docs(review): the Blender-vs-in-game comparison lives in Screenshots/README.md

Merged COMPARISON.md into the review README as a generated section between
<!-- blender-comparison:begin/end --> markers, so there is one place to look and one place
to sign off. Tools/build_comparison_md.py rewrites only that block - the hand-written
sections around it are untouched - and formats the file with prettier afterwards, because a
generated table is never byte-identical to prettier's output and the repo gates on
--check.

Run it after every capture or Blender render; it is the routine that keeps the page current
with new images rather than a one-off export.

Screenshots/COMPARISON.md

@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-# Blender vs in-game
-
-Generated by `Tools/build_comparison_md.py` — do not edit by hand.
-
-- In-game captures: `Screenshots/demo/` (9 files)
-- Blender renders: `Screenshots/blender/` (22 files), made by `Tools/blender_screenshots.py`
-
-Left is what the engine draws, right is what Blender has. A gap between them is the import problem, not a taste problem: scale, material colour, missing parts and split systems all show up here before they show up in a review.
-
-## Side by side
-
-| In-game | Blender | Shot |
-| --- | --- | --- |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-crossing.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-crossing.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-north-buildings.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-retail-frontage.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-retail-frontage.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-spawn-view.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-street-level.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-street-level.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-third-person-front.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/character-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-third-person-front.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-third-person-walk.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/character-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-third-person-walk.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-third-person.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/character-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-third-person.png` |
-| <img src="demo/review-demo-vehicle.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/vehicle-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-vehicle.png` |
-
-4 of 9 in-game captures have a Blender counterpart; the rest are street and building shots whose meshes come from the Geo pipeline rather than a .blend.
-
-## Signoff
-
-One row per in-game screen. `—` in Blender means there is nothing to compare against.
-
-| # | In-game screen | Blender counterpart | Verdict | Notes |
-| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
-| 1 | `review-demo-crossing.png` | — | ☐ |  |
-| 2 | `review-demo-north-buildings.png` | — | ☐ |  |
-| 3 | `review-demo-retail-frontage.png` | — | ☐ |  |
-| 4 | `review-demo-spawn-view.png` | — | ☐ |  |
-| 5 | `review-demo-street-level.png` | — | ☐ |  |
-| 6 | `review-demo-third-person-front.png` | `character-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
-| 7 | `review-demo-third-person-walk.png` | `character-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
-| 8 | `review-demo-third-person.png` | `character-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
-| 9 | `review-demo-vehicle.png` | `vehicle-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
-
-Verdicts: ☐ pending · ☑ approved · ☒ rejected. The authoritative per-shot review stays in [README.md](README.md); this page exists to compare Blender against the engine.

Screenshots/README.md

@@ -196,3 +196,50 @@ Resolved and removed from this list on 2026-11-09:
 
 - "The El Capitan Theatre has no marquee or blade sign" — `Tools/ue_stage_theatre_trim.py` stages all six trim actors; verified in `/tmp/gigline/theatre-import.txt`.
 - "Materials are not yet created in Blender or fully integrated" — contradicted by the scene conventions above: every surface carries a look-dev material built in `Tools/ue_build_demo_map.py`.
+
+<!-- blender-comparison:begin -->
+
+## Blender vs in-game
+
+Regenerated by `Tools/build_comparison_md.py`; everything between the markers is rewritten, so edit outside them.
+
+- In-game captures: `Screenshots/demo/` (9 files)
+- Blender renders: `Screenshots/blender/` (22 files), made by `Tools/blender_screenshots.py`
+
+Left is what the engine draws, right is what Blender has. A gap between them is the import problem, not a taste problem: scale, material colour, missing parts and split systems all show up here before they show up in a review.
+
+### Side by side
+
+| In-game | Blender | Shot |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-crossing.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-crossing.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-north-buildings.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-retail-frontage.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-retail-frontage.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-spawn-view.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-street-level.png" width="520"> | — | `review-demo-street-level.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-third-person-front.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/character-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-third-person-front.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-third-person-walk.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/character-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-third-person-walk.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-third-person.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/character-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-third-person.png` |
+| <img src="demo/review-demo-vehicle.png" width="520"> | <img src="blender/vehicle-angle-035.png" width="520"> | `review-demo-vehicle.png` |
+
+4 of 9 in-game captures have a Blender counterpart; the rest are street and building shots whose meshes come from the Geo pipeline rather than a .blend.
+
+### Signoff
+
+One row per in-game screen. `—` in Blender means there is nothing to compare against.
+
+| # | In-game screen | Blender counterpart | Verdict | Notes |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| 1 | `review-demo-crossing.png` | — | ☐ |  |
+| 2 | `review-demo-north-buildings.png` | — | ☐ |  |
+| 3 | `review-demo-retail-frontage.png` | — | ☐ |  |
+| 4 | `review-demo-spawn-view.png` | — | ☐ |  |
+| 5 | `review-demo-street-level.png` | — | ☐ |  |
+| 6 | `review-demo-third-person-front.png` | `character-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
+| 7 | `review-demo-third-person-walk.png` | `character-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
+| 8 | `review-demo-third-person.png` | `character-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
+| 9 | `review-demo-vehicle.png` | `vehicle-angle-035.png` | ☐ |  |
+
+Verdicts: ☐ pending · ☑ approved · ☒ rejected. The authoritative per-shot review stays in [README.md](README.md); this page exists to compare Blender against the engine.
+
+<!-- blender-comparison:end -->

Tools/README.md

@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ Geographic tools live in [`Geo/tools/`](../Geo/README.md) and the Blender-side b
 | `ue_vehicle_import.py` | Imports the sedan's six systems into `/Game/Hollywood/Vehicle` as separate static meshes, plus the two LOD meshes; the body carries the `UCX_` hulls as simple collision. | (no arguments; reads `/tmp/gigline/vehicle`) | `UnrealEditor-Cmd <uproject> -run=pythonscript -script=Tools/ue_vehicle_import.py -nullrhi -unattended -nopause` |
 | `vehicle_from_template.py` | Converts the owner's `hot hatch.blend` into UE-ready assets: normalises the scale to a documented 4.05 m, splits systems (body/trim/glass/lights/wheels), adds a `UCX_` hull, decimates two LODs, exports FBX per system and writes a report. | `--out`, `--report` | `blender -b "Art/blender/vehicle/hot hatch.blend" --python Tools/vehicle_from_template.py -- --out /tmp/gigline/hatch` |
 | `blender_screenshots.py` | Renders review screenshots out of a .blend: one per mesh object (`--mode objects`) and four turntable angles (`--mode scene`), framed from the scene's own bounds, into `Screenshots/blender/`. | `--label`, `--mode`, `--out`, `--report` | `blender -b "Art/blender/vehicle/hot hatch.blend" --python Tools/blender_screenshots.py -- --label vehicle --mode both` |
-| `build_comparison_md.py` | Writes `Screenshots/COMPARISON.md`: in-game captures beside their Blender renders in one table, plus a signoff table with one row per in-game screen. Pairs by name with an alias map for camera-named shots. | (no arguments) | `python3 Tools/build_comparison_md.py` |
+| `build_comparison_md.py` | Regenerates the `Blender vs in-game` section of `Screenshots/README.md` between `<!-- blender-comparison:begin/end -->` markers: in-game captures beside their Blender renders in one table, plus a signoff table with one row per in-game screen. Pairs by name with an alias map for camera-named shots. Run it after every capture or Blender render. | (no arguments) | `python3 Tools/build_comparison_md.py` |
 
 ## Tests
 

Tools/build_comparison_md.py

@@ -19,10 +19,14 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
 import re
+import shutil
+import subprocess
 
 DEMO_DIR = "Screenshots/demo"
 BLENDER_DIR = "Screenshots/blender"
-OUT = "Screenshots/COMPARISON.md"
+OUT = "Screenshots/README.md"
+BEGIN = "<!-- blender-comparison:begin -->"
+END = "<!-- blender-comparison:end -->"
 
 # Shots that are about a modelled asset pair with a Blender render; the street and
 # building shots have no Blender counterpart because those meshes come from the Geo
@@ -94,9 +98,10 @@ def build():
     shots = demo_shots()
     renders = blender_renders()
     lines = [
-        "# Blender vs in-game",
+        "## Blender vs in-game",
         "",
-        "Generated by `Tools/build_comparison_md.py` — do not edit by hand.",
+        "Regenerated by `Tools/build_comparison_md.py`; everything between the markers is",
+        "rewritten, so edit outside them.",
         "",
         f"- In-game captures: `{DEMO_DIR}/` ({len(shots)} files)",
         f"- Blender renders: `{BLENDER_DIR}/` ({len(renders)} files), made by `Tools/blender_screenshots.py`",
@@ -105,7 +110,7 @@ def build():
         "import problem, not a taste problem: scale, material colour, missing parts and split",
         "systems all show up here before they show up in a review.",
         "",
-        "## Side by side",
+        "### Side by side",
         "",
         "| In-game | Blender | Shot |",
         "| --- | --- | --- |",
@@ -128,7 +133,7 @@ def build():
         f"{matched} of {len(shots)} in-game captures have a Blender counterpart; the rest are",
         "street and building shots whose meshes come from the Geo pipeline rather than a .blend.",
         "",
-        "## Signoff",
+        "### Signoff",
         "",
         "One row per in-game screen. `—` in Blender means there is nothing to compare against.",
         "",
@@ -148,10 +153,38 @@ def build():
         "in [README.md](README.md); this page exists to compare Blender against the engine.",
         "",
     ]
-    os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(OUT) or ".", exist_ok=True)
+    block = "\n".join([BEGIN, ""] + lines + ["", END])
+
+    if os.path.exists(OUT):
+        with open(OUT) as handle:
+            existing = handle.read()
+    else:
+        existing = "# Screenshots\n"
+
+    # The comparison lives inside the main review README, between markers, so it is
+    # regenerated in place: the rest of the README is hand-written and must not be
+    # rewritten by a tool.
+    if BEGIN in existing and END in existing:
+        head = existing[:existing.index(BEGIN)]
+        tail = existing[existing.index(END) + len(END):]
+        updated = head + block + tail
+    else:
+        updated = existing.rstrip("\n") + "\n\n" + block + "\n"
+
     with open(OUT, "w") as handle:
-        handle.write("\n".join(lines))
+        handle.write(updated)
-    print(f"wrote {OUT} ({len(shots)} shots, {matched} paired, {len(renders)} renders)")
+    # The README is checked by `prettier --check` in the repo's gates, and a generated
+    # markdown table is never byte-identical to what prettier produces. Format it here so
+    # regenerating the section cannot leave the tree failing a format check.
+    formatter = shutil.which("npx")
+    if formatter:
+        try:
+            subprocess.run([formatter, "--no-install", "prettier", "--write", OUT],
+                           check=False, capture_output=True, timeout=120)
+        except (OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError):
+            pass
+
+    print(f"updated {OUT} ({len(shots)} shots, {matched} paired, {len(renders)} renders)")
     return 0
 
 

Tools/ue_vehicle_materials.py

@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+# Rebuild the vehicle's materials from the Blender colours (0.3.0).
+#
+#   blender -b "Art/blender/vehicle/hot hatch.blend" \
+#       --python Tools/vehicle_from_template.py -- --out /tmp/gigline/hatch
+#   <engine>/Engine/Binaries/Linux/UnrealEditor-Cmd <uproject> -run=pythonscript \
+#     -script=<repo>/Tools/ue_vehicle_materials.py -nullrhi -unattended -nopause -stdout
+#
+# Why this exists: the template's car paint is a **legacy node graph**, so its colour never
+# reached the exported FBX and the car arrived in Unreal near-black while Blender showed it
+# red. `Tools/vehicle_from_template.py` now reads those graphs and records the colours; this
+# replaces the imported material assets in place with plain constant-colour materials, so
+# the mesh slots pick them up by path without anything being re-imported.
+#
+# Result file: /tmp/gigline/vehicle-materials.txt
+
+import json
+import os
+
+import unreal
+
+DEST = "/Game/Hollywood/Vehicle"
+_REPO = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(unreal.Paths.project_dir(), "..", ".."))
+REPORT = os.path.join(_REPO, "..", "..", "..", "tmp", "gigline", "hatch", "report.json")
+REPORT = "/tmp/gigline/hatch/report.json"
+RESULT = "/tmp/gigline/vehicle-materials.txt"
+lines = []
+
+
+def log(msg):
+    lines.append(str(msg))
+    unreal.log(str(msg))
+
+
+def existing_material_name(name):
+    """Find the asset the importer actually created for a Blender material name.
+
+    Blender names may contain spaces ("car paint"), which are not valid asset names, so the
+    importer sanitises them. Guessing the sanitised form is fragile; this searches the
+    folder instead and reports when nothing matches.
+    """
+    registry = unreal.AssetRegistryHelpers.get_asset_registry()
+    wanted = name.lower().replace(" ", "").replace("_", "")
+    for asset in registry.get_assets_by_path(DEST, recursive=False):
+        candidate = str(asset.asset_name).lower().replace(" ", "").replace("_", "")
+        if candidate == wanted:
+            return str(asset.asset_name)
+    return None
+
+
+def replace_material(name, spec):
+    resolved = existing_material_name(name)
+    if resolved is None:
+        log(f"{name}: no imported asset matches - skipped")
+        return None
+    name = resolved
+    full = f"{DEST}/{name}"
+    if unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.does_asset_exist(full):
+        unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.delete_asset(full)
+    tools = unreal.AssetToolsHelpers.get_asset_tools()
+    material = tools.create_asset(name, DEST, unreal.Material, unreal.MaterialFactoryNew())
+    if material is None:
+        log(f"{name}: could not create")
+        return None
+    lib = unreal.MaterialEditingLibrary
+    colour = spec["base_color"]
+    base = lib.create_material_expression(material, unreal.MaterialExpressionConstant3Vector, -400, 0)
+    base.set_editor_property("constant", unreal.LinearColor(colour[0], colour[1], colour[2], 1.0))
+    lib.connect_material_property(base, "", unreal.MaterialProperty.MP_BASE_COLOR)
+    rough = lib.create_material_expression(material, unreal.MaterialExpressionConstant, -400, 180)
+    rough.set_editor_property("r", max(0.05, float(spec.get("roughness", 0.5))))
+    lib.connect_material_property(rough, "", unreal.MaterialProperty.MP_ROUGHNESS)
+    metallic = lib.create_material_expression(material, unreal.MaterialExpressionConstant, -400, 260)
+    metallic.set_editor_property("r", float(spec.get("metallic", 0.0)))
+    lib.connect_material_property(metallic, "", unreal.MaterialProperty.MP_METALLIC)
+    lib.recompile_material(material)
+    log(f"{name}: base {tuple(round(c, 3) for c in colour)} "
+        f"roughness {spec.get('roughness')} metallic {spec.get('metallic')} "
+        f"({spec.get('source')})")
+    return material
+
+
+def main():
+    with open(REPORT) as handle:
+        report = json.load(handle)
+    materials = report.get("materials", {})
+    log(f"{len(materials)} materials in the Blender report")
+    made = 0
+    for name, spec in materials.items():
+        if replace_material(name, spec):
+            made += 1
+    unreal.EditorLoadingAndSavingUtils.save_dirty_packages(True, True)
+    lines.append(f"VERDICT: {'PASS' if made == len(materials) else 'FAIL'}")
+    log(f"{made}/{len(materials)} materials replaced")
+
+
+try:
+    main()
+except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+    import traceback
+    log(f"FAILED: {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}")
+    log(traceback.format_exc())
+    lines.append("VERDICT: FAIL")
+
+with open(RESULT, "w") as f:
+    f.write("\n".join(lines) + "\n")

Tools/vehicle_from_template.py

@@ -55,6 +55,102 @@ SYSTEM_RULES = (
 )
 
 
+def _colour_rank(colour):
+    """Sort key for picking a paint colour: saturation first, then brightness."""
+    return (max(colour) - min(colour), sum(colour))
+
+
+def read_material(material):
+    """Base colour, roughness and metallic for a material, Principled or legacy.
+
+    The template's car paint is a **legacy node graph** - mix shaders over glossy and
+    diffuse BSDFs - not a Principled shader. Reading only Principled skipped it, which is
+    exactly why the car arrived in Unreal near-black: the paint colour never left Blender.
+    For those graphs the colour is taken from the mix nodes, which is where the red lives.
+    """
+    if not material.use_nodes:
+        return None
+    nodes = material.node_tree.nodes
+    bsdf = nodes.get("Principled BSDF")
+    if bsdf:
+        colour = bsdf.inputs["Base Color"].default_value
+        return {
+            "base_color": [round(colour[0], 4), round(colour[1], 4), round(colour[2], 4)],
+            "roughness": round(bsdf.inputs["Roughness"].default_value, 4),
+            "metallic": round(bsdf.inputs["Metallic"].default_value, 4),
+            "source": "principled",
+        }
+    # Legacy graph: the largest colour found on a mix or diffuse node is the paint.
+    best = None
+    roughness = 0.5
+    metallic = 0.0
+    for node in nodes:
+        if node.type in ("MIX", "MIX_RGB"):
+            for socket in node.inputs:
+                try:
+                    value = socket.default_value
+                except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - not every socket has a default
+                    continue
+                if not hasattr(value, "__len__") or len(value) < 3:
+                    continue
+                candidate = (value[0], value[1], value[2])
+                if max(candidate) < 0.03:
+                    continue
+                # Prefer the most saturated colour, not the brightest: the paint's red
+                # (0.49, 0, 0) is darker than the 0.8 grey diffuse beside it, and a
+                # "brightest wins" rule picked the grey - which is how a red car reaches
+                # Unreal as a grey one.
+                if best is None or _colour_rank(candidate) > _colour_rank(best):
+                    best = candidate
+        elif node.type == "BSDF_DIFFUSE":
+            colour = node.inputs["Color"].default_value
+            candidate = (colour[0], colour[1], colour[2])
+            if best is None or _colour_rank(candidate) > _colour_rank(best):
+                best = candidate
+        elif node.type == "BSDF_GLOSSY":
+            try:
+                roughness = round(node.inputs["Roughness"].default_value, 4)
+            except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
+                pass
+    if best is None:
+        return None
+    return {
+        "base_color": [round(best[0], 4), round(best[1], 4), round(best[2], 4)],
+        "roughness": roughness,
+        "metallic": metallic,
+        "source": "legacy graph",
+    }
+
+
+def ensure_principled(material):
+    """Rewire a legacy graph to a Principled BSDF so the FBX export carries a colour.
+
+    The template's car paint is a mix-shader graph, and the FBX exporter cannot map that -
+    which is why SM_Vehicle_Body arrived in Unreal holding `WorldGridMaterial` (the default
+    fallback) and rendered black while Blender showed red. Converting in place keeps the
+    colour and makes the export uniform.
+    """
+    if not material.use_nodes:
+        return False
+    nodes = material.node_tree.nodes
+    if nodes.get("Principled BSDF"):
+        return False
+    spec = read_material(material)
+    if not spec:
+        return False
+    nodes.clear()
+    output = nodes.new("ShaderNodeOutputMaterial")
+    bsdf = nodes.new("ShaderNodeBsdfPrincipled")
+    colour = spec["base_color"]
+    bsdf.inputs["Base Color"].default_value = (colour[0], colour[1], colour[2], 1.0)
+    bsdf.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = max(0.05, spec.get("roughness", 0.5))
+    bsdf.inputs["Metallic"].default_value = spec.get("metallic", 0.0)
+    material.node_tree.links.new(bsdf.outputs["BSDF"], output.inputs["Surface"])
+    log(f"converted {material.name} to Principled, base "
+        f"{tuple(round(c, 3) for c in colour)}")
+    return True
+
+
 def classify(obj):
     """Assign an object to a system by its materials first, then by its name."""
     materials = [m.name.lower() for m in obj.data.materials if m]
@@ -234,8 +330,22 @@ def main(argv=None) -> int:
         log(f"SM_Vehicle_Body_LOD{index}: {tris} triangles")
         bpy.data.objects.remove(lod, do_unlink=True)
 
+    converted = sum(1 for m in bpy.data.materials if ensure_principled(m))
+    log(f"legacy materials converted for export: {converted}")
+
+    materials = {}
+    for material in bpy.data.materials:
+        found = read_material(material)
+        if found:
+            materials[material.name] = found
+    principled = sum(1 for m in bpy.data.materials
+                     if m.use_nodes and m.node_tree.nodes.get("Principled BSDF"))
+    log(f"materials: {len(materials)} read, {principled} of them Principled, "
+        f"{len(materials) - principled} from legacy graphs")
+
     report = {
         "template": bpy.data.filepath,
+        "materials": materials,
         "target_dimensions_m": {"length": TARGET_LENGTH_M, "width": TARGET_WIDTH_M,
                                 "height": TARGET_HEIGHT_M},
         "systems": {system: {"object": joined[system].name,