Diagnose a Lichii Emulator black screen

Identify the first stage that fails

No main window

Start the desktop application without a game. If the OS reports a missing library, incompatible processor or blocked application, record that message and return to the installation steps for your platform.

Game window stays dark

If the main window works, note whether the game produces sound, accepts input or closes the application. Check the game edition and build against a player report with a similar setup.

A scene goes black

Identify the nearest save or transition and the last visible frame. Record whether the scene remains black after waiting, the window stops responding or the process exits. Each observation narrows what a second tester needs to reproduce.

Repeat one short sequence

Keep a backup of the save you use. Try the same scene with default settings and any optional modifications disabled, recording the original values first. If it succeeds, reintroduce one change at a time. If it still fails, record the outcome before switching emulator builds.

For example, a player using an RX 580 on build 130 could open Ocarina of Time’s menu. The application later closed during a black screen after a cutscene. Mentioning the working menu separates this case from a Windows executable that cannot launch. The shader activity the player saw does not establish the cause.

Original cutscene reportProject settings guidance

Try the change that matches your symptom

Windows reports a missing DLL

If no emulator window opens and you ran lichii.exe from inside a ZIP, close it. Use Extract All on the verified release ZIP in a new folder, leave the adjacent libraries in place, and open the extracted executable. Getting to the main window completes this test.

The log names Vulkan initialization

Record the first graphics error, the active GPU name and its driver version from the affected session. On a laptop, check that the named device is the one you intended to use. Compare these details with the same build’s reports before changing the driver. If you test a driver update, use the device maker’s package, keep the previous version number and retry the same launch.

Only the new build fails

If you kept the previous application, back up the affected save, close the new build and open the old one. Load the same save with the same settings. If only the new build fails on repeated runs, keep the working build for that scene and report both tags.

You moved to build 130

That specific release introduced shader cache v2. If this game still has its old pipeline cache, follow the tag’s one-time migration: right-click the title and choose Remove → Remove All Pipeline Caches. Confirm the cache item, then try the same scene again. The first pass rebuilds shaders. This step applies to that migration, and its outcome does not establish the cause of every black screen.

Windows extraction instructionsGPU and driver details for issue reportsBuild 130 pipeline cache instructions

Save the log from the affected session

The project reporting guide gives this menu path: File → Open Lichii Folders → Log Folder. Look for eden_log.txt. Locate the folder before a reproducible crash if necessary. Copy the affected log before another session can replace it.

Lichii tag / game version:
OS / CPU / GPU / driver:
Graphics API / resolution / enabled mods:
Start from this save or menu:
Steps to reach the problem:
Last visible frame / audio / input:
Process still running? Result on repeat:

Search the issue tracker for the game and the failed transition before opening a new issue. Remove usernames, home-directory paths and other personal identifiers from public attachments. Include the relevant error and reproduction steps. Keep private game files, keys and firmware off the issue.

Project log instructionsSearch existing Lichii issues