{ "note": "Pre-development standards, ADR-027 and owner decisions 2026-10-05. Documentation contract only; engine acceptance remains future work. Accepted direction is distinct from proposed tuning, including owner-suggested reuse targets.", "status": "documented_not_implemented", "guide": "docs/process/GAME_DEV_GUIDE.md", "decision": "ADR-027", "ownerDirection": { "mannequinBeforeSkillAnimation": true, "multiAngleSelfReviewBeforeOwnerReview": true, "movementCancelsAttackPhases": [ "windup", "active", "recovery" ], "includesSignaturesAndFinishers": true, "superarmourDoesNotBlockOwnMovementCancel": true, "richReadableVfxEverySkill": true, "completeEnvironmentDirection": true, "movementRequiresMana": true, "perSkillLocomotion": true, "comboResumesAfterMovement": true, "windupRefundPolicy": true, "optionalCloseViewLockOn": true, "enemyEngagementCoordinator": true, "optionalKoComboDisplayInFirstSlice": true, "lowEndHardwareBaseline": true, "specialBossMusicAllowed": true, "silkRollBlueClassification": true, "silkRollLegacyIconRevision": "green accepted illustration must be revised to blue during asset production; preserve originals" }, "input": { "discretePriority": [ "movement_skill", "explicit_action", "smart_chain_or_basic" ], "locomotion": "concurrently sampled, applied according to the current skill policy", "movementEligibility": [ "alive", "off_cooldown", "sufficient_resources", "hard_control_allows", "destination_valid", "movement_not_already_in_progress" ], "invalidMovement": "do not cancel current action; give feedback; do not buffer a later movement", "validMovement": "cancel own attack immediately; clear older offensive buffer; do not wait for animation exit or server round trip", "resolvedHits": "remain authoritative; sequence numbers do not permit retroactive cancellation", "futureCastOwnedHits": "stop after accepted cancel; includes melee contacts and channel ticks", "releasedIndependentEntities": "continue their own server-defined lifetime; never duplicate on cancel or replay", "locomotionPolicies": [ "free", "slowed", "committed", "skill_travel" ], "perSkillRequiredBeforeImplementation": [ "locomotion_policy", "steering_window", "speed_curve", "cancel_windows", "damage_entity_ownership", "rationale", "mana_cost", "cooldown_s", "travel_duration_s", "hard_control_exceptions" ], "proposedTuning": { "proposed": true, "note": "Owner accepted the combo/refund direction and these starting memory/refund values; measure before final balance. Locomotion fractions and response/soak targets are project proposals, not AAA standards. Response is sampled input to presentation, not hardware-to-display latency.", "responsePresentationUpdatesMax": 1, "actionBufferMs": 150, "windupAttackCooldownRefundFraction": 0.5, "comboMemoryAfterMovementMs": 1000, "chargeMoveSpeedFraction": 0.5, "channelAimMoveSpeedFraction": 0.4, "randomInputSoakMinutes": 60 }, "movementCost": "Every movement gem consumes a positive mana cost once on accepted activation; cost and reuse are server-owned. Exact per-gem costs must be authored and profiled before implementation; no zero-cost fallback.", "hardControl": { "stun": "blocks movement", "sleep": "blocks movement", "knockdown": "blocks movement", "root": "blocks displacement unless this gem explicitly declares a root escape; blue color alone is not an escape", "superarmour": "does not block own movement cancel" }, "reuse": "Cooldown starts at accepted activation. A fresh press is required; no recursive cancel of an in-progress movement, overlap, stored dodge, or duplicate mana charge. Readiness also requires previous travel to end.", "comboAfterMovement": "Resume the next eligible slot inside the memory window; otherwise restart. Never replay interrupted contacts or keep an older offensive queue. Requires fresh action or deliberate held-chain input after movement ends.", "attackRefund": "Before commit: no attack mana spent, partial attack cooldown refund. After commit: no attack refund; resolved outcomes stand. Movement pays its full own mana/cooldown in either case.", "movementReuseTargets": { "proposed": true, "note": "Owner suggested jump about 1 s and dash about 0.3 s. Apply to Cairn Vault and Reed Rush as starting reuse delays, not startup delays or a blanket rule for all gems. Mana, travel, range and sustained traversal must be balanced. Other gems require individual tuning; Silk Roll immunity must not become near-continuous.", "cooldownSByGem": { "cairn_vault": 1.0, "reed_rush": 0.3 }, "otherGemCooldowns": "author per gem before implementation; not inferred from dash target", "manaCosts": "positive per-gem values pending authored balance data" } }, "animation": { "rigContract": "docs/production/ANIMATION.md#rig-contract", "require": [ "versioned_rig", "rest_pose", "bind_matrices", "joint_axes", "socket_orientation", "humanoid_avatar_mapping", "planted_intervals", "transition_review" ], "views": [ "front", "back", "left", "right", "front_left", "front_right", "back_left", "back_right" ], "poses": [ "preparation", "contact", "follow_through", "recovery_end" ], "gameplayCameras": [ "tactical", "close" ], "reviewItems": [ "feet", "knees", "hips", "shoulders", "elbows", "hands", "head", "clipping", "unwanted_action" ], "reviewResults": [ "pass", "fail", "not_applicable_with_reason" ], "jointLimits": "calibrated rig-specific swing/twist and reference poses; no generic clinical ROM table", "proposedTuning": { "proposed": true, "note": "Capture sampling and ground penetration are new starting values. Contact, foot-slide and grip tolerances repeat the existing animation planning contract; slide is measured only during marked plants.", "sideStripFrameStride": 3, "contactToleranceAuthoringFrames": 1, "plantedFootSlideMaxCmExclusive": 2, "handWeaponDriftMaxCmExclusive": 1, "groundPenetrationMaxCm": 1 } }, "vfx": { "standard": "semantic roles and measured cost, not minimum emitter or particle counts", "rolesBySkillType": { "basic_melee": [ "motion", "material_contact", "end" ], "chain_attack": [ "anticipation", "release_motion", "impact", "dissipation" ], "projectile": [ "cast_cue", "directional_body", "impact", "end" ], "aoe_control": [ "footprint", "cue_release", "impact", "expiry", "status_if_applied" ], "movement": [ "immediate_startup_cue", "travel_direction", "landing_end" ], "buff_aura_heal": [ "acknowledgment", "status", "expiry" ], "signature_finisher": [ "applicable_base_roles", "distinct_anticipation", "distinct_contact", "distinct_aftermath" ] }, "budgets": "docs/production/VFX.md; frame-wide Performance and NETCODE_1000 caps also apply; profile on reference devices", "telegraphsNeverCulled": true, "requiredReview": [ "low_high", "both_cameras", "bright_dark_terrain", "crowd_plus_boss_telegraph", "grayscale", "reduced_flashes", "colorblind_palettes", "cancel_cleanup", "pool_return" ] }, "environment": { "pipeline": "docs/production/ENVIRONMENT.md", "determinismInputs": [ "world_data", "seed", "generator_version", "authored_overrides" ], "areaBrief": [ "biome_story", "ground_palette", "hero_landmark", "roads_waypoints", "sightlines", "encounter_spaces", "escape_routes", "verticality", "lighting_fog", "material_sounds", "vegetation_wind", "wildlife", "ambient_accents", "streaming_boundaries", "asset_budgets", "capture_plan" ], "requiredEvidence": [ "determinism_hashes", "road_spawn_bot_walks", "movement_gem_paths", "camera_obstruction_checks", "story_views", "flythrough", "streaming_metrics" ], "proposedTuning": { "proposed": true, "note": "Camp slope is a starting heuristic, not a global walkability limit; validate per encounter and movement gem.", "campSlopeMaxDeg": 15 } }, "controlTestIds": [ "C1", "C2", "C3", "C4", "C5", "C6", "C7", "C8", "C9", "C10", "C11", "C12", "C13", "C14", "C15", "C16", "C17", "C18" ], "requiredInputDevices": [ "keyboard_mouse", "gamepad", "touch" ], "gates": [ "G0_contract_readiness", "G1_movement_foundation", "G2_one_polished_skill", "G3_battle_slice", "G4_scale_content" ], "camera": { "views": [ "close", "tactical" ], "closeReference": "Dynasty Warriors / Metal Gear third person", "tacticalReference": "Silkroad / Path of Exile zoomed-out overview", "toggle": { "desktop": "V", "gamepad": "R3", "touch": "camera view control" }, "r3OnlyTogglesView": true, "optionalCloseLockOn": "opt-in boss/elite framing; release/switch supported; separate remappable command, never R3; no movement or damage advantage", "rules": [ "same authoritative outcomes", "same telegraphs and HUD", "preserve target/held input on switch", "camera collision and occluder fade in both views" ] }, "battleSlice": { "accepted": [ "combat_timeline_replays", "locomotion_strafe_pivot_blends", "camera_collision_optional_lock_on_offscreen_cues", "server_owned_role_difficulty_engagement_tokens", "enemy_roles_boss_punish_windows", "accessibility_training_arena", "combo_memory", "crowd_reaction_lod", "telemetry_structured_playtests", "optional_cosmetic_ko_combo_display" ], "engagementCoordinator": "Active crowds reposition, flank, telegraph or support. Tune simultaneous attackers by role, difficulty, encounter and visibility, with fairness in both views. No fixed universal cap; budgets and token release rules before implementation.", "display": "Optional local encounter KO/combo feedback; no extra damage, rewards, global scoreboard or gameplay timing changes.", "deferred": [ "perfect_dodge_rewards", "hit_confirm_cancels", "gameplay_hazards", "destruction_breakables" ] }, "hardware": "reference-devices.json; physical Low-tier validation required before declaring support", "audio": { "musicAllowed": [ "town", "gm_room", "engaged_named_boss_encounter" ], "ordinaryOutdoorAreas": "quiet environment beds, landmark emitters and sparse accents; no ambient zone music", "bossPlayback": "encounter state, not individual hit events; start/end/reset/leash/leave/death/reconnect tested; warnings remain audible", "assetStatus": "new boss theme briefs only; no audio generation or listening approval implied" } }