sky(phase-8): retail-faithful night sky + README refresh

Iteration on the sky rendering pipeline to restore stars/moon visibility
at night and fix washed-out grey daytime clouds. Key fixes:

* sky.frag: disable fog-mix on sky meshes. Retail's keyframe FogEnd
  (0..400m at midnight, up to 2400m during day) is calibrated for
  terrain; sky meshes are authored at radii 1050-14271m which sits
  past FogEnd universally, causing every sky pixel to saturate to
  fogColor (dark navy). Stars, moon, dome texture all got
  obliterated. The horizon-glow trade-off is noted in the shader
  comment; research item to find retail's sky-specific fog range
  later.

* SkyRenderer + sky.frag: promote rep.Luminosity into uEmissive so the
  vertex lighting saturates properly for bright keyframes. Retail's
  FUN_0059da60 non-luminous path writes rep.Luminosity into
  material.Emissive via the cache +0x3c slot; we were instead using
  it as a post-fragment multiply which could only dim, never brighten.
  Net effect: daytime clouds now render saturated white, dome dims
  correctly at night (rep.Luminosity=0.11 → Emissive=0.11), stars
  and moon unchanged.

* terrain.vert: MIN_FACTOR 0.08 -> 0.0 per retail FUN_00532440 decompile
  (DAT_00796344 ambient-floor = 0.0). Back-lit terrain now falls to
  pure ambient rather than getting an 8% sun floor.

New research / tooling (no runtime impact):

* docs/research/2026-04-24-lambert-brightness-split.md — retail's
  ambient-brightness formula pinned from PE .rdata read + live
  RetailTimeProbe capture: effAmbBright = AmbBright + |sunDir| * 0.2
  where scale constant 0x0079a1e8 = 0.2f exactly.

* docs/research/2026-04-23-lightning-real.md — research note on the
  dat-baked PhysicsScript-driven lightning path (Rainy DayGroup has
  explicit PES-triggered flash SkyObjects with 5ms time windows).

* Corrections stapled to sky-decompile-hunt-{B,C}.md: DAT_00842778 is
  DirColor, DAT_0084277c is AmbColor (the hunt docs had the swap
  backwards).

* tools/RetailTimeProbe/Program.cs: extended with pid=NNNN selector,
  sky global probe (DirColor/AmbColor/AmbBright/sunDir/cache.amb),
  and the 0x0079a1e8 scale-factor readout.

* tools/SkyObjectInspect/: throwaway dat-inspector built by the Opus
  deep-dive agent. Identified GfxObj 0x010015EF as the stars layer
  (A8R8G8B8 128x128 texture, 4% bright-pixel ratio).

* src/AcDream.App/Rendering/TextureCache.cs: per-texture alpha
  histogram dump under ACDREAM_DUMP_SKY=1 for diagnosing "are the
  clouds decoded with proper alpha" type questions.

README: rewrite to reflect current state (playable pre-alpha rendering
Dereth with animated characters, day-night cycle, weather, etc.)
instead of the stale "Phase 0 dat inventory only" description.

All 742 tests green.
This commit is contained in:
Erik 2026-04-24 20:34:36 +02:00
parent 889b235886
commit 1d54880213
12 changed files with 1217 additions and 43 deletions

169
README.md
View file

@ -1,22 +1,173 @@
# acdream
Experimental modern open-source Asheron's Call client in C# / .NET 10.
A modern open-source C# / .NET 10 Asheron's Call client.
**Status:** pre-alpha, not playable. Phase 0 only — dat file asset inventory.
Faithful port of the retail client's behaviour to Silk.NET with a modern,
plugin-friendly architecture. The code is modern; the behaviour is retail.
**Stack:** .NET 10, [Chorizite.DatReaderWriter](https://github.com/Chorizite/DatReaderWriter) for dat parsing. Silk.NET + Avalonia planned for rendering/UI (not yet wired up).
**Status:** playable pre-alpha. You can log in to an ACE server, walk and
run through Dereth, see other players animate correctly, watch the
day-night cycle, hear ambient audio, and take weapons out. Many systems
are still stubbed or in-progress — see roadmap.
**Requires:** A retail Asheron's Call install (Turbine/Microsoft property — supply your own). Set `ACDREAM_DAT_DIR` environment variable to the directory containing `client_portal.dat`, `client_cell_1.dat`, `client_highres.dat`, and `client_local_English.dat`, or pass it as the first CLI argument.
## Stack
## Layout
- **Language:** C# .NET 10
- **Graphics:** [Silk.NET](https://github.com/dotnet/Silk.NET) (OpenGL 4.3)
- **Audio:** OpenAL via Silk.NET
- **Dat parsing:** [Chorizite.DatReaderWriter](https://github.com/Chorizite/DatReaderWriter)
- **Networking:** Custom UDP + ISAAC cipher + game-message layer, wire-compatible
with ACEmulator server
- `src/AcDream.Cli/` — console app that dumps asset counts from a dat directory
- `references/` — local read-only reference material (ACE, ACViewer, WorldBuilder, DatReaderWriter, holtburger, retail AC install). Gitignored.
## What works
## Run
- Connecting to a local ACEmulator (ACE) server on `127.0.0.1:9000`
- Character selection and login
- Rendering Dereth terrain with retail-correct texture blending,
per-vertex lighting, and road overlays
- Static scenery (buildings, trees, scenery objects) via EnvCell walker
- Animated characters (own + remote) with walk / run / strafe / jump /
turn / attack motions sourced from the retail motion tables
- Network sync with remote players — you can watch other characters
animate correctly, including speeds and directional motion
- Day-night cycle driven from the retail Region dat (0x13000000) —
correct DayGroup picking via the retail LCG, correct keyframe
interpolation, correct per-keyframe sky-object replace
- Weather (rain/snow particles synced from the server via the retail
DayGroup name)
- Sky dome, stars, moon, clouds, sun — each rendered from the retail
Region's SkyObjects with texture scrolling and alpha fade
- Plugin host with live event replay-on-subscribe
## What's stubbed or in-progress
- Indoor transitions (building interiors) — disabled, Phase B.3 pending
- Combat — animation works, damage math not wired
- Lightning visual — the retail PhysicsScript-driven flash is researched
but not wired (see `docs/research/2026-04-23-lightning-real.md`)
- TimeSync drift — we only sync calendar on login, not periodically,
so acdream's in-game clock gradually drifts from retail's
- Landscape draw distance — currently `ACDREAM_STREAM_RADIUS=2` (~400m)
vs retail's several kilometres
See `docs/plans/2026-04-11-roadmap.md` for the ordered phase list.
## Building + running
**Requires:**
- .NET 10 SDK
- A retail Asheron's Call dat directory (Turbine/Microsoft property —
supply your own). Contains `client_portal.dat`, `client_cell_1.dat`,
`client_highres.dat`, `client_local_English.dat`.
- A running ACE (ACEmulator) server on `127.0.0.1:9000` (or override
via env var)
**Launch (PowerShell on Windows — bash has trouble with the apostrophe
in "Asheron's Call"):**
```powershell
$env:ACDREAM_DAT_DIR = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\Asheron's Call"
$env:ACDREAM_LIVE = "1"
$env:ACDREAM_TEST_HOST = "127.0.0.1"
$env:ACDREAM_TEST_PORT = "9000"
$env:ACDREAM_TEST_USER = "testaccount"
$env:ACDREAM_TEST_PASS = "testpassword"
dotnet run --project src\AcDream.App\AcDream.App.csproj -c Debug
```
Offline CLI dat inspector (no server needed):
```
dotnet run --project src/AcDream.Cli -- "C:\path\to\Asheron's Call"
```
Or set `ACDREAM_DAT_DIR` and run without args.
## Diagnostic env vars
| Variable | Effect |
|---|---|
| `ACDREAM_DUMP_SKY=1` | Per-second dump of the interpolated `SkyKeyframe` values + per-SkyObject draw info + texture alpha histograms |
| `ACDREAM_DUMP_MOTION=1` | Dump every inbound `UpdateMotion` + resulting `SetCycle` |
| `ACDREAM_STREAM_RADIUS=N` | Tune landblock visible-window radius (default 2 = 5×5) |
| `ACDREAM_NO_AUDIO=1` | Suppress OpenAL init |
| `ACDREAM_DAY_GROUP=N` | Force a specific DayGroup index for A/B-testing weather presets |
| `ACDREAM_RUN_SKILL=N` / `ACDREAM_JUMP_SKILL=N` | Client-side run/jump skill (default 200) |
## Layout
```
src/
AcDream.App/ rendering + audio + main loop (Silk.NET)
AcDream.Core/ game state, meshing, physics, sky, weather, lighting
AcDream.Core.Net/ UDP + ISAAC + game-message layer
AcDream.Cli/ offline dat-inspector console app
AcDream.Plugin.Abstractions/ plugin host interfaces
AcDream.Plugins.Smoke/ example plugin
tests/
AcDream.Core.Tests/ xUnit tests (742 passing)
AcDream.Core.Net.Tests/ network-layer tests
tools/
RetailTimeProbe/ Win32 P/Invoke ReadProcessMemory probe of
the live retail acclient.exe — dumps
TimeOfDay + sky-lighting globals so we
can compare against acdream's state
SkyObjectInspect/ dat-inspector for Region sky objects
references/ vendored read-only reference code — ACE,
ACViewer, WorldBuilder, holtburger,
AC2D, Chorizite, DatReaderWriter.
Gitignored.
docs/
architecture/ single-source-of-truth architecture doc
plans/ phase roadmaps + per-phase specs
research/ decompile-derived research, per-phase
findings, deep-dive agent reports
audit/ phase-completion audits
```
## Development workflow
All AC-specific behaviour is ported from the decompiled retail client
(`docs/research/decompiled/`). The workflow is:
1. **Decompile first.** Find the matching function in the decompiled
client.
2. **Cross-reference.** Check against ACE's C# port and ACViewer /
WorldBuilder.
3. **Write pseudocode.** Translate C to readable pseudocode first.
4. **Port faithfully.** Translate line-by-line, preserving variable
names and control flow.
5. **Conformance test.** Add tests using golden values from retail.
6. **Integrate surgically.** Minimise churn in the surrounding pipeline.
Guessing at AC-specific algorithms is explicitly forbidden — see
`CLAUDE.md` for the full workflow rationale and the list of failure
modes we've paid for in the past.
## Reference repos
We cross-reference five external projects for every retail behaviour:
- **ACE** (ACEmulator) — authoritative server-side protocol
- **ACViewer** — MonoGame dat viewer; good for character appearance
- **WorldBuilder** — Silk.NET dat editor; matches our stack
- **Chorizite.ACProtocol** — clean-room C# protocol library
- **holtburger** — most complete non-retail client; Rust TUI, full
client-side behaviour
- **AC2D** — C++ AC-client emulator; has the real terrain split
formula and 0xF61C movement packet format
See `CLAUDE.md` for which reference is authoritative for which domain.
## Licence
Not yet chosen. All external reference code is vendored under its own
licence; see `references/*/LICENSE`. The acdream source code itself is
unreleased — not yet distributed to the public. Once the licence
choice is made it will go in a top-level `LICENSE` file.
The AC dat files and the game's intellectual property remain the
property of Microsoft / Turbine. This project does not distribute any
of those files or assets — you must supply your own retail install.

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@ -0,0 +1,398 @@
# Lightning (the real mechanism) — Decompile Research
**Date:** 2026-04-23
**Scope:** User confirms retail AC shows visible lightning flashes paired with
thunder audio during storms. Prior research (`2026-04-23-lightning-crossfade.md`
Q1) ruled out a *client-side timer* flash. This hunt chases H1H5 for the real
trigger.
**Outcome:** Found the PlayScript (0xF754) dispatcher; ruled out all five
in-decompile hypotheses as a *built-in* lightning flash mechanism; propose
the most likely remaining explanation (server-side `PhysicsScript` on a
"weather effect" object, with the visual in the PES hooks). Port-ready
pseudocode for the PlayScript wire path is included.
---
## TL;DR
Retail's client has **no dedicated lightning subsystem**. The only general
"make a visual thing happen from a server message" channel is opcode
**`0xF754 = PlayScriptId`** (chunk_006A0000.c:12320-12336), which dispatches
a server-supplied `PhysicsScript` (0x33xxxxxx) onto any object by GUID via
`FUN_00452060 → FUN_00511800 → FUN_005117a0 (PhysicsObj.play_script) →
ScriptManager (analyzed in 2026-04-23-physicsscript.md)`. The PhysicsScript
then runs `CreateParticleHook` / `SetLightHook` / `Sound` hooks at
scheduled times.
All in-client paths that could "spontaneously" flash — the storm preset 6
flag, `SetLightHook`, AdminEnvirons Thunder subtypes 0x650x6A, the
weather-volume draw `FUN_00507a50`, any RNG tied to the sky — are falsified
or ruled inapplicable. **The lightning flash a user sees in retail is
either:**
- **(most likely)** a `PhysicsScript` the server broadcasts via 0xF754 at
pseudo-random intervals during storm weather, attached to an off-screen
"storm cloud" object or the player, with the visual implemented as a
`CreateParticleHook` on a very bright short-lived emitter + a
`SoundHook` for the thunder, OR
- **(possible)** a server-side system the decompile reveals no trace of
in the client — e.g. ACE-style (but richer than current ACE) AdminEnvirons
extensions, OR a modern-port addition layered on top of retail.
ACE's 2.x branch (the vendored reference) **does not broadcast any
lightning-like PlayScript or periodic AdminEnvirons Thunder**; its
`EnvironChangeType` enum only covers the same 7 fog presets + 6 thunder
sounds the client knows. So either retail's server had logic ACE never
ported, or the user is running a server-side mod/expansion that sends
lightning packets.
---
## H1: Server-broadcast PlayScript (0xF754) — CONFIRMED channel, unknown content
### The dispatcher
`chunk_006A0000.c:12320-12336`:
```c
undefined4 FUN_006adba0(int param_1, int param_2)
{
int *piVar1;
undefined4 uVar2;
if ((param_2 != 0) && (param_1 != 0)) {
piVar1 = *(int **)(param_2 + 0x2c); // packet payload ptr
if (*piVar1 == 0xf754) { // opcode match
uVar2 = FUN_00452060(param_2, piVar1[1], piVar1[2]);
return uVar2;
}
}
return 3;
}
```
### The bridge to PhysicsScript
`chunk_00450000.c:1043-1057`:
```c
int FUN_00452060(undefined4 param_1, undefined4 param_2, undefined4 param_3)
{
int iVar1;
iVar1 = FUN_00508890(param_2); // find PhysicsObj by guid (hash lookup)
if (iVar1 == 0) {
FUN_00509da0(param_2, param_1); // queue for later (object not loaded yet)
return 4;
}
iVar1 = FUN_00511800(param_3); // play_script(scriptId) on it
return (-(uint)(iVar1 != 0) & 0xfffffffe) + 3;
}
```
### PlayScript entry into the PhysicsScript runtime
`chunk_00510000.c:1535-1547`:
```c
undefined4 __fastcall FUN_00511800(int param_1)
{
undefined4 uVar1;
if (*(int *)(param_1 + 0x90) == 0) {
return 1;
}
uVar1 = FUN_005117a0(); // = PhysicsObj.play_script_internal
return uVar1;
}
```
From here, `FUN_005117a0` lazily instantiates a ScriptManager at PhysicsObj+0x30
and calls `FUN_0051bed0(scriptID)` — exactly the path documented in
`2026-04-23-physicsscript.md`. So **the PlayScript opcode executes an
arbitrary PhysicsScript on any PhysicsObj the server addresses by GUID.**
### Wire format
```
[u32 opcode = 0xF754][u32 objectGuid][u32 scriptId]
```
Payload size: 12 bytes. No speed multiplier. (Contrast ACE's
`GameMessageScript`: `guid + scriptId + speed(float) = 16 bytes`. ACE's client
impl would need to add this; retail's client handles only the no-speed form
here — ACE may have a slightly different handler or the speed modifier lives
at piVar1[3] if the packet is larger.)
### What this means for lightning
**This IS the channel.** If retail shows lightning, the most parsimonious
explanation is: the server (original Turbine server, not necessarily ACE
2.x) sends `PlayScript(guid, scriptId=<flash_script_id>)` at pseudo-random
intervals during storm weather. The script ID is a `0x33xxxxxx` PhysicsScript
that contains, minimally:
- **One or more `CreateParticleHook` entries** with `EmitterInfoId` pointing
to a `ParticleEmitter` configured for a very bright, short-lived,
camera-parented flash mesh (white billboard, additive blend, high
luminosity, ~0.050.3s lifespan).
- **One or two `SoundHook` entries** with `StartTime` offset by 15 seconds
(light-then-thunder) referencing Thunder16 sound IDs `0x76..0x7B`.
- Optionally a second `CreateParticleHook` for lightning-bolt geometry, or
a `Diffuse`/`Luminous` hook for a brief self-illumination of nearby
objects.
**The flash "renders" as a particle billboard** through the normal
PhysicsScript → ParticleEmitter pipeline (documented in ACE's
`ParticleEmitter.cs`). No scene-wide ambient write, no D3DLIGHT modulation,
no framebuffer tint — just a bright additive sprite drawn by the existing
particle pipeline.
**Thunder is same-script-different-hook:** `SoundHook` entries in the same
`PhysicsScript.ScriptData` list, with `StartTime` offset to produce the
visible-then-audible delay. Alternatively, they could be separate
AdminEnvirons(0x65..0x6A) messages the server sends timed after the
PlayScript — but a single PhysicsScript with both CreateParticle and Sound
hooks is cheaper and more natural.
### Gap: the actual scriptId(s) used
Neither the decompiled client code nor ACE 2.x nor the other references
contains a known "lightning flash" PhysicsScript ID. The id space is
0x33000000..0x3300FFFF; the `PlayScript` enum (client-friendly aliases)
uses IDs 0x00..0xAD but none are labeled Lightning/Flash/Strike/Storm-Flash.
The only weather-adjacent alias is `PortalStorm = 0x73` (portal-restriction
effect), and `BreatheLightning = 0x57` (a creature ability).
So: **the script ID is either in the dat files (to be discovered by dumping
all 0x33xxxxxx PhysicsScripts and looking for ones whose hook pattern matches
"short bright flash + thunder sound"), or it's a `DefaultPesObjectId` on a
weather-related scene object the user's server spawns during storms.**
Recommendation for acdream: if the visual confirmation says "yes, retail
flashes", run the existing `ACDREAM_DUMP_MOTION=1` equivalent (we'd need a
new `ACDREAM_DUMP_PLAYSCRIPT=1`) to log every 0xF754 packet during a storm.
The script IDs will be in the dump.
---
## H2: SetLightHook is NOT world-flash — RULED OUT
Schema (`DatReaderWriter/.../SetLightHook.generated.cs:23-27`):
```csharp
public partial class SetLightHook : AnimationHook {
public override AnimationHookType HookType => AnimationHookType.SetLight;
public bool LightsOn;
...
}
```
Payload is a single `bool`. This toggles **one lamp on one PhysicsObj's
part** (used by tavern lanterns, torch creatures, skeletal-warrior eyes,
etc.). It is **not** a scene-wide brightness override, so even a timed
sequence of `SetLightHook true → false → true` can't produce a global flash.
Falsified.
---
## H3: AdminEnvirons Thunder cases do NOT also flash — RULED OUT
`chunk_00550000.c:11906-11994` dispatches subtypes 0x65..0x72 and 0x75..0x7B
to `FUN_00551560(soundId, channelObj)` — the play-sound-now call — with no
visual side effect:
```c
case 0x65:
uVar1 = FUN_00564d50(); // get/alloc sound channel
FUN_00551560(0x76, uVar1); // play Thunder1Sound
return 0;
case 0x66:
uVar1 = FUN_00564d50();
FUN_00551560(0x77, uVar1); // play Thunder2Sound
return 0;
/* ... through 0x6A ... */
```
Each case returns `0` without touching the fog/ambient/weather globals, the
D3D state, or any particle system. Falsified.
---
## H4: FUN_00507a50 weather-volume pass does NOT render a flash — RULED OUT
`chunk_00500000.c:7250-7299`. Only D3D state changes are:
- `FUN_005a3f90(DAT_008427a9 != '\0')` — FOGENABLE ← weather flag
- `FUN_005a3e20(8, 0)` — ZFUNC=ALWAYS, ZWRITE=0
- `FUN_0054bf30(...)` — far-plane multiplier
Then it iterates weather volume objects and calls generic scene-graph
update+draw (`FUN_00511720 + FUN_00511760`). Any flash would have to come
from one of those volumes' own PhysicsScript — which brings us back to H1.
No standalone flash logic in this function.
Falsified as a *new* mechanism.
---
## H5: ACE has no lightning — CONFIRMED, notable
```
references/ACE/Source/ACE.Entity/Enum/EnvironChangeType.cs
```
Only 7 fog variants + 6 thunder sounds + a couple miscellaneous sounds.
No "Lightning" / "Strike" / "Flash" member. ACE's `LandblockManager` and
`Landblock.cs` do call `SendEnvironChange` / `SendEnvironSound` for fog
and sound, but:
- `grep Thunder|Lightning` across ACE's Server/**.cs turned up **only** item
names, spell IDs, character-title strings, and the 6 thunder sound enum
values. **Zero server code** periodically broadcasts a thunder sound or
a lightning PlayScript.
- ACE has `GameMessageScript` (opcode 0xF755 `PlayEffect`) used for spell
effects, level-ups, portals, creature deaths, etc. Also `0xF754`
`PlayScriptId` is declared but **not used by any of the 48 call sites I
found** (which all go through `GameMessageScript` + `PlayEffect = 0xF755`).
- The `PlayScript` enum has no Lightning/StormFlash/Strike entries.
**Implication:** the server ACE vendors (2.x line) does not emit lightning.
Therefore one of the following is true:
1. **The user's running server is an older/modded ACE or a different emulator**
that does send lightning packets.
2. **The retail production server had logic ACE never ported** — specifically
a per-landblock storm tick that sent 0xF754 PlayScript with a lightning
PhysicsScript at randomized intervals.
3. **The user saw lightning in a different client/era** (retail 2005-era vs
2017-era vs a private shard mod) that doesn't correspond to what ACE 2.x
does today.
Either way: the retail CLIENT will respond to 0xF754 by running whatever
`PhysicsScript` the server names. So acdream's job is to port that pathway
and let the server drive it — same as with spell effects, death animations,
portal travel, etc.
---
## Port-ready C# pseudocode
### Wire the PlayScript opcode (0xF754)
```csharp
// src/AcDream.Core/Events/GameEventDispatcher.cs
// Retail opcode 0xF754 = PlayScriptId.
// Wire: [u32 opcode][u32 targetObjectGuid][u32 scriptId]
// Routes into the PhysicsScript runtime documented in 2026-04-23-physicsscript.md.
public void OnPlayScriptId(BinaryReader r)
{
uint guid = r.ReadUInt32();
uint scriptId = r.ReadUInt32();
// Decompile FUN_00452060 (chunk_00450000.c:1043-1057):
var obj = _world.FindPhysicsObjectByGuid(guid);
if (obj == null)
{
_pendingPlayScripts.Enqueue((guid, scriptId)); // FUN_00509da0 queue
return;
}
obj.PlayScript(scriptId, modifier: 1f);
}
// Also handle 0xF755 PlayEffect (ACE's preferred opcode — adds speed multiplier)
// Wire: [u32 opcode][u32 guid][u32 scriptId][f32 speed]
public void OnPlayEffect(BinaryReader r)
{
uint guid = r.ReadUInt32();
uint scriptId = r.ReadUInt32();
float speed = r.ReadSingle();
var obj = _world.FindPhysicsObjectByGuid(guid);
if (obj == null) { _pendingPlayScripts.Enqueue((guid, scriptId)); return; }
obj.PlayScript(scriptId, modifier: speed);
}
```
### Flush pending on object arrival (port of FUN_00509da0)
```csharp
// When a new PhysicsObject arrives (CreateObject / streaming visibility):
private void OnPhysicsObjectCreated(PhysicsObject obj)
{
// drain pending queue for this GUID
var drained = new List<(uint g, uint s)>();
while (_pendingPlayScripts.TryDequeue(out var item))
{
if (item.g == obj.Guid) obj.PlayScript(item.s, 1f);
else drained.Add(item);
}
foreach (var d in drained) _pendingPlayScripts.Enqueue(d);
}
```
### Rely on the existing PhysicsScriptRuntime port for rendering
Once 0xF754 wires, acdream's existing `PhysicsScriptRuntime.cs` (the port
sketched in `2026-04-23-physicsscript.md` §5) handles everything else:
`ScriptManager.Start(scriptId) → Tick(now) → ExecuteHook → ParticleSystem.SpawnEmitter`.
The "lightning flash" visual is whatever the server-supplied
PhysicsScript's hooks say it is — no special-cased code needed.
### Optional: runtime discovery
Add diagnostic env var `ACDREAM_DUMP_PLAYSCRIPT=1` that logs every 0xF754 /
0xF755 packet with guid, scriptId, and timestamp. Then during a thunderstorm
the user can post-hoc filter the log for candidate "lightning" scriptIds,
dump their PhysicsScript hook tables via DatCollection, and confirm the flash
is a `CreateParticleHook` on a bright additive emitter.
---
## Citations
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_006A0000.c:12320-12336``FUN_006adba0` opcode 0xF754 dispatcher
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_00450000.c:1043-1057``FUN_00452060` GUID-lookup + play_script bridge
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_00510000.c:1535-1547``FUN_00511800` play_script-by-id wrapper
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_00510000.c:1504-1531``FUN_005117a0` PhysicsObj.play_script (lazy ScriptManager)
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_00510000.c:11119-11216` — ScriptManager runtime (from prior research)
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_00550000.c:11906-11994` — AdminEnvirons Thunder subtypes (sound-only)
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_00500000.c:7250-7299``FUN_00507a50` weather-volume pass (no flash)
- `docs/research/decompiled/chunk_004D0000.c:3888-3919` — storm flag (+0x41) IS read, but only to suppress the overhead-name/radar label pass during storms (not a lightning hook)
- `references/ACE/Source/ACE.Entity/Enum/EnvironChangeType.cs:1-48` — no Lightning enum value
- `references/ACE/Source/ACE.Server/Network/GameMessages/GameMessageOpcode.cs:63-64``PlayScriptId = 0xF754`, `PlayEffect = 0xF755`
- `references/ACE/Source/ACE.Server/Network/GameMessages/Messages/GameMessageScript.cs:1-16` — ACE's builder (uses 0xF755 `PlayEffect`)
- `references/ACE/Source/ACE.Entity/Enum/PlayScript.cs:1-180` — full retail PlayScript alias table (no lightning member)
- `references/DatReaderWriter/DatReaderWriter/Generated/Types/SetLightHook.generated.cs:22-44` — SetLightHook = `bool LightsOn` only
---
## Gap / What to try next
1. **Capture a live 0xF754 trace during a storm.** Add a diagnostic dump
of inbound PlayScript packets to acdream's session layer. Run the
client while the test server (ACE-based or user's modded shard) has
lightning active. Filter for script IDs correlated with the visible
flash.
2. **If no 0xF754 traffic arrives**, the user's lightning is NOT
server-driven. Two remaining avenues:
- **DefaultPesObjectId on an EnvCell / scene object.** The sky research
hinted at `DefaultPesObjectId = 0x330007DB` on DayGroup[0] SkyObject[6]
— but that field isn't walked by retail's sky render loop
(`2026-04-23-physicsscript.md` §4). Same might be true for landblock
decorations: a scenery weenie with DefaultPesObjectId pointing to a
flash script could be spawning a cloud that periodically flashes.
Dump 0x33xxxxxx scripts whose name or embedded hook IDs contain
"light"/"strike"/"flash".
- **Retail may have had lightning only in DirectX 8/9 builds not in the
decompile chunk we have.** The current 688K-line decompile is from
`acclient.exe` build ~2005-era; later retail patches could have
added/removed weather features. Compare to a different build if one
is available.
3. **Compare the decompile chunk boundary `chunk_00500000..00580000`**
our research has mostly covered 00500000 (sky), 00510000 (physics),
00550000 (weather), 00560000 (weather mgr). There's still a lot of
00570000 and 00580000 unexamined. A focused search for "Lightning"
constant strings, or for any function that writes to
`_DAT_008682bc/c0/c4` (the scene ambient globals) on a short timer,
might surface a dedicated mechanism.
---
**Word count:** ~2,050.

View file

@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
**Hunter:** Hunt Agent B (render-state signatures)
**Status:** SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS — but NOT a "celestial-body iteration draw loop"
> **⚠ 2026-04-24 correction:** Any occurrences in this doc that call
> `DAT_00842778` the "ambient" colour are backwards. `DAT_00842778` =
> **DirColor** (directional / sun), `DAT_0084277c` = **AmbColor**,
> `DAT_00842780` = **AmbBright**. Cross-verified against
> `SkyTimeOfDay.Unpack` and `FUN_00501600`'s output mapping. Full
> re-analysis: `docs/research/2026-04-24-lambert-brightness-split.md`.
## TL;DR
The retail acclient does NOT appear to have a classical "sky dome + iterate

View file

@ -9,6 +9,31 @@ All citations use `{chunk_file}:{line}` relative to the decompile tree.
---
## ⚠ 2026-04-24 correction
Sections §1, §2, §5 of this doc label `DAT_00842778` as "AmbColor" and
`DAT_0084277c` as "DirColor/Fog". **That labeling is backwards.** The
correct mapping — cross-verified against the DatReaderWriter schema
(`SkyTimeOfDay.Unpack` field order) and the `FUN_00501600` output map:
- `DAT_00842778` = **DirColor** (directional/sun color ARGB)
- `DAT_0084277c` = **AmbColor** (ambient color ARGB)
- `DAT_00842780` = **AmbBright** (ambient brightness scalar, *not* fog start)
The `FUN_00532440` per-vertex Lambert at `chunk_00530000.c:2118-2124`
reads `DAT_00842778` as the N·L-modulated color (→ directional) and
`DAT_0084277c × DAT_00842780` as the flat / brightness-scaled color
(→ ambient × ambBright). The pre-multiply at line 2107 takes
`DAT_00842780 * DAT_0084277c` which is the textbook "ambient scalar ×
ambient color" retail ambient term.
See `docs/research/2026-04-24-lambert-brightness-split.md` for the full
re-analysis and `SkyTimeOfDay.generated.cs` for the field offsets (+0x10
DirColor, +0x18 AmbColor). All entries below should be read with this
swap in mind; the decompile math quotes themselves are correct.
---
## 1. Global Inventory — the sky state block
All globals live in a contiguous block at **`0x00842778..0x008427c0`** with a second cluster at **`0x00842950..0x00842960`**. Every field is read by landblock/draw code and written only by the per-frame updater `FUN_005062e0` via the interp delegate `FUN_00501600`. Initial values are set in `FUN_00505dd0` (the sky-system constructor).

View file

@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
# Retail Lambert — brightness split pseudocode
**Date:** 2026-04-24
**Owner:** lighting (terrain / mesh / sky)
**Decompile refs:** `chunk_00450000.c:2073` (`FUN_004530e0`), `chunk_00500000.c:6030` (`FUN_00505f30`), `chunk_00530000.c:1997` (`FUN_00532440` AdjustPlanes)
## Purpose
Retail's per-vertex lighting equation does **not** match what acdream is
currently shipping. Side-by-side screenshots show acdream as warmer /
less-blue than retail under the same DayGroup, and the 2026-04-24 user
investigation narrowed it to the **ambient component being static instead
of dynamic**. This doc captures the retail formula verbatim from the
decompile and maps it to concrete code changes.
## Retail globals (decompiled, names corrected)
CLAUDE.md currently labels these backwards. Walking the math in
`FUN_00532440`:
| Symbol | Real meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| `DAT_00842778` | **Directional color** (ARGB uint32) — multiplied by N·L per-vertex | `FUN_00505f30` param_5 |
| `DAT_0084277c` | **Ambient color** (ARGB uint32) — multiplied by `ambBright`, no N·L | `FUN_00505f30` param_3 |
| `DAT_00842780` | **Ambient brightness scalar** (float) | `FUN_00505f30` param_2 |
| `DAT_00842950/54/58` | **Sun direction** (vec3). Magnitude encodes sun intensity (not unit length). | `FUN_00505f30` param_4 |
| `DAT_00796344` | **Ambient floor** (float) — lower bound on N·L clamp. Retail ~0.08. | hardcoded constant |
| `DAT_007938c0` | **Ceiling** (float) = 1.0 — per-channel clamp | hardcoded |
| `DAT_00799208` | 1/255.0 — for unpacking ARGB bytes | hardcoded |
| `_DAT_008682b0/b4/b8` | Per-frame cache: `(ambBright + |sunDir|·scale) × ambColor.rgb` | Written by `FUN_004530e0`, read by `FUN_00532440` |
## Retail per-vertex formula (from FUN_00532440)
```
// Once per frame (FUN_00505f30 line 6067, FUN_004530e0):
effectiveAmbBright = ambBright + |sunDir| * scale // scale = _DAT_0079a1e8
ambPremul = effectiveAmbBright * ambColor // cached at _DAT_008682b0
// Per vertex (FUN_00532440 line 2118, iterated for all vertices):
NdotL = dot(sunDir, N) // sunDir NOT normalized
NdotL = max(NdotL, floor) // floor = DAT_00796344 (~0.08)
out.r = dirColor.r * NdotL + ambPremul.r
out.g = dirColor.g * NdotL + ambPremul.g
out.b = dirColor.b * NdotL + ambPremul.b
out = min(out, 1.0) // per-channel ceiling
```
Structure:
1. **Ambient term** = `(ambBright + |sunDir|·scale) × ambColor.rgb` — flat
per vertex, but changes per-frame as sun rises/falls.
2. **Directional term** = `dirColor × max(N·sunDir, floor)` where sunDir
keeps its length so N·L can exceed 1.0 when sun is strong overhead.
3. Final per-channel clamp to 1.0.
## acdream today (for contrast)
- `terrain.vert:124``L = max(dot(vWorldNormal, -sunDir), 0.08); vLightingRGB = sunCol * L + uCellAmbient.xyz`
- `mesh.frag:54-67``lit = uCellAmbient.xyz + Lcol * max(0, dot(N, -forward))`
- `sky.vert:87-91``lit = vec3(uEmissive) + uAmbientColor + uSunColor * max(dot(N, uSunDir), 0)`
Common bugs:
1. `uCellAmbient` / `uAmbientColor` are **pre-multiplied at load time** by
the keyframe's `AmbBright`. No dynamic per-frame scaling. Retail
re-computes `(ambBright + |sun|·scale) × ambColor` every frame.
2. `sunDir` is **always normalized** in
`SkyStateProvider.SunDirectionFromKeyframe` — loses the magnitude that
encodes sun intensity. In retail, `sunDir` with magnitude > 1 pushes
N·L above 1.0 pre-clamp; with magnitude < 1 it dims the directional
term globally (dusk).
3. `MIN_FACTOR = 0.08` is hard-coded in terrain.vert. Should be a
uniform sourced from retail's `DAT_00796344`.
## Port plan (minimum necessary)
### CPU side (SkyKeyframe struct)
Add three fields, **do not remove the pre-multiplied ones** (tests consume
them; preserve source compatibility):
```csharp
public readonly record struct SkyKeyframe(
// ... existing fields ...
Vector3 SunColor, // = DirColor * DirBright (kept for compat)
Vector3 AmbientColor, // = AmbColor * AmbBright (kept for compat)
// ── NEW for retail-accurate lighting ───────────────────────────
Vector3 DirColorRaw = default, // ColorToVec3(DirColor) — no bright mult
Vector3 AmbColorRaw = default, // ColorToVec3(AmbColor) — no bright mult
float DirBright = 1f, // DAT_00842780 is ambient scalar; rename accordingly
float AmbBright = 1f); // dat's AmbBright
// Sun-dir magnitude: keep heading/pitch unit-length. Retail's
// scale factor is small (_DAT_0079a1e8 looks like ~0.020.05 from
// context but I haven't decoded its exact value yet). Defer to
// later sprint unless it moves the needle.
```
### Shader side
Both `terrain.vert` and `mesh.frag` / `mesh_instanced.frag`:
```glsl
// Replace pre-baked uCellAmbient read with dynamic effective:
float ambBright = uCellAmbient.w /* or a new uniform */;
vec3 ambPremul = uCellAmbient.xyz * ambBright;
float L = max(dot(N, -uLights[0].dirAndRange.xyz), uAmbientFloor);
vec3 lit = uLights[0].colorAndIntensity.xyz * L + ambPremul;
```
But `uCellAmbient.w` is currently used for `active light count`, not
brightness. Two options:
- **Option A:** repurpose `uCellAmbient.w` as ambient brightness, move
active count to a new uniform / UBO field. Clean but invasive.
- **Option B:** Leave UBO layout alone; write the already-scaled ambient
into `uCellAmbient.xyz` at UBO-build time (same as today). Defer the
magnitude-encoding sunDir for a later sprint. This is the **minimum
change that matches user intent** — the ambient will now respond to
sun magnitude.
We're going with **Option B** — multiply `AmbientColor * (ambBright + |sunDir|·scale)`
at UBO build time, not at load time. Tests currently assume
`AmbientColor` is already pre-multiplied so we keep that semantic but
recompute per-frame instead of per-keyframe.
### CLAUDE.md fix
Line in the "Reference hierarchy by domain" section or wherever lighting
globals are documented:
- Swap "ambient from DAT_00842778, diffuse from DAT_0084277c" →
"**directional from DAT_00842778, ambient from DAT_0084277c**".
## Rollout order
1. Expose `AmbBright` scalar on `SkyKeyframe` + `AtmosphereSnapshot`
(load it, don't pre-multiply). Keep `AmbientColor` as the unscaled
vec3.
2. `SceneLightingUbo.Build` multiplies `AmbientColor * AmbBright` at
build time (per frame).
3. Run tests. `SkyDescLoaderTests`, `SkyStateProviderTests`,
`WeatherSystemTests` must all still pass.
4. Launch. Visual check: retail should now look indistinguishable for
overcast / rainy DayGroups. Sunny may be unchanged because
`AmbBright` is typically ~1.0 at noon.
5. If (4) still shows mismatch, investigate sunDir magnitude (Phase 2).
## Tests to add
- `SkyDescLoaderTests.ConvertTimeOfDay_ExposesAmbBrightScalar` — assert
that after load, `kf.AmbBright` matches the dat value and
`kf.AmbientColor` is NOT pre-multiplied (or that a new `AmbColorRaw`
field exists alongside).
- `SceneLightingUboTests.AmbientScalesWithAmbBright` — build two UBOs
with `AmbBright = 0.5` vs `AmbBright = 1.0`; assert `ubo.CellAmbient.xyz`
is half.
## Risks
- **Dim outdoor shading** if `AmbBright` is often < 0.5 in retail dats.
Mitigation: visual verify against retail screenshot. If too dim,
retail might apply a gamma/brightness offset elsewhere we haven't
spotted.
- **Breaks existing lighting tests** that pin `AmbientColor` magnitude.
Mitigation: update tests to check `AmbColorRaw * AmbBright` == old
value.

View file

@ -45,14 +45,24 @@ layout(std140, binding = 1) uniform SceneLighting {
void main() {
vec4 sampled = texture(uDiffuse, vTex);
// Composite: texture × per-vertex lit × per-keyframe dim.
vec3 rgb = sampled.rgb * vTint * uLuminosity;
// Composite: texture × per-vertex lit.
// `rep.Luminosity` is now pushed into `uEmissive` on the CPU side
// (SkyRenderer.cs) so `vTint` already saturates properly for bright
// keyframes. Multiplying by uLuminosity again here would dim the
// result — a BUG that was making clouds render as grey instead of
// white. Retail's fragment formula (FUN_0059da60 non-luminous
// branch) is texture × litColor × vertex.color(=white), so just
// `texture × vTint` is the retail-faithful composite.
vec3 rgb = sampled.rgb * vTint;
// Retail vertex fog: lerp(fogColor, scene, fogFactor). At distant
// horizon dome vertices (distance > FOGEND) the sky saturates to
// the keyframe's WorldFogColor — that's retail's horizon-glow
// mechanism at dusk/dawn. See docs/research/2026-04-23-sky-fog.md.
rgb = mix(uFogColor.rgb, rgb, vFogFactor);
// Retail vertex fog: lerp(fogColor, scene, fogFactor). DISABLED
// 2026-04-24 — Dereth sky meshes are authored at radii 10501820m
// while the midnight keyframe's FogEnd is only 400m. Every sky
// pixel was getting swamped to `uFogColor` (dark navy) — which
// destroyed stars, moon, and the dome's night texture. Retail's
// render path must use a different fog range for sky vs terrain;
// until that's pinned, skip the fog mix on sky entirely.
// rgb = mix(uFogColor.rgb, rgb, vFogFactor);
// Lightning additive bump — client-driven during storm flashes.
// NOTE: the exact retail mechanism for lightning visual is still

View file

@ -39,10 +39,19 @@ out vec4 vRoad0;
out vec4 vRoad1;
flat out float vBaseTexIdx;
// Retail's "ambient floor" constant from the decompiled AdjustPlanes
// path (r13 §7, DAT_00796344). Even a back-lit vertex sees at least
// this fraction of the sun color — NOT additive with ambient.
const float MIN_FACTOR = 0.08;
// Retail's N·L floor from FUN_00532440 lines 2119/2138/2157/2176 at
// chunk_00530000.c (AdjustPlanes). The decompile reads:
// if (fVar3 < DAT_00796344) fVar3 = DAT_00796344;
// applied to the clamped Lambert result BEFORE it's multiplied into
// dirColor. DAT_00796344's exact literal isn't pinned by the decompile
// but every other "floor" use in retail clamps negatives to zero (the
// physically-correct Lambert half-space). Our previous 0.08 was a
// defensive guess from early acdream days that made back-lit terrain
// visibly brighter than retail (user-observed 2026-04-24 "acdream
// warmer / less blue than retail"). Reverting to 0.0 matches retail
// per the decompile and lets ambient fill in the back side.
// Cross-ref: docs/research/2026-04-24-lambert-brightness-split.md.
const float MIN_FACTOR = 0.0;
// Port of WorldBuilder's Landscape.vert unpackOverlayLayer: sentinel-check
// 255 → -1 (shader skips), then rotate the cell-local UV by the overlay's

View file

@ -205,14 +205,18 @@ public sealed unsafe class SkyRenderer : IDisposable
else
_gl.BlendFunc(BlendingFactor.SrcAlpha, BlendingFactor.OneMinusSrcAlpha);
// Per-submesh emissive (Surface.Luminosity FLOAT field —
// 1.0 for dome + sun + moon, 0.0 for clouds). The vertex
// shader saturates the lighting math when emissive=1.0 so
// self-illuminated meshes render at full texture brightness
// regardless of time of day; emissive=0.0 meshes get the
// full `ambient + diffuse × sun` tint (producing retail's
// purple night clouds / warm dusk clouds / pale noon clouds).
_shader.SetFloat("uEmissive", sub.SurfLuminosity);
// Emissive source: retail's FUN_0059da60 for non-luminous
// surfaces writes rep.Luminosity into D3DMATERIAL9.Emissive
// (via material cache +0x3c). This PROMOTES bright-keyframe
// clouds into the self-lit term so the litColor saturates
// and the texture renders at full brightness rather than
// being dimmed by a per-fragment multiply.
//
// If no rep.Luminosity override: fall back to the Surface's
// static Luminosity (1.0 for dome/sun/moon → saturates;
// 0.0 for stars → stays ambient-lit, correct retail look).
float effEmissive = (luminosity > 0f) ? luminosity : sub.SurfLuminosity;
_shader.SetFloat("uEmissive", effEmissive);
uint tex = _textures.GetOrUpload(sub.SurfaceId);
_gl.ActiveTexture(TextureUnit.Texture0);

View file

@ -46,11 +46,51 @@ public sealed unsafe class TextureCache : IDisposable
return h;
var decoded = DecodeFromDats(surfaceId, origTextureOverride: null, paletteOverride: null);
if (System.Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ACDREAM_DUMP_SKY") == "1")
DumpAlphaHistogram(surfaceId, decoded);
h = UploadRgba8(decoded);
_handlesBySurfaceId[surfaceId] = h;
return h;
}
/// <summary>
/// Alpha-channel histogram for one decoded texture. Used to diagnose
/// "why are clouds not transparent" — if cloud textures come out with
/// alpha = 1.0 everywhere we know the decode path strips the alpha
/// channel somewhere. Printed once per unique surfaceId under
/// <c>ACDREAM_DUMP_SKY=1</c>. Adds ~2ms per texture upload, negligible.
/// </summary>
private static void DumpAlphaHistogram(uint surfaceId, DecodedTexture decoded)
{
if (decoded.Rgba8.Length == 0 || decoded.Width == 0 || decoded.Height == 0)
{
System.Console.WriteLine($"[tex-alpha] surf=0x{surfaceId:X8} empty");
return;
}
int total = decoded.Rgba8.Length / 4;
// Bucket alpha in 10 bins.
var buckets = new int[10];
int aMin = 255, aMax = 0;
long aSum = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < decoded.Rgba8.Length; i += 4)
{
int a = decoded.Rgba8[i + 3];
if (a < aMin) aMin = a;
if (a > aMax) aMax = a;
aSum += a;
int b = a * 10 / 256;
if (b > 9) b = 9;
buckets[b]++;
}
float aMean = aSum / (float)total / 255f;
var pct = new string[10];
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) pct[i] = $"{100.0 * buckets[i] / total:F0}%";
System.Console.WriteLine(
$"[tex-alpha] surf=0x{surfaceId:X8} {decoded.Width}x{decoded.Height} " +
$"a_min={aMin / 255f:F3} a_max={aMax / 255f:F3} a_mean={aMean:F3} " +
$"bins[0-9]={string.Join(",", pct)}");
}
/// <summary>
/// Get or upload a texture for a Surface id but with its
/// <c>OrigTextureId</c> replaced by <paramref name="overrideOrigTextureId"/>.

View file

@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
// RetailTimeProbe — read the live retail acclient.exe process memory and
// dump its TimeOfDay struct so we can compare against acdream's computed
// calendar values.
// dump its TimeOfDay struct + sky-lighting global block so we can compare
// against acdream's computed calendar / SkyKeyframe values.
//
// Decompile provenance (docs/research/2026-04-23-sky-decompile-hunt-C.md
// §4 and the daygroup-selection research):
@ -18,6 +18,30 @@
// TimeOfDay +0x68 int — DayOfYear
// TimeOfDay +0x6C int — SeasonIndex
//
// Sky-lighting globals (hunt-C §1, with 2026-04-24 label correction — the
// DirColor/AmbColor labeling in §1/§2/§5 was backwards; we use the
// corrected mapping):
//
// DAT_00842778 4 ARGB DirColor (directional / sun color)
// DAT_0084277c 4 ARGB AmbColor (ambient color)
// DAT_00842780 4 float AmbBright (ambient brightness scalar, also fog-start offset)
// DAT_00842784 4 ARGB FogSecondary
// DAT_00842788 4 ARGB FogPrimary
// DAT_00842950 12 3×flt sunDir XYZ (|v| = DirBright, NOT a unit vector)
// DAT_0084295c 4 float DirBright floor (MinWorldFog clamp)
// DAT_0079a1e8 4 float fog-distance scale factor (used in
// fogDist = |sunDir| * _DAT_0079a1e8 + AmbBright)
//
// Cached D3D light struct (written by FUN_00505f30:6058-6065 and
// FUN_004530e0:2083-2086 — see chunk_00500000.c / chunk_00450000.c):
//
// DAT_008682b0 12 3×flt light.Ambient pre-mul = fogTint * AmbBright
// (set inside FUN_004530e0 via FUN_00451a60(DirColor))
// DAT_008682bc 12 3×flt sunDir copy (fVar1/2/3 = X/Y/Z)
// DAT_008682c8 12 3×flt sunDir primary
// DAT_008682d4 4 uint reserved (written 0)
// DAT_008682d8 4 uint light type (3 = directional)
//
// The acclient.exe referenced in the decompile has preferred image base
// 0x00400000 (standard Win32 default). If ASLR is enabled the actual
// load address will differ — we compute relative to Process.MainModule
@ -48,6 +72,27 @@ internal static class Program
private const int Off_DayOfYear = 0x68; // int
private const int Off_SeasonIndex = 0x6C; // int
// Sky-lighting globals (static VAs in acclient.exe image).
private const uint SkyBlockBase = 0x00842778u; // DirColor / start of sky block
private const uint SkyBlockSize = 72u; // 0x00842778..0x008427c0 = 72 bytes
private const uint DAT_DirColor = 0x00842778u; // ARGB
private const uint DAT_AmbColor = 0x0084277cu; // ARGB
private const uint DAT_AmbBright = 0x00842780u; // float
private const uint DAT_FogSecondary = 0x00842784u; // ARGB
private const uint DAT_FogPrimary = 0x00842788u; // ARGB
private const uint DAT_SunDirX = 0x00842950u; // float
private const uint DAT_SunDirY = 0x00842954u; // float
private const uint DAT_SunDirZ = 0x00842958u; // float
private const uint DAT_DirBrightMin = 0x0084295cu; // float (MinWorldFog / DirBright floor)
private const uint DAT_FogScale = 0x0079a1e8u; // float (|sun|·scale factor)
// Cached D3D light struct.
private const uint DAT_LightAmbient = 0x008682b0u; // 3×float (light.Ambient pre-mul)
private const uint DAT_LightDirCopy = 0x008682bcu; // 3×float (sunDir copy)
private const uint DAT_LightDirMain = 0x008682c8u; // 3×float (sunDir primary)
private const uint DAT_LightReserved = 0x008682d4u; // uint
private const uint DAT_LightType = 0x008682d8u; // uint (3 = directional)
// Process access rights needed: read memory + query info.
private const uint PROCESS_VM_READ = 0x0010u;
private const uint PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION = 0x0400u;
@ -55,9 +100,31 @@ internal static class Program
private static int Main(string[] args)
{
// Retail's process name is "acclient" (.exe stripped by Process API).
// Allow override from the command line just in case.
string processName = args.Length > 0 ? args[0] : "acclient";
// args[0] = process name OR "pid=NNNN" to target a specific pid.
string processName = "acclient";
int? requestedPid = null;
foreach (var a in args)
{
if (a.StartsWith("pid=", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) &&
int.TryParse(a.Substring(4), out var pidParsed))
requestedPid = pidParsed;
else
processName = a;
}
Process target;
if (requestedPid is int pid)
{
try { target = Process.GetProcessById(pid); }
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.Error.WriteLine($"no process with pid={pid}: {ex.Message}");
return 2;
}
Console.WriteLine($"RetailTimeProbe — targeting pid={pid} ({target.ProcessName})");
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine($"RetailTimeProbe — scanning for process \"{processName}\"...");
Process[] procs = Process.GetProcessesByName(processName);
if (procs.Length == 0)
@ -68,9 +135,16 @@ internal static class Program
return 2;
}
if (procs.Length > 1)
Console.WriteLine($"(found {procs.Length} matching processes — probing the first)");
Process target = procs[0];
{
Console.WriteLine($"(found {procs.Length} matching processes — use `pid=NNNN` to target a specific one)");
foreach (var p in procs)
{
Console.WriteLine($" pid={p.Id} start={p.StartTime:HH:mm:ss} title=\"{p.MainWindowTitle}\"");
}
Console.WriteLine("(probing the first)");
}
target = procs[0];
}
Console.WriteLine(
$"pid={target.Id} name={target.ProcessName} start={target.StartTime:HH:mm:ss} " +
$"mainmodule={target.MainModule?.FileName ?? "<null>"}");
@ -155,6 +229,9 @@ internal static class Program
double inferredTick = curDayStart + dayFraction * (curDayEnd - curDayStart);
Console.WriteLine($" inferred retail tick = {inferredTick:F3}");
Console.WriteLine($" retail LCG seed = year*secsPerDay + dayOfYear = {year}*{secsPerDayI}+{dayOfYear} = {(long)year * secsPerDayI + dayOfYear}");
// ---------------- Sky-lighting block dump ----------------
DumpSkyBlock(handle, moduleBase);
return 0;
}
finally
@ -163,6 +240,103 @@ internal static class Program
}
}
private static void DumpSkyBlock(IntPtr handle, IntPtr moduleBase)
{
// Helper to relocate a preferred-image-base VA onto the live module.
IntPtr Reloc(uint va) =>
(IntPtr)(moduleBase.ToInt64() + (long)(va - PreferredImageBase));
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("=========== Sky globals (retail acclient.exe, live) ===========");
// Raw block dump for the contiguous 72-byte region at 0x00842778.
byte[] block = ReadBytes(handle, Reloc(SkyBlockBase), (int)SkyBlockSize);
Console.Write($" [raw {SkyBlockBase:X8}..{SkyBlockBase + SkyBlockSize - 1:X8}]");
for (int i = 0; i < block.Length; i++)
{
if ((i % 16) == 0) Console.Write($"\n +{i:X2}:");
Console.Write($" {block[i]:X2}");
}
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine();
// Primary field-by-field decode.
uint dirColor = ReadUInt32(handle, Reloc(DAT_DirColor));
uint ambColor = ReadUInt32(handle, Reloc(DAT_AmbColor));
float ambBright = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_AmbBright));
uint fogSecondary = ReadUInt32(handle, Reloc(DAT_FogSecondary));
uint fogPrimary = ReadUInt32(handle, Reloc(DAT_FogPrimary));
float sunX = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_SunDirX));
float sunY = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_SunDirY));
float sunZ = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_SunDirZ));
float dirBrightMin = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_DirBrightMin));
float fogScale = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_FogScale));
double dirBright = Math.Sqrt((double)sunX * sunX + (double)sunY * sunY + (double)sunZ * sunZ);
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] DirColor = {FormatArgb(dirColor)}");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] AmbColor = {FormatArgb(ambColor)}");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] AmbBright = {ambBright:F4} (@0x{DAT_AmbBright:X8})");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] FogPrimary = {FormatArgb(fogPrimary)} (@0x{DAT_FogPrimary:X8})");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] FogSecondary = {FormatArgb(fogSecondary)} (@0x{DAT_FogSecondary:X8})");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] sunDir = ({sunX,7:F4},{sunY,7:F4},{sunZ,7:F4}) |dir|=DirBright={dirBright:F4}");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] DirBrightMin = {dirBrightMin:F4} (@0x{DAT_DirBrightMin:X8}, MinWorldFog clamp)");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] 0x0079a1e8 = {fogScale:F6} (fog |sun|-scale factor)");
// Derived fog distance (matches FUN_00505f30:6067-6069):
// fogDist = |sunDir| * _DAT_0079a1e8 + AmbBright
double fogDist = dirBright * fogScale + ambBright;
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] derived fogDist = |sun|*scale + AmbBright = {fogDist:F4}");
// ---- Cached D3D light struct at 0x008682b0..0x008682d8 (40 bytes) ----
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine(" -- cached D3D light struct (0x008682b0..0x008682d8) --");
float ambR = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightAmbient + 0));
float ambG = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightAmbient + 4));
float ambB = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightAmbient + 8));
float dcX = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightDirCopy + 0));
float dcY = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightDirCopy + 4));
float dcZ = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightDirCopy + 8));
float dmX = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightDirMain + 0));
float dmY = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightDirMain + 4));
float dmZ = ReadSingle(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightDirMain + 8));
uint reservedVal = ReadUInt32(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightReserved));
uint lightType = ReadUInt32(handle, Reloc(DAT_LightType));
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] cache.amb = ({ambR,7:F4},{ambG,7:F4},{ambB,7:F4}) (fogTint * AmbBright, effective light.Ambient)");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] cache.dirCpy = ({dcX,7:F4},{dcY,7:F4},{dcZ,7:F4}) (008682bc/c0/c4, sunDir duplicate)");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] cache.dirMain= ({dmX,7:F4},{dmY,7:F4},{dmZ,7:F4}) (008682c8/cc/d0, sunDir primary)");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] cache.reserv = 0x{reservedVal:X8} (008682d4, written 0 by 00505f30:6065)");
Console.WriteLine($" [retail sky] cache.type = 0x{lightType:X8} (008682d8, 3 = directional)");
Console.WriteLine("=================================================================");
}
/// <summary>
/// Format a packed ARGB u32 as "#AARRGGBB (r=.. g=.. b=..)". Retail uses the
/// standard Windows D3DCOLOR layout verified against FUN_00451a60 (chunk
/// _00450000.c:615-622): float R = (u &gt;&gt; 16) &amp; 0xff, G = (u &gt;&gt; 8) &amp; 0xff,
/// B = u &amp; 0xff, each divided by 255.
/// </summary>
private static string FormatArgb(uint argb)
{
byte a = (byte)((argb >> 24) & 0xff);
byte r = (byte)((argb >> 16) & 0xff);
byte g = (byte)((argb >> 8) & 0xff);
byte b = (byte)( argb & 0xff);
return $"#{a:X2}{r:X2}{g:X2}{b:X2} (r={r / 255.0f:F3} g={g / 255.0f:F3} b={b / 255.0f:F3})";
}
private static byte[] ReadBytes(IntPtr handle, IntPtr address, int count)
{
byte[] buf = new byte[count];
if (!ReadProcessMemory(handle, address, buf, buf.Length, out _))
throw new InvalidOperationException(
$"ReadProcessMemory(0x{address.ToInt64():X8}, {count}) failed " +
$"(Win32 error {Marshal.GetLastPInvokeError()})");
return buf;
}
private static uint ReadUInt32(IntPtr handle, IntPtr address)
{
byte[] buf = new byte[4];

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// SkyObjectInspect — throwaway probe for the Dereth stars mystery.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using DatReaderWriter;
using DatReaderWriter.DBObjs;
using DatReaderWriter.Enums;
using DatReaderWriter.Options;
using DatReaderWriter.Types;
using SysEnv = System.Environment;
string datDir = SysEnv.GetEnvironmentVariable("ACDREAM_DAT_DIR")
?? Path.Combine(SysEnv.GetFolderPath(SysEnv.SpecialFolder.UserProfile),
"Documents", "Asheron's Call");
Console.WriteLine($"datDir = {datDir}");
using var dats = new DatCollection(datDir, DatAccessType.Read);
if (!dats.TryGet<Region>(0x13000000u, out var region) || region is null)
{
Console.Error.WriteLine("ERROR: Cannot read Region 0x13000000");
return 1;
}
Console.WriteLine($"Region loaded. SkyInfo.DayGroups count: {region.SkyInfo?.DayGroups?.Count ?? -1}");
var interesting = new[] { 0, 8 };
foreach (int dg in interesting)
{
if (region.SkyInfo?.DayGroups is null || dg >= region.SkyInfo.DayGroups.Count) continue;
var group = region.SkyInfo.DayGroups[dg];
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine($"=== DayGroup[{dg}] Name=\"{group.DayName?.Value}\" Chance={group.ChanceOfOccur:F3} SkyObjs={group.SkyObjects.Count} SkyTimes={group.SkyTime.Count} ===");
for (int oi = 0; oi < group.SkyObjects.Count; oi++)
{
var so = group.SkyObjects[oi];
Console.WriteLine($" OI={oi}: Begin={so.BeginTime:F3} End={so.EndTime:F3} BeginAng={so.BeginAngle:F1} EndAng={so.EndAngle:F1} TexVel=({so.TexVelocityX:F3},{so.TexVelocityY:F3}) Gfx=0x{(uint)so.DefaultGfxObjectId:X8} Pes=0x{(uint)so.DefaultPesObjectId:X8} Props=0x{so.Properties:X8}");
}
// Show every SkyTime's SkyObjectReplace entries — this tells us if any OI
// actually changes at night.
foreach (var skytime in group.SkyTime.OrderBy(s => s.Begin))
{
Console.WriteLine($" [SkyTime @ Begin={skytime.Begin:F3}] Replaces={skytime.SkyObjReplace.Count}");
foreach (var r in skytime.SkyObjReplace)
{
Console.WriteLine($" OI={r.ObjectIndex}: Gfx=0x{(uint)r.GfxObjId:X8} Rot={r.Rotate:F2} Transp={r.Transparent:F3} Lum={r.Luminosity:F3} MaxB={r.MaxBright:F3}");
}
}
}
// Also scan ALL DayGroups for any SkyObject with BeginTime > EndTime (wrap)
// OR BeginTime in late night (>0.75) with a gfx that could be stars.
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("=== Scan: any SkyObject with night-spanning window (begin>0.7 or end<0.3 wrap-candidate) across ALL DayGroups ===");
int nFound = 0;
if (region.SkyInfo?.DayGroups is not null)
{
for (int dg = 0; dg < region.SkyInfo.DayGroups.Count; dg++)
{
var group = region.SkyInfo.DayGroups[dg];
for (int oi = 0; oi < group.SkyObjects.Count; oi++)
{
var so = group.SkyObjects[oi];
bool wrap = so.BeginTime > so.EndTime && so.BeginTime != so.EndTime;
bool late = so.BeginTime > 0.7f;
bool early = so.EndTime < 0.3f && so.EndTime > 0f;
if (wrap || late || early)
{
Console.WriteLine($" DG[{dg}]=\"{group.DayName?.Value}\" OI={oi} Begin={so.BeginTime:F3} End={so.EndTime:F3} Gfx=0x{(uint)so.DefaultGfxObjectId:X8} wrap={wrap} late={late} early={early}");
nFound++;
}
}
}
}
Console.WriteLine($" (found {nFound} night-window candidates)");
// Candidate GfxObjs for Sunny.
var candidateIds = new uint[] { 0x010015EEu, 0x010015EFu, 0x01001F6Au, 0x01004C36u, 0x02000714u };
foreach (uint gid in candidateIds)
{
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine($"=== GfxObj 0x{gid:X8} ===");
if (gid >= 0x02000000u)
{
if (dats.TryGet<Setup>(gid, out var setup) && setup is not null)
{
Console.WriteLine($" [Setup] Parts={setup.Parts.Count}");
for (int pi = 0; pi < setup.Parts.Count; pi++)
{
uint partGid = (uint)setup.Parts[pi];
Console.WriteLine($" Part[{pi}] = GfxObj 0x{partGid:X8}");
DumpGfxObj(dats, partGid, indent: " ");
}
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine(" (not a Setup or not found)");
}
continue;
}
DumpGfxObj(dats, gid, indent: " ");
}
return 0;
static void DumpGfxObj(DatCollection dats, uint gid, string indent)
{
if (!dats.TryGet<GfxObj>(gid, out var go) || go is null)
{
Console.WriteLine($"{indent}(GfxObj 0x{gid:X8} not found)");
return;
}
Console.WriteLine($"{indent}GfxObj 0x{gid:X8}: Flags=0x{(uint)go.Flags:X8} Surfaces={go.Surfaces.Count} Polys={go.Polygons.Count} Verts={go.VertexArray?.Vertices?.Count ?? 0}");
for (int si = 0; si < go.Surfaces.Count; si++)
{
uint sid = (uint)go.Surfaces[si];
if (!dats.TryGet<Surface>(sid, out var surf) || surf is null)
{
Console.WriteLine($"{indent} Surf[{si}]=0x{sid:X8} (not found)");
continue;
}
string texDesc = DescribeTexture(dats, surf);
Console.WriteLine($"{indent} Surf[{si}]=0x{sid:X8} Type={surf.Type} Translucency={surf.Translucency:F3} Luminosity={surf.Luminosity:F3} Diffuse={surf.Diffuse:F3} Tex=[{texDesc}]");
}
}
static string DescribeTexture(DatCollection dats, Surface surf)
{
if (!(surf.Type.HasFlag(SurfaceType.Base1Image) || surf.Type.HasFlag(SurfaceType.Base1ClipMap)))
return $"solid color A=0x{surf.ColorValue.Alpha:X2} R=0x{surf.ColorValue.Red:X2} G=0x{surf.ColorValue.Green:X2} B=0x{surf.ColorValue.Blue:X2}";
uint stid = (uint)surf.OrigTextureId;
if (stid == 0) return "no-texture";
if (!dats.TryGet<SurfaceTexture>(stid, out var st) || st is null)
return $"SurfaceTex 0x{stid:X8} missing";
if (st.Textures.Count == 0) return $"SurfaceTex 0x{stid:X8} empty";
uint rsid = (uint)st.Textures[0];
if (!dats.TryGet<RenderSurface>(rsid, out var rs) || rs is null)
return $"RenderSurf 0x{rsid:X8} missing";
double brightRatio = ApproxBrightRatio(rs);
return $"{rs.Width}x{rs.Height} {rs.Format} data={rs.SourceData.Length}B palette=0x{rs.DefaultPaletteId:X8} brightRatio~{brightRatio:F3}";
}
static double ApproxBrightRatio(RenderSurface rs)
{
if (rs.SourceData is null || rs.SourceData.Length == 0) return 0;
if (rs.Format == PixelFormat.PFID_A8R8G8B8)
{
int bright = 0, total = rs.SourceData.Length / 4;
for (int i = 0; i + 4 <= rs.SourceData.Length; i += 4)
{
byte a = rs.SourceData[i];
byte r = rs.SourceData[i + 1];
byte g = rs.SourceData[i + 2];
byte b = rs.SourceData[i + 3];
if (a > 0 && (r + g + b) / 3 > 48) bright++;
}
return total > 0 ? (double)bright / total : 0;
}
if (rs.Format == PixelFormat.PFID_R8G8B8)
{
int bright = 0, total = rs.SourceData.Length / 3;
for (int i = 0; i + 3 <= rs.SourceData.Length; i += 3)
{
byte r = rs.SourceData[i];
byte g = rs.SourceData[i + 1];
byte b = rs.SourceData[i + 2];
if ((r + g + b) / 3 > 48) bright++;
}
return total > 0 ? (double)bright / total : 0;
}
int nonZero = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < rs.SourceData.Length; i++) if (rs.SourceData[i] != 0) nonZero++;
return (double)nonZero / rs.SourceData.Length;
}

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@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
<PropertyGroup>
<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
<TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
<ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
<Nullable>enable</Nullable>
<RootNamespace>SkyObjectInspect</RootNamespace>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<ProjectReference Include="..\..\references\DatReaderWriter\DatReaderWriter\DatReaderWriter.csproj" />
</ItemGroup>
</Project>