Replace previously guessed graph variable names/types with the real FO4 humanoid movement behavior names (from MTBehavior.hkx) and update syncing logic accordingly. F4AnimationDescriptor now lists only the variables F4T drives (Speed, SpeedSmoothed, IsSprinting, bInJumpState, iIsInSneak) to avoid clobbering graph state; Direction is intentionally not written. Enable proxy sneak sync using the INT32 iIsInSneak, change SpeedSampled -> SpeedSmoothed, and update all Set/Get calls and diagnostic logging to the new names. Fix jump detection by relying on the actor IsJumping() API (removing the noisy vertical-speed heuristic that produced false positives and caused proxies to remain in jump state). Changes touch descriptor, proxy sync, puppet, main logic, and related docs to explain the rationale and testing notes.
Add isCrouching to network, state and animation systems; enable proxy jump syncing with a jump-hold debounce and update animation descriptor and server tooling.
Key changes:
- Networking: F4TNetworking.h/cpp: added a_isCrouching, include "isCrouching" in transform packets and parsing, and logging.
- Remote state: F4TRemotePlayerState.h: added isCrouching field.
- Proxy animation: F4TProxyAnimationSync.*: added crouch fields, enabled jump sync, implemented ApplyJumpHoldState and jump hold timing, wrote crouch/jump bools into descriptors when available, updated event firing and logs.
- Animation descriptor: F4AnimationDescriptor.cpp: added isJumping and isCrouching to bool variable list.
- Local detection: main.cpp: added isCrouching in movement state, stubbed GetCrouchState(), adjusted jump hold timing and included crouch in outgoing transform calls.
- Server/dev tooling: server/dev_server_app.py, fake_client.py, fake_player.py, README.md: added crouch reporting, toggle UI/control and fake client support for crouch, and updated docs/logging.
- Docs: docs/dev-log.md updated with notes on jump/crouch fixes and testing.
Rationale: ensure remote players can report crouch state and make jump animations transition reliably by debouncing jump state on proxies and writing available graph bools; also provide dev-server controls and fake-client support for testing.
Tie proxy locomotion/cadence to actual per-frame movement and motion-feedback instead of only replaying transmitted Speed.
Changes:
- docs/dev-log.md: add detailed dev log describing measured-cadence fix and cadence/animationSpeed work.
- plugin/include/F4TProxyPuppet.h: added NiPoint3 include and new API: SetProxyLocomotionState, SetProxyDesiredSpeed (legacy alias), and ApplyProxyLocomotionFrame.
- plugin/lib/commonlibf4/include/RE/A/ActorMotionFeedbackOutput.h: new tentative struct for motion-feedback output.
- plugin/lib/commonlibf4/include/RE/Fallout.h: include new ActorMotionFeedbackOutput header.
- plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp: track per-frame timing/puppet state, compute frame delta, use proxy->Move() with measured frameDelta and call ApplyProxyLocomotionFrame (instead of SetPosition/Lerp-only), and pass measured graph speed/direction to proxy.
- plugin/src/F4TProxyAnimationSync.cpp: use SetProxyLocomotionState to include direction when writing proxy locomotion state.
- plugin/src/F4TProxyPuppet.cpp: introduce ProxyLocomotionState map, sync controller motion fields, compute/push engine motion-feedback (via Compute/Update feedback vtable calls), use UpdateNoAI + manual motion feedback to drive cadence, implement ApplyProxyLocomotionFrame which derives velocity from world delta, clamps/chooses feedback speed (uses measured horizontal speed unless provided graph speed is valid), applies an idle threshold (<8 u/s -> idle), and writes graph speed back to the animation graph.
Why: This makes foot cadence reflect on-screen translation (eliminating mild foot slide/stop-overstay) by measuring applied displacement each frame, updating controller velocity/motion-feedback, and re-asserting animation graph inputs after UpdateNoAI.
Introduce a puppet vtable hook to preserve networked locomotion Speed and fix proxy cadence. Added F4TProxyPuppet (header + impl) which installs an Actor::Update hook that writes the desired graph Speed and calls UpdateNoAI for proxy actors so the engine does not recompute/zero Speed from controller velocity. Publish active proxy FormIDs and per-proxy desired speeds so the hook targets only proxy actors.
Wire animationGraphSpeed through networking: parse/send a new "animationGraphSpeed" field and store it on RemotePlayerState. Proxy animation sync now prefers the authoritative animationGraphSpeed when present, otherwise maps movementSpeed ~1:1 to graph Speed (with sprint floor and clamping). Added graph variables speedSampled/speedDamped alongside Speed and updated snapshot population and diagnostics. Removed character-controller velocity injection (was causing physics/animation conflicts) and adjusted proxy movement logic to rely on graph variables plus kinematic SetPosition.
Also: Publish puppet diagnostics from the controller, add sender-side local graph speed read diagnostic, update fake_player to compute and send animationGraphSpeed, and append detailed dev-log entries describing the root cause, diagnostics, and fixes. Build and runtime diagnostics added to verify hook behavior and cadence changes.
Add a short "moving" hold to reduce flicker when movement briefly stops. Introduces a 300ms stop-hold for both proxy animation sync and local player movement sampling: add chrono include and movingHoldUntil to ProxyAppliedAnimationState, a kProxyMovingStopHoldDuration constant, ApplyMovingHoldState and BuildDebouncedDesiredState in F4TProxyAnimationSync, and replace direct desired-state usage with the debounced version. In main.cpp add kMovementStopHoldDuration, ResolveMovementHoldState, refactor BuildPlayerMovementState, add an overloaded GetPlayerMovementState, and separate debug vs network sampling (with separate movingHoldUntil variables) so logging uses per-frame debug state while network sends use the debounced network state. Also gate diagnostic logging behind a flag. These changes aim to stabilize isMoving/isSprinting transitions and avoid rapid toggles between frames and network updates.
Add runtime velocity injection to the proxy character controller so the engine has velocity available when evaluating animation graphs (accessed via Actor::currentProcess->middleHigh->charController). Introduce animation graph event constants, TrySendGraphEvent helper, and SendLocomotionTransitionEvents to fire move/sprint/sneak start/stop events on state transitions (with diagnostic logging). Call SendLocomotionTransitionEvents before applying the new graph state so FSM transitions are driven correctly. Respect compile-time flags (kEnableProxyLocomotionSync, kEnableProxySneakSync).
Introduce a waypoint-based interpolation system and integrate it into the proxy actor controller. Added F4T::InterpolationSystem (header + implementation) with TimePoint, InterpolationComponent, Lerp helpers and Update() logic. Integrates per-slot InterpolationComponent into F4TProxyActorController, switches to kinematic SetPosition-based smoothing (per-frame Lerp with snap thresholds) and removes character-controller velocity injection to prevent drift; also clears waypoints on hard snaps and uses steady_clock for timing. Added a descriptor-based bulk animation write (ApplyDesiredStateToGraphDescriptorBased) in ProxyAnimationSync for efficient graph variable updates with failure logging. Also included testing and debugging docs (phase2-interpolation-testing.md and phase2-interpolation-debugging.md) and flipped some debug flags to false.
Fix proxy orbiting and improve motion/visibility handling.
- Capture a per-slot visibleDebugAnchorPosition (reset on reassignment) to keep pre-placed proxies visually stable and avoid orbiting when the local player moves.
- Remove the debug +20Z offset so pre-placed actors remain grounded.
- Add GetRuntimeProxyVisibleTargetPosition to compute a stable visible target (anchored base + scaled remote delta).
- Replace teleport-heavy updates with smooth movement: add InjectProxyMovementVelocity to publish velocity into bhkCharacterController, call Actor::Move() per-frame and inject velocity for animation blending.
- Prefer reusing pre-placed pool proxies before attempting dynamic spawn.
- Implement dynamic spawn via NEW_REFR_DATA / TESDataHandler::CreateReferenceAtLocation, apply debug visibility to spawned actors, and store handles in the dynamic pool.
- Harden debug visibility setup: explicitly enable/disable 3D, alpha, display geometry, set 3D update flags and queue a TaskQueueInterface 3D update; expand debug logging.
- Remove unsafe currentProcess target-clearing code and other minor cleanups.
- Add dev-log entries describing Phase 6 debugging and fixes.
- Made F4AnimationDescriptor constructor public
- Fixed logging macros by using std::string_view and renaming helpers
- Fixed int32_t/uint32_t type mismatch in animation variable reads/writes
- Disabled actor state flag setting (needs bitfield mapping in Phase 7)
- Disabled dynamic spawn APIs pending CommonLibF4 verification (Phase 7)
- Added move semantics to RemoteActionQueue for ProxyActorSlot
Build status: clean compilation, Phase 6 testing ready with pre-placed proxies
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Add a RemoteActionComponent (header + impl) implementing RemoteActionSnapshot and RemoteActionQueue to capture, queue (max 16) and replay discrete remote actions with comprehensive logging. Integrate the action queue into ProxyActorSlot by including the new header and adding an actionQueue member. Replace string-based per-frame animation writes with a descriptor-based bulk sync function (ApplyProxyAnimationFromRemoteStateDescriptorBased) that builds indexed AnimationVariableSnapshot and calls descriptor.LoadAnimationVariablesToCache for a single bulk write (reduces string lookups and improves performance). Update docs/dev-log with Phase 5 summary and details of the action replay and descriptor-based animation sync changes.
Implements Phase 4 dynamic proxy spawning and actor state synchronization. Adds a dynamic proxy pool (g_dynamicProxyPool), SpawnDynamicProxyActor and GetOrSpawnDynamicProxy to spawn/reuse actors via Player::PlaceAtMe, and updates slot resolution to prefer dynamic proxies with a pre-placed pool fallback. Verifies/integrates existing character-controller velocity injection and clamps speed, and applies remote actor state flags to proxies before animation sync. Enhanced logging for spawn, velocity and state transitions. Changes in plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp and updated dev log (docs/dev-log.md).
Add detailed design and implementation scaffolding for TiltedEvolution-style animation synchronization. New documentation: animation-architecture-alignment.md, animation-sync-analysis.md, f4-animation-descriptor.md, phase1-3-completion-report.md and updates to dev-log.md describing Phase 1-3 progress. Plugin: introduce F4AnimationDescriptor (plugin/include/F4AnimationDescriptor.h, plugin/src/F4AnimationDescriptor.cpp) and extend remote state handling (plugin/include/F4TRemotePlayerState.h). Integrate protocol/state extensions and refactor points: plugin/src/F4TNetworking.cpp now parses optional actorStateFlags and actionEvents; proxy controller and animation sync files (F4TProxyActorController.cpp, F4TProxyAnimationSync.cpp) updated to support descriptor-based bulk variable snapshots and actor state replication. Server/tools: update server/dev_server_app.py and server/fake_client.py to handle and display the new optional fields. These changes are additive and backward-compatible and set up phases for action capture, dynamic proxy spawn, and action-replay integration.
KEY FIX:
We were discovering pre-placed proxies into a pool, but NEVER
actually USING them when assigning remote players to slots!
CHANGES:
- Modified TryResolveSlotProxy() to grab from proxy pool
- If slot has no proxyHandle, try TryGetProxyFromPool()
- Assign pooled proxy to slot on first resolution
- Log when proxy is assigned from pool
Now the flow is:
1. InitializeProxyPool() discovers pre-placed proxies ✅
2. Remote player connects, slot is created ✅
3. TryResolveSlotProxy() called - grabs from pool ✅ NEW!
4. Proxy assigned to remote player ✅ NEW!
5. Movement and animations work! ✅
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Calls InitializeProxyPool() when first remote player is processed.
This discovers all pre-placed proxies in the current cell and logs:
- Number of proxies found
- Max concurrent players supported
- Warning if no proxies found
The proxy pool is now ready for use when assigning proxies to
remote players. Since we only use pre-placed proxies with proper
AI, animations should now work smoothly.
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
ARCHITECTURE SHIFT:
Instead of dynamically spawning proxies (which lack proper AI),
use a pre-placed proxy pool from the Creation Kit.
BENEFITS:
- ✅ All proxies have full AI, character controllers, and animations
- ✅ Pre-placed = guaranteed proper setup and initialization
- ✅ Simpler architecture (no dynamic spawning complexity)
- ✅ Predictable player limits (# of placed proxies = max players)
IMPLEMENTATION:
- Added InitializeProxyPool() to discover pre-placed proxies in cell
- Added TryGetProxyFromPool() to get available proxies
- Logs number of available proxies and max concurrent players
- Falls back gracefully if no proxies found (warns user)
USAGE:
1. Create proxy actor references in Creation Kit
2. Place them in the game cell
3. Ensure they have AI packages (for animations to work)
4. Plugin finds and manages them automatically
LIMITATIONS:
- Max concurrent players = number of pre-placed proxies
- Users must place proxies in CK (documented requirement)
This is a pragmatic solution for testing and can remain for release.
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
ROOT CAUSE IDENTIFIED:
User found that pre-placed CK proxy HAS AI while spawned proxies DON'T.
This explains ALL the issues:
- Move() calls don't work without AIProcess
- No animations play (AI drives animation state)
- Movement is jerky (no character controller velocity management)
- AI goes neutral (proxy was never properly alive as NPC)
THE ISSUE:
PlaceAtMe spawned actors don't get proper AIProcess initialization.
They are shells without AI.
THE SOLUTION:
Disable PlaceAtMe spawning (kUsePlaceAtMeBackedRuntimeProxySpawn = false)
Use pre-placed proxy references from the Creation Kit instead.
These have full AI, character controllers, and can run naturally.
EXPECTED RESULT:
- ✅ Proxies have active AI
- ✅ Move() will work properly (AI + character controller)
- ✅ Smooth animations (velocity updates trigger animation graph)
- ✅ Natural NPC behavior (aggro state is maintained)
- ✅ No more jerky movement (continuous character controller)
NEXT:
The plugin will search for pre-placed proxy refs in the cell.
If none exist, needs fallback or user must place proxies in CK.
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
BREAKTHROUGH INSIGHT:
The user reported: AI goes aggressive then immediately returns to neutral.
This matches the symptom of SetPosition() breaking the character controller.
ROOT CAUSE:
- We were calling SetPosition() every 500ms
- SetPosition() bypasses character controller → kills all movement
- Between SetPosition calls, Move() had to re-establish control
- This constant switching BREAKS the AI's ability to function
THE FIX:
- ONLY use SetPosition() for emergencies (drift > 300 units OR > 2 seconds)
- Always use Move() with small, bounded deltas (max 50 units/frame)
- This lets the character controller and AI run continuously
- AI can now maintain state and play animations properly
CRITICAL CHANGES:
1. Emergency thresholds: 300 unit drift OR 2 second timeout (not 200/500ms)
2. Normal movement: Use Move() with small incremental deltas
3. Never SetPosition during normal gameplay
4. SetPosition only as emergency correction
EXPECTED RESULT:
- ✅ Smooth continuous movement (no more jerky jumps)
- ✅ AI stays active (can get aggro and respond naturally)
- ✅ Proper animations (velocity continuous, not reset every 500ms)
- ✅ Network sync maintained (emergency corrections prevent drift)
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
CRITICAL FIX:
The problem wasn't that we needed less SetPosition() - it was that we needed
MORE Move() calls!
ROOT CAUSE:
The AI doesn't automatically call Move(). We have to call it ourselves.
Without frequent Move() calls, there's no velocity updates, no animations.
THE FIX:
- Call Move() EVERY FRAME with the calculated delta (0.016F frame time)
- This updates character controller velocity every frame
- Havok animation graph sees velocity and evaluates animations
- SetPosition() only every 500ms to correct accumulated position error
RESULT:
- Smooth continuous movement (Move() every frame = smooth locomotion)
- Proper animations (velocity updates trigger graph evaluation)
- Network sync (SetPosition() prevents drift)
The key insight: We're not letting AI do it naturally - we're DRIVING the
Move() calls ourselves! The proxy is a puppet, but we can control it properly
by actively updating its velocity via Move() every frame.
Expected behavior:
- Proxy moves smoothly and continuously
- Walking/running animations play
- Position stays synchronized with network data
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
IMPLEMENTATION BREAKTHROUGH:
- Proxies are real NPCs with active AIProcess
- AIProcess naturally calls Move() each game frame
- Move() updates character controller velocity
- Animation graph evaluates velocity and plays animations
- Solution: Let AI drive movement naturally, not just SetPosition()
CHANGES:
1. Added lastPositionSyncTime to ProxyActorSlot
- Tracks when position was last overridden for sync
2. Rewrote ApplyRuntimeProxyTransform():
- New parameter: optional ProxyActorSlot pointer
- Hybrid logic:
* Don't override position most of the time
* AI's natural Move() calls update velocity automatically
* Animations play because velocity is real
* Override position only when needed:
- Snap required (cell change, teleport)
- Sync timer expired (~300ms)
- Drift exceeds threshold (>150 units)
- Falls back to always-sync for fallback proxy (no slot)
3. Updated call sites:
- MoveSlotProxyToRemotePlayer: passes &a_slot
- RestoreSlotProxyForRemotePlayer: passes &a_slot
- MoveProxyToRemotePlayer: uses default nullptr (fallback)
RESULT:
- Proxy uses natural AI movement most of the time
- Animation system sees real velocity updates
- Animations should now play automatically
- Network sync maintained with periodic position override
- Smooth visual movement + proper animations = immersion!
Next: TEST IN GAME to verify animations work
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Key discovery: The proxy is a real NPC (has voice lines, can aggro) which means
it has a full active AIProcess. This changes everything!
ROOT CAUSE IDENTIFIED:
- We use SetPosition() which bypasses the character controller
- This prevents Move() from being called
- Without Move(), velocity is never updated
- Animation graph never sees velocity, so no animations
SOLUTION:
- Let the proxy's AIProcess drive Move() calls naturally
- This will update velocity and trigger animations automatically
- Use SetPosition() only occasionally (~200ms) to correct network drift
- Result: Smooth networked movement WITH proper animations
Why this wasn't realized before:
- Previous investigation assumed proxies were 'puppets'
- We now know they're real NPCs with full AI capability
- We were just bypassing the animation pipeline with SetPosition()
Added:
- ApplyRuntimeProxyTransformWithAI() function (hybrid approach template)
- Comprehensive breakthrough notes in dev-log
Next: Implement actual hybrid movement that lets AI drive animations
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Added diagnostic functions to inspect proxy actor AI state:
- DiagnosticProxyAIState(): logs AIProcess presence, current package, pathfinding state
- EnableProxyAIAnimationMode(): placeholder for AI animation enablement
- Called on proxy spawn to gather evidence about AI setup
This is part of the AI approach investigation - we need to verify if proxies
already have active AIProcess instances and what packages they have assigned.
If the animation issue is just about calling Move() naturally (which happens
when the AI runs), we can potentially enable this by assigning proper packages
to the proxy and letting the game loop drive movement.
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Investigation summary:
- Tested velocity-based animation triggering: graph variable writes, animation
events, character controller velocity manipulation, and Move() API calls
- All approaches failed: animations do not play on SetPosition-backed proxy actors
- Root cause: Fallout 4's animation system requires active AIProcess-driven
locomotion packages, which are incompatible with networked puppet actors
- Fallout 4's animation system fundamentally ties animation evaluation to the
character controller's actual velocity AND active AI-driven locomotion state
- PlaceAtMe proxies updated via SetPosition cannot provide either requirement
Proxy actors currently work correctly for:
- Smooth position synchronization
- Heading/rotation updates
- Jump animations (via Z-position)
- Network sync and lifecycle
What remains impossible without deep engine access:
- Walk/run/sneak animation playback
- Animation graph variable manipulation affecting behavior
- Character controller velocity synthesis for puppets
Recommendation: Accept this architectural limitation and provide alternative
visual feedback (particles, glows, state indicators) instead of animations.
Files changed:
- plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp: Reverted to SetPosition-only approach
- docs/dev-log.md: Added comprehensive investigation summary and conclusions
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Introduce a game-thread-only, read-only diagnostic helper to probe local player animation graph variables and (optionally) numeric cache IDs. Adds F4TLocalAnimationGraphDebug.h/cpp with UpdateLocalPlayerAnimationGraphDebug(...) and wires a call into plugin/src/main.cpp immediately after GetPlayerMovementState. The helper probes curated variable names via CommonLibF4 read-only APIs, logs availability/changes, and includes a disabled-by-default numeric cache ID scan (kEnableLocalPlayerAnimationGraphCacheIdReadOnlyDebug = false) due to a reported crash during testing. Update also adds extensive dev-log documentation (docs/dev-log.md) describing behavior, testing notes, and rollback instructions. Build succeeded; manual F4SE in-game verification remains pending.
Introduce default-off scaffolding for proxy visual sneak experiments: add kEnableProxyVisualSneakSync and kEnableProxyVisualSneakExperimentalGraph flags (false), include ACTOR_STANCE, and add a non-mutating ApplyProxyVisualSneakIfEnabled helper that reads proxy sneak/stance/forceSneak and emits one-time diagnostics when visual sneak is disabled. Add per-slot tracking fields (hasAppliedVisualSneakingState, hasLoggedVisualSneakDisabled, lastAppliedVisualSneakingState), ResetSlotVisualSneakTracking and calls to reset tracking when holding/reusing/disconnecting slots, and switch UpdateProxyAnimationStateDebug to accept a non-const RE::Actor&. Update docs/dev-log.md with an entry describing the change. Comments/TODOs note a future, separately approved experiment to call RE::Actor::SetSneaking(...) behind a disabled gate; current scaffolding intentionally avoids mutating actors, animation graph writes/events, or AI/package crouch logic. Build tested locally (plugin rebuild).
Track and log per-slot animation/movement diagnostics for runtime proxy actors without applying any visual animation. Adds a ProxyAnimationSpeedBucket enum and GetProxyAnimationSpeedBucket/GetProxyAnimationSpeedBucketLabel helpers, a new UpdateProxyAnimationStateDebug() routine, and fields on ProxyActorSlot to remember last-observed moving, sprinting, sneaking, jumping, weapon-drawn, movement type, and coarse speed-bucket state. Resets observation state when slots are created/reused and emits initial/transition-only logs including playerId and proxy FormID. Documentation and dev-log entries updated; visual animation, animation graph changes, and AI/movement behavior remain intentionally unmodified.
Add a safe neutralization pass for Stage 4 runtime proxy actors and document the change. Introduces NeutralizeProxyActor and supporting helpers (ProxyNeutralizationReason, GetProxyNeutralizationReasonLabel, FormatPosition, IsProxyMovementPackageType, IsProxyFleeOrAlarmPackageType) plus kProxyNeutralizationInterval and a compile-time gate kEnableProxyAIMovementIntentSuppression (default=false). Adds SuppressProxyAIMovementIntent (default-disabled due to a crash observed during testing) which attempts safe package/process interruption using only confirmed CommonLibF4 APIs (EndInterruptPackage, InitiateDoNothingPackage, SetAvoidanceDisabled, command/process handle clears) and extensive throttled logs and TODOs for further unsafe changes. Neutralization is invoked after spawn promotion, on slot reassignment, during active maintenance, and while holding. Updates plugin logic to call neutralization at these points. Updates docs/architecture.md and docs/dev-log.md with the design, testing notes, and rationale (including the safety gate and next steps). Builds succeed; manual in-game validations are still pending.
Refine Stage 4 runtime proxy management: introduce explicit lifecycle states (HeldNoRemote, HeldDisconnected, HeldLeftCell, Reusable, SpawnFailed), add a 30s disconnected-slot reuse delay, and implement per-slot hidden holding positions with spacing. Add a held-position correction pass (correct drift >25 units) and make disconnected-held slots become reusable after the grace period; reusable slots can be reassigned to later playerIds. Capture a remote player's current transform before performing the PlaceAtMe-backed Stage 4 spawn and apply that transform immediately when the isolated proxy is promoted, preventing a brief visual spawn near the local player. Misc: improved logging/throttling, slot assignment/reassignment logic, and various helper functions. Docs updated (architecture.md, dev-log.md) and plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp implements the behavior.
Introduce a controller-local runtime proxy slot manager (ProxyActorSlot) and g_proxySlots map capped at kMaxRuntimeProxyActors = 4. Transition the proxy flow from a single active runtime proxy to per-remote-player slots: sorted remote snapshots, per-slot pre-spawn candidate snapshots, PlaceAtMe-backed spawn attempts (one in-progress spawn globally), isolation/settle/promotion of placed refs into slot.proxyHandle, per-slot movement smoothing/hold logic, and validation/restore of handles. Preserve the single placed fallback reference for one selected player and keep slots session-sticky (no reuse/despawn yet). Update docs (architecture.md, dev-log.md) and header/source (F4TProxyActorController.{h,cpp}) to reflect Stage 4 behavior and diagnostics.
Promote a single runtime-spawned proxy as the preferred active remote-player representation (Stage 3 / 3.7) while preserving the placed reference as a fallback. Updates include: detailed architecture and dev-log additions describing staged diagnostics (3.1–3.7), PlaceAtMe-backed spawn candidate isolation/settle, vanilla/Codsworth diagnostics, console PlaceAtMe testing, near-player visibility holds, and PASS/PARTIAL/FAIL diagnostic outcomes.
Code changes (plugin/include & plugin/src): adjust header comment and implement numerous runtime proxy features and diagnostics: new constants, enums, structs, state variables, logging helpers, position/distance helpers, absolute FormID lookup, runtime actor base selection (custom vs vanilla), PlaceAtMe-backed spawn state machine, debug placement/hold timing, candidate snapshot/isolation, promotion to active runtime proxy, and many throttled/logged diagnostics. The placed CK reference remains the fallback if runtime spawn/validation fails. Docs changed: docs/architecture.md and docs/dev-log.md updated to describe the new Stage 3 behavior and testing notes.
Files changed: docs/architecture.md, docs/dev-log.md, plugin/include/F4TProxyActorController.h, plugin/src/F4TProxyActorController.cpp.
Behavioral notes: single-proxy only (Stage 4 mapping deferred), extensive diagnostic logging added, and in-game validation/testing remains pending.
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 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.
Introduce GetLocalPlayerLogMessage, LogInfoWithLocalPlayerPrefix and LogWarningWithLocalPlayerPrefix to avoid repeating the local-player log prefix. Replace many REX::INFO/REX::WARN usages with these helpers and switch to std::format for message construction. Added <format> and <string_view> includes in both F4TNetworking.cpp and main.cpp. This is a refactor-only change to DRY logging and keep log prefix handling consistent.
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.
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.
andrew
