Merge branch 'claude/quirky-jepsen-fd60f1' — N.2 dependency tracking

docs/ISSUES.md

@@ -46,6 +46,63 @@ Copy this block when adding a new issue:
 
 # Active issues
 
+## #51 — WB's terrain-split formula diverges from retail's `FSplitNESW`
+
+**Status:** OPEN
+**Severity:** MEDIUM (blocks isolated N.2; affects sequencing of N-phase migration)
+**Filed:** 2026-05-08
+**Component:** terrain math / Phase N (WorldBuilder rendering migration)
+
+**Description:** WB's `TerrainUtils.CalculateSplitDirection`
+([references/WorldBuilder/WorldBuilder.Shared/Modules/Landscape/Lib/TerrainUtils.cs:44](references/WorldBuilder/WorldBuilder.Shared/Modules/Landscape/Lib/TerrainUtils.cs:44))
+uses a different math expression from retail's `FSplitNESW`
+(documented in CLAUDE.md as **the** real AC terrain split formula,
+constants `0x0CCAC033` / `0x421BE3BD` / `0x6C1AC587` / `0x519B8F25`).
+Ours is a degree-2 polynomial in (x,y); WB's is linear in (x,y).
+They cannot be algebraically equivalent and disagree on a meaningful
+fraction of cells.
+
+**Concrete impact:** On any cell where the formulas pick different
+diagonals, the same world position (X, Y) maps to different terrain
+heights — up to ~2m for a sloped cell with one elevated corner. If a
+caller mixes "WB-formula path" and "AC2D-formula path" for the same
+cell, the player physics floats above or sinks below the visible
+ground. This is the bug class fixed in
+[src/AcDream.Core/Physics/TerrainSurface.cs:113-120](src/AcDream.Core/Physics/TerrainSurface.cs:113)
+(diagonal-direction inversion).
+
+**Files implicated:**
+- `src/AcDream.Core/Physics/TerrainSurface.cs` — uses AC2D formula via
+  `IsSplitSWtoNE`
+- `src/AcDream.Core/World/TerrainBlending.cs` — visual mesh, also AC2D
+- `references/WorldBuilder/WorldBuilder.Shared/Modules/Landscape/Lib/TerrainUtils.cs:44`
+  — WB's diverging formula
+- `references/WorldBuilder/Chorizite.OpenGLSDLBackend/Lib/TerrainGeometryGenerator.cs`
+  — WB's render mesh (presumably also uses WB's formula in lockstep)
+
+**Sequencing implication:** Phase N.2 (terrain math helpers
+substitution) cannot be shipped in isolation — it must land alongside
+N.5 (visual terrain renderer migration), at which point both physics
+and visual mesh switch to WB's formula together. Roadmap N.2 entry
+flags this dependency.
+
+**Research needed (when N.5 picks this up):**
+1. Quantify divergence: run WB's `CalculateSplitDirection` and our
+   `IsSplitSWtoNE` across all (lbX, lbY, cellX, cellY) tuples for a
+   representative landblock set; record disagreement rate.
+2. Confirm WB's `TerrainGeometryGenerator` uses WB's formula in its
+   render mesh — if so, switching everything to WB's formula keeps
+   visual + physics synced. (Highly likely.)
+3. Decide whether ANY retail-conformance test (e.g., physics matching
+   server-authoritative Z within tolerance) is invalidated by the
+   formula change.
+
+**Acceptance:** Resolved when N.5 lands and both physics + visual
+mesh use WB's split formula, OR when we decide to keep the AC2D
+formula and patch WB's renderer in our fork.
+
+---
+
 ## #50 — Road-edge tree at 0xA9B1 visible in acdream but not retail
 
 **Status:** OPEN

docs/plans/2026-04-11-roadmap.md

@@ -574,10 +574,23 @@ for our deletions/additions; merge upstream `master` periodically.
   formula was ~180° off from retail's actual `Frame::set_heading` atan2
   round-trip). One known cosmetic difference filed in ISSUES.md
   (road-edge tree at landblock 0xA9B1).
-- **N.2 — Terrain math helpers.** Refactor `TerrainSurface.SampleZ` /
+- **N.2 — Terrain math helpers.** ⚠️ **Blocked on N.5 — do not attempt
-  `SampleNormal` / `SampleSurface` to call WB's `TerrainUtils.GetHeight`
+  in isolation.** Originally scoped as a 1-2 day low-risk substitution
-  / `GetNormal` internally. ~1-2 days. Smallest remaining N phase, low
+  of `TerrainSurface.SampleZ` / `SampleSurface` / `SampleSurfacePolygon`
-  risk after N.1's conformance proof on GetNormal.
+  with WB's `TerrainUtils.GetHeight` / `GetNormal`. Audit during N.3
+  follow-up uncovered that **WB's `CalculateSplitDirection` uses a
+  different formula than retail's `FSplitNESW`** (the AC2D-cited
+  polynomial `0x0CCAC033` / `0x421BE3BD` / `0x6C1AC587` / `0x519B8F25`
+  that our visual terrain mesh and physics already share). The
+  formulas pick different cell-diagonals on disputed cells, producing
+  up to ~2m Z divergence at the same world position. Substituting
+  physics-side alone would un-sync physics from the still-ours visual
+  mesh — exactly the triangle-Z hover bug class. N.1's conformance
+  test proved WB's `GetNormal` is good enough for slope-filtering
+  (boolean walkable check) but NOT that WB's height formula matches
+  retail. Resolution: fold this work into **N.5** when the visual
+  mesh switches to WB's renderer in lockstep with physics. Until
+  then, leave `TerrainSurface` alone. See ISSUE #51.
 - **✓ SHIPPED — N.3 — Texture decoding.** Shipped 2026-05-08. `SurfaceDecoder`
   now delegates INDEX16 / P8 / A8R8G8B8 / R8G8B8 / A8 to WB's
   `TextureHelpers.Fill*`. The A8 divergence (our old code did R=G=B=A=val