Convert and refine assets with Alchemist
Alchemist processes supported assets; it does not migrate an entire FiveM server. Scripts, persistent state, voice, escrow support and resource configuration require their own checks. Keep original sources and convert copies into a new output directory.
The official Alchemist manual documents Windows 11, product download, GUI/CLI behavior and terms. The GUI is Alchemist.exe; the command-line executable is AlchemistCli.exe. Review and accept the installed product’s terms and choose its telemetry setting yourself. The website build does not install or execute the proprietary converter.
Establish input and target
Record the installed tool version, input file inventory/hashes, source track and target track. The documented formats are YDR, YTD, YFT, YPT and YDD. Do not assume YBN, YTYP and YMAP were transformed merely because other files were processed. The owned asset lab explains how those files relate; its Gen8 output is not an Enhanced conversion result.
In the GUI, choose Asset Conversion or Asset Refinement, select separate input/output folders and inspect completion/errors. Refinement corrects supported Legacy asset formatting; it is not another name for conversion to Enhanced. The manual warns that encountering escrowed assets can stop the GUI, while the CLI skips them and records the skips in its report. A skipped required asset remains a deployment blocker.
Run a controlled CLI conversion
After completing the official CLI setup, inspect the installed version’s help. Adapt the executable path below; it is an example location, not an installer-default claim:
& 'C:\Tools\Alchemist\AlchemistCli.exe' 'C:\AssetLab\legacy-input' 'C:\AssetLab\enhanced-output' --fail-on-error
if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
throw 'Conversion failed. Inspect the report before using any output.'
}Use a new output directory and leave the originals untouched. The current documented controls include:
| Argument | Intended effect | Caution |
|---|---|---|
--refine | Refine Legacy assets instead of converting | Choose according to the actual target, not as an extra optimization switch. |
--relaxed | Relax some validation and allow corrective handling | Output can differ; never use it to conceal an unexplained failure. |
-f | Overwrite files without a prompt | Do not point it at an irreplaceable source/output directory. |
-jN | Select parallel worker count, for example -j5 | Measure memory/CPU use rather than maximizing blindly. |
--fail-on-error | Stop at the first error | Still inspect skipped files and the per-file report. |
A folder containing some outputs is not proof that every required input succeeded. Compare processed, failed and skipped files with your original inventory. Keep console output and the exact version with the test record; do not invent a conversion duration or a successful result you did not observe.
Validate and roll back
Load outputs in an appropriate inspector, then use a separate target-track development server. Test appearance, textures/mips, collision, LODs, placements and resource restart. Vehicles/effects need their own gameplay and animation checks; a prop-only test does not cover them. Preserve input/output hashes and screenshots tied to the server artifact and game build.
If validation fails, stop the staged resource and restore untouched originals in their original track. Do not mix Gen8 and Gen9 files based only on similar extensions. Do not attempt to remove escrow protection or redistribute assets without the relevant rights. The Enhanced onboarding guide separately defines current platform limitations that conversion cannot repair.
No Alchemist execution or Enhanced in-game acceptance is claimed here. This is the documented operator workflow, with a reproducible file-preservation and validation plan. Continue with Legacy/Enhanced migration for the rest of a server cutover.