character: idle standing pose and warm skin, not the grey mannequin

- mpfb_character_export.py: new --pose idle folds the A/T-bind arms down to
  a relaxed standing rest pose (baked via pose.armature_apply before export);
  new make_diffuse synthesizes a warm skin-tone diffuse with a darker
  shorts-suggestive band, replacing the Cycles v2-skin bake that came out
  black and was slow at 1024^2.
- write_png now encodes from img.pixels via numpy (fast) because img.save()
  writes black for an in-memory image.
- Re-exported idle character, re-imported to /Game/Test/Character (138 bones,
  warm M_Character_Export/T_Character_Diffuse); removed stale T_Skin_Diffuse.
- Untracked the review PNGs again: the Screenshots/ gitignore rule had been
  dropped and the parallel session had committed the PNGs, against the
  AGENTS.md 'never commit the PNGs' rule. Restored the ignore rule; only
  Screenshots/README.md stays tracked.
- README/roadmap/memory updated; review-01-character re-pended for approval.

.gitignore

@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ Thumbs.db
 # Blender/Blosm working caches
 /Art/blender/.cache/
 
+# Rendered screenshots for visual review — generated locally, never committed.
+# Keeps only the review README (see AGENTS.md Visual review).
+/Screenshots/*
+!/Screenshots/README.md
+
 # Scratch files
 .tmp-*
 

MEMORY.md

@@ -140,3 +140,10 @@ Scope: facts and traps that cost time to establish. Planned work lives in [ROADM
 - **Docs drift silently after a refactor.** Moving the geo scripts to `Geo/tools/` and the Blender builders into `Art/blender/*/` left stale paths in six documents and two tool READMEs. Grep for old paths (`.md` and `.py`) after any move, not just the ones that error at runtime.
 - **Every new tool needs a row in `Tools/README.md` and `Docs/build.md`**, or the next session will not know it exists. Both now list the full content pipeline in order.
 
+
+## 2026-11-07 — Character diffuse bake
+
+- **`img.save()` writes black for an image created in memory** even though Cycles `bpy.ops.object.bake` does update `img.pixels` correctly (verified in-memory px were warm). Writing the PNG ourselves from `img.pixels` is required.
+- **A per-pixel `struct.pack` loop over `img.pixels` is catastrophic in headless Blender** (256² took 25 s). Blender ships numpy: read `img.pixels[:]` once into a float array, reshape `(h,w,4)`, clip→uint8, reverse rows for PNG top-down, then zlib-compress. Whole 1024² encode ≈ 0.3 s.
+- **MPFB's v2-skin node tree does not resolve to a simple base colour**, so a Cycles DIFFUSE bake returns black. Since the FBX export material replaces the node tree anyway, synthesize the diffuse directly (`make_diffuse`): warm skin body + a darker shorts-suggestive bottom band.
+- **A read-only `.umap` silently makes `save_map` return `False` with no error** (already recorded); re-hit in the review pipeline — `chmod u+w` the maps before rebuilding, otherwise the new character material never appears in shots.

ROADMAP.md

@@ -79,9 +79,12 @@ Owner: this session. Scope: the review scene used for all visual approval — th
 - [x] Extend the review floor beyond the hero façade: 160 m square centred on the façade, so façade shots stand on ground instead of the horizon band.
 - [x] Delete retired shots: the old `first-person` frame is gone and the camera list is now a single table so a change cannot leave an orphan.
 
-### Character development - open
+### Character development - active - 01a1b26b-3c94-707f-9665-2f6b4a79b564
 
-Follow-on work on the player avatar, after the review scene passes. None of it is `0.1.0` scope unless a release check requires it.
+Follow-on work on the player avatar, after the review scene passes. None of it is `0.1.0` scope unless a release check requires it. Taking the standing idle pose and the second skin/clothing-layer items here; the player-identity decision and the demo-map capsule belong to the coordinator / gameplay owner.
+
+- [x] Standing idle pose: `Tools/mpfb_character_export.py --pose idle` folds the A/T-bind arms down to a relaxed standing rest pose (baked via `pose.armature_apply` before export). Verified: `upperarm01.L` rest z −0.71 → −1.91 rad; re-exported, re-imported (138 bones) and rendered in `review-01-character`.
+- [x] Second skin tone / clothing layer: the v2-skin bake came out **black** (sampled RGB 0,0,0) and is slow at 1024²; we now synthesize a warm skin-tone diffuse directly (`Tools/mpfb_character_export.py` `make_diffuse`, with a darker shorts-suggestive bottom band) written to disk via a stdlib/numpy PNG encoder, because `img.save()` writes black for an in-memory image. Character now reads warm, not grey. Screenshot review pending (`Screenshots/review-01-character` re-pended).
 
 - [ ] Decide what the `0.1.0` player is: first-person-only, or a body that is visible in third person. The `0.2.0` milestone adds the MPFB body and camera toggle; `0.1.0` currently ships a capsule with a camera and no visible body.
 - [ ] Give the MPFB character asset a standing idle pose so review and gameplay shots show a person, not an A-pose bind (`/Game/Test/Character/character`).

Screenshots/README.md

@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ add new shots there and delete retired ones from this folder.
 
 Character and both cubes on the 160 m floor, camera 7 m up looking north-east. Reads the whole review layout at once.
 
-## review-01-character.png — MPFB mannequin, mid shot, approval: ☑ approved 2026-11-07
+## review-01-character.png — MPFB mannequin, idle pose + warm skin, approval: ☐ pending (regenerated 2026-11-07)
 
-![MPFB mannequin, mid shot](review-01-character.png)
+![MPFB mannequin, idle pose + warm skin](review-01-character.png)
 
-The imported MPFB character at eye height from the south. Check the feet meet the plane: the contact shadow joins the soles.
+The imported MPFB character at eye height from the south, in a relaxed standing idle pose (arms down, not A-pose) with a warm skin-tone diffuse instead of the grey mannequin. Check the feet meet the plane: the contact shadow joins the soles.
 
 ## review-02-scale-cubes.png — Scale cubes, approval: ☑ approved 2026-11-07
 

Tools/mpfb_character_export.py

@@ -5,14 +5,60 @@
 # FBX with the named export preset "ue_character_v1".
 #
 #   blender -b --factory-startup --python Tools/mpfb_character_export.py -- \
-#     --out /tmp/gigline/character.fbx \
+#     --out /tmp/gigline/character.fbx --pose idle \
 #     --save-blend Art/blender/character/character-<date>.blend
 
+# --pose applies one of the named standing poses to the standard rig and bakes
+# it into the rest pose before export, so the caller-controlled vertex
+# weights still deform the exported bind correctly (pose | none | idle).
+
 import argparse
 import os
+import struct
 import sys
+import zlib
 
 import bpy
+import numpy
+
+from mathutils import Euler
+
+
+def write_png(path, img):
+    # Write image pixels to PNG. `img.save()` writes black for an in-memory
+    # image with no backing file even though the bake updates img.pixels, and a
+    # per-pixel stdlib loop is far too slow (256^2 took 25 s). numpy makes the
+    # whole encode ~0.3 s for 1024^2; Blender ships numpy.
+    w, h = img.size
+    arr = numpy.asarray(img.pixels[:], dtype=numpy.float32).reshape(h, w, 4)
+    rgba = (numpy.clip(arr, 0.0, 1.0) * 255.0 + 0.5).astype(numpy.uint8)[::-1]
+    byt = rgba.tobytes()
+    raw = bytearray()
+    for y in range(h):
+        raw.append(0)          # filter type 0
+        raw += byt[y * w * 4:(y + 1) * w * 4]
+
+    def chunk(tag, data):
+        c = struct.pack(">I", len(data)) + tag + data
+        c += struct.pack(">I", zlib.crc32(tag + data) & 0xffffffff)
+        return c
+
+    ihdr = struct.pack(">IIBBBBB", w, h, 8, 6, 0, 0, 0)
+    png = b"\x89PNG\r\n\x1a\n" + chunk(b"IHDR", ihdr)
+    png += chunk(b"IDAT", zlib.compress(bytes(raw))) + chunk(b"IEND", b"")
+    with open(path, "wb") as f:
+        f.write(png)
+
+IDLE_POSE = {
+    # Brings the A/T bind arms down into a relaxed standing position.
+    # Values are local-pose euler deltas; verified 2026-11-07.
+    "shoulder01.L": (0.0, -0.15, -0.03),
+    "shoulder01.R": (0.0, 0.15, 0.03),
+    "upperarm01.L": (0.0, 0.0, -1.55),
+    "upperarm01.R": (0.0, 0.0, 1.55),
+    "lowerarm01.L": (0.0, 0.0, -0.10),
+    "lowerarm01.R": (0.0, 0.0, 0.10),
+}
 
 REPORT = "/tmp/mpfb-export-report.txt"
 lines = []
@@ -27,7 +73,22 @@ def enable_mpfb():
     assert "bl_ext.blender_org.mpfb" in bpy.context.preferences.addons, "MPFB did not enable"
 
 
-def build_character():
+def apply_pose(arm, name="idle"):
+    if name == "none":
+        return
+    table = IDLE_POSE
+    bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = arm
+    bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode="POSE")
+    for bone_name, eul in table.items():
+        bone = arm.pose.bones[bone_name]
+        bone.rotation_mode = "XYZ"
+        bone.rotation_euler = Euler(eul)
+    bpy.ops.pose.armature_apply()
+    bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode="OBJECT")
+    log(f"pose: applied '{name}' to rest pose")
+
+
+def build_character(pose="idle"):
     for obj in list(bpy.data.objects):
         bpy.data.objects.remove(obj, do_unlink=True)
 
@@ -38,6 +99,7 @@ def build_character():
     bpy.ops.mpfb.add_standard_rig("EXEC_DEFAULT")
     armatures = [o for o in bpy.data.objects if o.type == "ARMATURE"]
     log(f"add_standard_rig: {len(armatures)} armature(s), bones={[len(a.data.bones) for a in armatures]}")
+    apply_pose(armatures[0], pose)
 
     bpy.ops.object.select_all(action="DESELECT")
     human.select_set(True)
@@ -48,46 +110,27 @@ def build_character():
     return human
 
 
-def bake_diffuse(human, size=1024):
+def make_diffuse(human, size=1024):
-    mat = human.data.materials[0]
+    # A Cycles bake of MPFB's v2-skin node group returns black and is slow at
-    nodes, links = mat.node_tree.nodes, mat.node_tree.links
+    # 1024^2 headless. We ship a flat export material anyway (the node tree
+    # does not map to FBX), so synthesize a warm skin-tone diffuse directly.
+    img = bpy.data.images.new("T_Character_Diffuse", size, size)
+    body = (0.72, 0.52, 0.38, 1.0)   # warm skin
+    cloth = (0.30, 0.34, 0.40, 1.0)  # grey-blue, bottom band to suggest clothing
+    band = int(size * 0.25)
+    pixels = []
+    for y in range(size):
+        tone = cloth if y < band else body
+        pixels += list(tone) * size
+    img.pixels[:] = pixels
+    log(f"make_diffuse: synthesized {size}x{size} body/shorts-suggestive diffuse")
 
-    img = bpy.data.images.new("T_Skin_Diffuse", size, size)
+    write_png("/tmp/gigline/T_Character_Diffuse.png", img)
-    tex_node = nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexImage")
+    log("make_diffuse: wrote diffuse via stdlib PNG writer -> /tmp/gigline/T_Character_Diffuse.png")
-    tex_node.image = img
-    nodes.active = tex_node
-    tex_node.select = True
-
-    bsdf = next((n for n in nodes if n.type == "BSDF_PRINCIPLED"), None)
-    bsdf_input = bsdf.inputs["Base Color"] if bsdf else None
-    if bsdf is not None:
-        for link in list(links):
-            if link.to_node == bsdf and link.to_socket == bsdf_input:
-                links.remove(link)
-        links.new(tex_node.outputs["Color"], bsdf_input)
-
-    scene = bpy.context.scene
-    scene.render.engine = "CYCLES"
-    scene.cycles.device = "CPU"
-    scene.cycles.samples = 1
-    scene.render.bake.use_pass_direct = False
-    scene.render.bake.use_pass_indirect = False
-    scene.render.bake.use_pass_color = True
-    scene.render.bake.margin = 8
-
-    bpy.ops.object.select_all(action="DESELECT")
-    human.select_set(True)
-    bpy.context.view_layer.objects.active = human
-    bpy.ops.object.bake(type="DIFFUSE", pass_filter={"COLOR"}, use_clear=True)
-    img.filepath = "/tmp/gigline/T_Skin_Diffuse.png"
-    img.filepath_raw = img.filepath
-    img.file_format = "PNG"
-    img.save()
-    log(f"bake: baked {size}x{size} diffuse -> {img.filepath} (filepath now set for FBX)")
 
     # MPFB's v2 skin is a node-group tree the FBX exporter cannot map to a
-    # texture. Build a flat export material carrying the baked diffuse so the
+    # texture. Build a flat export material carrying the diffuse so the FBX
-    # FBX (and therefore Unreal) gets a real texture.
+    # (and therefore Unreal) gets a real texture.
     export_mat = bpy.data.materials.new("M_Character_Export")
     export_mat.use_nodes = True
     nt = export_mat.node_tree
@@ -100,7 +143,7 @@ def bake_diffuse(human, size=1024):
     nt.links.new(bsdf.outputs["BSDF"], out.inputs["Surface"])
     human.data.materials.clear()
     human.data.materials.append(export_mat)
-    log("export material: M_Character_Export with baked texture assigned")
+    log("export material: M_Character_Export with diffuse assigned")
 
 
 def export_fbx(human, path):
@@ -129,12 +172,13 @@ def main():
     argv = sys.argv[sys.argv.index("--") + 1:] if "--" in sys.argv else []
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument("--out", default="/tmp/gigline/character.fbx")
+    parser.add_argument("--pose", choices=("none", "idle"), default="idle")
     parser.add_argument("--save-blend", default=None)
     args = parser.parse_args(argv)
 
     enable_mpfb()
-    human = build_character()
+    human = build_character(pose=args.pose)
-    bake_diffuse(human)
+    make_diffuse(human)
     if args.save_blend:
         os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(args.save_blend), exist_ok=True)
         bpy.ops.wm.save_as_mainfile(filepath=args.save_blend)

Tools/ue_character_import.py

@@ -48,14 +48,14 @@ def import_texture_and_material():
     # Interchange 5.8 does not create material/texture assets for skeletal
     # FBX imports; finish the baked-material chain explicitly.
     task = unreal.AssetImportTask()
-    task.filename = "/tmp/gigline/T_Skin_Diffuse.png"
+    task.filename = "/tmp/gigline/T_Character_Diffuse.png"
     task.destination_path = DEST
     task.automated = True
     task.save = True
     task.replace_existing = True
     unreal.AssetToolsHelpers.get_asset_tools().import_asset_tasks([task])
 
-    tex = unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.load_asset(f"{DEST}/T_Skin_Diffuse")
+    tex = unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.load_asset(f"{DEST}/T_Character_Diffuse")
     log(f"texture: {tex.get_class().get_name() if tex else 'MISSING'}")
 
     mat_path = f"{DEST}/M_Character_Export"