | Recolour or resize particles, change their lifetime and pictures, and put a new effect on your weapon | Effects |
| Recolour outfits and objects | Texture thumbnails, editing in your image editor, automatic re-import and live mod previews | First texture mod |
| Edit or replace models | Textured 3D previews, Blender export/import, rigs, skin weights and validation | Edit a model, new meshes |
| Edit levels | Move/add/remove items, change zombie spawns, place prefabs such as save points and workbenches, and edit existing buildings | Maps, level editing |
| Change sounds and text | Preview/export audio, replace music/voices/effects through the recomps, edit strings/translations and text files | Audio, text |
| Explore and export assets | Library groups, search, model/texture/rig links, variants, animation playback/export, zone exports and Case West movie previews | Browsing, Library |
| Use the other game's content | Import items between CZ/CW and supported Case West zombie types into Case Zero; both source games are required | Cross-game imports |
| Share and manage mods | .dr2mod packages, install previews, enable/disable, load order, conflicts, mod sets and ▶ Play |
Mod packages |
Weapon creation uses an existing weapon's behavior and animations as a starting point. The tools are implemented, but some gameplay checks remain unfinished, including custom icon/card checks and parts of the Case West weapon workflow. Effects and hand-placement previews also have known limitations. See known issues before attempting whole-map imports.
- Python 3.11 or newer and Git for the source installation below.
- Your own legally obtained Case Zero and/or Case West game data: a recomp's
assets/gamefolder, an unpacked game folder, or the game's Xbox 360 XBLA package. - A compatible Case Zero recomp or Case West recomp to play through Studio. Install and set up the recomp separately; Studio does not include a game or runtime. Browsing/exporting only needs the game data.
- Optional: Blender 4.2+ for making/editing models, and an image editor such as GIMP, Krita, Paint.NET or Photoshop for textures.
Studio targets Windows, Linux and macOS. Release packaging has been built and tried on Linux; Windows/macOS package validation remains open. There are no published GitHub releases as of October 15, 2026, so use source installation. Future packaged builds will appear on the Releases page; the installation guide describes their layout.
Clone the repository and create a virtual environment:
git clone https://github.com/wivi514/DR2-Studio.git
cd DR2-Studio
python -m venv .venvOn Linux/macOS, use python3 if python is unavailable. On Windows, py -3 can be
used to create the environment instead.
Activate it on Windows PowerShell:
.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1Or on Linux/macOS:
source .venv/bin/activateInstall the app and start it:
python -m pip install -e ".[studio]"
dr2 studioThe studio extra installs the GUI, numerical acceleration and audio support. If
dr2 is not found, use python -m dr2kit studio in the activated environment.
On Windows, you can also run .venv\Scripts\python.exe -m dr2kit studio without activation.
Recommended for faster indexing: with CMake and a C compiler installed, build the optional native LZX decompressor:
cmake -S native/lzx -B native/lzx/build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build native/lzx/build --config Release
dr2 doctorWithout it, Studio uses a slower Python fallback. See developer setup for compiler requirements and platform details.
To update a source installation, close Studio, run git pull in the checkout, then
repeat python -m pip install -e ".[studio]" in the activated environment.
- Open Game folders… from the Welcome window or toolbar. For each game you own,
choose the folder that contains
data/, usually the recomp'sassets/game. If you only have the Xbox 360 package, use Unpack package… and choose an output folder. See game data setup. - In the same window, choose the recomp program if it was not detected:
cz_runtimeorcw_runtime(.exeon Windows), or the supported recomp AppImage. You can also choose Blender and your image editor here. - Select your game and click Build / refresh index. Allow several minutes per game, longer with the Python decompressor. This builds search, thumbnails and asset links.
- Open Library to browse by category, Search to find names, or Browse to inspect the archives. Click a texture, model, sound or animation to preview it.
- Press F1 for the guides inside Studio. New mod… creates a place for your changes; Open mod… resumes an existing project.
Studio links mods you create or open into its mod library. Check Mod manager…
before using ▶ Play: it deploys all enabled mods for the selected game, then starts
the recomp. Original game files remain separate from the generated game_mods/ overlay.
A texture recolour is a useful first check that editing and Play are set up correctly:
- Select Case Zero, search for
young_cr_shirt, and choosechest_young_chuck.tex/young_cr_shirt_cm. In Case West, search forcr_jacket_cminchest_default.texinstead. - Click Edit in image editor… and create a mod when prompted.
- Change the colours, keep the original image dimensions, and save over the same PNG. Studio imports the edit into your mod automatically.
- Use With my mods / Ctrl+M to compare your edit with the original in Studio.
- Click ▶ Play and check the appropriate outfit in game.
The first-mod guide explains each step and
common mistakes. For models, use Open in Blender or export .glb, keep the
required rig/part names, and validate the edited model before importing it.
The optional Blender add-on provides browsing,
rig checking and export-to-mod tools inside Blender.
You can start with the included sample sword, keep a game's weapon model, or
bring your own model exported from Blender as glTF Binary (.glb).
- Pick the target game, open/create a mod, and click New weapon….
- Give it a unique item name such as
FrostBladeand the name the player will see. Choose Swings like to borrow a weapon kind's moves, sounds and handling. - Choose the model. In Chuck holding it (3D), adjust its length, turn and slide until the handle lines up with the hands. Use Move, Pause and the time slider to preview attacks.
- Set Damage per hit, Durability, and an optional Fire, Freeze or Shock element. Pick effects for impacts, hit zombies, holding and swinging; adjust Weapon effects start to position an aura or trail.
- Choose a generated inventory icon, the original icon, or your own PNG.
- To make a combo weapon, tick Combo weapon, choose the two ingredient items, and enter the card text. Studio can generate the combo-card picture from your model, or use your own picture. For example: Broadsword + Fire Extinguisher → FrostBlade.
- Click Make weapon. Place it in a level using the Maps tab's Add item…, or make it at a workbench using its combo recipe. Click ▶ Play to check it.
Open the weapon again from the wizard's Weapon list to edit it. Weapon mods target one game at a time; create a separate mod for the other game. Previewing a weapon does not replace checking its attacks, icon, recipe and card in game.
For an effect of your own, open Effects…, select a starting effect, change its colour, size, lifetime or particle PNG, then choose Make my own from this. It uses a free effect slot and appears in the weapon wizard's effect lists. Change in my mod instead changes the existing effect wherever the game uses it.
Full instructions: weapons and combo cards, custom effects, engine limits.
Open a level in Maps, open/create a mod, and enable Edit the level in the Inspector. Select an item to move or turn it, or use Place to add items, zombies and prefabs such as workbenches, save points, doors and blockers. Hierarchy helps locate objects; Ctrl+Z undoes edits.
Existing buildings can be moved or hidden with their grouped collision, but collision rotation/scaling is unsupported and copied buildings have no collision. Custom missions/maps can make saves depend on the mod; use copies of saves when experimenting. See the level editing guide for supported operations and save restrictions. Full New building… / New map… workflows remain unfinished.
- Install: drag a
.dr2modonto Studio or use Mod manager… → Install mod file…. Read its requirements and enable it for the correct game. - Manage: use Mod manager… to enable/disable mods, inspect conflicts and change load order. Save a mod set to switch between collections of enabled mods.
- Play: ▶ Play builds/deploys enabled mods and starts the recomp. Cross-game imports need both games' source data and a compatible runtime.
- Share: open your mod, click Share…, fill in its description/version and save
a
.dr2mod. Share your own files and recipes, never original game archives or assets. Mods markedlocal_onlycannot be packaged for sharing. - Disable: use Play without mods for a comparison, or Remove mods from game to remove the deployed overlay. Keep mods needed by your saves available.
Details: mod packages, requirements and conflicts.
The GUI is optional. In an activated source environment, dr2 --help lists commands;
cz means Case Zero and cw means Case West.
dr2 doctor # versions, decoders and game setup
dr2 games set cz "/path/to/cz/assets/game" # replace with your actual game folder
dr2 games set-recomp cz "/path/to/cz_runtime" # replace with your runtime program
dr2 index build cz # index the selected game
dr2 studio # open the app
dr2 library -g cz # browse categories in the terminal
dr2 export characters -g cz -o exports # export a group of models and rigs
dr2 effects --kinds -g cz # supported weapon kinds
dr2 mod list # installed/linked mods
dr2 mod check -g cz # check enabled mods
dr2 mod conflicts -g cz # inspect overlapping changes
dr2 play -g cz # deploy enabled mods and launch
dr2 play -g cz --no-mods # launch without mods
dr2 mod undeploy -g cz # remove the deployed overlay
dr2 help 20 # weapon guide in the terminalExample: create a freezing combo sword using the sample model, then link it into the library. The weapon must still be placed in a level or built at a workbench:
dr2 mod new frostblade-mod
dr2 mod new-weapon frostblade-mod FrostBlade --kind sword --glb sample --name-en "Frost Blade" --damage 150 --element freeze --combo Broadsword+FireExtinguisher --card-text-en "A blade of ice." -g cz
dr2 mod link frostblade-mod
dr2 studio --mod frostblade-mod --weapon FrostBlade| Problem | First thing to check |
|---|---|
| No game data found | In Game folders…, select the folder containing data/, not an archive or the runtime executable. |
| Play cannot find the game program | Set the recomp executable in Game folders…; Studio does not install the recomp for you. |
| Indexing is very slow | Run dr2 doctor; build the optional native LZX library if it reports the Python fallback. |
| An edit does not appear | Check the selected game, enabled mod, conflicts, outfit/item, and the runtime's mod-overlay log lines. |
| A texture replacement is rejected | Keep the original dimensions and follow the reported format/size requirements. |
| A model or grip looks wrong | Check the rig/part names, weapon handle direction and fit; see the model and weapon guides. |
| A 3D preview is blank | Check graphics/QtWebEngine setup; export .glb and inspect it in Blender. |
| A custom map hangs or crashes | See the unresolved issues below; whole-map imports are experimental. |
Use F1, the full troubleshooting guide, and asset catalogue. When reporting a bug, include the game, runtime/toolkit versions, enabled mods, reproduction steps and relevant log excerpts. Do not upload copyrighted game files or personal saves.
Whole-map imports are not reliably playable. Importing Still Creek (Case Zero's
prologue) into Case West's w_mall has unresolved loading hangs, heap crashes and
invisible walls. The latest attempts did not establish a working fix. A title screen
or a successful headless check does not prove that an imported map is playable.
- Infinite loading, invisible collision walls, and heap failures in Case West and Case Zero.
- Increasing Case West's level capacity and zombie type capacity.
- Completing new building and new map authoring, plus cross-game map integration and boss imports.
- PC Dead Rising 2 / Off the Record imports are planned, not implemented: readers, profiles, imports.
Start with the modding guides, documentation index or developer setup. The roadmap and phase kickoff documents preserve research history; the GitHub handoff checklist records the latest known status, and issue #9 preserves the runtime investigation handoff.
Anyone can fork and open a pull request. Merging into main requires one approval
from another collaborator with write access or higher; the owner can add trusted
reviewers. See CONTRIBUTING.md and CLAUDE.md for the
project's documentation and verification requirements.
You need your own legally obtained copy of the games. This repository contains no game data.
Free to use, change and share; not for sale, and mods made for these games must stay free: no selling them and no paywalls (Patreon, memberships, paid early access). Voluntary donations that gate nothing are allowed. See LICENSE. Third-party code and its licenses: THIRD_PARTY.md.