frontage: south block frontage, plus the placement bug it exposed

Adds the five remaining verified south-side buildings to the demo block
(6922, 6902, 6838 El Capitan Theatre, 6822 Budget, 6806-6820, 6800 Lee Drug)
exported in place from the OSM blockout and staged by the demo builder.

Adding neighbours exposed a pre-existing placement bug that could not be seen
while the hero stood alone:

- UE south is +Y (south sidewalk Y +718..+1447), but the hero facade sat at
  Y -1450 on the NORTH side and at X -12024..-9420, which is 26 m east of the
  6840 footprint (the frontage gap is X -14591..-12082).
- The two north-side buildings were on the SOUTH side, because their exporter
  mirrored Y.

Fixes: hero moved to X -13336 / Y +1307, inside its frontage gap; frontage and
north buildings export without a Y mirror (the FBX preset already lands
Blender -Y south on UE +Y south); player start and demo cameras moved to the
north sidewalk looking south; sun raised to pitch -62 so both frontages read
instead of the north side going to silhouette.

Screenshots re-rendered; the four demo views are marked needs-review because
the whole block changed.

MEMORY.md

@@ -191,3 +191,11 @@ Scope: facts and traps that cost time to establish. Planned work lives in [TODO.
 - **A fresh git worktree has no compiled game binaries.** `Binaries/` is gitignored, so `UnrealEditor-Cmd` on a new worktree exits "abnormally (error code: 1)" before running the Python script, with no Python error in the log. Run `Engine/Build/BatchFiles/Linux/Build.sh GigLineEditor Linux Development -project=<worktree>/Game/GigLine/GigLine.uproject` first.
 - `/tmp/gigline/*.txt` result files are **shared across worktrees**. Reading `/tmp/gigline/demo-map.txt` after a run can show another worktree's stale output — check the file mtime, or use a per-worktree result path.
 - **Flat Constant3Vector materials read as plastic.** Giving each surface a roughness plus a world-space-noise blend between two shades (WorldPosition → Multiply → Noise → Lerp between two Constant3Vectors → BaseColor) is enough to stop the blockout looking like a toy; no textures required.
+
+## 2026-11-07 — The Y-side bug (found when the frontage was added)
+
+- **UE convention in this project: south = +Y, north = −Y.** Ground truth is the street mesh: `Sidewalk_North` is Y −1912..−1053 and `Sidewalk_South` Y +718..+1447.
+- The hero facade had been placed at **Y −1450 (north side)** and X −12024..−9420 — 26 m east of the 6840 footprint and on the wrong side of the street. It only looked right because it stood alone in an empty field; the approved screenshots were of a building with no context.
+- The two north-side buildings (TCL, Tussaud's) were similarly on the **south** side: `export_north_buildings.py` mirrored Y, which put them where the frontage belongs.
+- Fix: hero at X −13336 / Y +1307 (the frontage gap between 6902 and 6838); frontage and north buildings exported **without** a Y mirror (the FBX preset already maps Blender −Y south to UE +Y south).
+- Lesson: **place a building only against a neighbour or the street mesh, never in isolation.** A single object in an empty map hides any number of placement errors; adding the adjacent frontage immediately exposed this one.

Screenshots/README.md

@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ and exits — about a minute. The camera list lives in
 
 ## Shot list
 
-All shots ☑ approved 2026-11-07, including the material look pass that changed
-every demo surface.
+Review-map shots ☑ approved. **Demo-map shots: needs review** — the block
+frontage pass (2026-11-07) added the neighbouring buildings and corrected the
+hero and north-building placement, so all four demo views changed.
 
 | # | File | Preview | Map | View | What it shows |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
@@ -38,10 +39,10 @@ every demo surface.
 | 8 | `review-hero-portals.png` | [<img src="review-hero-portals.png" alt="hero portals" width="180">](review-hero-portals.png) | Review | 8 m, eye height | Three genuine 1.2 m portal recesses with flights and plinth |
 | 9 | `review-hero-facade-front.png` | [<img src="review-hero-facade-front.png" alt="hero facade front" width="180">](review-hero-facade-front.png) | Review | road side, straight-on | Hero façade elevation and column rhythm |
 | 10 | `review-hero-facade-oblique.png` | [<img src="review-hero-facade-oblique.png" alt="hero facade oblique" width="180">](review-hero-facade-oblique.png) | Review | north-west | Body depth and column line standing proud of the mass |
-| 11 | `demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png" alt="spawn view" width="180">](demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png) | Demo | spawn point | Spawn view from the north sidewalk: the hero façade across the road under fixed daytime light |
-| 12 | `demo/review-demo-street-level.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-street-level.png" alt="street level" width="180">](demo/review-demo-street-level.png) | Demo | eye height, north side | The façade colonnade and columns, sunlit with cast shadows |
-| 13 | `demo/review-demo-crossing.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-crossing.png" alt="crossing" width="180">](demo/review-demo-crossing.png) | Demo | along the crosswalk | The designated mid-block crossing at s=130 m (UE X -14956): three continental zebra bars on the asphalt, kerbs flushed to ramps |
-| 14 | `demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png" alt="north buildings" width="180">](demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png) | Demo | across the Blvd | North-side background buildings (TCL, Tussaud's), lit against the sky |
+| 11 | `demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png" alt="spawn view" width="180">](demo/review-demo-spawn-view.png) | Demo | north sidewalk | The whole block: hero façade between its neighbours, both sidewalks and the road |
+| 12 | `demo/review-demo-street-level.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-street-level.png" alt="street level" width="180">](demo/review-demo-street-level.png) | Demo | eye height, north side | The hero colonnade with the adjacent frontage buildings either side |
+| 13 | `demo/review-demo-crossing.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-crossing.png" alt="crossing" width="180">](demo/review-demo-crossing.png) | Demo | along the crosswalk | The designated mid-block crossing at s=130 m (UE X -14956): three zebra bars on the asphalt, with the south frontage and the hero colonnade behind |
+| 14 | `demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png` | [<img src="demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png" alt="north buildings" width="180">](demo/review-demo-north-buildings.png) | Demo | across the Blvd | North-side buildings (TCL, Tussaud's) seen from the south side across the road |
 
 ## Scene conventions
 

TODO.md

@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ The MPFB character asset is planned as the NPC template (see `ROADMAP.md`). Keep
 - [A] Collect reference photography for manual façade work. Local only, never committed: `Art/reference/` is gitignored. **72 images in eleven folders**: hero façades to 4k, the El Capitan Theatre exterior series, premiere-night staging, Ovation Hollywood, the north side, and the Lee Drug neighbour. Gaps largely closed by the Flickr/web-search pass: the hero entrance is now documented (three portals with individual short flights — the inherited "eight steps, 12 m wide" is overturned), and the 6806–6822 retail run appears in an oblique 2013 frame. Still missing: a clean isolated frame of the door recess and a night frame of 6840 itself.
 - [x] Download reference photography for the two north-side buildings inside the 50 m buffer — TCL Chinese Theatre (OSM way 424105908, 6925 Hollywood Blvd) and Madame Tussaud's (way 424105889, 6933 Hollywood Blvd). Done 2026-11-06 with `Tools/commons_fetch.py` against the Wikimedia Commons API: eleven frames in the local `Art/reference/north-chinese/` and `Art/reference/north-tussauds/`, provenance in each `sidecar.json`, nothing committed.
 - [x] Model hero façade for the El Capitan Entertainment Centre site. **Second pass built 2026-11-07** (proportions recalibrated from the 2009 photograph: entablature 3.4 m, parapet 2.2 m, architrave and cornice bands, square pedestals — the first pass had 5.7 m of blank wall above the capitals and read as a warehouse). **First pass built 2026-11-07** (`Tools/hero_facade_build.py` → `Art/blender/hero/hero-facade-2026-11-07.blend` + JSON part report with evidence per part → `Tools/ue_hero_facade_import.py` → `/Game/Hollywood/ElCapitan/SM_HeroFacade`, 1892 tris, 4 materials, placed on the measured building line). Six columns at 4.96 m over the 25.75 m frontage, plinth, three portal flights (5 risers, not the old 8), entablature 2.2 m, parapet 1.6 m with motto band and medallions. **Screenshot approved** (`Screenshots/review-hero-portals`, `review-hero-facade-front/oblique`). Next pass: banner and window placement, then materials.
-- [A] Model surrounding block frontage.
+- [A] Model surrounding block frontage. **Implemented 2026-11-07, screenshots awaiting approval.** The five remaining south-side buildings verified for the block (`Geo/verification/2026-11-06-el-capitan-block.md`) are exported in place from the OSM blockout by `Tools/export_block_frontage.py` -> `Tools/ue_import_block_frontage.py` -> `/Game/Hollywood/Frontage/`, and staged by the demo builder: 6922, 6902, 6838 El Capitan Theatre, 6822 Budget, 6806-6820, 6800 Lee Drug. **Adding them exposed a pre-existing placement bug**: UE south is +Y (the south sidewalk is Y +718..+1447) but the hero facade sat at Y -1450 (north side) and X -12024..-9420, i.e. 26 m east of its own footprint and on the wrong side of the street; the two north-side buildings were likewise on the south side. The hero is now at X -13336 / Y +1307 (inside the frontage gap between 6902 and 6838) and the north buildings are back on the north side (Y -1802..-9431). The sun was raised to pitch -62 so both frontages read instead of one being silhouetted.
 - [x] Model simplified background buildings directly across Hollywood Boulevard. Done 2026-11-07, the two in-scope north-side buildings — TCL Chinese Theatre (SM_TCL_Chinese_Theatre) and Madame Tussaud's (SM_Madame_Tussauds) — taken from the verified OSM blockout volumes and exported with `ue_metric_v1`, with a Y-mirror so they land north of Hollywood Blvd across the street from the hero (TCL spans Unreal Y 1802..9431, Tussaud's 1888..7586; road centreline ≈ 0, hero façade at Y −1450). Staged in the DemoMap as `North_TCL_Chinese` / `North_Madame_Tussauds`; demo shot `review-03-demo-north-buildings` captured. Simple flat facade materials (surfaces are the `0.1.4` patch).
 - [A] Build sidewalks, roads, and collision meshes. Terrain, road, sidewalks and kerbs exist (`Art/blender/terrain/`, `street/`) and are assembled in `site/site-2026-11-06.blend`; collision and details (crossing markings, kerb radii, aprons) are not built. Ground must follow the DEM: 3.94 m fall along the block, ~2 % crown between the gutters at ±10–11 m from the centreline, north sidewalk higher than south. Kerb height is an unresolved assumption — the DEM does not resolve it (`Geo/verification/2026-11-06-cross-sections.md`).
 - [x] Materials and look development for all exported assets. **Done 2026-11-07, screenshots approved.** every exported surface now carries a look-developed material built procedurally in `Tools/ue_build_demo_map.py` (`ensure_material`): base colour with a world-space noise blend between two shades for large-scale variation, plus an explicit roughness and specular. Set is `M_Asphalt` 0.92, `M_Concrete` 0.88, `M_KerbConcrete` 0.85, `M_Ground` 0.98, `M_RoadPaint` 0.62, `M_FacadeStone` 0.72 (hero façade) and `M_Stucco` 0.86 (TCL, Tussaud's), assigned by mesh and by actor label. Materials are rebuilt on every run so a stale asset cannot mask a look change. The richer texture-based pass (baked/procedural brick, brick_facade and seamless_concrete generators) stays in the `0.1.4` façade patch.

Tools/export_block_frontage.py

@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+# Export the south-side block frontage from the OSM blockout.
+#
+#   blender -b --factory-startup Art/blender/blockout/blockout-2026-11-06.blend \
+#       --python Tools/export_block_frontage.py -- --out /tmp/gigline/frontage
+#
+# The building set is the one verified in
+# `Geo/verification/2026-11-06-el-capitan-block.md` ("South frontage, west to
+# east"), minus 6840 which is modelled by hand as SM_HeroFacade. Everything is
+# already in the shared project frame (metres, X east / Y north / Z up, origin
+# Hollywood x Highland), so each object exports at its own world position with no
+# transform: these are south-side buildings and need no Y mirror.
+#
+# The block runs from Highland (X 0) to Orange Drive (X -279.6 m). Objects that
+# are OSM `element` placeholders are named by their verified address instead, so
+# the Unreal asset names say what the building is.
+
+import argparse
+import os
+import sys
+
+import bpy
+
+# blockout object name -> (asset name, note). Addresses from the verification doc.
+BUILDINGS = {
+    # Way 424024151, 6922, commercial 12 levels - the west end of the frontage.
+    "element.020": ("SM_Hollywood_6922", "6922, west end of the frontage"),
+    # Way 206486872, 6902, retail, height 13.8.
+    "element": ("SM_Hollywood_6902", "6902, retail, H 13.8"),
+    # Way 424024148, 6838, El Capitan Theatre - distinct from 6840.
+    "El Capitan Theatre": ("SM_ElCapitanTheatre", "6838, cinema, 6 levels"),
+    # Way 424024144, 6822, Budget car rental.
+    "Budget": ("SM_Budget_6822", "6822, car rental, H 5.5"),
+    # Way 424024150, 6806-6820, retail, height 12.1.
+    "element.019": ("SM_Hollywood_6806", "6806-6820, retail, H 12.1"),
+    # Way 424024149, 6800, Lee Drug Building.
+    "Lee Drug Building": ("SM_LeeDrug_6800", "6800, Lee Drug Building, H 12.1"),
+}
+
+
+def main():
+    argv = sys.argv[sys.argv.index("--") + 1:] if "--" in sys.argv else []
+    ap = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    ap.add_argument("--out", default="/tmp/gigline/frontage")
+    args = ap.parse_args(argv)
+    os.makedirs(args.out, exist_ok=True)
+
+    print(f"[frontage] scene objects: {len(bpy.data.objects)}")
+    exported = 0
+    for obj_name, (asset_name, note) in BUILDINGS.items():
+        obj = bpy.data.objects.get(obj_name)
+        if obj is None or obj.type != "MESH":
+            print(f"[frontage] MISSING blockout object {obj_name!r}")
+            continue
+
+        mesh = obj.data
+        if not mesh.materials:
+            mat = bpy.data.materials.new(f"M_{asset_name}")
+            mat.diffuse_color = (0.72, 0.70, 0.66, 1.0)
+            mat.use_nodes = False
+            mesh.materials.append(mat)
+
+        # No Y mirror: the FBX preset lands Blender -Y (south) on Unreal +Y,
+        # which is the south side of the street (south sidewalk Y +718..+1447).
+        new_mesh = obj.data
+        new_obj = obj
+
+        bpy.ops.object.select_all(action="DESELECT")
+        new_obj.select_set(True)
+        bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = new_obj
+
+        path = os.path.join(args.out, asset_name + ".fbx")
+        bpy.ops.export_scene.fbx(
+            filepath=path,
+            use_selection=True,
+            object_types={"MESH"},
+            apply_unit_scale=True,
+            apply_scale_options="FBX_SCALE_NONE",
+            axis_forward="-Y",
+            axis_up="Z",
+            use_space_transform=True,
+            use_mesh_modifiers=True,
+            mesh_smooth_type="OFF",
+            path_mode="AUTO",
+            bake_space_transform=False,
+        )
+        world = new_obj.matrix_world
+        zs = [(world @ v.co).z for v in new_mesh.vertices]
+        ys = [(world @ v.co).y for v in new_mesh.vertices]
+        xs = [(world @ v.co).x for v in new_mesh.vertices]
+        print(f"[frontage] {asset_name:22} {note:34} "
+              f"X {min(xs):7.1f}..{max(xs):6.1f}  Y {min(ys):6.1f}..{max(ys):6.1f}  "
+              f"H {max(zs):5.1f}  verts {len(new_mesh.vertices):5} -> {path}")
+        exported += 1
+
+    print(f"[frontage] exported {exported} of {len(BUILDINGS)} frontage buildings")
+
+
+main()

Tools/export_north_buildings.py

@@ -40,27 +40,11 @@ def main():
             mat.use_nodes = False
             mesh.materials.append(mat)
 
-        # The blockout sits with the hero (6840, south side) at negative Y. The two
-        # in-scope north buildings must land ACROSS Hollywood Blvd at positive Y in
-        # Unreal. Mirror the exported geometry across the road centreline (Y=0) and
-        # reverse winding; the FBX exporter does not do this for us.
-        new_mesh = mesh.copy()
-        new_obj = obj.copy()
-        new_obj.data = new_mesh
-        new_obj.matrix_world = obj.matrix_world.copy()
-        bpy.context.collection.objects.link(new_obj)
-        import mathutils as mu
-        world = new_obj.matrix_world
-        inv = world.inverted()
-        for v in new_mesh.vertices:
-            wp = world @ v.co
-            wp.y = -wp.y
-            v.co = inv @ wp
-        for poly in new_mesh.polygons:
-            verts = list(poly.vertices)
-            verts.reverse()
-            poly.vertices = verts
-        new_mesh.update()
+        # No copy and no Y mirror: the FBX preset already lands Blender +Y
+        # (north) on Unreal -Y, and UE north is -Y here (north sidewalk
+        # Y -1912..-1053). The old mirror put both buildings on the south side.
+        new_obj = obj
+        new_mesh = mesh
         bpy.ops.object.select_all(action="DESELECT")
         new_obj.select_set(True)
         bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = new_obj
@@ -80,6 +64,7 @@ def main():
             path_mode="AUTO",
             bake_space_transform=False,
         )
+        world = new_obj.matrix_world
         zs = [(world @ v.co).z for v in new_mesh.vertices]
         print(f"[north] {name:22} verts {len(new_mesh.vertices):5}  z {min(zs):+.2f}..{max(zs):+.2f} m "
               f"-> {path}")

Tools/ue_build_demo_map.py

@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def build():
             log(f"could not create {MAP}")
             return
 
-    removed = clear(("Demo_", "PlayerStart", "Hero_Facade"))
+    removed = clear(("Demo_", "PlayerStart", "Hero_Facade", "Frontage_"))
     log(f"cleared {removed} previous demo actors")
 
     # --- lighting: fixed daytime ------------------------------------------
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ def build():
     # 3. Ambience. A height fog gives the street depth and hides the terrain
     #    edge that otherwise reads as a black band at the horizon.
     sun = spawn(unreal.DirectionalLight, unreal.Vector(0, 0, 2000), "Demo_Sun",
-                unreal.Rotator(pitch=-50.0, yaw=120.0, roll=0.0))
+                unreal.Rotator(pitch=-62.0, yaw=120.0, roll=0.0))
     if sun:
         comp = sun.get_component_by_class(unreal.DirectionalLightComponent)
         if comp:
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ def build():
                 comp.set_mobility(unreal.ComponentMobility.MOVABLE)
             except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
                 log(f"sun mobility not set: {exc!r}")
-        log("staged: Demo_Sun (pitch -50, yaw 120, intensity 4, warm)")
+        log("staged: Demo_Sun (pitch -62, yaw 120, intensity 4, warm; higher sun so both frontages read)")
 
     sky = spawn(unreal.SkyLight, unreal.Vector(0, 0, 2000), "Demo_SkyLight")
     if sky:
@@ -246,9 +246,14 @@ def build():
         log("staged: Demo_PostProcess (fixed exposure, min=max brightness 1.0)")
 
     # --- hero facade on the measured building line ------------------------
+    # Hero placement, corrected 2026-11-07 when the neighbouring frontage was
+    # added: UE south is +Y (the south sidewalk is Y +718..+1447) and the block
+    # frontage sits at X -24276..-12082 with a gap at -14591..-12082 for 6840.
+    # The old (-10722.5, -1443) put the facade 26 m east of its footprint and on
+    # the NORTH side of the street, which only looked right while it stood alone.
     hero = unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.load_asset("/Game/Hollywood/ElCapitan/SM_HeroFacade")
     if hero:
-        actor = spawn(unreal.StaticMeshActor, unreal.Vector(-10722.5, -1443.0, 0.0), "Hero_Facade")
+        actor = spawn(unreal.StaticMeshActor, unreal.Vector(-13336.0, 1307.0, 0.0), "Hero_Facade")
         if actor:
             actor.static_mesh_component.set_static_mesh(hero)
             actor.static_mesh_component.set_mobility(unreal.ComponentMobility.MOVABLE)
@@ -323,14 +328,47 @@ def build():
             assigned += 1
     log(f"assigned look materials to {assigned} facade/background actors")
 
+    # --- surrounding block frontage ---------------------------------------
+    # The other five south-side buildings verified for the block
+    # (Geo/verification/2026-11-06-el-capitan-block.md), exported in place from
+    # the OSM blockout with a Y mirror so they sit on the south side with the
+    # hero. The 6840 site itself is the hand-modelled SM_HeroFacade above.
+    FRONTAGE = (
+        ("SM_Hollywood_6922", "6922"),
+        ("SM_Hollywood_6902", "6902"),
+        ("SM_ElCapitanTheatre", "6838 El Capitan Theatre"),
+        ("SM_Budget_6822", "6822 Budget"),
+        ("SM_Hollywood_6806", "6806-6820"),
+        ("SM_LeeDrug_6800", "6800 Lee Drug"),
+    )
+    staged_frontage = 0
+    for asset_name, label in FRONTAGE:
+        mesh = unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.load_asset(f"/Game/Hollywood/Frontage/{asset_name}")
+        if mesh is None:
+            log(f"MISSING frontage {asset_name} — run Tools/ue_import_block_frontage.py")
+            continue
+        actor = spawn(unreal.StaticMeshActor, unreal.Vector(0, 0, 0), f"Frontage_{asset_name}")
+        if actor:
+            comp = actor.static_mesh_component
+            comp.set_static_mesh(mesh)
+            comp.set_mobility(unreal.ComponentMobility.MOVABLE)
+            # The two theatre buildings read as stone; the retail run as stucco.
+            mat_name = "M_FacadeStone" if "Theatre" in asset_name else "M_Stucco"
+            if mat_name in built:
+                comp.set_material(0, built[mat_name])
+            staged_frontage += 1
+    log(f"staged {staged_frontage} frontage buildings")
+
     # --- player start: north sidewalk, facing the hero frontage -------------
     # Signs were measured from the imported meshes rather than assumed: the FBX
     # preset flips north, so in Unreal the road spans Y -1382..+1047, the NORTH
     # sidewalk is at Y -1912..-1053 and the SOUTH sidewalk at Y +718..+1447. The
     # facade stands at Y -1450. Stand on the north sidewalk and look north (-Y).
-    spawn(unreal.PlayerStart, unreal.Vector(-10722.5, -3500.0, 120.0), "Demo_PlayerStart",
-          unreal.Rotator(pitch=0.0, yaw=0.0, roll=0.0))
-    log("staged: Demo_PlayerStart on the north sidewalk facing south")
+    # North sidewalk (Y -1912..-1053), facing south (+Y) across the road at the
+    # hero on the south side. Yaw 90 looks along +Y.
+    spawn(unreal.PlayerStart, unreal.Vector(-13336.0, -1700.0, 120.0), "Demo_PlayerStart",
+          unreal.Rotator(pitch=0.0, yaw=90.0, roll=0.0))
+    log("staged: Demo_PlayerStart on the north sidewalk facing south (+Y)")
 
     # A lockable LFS .umap checks out read-only, which makes save_map silently
     # return False — chmod u+w first or the staged actors never persist.

Tools/ue_build_review_map.py

@@ -163,8 +163,10 @@ try:
     # from the north sidewalk, and the oblique street view from further west.
     # Hero placement in Unreal centimetres (see Geo/manifests/local-origin.md):
     # front plane on the building line, body behind it.
-    hero_x = -12024.5 + 1302.0
-    hero_y = -1450.0 + 7.0
+    # Corrected 2026-11-07 with the block frontage: UE south is +Y (south
+    # sidewalk Y +718..+1447) and 6840 occupies the frontage gap X -14591..-12082.
+    hero_x = -13336.0
+    hero_y = 1307.0
     hero = unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.load_asset("/Game/Hollywood/ElCapitan/SM_HeroFacade")
     # The imported mesh spans Y -7..+1250 cm in local space (front plane at -7, the
     # body behind it) and is centred on X, so the actor sits at building line + 7 cm.
@@ -274,12 +276,12 @@ try:
         demo_shots = [
             # 14 m back so the 14.5 m elevation fits: at 2 m the camera sees only
             # the colonnade's underside.
-            ("demo-spawn-view", unreal.Vector(-10722.5, -3500, 165), unreal.Vector(-10722.5, -1450, 700)),
+            ("demo-spawn-view", unreal.Vector(-13336, -3100, 420), unreal.Vector(-13336, 1300, 620)),
             # Street level, from the north sidewalk: the old camera sat at Y -400,
             # inside the facade body (which spans Y -1457..-200), so it looked at
             # the unlit back face. Y -2600 is on the sidewalk in front of the lit
             # elevation.
-            ("demo-street-level", unreal.Vector(-10850, -2600, 170), unreal.Vector(-10722.5, -1450, 400)),
+            ("demo-street-level", unreal.Vector(-13420, -1650, 170), unreal.Vector(-13336, 1300, 400)),
             # The designated mid-block crossing. Street arc length runs from the
             # west end (s=0 at X -27966 cm), so s=130.1 m is UE X -14956, not the
             # -24291 the old camera used (that is the s=36.6 crossing). Camera sits
@@ -288,7 +290,7 @@ try:
             ("demo-crossing", unreal.Vector(-15250, -2500, 400), unreal.Vector(-14956, 400, 150)),
             # the two north-side background buildings (TCL, Tussaud's) seen from
             # the south sidewalk, across Hollywood Blvd: their frontage and mass.
-            ("demo-north-buildings", unreal.Vector(-22800, -1000, 400), unreal.Vector(-22800, 3000, 300)),
+            ("demo-north-buildings", unreal.Vector(-22800, 2600, 420), unreal.Vector(-22800, -4200, 300)),
         ]
         seq = spawn(unreal.GigLineShotActor, unreal.Vector(0, 0, 300), "ShotSequencer")
         if seq:

Tools/ue_import_block_frontage.py

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+# Import the south-side block frontage FBX set into Unreal.
+#
+#   blender ... --python Tools/export_block_frontage.py -- --out /tmp/gigline/frontage
+#   <engine>/Engine/Binaries/Linux/UnrealEditor-Cmd <uproject> -run=pythonscript \
+#     -script=<repo>/Tools/ue_import_block_frontage.py -nullrhi -unattended -nopause -stdout
+#
+# Each mesh already sits at its world position in the project frame (the FBX was
+# exported without moving the object), so the actor is spawned at the origin and
+# the geometry carries the offset. Destination: /Game/Hollywood/Frontage/<name>.
+#
+# Staging into the DemoMap is done by Tools/ue_build_demo_map.py, which also
+# assigns the look materials; this script only produces the assets.
+
+import glob
+import os
+
+import unreal
+
+SRC = "/tmp/gigline/frontage"
+DEST = "/Game/Hollywood/Frontage"
+RESULT = "/tmp/gigline/frontage-import.txt"
+lines = []
+
+
+def log(msg):
+    lines.append(str(msg))
+    unreal.log(str(msg))
+
+
+def import_fbx(path, name):
+    task = unreal.AssetImportTask()
+    task.filename = path
+    task.destination_path = DEST
+    task.destination_name = name
+    task.automated = True
+    task.save = True
+    task.replace_existing = True
+
+    ui = unreal.FbxImportUI()
+    ui.import_mesh = True
+    ui.import_materials = True
+    ui.import_textures = False
+    ui.import_as_skeletal = False
+    smd = ui.static_mesh_import_data
+    smd.import_uniform_scale = 1.0
+    smd.combine_meshes = True
+    smd.convert_scene_unit = False
+    smd.force_front_x_axis = False
+    smd.normal_import_method = unreal.FBXNormalImportMethod.FBXNIM_IMPORT_NORMALS
+    task.options = ui
+    unreal.AssetToolsHelpers.get_asset_tools().import_asset_tasks([task])
+
+    mesh = unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.load_asset(f"{DEST}/{name}")
+    if mesh is None:
+        log(f"MISSING after import: {DEST}/{name}")
+        return
+    # Buildings are solids the player can walk into the side of: simple + complex
+    # so the blockout blocks the player without expensive per-triangle queries.
+    try:
+        body = mesh.get_editor_property("body_setup")
+        body.set_editor_property("collision_trace_flag",
+                                 unreal.CollisionTraceFlag.CTF_USE_SIMPLE_AND_COMPLEX)
+        mesh.set_editor_property("body_setup", body)
+    except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+        log(f"{name}: collision flag not set ({exc!r})")
+    box = mesh.get_bounding_box()
+    mn, mx = box.min, box.max
+    # World-space placement, in Unreal centimetres, straight from the mesh bounds.
+    log(f"{name:22} X {mn.x:8.0f}..{mx.x:8.0f}  Y {mn.y:7.0f}..{mx.y:7.0f}  "
+        f"Z {mn.z:5.0f}..{mx.z:5.0f}")
+
+
+def main():
+    files = sorted(glob.glob(os.path.join(SRC, "*.fbx")))
+    if not files:
+        log(f"no FBX in {SRC}; run Tools/export_block_frontage.py first")
+        return
+    for path in files:
+        name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(path))[0]
+        import_fbx(path, name)
+    unreal.EditorLoadingAndSavingUtils.save_dirty_packages(True, True)
+
+
+try:
+    main()
+except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
+    import traceback
+    log(f"FAILED: {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}")
+    log(traceback.format_exc())
+
+with open(RESULT, "w") as f:
+    f.write("\n".join(lines) + "\n")