Logs & Diagnostics
Welcome to the Lumiose Online diagnostic documentation.
This page explains how to locate and collect diagnostic information when troubleshooting installation failures, launcher errors, game crashes, multiplayer connectivity problems, and other technical issues.
Diagnostic logs help the development team identify where a failure occurred and determine which components may be responsible.
Supported Platforms
Lumiose Online supports four installation methods:
| Platform | Installation Method | Diagnostic Information |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | ZA Recomp (Native) | Launcher, gameplay, update preparation, and crash diagnostics |
| macOS | MonZaMac (Native) | Platform-specific diagnostic information |
| PC | Eden Emulator | Emulator and mod-related diagnostics |
| Nintendo Switch | Atmosphère | Platform-specific diagnostic information |
The availability and location of diagnostic logs depend on the platform, application version, and type of failure.
Windows Standalone Launcher (ZA Recomp)
The Windows standalone launcher can generate diagnostic files during game preparation, update installation, and normal execution.
Some logs are stored in persistent directories, while others are generated in temporary working directories.
Diagnostic Log Reference
The Windows standalone installation maintains several diagnostic logs. The descriptions below are based on examined ZA Recomp and Lumiose Online logs; file availability and contents may vary by release.
| Log File | Recorded Information | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|
| launcher.log | A timestamped history of launcher runs, game import, game-code generation and compilation, update notices, and other launcher operations. | Import failures, compilation errors, updates, and launcher startup issues |
| lumiose-launch.log | Lumiose launcher startup, initial setup requirements, game-code revision checks, preparation of bundled Lumiose builds, and update checks. | Lumiose-specific setup, preparation, and launch failures |
| play.log | Detailed game execution information, including ZA Recomp version, CPU, RAM, graphics device and Vulkan driver, rendering configuration, game initialization, and runtime events. | Gameplay, startup, rendering, and performance issues |
| play-anterior.log | An additional retained runtime log containing the same kinds of execution details as play.log. The exact rotation mechanism has not been verified. | When play.log is empty or does not describe the affected run |
| crash-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.log | Timestamped crash-related runtime diagnostics, which may include exception codes, fault addresses, and backtraces alongside preceding execution output. | Unexpected termination, access violations, and crash investigation |
| smoke.log | Detailed game initialization and execution output from an isolated startup check performed during Lumiose preparation. | Update preparation failures and “Isolated startup did not finish” errors |
| capture.log | Detailed game initialization and execution output associated with an isolated capture/preparation stage. | Preparation and capture-stage failures, especially alongside smoke.log |
The first five log patterns have been observed in the main logs directory. The smoke.log and capture.log examples were collected from temporary update-preparation working directories. Not every failure produces every log.
Finding the Main Log Directory
Open the folder containing lasrecomp.exe, then open logs.
Example: D:\Games\Switch\ZA Recomp\logs\
Use file modification times to identify the logs associated with the incident. Some files contain records from multiple launches, and a log may be empty.
launcher.log
The launcher.log file contains timestamped records of ZA Recomp launcher activity across multiple runs. Examined examples include:
- The ZA Recomp version, operating system, CPU, and available disk space
- Game package import and update application results
- Game-code generation and compilation, including compiled object counts and elapsed time
- Launcher update availability and other startup operations
This is a useful first log for problems occurring before gameplay begins, particularly game import and compilation failures.
Location: <ZA Recomp installation folder>\logs\launcher.log
lumiose-launch.log
The lumiose-launch.log file records Lumiose-specific launcher preparation. Examined entries include whether initial setup or a game-code revision check is required, preparation of the bundled Lumiose build, checking active builds and updates, and completion of preparation.
Collect this file when Lumiose Online fails to prepare or launch, particularly if ZA Recomp itself otherwise starts normally. It can be helpful alongside launcher.log.
Location: <ZA Recomp installation folder>\logs\lumiose-launch.log
play.log and play-anterior.log
play.log records detailed game execution. The examined logs include:
- ZA Recomp version, Windows version, CPU capabilities, and memory
- GPU identification, Vulkan API and graphics driver information
- Rendering settings, resolution, shader pipeline and cache messages
- Game-code loading, initialization, and runtime events
- Warnings and errors associated with graphics drivers or game execution
For example, an examined gameplay log reported that an AMD graphics driver compiler crashed while processing certain pipelines. Such entries can be useful when investigating graphical problems, although a warning alone does not establish the cause of a reported failure.
Locations:
<ZA Recomp installation folder>\logs\play.log<ZA Recomp installation folder>\logs\play-anterior.log
play-anterior.log has been observed containing substantial runtime output while play.log was empty. Inspect both files and compare their modification times before selecting the log to send.
Timestamped crash logs
Crash logs have been observed under the pattern:
crash-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.log
Example: crash-20261108-164732.log
These logs may contain detailed execution context as well as crash-specific information such as exception codes, memory addresses, and host backtraces. For example, 0xC0000005 denotes an access violation, but does not by itself identify its root cause.
Location: <ZA Recomp installation folder>\logs\
When reporting a crash, select the timestamped file corresponding to the incident and include the relevant gameplay log if available. Do not send unrelated historical crash logs unless requested.
smoke.log and capture.log
These logs have been observed during Lumiose update preparation and isolated execution checks. Both can contain detailed game initialization traces rather than merely a short summary of the operation.
- smoke.log: An examined example records an isolated game startup with initialization, service calls, loaded game code, and Lumiose-related execution information.
- capture.log: An examined example records initialization and execution activity in an isolated capture/preparation environment.
Both are especially useful when the launcher reports “Update preparation failed” or “Isolated startup did not finish”. Their precise division of responsibility within the preparation pipeline still requires confirmation from project source code.
Observed directory pattern:
<ZA Recomp installation folder>\lumiose\update-work\initial-*\
The initial-* directory has a variable suffix. Search it for smoke.log and capture.log if present.
How to collect temporary preparation logs:
- Open the folder containing
lasrecomp.exe. - Navigate to
lumiose\update-work. - Look for a directory beginning with
initial-. - Copy
smoke.logandcapture.log, if present, to a safe location before retrying. - Include the exact launcher error message when submitting the files.
Finding Logs with PowerShell
Windows users can search their ZA Recomp installation for the relevant files. Replace the example path with the actual installation folder:
Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Games\ZA Recomp" -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
Where-Object {
$_.Name -in @("launcher.log", "lumiose-launch.log", "play.log", "play-anterior.log", "smoke.log", "capture.log") -or
$_.Name -like "crash-*.log" -or
$_.Name -eq "crash.log"
} |
Select-Object Name, FullName, LastWriteTime, Length |
Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending
This command only lists matching files, their locations, modification times, and sizes; it does not modify them. A missing temporary log does not necessarily indicate an installation problem.
Which Logs Should I Collect?
| Problem | Recommended Logs |
|---|---|
| Game import or code compilation fails | launcher.log, exact error message
|
| Lumiose preparation or launch fails | lumiose-launch.log, launcher.log, play.log if populated
|
| Update preparation fails or isolated startup does not finish | smoke.log, capture.log if available; lumiose-launch.log and launcher.log
|
| Game crashes during startup or gameplay | Matching crash-*.log, play.log or play-anterior.log
|
| Graphics, driver, or performance issue | play.log or play-anterior.log, GPU and driver information, graphics settings
|
| Multiplayer connection issue | Relevant gameplay log, exact connection error, and lumiose-launch.log if startup is affected
|
These recommendations apply primarily to Windows ZA Recomp installations. Check timestamps, file contents, and whether the failure occurred before or after game initialization.
Other Platforms
MonZaMac (macOS)
MonZaMac provides a native macOS implementation of Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Diagnostic information may differ from the Windows launcher.
When reporting a problem, provide:
- macOS version
- Mac model and Apple Silicon chip
- MonZaMac release version
- Exact error messages
- Available application logs or crash reports
Eden Emulator (PC)
Eden uses its own emulation environment and diagnostic facilities.
When reporting a Lumiose Online issue while using Eden, provide:
- Eden version
- Operating system
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A game version
- Lumiose Online mod version
- Exact error messages
- Relevant diagnostic information, if available
Nintendo Switch (Atmosphère)
Nintendo Switch installations use Atmosphère custom firmware.
When reporting an issue, provide:
- Console model
- System firmware version
- Atmosphère version
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A game version
- Lumiose Online mod version
- Exact error messages
- Available diagnostic information
Problems originating from Atmosphère or the console environment may fall outside the scope of Lumiose Online support.
Collecting Diagnostic Logs
When troubleshooting an issue:
- Reproduce the problem, if possible.
- Record the exact error message.
- Locate the relevant diagnostic files and check their modification times.
- If update preparation failed, copy any temporary logs before retrying.
- Close the game or launcher when appropriate.
- Preserve the logs associated with the affected session. If play.log is empty, check play-anterior.log.
- Review the files for sensitive information.
- Attach the relevant logs when requesting support.
Protecting Sensitive Information
Diagnostic logs may contain system or environment information.
Before sharing them publicly, review the contents for:
- Windows or macOS usernames
- Local file paths
- Public IP addresses
- Authentication tokens or credentials
- Other personally identifiable information
Remove sensitive values where necessary while preserving the surrounding diagnostic information.
Do not post private keys, passwords, or authentication tokens in public support channels.
Reporting an Issue
When requesting technical assistance, provide the following information:
- Platform: Windows standalone, MonZaMac, Eden, or Nintendo Switch
- Operating system: OS name and version
- Game version: Installed Pokémon Legends: Z-A version
- Lumiose Online version: Installed mod or launcher version
- Hardware: CPU, GPU, and RAM, where applicable
- Problem: Description of the failure
- Reproduction steps: Actions required to trigger the problem
- Error message: Exact text or screenshot
- Diagnostic logs: Relevant files associated with the failure
If the problem occurs consistently, explain whether it happens every time or only under certain conditions.
For assistance, visit the official Lumiose Online Discord: