Verify the 0.9.6 integration checkpoint

MEMORY.md

@@ -183,6 +183,13 @@ Session memory for durable decisions, state, and gotchas. Keep concise, remove o
   0.9.3 UI polish, 0.9.4 NPC visual optimization and 0.9.5 texture/material pass
   are complete and in `DONE.md`. 0.9.6 integration and 0.10.0 release work are
   next. The current source version is 0.9.6.
+- **0.9.6 integration (2026-11-03):** no gameplay/content changes. A clean
+  detached worktree at `f5b8ef2` rebuilt Linux/Windows/macOS/Web/HQ without the
+  dirty tree's ignored `tmp/`/`build/` payload; the in-repo build was 1.6–3.1 GB
+  per artifact because those folders were packed, so always build release
+  artifacts from a clean checkout/worktree. Verification: 263/263 tests,
+  101/101 Python, 14 smokes, 24-NPC 6.90 ms / 168 meshes / 131,616 triangles,
+  gallery 21/0, screen judge 21/21, realism judge overall 2.1 / gap 0.291.
 - **Release v0.9.5 (2026-11-02):** commit `4bc6390` tagged `v0.9.5`; Gitea Actions run
   922 passed checks and the full build and published seven assets (Linux, Windows,
   macOS, NSIS setup, AppImage, Web, Desktop HQ). Release page:

TODO.md

@@ -66,8 +66,13 @@ target paths and leave a clean release-candidate handoff.
       14 smokes green: audio, campaign, crowd, emergency, focus/radial, movement,
       NPC budget, PLAN verbs, props, scenario content, session shell, timeline,
       tutorial and UI flows. Campaign/tutorial used isolated `XDG_DATA_HOME`.)
-- [-] Re-run the 24-NPC budget smoke and record frame time, mesh count and any
-      texture-memory change; check Web and Desktop HQ if available. (claimed; budget measured, builds next)
+- [x] Re-run the 24-NPC budget smoke and record frame time, mesh count and any
+      texture-memory change; check Web and Desktop HQ if available. (24 avatars,
+      168 meshes, 131,616 triangles, 6.90 ms of 50 ms headless; NPC maps remain
+      0.48 MB. A clean detached worktree at `f5b8ef2` built Linux/Windows/macOS/
+      Web/HQ (`161.5/197.1/148.0/97.8/241.5 MB`); the Web zip has index.html,
+      wasm and pck, the HQ zip has `override.cfg`, and the HQ binary launches
+      headless with the Forward+ override.)
 - [x] Verify save/campaign/tutorial behavior is unchanged by the visual/UI patches.
       (Persistence/session tests remain in the 263-test suite; campaign and tutorial
       smokes passed with isolated `XDG_DATA_HOME`.)
@@ -98,10 +103,13 @@ target paths and leave a clean release-candidate handoff.
 
 ### Release-candidate handoff
 
-- [ ] Update README, architecture, development status, changelog and TODO with the
-      final patch-level results and any remaining gaps.
-- [ ] Tag/version or otherwise freeze `0.9.6` as the integration checkpoint before
-      the `0.10.0` release candidate.
+- [x] Update README, architecture, development status, changelog and TODO with the
+      final patch-level results and any remaining gaps. (README/PLAN/architecture
+      now point at 0.9.6; the changelog and development status record the
+      integration build, performance numbers, judge results and the clean-worktree
+      export rule; `docs/RELEASING.md` documents the ignored-folder trap.)
+- [-] Tag/version or otherwise freeze `0.9.6` as the integration checkpoint before
+      the `0.10.0` release candidate. (claimed; committing and tagging)
 - [ ] Exit: combined build is functionally green, visually reviewed, performance
       measured and ready for the 0.10.0 content-lock/playtest phase.
 

docs/RELEASING.md

@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ The optional Desktop HQ zip is assembled by `tools/build_releases.sh` from
 `packaging/desktop_hq/`; keep `override.cfg` next to the extracted executable.
 It is not part of the default Compatibility/Web build.
 
+Always run the release build from a clean checkout or detached worktree. Godot
+can pack files from ignored `tmp/` and old `build/` folders into the PCK; the
+0.9.6 dirty-tree build produced 1.6–3.1 GB artifacts, while the clean worktree
+produced the expected ~160–240 MB packages.
+
 Locally you can build the AppImage with `bash packaging/linux/build_appimage.sh <version>`;
 the NSIS installer requires `makensis` (covered by CI).
 

docs/asset-tooling.md

@@ -268,6 +268,19 @@ photoreal renderer. The 0.9.5 before/after close-up sheet is
 the texture-adoption run itself was the earlier 0.8-style candidate comparison,
 and its report remains local/gitignored.
 
+For the 0.9.6 integration checkpoint the same judge was pinned to
+`z-ai/glm-5.3-flash` and run once per shot on the 10-shot set: mean overall 2.1,
+lighting 2.4, materials 2.1, texture 1.7, backdrop 2.3, characters 1.8, Pillow
+gap 0.291. No `review` verdicts were produced by the screen judge, so there was
+no manual layout verdict to convert into a fix; the remaining realism comments
+are the accepted stylized gaps.
+
+Build release artifacts from a clean checkout or detached worktree. A normal
+working tree may contain ignored `tmp/` captures and old `build/` artifacts, and
+Godot can pack enough of those into exports to inflate a 0.9.6 package from
+~160 MB to 1.6–3.1 GB. The 0.9.6 clean worktree produced 161.5 MB Linux,
+197.1 MB Windows, 148.0 MB macOS, 97.8 MB Web and 241.5 MB Desktop HQ.
+
 The Forward+ A/B compared the Compatibility entrance with the optional Desktop HQ
 preset. The gear-fit run checked the sunglasses, bag and helmet against measured
 head/skirt bounds with `python3 tools/blender_assets.py fit`; it also fixed the

docs/development-status.md

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Implemented so far:
 - NPC neck/shoulder transition (0.9.4 work): the body graph now uses a fuller neck base, a slightly tapered neck top and a lower shoulder root, giving the head/neck/shoulder line a trapezius slope instead of a thin post. The full character library was rebuilt with a final degenerate-face cleanup; the baseline comparison is `sheet_npc_baseline_compare-body.jpg`.
 - NPC face-depth pass (0.9.4 work): sclera are recessed and capped by a thin upper lid, and the separate jaw/cheek spheres are replaced by a chin plate and cheekbones sculpted into the head mesh. The full library was rebuilt; the comparison is `sheet_npc_baseline_compare-face.jpg`.
 - NPC torso/hip transition (0.9.4 work): the pelvis and chest are slightly wider than the waist, giving shirts and jackets a readable taper into the hips without changing the build multipliers or the skeleton. The comparison is `sheet_npc_baseline_compare-torso.jpg`.
+- Integration checkpoint (0.9.6 work): the clean worktree at `f5b8ef2` rebuilt all five release packages and the Desktop HQ zip without ignored `tmp/`/`build/` content (Linux 161.5 MB, Windows 197.1 MB, macOS 148.0 MB, Web 97.8 MB, HQ 241.5 MB). The Web zip contains `index.html`, `index.wasm` and `index.pck`; the HQ zip contains `override.cfg` and launches headless with the Forward+ override. Current verification: Godot 263/263, Python 101/101, 14 smokes green, 24-NPC budget 6.90 ms / 168 meshes / 131,616 triangles, gallery 21 good / 0 bad, screen judge 21/21 match with 0 review/diff, and a pinned realism judge (`z-ai/glm-5.3-flash`, one pass per shot) at mean overall 2.1 and Pillow gap 0.291. No new gameplay or content changes.
 - Release v0.9.5 (2026-11-02): the tagged commit `4bc6390` passed Gitea Actions run 922 (checks + full build) and published seven artifacts (Linux, Windows, macOS, NSIS setup, AppImage, Web and Desktop HQ). Release page: <https://git.allucanget.biz/zwitschi/security-game/releases/tag/v0.9.5>.
 - Release v0.9.4 (2026-11-02): the tagged commit `a57b86c` passed the Gitea checks and full build and published seven artifacts (Linux, Windows, macOS, NSIS setup, AppImage, Web and Desktop HQ). Release page: <https://git.allucanget.biz/zwitschi/security-game/releases/tag/v0.9.4>.
 - Environment texture pass (0.9.5 work): `capture_realism.gd` now has hidden-HUD `surfaces`/`surfaces_joke` close-up stages. The Walk of Fame band uses the paver texture as dark terrazzo, the neighbour awning keeps its cream stripe, and the skyline shader blends its lower 42 m toward a per-phase haze colour. Brick, asphalt, limestone and paver UV scales/profiles passed without replacement.