# Head rework — review page (2026-11-04)

> **Historical page / changed source (2026-11-04).** The numbers below describe the
> earlier decimated MakeHuman head (1,548-tri skin). The shared source
> `assets/models/blender_src/makehuman_head.glb` now holds the higher-resolution
> standalone prototype; its automated vision gate returned **REJECT** (inconsistent
> globe depth across views and no visible lid overlap). See
> [`../../makehuman-head-review.md`](../../makehuman-head-review.md). Re-run the
> library head build before relying on the comparison counts below.

This page is the review checkpoint for the NPC head rework. The goal was to replace the
sphere-and-floating-primitive face with a head that has real nose / chin / jaw landmarks at
portrait distance.

## What changed

The original procedural face is a head sphere plus separate nose, mouth, ear and eye primitives.
The new head uses the **decimated MakeHuman head** (CC0, 1,573 tris) as the base shape and keeps
the project's separate eyeballs, brow and mouth pieces on top. An AI judge was used to drive the
decision: it scored the procedural rework at ~3/5 and then picked the MakeHuman head as the
clearer silhouette.

| | Source | Tris (head) | Read |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Before** | procedural `_face` (sphere + primitives) | ~1,900 | flat face, slit eyes |
| **After** | overhauled MakeHuman head + project eyes/brows/mouth | ~1,880 | smooth nose/chin/jaw landmarks |

The head source was overhauled 2026-11-04: the blocky decimated MakeHuman head was welded
(merge-by-distance) and Laplacian-relaxed into one clean manifold shell (`makehuman_head.glb`,
1,548 tris skin), then the project eyes/brows/mouth were added.

## AI-generated target concept

The rework was guided by two generated concept frames (front + profile, `bytedance-seed/seedream-4.5`).

![concept](sheet_concept.jpg)

## 1.85 m comparison (top = current, bottom = new)

Left to right: front, three-quarter, profile.

![1.85 m comparison](sheet_compare_1.85.jpg)

## New head at 1.5 m (portrait)

![1.5 m portrait](sheet_head_1.5.jpg)

## Contract and checks

- `blender_assets.py inspect` on the assembled `npc_casual` with the new head: **14 bones,
  skinned, no issues**.
- Source: `assets/models/blender_src/makehuman_head.glb` (CC0, attributed in `CREDITS.md`).
- Python 167/167, Godot 277/277, `check_docs` OK.

## Remaining polish (known, not blockers)

1. The hair cap still reads as a stepped block instead of hugging the skull.
2. The brows weld to the face but can read as a slightly separate bar.
3. The neck underside cap is plain; it is hidden by the body neck in the assembled character.
4. The head skin is 1.5k tris (smooth but low-poly); a retopology pass could add resolution if a
   portrait shows faceting.

## Decision needed

Approve or reject the MakeHuman-head direction. If approved, the next step is rolling it into the
other 11 variants (one asset family at a time) with a before/after sheet per batch, and re-running
the 24-NPC budget + AO bake.