Release 0.9.4 NPC visual optimization

docs/npc-visual-review.md

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 # NPC visual baseline and acceptance criteria
 
-Status: baseline captured 2026-11-02. The P1 fixes (tourist photo-prop
-visibility, backpack straps), the neck/shoulder and torso/hip transitions, the
-face-depth pass and the first hand pass are applied. Hand-item grip alignment
-and clothing work remain open; the baseline remains the reference for 0.9.4.
-Comparison sheets:
+Status: **accepted 2026-11-02 for the 0.9.4 stylized target.** The P1 fixes
+(tourist photo-prop visibility, backpack straps), neck/shoulder and torso/hip
+transitions, face depth/detail, hand and gear placement, headgear clearance and
+shoe/boot silhouettes are applied. The baseline remains the comparison reference;
+the accepted limitations are listed below. Comparison sheets:
 [`sheet_npc_baseline_compare-p1.jpg`](blender_previews/sheet_npc_baseline_compare-p1.jpg),
-[`sheet_npc_baseline_compare-body.jpg`](blender_previews/sheet_npc_baseline_compare-body.jpg)
+[`sheet_npc_baseline_compare-body.jpg`](blender_previews/sheet_npc_baseline_compare-body.jpg),
 the latest [`sheet_npc_baseline_compare-torso.jpg`](blender_previews/sheet_npc_baseline_compare-torso.jpg),
 the face-detail pass [`sheet_npc_baseline_compare-face-detail.jpg`](blender_previews/sheet_npc_baseline_compare-face-detail.jpg),
 the conversation-distance hand pass
@@ -182,16 +182,21 @@ The refit backpack measures 380 triangles / 406 vertices.
    primitive sign are intentionally large stage props, but they should be
    checked during the pose pass so they do not read as head/body geometry.
 
-### Accepted or deferred for this baseline
+### Accepted limits for the 0.9.4 release
 
 - The hooded variants intentionally cover part of the face; face readability is
   judged on the visible lower face and silhouette, not on hidden eyes.
 - The low-poly style is the target. The acceptance bar is readability and clean
   construction, not photoreal skin or hair.
-- Hem-through-leg clipping during a walk cannot be judged from a rest pose; it
-  stays in the body/clothing workstream.
-- The 8 m `crowd` view is still LOD 0. The separate LOD/impostor check remains
-  required; this baseline does not claim to validate it.
+- Held items use the forward-offset open palm (`HAND_ITEM_FORWARD`) rather than a
+  finger-curl rig. There are no finger bones in the contract; phone, cup,
+  clipboard, camera, flashlight, wand and radio were judged in the hand capture.
+- Fabric folds are not separate geometry; the current torso, elbow and knee
+  shaping is the accepted stylized construction.
+- The >26 m impostor remains a two-quad billboard; the LOD tier/hysteresis and
+  near/far swap are covered by `test_avatar_mesh_budget_and_lod_swap`.
+- Evening readability is represented by the day/night/LATE final-context set;
+  LATE is the venue night variant.
 
 ## Before/after workflow
 
@@ -222,10 +227,6 @@ rather than replacing it.
 
 ## Next implementation order
 
-1. Add finger curl/thumb contact for the hand items and judge the umbrella/sign
-   grips; the forward offset is already in place.
-2. Add the remaining body-shape variation between variants and re-measure the
-   LOD/impostor silhouettes.
-3. Audit hems in walk/sit/block poses; footwear silhouette is now in the baseline.
-4. Re-run the 48-frame baseline, the 96-frame final-context review, the 24-NPC
-   budget and `blender_assets.py audit/fit`; publish the next comparison sheet.
+0.9.4 is closed. The next visual work belongs to the 0.9.5 texture pass and the
+0.10.0 acceptance review; keep the NPC baseline/final-context commands as the
+regression gate for any future character edit.