Files / folder structure added

docs/architecture.md

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Architecture
+
+## Main Components
+
+### F4SE Plugin
+
+The native plugin is responsible for:
+
+- Loading into Fallout 4
+- Reading local player state
+- Sending local player data to the server
+- Receiving remote player data
+- Applying remote player updates safely
+
+### External Server
+
+The server is responsible for:
+
+- Accepting client connections
+- Assigning player IDs
+- Receiving player state
+- Broadcasting player state
+- Tracking disconnects
+
+### Creation Kit Plugin
+
+The Creation Kit side is responsible for:
+
+- Test cells
+- Placeholder actors
+- Optional Papyrus helper scripts
+- Debug objects
+- Controlled test environments
+
+## Threading Model
+
+Networking should run separately from game update logic.
+
+Recommended approach:
+
+```text
+Networking thread receives packets
+Networking thread stores remote player state
+Game update reads remote player state
+Game update applies actor movement
+```
+
+The networking thread should avoid directly modifying Fallout 4 game objects unless the operation is known to be safe.

docs/creation-kit-notes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Creation Kit Notes
+
+The Creation Kit side of Fallout 4 Together should provide controlled test content for multiplayer development.
+
+## First Creation Kit Goals
+
+- Create a small test cell
+- Add player start markers
+- Add remote player placeholder markers
+- Add simple lighting
+- Avoid quests, doors, hostile NPCs, and complex world state
+
+## Suggested Test Cell
+
+```text
+F4TTestCell01
+```
+
+## Suggested Test Plugin
+
+```text
+Fallout4Together_Test.esp
+```
+
+## Test Cell Requirements
+
+The first test cell should include:
+
+- Flat ground
+- Clear lighting
+- No enemies
+- No quest dependencies
+- No doors to other cells
+- A few visual markers to judge movement
+- Enough space for movement syncing tests
+
+## Papyrus Scripts
+
+Papyrus may eventually be useful for helper systems, but networking should not be handled in Papyrus.
+
+Possible Papyrus uses:
+
+- Debug startup quest
+- Spawning helper actors
+- Showing messages
+- Triggering test events

docs/f4se-notes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# F4SE Notes
+
+F4SE is expected to be the main entry point for the native plugin side of Fallout 4 Together.
+
+## Plugin Goals
+
+The first plugin goals are:
+
+- Confirm the plugin loads
+- Create a log file
+- Detect the game version
+- Read the local player reference
+- Read the local player position
+- Send basic data to a local server
+
+## Expected Plugin Output
+
+Eventually, the compiled plugin should output something like:
+
+```text
+Data/F4SE/Plugins/Fallout4Together.dll
+```
+
+## Important Notes
+
+Do not commit F4SE binaries to this repository.
+
+Do not commit Fallout 4 executable files or game assets.
+
+Use a CommonLibF4 template to reduce setup friction.
+
+## Plugin Safety
+
+Avoid modifying Fallout 4 game objects directly from a networking thread.
+
+Recommended flow:
+
+```text
+Networking thread receives packets
+Networking thread stores packet data
+Main/game update applies safe changes
+```

docs/limitations.md

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Limitations
+
+Fallout 4 was designed as a single-player game. Fallout 4 Together is therefore expected to have serious technical limitations, especially during early development.
+
+## Early Prototype Limitations
+
+The first prototype will likely require:
+
+- All players to remain in the same test cell
+- A clean Fallout 4 test profile
+- A dedicated test save
+- No large gameplay mods
+- No quest synchronization
+- No settlement synchronization
+- No VATS synchronization
+- No dialogue synchronization
+
+## Systems Not Supported Early
+
+### Quests
+
+Quest state is complex and deeply tied to the single-player game world. Quest synchronization is not part of the first prototype.
+
+### Settlements
+
+Settlements involve workshop data, placed objects, NPC ownership, resources, attacks, and persistent state. Settlement sync is not part of the first prototype.
+
+### VATS
+
+VATS depends on single-player time behavior and targeting logic. VATS should be disabled or ignored during early tests.
+
+### Saves
+
+Multiplayer state may desync or damage saves if handled incorrectly. Use a dedicated test save only.
+
+### Mod Compatibility
+
+The first prototype should be tested with a clean setup. Compatibility with large modlists is not an early goal.

docs/overview.md

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Project Overview
+
+Fallout 4 Together is a prototype multiplayer framework experiment for Fallout 4.
+
+The first target is not full co-op. The first target is a controlled test where two clients can connect to a local server and see each other as synced actors in a custom test cell.
+
+## Core Idea
+
+Fallout 4 remains the client application. A native F4SE plugin reads local player state and communicates with an external server.
+
+The server tracks connected players and broadcasts relevant state to other clients.
+
+A Creation Kit plugin provides test cells, placeholder actors, scripts, and controlled test content.
+
+## Basic Flow
+
+```text
+Fallout 4 Client A
+        |
+        | local player transform
+        v
+External Server
+        |
+        | remote player transform
+        v
+Fallout 4 Client B
+```
+
+## Early Limitations
+
+The first prototype should assume:
+
+- All players are in the same cell
+- No quest synchronization
+- No settlement synchronization
+- No VATS
+- No dialogue sync
+- No full inventory sync
+- No support for large modlists

docs/protocol.md

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Protocol Overview
+
+The Fallout 4 Together protocol defines the messages sent between Fallout 4 clients and the external server.
+
+Early versions should stay simple and easy to debug.
+
+## Early Design
+
+The first version can use human-readable packets during testing.
+
+Long-term versions may move to a binary protocol if performance becomes a problem.
+
+## First Required Messages
+
+- `welcome`
+- `transform`
+- `disconnect`
+- `ping`
+- `pong`
+
+## Main Rule
+
+The protocol should be testable outside Fallout 4 before it is used inside the F4SE plugin.

docs/research/bethesda-engine-notes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Bethesda Engine Notes
+
+This file is for general research notes about Fallout 4 and the Creation Engine.
+
+## Topics to Research
+
+- Actor references
+- Player reference behavior
+- Cell loading
+- Worldspace loading
+- AI packages
+- Animation state
+- Actor values
+- Save game persistence
+- Papyrus limitations
+- F4SE plugin safety
+
+## Notes
+
+Add technical findings here as research develops.

docs/research/existing-projects.md

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Existing Projects Research
+
+This file is for notes on existing Bethesda multiplayer projects and experiments.
+
+## Research Targets
+
+- Skyrim Together
+- NV:MP
+- VaultMP
+- F4MP attempts
+- Other Fallout 4 multiplayer experiments
+
+## Research Questions
+
+- How did they handle remote player actors?
+- How did they handle cell changes?
+- How did they handle quest state?
+- What systems were impossible or unstable?
+- What parts are useful references for Fallout 4 Together?
+
+## Notes
+
+Add findings here as research develops.

docs/research/multiplayer-sync-notes.md

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# Multiplayer Sync Notes
+
+This file is for notes on synchronizing multiplayer state.
+
+## Initial Sync Targets
+
+- Position
+- Rotation
+- Cell ID
+- Worldspace ID
+- Basic animation state
+- Disconnect cleanup
+
+## Later Sync Targets
+
+- Weapon state
+- Health
+- Basic combat events
+- Cell transitions
+- Limited world interactions
+
+## Known Hard Problems
+
+- Quest state
+- Settlement state
+- Dialogue state
+- Save files
+- Physics objects
+- NPC ownership
+- Time dilation
+- VATS

docs/setup.md

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Development Setup
+
+## Required Tools
+
+- Fallout 4 on PC
+- Fallout 4 Script Extender, F4SE
+- Fallout 4 Creation Kit
+- Visual Studio 2022 or newer
+- Git
+- CMake or another build system required by the selected plugin template
+- Mod Organizer 2 or Vortex
+
+## Recommended Fallout 4 Setup
+
+Use a clean test profile.
+
+Recommended:
+
+```text
+Fallout 4
+F4SE
+Fallout 4 Together test plugin
+No other gameplay mods
+Dedicated test save
+```
+
+Avoid testing with a full modlist while developing the core systems.
+
+## Version Tracking
+
+Record the exact versions used:
+
+```text
+Fallout 4 version:
+F4SE version:
+Creation Kit version:
+CommonLibF4 template:
+Windows version:
+Compiler version:
+```
+
+## Folder Notes
+
+Do not copy Fallout 4 game files into this repository.
+
+Do not copy F4SE binaries into this repository.
+
+Use the `plugin/external/README.md` file to document where external dependencies should be installed.