XCOTA TAG V5.4 — RETROARCH FOUR-PLAYER SPECIAL

YOU SUPPLY ALL FOUR CLEAN GAMES

1. X-Men: Children of the Atom — Euro 950331, usual ZIP xmcota.zip.
2. Marvel vs. Capcom — Euro 980123, usual ZIP mvsc.zip.
3. X-Men vs. Street Fighter — Euro 961004, USA 961023 or Japan 961023.
   Euro is usually xmvsf.zip. Japan 961023 uses xvsj.03k and xvsj.04k.
   A split USA/Japan clone also needs its clean parent for shared graphics and
   sound. Keep that parent beside the clone or drop it too.
4. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 — Naomi Export/Korea Rev A cartridge, usually mvsc2.zip.
   It includes epr-23085a.ic11 (4 MiB), fourteen 8 MiB mpr-23048 through
   mpr-23061 files, and two 4 MiB mpr-23083/mpr-23084 cartridge files.
   Recognized Naomi BIOS/EEPROM extras may stay in the common 52-file archive.
   A console disc or CHD is a different format.

Special needs FOUR GAMES. Keep each game's required members and key inside
its ZIP. Complete merged Euro XCOTA/MVC1 parents with regional clone folders,
wrapped folders and small desktop metadata are supported. Actual member sizes
and hashes authenticate the set. Your originals remain unchanged. No game ROM,
key, donor graphics or samples are included in the download.

WINDOWS: BUILD AND PLAY

1. Extract the WHOLE Special builder/core download into a new writable folder.
   Keep the README, sources, cores and subfolders together. Do not overlay an
   older version or run from inside the download ZIP.
2. Leave your clean games zipped. Select all four together and drop them onto
   BUILD V5.4 SPECIAL.cmd. Any order works. Windows PowerShell 5.1 and inbox
   .NET build the game without Python, an SDK or a compiler installation.
3. Run PLAY V5.4 SPECIAL.cmd after building. If RetroArch is not found, drag
   your installed retroarch.exe onto that command or pass its full path.
4. Manual Windows launch: load
   cores/windows/fbneo_xcota_special_expanded_libretro.dll,
   then output/xmcotas4p.zip. Apple silicon uses arm64 RetroArch and
   cores/mac/fbneo_xcota_special_expanded_libretro.dylib with the same game.
5. Bind FOUR RetroPad ports. Ports 1 and 3 are one team; ports 2 and 4 the other.
   Every fighter retains its original port after a tag or KO promotion. Port 1
   does not automatically take over its incoming partner. Keep xmcotas4p.zip
   as the generated filename.

USE THIS MATCHING SPECIAL CORE

A standard FBNeo/Fightcade core or one from another release cannot substitute.
The launcher verifies the game and core identities. The included Mac and
Windows cores use this game's descriptor. Complete corresponding sources are
in source/xcota-tag-v5.4-special-core-sources.zip and the separate source download.
An expanded sample region and Special instruction budget are software profile
changes; they do not establish physical CPS-2 board support. Core compilation
and virtual-pad checks do not prove Windows gameplay, four physical controllers
or online sessions.

CONTROLS AND CHANGES

MP+HK tags. LK+MP breaks during hitstun for one bar. Full Level Max plus
QCB+MP+HK starts timed Duo. QCF+MP+HK team supers require BOTH partners to be
among the ten original X-Men. Gambit, Rogue, Sabretooth, Marrow and bosses use
individual supers and Duo; they do not gain original-ten team-super mappings.

Special retains Akuma and adds Gambit, Rogue, Sabretooth and Marrow. The existing
roster portraits, body previews, positions and frames remain. CPU/stage/ready
labels are clearer, and Akuma's health portrait uses authentic graphics in the
native frame. UP/DOWN selects CPU NORMAL or HARDER, LEFT/RIGHT changes stage,
and LP confirms READY for each human team. HARDER is the fresh-selection default.

The recovery repair covers ordinary grounded native HP throws into all four
imported fighters, including the Akuma standing-turn, Wolverine held-animation
and Sentinel release freezes. Repeated Spiral recovery/KO and healthy partner
promotion are checked separately. Alternate kick, air and personalized Max
throw routes are outside that coverage; full donor behavior is not claimed.

V5.4 restores Gambit LP-to-LK and LP-to-MP light chains in Special and
adapts six heavy hit reactions against MVC1. Crouching HP launches; after a real
hit, press DOWN then UP for the jump cancel and continue with air normals.
The continuous crouching HP > jump > air LP > air MP route is checked on both
sides. Idle DOWN then UP also starts the repaired Special superjump, supports
air LP/MP and returns through the apex/descent to the ground. This does not
claim every MVC1 superjump combo or full donor move timing.

Selected imported ordinary-normal guard routes now enter the native guard
handler. This is a bounded normal-contact repair; all supers, projectiles,
aerial guard and meaty entry combinations remain outside its acceptance.
A returning challenger can reselect duplicate Sabretooth after a KO and reach
a new match. The original select art and positions are preserved.

Gambit has authentic ground/air Kinetic Card art, contact/floor effects and FIVE
source clips covering body/card cues and seven selected normal-event bindings.
Native music and samples keep their original 4 MiB prefix. Four additional
source clips have reconstructed storage only; their Royal/contact/KO event
playback is not enabled or claimed. All staff, hurt/KO and hyper audio and full
donor animation/camera/effect/timing parity remain outside this partial port.

CPU POLICY

The tested native Harder policy uses delayed visible position, height and pose
for legal attacks, guard and jumps, earned meter and ordinary damage. Normal
keeps the native brain with separate earned-meter admission. Imported Special
fighters' brains are outside the new native policy. External testers judge the
near-unbeatable target; finite checks establish no universal win rate. Further
strength tuning is deferred and is not a release requirement.

IF THE BUILDER STOPS

Package source differs: README.txt (or another file): extract the complete
matching download into a fresh folder. An earlier package changed its README
after sealing, before ROM validation. Do not mix versions, edit package files
or disable verification.

Missing game/member: supply every required game and a split clone's parent.
Wrong size/hash: use the supported clean revision with no earlier patch.
Different output already exists: use a fresh folder. Romset unknown: load
output/xmcotas4p.zip with THIS Special core, not the builder download ZIP.
