# Campaign CC — retail character creation

**Status:** ACTIVE (started 2026-08-15)
**Goal (user-set):** the full retail creation flow against local ACE — Create
button through a new character entering the world, 3D preview live, rejections
showing retail's dialogs — then stop for the user gate.
**Branch:** `claude/acdream-launcher-credentials-4d2f7c`
**Process:** Campaign LA's, binding (Sonnet implements, Opus dual-lens reviews
per slice, retail decomp is the oracle, register rows with deviations,
build+test green per slice, commits tagged `Campaign CC`).

This plan embeds the 2026-08-15 recon facts (three parallel sweeps: retail
gmCG UI, chargen data+wire, acdream seams) so slices and future sessions need
no transcript access. `references/ACE` and `references/holtburger` are NOT in
this worktree (gitignored) — read them from the main checkout at
`C:\Users\erikn\source\repos\acdream\references\`.

## Retail ground truth (recon summary — cite these in code)

**Flow.** Create button (`0x100003A0`) → `QueueUIMode(0x1000000b)` →
`gmCharGenMainUI` (acclient.h:56232): ONE root layout, enum `0x10000039` via
GetDIDByEnum table 5 (our generic `RetailDataIdResolver` handles this), pages
as children. `ECGProgress`: Heritage=1 → Profession=2 → Skills=3 →
Appearance=4 → Town=5 → Summary=6. Nav dispatch
`gmCharGenMainUI::ListenToElementMessage@237025`: Back `0x100003c6` (at
Heritage → DoExit), Next `0x100003c7`, Finish `0x100003c8` (Summary only),
Help `0x100003c9`, Exit `0x100003ca` (→ `ID_CharGen_ExitWarning` confirm),
Random `0x100003cb` (on Summary → randomize warning first). Tab buttons
`0x100003ef..f4` jump pages freely (not validation-gated). Page roots:
Heritage `0x100003d1`, Profession `0x100003d2`, Skills `0x100003d3`,
Appearance `0x100003d4`, Town `0x100003d5`, Summary `0x100003d6`; progress
bar `0x100003ce`, master page `0x100003d0`. Per-page child ids are in the
recon-cited ctors: Heritage `InitializePage@143731` (13 race buttons + text
`0x100003c4`), Profession `@143010` (6 attribute sliders `0x100003e6..eb`,
avail/health/stam/mana `0x100003e2..e5`, template buttons resolved in
`UpdateProfession@142180`: Custom `0x100003d9`, Bowhunter/Swashbuckler/
Lifecaster/Warmage/Wayfarer/Soldier `0x100003da..df`), Skills `@141911`
(listbox `0x100003f7`, credits `0x100002f3`, info `0x100003fb/fc`),
Appearance `@140032` (gender `0x100003a7/a8`, spins hair/eyes/nose/mouth/skin
`0x100003af..b3`, headgear/shirt/trousers/footwear `0x100003b5..b8`, zoom
`0x10000325/26`, rotate `0x10000323/24`, color wheel family
`0x1000030e..0x10000321`, viewport `0x100003bb`), Town `@137120` (Sanamar
`0x1000040b`, Holtburg `0x1000040d`, Yaraq `0x1000040e`, Shoushi
`0x1000040f`), Summary `@136566` (list `0x10000400`, name text `0x10000402`
with NameInputFilter, viewport `0x10000406`).

**CharGenState** (acclient.h:40074): the model our Runtime owner mirrors —
heritage/gender, appearance strips+styles+colors+shades (f64 shades),
template + 6 attributes + credit budgets + per-attribute locks, 55-slot
skill advancement array + skill credits, name[33], startArea, setupID,
verificationState. Writers per page in the recon (SetHeritageGroup recomputes
budgets + ApplyTemplate + RandomizeStartArea; SetGender reapplies clothing
and UpdateTrueFacePal).

**Finish** (`DoFinish@236864`): trim+set name → empty name →
`ID_CharGen_NoNameWarning`, abort; `remainingAtrbCredits > 0` → credit
warning, abort (retail FORCES full spend — ACE does not; we port the client
gate); verification state must be UNDEF (no double submit) → set PENDING →
`Proto_UI::SendCharGenResult@0x00546A70`.

**Wire 0xF656** (`ACCharGenResult::CG_Pack@0x005C7200`, byte-identical to
ACE's `CharacterCreateInfo.Unpack`): account String16L FIRST (outside the
body), then u32 constant 1, u32 heritage, u32 gender, u32×3 eyes/nose/mouth
strips, u32×2 hairColor/eyeColor, u32 hairStyle, u32×2 headgearStyle/Color,
u32×2 shirt, u32×2 trousers, u32×2 footwear, f64×6 skin/hair/headgear/shirt/
trousers/footwear shades, u32 templateNum, u32×6 attributes
(str/end/coord/quick/focus/self), u32 slot, u32 classID, u32 numSkills +
numSkills×u32 advancement classes (MUST be exactly 55 — ACE TERMINATES the
session on mismatch), String16L name, u32 startArea, u32 isAdmin, u32
isEnvoy(=ACE IsSentinel), u32 trailing checksum = sum of
heritage+gender+strips(3)+hairColor+eyeColor+hairStyle+headgearStyle+
shirtStyle+trousersStyle+footwearStyle+template+6 attributes (ACE never
reads it; we send it for byte fidelity). holtburger cross-check:
`character/types.rs:236` (stops before the checksum).

**Response 0xF643** (shared opcode with restore — LA7a's conditional parse is
reusable): codes Undef=0 Ok=1 Pending=2 NameInUse=3 NameBanned=4 Corrupt=5
DatabaseDown=6 AdminPrivilegeDenied=7. On Ok the payload is a
CharacterIdentity (guid, String16L name, u32 secondsGreyedOut) and NOBODY
sends a fresh CharacterList — retail appends the identity to its local
roster (`Handle_CharGenVerificationResponse@0x0055E8B0` case 1 →
`CharacterSet::AddIdentity`) and `gmCharGenMainUI::Update@236161` then
watches the set and calls `CPlayerSystem::LogOnCharacter` DIRECTLY when the
new name appears (logs straight in; only falls back to char management if it
never appears). Error dialogs: NameInUse→`ID_Character_Err_NameReserved`,
NameBanned→`ID_Character_Err_NameBanned`, Corrupt/DatabaseDown→
`ID_Character_Err_NameDBDown`, AdminPrivilegeDenied→
`ID_Character_Err_NameAdminDenied`, Pending/Undef→silent state reset (ACE
sends Pending for a disabled-Olthoi rejection — retail swallows it; port
as-is, register-note the quirk).

**Chargen DAT table** `0x0E000002`: readable TODAY via the
Chorizite.DatReaderWriter package (`dats.Get<CharGen>`) — zero in-tree
readers exist. ACE loaders (`ACE.DatLoader.FileTypes.CharGen` +
`HeritageGroupCG/SexCG/TemplateCG`) and retail serializers
(`ACCharGenData::Serialize@0x005C36D0`, `HeritageGroup_CG@0x005C2100`,
`Sex_CG@0x005C1600`, `Template_CG@0x005C0450`) define the shape: per
heritage → name/icon/setup/EnvironmentSetup/attribute+skill credits/start
areas/skills(costs)/templates(attrs+skills)/genders; per sex → scale, setup,
base palette, skin palset, base ObjDesc, and the option LISTS (hair styles/
colors, eye colors, eye/nose/mouth strips, headgear/shirt/pants/footwear,
clothing colors).

**3D preview** (`gmCG3DView`, Appearance `0x100003bb` + Summary `0x10000406`
ONLY — the other four pages have no viewport): preview body
`CPhysicsObj::makeObject(setupId)` (fallback HUMAN_SETUP_ID), rebuild on
change via ObjDesc (`ClothingTable::BuildObjDesc` per clothing slot + strips
+ PalSet skin/hair/eye subpalettes) applied with
`DoObjDescChangesFromDefault@242308`, one DISTANT_LIGHT (intensity 2.0),
idle animation loop at 30fps (`set_sequence_animation`), rest-pose freeze on
zoom-in, BUTTON-toggled continuous rotation (`DoRotation@137337`, 3.0
s/revolution, per-frame global-message-3 tick), zoom tween between
per-heritage camera positions (`Update@138974` hard-codes Olthoi vs
human-form camera offsets).

## acdream seams (build on these, do not reinvent)

- Layout mount: `RetailDataIdResolver.Resolve(dats, 0x10000039, 5)` +
  `LayoutImporter` — fully generic. `DatWidgetFactory` already maps dat type
  0xD → `UiViewport`. The char-management controller REFUSES viewports by
  local policy (:212) — chargen gets its OWN controller; clone
  `CharacterManagementUiMountCoordinator` + the bindings-record pattern.
- Fixed canvas: chargen is the same 800×600 flow screen — mount at authored
  extent, `UiRoot.FixedCanvasSize` on activate (AD-98), dialogs center on
  `EffectiveCanvasSize`. Live-DAT probe tests sweep ALL media ids
  (`CharacterManagementLiveDatTests` pattern) and pin authored
  justify/anchors.
- Preview pipeline: `PrivateEntityViewportRenderer` (offscreen target →
  texture table → `UiViewport` sprite) is proven by paperdoll + appraisal;
  cameras there are FIXED — chargen needs a heading-capable camera. NOTE:
  `GlGpuDevice.RegisterExternalColorTexture` is a DELETED API that survives
  only in stale doc comments — do not cite it. Appearance building:
  `DollEntityBuilder.Build` is index-agnostic and pure (setup + resolved
  palette/part ids), but the only existing factory reads a LIVE entity —
  chargen needs a new index→dat→ObjDesc factory (SexCG.BaseObjDesc + strip
  overlays + PalSet.GetPaletteID hues). Pose: paperdoll holds a static final
  frame; retail chargen plays a live idle loop — see slice CC6 for the
  staged approach.
- Runtime owner: mirror `RuntimeCharacterSelectionState` exactly (lifecycle/
  snapshot/delta records, borrow-only view, generation-gated commands, one
  mutable owner, no App types). Command family lands beside
  `IGameRuntimeCommands.CharacterSelection`. Enter-after-create hooks the
  existing `LiveSessionController.BeginEnter/CompleteEnter`.
- Wire plumbing: `WorldSession`'s dispatch chain routes EVERY 0xF643 through
  `CharacterRestore.Parse` today with no request correlation — the KNOWN
  LANDMINE. Creation requires an awaiting-request latch (create vs restore)
  BEFORE its response arm lands. Outbound mirrors
  `SendRestoreCharacter@2223`. Status writer: add `characterCreated` /
  `creationFailed` events (update the pinned §LA1 contract text + the
  Launcher.Core tailer + tests in lockstep).

## Slices

| Slice | Deliverable | Depends |
|---|---|---|
| CC1 | Chargen data layer: `CharGen` table reader → typed options model (heritages/sexes/appearance lists/templates/skills+costs/budgets/towns), Content/Core, live-DAT probes | — |
| CC2 | Wire: `CharacterCreate` 0xF656 builder (byte-exact incl. checksum), shared verification-response type (refactor from `CharacterRestore`), WorldSession request-correlation for 0xF643, send seam, status events + contract/tailer update | — |
| CC3 | `RuntimeCharacterCreationState`: full CharGenState mirror, per-page commands, retail client gates (full-spend, name, 55-slot invariant, client-side slot cap), verification latch, Ok → roster append + retail log-straight-in | CC1, CC2 |
| CC4 | Screen shell + form pages (App): mount (enum 0x10000039), master nav/tabs/progress, dialogs, Heritage + Profession + Skills + Town pages | CC1, CC3 |
| CC5 | Summary page: name input (NameInputFilter, `ID_CharGen_NameTooLong`), summary listbox, static summary viewport, Finish gates + full response/dialog handling | CC3, CC4 |
| CC6 | Appearance page + preview: index→ObjDesc factory, chargen preview renderer (offscreen, heading camera, rotate/zoom buttons), spin controls + color wheels; **staged:** CC6a static-pose preview (paperdoll-style held frame, register row for the missing idle loop), CC6b idle animation + zoom rest-freeze (retire the row) | CC1, CC4 |
| CC7 | End-to-end: Create button un-ghosts, full flow vs ACE shapes in tests, launcher payload cycle, connected checklist doc | all |

Parallelism: CC1 ∥ CC2 (disjoint: Content/Core vs Core.Net; separate
worktrees). CC4 ∥ CC6a after CC3. CC5 last before CC7.

## Risks / open items (from recon Unknowns)

1. 0xF643 create/restore correlation (CC2's first job; the restore doc
   comment already warns).
2. 55-slot skill array: ACE terminates the session on mismatch — CC2/CC3
   must make it structurally impossible to send anything else.
3. Slot cap is client-enforced only (ACE never checks on create) — honor
   `slotCount` like retail's UI did.
4. Color-wheel/gradient widgets (`tagColorWheel`, GradCircle `0x1000030e`,
   shade scroll) may need new widget types in `DatWidgetFactory` — CC6
   scouts the authored layout first.
5. Retail unknowns to resolve during slices, never guess: the chargen
   please-wait dialog context (decompiler-mislabeled field), the
   AppearancePage gender-flip-on-init oddity (@140355 — verify live before
   porting), `Method_CG` enums are empty in the header, ZoomIn tween
   duration constant is decompiler-garbled (measure against retail if it
   matters).
6. Viewport inside the fixed canvas: the offscreen target's pixel size vs
   the canvas-scaled on-screen rect (render at scaled size for crispness or
   authored size for fidelity) — decide in CC6a with the user gate as
   arbiter.
7. `references/*` absent in worktrees (except WorldBuilder, uninitialized
   submodule) — agents read ACE/holtburger from the MAIN checkout path.
8. **CC7 landmine (found in the CC1 review fix round, 2026-08-15):** ACE's
   `PlayerFactory.CreatePlayer` heritage-override branch
   (references/ACE/Source/ACE.Server/Factories/PlayerFactory.cs:184-211)
   over-deducts skill credits when specializing a skill the active
   heritage's own list prices. For a skill priced ONLY by the global
   SkillTable, ACE correctly computes the incremental specialize cost via
   `SkillBase.UpgradeCostFromTrainedToSpecialized` (= `SpecializedCost -
   TrainedCost`) and charges `TrainSkill(trainedCost) +
   SpecializeSkill(incrementalCost)` = the field's TOTAL, matching retail.
   But when the heritage's own list has an entry, ACE sets
   `specializedCost = skillGroup.PrimaryCost` directly — `PrimaryCost` is
   already the TOTAL cost to reach Specialized (acdream's own
   `ChargenSkillCost.PrimaryCost` convention, confirmed against retail) —
   and then still charges `TrainSkill(NormalCost) +
   SpecializeSkill(PrimaryCost)`, over-deducting by an extra `NormalCost`
   credits versus what retail's client computed and what the player agreed
   to spend. Practical impact for CC7's connected gate: a retail-legal
   character build that specializes a skill the ACTIVE HERITAGE prices
   (every one of the 13 installed heritages has exactly one such skill —
   see `ChargenTableReaderInstalledDatTests.InstalledHeritages_SkillCostFallbackCoversTheKnownUncostableSkillSet`)
   may be REJECTED by local ACE with `FailedToSpecializeSkill` even though
   acdream sent the byte-correct 0xF656 body. If CC7's gate hits this,
   it is an ACE-side bug reproduced from its own source, NOT an acdream
   wire or math defect — do not "fix" acdream's cost math to match ACE's
   over-deduction. Register: file an AD row if CC7 needs a documented
   workaround (e.g. picking a Specialized skill combination that avoids
   the heritage-priced skill for the connected gate) rather than silently
   adjusting acdream's send.

## Review protocol

Per slice: implement → Opus dual-lens (architectural + retail fidelity — this
campaign is retail-heavy everywhere) → fixes → narrow re-review → DONE in
ledger. CC2's review adds wire-byte scrutiny (the LA7a precedent: the
reviewer decodes the binary); CC6's adds the visual-fidelity lens ahead of
the user gate.

## Ledger

| Slice | Status | Commits | Review | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CC1 | implemented; review fix round complete | `04450041`, `459a87f2` | dispatched 2026-08-15 | Core model (no Chorizite leak) + Content projector; 31 math units + 6 installed-DAT gates (13 heritages). FINDING for CC3: each human heritage's "Adventurer" template IS retail's Custom entry point — attributes at the 10-floor (60/330), a real TemplateCG row, not a UI special case. **Review fix round (`459a87f2`):** F1 doc corrected — Custom IS template index 0 (the Adventurer row), per `gmCGProfessionPage::UpdateProfession @ 0x004821b0` (case 0 → button 0x100003d9 / `ID_CharGen_CustomText`) and `CharGenState::SetTemplate @ 0x005C5A60` (commits via `CharGenState::ApplyTemplate @ 0x005C5080`, i.e. selecting Custom resets sliders to the floor spread, it does not bypass templates); F2 two-tier skill-cost fallback implemented (`ChargenOptions.GlobalSkillCostsBySkillId` from portal.dat 0x0E000004, `ChargenSkillCreditMath` checks heritage list then global list) + installed-DAT completeness assertion recording reality: the global SkillTable prices 38/54 advancement skill ids, every one of the 13 heritages ships EXACTLY one heritage-specific override (always also present in the global table), and 16 skill ids are genuinely uncostable in both tiers (retail's -1 case) — see `ChargenTableReaderInstalledDatTests.InstalledHeritages_SkillCostFallbackCoversTheKnownUncostableSkillSet`; F3 every `ChargenTableReader` collection is now frozen at projection (`ToFrozenDictionary`/`ToArray`, matching `MagicCatalog`'s pattern) including both `ChargenOptions.Empty` dictionaries; F4 a reflection guard test (`ChargenNoChoriziteLeakTests`) pins the no-Chorizite-leak contract by walking every public `AcDream.Core.CharGen` member; F5 `HasAnyAppearanceOptions`'s doc reworded to state precisely what it proves (an OR across eight lists, omitting the three color lists) + a new installed-DAT gate records per-list reality — found COMPLETE, every gender of every heritage has non-empty lists across all eight plus the three color lists, even the sparse Gear Knight/Olthoi variants; F6 `TryGetHeritage`/`TryGetStarterArea` annotated `[MaybeNullWhen(false)]` (matching the house `EmptyDatReaderWriter` pattern), all affected call sites (more than the originally estimated five) fixed across both test projects. Filed CC7 risk item 8: ACE's `PlayerFactory` heritage-override branch over-deducts skill credits when specializing a heritage-priced skill (references/ACE/Source/ACE.Server/Factories/PlayerFactory.cs:184-211) — a retail-legal build may be rejected by local ACE at the CC7 connected gate; this is an ACE bug, not an acdream defect. |
| CC2 | implemented (campaign-cc2); review in flight | `5eaad2c8` | dispatched 2026-08-15 | Byte-exact 0xF656 (19-term checksum vs CG_Pack accumulator), shared 0xF643 type, correlation latch, status events + contract amendment. Core.Net 993 / Runtime 1667 / Launcher.Core 323, Windows+WSL |
| CC3 | — | | | |
| CC4 | — | | | |
| CC5 | — | | | |
| CC6a | — | | | |
| CC6b | — | | | |
| CC7 | — | | | |