# Realism report: `docs/screens/realism/2026-11-01-forward-plus`

| set | shot | target | gap ↓ | edges | detail | contrast | overall | lighting | materials | texture | backdrop |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| baseline | entrance_late | hollywood_entrance_rain_night | 1.568 | 21.3 | 9.55 | 68.03 | - | - | - | - | - |
| baseline | street_late | boulevard_skyline_dusk | 0.247 | 10.57 | 6.21 | 26.84 | - | - | - | - | - |
| candidate | entrance_late | hollywood_entrance_rain_night | 1.187 | 19.31 | 8.37 | 55.27 | - | - | - | - | - |
| candidate | street_late | boulevard_skyline_dusk | 0.258 | 11.4 | 6.21 | 27.58 | - | - | - | - | - |

Mean scores per set (all captured shots):

| set | shots | gap ↓ | overall | lighting | materials | texture_detail | backdrop | characters |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| baseline | 2 | 0.907 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| candidate | 2 | 0.723 | - | - | - | - | - | - |


## Desktop HQ A/B

`baseline` is the normal GL Compatibility build; `candidate` is the same
staging with `packaging/desktop_hq/override.cfg` beside the project (Forward+,
SDFGI and volumetric fog). Both use `--stages=late --flashlight`.

The entrance metric gap improved **1.568 → 1.187** and the two-shot mean
**0.907 → 0.723**. The flashlight now lights the door instead of disappearing
into the dark, while the LATE volumetric density (0.020) leaves the brick
facade readable instead of washing it out. `street_late` is nearly unchanged
(0.247 → 0.258), which is expected because the fog is tuned around the
entrance.

Capture command:

```bash
cp packaging/desktop_hq/override.cfg ./override.cfg
xvfb-run -a godot --path . --script res://src/test/capture_realism.gd -- \
  --stages=late --flashlight \
  --out=res://docs/screens/realism/2026-11-01-forward-plus/candidate
rm override.cfg
```

The vision judge could not run because `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` is invalid; the
retry is recorded in `TODO.md`.