Refine environment surfaces and skyline haze

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ Semantic Versioning.
 - NPC fabric maps now repeat four times across the body and skip the baked
   per-character AO, removing the large blotchy patches from shirts, jackets and
   trousers at portrait distance.
+- The Walk of Fame band now uses the paver/terrazzo texture instead of a flat
+  dark strip, the neighbour awning keeps its cream stripe at close range, and the
+  distant skyline fades into horizon haze instead of reading as a crisp cut-out.
 
 ## [0.9.4] — 2026-11-02
 

MEMORY.md

@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ Session memory for durable decisions, state, and gotchas. Keep concise, remove o
   albedo/normal/ORM maps instead of 128² (AI shirt/trousers are resized to 256). The base and all
   eight library GLBs plus AO maps were rebuilt; texture files total ~0.5 MB, eight GLBs ~5.75 MB,
   and the 24-NPC smoke remains 6.90 ms.
+- **Environment surface audit (0.9.5, 2026-11-02):** `capture_realism.gd` gained
+  `surfaces` (Hollywood pavers/asphalt/limestone/facade) and `surfaces_joke`
+  (neighbour awning, canopy, pavers) stages with the HUD hidden. The Walk of Fame
+  band now uses `T_CONCRETE` as dark terrazzo; the neighbour awning uses a neutral
+  tint (`0.62`) and 4× UV so the red/cream stripes survive; the skyline shader
+  fades its lower 42 m toward a per-phase haze colour. Brick/asphalt picks needed
+  no replacement. No seams or broken UV scales found.
 - **NPC fabric UV/AO (0.9.5, 2026-11-02):** cloth/pants use
   `Materials.NPC_FABRIC_UV_SCALE = Vector3(4,4,1)`, and `NpcAvatar` skips the baked per-character
   AO on those two slots. The 256² AO was magnifying into large blotches; the fabric now reads as a

TODO.md

@@ -57,16 +57,22 @@ Compatibility/Web parity, deterministic assets and offline CI.
 
 ### Environment textures and materials
 
-- [ ] Audit the v2 picks (brick, sidewalk pavers, dry/wet asphalt, awning canvas,
+- [x] Audit the v2 picks (brick, sidewalk pavers, dry/wet asphalt, awning canvas,
       day/dusk/night skylines) at close range and in the entrance/street shots for
-      seams, tiling, scale, contrast and normal-map strength.
-- [ ] Refine brick mortar/wear, paver joints/stains, asphalt aggregate/wet response
+      seams, tiling, scale, contrast and normal-map strength. (New `surfaces` and
+      `surfaces_joke` capture stages; no seam or UV-scale failures found.)
+- [x] Refine brick mortar/wear, paver joints/stains, asphalt aggregate/wet response
       and awning weave using the existing image/asset tooling; never overwrite a
-      pick, use `-vN` candidates and promote validated results.
-- [ ] Check UV scales and material roughness/metallic profiles; keep day/night
-      phase behavior and the wet-street transition intact.
-- [ ] Review distant skyline haze and foliage/planter surfaces against the concept
-      references; fix obvious flatness without regressing readability.
+      pick, use `-vN` candidates and promote validated results. (The Walk of Fame
+      band now uses the paver/terrazzo texture; the neighbour awning keeps its
+      cream stripe via a neutral tint and 4× UV. Brick/asphalt picks held up.)
+- [x] Check UV scales and material roughness/metallic profiles; keep day/night
+      phase behavior and the wet-street transition intact. (Profiles and UV
+      scales passed; dry/wet asphalt and phase switching unchanged.)
+- [x] Review distant skyline haze and foliage/planter surfaces against the concept
+      references; fix obvious flatness without regressing readability. (Added
+      world-height haze fade to the skyline shader; foliage/planters stayed
+      stylized and readable, so no mesh change.)
 
 ### Character and prop textures
 
@@ -74,7 +80,8 @@ Compatibility/Web parity, deterministic assets and offline CI.
       refine fabric weave, skin variation and fixed detail materials. (256² maps rebuilt; fabric
       now uses a 4× UV weave and skips baked per-character AO, removing the portrait blotches;
       skin/hair/gear keep AO. Comparison `sheet_npc_baseline_compare-texuv.jpg`.)
-- [ ] Re-bake AO where geometry changes; verify the 256² maps and material wiring.
+- [x] Re-bake AO where geometry changes; verify the 256² maps and material wiring.
+      (No character geometry changed in the texture pass; asset/base audits pass.)
 - [ ] Audit library props and UI/card/icon textures at their actual screen sizes;
       remove blurry/oversized or unused textures where safe.
 - [ ] Run texture audits, import, and the full asset test suite; record texture memory

docs/asset-tooling.md

@@ -235,11 +235,19 @@ godot --path . --script res://src/test/capture_npc_baseline.gd -- \
 python3 tools/npc_baseline.py sheet --dir tmp/npc-baseline
 ```
 
-`capture_realism.gd` runs seven stages (day, portrait, evening, late, Joke Shop day, Joke Shop night, studio);
+`capture_realism.gd` runs nine stages (day, Hollywood surface close-ups, Joke Shop surface close-ups, portrait, evening, late, Joke Shop day, Joke Shop night, studio);
 `--stages=day,late` limits it while tuning; `--flashlight` turns on the guard lamp for
 night stages (used by the Desktop HQ A/B). The `portrait` shot freezes one NPC on open sidewalk
 and frames the face, which is the only capture that can judge avatar detail
-(`--portrait-type=N` picks a role). The generated realism runs under
+(`--portrait-type=N` picks a role). For the 0.9.5 texture audit, run the surface
+stages directly; the HUD is hidden for them:
+
+```bash
+godot --path . --script res://src/test/capture_realism.gd \
+  -- --out=res://tmp/surfaces --stages=surfaces,surfaces_joke
+```
+
+The generated realism runs under
 `docs/screens/realism/` are **local, gitignored QA artifacts**; commit only the
 resulting decisions/docs, not the run folders. The texture-adoption run compared
 the pre-adoption captures with the current build: on the shots both sets captured,

docs/development-status.md

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Implemented so far:
 - 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`.
 - 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.
 - NPC texture pass (0.9.5 work): the NPC base and all eight library characters now use 256² albedo/normal/ORM maps instead of 128². Cloth and pants use `NPC_FABRIC_UV_SCALE` (4× weave) and skip the baked per-character AO, removing the large blotchy patches in portraits; skin, hair and gear keep baked AO. The base and eight GLBs plus AO maps were rebuilt; the 24-NPC smoke remains green.
 - 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`.

src/game/world_builder.gd

@@ -17,10 +17,14 @@ const T_SKYLINE_NIGHT := preload(PICK_DIR + "skyline_night.png")
 ## Height of each backdrop plane (metres); the bases sit on the ground plane.
 const SKYLINE_HEIGHT := 90.0
 const SKYLINE_BY_PHASE := {
-	Rules.Phase.EARLY: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_DAY, "tint": Color(0.98, 1.0, 1.04)},
-	Rules.Phase.MIDDAY: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_DAY, "tint": Color(1.02, 1.04, 1.08)},
-	Rules.Phase.EVENING: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_DUSK, "tint": Color(0.9, 0.92, 1.0)},
-	Rules.Phase.LATE: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_NIGHT, "tint": Color(1.5, 1.55, 1.65)},
+	Rules.Phase.EARLY: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_DAY, "tint": Color(0.98, 1.0, 1.04),
+		"haze": Color(0.62, 0.71, 0.82), "haze_strength": 0.36},
+	Rules.Phase.MIDDAY: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_DAY, "tint": Color(1.02, 1.04, 1.08),
+		"haze": Color(0.66, 0.75, 0.85), "haze_strength": 0.34},
+	Rules.Phase.EVENING: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_DUSK, "tint": Color(0.9, 0.92, 1.0),
+		"haze": Color(0.55, 0.43, 0.40), "haze_strength": 0.30},
+	Rules.Phase.LATE: {"texture": T_SKYLINE_NIGHT, "tint": Color(1.5, 1.55, 1.65),
+		"haze": Color(0.07, 0.09, 0.14), "haze_strength": 0.22},
 }
 ## steps, building facade, restricted door, sidewalk, pavement, and street edge.
 ## Surfaces use the shared PBR profiles in `src/game/materials.gd`; street
@@ -648,8 +652,10 @@ func _build_sunset_neighbours() -> void:
 	# Ground-floor shopfront and a red canvas awning.
 	_add_box(west, Vector3(8.6, 2.4, 0.12), Vector3(-22.6, 1.5, west_front + 0.08),
 		Color(0.08, 0.10, 0.12), false, null, Vector2.ONE, "glass")
+	# Keep the cream stripe: tinting the whole atlas dark red collapsed the
+	# canvas into a flat band at portrait distance.
 	_add_box(west, Vector3(9.2, 0.22, 1.3), Vector3(-22.6, 3.0, west_front + 0.65),
-		Color(0.48, 0.10, 0.08), true, T_AWNING, Vector2(3, 0.5), "awning")
+		Color(0.62, 0.62, 0.62), true, T_AWNING, Vector2(4, 1), "awning")
 	# Balcony rails on the upper floor.
 	for x in [-24.8, -21.2, -17.6]:
 		_add_box(west, Vector3(2.4, 0.08, 0.85), Vector3(x, 5.6, west_front + 0.55),
@@ -1379,8 +1385,10 @@ func _build_walk_of_fame() -> void:
 	var walk := Node3D.new()
 	walk.name = "WalkOfFame"
 	root.add_child(walk)
+	# Reuse the paver map as a dark terrazzo: a flat colour read as a black
+	# strip at close range, while the texture supplies the small aggregate.
 	_add_box(walk, Vector3(30.0, 0.035, 1.75), Vector3(0, 0.198, 9.15),
-		Color(0.20, 0.18, 0.17), false, null, Vector2.ONE, "stone")
+		Color(0.34, 0.30, 0.27), false, T_CONCRETE, Vector2(18, 1.05), "concrete")
 	var star_mesh := _star_mesh(0.40, 0.17)
 	var brass := Materials.flat(Color(0.70, 0.55, 0.24), "metal")
 	var coral := Materials.flat(Color(0.72, 0.30, 0.28), "stone")
@@ -1595,6 +1603,8 @@ func _build_skyline_backdrop() -> void:
 	mat.shader = shader
 	mat.set_shader_parameter("sky_texture", SKYLINE_BY_PHASE[_phase]["texture"])
 	mat.set_shader_parameter("tint", SKYLINE_BY_PHASE[_phase]["tint"])
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("haze_color", SKYLINE_BY_PHASE[_phase]["haze"])
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("haze_strength", SKYLINE_BY_PHASE[_phase]["haze_strength"])
 	mat.set_shader_parameter("repeats", 2.0)
 	_skyline_mat = mat
 	var mesh := PlaneMesh.new()
@@ -1633,11 +1643,18 @@ render_mode unshaded, cull_disabled, fog_disabled;
 
 uniform sampler2D sky_texture : source_color, repeat_enable, filter_linear_mipmap;
 uniform vec4 tint : source_color = vec4(1.0);
+uniform vec4 haze_color : source_color = vec4(0.62, 0.71, 0.82, 1.0);
+uniform float haze_strength = 0.36;
 uniform float repeats = 2.0;
 
 void fragment() {
 	vec4 panorama = texture(sky_texture, vec2(UV.x * repeats, UV.y));
-	ALBEDO = panorama.rgb * tint.rgb;
+	// Atmospheric perspective: blend the lower part of the panorama toward
+	// the horizon colour so the towers sit in the distance instead of reading
+	// as a crisp cardboard cut-out.
+	float world_y = (INV_VIEW_MATRIX * vec4(VERTEX, 1.0)).y;
+	float horizon = clamp(1.0 - world_y / 42.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+	ALBEDO = mix(panorama.rgb * tint.rgb, haze_color.rgb, horizon * haze_strength);
 	ALPHA = panorama.a * tint.a;
 	ALPHA_SCISSOR_THRESHOLD = 0.5;
 }
@@ -2241,6 +2258,8 @@ func set_phase(phase: int) -> void:
 	if _skyline_mat != null:
 		_skyline_mat.set_shader_parameter("sky_texture", entry["texture"])
 		_skyline_mat.set_shader_parameter("tint", entry["tint"])
+		_skyline_mat.set_shader_parameter("haze_color", entry["haze"])
+		_skyline_mat.set_shader_parameter("haze_strength", entry["haze_strength"])
 	var night: bool = phase == Rules.Phase.EVENING or phase == Rules.Phase.LATE
 	set_night_mode(night)
 	if _street_mat != null:

src/test/capture_realism.gd

@@ -62,6 +62,18 @@ const SHOTS_JOKE_DAY := [
 const SHOTS_STUDIO := [
 	{"name": "studio_door", "pos": Vector3(0, 0.1, 6.2), "yaw": 0.0, "pitch": 2.0},
 ]
+## Surface close-ups for the 0.9.5 texture audit; HUD is hidden for this stage.
+const SHOTS_SURFACES := [
+	{"name": "surface_pavers", "pos": Vector3(0, 0.1, 10.5), "yaw": 0.0, "pitch": -55.0},
+	{"name": "surface_asphalt", "pos": Vector3(0, 0.1, 14.0), "yaw": 180.0, "pitch": -42.0},
+	{"name": "surface_limestone", "pos": Vector3(0, 0.1, 2.0), "yaw": 0.0, "pitch": 8.0},
+	{"name": "surface_facade_wide", "pos": Vector3(-2.0, 0.1, 13.2), "yaw": 12.0, "pitch": 20.0},
+]
+const SHOTS_SURFACES_JOKE := [
+	{"name": "surface_awning", "pos": Vector3(-22.6, 0.1, 2.6), "yaw": 0.0, "pitch": 14.0},
+	{"name": "surface_canopy", "pos": Vector3(0, 0.1, 7.5), "yaw": 0.0, "pitch": 24.0},
+	{"name": "surface_pavers_joke", "pos": Vector3(0, 0.1, 10.0), "yaw": 0.0, "pitch": -55.0},
+]
 ## A face-on portrait: staged relative to a live NPC by `_stage_portrait()`.
 const SHOTS_PORTRAIT := [
 	{"name": "npc_portrait", "pos": Vector3.ZERO, "yaw": 0.0, "pitch": 0.0,
@@ -70,6 +82,8 @@ const SHOTS_PORTRAIT := [
 ## Stage list: shift time selects the phase, `venue` switches the scenario first.
 const STAGES := [
 	{"name": "day", "elapsed": 0.0, "venue": "", "shots": SHOTS_DAY, "night": false},
+	{"name": "surfaces", "elapsed": 0.0, "venue": "", "shots": SHOTS_SURFACES, "night": false},
+	{"name": "surfaces_joke", "elapsed": 0.0, "venue": "joke_shop", "shots": SHOTS_SURFACES_JOKE, "night": false},
 	# Portrait next, while the day crowd is still on the street.
 	{"name": "portrait", "elapsed": 0.0, "venue": "", "shots": SHOTS_PORTRAIT,
 		"night": false},
@@ -182,6 +196,7 @@ func _begin_stage() -> void:
 		gm.hud.clear_log()
 		gm.hud.set_target_label("")
 		gm.hud.set_action_hint("")
+		gm.hud.visible = not str(stage["name"]).begins_with("surfaces")
 	if _flashlight:
 		var want := bool(stage["night"])
 		if want != bool(gm.flashlight_on):

src/test/tests/test_world.gd

@@ -113,8 +113,13 @@ func test_hollywood_uses_the_real_landmark_layout() -> bool:
 	var banners := root.find_child("EventBanners", true, false)
 	var d := TestUtils.check(banners != null and banners.get_child_count() >= 9,
 		"three red event banners with their trim are present")
-	var e := TestUtils.check(root.find_child("WalkOfFame", true, false) != null,
-		"the Hollywood Walk of Fame strip is built")
+	var walk := root.find_child("WalkOfFame", true, false)
+	var walk_band := walk.get_child(0) as MeshInstance3D if walk != null else null
+	var walk_material: Material = walk_band.mesh.surface_get_material(0) if walk_band != null else null
+	var e := TestUtils.check(walk != null and walk_material != null
+		and walk_material is StandardMaterial3D
+		and (walk_material as StandardMaterial3D).albedo_texture != null,
+		"the Hollywood Walk of Fame strip is built with the terrazzo texture")
 	var f := TestUtils.check(root.get_node_or_null("NeighbourBlocks/ElCapitanTheatre") != null
 		and root.get_node_or_null("NeighbourBlocks/EastRetailBlock") != null,
 		"the El Capitan Theatre and east retail neighbours are built")
@@ -260,8 +265,12 @@ func test_skyline_backdrop_uses_alpha() -> bool:
 	var mat: ShaderMaterial = builder._skyline_mat
 	var b := TestUtils.check(mat != null and mat.shader != null, "skyline shader material captured")
 	var code := mat.shader.code if mat != null and mat.shader != null else ""
-	var c := TestUtils.check(code.contains("ALPHA") and code.contains("fog_disabled"),
-		"backdrop shader is alpha-scissored and fog-free")
+	var c := TestUtils.check(code.contains("ALPHA") and code.contains("fog_disabled")
+		and code.contains("haze_strength"),
+		"backdrop shader is alpha-scissored, fog-free and haze-blended")
+	var haze := float(mat.get_shader_parameter("haze_strength")) if mat != null else 0.0
+	var c2 := TestUtils.check(haze > 0.0, "skyline haze is enabled")
+	c = c and c2
 	var day: Texture2D = mat.get_shader_parameter("sky_texture")
 	builder.set_phase(Rules.Phase.LATE)
 	var night: Texture2D = mat.get_shader_parameter("sky_texture")