Raise character limits and document optional Blender MCP

docs/development-status.md

@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ Python tooling is 161/161 after the GLB `inspect` intake coverage.
 - Texture visual verification (0.9.5 work): the nine-stage realism run used `z-ai/glm-5.3-flash` once per shot; mean `after` scores were overall 1.8, lighting 2.3, materials 1.8, texture detail 1.2, backdrop 2.0 and characters 1.2, with a Pillow metric gap of 0.306. The judge remains an optional review aid, not a CI gate. The committed before/after close-up sheet is [`blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg`](blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg); it records that the paver/Walk of Fame and NPC fabric repairs are visible, while asphalt, limestone and skyline picks held without a replacement. `tools/check_screenshots.sh` passed 21 good / 0 bad and the screen-design judge passed 21/21 match with 0 review.
 - NPC visual optimization (0.9.4, complete 2026-11-02): all eight variants passed the portrait/readability, proportion, gear, foot/shoe, headgear and final-context gates. The library uses an 8,000-triangle / 8,000-glTF-vertex cap (up from 6,000/5,000; `npc_base` fallback remains 6,000/4,000); current characters measure 4,482–5,474 triangles and 4,260–5,494 vertices. The 48-frame baseline and 96-frame final-context review pass, the hand/gear offset and shoes are in, and the accepted stylized limits are documented in `npc-visual-review.md`.
 - NPC face-detail pass (0.9.4 work): ala wings and a smaller nose bridge/tip, one rounded mouth slot, and a darker ear concha; all eight rebuilt. The comparison is `sheet_npc_baseline_compare-face-detail.jpg`.
-- NPC face realism pass (2026-11-03/04): all eight variants now use the `seg=24/rings=16` head with a subtle brow ridge, a fuller lower lip and both eyelids (recessed creases were rejected because they bake as dark AO patches). Vision-reviewed as cleaner/more realistic than the 0.9.4 face; characters measure 5,038–5,900 tris / 4,756–5,902 verts (still under 8,000). `sheet_npc_baseline.jpg` was refreshed.
+- Character contract extension (2026-11-04): the character cap is **16,000 triangles / 16,000 glTF vertices** (library and base fallback); the 13 core bones remain required and optional extra bones are allowed. Blender MCP is documented as optional interactive tooling in [`blender-mcp.md`](blender-mcp.md), not a build/CI/runtime dependency. Blender/NPC audits still pass.
+- NPC face realism pass (2026-11-03/04): all eight variants now use the `seg=24/rings=16` head with a subtle brow ridge, a fuller lower lip and both eyelids (recessed creases were rejected because they bake as dark AO patches). Vision-reviewed as cleaner/more realistic than the 0.9.4 face; characters measure 5,038–5,900 tris / 4,756–5,902 verts (still under 16,000). `sheet_npc_baseline.jpg` was refreshed.
 - Crowd-variety roster (character development, 2026-11-04): four new variants — `npc_crowd_a` (slim/bun/sunglasses), `npc_crowd_b` (broad/bald/beard/shoulder bag), `npc_crowd_c` (coat/umbrella), `npc_crowd_d` (slim/hood/cup) — built with the realistic face and wired into `CHARACTER_POOLS` so the routine crowd roles (tourist, confused visitor, intoxicated) pick them by seed instead of cloning `npc_casual`. The 24-NPC smoke is now 152,464 tris / 168 meshes / 6.94 ms (under the 50 ms budget).
 - NPC headgear clearance (0.9.4 work): the 96-frame final-context review after the face-detail pass confirms the cap, firefighter helmet, hood and sunglasses clear the refined brow and eyes; no gear rebuild was needed.
 - NPC footwear pass (0.9.4 work): casual shoes gained rounded toe and heel caps; responder/firefighter boots gained matching toe/heel volumes while retaining the black rubber boot language. All eight rebuilt; comparison `sheet_npc_baseline_compare-shoes.jpg`.