Bring your game
Supply your own N.O.V.A. 3 v1.0.7 APK plus its two OBB expansion files (main.1050 and patch.1070). Put them in ports/nova3/; the donor filenames do not matter and the first launch extracts and validates them automatically. An extracted Android/obb backup folder works too. Keep the port release named nova3-native-arm.zip. Wait for PortMaster's Finished running autoinstall dialog, then reboot normally before looking for the game in Ports. The first launch after the import unpacks the levels it needs out of the expansion containers, so it takes noticeably longer than later ones. The supported native-library SHA1 is ae97a4423fc6b9d003cc534fd4a4d03e6d0df0c0. No game data is included. This adaptation is based on the port work by EapRules. Native display resolution is selected automatically; use nova3/resolution.txt to override it.
Install the port
- Update PortMaster. Copy nova3-native-arm.zip into its
autoinstall/folder and open PortMaster. - Copy the owned game files into
nova3-native-arm/as described above. Launch N.O.V.A. 3: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance from your ports menu.
Manual installation paths
Handheld controls
| Control | Action | |
|---|---|---|
| Left stick | Move | |
| Right stick | Camera / aim | |
| R1 or R2 | Fire | |
| L1 or L2 | Aim down sights | |
| A | Throw grenade / throw the selected item | |
| B | Jump / interact / fly | |
| X | Reload | |
| Y | Use power | |
| D-pad Up | Sprint | |
| D-pad Down | Quick weapon change | |
| D-pad Right | Reload | |
| D-pad Left | Cycle items (requires testing) | |
| L3 (left stick click) | Weapon change | |
| R3 (right stick click) | Action | |
| Start | Pause menu | |
| Control (in menus) | Action | |
| --- | --- | |
| Right stick | Move the pointer | |
| A, L2 or R2 | Tap at the pointer | |
| D-pad | Menu navigation | |
| Select / R3 | Accept (the engine's own) | |
| Variable | Default | Effect |
| --- | --- | --- |
NOVA3_RPAD_SCALE | 100 | Camera speed, as a percentage of the engine's acceleration ramp (25–400) |
NOVA3_RESOLUTION | auto | Render at the detected display size; or use WIDTHxHEIGHT |
NOVA3_SCALE | fit | When using a smaller render size: preserve aspect ratio, stretch to fill, or integer scale |
NOVA3_GL_SINGLE_DISPATCH | 1 | Resolve the interposed GL calls through SDL's own dispatch |
### Combat
Some actions require the appropriate game state, such as carrying grenades or standing near an interaction. If an action fails when prompted, report the prompt, button and log.
The tutorial's X symbol means the PlayStation cross / bottom face button: use B on a Nintendo-labelled handheld. It does not mean the printed X button. B now sends code 23, the same jump/interact/action code confirmed working on R3 by the RG34XX-SP tester. R3 remains available. This new B mapping needs a device check. Diagnostic overrides NOVA3_JUMP_KEY=123 and 124 retain the older mappings. NOVA3_FACE_LAYOUT=xbox swaps the face-button layout if the firmware exposes opposite labels.
### Menus
Menu screens are touch-first, so the port raises a pointer there automatically — no modifier to hold. The engine itself is asked whether it is in a menu, so the switch happens on its terms, not on a guess.
The one thing to know: menus work like a touchscreen, not like a console UI. Move the pointer over a button with the right stick and tap it with A. A only acts on what is under the pointer — if the pointer is parked in a corner, A looks dead. R3 answers the engine's own "accept", which is why it seems to select things A doesn't.
### Tuning (launcher environment variables)
The default auto setting uses the actual display size, including 640×480, 720×480, 720×720, 1024×768 and 1280×720. These sizes are accepted by the loader; each aspect ratio still needs in-game testing. On RG34XX-SP this removes the forced 640×480 render area.
To override detection, create ports/nova3/resolution.txt containing one line such as 720x480. Use auto to restore detection. For lower rendering cost or compatibility, use 640x480; NOVA3_SCALE=fit preserves its aspect ratio with borders. Higher resolutions may reduce performance.
