ci(windows): add windows64-deploy pre-alpha build and bundle pipeline

.github/agents/Bender.agent.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 description: "Pay Bender a beer and he'll help you with GeneralsX development tasks!"
-tools: [execute, read, agent, edit, search, web, 'cognitionai/deepwiki/*', 'git/*', 'github/*', todo]
+tools: [vscode, execute, read, agent, edit, search, web, browser, 'cognitionai/deepwiki/*', 'git/*', 'codegraph/*', todo]
 ---
 
 You are Bender, a sarcastic assistant for GeneralsX project. development. Focus on gaming and graphics programming (DirectX8, Vulkan, C++, asset pipelines).

.github/instructions/generalsx.instructions.md

@@ -90,11 +90,8 @@ Use local Deepwiki repo `fbraz3/GeneralsX` for navigation when helpful.
 
 ### Build Presets
 
-#### Legacy Compatibility Presets (Maintenance Only)
-- **`vc6`** -- Visual Studio 6 (C++98), 32-bit, DirectX 8 + Miles
-- **`win32`** -- MSVC 2022 (C++20), experimental upstream path
-
-These presets remain useful for regression checks and upstream sync, but they are no longer the primary release path.
+#### Legacy Compatibility Presets (Reference Only)
+- **`vc6`** and **`win32`** may appear in upstream/reference contexts, but they are not support targets for this repository.
 
 #### Cross-Platform Builds (SDL3 + DXVK + OpenAL)
 - **`linux64-deploy`** -- Linux x86_64 (GCC/Clang) -- **PRIMARY LINUX TARGET**
@@ -105,8 +102,9 @@ These presets remain useful for regression checks and upstream sync, but they ar
   - Native Mach-O binaries
   - DXVK + MoltenVK + SDL3 + OpenAL
   - macOS 15.0+ minimum; Universal binary (arm64 + x86_64) planned
-- **`mingw-w64-i686`** -- exploratory MinGW-w64 cross-compile for Windows
-- **`windows64-deploy`** -- planned MinGW-w64 x86_64 preset (issue #29, not an active release target)
+- **`windows64-deploy`** -- Windows x86_64 MinGW-w64 -- **PRIMARY WINDOWS TARGET**
+- **`windows64-debug`** -- Windows x86_64 MinGW-w64 debug variant
+- **`mingw-w64-i686`** -- legacy/transition preset (do not prioritize for new work)
 
 ### Build Workflow
 
@@ -116,8 +114,8 @@ These presets remain useful for regression checks and upstream sync, but they ar
 ./scripts/build/linux/docker-configure-linux.sh linux64-deploy
 ./scripts/build/linux/docker-build-linux-zh.sh linux64-deploy
 
-# Optional exploratory MinGW cross-compile (Windows .exe)
-./scripts/build/linux/docker-build-mingw-zh.sh mingw-w64-i686
+# Optional Windows cross-compile (Windows .exe)
+./scripts/build/linux/docker-build-mingw-zh.sh windows64-deploy
 ```
 
 **Native builds (on respective platforms)**:
@@ -130,15 +128,15 @@ cmake --build build/linux64-deploy --target z_generals
 cmake --preset macos-vulkan
 cmake --build build/macos-vulkan --target z_generals
 
-# Optional Windows via MinGW cross-build
-cmake --preset mingw-w64-i686
-cmake --build build/mingw-w64-i686 --target z_generals
+# Windows via MinGW native build
+cmake --preset windows64-deploy
+cmake --build build/windows64-deploy --target z_generals
 ```
 
 ### Testing Strategy
 
 1. **Per-platform smoke tests**: Launch game, reach main menu, load skirmish map
-2. **Replay compatibility**: VC6 optimized builds with `RTS_BUILD_OPTION_DEBUG=OFF` (determinism)
+2. **Replay compatibility**: Optimized non-debug builds with `RTS_BUILD_OPTION_DEBUG=OFF` (determinism)
 3. **Cross-platform validation**: Same replays must remain valid across platforms (rendering/audio changes must not affect game logic)
 
 ## CRITICAL: DXVK Source of Truth (macOS)
@@ -165,7 +163,7 @@ cmake --build build/mingw-w64-i686 --target z_generals
 - **Scope discipline**: Focus on cross-platform port (SDL3, DXVK, OpenAL). Avoid unrelated refactors.
 - **Root cause**: Fix underlying issues, not symptoms. No lazy workarounds.
 - **Isolation**: Platform-specific code stays in platform layers (`Core/GameEngineDevice/`, `Core/Libraries/Source/Platform/`)
-- **Fallback paths**: Keep legacy Windows paths (DX8, Miles) intact behind `#ifdef` guards for VC6 baseline
+- **Fallback paths**: Keep fallback behavior behind clear compile guards when required by active targets
 - **Determinism**: Never break gameplay determinism. Rendering/audio changes must not affect logic.
 
 ### Code Style & Conventions
@@ -483,12 +481,12 @@ mkdir -p logs && gdb -batch -ex "run -win" -ex "bt full" -ex "thread apply all b
 
 ---
 
-## Windows (Future / Exploratory)
+## Windows (Active / MinGW-w64 x64)
 
-**Branch**: TBD
-**Status**: Not an active repository focus
+**Branch**: `main`
+**Status**: Active repository focus for Windows work
 
-**Note**: Follow issue #29 direction for Windows modernization only when the work is explicitly requested. MinGW-w64 is the likely future toolchain path for SDL3 + DXVK + OpenAL + FFmpeg, but Windows is currently not an active delivery target for this repository. Legacy `vc6` and `win32` remain useful for compatibility checks and upstream alignment.
+**Note**: Windows work should target MinGW-w64 x86_64 via `windows64-deploy`. Do not gate Windows changes on VC6/win32 compatibility.
 
 ### Possible Architecture Direction
 - SDL3 for windowing/input
@@ -498,23 +496,21 @@ mkdir -p logs && gdb -batch -ex "run -win" -ex "bt full" -ex "thread apply all b
 - MinGW-w64 toolchain as default Windows path
 
 ### Build Presets
-- **`mingw-w64-i686`** -- exploratory Windows cross-build preset
-- **`mingw-w64-i686-debug`** -- debug variant
-- **`mingw-w64-i686-profile`** -- profiling variant
-- **`windows64-deploy`** -- planned MinGW-w64 x86_64 preset (issue #29)
+- **`windows64-deploy`** -- MinGW-w64 x86_64 release preset (primary)
+- **`windows64-debug`** -- MinGW-w64 x86_64 debug preset
+- **`mingw-w64-i686`** -- legacy/transition 32-bit preset
 
 ### Build Workflow
 ```bash
 # Cross-build Windows binary from Linux/macOS host using Docker
-./scripts/build/linux/docker-build-mingw-zh.sh mingw-w64-i686
+./scripts/build/linux/docker-build-mingw-zh.sh windows64-deploy
 
-# Direct preset build (when MinGW toolchain is locally available)
-cmake --preset mingw-w64-i686
-cmake --build build/mingw-w64-i686 --target z_generals
+# Native Windows64 preset build
+cmake --preset windows64-deploy
+cmake --build build/windows64-deploy --target z_generals
 ```
 
-### Longer-Term Windows Work
-- [ ] Add and validate `windows64-deploy` (MinGW x86_64)
+### Windows Follow-up Work
 - [ ] Validate DXVK + Vulkan runtime requirements on Windows
 - [ ] Validate OpenAL integration and runtime audio
 - [ ] Validate FFmpeg intro/briefing videos with audio

.github/prompts/setup-windows-mingw-environment.prompt.md

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+---
+name: setup-windows-mingw-environment
+description: Set up or validate the local Windows MinGW/MSYS2 environment for GeneralsX using the repository bootstrap scripts and confirm the toolchain is ready for Windows64 MinGW work
+argument-hint: Optional setup constraints or scope (for example: "install MSYS2 if missing", "validate only", or "persist environment root and open a prepared shell")
+agent: Bender
+---
+
+# Setup Windows MinGW Environment
+
+Prepare a Windows development environment for the modern GeneralsX MinGW workflow.
+
+The goal is to make the local machine ready for `windows64-deploy` style work without relying on Visual Studio.
+
+## Primary References
+
+- Use [scripts/env/setup-mingw-windows.ps1](../../scripts/env/setup-mingw-windows.ps1) to configure the current PowerShell session for MSYS2 MinGW64.
+- Use [scripts/env/enter-mingw-windows.cmd](../../scripts/env/enter-mingw-windows.cmd) to open a new PowerShell window with the MinGW/MSYS2 environment already loaded.
+- Treat [cmake/toolchains/mingw-w64-x86_64.cmake](../../cmake/toolchains/mingw-w64-x86_64.cmake) as the current repository example for MSYS2-aware MinGW toolchain wiring.
+
+## Required Workflow
+
+1. Detect whether MSYS2 is already installed in `C:\msys64` or in the path stored in `GENERALSX_MSYS2_ROOT`.
+2. If MSYS2 is missing and the user did not explicitly request validation-only mode, install MSYS2 in a short ASCII-only path.
+3. Update the MSYS2 base system with `pacman -Syuu` until it is fully current.
+4. Install the packages required for the repository bootstrap and MinGW workstream.
+   - At minimum: `base-devel`, `mingw-w64-x86_64-toolchain`, `mingw-w64-x86_64-ninja`, and `mingw-w64-x86_64-cmake`.
+5. Run or dot-source [scripts/env/setup-mingw-windows.ps1](../../scripts/env/setup-mingw-windows.ps1) with `-ShowSummary`.
+6. If requested, run the script with `-PersistUserRoot` so `GENERALSX_MSYS2_ROOT` is stored for future sessions.
+7. Validate the session by checking:
+   - `x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc`
+   - `make`
+   - `cmake`
+   - `MSYSTEM`
+   - `MSYSTEM_PREFIX`
+8. If requested, launch [scripts/env/enter-mingw-windows.cmd](../../scripts/env/enter-mingw-windows.cmd) so the user gets a ready-to-use shell.
+9. Report exactly what was installed, what was already present, and any remaining blockers for `windows64-deploy` work.
+
+## Expected Environment State
+
+After successful setup:
+
+- `GENERALSX_MSYS2_ROOT` should point to the active MSYS2 root.
+- `MSYSTEM` should be set to `MINGW64` for the `windows64-deploy` bootstrap path.
+- `MSYSTEM_PREFIX` should point at the active MinGW prefix.
+- The session `PATH` should include the active MinGW `bin` directory and `usr/bin` from MSYS2.
+- `cmake` should remain the repository-preferred Windows installation if already present.
+
+## Constraints
+
+- Do not assume Visual Studio is available or required.
+- Prefer the repository bootstrap scripts over ad-hoc PATH editing.
+- Keep the setup reproducible and explicit; do not silently mutate system-wide PATH entries unless the user asks for persistence.
+- If the machine already has a working MSYS2 installation, reuse it instead of reinstalling it.
+
+## Deliverables
+
+Provide a short final report with:
+
+1. Installation status.
+2. Validation status.
+3. Active MSYS2 root and MinGW prefix.
+4. Any missing packages or next steps for `windows64-deploy` work.

.github/workflows/build-macos.yml

@@ -308,9 +308,36 @@ jobs:
           echo "VULKAN_SDK=$VULKAN_SDK"
           echo "CC=$CC"
           echo "CXX=$CXX"
-          cmake --preset ${{ inputs.preset }} 2>&1 | tee logs/configure_macos.log
-          CONFIG_STATUS=${PIPESTATUS[0]}
-          if [ $CONFIG_STATUS -eq 0 ]; then echo "✅ CMake configuration complete"; else echo "❌ CMake configuration failed"; exit 1; fi
+          # GeneralsX @build GitHub Copilot 25/05/2026 Retry configure to mitigate transient vcpkg upstream/network failures (e.g., HTTP 502 while downloading ports).
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS=3
+          ATTEMPT=1
+          CONFIG_STATUS=1
+
+          while [ $ATTEMPT -le $MAX_ATTEMPTS ]; do
+            ATTEMPT_LOG="logs/configure_macos_attempt_${ATTEMPT}.log"
+            echo "Configure attempt ${ATTEMPT}/${MAX_ATTEMPTS}..."
+            cmake --preset ${{ inputs.preset }} 2>&1 | tee "${ATTEMPT_LOG}"
+            CONFIG_STATUS=${PIPESTATUS[0]}
+
+            if [ $CONFIG_STATUS -eq 0 ]; then
+              cp "${ATTEMPT_LOG}" logs/configure_macos.log
+              echo "✅ CMake configuration complete"
+              break
+            fi
+
+            if [ $ATTEMPT -lt $MAX_ATTEMPTS ]; then
+              echo "⚠️ Configure failed on attempt ${ATTEMPT}; retrying after cleanup..."
+              rm -rf "build/${{ inputs.preset }}"
+              sleep $((ATTEMPT * 15))
+            fi
+
+            ATTEMPT=$((ATTEMPT + 1))
+          done
+
+          if [ $CONFIG_STATUS -ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "❌ CMake configuration failed after ${MAX_ATTEMPTS} attempts"
+            exit 1
+          fi
 
       - name: Build ${{ matrix.game.value }}
         run: |