Introduce a Stage 2 diagnostic that attempts a single runtime spawn of F4T_RemotePlayerProxy in F4TTestCell01 from the game-thread proxy controller. Changes include a new enable flag (kEnableRuntimeProxySpawnDiagnostic), diagnostic offset constant, new diagnostic ObjectRefHandle and boolean state flags, and a TrySpawnRuntimeProxyDiagnostic function that builds NEW_REFR_DATA, calls TESDataHandler::CreateReferenceAtLocation, validates the returned handle/actor/cell, logs a single attempt and success/failure outcome, and intentionally leaves the spawned actor in place. The diagnostic spawn is run before placed-proxy lookup and the spawned reference is skipped during placed proxy scanning so the placed proxy remains the active visual fallback. Updated header comment and documentation (architecture.md and dev-log.md) to describe the new diagnostic behavior and testing notes.
Introduce Stage 1 runtime lookup diagnostics for the proxy actor base: adds ResolveProxyActorBase and ResolveProxyActorBaseByPluginLocalFormId along with helper checks (IsTestPluginLoaded, IsUsableProxyActorBase, editor/fullname helpers). The code logs plugin load status, editor-ID resolution, and a plugin-local FormID fallback (0x0020A1) while refusing to spawn actors (runtime spawning remains disabled). Adds throttled and one-shot log flags to avoid spam and invokes the diagnostic early on the game-thread before placed-proxy fallback and remote-player selection. Documentation updated (docs/architecture.md and docs/dev-log.md) to record the new diagnostic behavior and next steps.
Add developer-only fake-client scripts and UI actions for testing proxy behavior. Files updated: server/fake_player.py, server/dev_server_app.py, server/README.md, docs/dev-log.md. New scripts/actions: Walk Circle, Jump Once, Toggle Sneak, Leave Cell (Left Cell), Return To Cell, and Teleport Test. UI: added buttons and handlers in the DevServerWindow to trigger these actions. fake_player: implemented script/state handling, one-shot jump thread, teleport toggle, sneak flag, walk-circle movement, cell change transforms, a socket send lock, and protection for one-shot/action state. README and dev log updated with usage, testing notes, and known issues. Basic headless smoke tests and py_compile checks were performed; full in-game Fallout 4/F4SE validation remains manual.
Add developer tooling to make GUI-managed fake clients run a Walk To Player script and provide UI controls.
Changes:
- server/fake_player.py: implement SCRIPT_WALK_TO_PLAYER, thread-safe script switching, pose/angle tracking, walk-to-player movement (straight-line, +150 X offset), target selection via a walk target provider, configurable send rates/speed/stop distance, and robust parsing of server client snapshots. Sends moving transforms ~10 Hz and falls back to idle keep-alives. Logs when no target is available.
- server/dev_server_app.py: add Set Idle and Walk To Player buttons, safe selected-client handling, and pass a client snapshot provider callback (server.get_clients()) to the fake player manager.
- server/README.md & docs/dev-log.md: document the new controls, behavior, testing notes, known limitations, and next steps.
Notes:
- Walk To Player picks the lowest non-fake playerId with a valid lastTransform and targets that player's last transform +150 X.
- Movement is simple straight-line stepping (no pathfinding/navmesh/obstacle avoidance).
- No protocol, plugin, server core, or existing fake_client networking behavior was changed.
- Quick static check: py_compile ran for relevant modules; manual GUI and in-game validation are still required.
Introduce GUI test tooling that spawns synthetic TCP clients for local relay testing. Adds server/fake_player.py implementing FakePlayerClient and FakePlayerManager which create TCP connections to 127.0.0.1:7777, parse newline-delimited JSON, receive server-assigned playerId, and send one idle transform per second for cell 0B000F99. Integrates the manager into server/dev_server_app.py: start/stop lifecycle handling, Add/Remove buttons, table snapshots, logging bridge, and clean shutdown of fake clients. Updates server/README.md and docs/dev-log.md with usage, testing notes, and known issues. Includes basic error handling and thread-safe snapshots; movement scripts beyond Idle and full in-game validation are noted as next steps.
Split the monolithic test server into a reusable server core and a thin terminal launcher, and add a PySide6 developer GUI. Added server_core.py (FalloutTogetherServer) with lifecycle control, thread-safe client snapshots, stats and log listener support; added client_session.py for per-client state; added dev_server_app.py GUI and requirements.txt. Updated server.py to use the new server core, and revised server/README.md and docs/dev-log.md to document the new structure, usage, and validation steps. Protocol behavior (welcome/transform/disconnect handling and newline-separated JSON) remains unchanged.
Add a temporary in-cell holding fallback for the single placed proxy actor when no valid same-cell remote player is available. Introduces kProxyHiddenHoldingPosition, ProxyLifecycleState, RemotePlayerSelection, MoveProxyToHoldingPosition and RestoreProxyForRemotePlayer, plus selection/state-tracking and throttled logs. The controller now moves the proxy to the hidden position on disconnect, disappearance, or cell-mismatch and snaps it back when a valid same-cell remote appears. Documentation and dev log updated to describe the lifecycle and rationale (docs/architecture.md, docs/dev-log.md, protocol/player-sync.md).
Add diagnostics and a log-only proxy observation for sneak state changes.
- docs/dev-log.md: Add entries documenting proxy sneak observation and local sneak detection diagnostics, scope notes, and next steps.
- plugin/src/main.cpp: Introduce SneakDetectionState, GetSneakDetectionState, and ShouldLogSneakDetection to combine API and actor-state signals; throttle diagnostic logs; use the combined finalIsSneaking in player movement state decisions; add include for ACTOR_STANCE.
- plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp: Add controller-local tracking for the represented remote player sneak state, reset helpers, and ApplyRemoteMovementStateToProxy which logs sneak transitions for the represented remote player (no visual crouch applied yet).
Notes: This change is log-only — it does not force animations or ActorState writes. Networking protocol and receive-thread behavior remain unchanged. A TODO is left to safely apply visual crouch once a supported API is confirmed.
Add optional movement-state fields (isMoving, isSprinting, isSneaking, isJumping, weaponDrawn, movementSpeed) to transform packets and wire them end-to-end. Plugin changes: extend F4TNetworking API and RemotePlayerState, derive movement speed/jump state on the game-thread, validate values, include fields when formatting transform JSON, and add throttled remote movement-state logging. main.cpp adds sampling, speed/vertical calculations, jump hold logic, and change-detection to avoid extra sends. Networking parsing (F4TNetworking.cpp) reads optional booleans/floats safely, preserves backwards compatibility, and clears movement-state logs on disconnect. Proxy controller includes a TODO note for future animation use. Server and docs: update protocol and packet docs, dev-log, server README, and fake_client.py to parse/display optional fields safely. Also add several .cursor rule files for coding, documentation, protocol, project overview, and testing guidance. This milestone prepares the data model for later animation/behavior work while keeping existing relay behavior unchanged.
Separate normal transform send cadence from movement logging and improve proxy smoothing. Key changes:
- Polling/send logic (plugin/src/main.cpp): introduced distinct send vs log intervals (100ms send, 1s log), lowered send thresholds (≈3.0 units position, 0.02 rad rotation), renamed/clarified functions, and added special movement types (worldspace_change, cell_change, teleport) that bypass the send gate and are logged immediately. Normal movement targets roughly 10 Hz while moving to avoid packet-per-frame traffic.
- Proxy controller (plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp): tuned proxy position lerp alpha to 0.15 for smoother motion, renamed movement-interval variables for clarity, and removed the generic per-update movement gate so normal proxy visual updates are applied each game update while only the safety-offset path is throttled.
- Documentation updates (docs/architecture.md, docs/dev-log.md, protocol/player-sync.md): describe the new send/log separation, cadence and thresholds, smoothing behavior, and recorded dev-log about smoothing tests and results.
These changes reduce network noise, produce smoother remote visuals, and keep readable local movement logs while preserving immediate sends for large/categorical movement changes.
Introduce simple position smoothing for normal proxy movement and snap special movements. Adds kProxyPositionLerpAlpha, Lerp/LerpPosition helpers, and ShouldSnapRemoteMovement to lerp proxy position on normal updates while snapping on cell_change, worldspace_change, and teleport. Update MoveProxyToRemotePlayer to use lerp or snap, keep heading snapping (TODO: wrapped angle smoothing), and add throttled/readable logs for smoothing start, first smoothed movement, snaps, and idle-on-cell-mismatch. Minor messaging change on disconnect to leave proxy idle at last position. Update docs (architecture, setup, protocol) and dev log to reflect the new behavior and testing notes; dynamic spawning/multiple proxies remain out of scope.
Enable game-thread proxy actor movement driven by a copied remote-player snapshot and update related networking/validation, docs, and test client.
- Plugin: add F4T::ProxyActorController::Update() (alias UpdateSafetyTest preserved) and implement remote-state-driven movement for the single placed proxy (F4TProxyRemotePlayer01REF) in F4TTestCell01. Selects lowest available playerId, validates same-cell/worldspace for movement, and caches represented playerId. Adds helper functions (ParseHexFormId, IsRemotePlayerInSameLocation, SelectRemotePlayerToRepresent, MoveProxyToRemotePlayer) and improved throttled logging.
- Networking: tighten transform packet required-field checking (requires type, playerId, x, y, z, angleZ, cellId), add GetMissingRequiredTransformField, make movementType/worldspaceId/clientTime/serverTime optional with sensible defaults, and switch LogThrottledWarning to accept string_view.
- main.cpp: call ProxyActorController::Update on game-thread tasks.
- fake_client.py: mirror new packet validation and provide defaults for optional fields.
- Docs/dev-log/protocol/setup: update architecture, dev log, protocol, and setup notes to describe the single-proxy remote-state milestone, required packet fields, and testing checklist.
This change keeps networking thread limited to parsing/updating plain remote-player state and moves all actor access to the game-thread controller. Dynamic spawning, multiple proxies, and interpolation remain out of scope.
Introduce a game-thread-only ProxyActorController that resolves and moves a placed proxy actor in a test cell for initial visual-control validation. Adds include/F4TProxyActorController.h and plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp which implement editor ID, base-actor, and fallback-form lookup paths, handle caching, throttled logging, movement throttling, and a simple player-offset teleport. Hooked UpdateSafetyTest into the existing periodic game-thread task in main.cpp. Updated docs/dev-log.md with the 2026-05-31 entry describing the test results and next steps. This is a temporary safety test (uses local player offset) intended to be replaced by real remote-player syncing later.
Change launch-two-fallout4.bat to use F4SE_DIR=D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Fallout 4 (remove the trailing ' 377160' app-id suffix) so the script targets the standard Steam folder name. Also add a missing trailing newline to docs/dev-log.md.
Add a per-instance local-player log prefix and apply it to networking and main plugin logs to make shared Fallout4Together.log entries readable when multiple instances run. Introduces F4T::Networking::GetLocalPlayerLogPrefix() (declared in F4TNetworking.h, implemented in F4TNetworking.cpp) and updates numerous REX::INFO/WARN calls to include the prefix. Also: only log sent player transforms after SendTransformPacket succeeds, add a small TODO comment about per-instance log files, and update docs (dev-log.md and plugin/setup.md) and the setup checklist to reflect the prefixed logging behavior. The prefix reads the assigned player ID via the thread-safe remote-player accessor and defaults to "[LocalPlayerId=unassigned]" before assignment.
Add a networking receive loop and in-plugin remote-player storage. Introduces F4TRemotePlayerState (header + implementation) to track assigned playerId and remote player snapshots with thread-safe access. Expands F4TNetworking to start/stop a background receive thread, parse newline-separated JSON packets (welcome, transform, disconnect), validate fields, update remote state, throttle logs, and handle socket/thread synchronization. Add nlohmann_json to xmake and plugin build. Update docs and dev log to reflect the new receive behavior and current prototype scope.
Expand documentation to describe the current local networking prototype and its protocol. Adds a Current Architecture section and Fake Client responsibilities, clarifies that the Fallout 4 plugin currently only sends transforms (no receive loop yet), and documents implemented message types (welcome, transform, disconnect) with packet field descriptions and examples. Update player-sync and packets docs to reflect movementType, server/client timestamps, and the in-memory remote player state model used by server/fake_client.py. Flesh out server/README with run/test flow and implemented behavior. Revise dev-log with milestone entries, testing notes, and an entry template for future updates.
Implement server-side disconnect lifecycle and update client handling. Added disconnect_client and broadcast_disconnect in server.py to remove clients, close sockets, and notify remaining clients with a disconnect packet; broadcast_transform now uses disconnect_client for failed recipients and logs delivery counts. Updated fake_client.py to handle disconnect packets, remove remote players from its in-memory table, and improve logging. Documentation (docs/dev-log.md and server/README.md) updated to record the change and next steps.
Add in-memory remote player state tracking and disconnect handling to fake_client.py: validate and store transform packets by playerId (position, angle, movementType, cellId, worldspaceId, clientTime, serverTime, lastReceivedLocalTime), print readable per-player summaries, and remove players on disconnect packets. Also add warning/log helpers and route packets to the new handlers. Update server/README.md and docs/dev-log.md to document the new behavior, test results, and next steps (clientTime verification and disconnect broadcasting).
Enable transform broadcast testing and time syncing: server now assigns incrementing player IDs, sends a welcome packet with playerId and serverTime, and appends serverTime/playerId to incoming transform packets before broadcasting them to all other connected clients. Added thread-safe client tracking, send_packet helper, client removal on send errors, and improved logging. Plugin now includes a clientTime timestamp in transform packets. Added server/fake_client.py to receive and print welcome and broadcasted transform packets, and updated server README and dev-log with usage and test notes.
Extend transform packets to carry movement metadata and optional cell/worldspace IDs. Public API updated (SendTransformPacket signature) and implementation now formats movementType, cellId and worldspaceId when present (buffer size increased and formatting safety checks added). Player tracking in main.cpp now computes PlayerLocation, detects cell/worldspace changes and large teleports (threshold 5000), sends immediate updates with movementType="cell_change"/"worldspace_change"/"teleport", and preserves last-sent state. Server logging updated to print movementType and extra fields. Dev log updated with an entry describing these changes.
Introduce a localhost-only networking milestone and a tiny Python test server to verify packet flow from the plugin to an external process. Added F4T::Networking API (include and src) which uses non-blocking Winsock to connect to 127.0.0.1:7777, send JSON newline-separated transform packets, and handle reconnect/backoff and disconnects safely. Plugin changes: call ConnectToLocalServer() at load, register DisconnectFromLocalServer on exit, and send transform packets from main.cpp when logging player movement. Build: xmake updated to include new headers and link ws2_32. Server: server/server.py implements a simple multi-client TCP server that prints parsed transform packets; server/README.md and docs/dev-log.md updated to document the test setup and results. All networking failures are non-fatal so the game continues if the server isn't running.
Replace CommonLibF4 template identity with Fallout4Together across README, setup and xmake; update developer log with build/test entries. Implement player transform tracking in src: add PlayerTransform struct, change detection (position + wrapped Z rotation), throttling (minimum interval), and logging to Fallout4Together.log. Wire up F4SE messaging listener and a permanent task to poll on the game thread; include <chrono> and update startup log message. Add warnings for missing task/messaging interfaces and when player reference is unavailable.
Add docs/dev-log.md and docs/version-targets.md to seed project documentation. dev-log.md provides a development log and template for recording setup steps, decisions, current focus, status, and next steps. version-targets.md records primary target platform and exact Fallout 4/F4SE version targets, testing notes, and compatibility guidance to ensure consistent environment for early native plugin development.
andrew