Open the 0.10.0 release-candidate milestone

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@ All notable user-facing changes to Gig Line. The format follows
 [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/), and versions use
 Semantic Versioning.
 
+## [0.9.6] — 2026-11-02
+
+### Changed
+
+- The UI, model and texture passes are now integrated into a verified checkpoint
+  build. The gallery, NPC portraits, realism captures, asset audits, smoke
+  matrix, 24-NPC budget and Web/Desktop HQ packages were regenerated and
+  re-checked; no gameplay or content changes were introduced.
+
 ## [0.9.5] — 2026-11-02
 
 ### Changed

DONE.md

@@ -1879,3 +1879,157 @@ unexplained regressions. Accepted limits: hand items use the forward-offset open
 a finger-curl rig; fabric folds stay out of the low-poly target; the >26 m impostor remains a
 two-quad billboard; evening readability is represented by the day/night/LATE final-context set.
 Tagged `v0.9.4`; Gitea run 916 passed checks and the full build and published seven assets.
+
+## Patch 0.9.5 — Texture and material refinement
+
+Goal: improve close-range surface and character texture quality while keeping GL
+Compatibility/Web parity, deterministic assets and offline CI.
+
+### Environment textures and materials
+
+- [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. (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. (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
+
+- [x] Audit NPC skin, cloth, pants, hair and gear albedo/normal/AO maps in portraits;
+      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`.)
+- [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.)
+- [x] Audit library props and UI/card/icon textures at their actual screen sizes;
+      remove blurry/oversized or unused textures where safe. (All 21 screen-art
+      textures are 1280×720 and referenced; access cards are 256×128, HUD icons
+      64×64; no oversized or unused runtime texture found. Legacy root textures
+      remain only as the `generate_textures.py`/asset-test fallback.)
+- [x] Run texture audits, import, and the full asset test suite; record texture memory
+      and triangle/draw-call impact. (Godot 263/263, Python 101/101; asset and base
+      audits pass; 24 NPCs = 168 meshes / 131,616 triangles / 6.94 ms. Compressed
+      payloads: picks 24.55 MB, UI art 22.67 MB, NPC maps 0.48 MB.)
+
+### Visual verification
+
+- [x] Run `python3 tools/scene_concepts.py realism` for the affected stages with the
+      judge enabled; record metric gaps and model/spend. (Run
+      `docs/screens/realism/2026-11-02-tex` with `z-ai/glm-5.3-flash`, one pass per
+      shot; mean `after` overall 1.8, lighting 2.3, materials 1.8, texture 1.2,
+      backdrop 2.0, characters 1.2, Pillow gap 0.306. The judge is optional and not
+      a CI gate; the report stays local.)
+- [x] Re-run `tools/check_screenshots.sh` and the screen-design judge; clear all
+      `diff` verdicts. (21 good / 0 bad; `screen_designs.py judge` = 21/21 match,
+      0 review, 0 diff.)
+- [x] Capture before/after close-ups for brick, pavement, asphalt, character cloth
+      and skyline; document accepted trade-offs. (Committed
+      `docs/blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg`: Walk of Fame
+      pavers, asphalt aggregate, limestone facade, day skyline haze and NPC cloth;
+      asphalt/limestone picks intentionally held, no replacement.)
+- [x] Update asset docs and the changelog/status with the promoted texture versions.
+      (README/PLAN/architecture/status/MEMORY and the 0.9.5 changelog entry now
+      carry the texture results; the 0.9.5 section moved to `DONE.md` after the
+      release build.)
+
+
+Completed 2026-11-02: all 0.9.5 texture and material checks are closed. The NPC
+base and eight library characters use 256² maps, cloth/pants use the 4× fabric
+weave without baked-AO blotches, the Walk of Fame band uses the paver/terrazzo
+texture, the neighbour awning keeps its cream stripe, and the skyline fades into
+per-phase haze. Godot is 263/263, Python tooling 101/101, `blender_assets.py
+audit`/`fit` and `npc_pipeline.py audit` pass, the 24-NPC headless smoke is
+6.94 ms (168 meshes / 131,616 triangles), the 48-frame baseline and 96-frame
+final-context review pass, `check_screenshots.sh` is 21 good / 0 bad, and the
+screen-design judge is 21/21 match. The optional realism judge ran with
+`z-ai/glm-5.3-flash` (mean overall 1.8, Pillow gap 0.306) and its report remains
+local; the committed comparison sheet is
+`docs/blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg`. Tagged `v0.9.5`;
+Gitea run 922 passed checks and the full build and published seven assets.
+
+## Patch 0.9.6 — Integration, performance and judge gate
+
+Goal: integrate the UI/model/texture patches, prove the combined build on the
+target paths and leave a clean release-candidate handoff.
+
+### Integration and asset rebuild
+
+- [x] Rebuild all changed Blender/GLB/AO assets, re-import, and verify manifest/fit/
+      audit coverage. (The v0.9.5 commit already rebuilt the base, eight characters,
+      gear and AO maps; this checkpoint re-imported them and re-ran
+      `blender_assets.py audit`/`fit` and `npc_pipeline.py audit`, all exit 0.)
+- [x] Run the complete headless suite, Python tooling and smoke matrix; fix any
+      regression from the three polish patches. (Godot 263/263, Python 101/101;
+      14 smokes green: audio, campaign, crowd, emergency, focus/radial, movement,
+      NPC budget, PLAN verbs, props, scenario content, session shell, timeline,
+      tutorial and UI flows. Campaign/tutorial used isolated `XDG_DATA_HOME`.)
+- [x] Re-run the 24-NPC budget smoke and record frame time, mesh count and any
+      texture-memory change; check Web and Desktop HQ if available. (24 avatars,
+      168 meshes, 131,616 triangles, 6.90 ms of 50 ms headless; NPC maps remain
+      0.48 MB. A clean detached worktree at `f5b8ef2` built Linux/Windows/macOS/
+      Web/HQ (`161.5/197.1/148.0/97.8/241.5 MB`); the Web zip has index.html,
+      wasm and pck, the HQ zip has `override.cfg`, and the HQ binary launches
+      headless with the Forward+ override.)
+- [x] Verify save/campaign/tutorial behavior is unchanged by the visual/UI patches.
+      (Persistence/session tests remain in the 263-test suite; campaign and tutorial
+      smokes passed with isolated `XDG_DATA_HOME`.)
+
+### Visual gallery and judge gate
+
+- [x] Recapture the full gallery, portraits, venue/realsim stages and Desktop HQ A/B
+      as needed; no stale screenshots in the release set. (Gallery 21/21,
+      NPC baseline 48 frames, final-context review 96 frames and a fresh 10-shot
+      realism run were recaptured. No Forward+ code changed since 0.7.1, so the
+      HQ A/B was not re-staged; the HQ artifact is checked with the release build.)
+- [x] Run `tools/check_screenshots.sh`, `screen_designs.py compare` and
+      `screen_designs.py judge` on the final captures. (21 good / 0 bad; compare
+      21 good / 0 bad; judge 21/21 match, 0 review, 0 diff.)
+- [x] Run the realism judge for the affected concepts with a pinned model; record
+      model, attempt count, spend and verdicts. (`z-ai/glm-5.3-flash`, 1 pass per
+      shot, 10 shots, no fallback/retry: mean overall 2.1, lighting 2.4, materials
+      2.1, texture 1.7, backdrop 2.3, characters 1.8, Pillow gap 0.291. The local
+      tool does not expose token spend; the report is gitignored under
+      `docs/screens/realism/2026-11-02-096/`.)
+- [x] Review all `review` verdicts manually; convert unexplained layout/composition
+      mismatches into fixes or explicit known limitations. (Screen judge has 0
+      `review` verdicts; the remaining realism comments are the known stylized
+      gaps already documented, not layout regressions.)
+- [x] Ensure generated realism folders remain gitignored/local-only and only the
+      durable report decisions/docs are committed. (`docs/screens/realism/` stays
+      ignored; `git status` shows no generated capture files.)
+
+### Release-candidate handoff
+
+- [x] Update README, architecture, development status, changelog and TODO with the
+      final patch-level results and any remaining gaps. (README/PLAN/architecture
+      now point at 0.9.6; the changelog and development status record the
+      integration build, performance numbers, judge results and the clean-worktree
+      export rule; `docs/RELEASING.md` documents the ignored-folder trap.)
+- [x] Tag/version or otherwise freeze `0.9.6` as the integration checkpoint before
+      the `0.10.0` release candidate. (Tag `v0.9.6` on `4bb2896`; Gitea run 1296
+      passed checks and the full build and published seven assets.)
+- [x] Exit: combined build is functionally green, visually reviewed, performance
+      measured and ready for the 0.10.0 content-lock/playtest phase.
+
+
+Completed 2026-11-03: the 0.9.6 integration checkpoint is closed. The current
+asset set re-imported and passed `blender_assets.py audit`/`fit` and
+`npc_pipeline.py audit`; the full suite is 263/263 with 101/101 Python tests and
+14 smokes green; the 24-NPC budget is 6.90 ms with 168 meshes and 131,616
+triangles; the gallery and screen-design gate are 21 good / 0 bad and 21/21
+match; the pinned realism judge (`z-ai/glm-5.3-flash`) scored mean overall 2.1
+with a 0.291 Pillow gap. A clean worktree built Linux/Windows/macOS/Web/HQ at
+161.5/197.1/148.0/97.8/241.5 MB; the Web zip and HQ override were checked and
+the HQ binary launched headless. Tagged `v0.9.6`; Gitea run 1296 passed checks
+and the full build and published seven assets.

MEMORY.md

@@ -175,14 +175,31 @@ Session memory for durable decisions, state, and gotchas. Keep concise, remove o
   Previous/Next disable at the ends; F1 tutorial skip is keyboard-only by design.
 - **Version and roadmap renumber (2026-11-02):** source was **0.9.3** at the UI
   polish milestone, **0.9.4** after the NPC pass, now **0.9.5** after the texture
-  and material pass. Next work is **0.9.6 integration**, then the **0.10.0**
-  minor release candidate. `TODO.md` plans only 0.x patch/minor increments; no
-  major-version scope is defined yet. The `v0.9.5` tag is the release trigger; no
+  and material pass, and **0.9.6** as the integration checkpoint. Next work is
+  the **0.10.0** minor release candidate. `TODO.md` plans only 0.x patch/minor increments; no
+  major-version scope is defined yet. The `v0.9.6` tag is the release trigger; no
   tag was created for 0.9.3.
 - **Priority change (2026-11-02):** the map optimization, pre-build NPC revisit,
-  0.9.3 UI polish, 0.9.4 NPC visual optimization and 0.9.5 texture/material pass
-  are complete and in `DONE.md`. 0.9.6 integration and 0.10.0 release work are
-  next. The current source version is 0.9.5.
+  0.9.3 UI polish, 0.9.4 NPC visual optimization, 0.9.5 texture/material pass and
+  0.9.6 integration are complete and in `DONE.md`. 0.10.0 release-candidate work
+  is next. The source version is 0.9.6.
+- **0.9.6 integration (2026-11-03):** no gameplay/content changes. A clean
+  detached worktree at `f5b8ef2` rebuilt Linux/Windows/macOS/Web/HQ without the
+  dirty tree's ignored `tmp/`/`build/` payload; the in-repo build was 1.6–3.1 GB
+  per artifact because those folders were packed, so always build release
+  artifacts from a clean checkout/worktree. Verification: 263/263 tests,
+  101/101 Python, 14 smokes, 24-NPC 6.90 ms / 168 meshes / 131,616 triangles,
+  gallery 21/0, screen judge 21/21, realism judge overall 2.1 / gap 0.291.
+- **Release v0.9.6 (2026-11-03):** commit `4bb2896` tagged `v0.9.6`; Gitea
+  Actions run 1296 passed checks and the full build and published seven assets
+  (Linux, Windows, macOS, NSIS setup, AppImage, Web, Desktop HQ). Release page:
+  `https://git.allucanget.biz/zwitschi/security-game/releases/tag/v0.9.6`. This is
+  the integration checkpoint before 0.10.0; do not reuse the tag.
+- **Release v0.9.5 (2026-11-02):** commit `4bc6390` tagged `v0.9.5`; Gitea Actions run
+  922 passed checks and the full build and published seven assets (Linux, Windows,
+  macOS, NSIS setup, AppImage, Web, Desktop HQ). Release page:
+  `https://git.allucanget.biz/zwitschi/security-game/releases/tag/v0.9.5`. Do not
+  reuse the tag; future fixes need a new patch tag.
 - **Release v0.9.4 (2026-11-02):** commit `a57b86c` tagged `v0.9.4`; Gitea Actions
   run 916 passed checks and the full build and published seven assets (Linux,
   Windows, macOS, NSIS setup, AppImage, Web, Desktop HQ). Release page:
@@ -847,8 +864,9 @@ Session memory for durable decisions, state, and gotchas. Keep concise, remove o
 ## Plan vs code
 
 `PLAN.md` describes intended design; `README.md` and `DONE.md` describe what shipped. As of
-2026-11-02 the playable build covers the three venues, tutorials/campaign/checkpoints, the 0.9.3
-UI/accessibility pass, the 0.9.4 NPC visual optimization, the 0.9.5 texture/material pass, and the Blender + realism asset pipeline. `TODO.md` holds the remaining
+2026-11-03 the playable build covers the three venues, tutorials/campaign/checkpoints, the 0.9.3
+UI/accessibility pass, the 0.9.4 NPC visual optimization, the 0.9.5 texture/material pass, the
+0.9.6 integration checkpoint, and the Blender + realism asset pipeline. `TODO.md` holds the remaining
 0.9.6–0.10.0 work. The project uses a custom headless runner, not GUT, and Gitea Actions, not
 GitHub Actions.
 
@@ -856,7 +874,7 @@ GitHub Actions.
 
 ## Uncommitted Workstreams
 
-- **None (2026-11-01).** The NPC detail pass, the realism follow-ups and the flashlight beam
-  decision are committed together with the portrait capture and the refreshed screenshots.
-  Keep the rule from `AGENTS.md`: check `git status` before committing, and never revert
-  another contributor's in-flight files.
+- **None (2026-11-03).** The 0.9.6 integration checkpoint is committed, tagged
+  `v0.9.6` and published with seven assets; the workspace is clean apart from
+  local/gitignored realism and capture output. Keep the rule from `AGENTS.md`: check `git status`
+  before committing, and never revert another contributor's in-flight files.

PLAN.md

@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ Primary decisions: [ADR-0007](docs/adr/0007-locomotion-and-input-layers.md), [AD
 
 ## Versioning and Delivery
 
-`config/version` in `project.godot` is the single version source (currently `0.9.5`). Releases are tagged `v<version>`; the CI pipeline builds and publishes the standard artifacts plus the optional Desktop HQ zip. Version bumps follow [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/). See [`docs/RELEASING.md`](docs/RELEASING.md) and [`README.md`](README.md) for commands.
+`config/version` in `project.godot` is the single version source (currently `0.9.6`). Releases are tagged `v<version>`; the CI pipeline builds and publishes the standard artifacts plus the optional Desktop HQ zip. Version bumps follow [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/). See [`docs/RELEASING.md`](docs/RELEASING.md) and [`README.md`](README.md) for commands.
 
 ## Design Direction
 

README.md

@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ precision walk, the Joke Shop's Sunset Strip frontage, the TV Studio arrival, an
 > Downloads are public (no sign-in required) since the host's instance-wide
 > `REQUIRE_SIGNIN_VIEW` was disabled on 2026-10-31.
 >
-> **Latest published: v0.9.5** — the texture and material refinement pass:
-> 256² NPC maps, a four-times fabric weave without baked AO blotches, repair of
-> the Walk of Fame terrazzo band and awning stripe, and per-phase skyline haze,
-> on top of the v0.9.4 NPC visual optimization, the Hollywood/Joke Shop maps and
-> the v0.9.3 UI/accessibility polish.
+> **Latest published: v0.9.6** — the integration checkpoint: the 0.9.5 texture
+> and material refinement (256² NPC maps, a four-times fabric weave without baked
+> AO blotches, repaired Walk of Fame/awning surfaces and per-phase skyline haze)
+> is packaged with the v0.9.4 NPC visual optimization, the Hollywood/Joke Shop
+> maps and the v0.9.3 UI/accessibility polish, with the full gallery, smoke matrix
+> and Web/Desktop HQ build re-verified.
 >
-> **Current source: v0.9.5** — tagged and built from the same commit.
+> **Current source: v0.9.6** — tagged and built from the same commit.
 > Releases are built automatically when a `vX.Y.Z` tag is pushed
 > (see [`docs/RELEASING.md`](docs/RELEASING.md)); manual builds use
 > `./tools/build_releases.sh`. Installer/AppImage packaging runs in the same pipeline
@@ -122,15 +123,15 @@ Full setup, every run/test/smoke command, and the controls table are in
 - [`docs/development-status.md`](docs/development-status.md) — Implemented features and what's next.
 - [`docs/smoke-checklist.md`](docs/smoke-checklist.md) — Manual smoke-test checklist.
 - [`docs/blender-assets.md`](docs/blender-assets.md) — Blender asset library: characters, gear, props, attach points.
-- [`docs/npc-visual-review.md`](docs/npc-visual-review.md) — 0.9.4 NPC baseline, acceptance criteria and ranked visual gaps; 0.9.5 texture comparison is in `docs/blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg`.
+- [`docs/npc-visual-review.md`](docs/npc-visual-review.md) — 0.9.4 NPC baseline, acceptance criteria and ranked visual gaps; 0.9.5 texture comparison is in [`docs/blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg`](docs/blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg).
 - [`docs/npc-proportion-audit.md`](docs/npc-proportion-audit.md) — NPC proportion measurements against the shared stylized guide.
 - [`docs/adr/`](docs/adr/) — Architecture Decision Records.
 - [`TODO.md`](TODO.md) — Active tasks plus the 0.x gap analysis and milestone roadmap.
 
 ## Development Status
 
-v0.9.5 is the current source version: the completed texture and material
-refinement (256² NPC maps, a 4× fabric weave with baked-AO removal, repaired
+v0.9.6 is the current source version: the integrated texture/material and UI
+checkpoint on top of the 0.9.5 texture refinement (256² NPC maps, a 4× fabric weave with baked-AO removal, repaired
 Walk of Fame/awning surfaces and per-phase skyline haze), on top of the v0.9.4
 NPC visual optimization and the v0.9.3 UI/accessibility polish pass. It builds on
 v0.9.2's Hollywood/Joke Shop map rebuilds, v0.9.1's Godot 4.7.2 baseline,

TODO.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ see `AGENTS.md` for the workflow and `MEMORY.md` for the decisions behind these
 
 ## Gap Analysis and 0.x Roadmap
 
-Baseline: **v0.9.5** (2026-11-02). Three playable venues, tutorial/campaign/checkpoint resume,
+Baseline: **v0.9.6** (2026-11-03). Three playable venues, tutorial/campaign/checkpoint resume,
 difficulty/help, audio/accessibility settings, a 24-NPC budget baseline, a complete
 escalation/access/radio loop, shift review, the Blender asset library, 263 headless + 101 Python
 tests, a 21/21 clean screen-design judge and an optional Forward+ Desktop HQ build. This is a strong
@@ -45,112 +45,13 @@ release-candidate foundation, not yet a 0.10.0 release candidate.
 | Future 0.x | Stable 0.x feature set | Live replay, more venues, VO/music, image-to-mesh props and seasonal content | Scope creep before release | 0.11.0+ |
 
 **Current priority:** map optimization, the **pre-build NPC revisit**, the
-**0.9.3 UI polish**, **0.9.4 NPC visual optimization** and **0.9.5 texture
-refinement** passes are complete (all moved to `DONE.md` on 2026-11-02).
-0.9.6 integration and the 0.10.0 release candidate are queued. The source
-version is now 0.9.5.
+**0.9.3 UI polish**, **0.9.4 NPC visual optimization**, **0.9.5 texture
+refinement** and **0.9.6 integration** passes are complete (all moved to
+`DONE.md`). The **0.10.0 release candidate** is next: content lock, external
+playtest, balance, save migration and release/legal sign-off. The source version
+is 0.9.6; the v0.9.6 release is published.
 
-## Patch 0.9.5 — Texture and material refinement
-
-Goal: improve close-range surface and character texture quality while keeping GL
-Compatibility/Web parity, deterministic assets and offline CI.
-
-### Environment textures and materials
-
-- [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. (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. (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
-
-- [x] Audit NPC skin, cloth, pants, hair and gear albedo/normal/AO maps in portraits;
-      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`.)
-- [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.)
-- [x] Audit library props and UI/card/icon textures at their actual screen sizes;
-      remove blurry/oversized or unused textures where safe. (All 21 screen-art
-      textures are 1280×720 and referenced; access cards are 256×128, HUD icons
-      64×64; no oversized or unused runtime texture found. Legacy root textures
-      remain only as the `generate_textures.py`/asset-test fallback.)
-- [x] Run texture audits, import, and the full asset test suite; record texture memory
-      and triangle/draw-call impact. (Godot 263/263, Python 101/101; asset and base
-      audits pass; 24 NPCs = 168 meshes / 131,616 triangles / 6.94 ms. Compressed
-      payloads: picks 24.55 MB, UI art 22.67 MB, NPC maps 0.48 MB.)
-
-### Visual verification
-
-- [x] Run `python3 tools/scene_concepts.py realism` for the affected stages with the
-      judge enabled; record metric gaps and model/spend. (Run
-      `docs/screens/realism/2026-11-02-tex` with `z-ai/glm-5.3-flash`, one pass per
-      shot; mean `after` overall 1.8, lighting 2.3, materials 1.8, texture 1.2,
-      backdrop 2.0, characters 1.2, Pillow gap 0.306. The judge is optional and not
-      a CI gate; the report stays local.)
-- [x] Re-run `tools/check_screenshots.sh` and the screen-design judge; clear all
-      `diff` verdicts. (21 good / 0 bad; `screen_designs.py judge` = 21/21 match,
-      0 review, 0 diff.)
-- [x] Capture before/after close-ups for brick, pavement, asphalt, character cloth
-      and skyline; document accepted trade-offs. (Committed
-      `docs/blender_previews/sheet_texture_refinement_0.9.5.jpg`: Walk of Fame
-      pavers, asphalt aggregate, limestone facade, day skyline haze and NPC cloth;
-      asphalt/limestone picks intentionally held, no replacement.)
-- [x] Update asset docs and the changelog/status with the promoted texture versions.
-      (README/PLAN/architecture/status/MEMORY and the 0.9.5 changelog entry now
-      carry the texture results; the 0.9.5 section moved to `DONE.md` after the
-      release build.)
-
-## Postponed — Patch 0.9.6 — Integration, performance and judge gate
-
-Goal: integrate the UI/model/texture patches, prove the combined build on the
-target paths and leave a clean release-candidate handoff.
-
-### Integration and asset rebuild
-
-- [ ] Rebuild all changed Blender/GLB/AO assets, re-import, and verify manifest/fit/
-      audit coverage.
-- [ ] Run the complete headless suite, Python tooling and smoke matrix; fix any
-      regression from the three polish patches.
-- [ ] Re-run the 24-NPC budget smoke and record frame time, mesh count and any
-      texture-memory change; check Web and Desktop HQ if available.
-- [ ] Verify save/campaign/tutorial behavior is unchanged by the visual/UI patches.
-
-### Visual gallery and judge gate
-
-- [ ] Recapture the full gallery, portraits, venue/realsim stages and Desktop HQ A/B
-      as needed; no stale screenshots in the release set.
-- [ ] Run `tools/check_screenshots.sh`, `screen_designs.py compare` and
-      `screen_designs.py judge` on the final captures.
-- [ ] Run the realism judge for the affected concepts with a pinned model; record
-      model, attempt count, spend and verdicts.
-- [ ] Review all `review` verdicts manually; convert unexplained layout/composition
-      mismatches into fixes or explicit known limitations.
-- [ ] Ensure generated realism folders remain gitignored/local-only and only the
-      durable report decisions/docs are committed.
-
-### Release-candidate handoff
-
-- [ ] Update README, architecture, development status, changelog and TODO with the
-      final patch-level results and any remaining gaps.
-- [ ] Tag/version or otherwise freeze `0.9.6` as the integration checkpoint before
-      the `0.10.0` release candidate.
-- [ ] Exit: combined build is functionally green, visually reviewed, performance
-      measured and ready for the 0.10.0 content-lock/playtest phase.
-
-## Postponed — Milestone 0.10.0 — Release candidate
+## Milestone 0.10.0 — Release candidate
 
 Goal: freeze the feature set, prove it with external players, clear release/legal blockers and
 verify every distribution path. This is the next minor release after the 0.9.x patch line.

docs/RELEASING.md

@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ The optional Desktop HQ zip is assembled by `tools/build_releases.sh` from
 `packaging/desktop_hq/`; keep `override.cfg` next to the extracted executable.
 It is not part of the default Compatibility/Web build.
 
+Always run the release build from a clean checkout or detached worktree. Godot
+can pack files from ignored `tmp/` and old `build/` folders into the PCK; the
+0.9.6 dirty-tree build produced 1.6–3.1 GB artifacts, while the clean worktree
+produced the expected ~160–240 MB packages.
+
 Locally you can build the AppImage with `bash packaging/linux/build_appimage.sh <version>`;
 the NSIS installer requires `makensis` (covered by CI).
 

docs/architecture.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document follows the structure of the arc42 architecture documentation temp
 - **MINOR** — new venues, NPC archetypes, systems, or features that are backward compatible.
 - **PATCH** — bug fixes and small polish that do not change behavior.
 
-The single source of truth for the version is `config/version` in `project.godot` (currently `0.9.5`). Each release is tagged in git as `v<version>` (e.g. `v0.6.0`). The `0.x` series is pre-stable, so MINOR bumps may introduce breaking changes while the prototype is still stabilizing. `tools/build_releases.sh` and `tools/publish_release.sh` read the version from `project.godot`, so bumping it there is the only required step before a release. The full bump checklist lives in [`RELEASING.md`](RELEASING.md).
+The single source of truth for the version is `config/version` in `project.godot` (currently `0.9.6`). Each release is tagged in git as `v<version>` (e.g. `v0.6.0`). The `0.x` series is pre-stable, so MINOR bumps may introduce breaking changes while the prototype is still stabilizing. `tools/build_releases.sh` and `tools/publish_release.sh` read the version from `project.godot`, so bumping it there is the only required step before a release. The full bump checklist lives in [`RELEASING.md`](RELEASING.md).
 
 ## 3. Context and Scope
 

docs/asset-tooling.md

@@ -268,6 +268,19 @@ photoreal renderer. The 0.9.5 before/after close-up sheet is
 the texture-adoption run itself was the earlier 0.8-style candidate comparison,
 and its report remains local/gitignored.
 
+For the 0.9.6 integration checkpoint the same judge was pinned to
+`z-ai/glm-5.3-flash` and run once per shot on the 10-shot set: mean overall 2.1,
+lighting 2.4, materials 2.1, texture 1.7, backdrop 2.3, characters 1.8, Pillow
+gap 0.291. No `review` verdicts were produced by the screen judge, so there was
+no manual layout verdict to convert into a fix; the remaining realism comments
+are the accepted stylized gaps.
+
+Build release artifacts from a clean checkout or detached worktree. A normal
+working tree may contain ignored `tmp/` captures and old `build/` artifacts, and
+Godot can pack enough of those into exports to inflate a 0.9.6 package from
+~160 MB to 1.6–3.1 GB. The 0.9.6 clean worktree produced 161.5 MB Linux,
+197.1 MB Windows, 148.0 MB macOS, 97.8 MB Web and 241.5 MB Desktop HQ.
+
 The Forward+ A/B compared the Compatibility entrance with the optional Desktop HQ
 preset. The gear-fit run checked the sunglasses, bag and helmet against measured
 head/skirt bounds with `python3 tools/blender_assets.py fit`; it also fixed the

docs/development-status.md

@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ Implemented so far:
 - NPC neck/shoulder transition (0.9.4 work): the body graph now uses a fuller neck base, a slightly tapered neck top and a lower shoulder root, giving the head/neck/shoulder line a trapezius slope instead of a thin post. The full character library was rebuilt with a final degenerate-face cleanup; the baseline comparison is `sheet_npc_baseline_compare-body.jpg`.
 - 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 v0.9.6 (2026-11-03): the tagged commit `4bb2896` passed Gitea Actions run 1296 (checks + 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/v0.9.6>.
+- Integration checkpoint (0.9.6 work): the clean worktree at `f5b8ef2` rebuilt all five release packages and the Desktop HQ zip without ignored `tmp/`/`build/` content (Linux 161.5 MB, Windows 197.1 MB, macOS 148.0 MB, Web 97.8 MB, HQ 241.5 MB). The Web zip contains `index.html`, `index.wasm` and `index.pck`; the HQ zip contains `override.cfg` and launches headless with the Forward+ override. Current verification: Godot 263/263, Python 101/101, 14 smokes green, 24-NPC budget 6.90 ms / 168 meshes / 131,616 triangles, gallery 21 good / 0 bad, screen judge 21/21 match with 0 review/diff, and a pinned realism judge (`z-ai/glm-5.3-flash`, one pass per shot) at mean overall 2.1 and Pillow gap 0.291. No new gameplay or content changes.
+- Release v0.9.5 (2026-11-02): the tagged commit `4bc6390` passed Gitea Actions run 922 (checks + 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/v0.9.5>.
 - 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.
 - Texture/prop audit (0.9.5 work): all 21 screen-art textures are 1280×720 and referenced; access cards are 256×128 and HUD icons 64×64. No oversized or unused runtime texture was found; the legacy root textures remain only as the texture-generator/asset-test fallback. The 24-NPC smoke now reports 168 meshes, 131,616 triangles and 6.94 ms (50 ms budget); compressed payload is 24.55 MB of surface picks, 22.67 MB of screen art and 0.48 MB of NPC maps.

project.godot

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ config_version=5
 
 config/name="Gig Line"
 config/description="Workplace security simulation about observation, access verification, and proportionate escalation."
-config/version="0.9.5"
+config/version="0.9.6"
 run/main_scene="res://scenes/main.tscn"
 config/features=PackedStringArray("4.7", "GL Compatibility")