Rewrite NPC plans around the Quaternius base

TODO.md

@@ -3,281 +3,105 @@
 Work is grouped by theme. Each item should be small enough to complete and verify on its own;
 see `AGENTS.md` for the workflow and `MEMORY.md` for the decisions behind these plans.
 
-**Priority order (2026-11-04, owner):** 1) **Blender NPC model overhaul** — head, face and hands
-with a local part pipeline; 2) finish the MakeHuman character + the 3D model and map improvements;
-3) ship it together in the **0.10.0 minor**. The 0.9.7/0.9.8 character patches are published. See
-`AGENTS.md` §Priority and Versioning and §Local Blender skills.
+**Priority order (2026-11-05, owner):** 1) **Quaternius NPC base migration** — use the CC0
+Quaternius character as the mesh/animation source and bake it to the runtime contract; 2) the 3D
+model and local map improvements; 3) ship it together in the **0.10.0 minor**. The 0.9.7/0.9.8
+character patches are published. See `AGENTS.md` §Priority and Versioning and §Local Blender skills.
 
 The MIT Blender skill pack lives locally at `.agents/skills/blender-skills/` (gitignored). Every
 3D workstream below names the skills to load; they are guidance only, and the project contract,
 `blender_assets.py audit`/`fit`/`inspect` and the capture gates stay authoritative.
 
-## Blender NPC model overhaul (top priority)
+## Quaternius NPC base migration (top priority)
 
-Goal: replace the sphere-and-primitive face and hand construction with a local, part-based
-development pipeline that can build, inspect and compare the **head/face** and **hands** separately
-before assembling them into the shipped character. Prioritise face readability at portrait
-distance, then hand silhouette and gear contact. Preserve the `npc_base` contract, the 13 core-bone rig (optional extra bones allowed),
-five tint slots, 24,000/24,000 character cap, optional extra bones beyond the required 13, and the Compatibility/Web path.
+Goal: replace the generator-first NPC base with the CC0 **Quaternius Ultimate Modular
+Characters** as the primary mesh and animation source, while keeping one committed
+`npc_base` skinned mesh, the five tint slots and a runtime contract that Godot, gear
+and tests can consume. The detailed decision is [ADR-0017](docs/adr/0017-quaternius-npc-base.md);
+it supersedes the generator-first sourcing decision in ADR-0015.
 
-*Skill route: `character-artist`, `retopology`, `sculpting`, `rigging`, `uv-workflow`,
-`texture-workflow`, `materials`, `lookdev`, `asset-optimization`, `qa-review`.*
+**Why:** the research pack already has a coherent low-poly human silhouette, 21 modular
+outfits and 24 animations. The current procedural body needs a separate head, hands, neck
+and shoe pipeline to look human; using Quaternius as the base removes that bespoke body work.
 
-**Current state:** `assets/models/npc/` contains the tracked frozen `npc_base.blend` and its
-gitignored `.blend1`; the 12 production characters are assembled procedurally by
-`tools/blender_assets.py` from `_shape_head_mesh`, `_face`, `_hair` and `_hands_and_shoes`.
-The MakeHuman head is now a second head source (`build_character(head="mh")`,
-`build --head mh`, `npc_parts.py assemble --head mh`) and all 12 variants assemble inside the
-24,000-triangle cap with it. The procedural body, hands and clothing remain unchanged. The
-MakeHuman body prototype and its temporary head/hand swap live under `tmp/npc-research/` and are
-not the shipped path. This overhaul supplies the reusable head/face and hand parts that both the
-procedural characters and the MakeHuman body can consume.
+**Default path (Stage 1):** retarget and proportion-warp the Quaternius mesh onto the
+existing 13-core contract, so `NpcAvatar`, gear attach points and the current animation
+composition keep working. The 62-joint Quaternius rig and its 24 clips are an authoring
+source, not a new runtime dependency.
 
-This workstream supersedes the face/head and hands items in §C until the prototypes are approved;
-the rest of §C remains the broad review checklist.
+**Stage 2 gate:** if the proportion warp cannot preserve the Quaternius silhouette and
+deformation at an acceptable level, stop the rollout and write a new ADR for adopting the
+62-joint rig at runtime. Do not ship a hybrid rig or silently change `NpcAvatar`.
 
-### 1. Baseline and acceptance
+**Exit:** one committed Quaternius-derived source GLB produces all 12 variants inside
+24,000 tris / 24,000 glTF vertices, with five slots, gear fit, Idle/Walk deformation,
+`audit`/`fit`/`inspect` clean, the 24-NPC budget measured, and an owner-approved 12 × 6
+baseline sheet.
 
-- [x] Inventory the real starting point: the frozen `assets/models/npc/npc_base.blend`, the 12
-      generated character GLBs/AO maps, the current `_face`/`_hands_and_shoes` builders and the
-      temporary MakeHuman head/hand swap. Recorded tris/verts, head subdivision, material slots,
-      UV layout and the exact locations of eye/mouth/finger geometry in
-      `docs/3d-model-review.md` §Baseline inventory.
-- [x] Define measurable acceptance: face front/three-quarter/profile at 1.5 m and 1.85 m; hands
-      open and gripping at 0.8 m; silhouette, eye/mouth readability, ear/nose/jaw planes, finger
-      separation and gear contact. Keep the 24,000/24,000 cap; optional extra bones are allowed, but the required 13 core bones and rest positions must not move.
-      Recorded in `docs/3d-model-review.md` §Overhaul acceptance criteria.
-- [x] Confirm the identity boundary: `npc_base.blend` is the frozen fallback and must not absorb
-      prototype detail unless a separate contract decision approves it.
-      Recorded in `docs/3d-model-review.md` §Baseline inventory and
-      `docs/blender-assets.md` §Frozen fallback boundary.
-- [x] Choose a local working-set layout: `tmp/npc-parts/<variant>/` (gitignored) for part `.blend`
-      and preview GLBs; only the assembled character GLBs, AO/maps, manifest and review sheets are
-      committed. Do not add a new committed `.blend` source tree without a docs/ADR decision.
-      Recorded in `docs/3d-model-review.md` §Working-set layout and
-      `docs/asset-tooling.md` §Recommended part-workflow.
+### 1. Intake and canonical base
 
-### 2. Local part pipeline
+- [ ] Keep the three researched CC0 GLBs (`Casual`, `Casual_Hoodie`, `Worker`) plus the
+      licence/mirror notes in `tmp/npc-research/quaternius/`; record the source URL,
+      licence, SHA-256 and download date in `docs/npc-model-sourcing.md`.
+- [ ] Inventory the four meshes, 62 joints, 24 clips and material names in each GLB; map
+      Quaternius materials to the five project slots (`skin`, `cloth`, `pants`, `accessory`,
+      `hair`).
+- [ ] Choose the initial outfit scope: build the three full GLBs first; only use the 21-part
+      modular builder if the three looks cannot cover the 12 roles.
+- [ ] Build a canonical `quaternius_base.glb`: one welded, triangulated, grounded 1.81 m
+      humanoid with front on Blender −Y, no animation, and a documented bone/part inventory.
 
-- [x] Add `tools/npc_parts.py` with a small, documented CLI:
-      `extract` (pull the current head/hands for comparison), `build --part head|face|hand_l|hand_r`,
-      `assemble --variant <name>`, `inspect`, `compare` and `sheet`. It reuses the existing
-      builder helpers (`blender_assets.py` `_face`/`_hands_and_shoes`/`_shape_head_mesh`); no
-      second face/hand implementation. Verified end-to-end: built `head`/`face`/`hand_l`/`hand_r`,
-      extracted `hand_l` from the shipped GLB, assembled `npc_casual` (contract inspect: no issues).
-- [x] Keep the part pipeline local-only and headless: flatpak Blender for authoring, stdlib/Pillow
-      for inspection and sheets. No Blender MCP dependency, no new runtime dependency, no CI
-      Blender step.
-- [x] Add tests for deterministic part assembly, contract output (mesh root, bones, slots, budgets)
-      and the non-Blender failure path. `tools/tests/test_npc_parts.py` covers the part-name set,
-      the clean Blender-required error path, sheet/compare error paths and a real-PNG sheet. The
-      assembled prototype passes `inspect` (npc_base, 14 bones, skinned, no issues).
-- [x] Consider optional Blender MCP for interactive part exploration and document setup/safety.
-      (`docs/asset-tooling.md#optional-interactive-blender-mcp` covers addon/client setup, Pi `pi mcp add`, flatpak networking,
-      viewport/`bpy` workflow and the rule that headless audit/fit remains authoritative; MCP is
-      not a build/CI/runtime dependency.)
-- [x] Document the commands, working-set paths and "part source is not a shipped asset" rule in
-      `docs/asset-tooling.md`, `docs/blender-assets.md` and
-      `.agents/skills/gig-line-blender-asset-contract/references/verification.md`.
+### 2. Contract bake and animation
 
-### 3. Head and face prototype
+- [ ] Author the 62-joint → 13-core joint map, including optional finger/face extras if
+      they survive within 24,000 vertices; record it in `docs/npc-model-sourcing.md`.
+- [ ] Bake the rest pose and proportion warp to the contract hip, knee, shoulder, elbow,
+      wrist and head positions. Measure the warp at every joint and record the silhouette
+      deltas; do not accept a distorted deltoid or shortened arm.
+- [ ] Skin the Quaternius mesh and verify Idle, Walk, seated and arm-down poses. The old
+      MPFB/arm-retarget warps are not a reference; judge the Quaternius result directly.
+- [ ] Retarget Idle and Walk from the 24 Quaternius clips to the contract rig; discard
+      combat, gun and sword clips. Verify looping, foot contact and frame rate in Godot.
+- [ ] Map the five slots, unwrap per slot, bake 256² AO/albedo/normal/ORM maps and check
+      texel density before any roster build.
 
-- [x] Build one `npc_casual` head/face prototype as a connected head shell plus intentional feature
-      geometry — not a sphere with floating facial balls. Use loop-based eye sockets/lids, a
-      readable nose bridge/tip/ala, a mouth with upper/lower lip volumes, ears with concha depth,
-      and brow/cheek/jaw planes that survive the 256² AO bake.
-      Outcome (AI-judged, 2026-11-04): the displacement shell oscillated egg/spiky at ~3/5; the
-      judge picked the **decimated MakeHuman head**. That head is now built as `_makehuman_head`
-      (`build_character(head="mh")`, `npc_parts.py build --part head_mh`): committed CC0 source
-      `assets/models/blender_src/makehuman_head.glb` + project sclera/iris/lids/brows/mouth;
-      assembled `npc_casual` passes `inspect` (14 bones, no issues). Remaining polish: weld the
-      eye/brow pieces into the head shell and add a skull-conforming hair cap (owner-gated rollout).
-- [x] Compare two or three subdivision/loop variants at 1.85 m front/three-quarter/profile and a
-      1.5 m portrait. Pick the variant that reads best before changing all 12 characters; keep the
-      rejected variants local.
-- [x] Rebuild a standalone MakeHuman-derived head from the researched CC0 base and save it to
-      `assets/models/blender_src/makehuman_head.glb`; record provenance/review in
-      `docs/makehuman-head-review.md` and the preview sheet. Final build: 12,642 tris /
-      7,690 split verts, bounds x −0.094..0.094, y −0.180..0.042, z 1.530..1.803. The owner
-      accepted the **basic human head** on 2026-11-04; the automated vision gate still records
-      the eye-region REJECT as deferred polish (globe depth, lid overlap, iris at three-quarter).
-      The assembled path now adds a skull-conforming hair cap, a hidden-scalp trim and a narrowed
-      neck/shoulder body. Assembled `npc_casual --head mh`: 14,753 tris / 12,822 raw / 12,823
-      seam-split verts / 14 bones / 9 materials, `inspect` clean.
-- [ ] Build true upper/lower eyelid masses that overlap the globe in front, three-quarter and
-      profile views (not a socket hole), then re-run the vision gate. Deferred: the owner accepted
-      the basic head, so this is polish, not a rollout blocker.
+### 3. Silhouette gate
 
-      Compared `head_proto` at seg 24 (670 verts), 48 (1,558 verts) and 64 (2,470 verts) at 1.85 m
-      and 1.5 m, front/three-quarter/profile. Vision-judged: **s48 wins** — s24 is too faceted
-      (nose/lips melt, jagged silhouette), s64 is visually identical to s48 at both distances
-      (extra ~900 verts wasted). Rejected variants stay in `tmp/npc-parts/`.
-- [-] Verify head weights stay on the Head bone, headgear clearance still passes `fit`, and the
-      face does not bake recessed creases into dark AO patches.
-      Weight check done: `npc_parts.py assemble --head-proto` passes `inspect` (npc_base, 14 bones,
-      skinned, no issues) and the head join is weighted 100% Head by construction
-      (`rigid=lambda p: "Head"`). Headgear clearance and the AO no-blotch check are pending the
-      §5 rollout (the `fit`/`bake_ao` tools read the committed assets; the ad-hoc AO bake on the
-      imported GLB came out black and is superseded by the proper `.blend`-source bake). Flag: the
-      prototype ears reach x ±0.162 vs the 0.1575 head-radius reference, so headgear may clip and
-      must be re-measured at rollout.
-- [-] Owner review of the assembled one-variant prototype (`npc_casual --head mh`) before the
-      12 shipped GLBs change. The basic human head is accepted (2026-11-04); the review now covers
-      the skull-conforming hair cap and the narrowed neck/shoulder body silhouette. Local renders:
-      `tmp/npc-parts/prototype_mh/renders/` (portrait front/three-quarter/profile + full body).
-      Rollout starts only after this review.
+- [ ] Render the base at 1.5 m and 1.85 m in front, three-quarter and profile; compare
+      against the Quaternius source and the current `npc_casual`. Use the vision judge for a
+      written verdict, but the owner decides.
+- [ ] Confirm gear attach points (head, hand, back, chest) and test cap, helmet, backpack,
+      shoulder bag, lanyard, clipboard and firefighter tank against the new shoulders/hips.
+- [ ] Go/no-go: if the warp fails the silhouette gate, stop and write the 62-joint runtime
+      ADR (Stage 2). Do not start the 12-variant rebuild.
 
-### 4. Hands and grip prototype
+### 4. Roster and rollout
 
-- [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.
-      `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.
-      Open close-up captured (0.8 m). Gear contact is unchanged by construction: `_hand_proto`
-      reuses the same palm geometry and the same `HAND_ITEM_FORWARD`/Hand-proxy attach, so the
-      existing `fit` hand-gear clearances carry over. The grip close-up + gear-in-hand context
-      needs the §5 assembly (hand_proto swapped into the character), so it is verified there.
-- [ ] Roll the approved hands into all 12 variants only after the one-variant hand sheet passes.
+- [ ] Map the 12 roles to Quaternius outfits/parts, build them in asset-family batches,
+      and keep every variant inside the 24,000/24,000 cap.
+- [ ] Run `audit`, `fit`, `inspect`, `texels` and `npc_proportions.py report`; record the
+      12-variant table and the warp measurements.
+- [ ] Re-run the 24-NPC budget smoke and the Web/Compatibility capture; record frame time
+      before and after the base swap.
+- [ ] Capture the 12 × 6 baseline (`capture_npc_baseline.gd` → `npc_baseline.py sheet`) and
+      get owner approval before replacing the committed character GLBs.
+- [ ] Rebuild AO maps, manifest entries, credits and review docs; commit one asset family per
+      change and never run a no-op full-library rebuild.
 
-### 5. Assembly and rollout
+### 5. Retire the old character tracks
 
-**MakeHuman 12-variant rollout.** - [x] Make the head source selectable from the main builder:
-      `blender_assets.py build --head mh --only npc_casual,...` and
-      `npc_parts.py assemble --variant <name> --head mh --out <stem>`. The default stays `face`
-      until the hair/body review passes.
-- [x] Verify every variant assembles with the MakeHuman head inside the 16,000/16,000 cap
-      (pre-export triangle counts, `inspect` clean; `npc_casual` seam-split verts 12,823):
-      `npc_casual 14,753`, `npc_jacket 15,153`, `npc_coat 15,817`, `npc_vest 15,579`,
-      `npc_dress 15,215`, `npc_hoodie 15,837`, `npc_firefighter 15,987`, `npc_guard 15,729`,
-      `npc_crowd_a 14,947`, `npc_crowd_b 14,693`, `npc_crowd_c 15,433`, `npc_crowd_d 15,833`.
-- [x] Recover head budget without touching the accepted face: remove head faces fully covered by
-      the hair cap, keep boundary faces as a safety band, and trim the hidden neck plug to 12
-      segments. This saves ~950 tris on every variant.
-- [ ] Owner approves the hair cap and full-body silhouette on the local `npc_casual` prototype.
-      **Status (2026-11-04):** the current body candidate is the MPFB full-body prototype below,
-      not the narrowed procedural body; the 12-variant rebuild is blocked on that review.
-- [ ] Rebuild the 12 committed character GLBs with `--head mh`, in asset-family batches, then
-      regenerate their AO maps and manifest entries. Never run a no-op full-library rebuild.
-- [ ] Run `blender_assets.py audit`, `fit`, `inspect` and `texels`, plus
-      `python3 tools/npc_proportions.py report`; record the 12-variant proportion table.
-- [ ] Re-run the Godot NPC tests and capture the 12 × 6 baseline
-      (`src/test/capture_npc_baseline.gd` → `python3 tools/npc_baseline.py sheet`); inspect the
-      sheet for outliers before committing.
-- [ ] Update `docs/makehuman-head-review.md`, `docs/3d-model-review.md`,
-      `docs/blender_previews/README.md`, `docs/npc-model-sourcing.md`, `CREDITS.md` and
-      `docs/development-status.md` with the accepted head/hair/body state and final counts.
-
-- [ ] Integrate the approved parts into `build_character` with deterministic joins, weights, UVs and
-      AO. The final output remains one `npc_base` skinned mesh under the existing 13-core armature;
-      optional extra bones are allowed but the core rest positions stay fixed;
-      no second rig, no material-slot rename.
-- [ ] Keep the MakeHuman body prototype consumable with the same approved head/hands; do not let it
-      grow a second face/hand implementation while the part pipeline is being proven.
-
-- [ ] Rebuild only the changed character GLBs, AO maps and manifest entries; never run a no-op full
-      library rebuild. Commit one asset family per change.
-- [ ] Re-run `blender_assets.py audit`/`fit`/`inspect`, `npc_proportions.py`, the 24-NPC budget,
-      Godot and Python tests, the 48-frame baseline and the 96-frame final-context review.
-
-### Full-body MPFB prototype
-
-Goal: assemble the accepted MakeHuman head onto a CC0 MPFB body with project hands, shoes and
-14-bone contract rig, inside the 24,000/24,000 character budget. Local development only until the
-owner reviews the silhouette and a production integration decision is recorded.
-
-- [x] Build the dev pipeline at `tmp/npc-research/build_mpfb_npc.py`: create a macro-driven MPFB
-      human, bake targets, add the `game_engine` rig, capture arm points/weights, remove the rig,
-      apply the helper MASK, scale to 1.81 m, retarget the A-pose arms to the contract wrist
-      (`x=±0.27`, `z=0.78`), cut the neck at 1.505, decimate, bisect the clothing boundaries, paint
-      the five slots, add a short neck flare, project hands, rounded shoe shells, cuffs, the
-      accepted head and the 14-bone armature. Current output: **19,747 tris / 16,851 glTF verts /
-      1.810 m / 14 bones / 10 materials**; `inspect` clean, feet grounded.
-      The torso is inflated radially by 12% through z 0.72–1.40 (tapering out at the collar) so the
-      shirt reads as fabric rather than body paint.
-- [x] Raise the character contract to 24,000 triangles / 24,000 glTF vertices so the MPFB body,
-      the accepted head and a fused neck can coexist with headroom for the 12-variant clothing.
-      Bumped `CHAR_MAX_TRIS`/`CHAR_MAX_VERTS`, `npc_pipeline.MAX_TRIANGLES`/`MAX_VERTICES`,
-      the adapt defaults, the tests, `AGENTS.md`, ADR-0016 and the project skills.
-- [-] Fix the head/neck/shoulder junction so there are no gaps, square collars or hard rims.
-      Done: circular boolean bore, smooth lathe, accepted head trimmed at its narrow neck (1.55),
-      no dark notches or wide brim; prototype at 19,747 tris. Remaining: a thin jaw crease and a
-      hard shirt-shoulder point in three-quarter view. Next candidate: reshape the shirt shoulder
-      or a shaped collar that follows the neckline, not a torus or flat disk.
-- [x] Replace the spiky decimated MPFB hands with the project palm/finger primitives, straighten the
-      splayed MPFB feet so the shoes point forward, and use rounded shoe shells + cuffs instead of
-      flat blocks. Use flat slot colours in the prototype because the one-shot MPFB UV unwrap does
-      not match the per-slot NPC atlases.
-- [x] Fix the neck junction without touching the accepted face: cut the decimated neck column
-      radially (all-vertex test inside r=0.085) so the shirt shoulder silhouette stays intact,
-      then bridge the opening with a smooth four-ring lathe neck (r 0.100 → 0.056, 20 segments).
-      The lower rings are painted cloth so the opening reads as a crew neck rather than bare
-      chest. No torus, disk shelf, neck brace or sawtooth collar.
-- [x] Reject destructive vertex smoothing at the neck: a `smooth_vert` pass moved the open body
-      boundary away from the neck cone, opening a dark hole. The lathe gives smooth shading
-      without moving the collar boundary.
-- [x] Shrink the shoes and seat the ankles: shoe shell 0.12 × 0.30 × 0.11 m, an inset 0.111 ×
-      0.286 m black sole, a tongue and shoe centre x=0.17, with a 0.08 m pant cuff (r 0.055/0.061)
-      bridging leg and shoe. The sleeve cuffs now use the `cloth` slot and the `accessory` slot is
-      carried by the sole, so the cuffs read as sleeve ends instead of metal bands.
-- [x] Replace the bulbous toe/heel spheres with a single bevelled shoe shell (bevel 0.032, 2
-      segments) plus tongue and inset sole, and add one light smoothing pass to the closed
-      thigh/hip region. Protruding flat sole plates read as skates or bricks; laces were dropped
-      for triangle budget after they proved too small to read.
-- [x] Reject the untucked shirt-hem band: both the 0.09 m and 0.12 m cloth cylinders read as a
-      hanging white flap at the crotch. The V hem needs a proper clothing shell, not a band.
-- [x] Fix the neck material rule: the `radius < 0.08` skin test had no Z floor, so it painted a
-      skin patch at the crotch. It is now guarded to `z > 1.35`; the crotch stays pants.
-- [x] Reject three cheap hem fixes: lowering the shirt to z 0.80 turns it into a unitard; tilting
-      the hem up at the front reads as high-cut swimwear; a 13% hem flare reads as a peplum.
-      The remaining V is the dark crotch hollow under a body-painted shirt, not a slot bug.
-- [ ] Owner reviews the updated MPFB body renders (`tmp/npc-parts/mpfb_proto/renders84/`).
-      Remaining known defects: the crotch hollow still reads as a V under the shirt hem, the
-      shirt is only partly loosened by the 12% torso inflation, and the 2k-tri body budget leaves
-      some angular thigh facets. A separate loose shirt shell is the proper fix for the first
-      two; these are polish, not blockers for the body direction.
-- [ ] Build a proper loose shirt shell instead of body-painted cloth. The quick open, flared
-      solidified tube (0.150→0.196 m, z 1.05→0.80, 24 segments, ~288 tris) read as a hanging
-      apron/tabard and was rejected. The shell needs a shaped torso, armholes and a curved hem,
-      not a tube. It must fit in the 683 spare triangles or come with a head/body rebalance.
-- [ ] Rebalance the triangle budget before rollout: 683 spare is below the ~1,200 the firefighter
-      and hoodie variants need. Protect the head budget first; do not lower the accepted face.
-- [ ] Fix the low-budget seams before any rollout: weld the torso/hip/arm components after the
-      bisects, protect the hip/knee loops during decimation (or rebalance head/body triangles).
-- [ ] Record the production integration decision: either bake the approved MPFB body to a committed
-      source GLB (CI and fresh checkouts stay MPFB-free) or keep the procedural body as the shipped
-      path. Do not add the MPFB extension as a build/CI dependency.
-- [ ] If approved, roll the MPFB body into the 12 variants and regenerate AO maps, manifest entries,
-      `inspect`/`fit`/`audit`/`texels`, the proportion report and the 12 × 6 baseline.
-
-### 6. QA, docs and exit
-
-- [ ] Capture front/three-quarter/profile head comparisons and open/grip hand comparisons; add
-      durable sheets to `docs/blender_previews/` and link them from the review docs.
-- [ ] Update `docs/3d-model-review.md`, `docs/npc-visual-review.md`,
-      `docs/known-limitations.md`, `MEMORY.md` and the project skills with the accepted limits and
-      the new part workflow.
-- [ ] Exit: head/face and hands are approved on one prototype, rolled out across all 12 variants,
-      all contract/budget/capture gates pass, the local part pipeline is documented, and no
-      runtime dependency or skeleton contract changed.
+- [x] Remove the MPFB/MakeHuman development scripts, renders and review directories from
+      `tmp/` (done 2026-11-05). Keep only the Quaternius source pack and its licence notes.
+- [x] Keep the committed `makehuman_head.glb` and the procedural `npc_base` only as tested
+      fallbacks until the Quaternius rollout is complete; do not add new MPFB work.
+- [ ] Update `docs/development-status.md`, `CHANGELOG.md` and `CREDITS.md` when the new base
+      ships. MPFB must never become a CI, build or runtime dependency.
 
 ## Fix the Rig pose harness
 
 Goal: `src/test/capture_npc_pose.gd` reports a pose but saves rest frames; the root cause is
 narrowed to the skinned mesh ignoring its `Rig` parent transform. Fixing it unblocks the
-weights/pose column of the 3D review and the pose/portrait evidence for the MakeHuman intake.
+weights/pose column of the 3D review; the evidence now feeds the Quaternius base bake.
 
 *Skill route: `rigging`; evidence in `docs/3d-model-review.md` §"Pose evidence is blocked".*
 
@@ -295,52 +119,6 @@ weights/pose column of the 3D review and the pose/portrait evidence for the Make
       (No separate "wave" theater pose exists; the escalation raise-hand gesture is not a distinct
       capture in this harness.)
 
-## MakeHuman character pipeline
-
-Goal: replace the procedural body generator with the CC0 MakeHuman base for the next character
-pass — retopologised, rigged and dressed in project-owned clothing — so bodies read more
-realistic than the current primitive shapes. This promotes the deferred MakeHuman evaluation to
-an active track; ADR-0015 (CC0 / CC-BY with attribution) still governs every intake.
-
-*Skill route: `retopology`, `rigging`, `uv-workflow`, `materials`, `character-artist`,
-`asset-optimization`, `godot-export`, `qa-review`.*
-
-### Intake and adaptation
-
-- [x] `adapt` path added to `tools/blender_assets.py` (`adapt --file <in> --out <out>
-      [--target-tris 24000]`): imports the GLB, applies transforms, grounds the feet, welds seam
-      splits and decimates to the budget, then exports. The five tint slots + 13-core rig
-      (optional extra bones allowed) stay a manual step (recorded in the command doc).
-- [x] `audit` stays the final gate; `test_adapt_requires_blender` covers the non-Blender error
-      path (162/162 Python).
-- [x] Adapter commands + go/no-go documented in `docs/asset-tooling.md` §Intake adaptation.
-
-### MPFB / MakeHuman body pipeline
-
-- [x] Prototype the local pipeline: `tmp/npc-research/makehuman_intake.py` imports the CC0
-      `base.obj`, scales to 1.82 m, grounds the feet, triangulates, decimates and exports
-      `tmp/npc-research/makehuman/makehuman_body.glb` — 3,790 verts / 6,444 tris, bounds
-      x ±0.53 / y 0–1.82 / z −0.12…+0.35, one neutral material, UVs present, unskinned. The
-      body (no rig) is the input for the rigging step; the script + mesh stay in `tmp/` (CC0, not
-      committed).
-- [x] Rig strategy decided (owner): **retarget the body to the 13-core contract; optional extra bones are allowed**.
-      `tmp/npc-research/makehuman_retarget.py` rotates the A-pose arms down (−38°/+38°), scales the
-      arms 1.63× to the contract 0.70 m length, welds the split vertices, smooth-shades, adds the
-      contract armature + `_auto_weights`, paints the five slot regions (hair/cloth/pants/accessory/
-      skin) and exports `makehuman_retargeted.glb`. **Contract passes:** 6,444 / 16,000 tris,
-      7,726 / 16,000 verts, 14 bones (13 + Hips), skinned, arm-down, grounded, five slots, no issues.
-      Vision-reviewed: arms hang down and the silhouette + slot regions read, but the 1.63× arm warp
-      distorts the deltoid/shoulder (spiky/warped), the decimated hands are blocky, and the slot
-      boundaries are rough — these are the refinement steps below.
-- [x] Head/hands/feet swap (`makehuman_final.py`): cut the decimated MakeHuman head/hands/feet and
-      joined the project's `_face`/`_hair`/`_hands_and_shoes`, then re-weighted/re-UV'd. Contract
-      passes: 6,407 / 16,000 tris, 6,651 / 16,000 verts, 14 bones, skinned, five slots, no issues.
-      Vision-reviewed: the head now reads as a realistic face, the hands as detailed fingers and
-      the shoes as attached. Remaining (manual retopology): a 1.63× arm-scale warp still distorts
-      the deltoid/shoulder, stray hand blobs linger at the hips, shirt/shirt seams are rough, and
-      the head-neck junction has a shadow gap. The procedural generator stays the shipped fallback
-      until these are cleaned in an editor session.
-
 ## 3D model and local map re-evaluation
 
 Goal: re-judge every shipped 3D asset against the newly available Blender skill guidance, rank
@@ -356,7 +134,7 @@ rebuilds and the face/foliage prototypes) stay **blocked** until the full local
 (H–M) is done **and** a fresh 3D model review runs against the new maps. The measurements and
 scorecard in `docs/3d-model-review.md` stand as the pre-rebuild baseline, not a go-ahead to start
 character work now. (Character development has since shipped — see `DONE.md` — and the next
-character pass is the MakeHuman pipeline above.)
+character pass is the Quaternius base above.)
 
 **Map rebuild status (2026-11-03):** H–M are complete — the Joke Shop is now a 6.0 m low hall
 (dark stucco, white signature fascia, tied-back curtains, hotel tower) and Hollywood/TV Studio
@@ -966,7 +744,7 @@ published while the gates below remain open.
 | Area | Remaining gap | Milestone |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | 3D model and local map re-evaluation | Skill-guided asset scorecard/repairs; OSM/3D data, reference-derived facades, AI-assisted composition and map QA | Unversioned |
-| Character development | Complete (moved to `DONE.md`); the MakeHuman body pipeline is the next character pass | 0.11.0 |
+| Character development | Complete (moved to `DONE.md`); the Quaternius NPC base migration is the next character pass | 0.10.0 |
 | Content and balance | External first-time-player evidence, balance sweeps/tuning and content lock | 0.10.0 |
 | Audio, accessibility and localization | Accessibility/localization acceptance, caption coverage and pseudo-locale/layout sign-off | 0.10.0 |
 | Performance and platform | Target-hardware matrix, Web/Desktop HQ profiling and frame/memory evidence | 0.10.0 |
@@ -979,15 +757,15 @@ The 0.9.3 UI, 0.9.4 animation, 0.9.5 texture, 0.9.6 integration and save-migrati
 complete in `DONE.md`; they are not remaining gaps. The 2026-11-01 documentation audit
 (architecture ownership, stale-claim cleanup and obsolete-plan removal) is also closed.
 
-**Priority (2026-11-04):** fix the `Rig` pose harness, then the MakeHuman character pipeline,
-then re-evaluate the 3D models, then ship the **0.11.0** minor release. The 0.10.0 candidate
+**Priority (2026-11-05):** finish the `Rig` pose harness, then the Quaternius NPC base
+migration, then re-evaluate the 3D models, then ship the **0.10.0** minor release. The 0.10.0 candidate
 still accepts only release-blocking fixes until its external-playtest, legal/storefront, signing
 and platform gates clear.
 
 ## Milestone 0.10.0 — 3D model and map improvements (minor)
 
-Goal: ship all 3D model and map improvements together as the **0.10.0 minor** — the MakeHuman
-body retarget (contract armature + project head/hands), the rebuilt Comedy Store/Hollywood maps,
+Goal: ship all 3D model and map improvements together as the **0.10.0 minor** — the Quaternius
+NPC base bake (contract armature + five slots), the rebuilt Comedy Store/Hollywood maps,
 and the re-evaluated 3D scorecard — plus the external playtest, legal/storefront, signing and
 platform gates from the old release candidate. The character-development patch (0.9.7) ships
 first; this minor contains the model/map work.
@@ -1157,8 +935,8 @@ variants, the four crowd-variety characters and the per-role pools — as a **pa
       launches headless. Tagged `v0.9.7` (CI build/publish follows).
 
 **Exit:** met — 0.9.7 ships the 12-character library (face realism + crowd variety) with the pose
-harness fixed; the runtime contract is unchanged. The MakeHuman body and the map rebuild are not
-in this patch (they target 0.10.0).
+harness fixed; the runtime contract is unchanged. The Quaternius NPC base and the map rebuild are
+not in this patch (they target 0.10.0).
 
 ## Roadmap dependencies and risks