docs(render): record Campaign AR Stage 2 closeout

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

@@ -2070,7 +2070,7 @@ Native macOS graphical support is not committed by this track. The current
 mandatory renderer requires modern OpenGL capabilities beyond Apple's native
 OpenGL ceiling; revisit macOS only if a supported graphics backend is chosen.
 
-**Future / unscheduled — Campaign AR:** the opt-in [Atmospheric Rendering / Shader Packs campaign](2026-08-21-atmospheric-rendering.md) makes moving authored sun-and-moon directional shadows from trees, monsters, players, and buildings its Tier-2 headline while preserving acdream's current retail-faithful renderer as the default and leaving physics, collision, gameplay, and network behavior unchanged; the project owner assigned Campaign AR on 2026-08-22 without displacing active M4 gameplay work. The [celestial source contract](../research/2026-08-22-dereth-celestial-shadow-sources.md) selects sun, dominant moon, then secondary moon by rendered direction while retaining AC's single authored directional-energy channel; sun rays and volumetrics remain sun-only. The previously referenced #268 + TS-8 package is complete and retired. Stage 1's automated correctness, performance, lifetime, locked-restore, Release, evidence, documentation, and project-owner live gates completed on 2026-08-22 after the opt-in exposure correction. Stage 2 connected, performance, lifetime, package-lifecycle, physical-hardware, and closeout evidence is active.
+**Future / unscheduled — Campaign AR:** the opt-in [Atmospheric Rendering / Shader Packs campaign](2026-08-21-atmospheric-rendering.md) makes moving authored sun-and-moon directional shadows from trees, monsters, players, and buildings its Tier-2 headline while preserving acdream's current retail-faithful renderer as the default and leaving physics, collision, gameplay, and network behavior unchanged; the project owner assigned Campaign AR on 2026-08-22 without displacing active M4 gameplay work. The [celestial source contract](../research/2026-08-22-dereth-celestial-shadow-sources.md) selects sun, dominant moon, then secondary moon by rendered direction while retaining AC's single authored directional-energy channel; sun rays and volumetrics remain sun-only. The previously referenced #268 + TS-8 package is complete and retired. Stage 1's automated correctness, performance, lifetime, locked-restore, Release, evidence, documentation, and project-owner live gates completed on 2026-08-22 after the opt-in exposure correction. The [Stage 2 connected and closeout gate](../research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage2-connected-gate.md) now closes every available machine-local ACE, dense A/B, long-lifetime, graphical-package, shader, Release, and complete-test row. A second-client remote-player row, unavailable physical GPU classes, and final project-owner pack-off/pack-on acceptance remain external gates; Campaign AR is not yet declared shipped.
 
 ---
 

docs/plans/2026-08-21-atmospheric-rendering.md

@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 # Campaign AR — Atmospheric Rendering / Shader Packs
 
 **Date:** 2026-08-21
-**Status:** STAGE 2 ACTIVE — the approved authored sun-and-moon shadow-source
+**Status:** MACHINE-LOCAL STAGE 2 COMPLETE — the authored sun-and-moon
-extension and every non-physical Stage 1 correctness, performance, lifetime,
+shadow-source extension, Stage 1 owner gate, connected ACE matrix, dense A/B,
-Release, evidence, and documentation gate are complete. After the live
+long lifetime, graphical package lifecycle, shader, locked-restore, Release,
-sun/moon, source-transition, temporal-stability, desktop-performance, and
+and complete-test gates pass. A second-client remote-player row, unavailable
-exposure correction round, the project owner accepted Stage 1 on 2026-08-22.
+physical GPU classes, and final project-owner pack-off/pack-on acceptance remain
-Stage 2 connected, lifetime, package-lifecycle, physical-hardware, and final
+external closeout gates; the campaign is not yet declared shipped.
-closeout evidence is now active.
 **Phase id:** **Campaign AR** — assigned by the project owner on 2026-08-22
 **Scheduling:** originally held for the post-M7 rendering-polish pass; the
 project owner explicitly authorized implementation on 2026-08-21. This
@@ -30,9 +29,10 @@ ceiling and shadow quality, completed authored sun/dominant-moon/secondary-moon
 source selection, and finished every automated gate that did not require the
 project owner's physical-display judgment. The owner accepted the subsequent
 live visual/performance round on 2026-08-22 after the default Atmospheric
-exposure was corrected from 1.0 to 0.80. Stage 2 is active and limited to the
+exposure was corrected from 1.0 to 0.80. The machine-local Stage 2 rows are now
-remaining connected, lifetime, package-lifecycle, physical-hardware, evidence,
+complete. Remaining closeout is limited to a second connected remote player,
-and final owner-acceptance rows; it does not add another renderer feature tier.
+unavailable physical-hardware rows, and final owner acceptance; it does not add
+another renderer feature tier.
 
 Stage 1's dense-scene regression is pinned by the connected failures already
 captured on 2026-08-22: Atmospheric fell back at 68,395, 67,581, and even
@@ -489,10 +489,13 @@ Stage 1 project-owner gate:
   2; it is not a substitute for Stage 2's connected scenario, long-lifetime,
   package lifecycle, additional physical-GPU, or final pack-off/pack-on rows.
 
-Stage 2 and closeout gates, now active:
+Stage 2 machine-local closeout result (2026-08-22):
 
-1. Execute the already-implemented connected graphical route and complete its
+The exact commands, commits, metrics, artifacts, and evidence limits are in the
-   remaining matrix: moving local/remote players, known monster encounters
+[Stage 2 connected and closeout report](../research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage2-connected-gate.md).
+
+1. **PASS, except the external second-client row.** The connected graphical
+   route covered moving local players, known monster encounters
    reported under the authoritative `NonPlayerCreatures` category, and equipped
    children; landblock publication/demotion; clear, overcast and rain;
    outdoor/interior/dungeon transitions; portal travel and reconnect. Capture
@@ -500,25 +503,26 @@ Stage 2 and closeout gates, now active:
    transitions and weather, and
    fresh-process renderer/context/device-recreation assertions against a real
    ACE session, proving exact resource convergence and no stale maps/owners.
-   The local recording/device-recreation semantics are closed; this connected
+   Remote-player diagnostics remained zero because only one account/client was
-   execution and its user-visible evidence are not.
+   available; a second connected client must close that evidence row.
-2. Repeat the now-current clean-source RX 9070 XT
+2. **EXTERNAL HARDWARE GATE.** Repeat the current clean-source RX 9070 XT
    pack-off/Low/Medium/High/Auto × 1080p/1440p/4K × capped/uncapped matrix on
    every other supported physical GPU class. The integrated-AMD Auto-to-retail
    artifact proves weak-adapter safe fallback only; it does not prove active Low
    or the complete matrix on that adapter. Automated weak-GPU fixtures, one
    fallback row, and one high-end reference adapter do not prove the remaining
    physical rows.
-3. Complete the visual matrix for Tier-1 neutral values and private-view/UI
+3. **FINAL OWNER GATE.** Complete the visual matrix for Tier-1 neutral values and private-view/UI
    isolation; rays at dawn/noon/dusk, behind-camera and occluded states;
    foliage cutouts; moving animated shadows under sun and moon; indoor gating;
    source-transition continuity; temporal pixelation/shimmer; bias/cascade seam
    review; sun-only volumetric weather/occluder behavior; and pack-off
    restoration.
-4. Exercise external install/select/update/remove/fail/recover flows in the
+4. **PASS.** External install/select/update/remove/fail/recover flows passed in
-   graphical host, then complete the long lifetime run. Automated SDK and
+   six fresh connected graphical processes. The nine-stop Medium lifetime route
-   lifecycle fixtures do not replace this connected evidence.
+   passed with graceful shutdown, as did the deterministic 12-cycle and
-5. Obtain explicit project-owner acceptance of the final pack-off and pack-on
+   fresh-device convergence fixtures.
+5. **FINAL OWNER GATE.** Obtain explicit project-owner acceptance of the final pack-off and pack-on
    visual/performance matrix before changing this document to shipped.
 
 ### Slice 0 — Contract, capability probe, and acdream-default no-op
@@ -601,7 +605,8 @@ creatures, other live dynamics, and equipped children without inventing tree
 or hostile-monster identity. Fixed-camera morning/afternoon artifacts are not
 moon evidence; the live-gate result and its exact boundary are recorded in the
 [Stage 1 live-gate report](../research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage1-live-gate.md).
-Stage 2 connected and closeout acceptance is active.
+The machine-local Stage 2 connected and closeout matrix passes. The external
+second-client, additional-GPU, and final owner rows above remain open.
 
 This is the campaign's headline slice. Add camera-relative cascades, opaque
 and alpha-cutout caster variants, animated SSBO transforms, shadow receivers,
@@ -678,9 +683,10 @@ the Tier-2+ budget.
 gate passed on 2026-08-22. The v1
 manifest schema, semantic binding table, compatibility/failure guide,
 validator, built-in pack, and three buildable external samples are present and
-automated. Connected graphical package lifecycle, long-run convergence, the
+automated. Connected graphical package lifecycle and long-run convergence pass.
-remaining physical GPU classes, and project-owner acceptance remain open; the
+The second-client remote-player row, remaining physical GPU classes, and final
-30-row RX 9070 XT reference matrix is complete.
+project-owner acceptance remain open; the 30-row RX 9070 XT reference matrix is
+complete.
 
 Publish the manifest/schema, semantic binding table, sample no-op pack,
 Atmospheric pack, compatibility diagnostics, authoring/validation tool, and
@@ -917,11 +923,12 @@ and adds the current renderer's ownership and lifecycle boundaries.
 
 ## Completion gate
 
-The design, Stage 1 implementation, automated validation, and project-owner
+The design, implementation, Stage 1 owner gate, and every available
-live gate are complete. Stage 2 and closeout are active. The campaign becomes
+machine-local Stage 2 connected, performance, lifetime, package, shader, build,
-**shipped** only after the subsequent
+and complete-test gate are complete. The campaign becomes **shipped** only
-connected, full physical-hardware, lifetime, and visual gates above pass and
+after the second-client remote-player row, remaining physical-hardware rows,
-the project owner accepts both sides of the final matrix:
+and final visual gates above pass and the project owner accepts both sides of
+the final matrix:
 
 - **pack off:** unchanged output, performance, ownership, and lifecycle from
   acdream's authoritative default retail-faithful renderer; and

docs/research/2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage2-connected-gate.md

@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+# Campaign AR Stage 2 connected and closeout gate
+
+**Date:** 2026-08-22  
+**Verdict:** PASS for every machine-local Stage 2 row; external hardware,
+second-client remote-player evidence, and final project-owner acceptance remain
+explicit gates
+
+## Scope and evidence boundary
+
+This report records the executable ACE-connected, dense-scene A/B, long-life,
+external-package, shader, build, and complete-test work that followed the
+[Stage 1 live approval](2026-08-22-atmospheric-stage1-live-gate.md). It applies
+the measured constraints and budgets already established in the
+[terrain and atmospheric findings](2026-08-21-terrain-and-atmospheric-rendering-findings.md);
+it does not re-derive them or revisit that report's refuted claims.
+
+The measured binaries were clean-source Release products. The retail renderer
+remained the default and authoritative path. No physics or collision behavior
+was changed.
+
+## Connected scenario matrix
+
+The three-process connected lifecycle gate passed on exact commit `0b6c6557`.
+Its report is
+[`logs/connected-world-gate-20260822-132443/report.json`](../../logs/connected-world-gate-20260822-132443/report.json).
+The capped six-stop process ran for 249.114 seconds, the fresh uncapped reconnect
+for 67.917 seconds, and the pack-transition process for 51.277 seconds. All
+three exited gracefully with no hard failures. Full graphical-process teardown
+and the subsequent fresh Vulkan context/device construction passed.
+
+The route proved:
+
+- capped and uncapped operation, portal travel, reconnect, fresh process, and
+  destination publication/retirement;
+- outdoor, Facility Hub interior/dungeon, and outdoor-after-dungeon states;
+- atomic High select, retail disable, High re-enable, 1024 x 768 resize, clear,
+  overcast, and rain transitions;
+- resource-free retail restoration and active enhanced metadata at every named
+  screenshot; and
+- terminal render-scene shadow parity with zero mismatches and zero pending
+  deltas.
+
+The connected metadata makes the caster boundary concrete. The transition row
+published 6,624 casters: 374 terrain commands, 6,571 outdoor statics, 26
+buildings, 10 animated statics, one local player, 14 non-player creatures, one
+other live dynamic, and one equipped child. The capped login row reached 9,533
+casters, including 922 animated statics; Holtburg after the dungeon reached
+9,539. Facility Hub correctly published `Outdoor=false`, zero directional
+strength, and zero casters. Outdoor DAT publication still cannot distinguish a
+tree from other outdoor scenery, and create-object metadata still cannot
+distinguish a hostile monster from another non-player creature, so the report
+keeps the authoritative `OutdoorStatics` and `NonPlayerCreatures` labels.
+
+One diagnostic distinction is retained rather than hidden: streaming frames
+recorded transient render-frame candidate-order differences before the final
+candidate sets and digests converged. The authoritative render-scene shadow
+comparison finished 77/77 with zero mismatch in the transition process; no
+pack or retail-output divergence remained at the terminal checkpoints.
+
+## Dense turning A/B and frame pacing
+
+Matched dense-Arwic runs used the same route, commit `1f75ce05`, resolution,
+camera turn, server, character, entity population (15,522), and warmed scene:
+
+- Atmospheric Medium:
+  [`logs/connected-dense-town-20260822-133441.report.json`](../../logs/connected-dense-town-20260822-133441.report.json)
+- retail/off:
+  [`logs/connected-dense-town-20260822-133727.report.json`](../../logs/connected-dense-town-20260822-133727.report.json)
+
+| Phase | Retail CPU p50 / p95 / p99 | Medium CPU p50 / p95 / p99 | Retail GPU p50 / p95 | Medium GPU p50 / p95 |
+|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
+| Six-second turn | 27.8 / 32.9 / 36.7 ms | 28.6 / 32.2 / 40.2 ms | 0.6 / 1.2 ms | 1.5 / 1.9 ms |
+| Stationary | 28.6 / 30.2 / 31.1 ms | 29.1 / 30.9 / 32.6 ms | 0.9 / 0.9 ms | 1.7 / 1.8 ms |
+
+The user's turning hitch reproduces on the retail path: Medium did not worsen
+turn CPU p95 (32.2 versus 32.9 ms). It adds the expected GPU work, about
+0.7–0.9 ms at p95/p50 in this run. The Atmospheric screenshot's pack-owned
+window reports incremental CPU p50/p95/p99 of 0.209/0.248/0.302 ms, inclusive
+GPU p50/p95/p99 of 1.374/1.818/1.869 ms, 14,890 casters, three cascades,
+61,655,840 resident bytes, and 44,236,800 transient bytes. Medium therefore
+stays inside its declared CPU, GPU, and 128 MiB resident budgets.
+
+Process working/private memory was also recorded, as required: the stationary
+Medium process was 1,669.9/2,084.4 MiB versus retail's 1,354.8/1,676.8 MiB.
+Those process totals include driver and shared host allocations and are not
+substituted for the exact pack-owned GPU ledger. Retirement and terminal
+convergence are covered by the long route and deterministic lifecycle gates.
+
+## Long lifetime and package lifecycle
+
+The nine-stop Medium route passed on exact commit `1f75ce05`:
+[`logs/connected-r6-soak-20260822-134004.report.json`](../../logs/connected-r6-soak-20260822-134004.report.json).
+It ran for 516.064 seconds through Caul, Sawato, Rynthid, Aerlinthe, Sawato
+revisit, Holtburg, Caul return, Sawato plateau, and Caul plateau. Every
+materialization, movement/jump/combat exercise, return/convergence check, and
+graceful close passed. The warnings are expected world/DAT population noise;
+there are no renderer, pack-budget, or lifecycle failures.
+
+The connected graphical external-package gate passed all six fresh processes
+on exact commit `f92479ac`. Its machine-readable report is
+[`artifacts/atmospheric-rendering/connected-package-lifecycle-20260822-135333/report.json`](../../artifacts/atmospheric-rendering/connected-package-lifecycle-20260822-135333/report.json).
+
+| Scenario | Plugin outcome | Renderer outcome | Persisted selection |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Install/select v1 Low | loaded | external v1 active | external v1 |
+| Replace by v2 with stale v1 selection | loaded | safe retail fallback with exact version diagnostic | retail |
+| Explicitly select v2 High | loaded | external v2 active | external v2 |
+| Remove package | failed-not-found | safe retail fallback | retail |
+| Inject failure after registration | failed and transaction rolled back | safe retail fallback | retail |
+| Correct package and reselect | loaded | external v2 active | external v2 |
+
+Every process connected, entered world, captured its render-pack metadata,
+disconnected, and exited with code zero. Failure rows created no half-active
+pack and recovery required an explicit corrected selection.
+
+## Final automated gate
+
+On clean exact code commit `f92479ac`:
+
+- managed shader regeneration compiled **24/24** Vulkan pairs and produced no
+  tracked SPIR-V difference;
+- forced locked restore passed;
+- the complete Release solution built with **0 warnings and 0 errors**; and
+- the repository-owned fresh-process gate passed **15,178/15,178** tests with
+  zero skips or failures across 14 assemblies. App contributed **5,950/5,950**.
+
+The complete logs, TRX files, environment inventory, hashes, and aggregate
+summary are under
+[`artifacts/atmospheric-rendering/stage2-closeout-release-gate-f92479ac/`](../../artifacts/atmospheric-rendering/stage2-closeout-release-gate-f92479ac/).
+
+## Remaining external gates
+
+Campaign AR is not declared shipped by this report. Three evidence classes are
+not available to this machine-local run:
+
+1. A second connected client/account must produce a nonzero authoritative
+   `RemotePlayers` caster row and a visible moving remote-player shadow.
+2. Supported physical GPU classes other than the installed Radeon RX 9070 XT
+   and integrated AMD adapter must repeat the required pack-off/Low/Medium/
+   High/Auto resolution and pacing rows. The integrated adapter currently
+   proves safe Auto-to-retail fallback, not active Low or the complete matrix.
+3. The project owner must later perform and explicitly accept the final
+   pack-off/pack-on visual matrix, including moving sun and moon shadows,
+   foliage cutouts, temporal shimmer/cascade seams, indoor gating, rays and
+   sun-only volumetrics, and retail restoration.
+
+These are evidence gates, not authorization for more renderer features. The
+current code, SDK, connected lifecycle, package lifecycle, long lifetime, and
+machine-local automation are complete.