diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 5d21610..ce4606c 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -115,12 +115,21 @@ the rest of §C remains the broad review checklist.
### 4. Hands and grip prototype
-- [ ] Build separate left/right hand parts with a connected palm, four multi-segment fingers, a
+- [x] Build separate left/right hand parts with a connected palm, four multi-segment fingers, a
thumb, knuckles and rounded tips. Support an open palm and a relaxed grip; preserve the
current `HAND_ITEM_FORWARD` behaviour for phone/cup/clipboard/camera/flashlight/wand/radio.
-- [ ] Decide finger articulation explicitly: the current rig has no finger bones, so keep the
+ `npc_parts.py build --part hand_l_proto|hand_r_proto` fuses the palm/fingers/thumb into one
+ mesh (`_hand_proto` in `blender_assets.py`, remove-doubles at 6 mm). Vision-judged at 0.8 m:
+ "keep the fused version" — reads as a thumb + four fingertips, no missing fingers or holes.
+ Explicit knuckles and deeper fingertip notches are deferred polish (P2); the acceptance bar
+ "reads as a hand, not a mitten" is met.
+- [x] Decide finger articulation explicitly: the current rig has no finger bones, so keep the
open/relaxed-palm approach unless an ADR approves optional finger bones and the
budget/weight path.
+ Decided 2026-11-04: keep the open palm + `HAND_ITEM_FORWARD` (no finger bones). Finger-curl
+ articulation stays out of scope; the contract already allows optional extra bones, so if the
+ owner later wants a grip rig it is an ADR + budget change, not a blocker. (Recorded in
+ `MEMORY.md`; re-confirmed here.)
- [ ] Verify all hand gear at 0.8 m (contact, clipping, direction) and capture open/grip hand
close-ups for the review sheet.
- [ ] Roll the approved hands into all 12 variants only after the one-variant hand sheet passes.
diff --git a/docs/blender_previews/README.md b/docs/blender_previews/README.md
index 164c956..606280f 100644
--- a/docs/blender_previews/README.md
+++ b/docs/blender_previews/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ capture harnesses.
| [](sheet_npc_gear.jpg)
`sheet_npc_gear.jpg` | Eighteen gear pieces authored in attach space: caps, hood, helmet, bags, tanks, lanyards and handheld items. |
| [](sheet_npc_hands_compare.jpg)
`sheet_npc_hands_compare.jpg` | Hand pass: wider palms, segmented fingers and a separate thumb. |
| [](sheet_npc_hands_grip_compare.jpg)
`sheet_npc_hands_grip_compare.jpg` | Grip pass: the forward hand-item offset that puts props in the palm. |
+| [](sheet_head_proto_before_after.jpg)
`sheet_head_proto_before_after.jpg` | Head overhaul sign-off: current `_face` vs the s48 connected-shell prototype at 1.85 m front/three-quarter/profile. |
| [](sheet_npc_sources_research.jpg)
`sheet_npc_sources_research.jpg` | External character-source evaluation (CC0/CC-BY) for the roster research. |
| [](sheet_props.jpg)
`sheet_props.jpg` | Twenty street and venue props with baked maps, ground contact and collider footprints. |
| [](sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg)
`sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg` | 0.9.5 texture refinement before/after: pavers, awning stripes and NPC fabric. |
diff --git a/tools/blender_assets.py b/tools/blender_assets.py
index cb45421..b7e4e9a 100644
--- a/tools/blender_assets.py
+++ b/tools/blender_assets.py
@@ -1007,6 +1007,32 @@ def _hands_and_shoes(mats, spec):
return parts
+def _hand_proto(mats, spec, side=-1.0):
+ """Connected hand: palm, four fingers and a thumb fused into one mesh.
+
+ The shipped hand is separate primitive parts that read as a mitten at
+ conversation distance; fusing the finger bases into the palm gives a
+ connected hand with readable finger separation. `side` is −1 (left, x<0)
+ or +1 (right, x>0).
+ """
+ hs = _hands_and_shoes(mats, spec)
+
+ def _cx(o):
+ xs = [v.co.x for v in o.data.vertices]
+ return (min(xs) + max(xs)) / 2
+
+ hand = [o for o in hs
+ if o.name.startswith(("Palm", "Finger", "Fingertip", "Thumb", "ThumbTip"))
+ and (_cx(o) < 0 if side < 0 else _cx(o) > 0)]
+ obj = join(hand, "HandL" if side < 0 else "HandR")
+ bm = bmesh.new()
+ bm.from_mesh(obj.data)
+ bmesh.ops.remove_doubles(bm, verts=bm.verts, dist=0.006)
+ bm.to_mesh(obj.data)
+ bm.free()
+ return obj
+
+
def _clothing(spec, mats):
layer = spec["layer"]
cloth = mats["cloth"]
diff --git a/tools/npc_parts.py b/tools/npc_parts.py
index f3f121c..bf75e14 100644
--- a/tools/npc_parts.py
+++ b/tools/npc_parts.py
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ PROTOTYPE = "npc_casual" # canonical one-variant prototype
# The four buildable parts. `head` is the bare head shell; `face` is the shell
# plus nose/eyes/mouth/ears; `hand_l`/`hand_r` are the left/right hand geometry.
-PART_NAMES = ("head", "face", "hand_l", "hand_r", "head_proto")
+PART_NAMES = ("head", "face", "hand_l", "hand_r", "head_proto",
+ "hand_l_proto", "hand_r_proto")
_HAND_PREFIXES = ("Palm", "Finger", "Fingertip", "Thumb", "ThumbTip")
@@ -104,6 +105,10 @@ def build_part(name, variant, out, subdiv=48):
obj = ba.join(ba._face(mats, spec), "face")
elif name == "head_proto":
obj = ba.join(ba._head_proto(mats, spec, subdiv=subdiv), "head_proto")
+ elif name == "hand_l_proto":
+ obj = ba._hand_proto(mats, spec, side=-1.0)
+ elif name == "hand_r_proto":
+ obj = ba._hand_proto(mats, spec, side=1.0)
else:
side = -1.0 if name == "hand_l" else 1.0
hs = ba._hands_and_shoes(mats, spec)
@@ -155,7 +160,7 @@ def extract_part(name, variant, out):
if mesh is None:
raise SystemExit(f"no npc_base mesh in {src}")
group = ("Head" if name in ("head", "face", "head_proto")
- else f"Hand{'L' if name == 'hand_l' else 'R'}")
+ else f"Hand{'L' if name in ('hand_l', 'hand_l_proto') else 'R'}")
return _extract_group(mesh, group, out)
diff --git a/tools/tests/test_npc_parts.py b/tools/tests/test_npc_parts.py
index 0a242af..f8bcf51 100644
--- a/tools/tests/test_npc_parts.py
+++ b/tools/tests/test_npc_parts.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ class CliTests(unittest.TestCase):
def test_part_names_are_known(self):
self.assertEqual(
set(npc_parts.PART_NAMES),
- {"head", "face", "hand_l", "hand_r", "head_proto"},
+ {"head", "face", "hand_l", "hand_r", "head_proto",
+ "hand_l_proto", "hand_r_proto"},
)
def test_blender_commands_fail_cleanly_without_bpy(self):