acdream/docs/research/2026-07-13-retail-projectile-vfx-pseudocode.md

Retail projectile, PhysicsScript, and portal-effect pseudocode

Date: 2026-07-13 Build: Sept 2013 EoR retail client, matching named PDB/decomp Purpose: Oracle for the acdream inbound missile and DAT-driven VFX port.

This note translates the named retail functions into implementation-oriented pseudocode before any C# port. Addresses refer to docs/research/named-retail/acclient_2013_pseudo_c.txt. Retail remains the behavioral oracle; ACE, ACViewer, and Holtburger are interpretation and wire cross-checks only.

1. PhysicsDesc wire order

Oracle: PhysicsDesc::UnPack at 0x0051DDD0.

unpack PhysicsDesc:
    destroy prior owned buffers
    bitfield = read u32
    state    = read u32

    if bitfield has Movement (0x00010000):
        length = read u32
        movementBytes = read length bytes
        if length > 0: autonomousMovement = read u32
    else if bitfield has AnimationFrame (0x00020000):
        animationFrame = read u32

    if Position               (0x00008000): position = unpack Position
    if MTable                 (0x00000002): motionTableId = read DID
    if STable                 (0x00000800): soundTableId = read DID
    if PeTable                (0x00001000): physicsScriptTableId = read DID
    if CSetup                 (0x00000001): setupId = read DID
    if Parent                 (0x00000020): parentGuid, locationId = read u32, u32
    if Children               (0x00000040):
        count = read u32
        repeat count: childGuid, childLocationId = read u32, u32
    if ObjScale               (0x00000080): objectScale = read f32
    if Friction               (0x00000100): friction = read f32
    if Elasticity             (0x00000200): elasticity = read f32
    if Translucency           (0x00040000): translucency = read f32
    if Velocity               (0x00000004): velocity = read vec3 f32
    if Acceleration           (0x00000008): acceleration = read vec3 f32
    if Omega                  (0x00000010): omega = read vec3 f32
    if DefaultScript          (0x00002000): defaultScriptType = read u32
    if DefaultScriptIntensity (0x00004000): defaultIntensity = read f32

    timestamps = read exactly nine u16 values in this order:
        Position, Movement, State, Vector, Teleport,
        ServerControlledMove, ForcePosition, ObjDesc, Instance
    align cursor to four bytes

Absent optional values are semantically different from present zero values and must remain nullable in the parsed representation. ACE's PhysicsDescriptionFlag, and Holtburger's object-description reader, confirm the same order and nine-value timestamp tail.

2. Installing a PhysicsDesc

Oracle: CPhysicsObj::set_description at 0x00514F40 and CPhysicsObj::InitDefaults at 0x005139D0.

InitDefaults(setup):
    if setup.DefaultScript != 0: play that direct PhysicsScript DID
    if setup.DefaultMotionTable != 0: install it
    if setup.DefaultSoundTable != 0: replace sound table
    if setup.DefaultPhysicsScriptTable != 0: replace typed-effect table
    if object is static:
        set HasDefaultAnim / HasDefaultScript as appropriate
        register static animation when either applies

set_description(desc):
    install motion table

    release current sound table
    if desc.SoundTable != 0: load it

    release current PhysicsScriptTable unconditionally
    if desc.PeTable != 0: load it

    install movement buffer or placement frame
    set_state(desc.State, applySideEffects=true)
    install scale, valid friction, elasticity, translucency
    set_velocity(desc.Velocity)
    install desc.Omega
    install typed default-script type and intensity
    copy all nine timestamps into the object's update-time array

The network PeTable therefore overrides the Setup table even when the network value is absent/zero: a live object does not fall back to the Setup table after set_description. The network acceleration vector is unpacked but is not installed here; retail recalculates normal acceleration from physics state.

3. PhysicsState values and state transitions

The values cross-check exactly with ACE's PhysicsState enum:

Static=0x1, Ethereal=0x4, ReportCollisions=0x8,
IgnoreCollisions=0x10, NoDraw=0x20, Missile=0x40,
Pushable=0x80, AlignPath=0x100, PathClipped=0x200,
Gravity=0x400, Lighting=0x800, ParticleEmitter=0x1000,
Hidden=0x4000, ScriptedCollision=0x8000,
HasPhysicsBsp=0x10000, Inelastic=0x20000,
HasDefaultAnim=0x40000, HasDefaultScript=0x80000,
Cloaked=0x100000, ReportAsEnvironment=0x200000,
EdgeSlide=0x400000, Sledding=0x800000, Frozen=0x1000000

Oracle: CPhysicsObj::set_state at 0x00514DD0 and CPhysicsObj::set_hidden at 0x00514C60.

set_state(next):
    changed = current XOR next
    current = next

    if Lighting changed:
        initialize or destroy part-array lights
    if NoDraw changed:
        apply set_nodraw before Hidden handling
    if Hidden changed:
        set_hidden(next has Hidden)

set_hidden(true):
    set Hidden
    resolve PS_Hidden at intensity 1 through current table; enqueue it
    set every attached child NoDraw and update its part array
    if ReportCollisions: end reporting and clear the bit
    set IgnoreCollisions
    hide root object in its cell/render world

set_hidden(false):
    clear Hidden
    resolve PS_UnHide at intensity 1 through current table; enqueue it
    clear every attached child's NoDraw, unconditionally as retail does
    clear IgnoreCollisions
    if ReportCollisions is clear: set it and start reporting
    enter/unhide root part array and cell object

CPhysicsObj::CPhysicsObj at 0x005123F0 initializes state to 0x00400C08 (the assignment is at 0x00512508). That value is EdgeSlide | Lighting | Gravity | ReportCollisions; it does not contain Hidden (0x00004000). Consequently, an ordinary initially-visible CreateObject does not call set_hidden and must not manufacture an UnHide script. UnHide occurs only for a real state-bit transition from Hidden to visible, while an explicit F755 UnHide remains a separate typed effect packet. Hidden is never object destruction: scripts and particles continue to exist while the mesh and interaction surface are suppressed.

SmartBox::DoSetState at 0x004520D0 applies the state only when its u16 timestamp is newer using the retail wrap-safe comparison.

The same comparator is used by State, Vector, Movement, Position, and related timestamp-gated channels (SmartBox::DoVectorUpdate at 0x004521C0 is the second executable cross-check):

is_newer(incoming:u16, stored:u16):
    distance = abs((int)incoming - (int)stored)
    if distance > 0x7FFF:
        return incoming < stored
    return stored < incoming

Equality is stale. Up through a distance of 0x7FFF, the numerically higher stamp wins. At exactly 0x8000 and throughout the wrap half, the numerically lower stamp wins. This exact boundary must be ported; a generic half-range subtraction helper can choose the opposite result at 0x8000.

3.1 Event freshness and object generations

Additional oracles:

• SmartBox::HandleReceivedPosition at 0x00453FD0
• SmartBox::HandleObjDescEvent at 0x00453340 and SmartBox::UpdateVisualDesc at 0x00451F40
• SmartBox::HandleDeleteObject at 0x00451EA0

on CreateObject(desc):
    if no live generation: copy all nine desc timestamps wholesale
    else if desc.Instance is newer: begin a new generation and replace all nine
    else if current Instance is newer: reject the stale CreateObject
    else: keep the object and route each PhysicsDesc branch through its
          ordinary per-channel handler; do not authorize the whole snapshot

on State / Vector / Movement / ObjDesc:
    require the exact live Instance
    require a strictly newer channel timestamp
    apply only after both gates pass

on DeleteObject:
    reject unconditionally when guid is the local player
    require the exact live Instance before either object projection is removed

on ParentEvent(parent, child):
    require the parent's exact live Instance
    strictly advance the child's Position timestamp
    apply parent + placement without creating a second position counter

on PickupEvent(object):
    require the exact live Instance
    strictly advance the shared Position timestamp
    unparent and leave the world, retaining the object and its timestamps

on Position(localPlayer):
    require the exact live Instance
    if ForcePosition is newer:
        store ForcePosition
        if incoming Teleport exactly equals stored Teleport:
            assign Position directly, even when equal or older
            preserve the current heading
            do not advance Teleport
            BlipPlayer via SetPositionSimple (preserve active motion, velocity,
            contact state, and PositionManager stick)
            if Contact AND OnWalkable are set and position is valid:
                send PositionEvent immediately from the post-blip canonical Position
            return

    tentatively advance Position, requiring strictly newer
    if stored Teleport is newer than incoming Teleport:
        restore the old Position timestamp and reject
    if incoming Teleport is newer: advance Teleport
    PositionPack supplies placement 0 and velocity (0,0,0) when their flags are absent
    unset the parent
    if the object has no active animations: apply the decoded placement id
    if object is remote: MoveOrTeleport receives the decoded velocity
    else if Teleport advanced: teleport player and explicitly zero velocity
    else: constrain/interpolate without installing packet velocity
    apply the position

PositionPack::UnPack at 0x00516740 is the source of the absent-as-zero defaults; retaining a prior placement or remote velocity when the wire flag is absent is not retail behavior. The immutable parsed type still preserves presence so diagnostics and conformance tests can distinguish absent from an explicit zero. HandleReceivedPosition consumes those defaults only after the timestamp gate admits the normal path. ForcePosition returns before placement or packet velocity is consumed and therefore preserves the player's live heading and velocity.

SmartBox::HandlePlayerTeleport at 0x00452150 handles standalone F751:

on PlayerTeleport(sequence):
    if sequence is older than current Teleport timestamp: reject
    equality and newer sequences are accepted
    enter the waiting/portal state
    do not advance Teleport here

The accepted destination Position packet advances TELEPORT_TS. Parsing F751 must therefore never publish its sequence directly into outbound AP state.

Retail queues a packet whose Instance belongs to a not-yet-created future generation. ParentAttachmentState now does so for ParentEvent, retaining the parent generation through atomic object replacement. Until LiveEntityRuntime owns the complete mixed pending queue, acdream still drops future Movement, Position, State, Vector, Pickup, Delete, and ObjDesc packets without touching the current generation (AD-32); critically, it never adopts the future Instance into the current object.

4. Direct and typed effect packets

Oracles:

• SmartBox::HandlePlayScriptID at 0x00452020
• SmartBox::HandlePlayScriptType at 0x00452070

F754 direct packet: targetGuid:u32, physicsScriptDid:u32
F755 typed packet:  targetGuid:u32, scriptType:u32, intensity:f32

on either packet:
    if target object is not materialized:
        QueueBlobForObject(targetGuid, whole packet) and return queued
    if F754: play direct PhysicsScript DID
    if F755: resolve type+intensity through target's current table, then play

The queue preserves packet order. F754 never goes through the table. F755 must preserve unknown raw type values and the incoming float bits until resolution. ACE's GameMessageScript confirms the 16-byte opcode+GUID+type+float F755 wire shape.

Synthetic, non-DAT packet fixtures fixed for the parser port are:

F754: 54 F7 00 00 | 42 00 00 50 | 99 00 00 33
      opcode          GUID 50000042  script DID 33000099

F755: 55 F7 00 00 | 42 00 00 50 | A5 A5 A5 A5 | 34 12 C0 7F
      opcode          GUID 50000042  unknown raw type  NaN payload bits

Step 1 consumes these in parser tests so exact packet lengths and raw float bits are exercised. Step 3 constructs synthetic raw Animation and PhysicsScript fixtures through the compatibility-reader tests; no copyrighted installed-DAT bytes are committed.

5. PhysicsScriptTable selection

Oracles:

• PhysicsScriptTable::GetScript at 0x00521E40
• PhysicsScriptTableData::GetScript at 0x00521A20

resolve(type, intensity):
    data = hash lookup by exact type
    if absent: invalid DID
    for entry in stored DAT order:
        if intensity <= entry.Mod:
            return entry.ScriptId
    return invalid DID

Mod is an upper threshold, not a random weight. Do not sort entries and do not fall back to the first. Equality matches. Matching x86 at 0x00521A3B uses test ah, 0x41; jnp return: one tested status bit means intensity is less than the entry (C0) or equal to it (C3), while unordered/NaN sets both tested bits and continues. NaN therefore resolves to no script; an intensity above every stored threshold also resolves to no script. Consequently negative infinity selects the first finite threshold, while positive infinity and NaN select none; the resolver must preserve and compare the incoming float rather than blanket-rejecting all non-finite values.

6. ScriptManager queue

Oracles:

• ScriptManager::AddScriptInternal at 0x0051B310
• ScriptManager::NextHook at 0x0051B3F0
• ScriptManager::UpdateScripts at 0x0051B480

add(script):
    node = new ScriptData
    node.start = queue empty
        ? Timer.current
        : tail.start + tail.script.length
    append node, including duplicate script/owner pairs
    if it became the head:
        hookIndex = -1
        nextHookTime = node.start + firstHook.start

update:
    while a current node exists and currentTime >= nextHookTime:
        hook = NextHook()
        if hook exists:
            execute hook against owner object
        else:
            pop and release completed head
            initialize next node or mark queue empty

Each owner has one serial FIFO, not a deduplicated set or a concurrent list. Different owners have independent queues. A long frame executes all hooks that became due, in order.

7. CallPES and default-script hooks

Oracle: CPhysicsObj::CallPES at 0x00511AF0.

CallPES(scriptDid, maximumPause):
    if maximumPause < 0.0002 seconds:
        if object is in a cell: enqueue script immediately
    else:
        delay = uniformRandom(0, maximumPause)
        insert a timed CALL_PES object hook at the head of the object-hook list
        when due, enqueue the PhysicsScript on this owner's FIFO

The timed object-hook list is traversed head-to-next. Multiple delayed CallPES hooks are therefore observed newest-first until their individually randomized times become due; this is separate from the PhysicsScript owner's serial FIFO.

DefaultScriptHook resolves the owner's PhysicsDesc default type/intensity. DefaultScriptPartHook locates the child attached at the requested parent part and resolves the child's own table/default, not the parent's.

8. Particle emitter semantics

Oracles:

• CreateBlockingParticleHook::Execute at 0x00526EF0
• ParticleManager::CreateBlockingParticleEmitter at 0x0051B8A0

CreateBlockingParticle inherits the complete CreateParticle payload:

emitterInfoDid, partIndex, offsetFrame(position+orientation), logicalEmitterId

normal CreateParticle:
    nonzero logical id replaces the existing live emitter with that id
    zero id creates a new anonymous emitter

blocking CreateParticle:
    if nonzero logical id names a live emitter: do nothing and return 0
    otherwise create exactly as normal

"Blocking" does not pause the animation sequencer. The current Chorizite.DatReaderWriter model omits this inherited payload and can misalign the following hook, so acdream needs one centralized raw-hook compatibility reader for PhysicsScript and Animation files. Ordinary hook types remain delegated to the package decoder.

The complete offset Frame must be decoded and retained for schema fidelity, but retail particle emission consumes only its origin. Particle::Init at 0x0051C930 adds that origin to the particle start point and transforms the translation plus emitter vectors through the current owner part/root frame; it does not read the hook-offset quaternion. ParticleEmitter::UpdateParticles at 0x0051D180 then chooses either the saved start frame or the current live part/root frame according to the DAT parenting mode.

Emitter attachment is therefore evaluated as:

ownerFrame = partIndex == -1 ? rootWorld : animatedPartLocal * rootWorld
anchorPosition = transformPoint(hookOffset.origin, ownerFrame)

The hook-offset quaternion is not applied to particle emission unless a different retail hook consumer proves otherwise. For non-parent-local particles, only future emissions follow a moving anchor; already-born particles remain in world space. Parent-local particles continue to follow their owner.

9. Per-frame physics and projectile flags

Oracles:

• CPhysicsObj::UpdatePositionInternal at 0x00512C30
• CPhysicsObj::UpdateObjectInternal at 0x005156B0
• CPhysicsObj::update_object at 0x00515D10
• CPhysicsObj::UpdatePhysicsInternal at 0x00510700
• CPhysicsObj::calc_acceleration at 0x00510950
• CPhysicsObj::get_object_info at 0x00511CC0
• Frame::set_vector_heading at 0x00535DB0

update_object:
    if parented, out of world, or Frozen:
        clear transient Active and return without an object tick
    elapsed = Timer.current - update_time
    PhysicsTimer.current = update_time
    if elapsed <= 0.0002 seconds:
        update_time = Timer.current
        return
    if elapsed > 2 seconds:
        update_time = Timer.current
        return
    while elapsed > MAX_QUANTUM (1/5 second):
        PhysicsTimer.current += MAX_QUANTUM
        UpdateObjectInternal(MAX_QUANTUM)
        elapsed -= MAX_QUANTUM
    if elapsed > MIN_QUANTUM (1/30 second):
        PhysicsTimer.current += elapsed
        UpdateObjectInternal(elapsed)
    update_time = PhysicsTimer.current

UpdateObjectInternal(dt):
    UpdatePositionInternal(dt, candidateFrame)
    if Setup has one or more physics spheres:
        align path when applicable
        sweep/transition from committed frame to candidate frame
        commit transition result and update children
    else:
        commit candidate frame directly; do not create a dummy-sphere sweep
    update detection/target/movement/position managers
    ParticleManager.UpdateParticles()
    ScriptManager.UpdateScripts()

UpdatePositionInternal(dt, candidateFrame):
    unless Hidden:
        advance part array / animation and produce its frame offset
    apply PositionManager offset even when Hidden
    combine object root frame with animation offset
    unless Hidden: UpdatePhysicsInternal(dt, candidateFrame)
    process timed object hooks even when Hidden

UpdatePhysicsInternal(dt, frame):
    speedSquared = dot(velocity, velocity)
    if speedSquared > 0:
        if speedSquared > 50^2: normalize velocity and clamp to 50
        calculate friction using dt and the clamped pre-friction speedSquared
        if speedSquared < (0.25^2 + 0.0002): zero velocity
        frame.position += velocity*dt + 0.5*acceleration*dt^2
    velocity += acceleration*dt
    frame.rotation = globalRotate(frame.rotation, omega*dt)

calc_acceleration:
    if transient has Contact AND OnWalkable AND state lacks Sledding:
        acceleration=0 and omega=0
    else if Gravity is clear: acceleration=0 (omega is preserved)
    else acceleration=(0,0,PhysicsGlobals.gravity)

The Sledding constant (0x00800000) in calc_acceleration is confirmed from matching-binary disassembly at 0x00510961; the named lift misidentified it as a string address. The near-stop test is deliberately based on the original or 50-unit-clamped speedSquared, not a speed recomputed after friction.

The same matching executable resolves the update_object globals that the named lift displays as zero: MAX_QUANTUM is 0.2 seconds and MIN_QUANTUM is 1/30 second. Thus a long but valid frame is replayed as 0.2-second catch-up steps, a final remainder at or below 1/30 second stays accumulated for the next tick, and a gap above 2 seconds is discarded instead of simulating a huge projectile jump.

AlignPath uses the full normalized 3D movement vector through Frame::set_vector_heading; it is not yaw-only.

get_object_info adds transition flag 0x8 when PhysicsState.Missile is set. That is PathClipped behavior. It does not add PerfectClip, so ordinary missiles must not implicitly arm PerfectClip.

10. Missile collision exclusion

Oracle: OBJECTINFO::missile_ignore at 0x0050CEB0.

missile_ignore(other):
    if other is a missile: ignore
    if moving object is not a missile: do not ignore
    if other.id == designatedTargetId: do not ignore
    if other is ethereal and has a weenie: ignore
    if designatedTargetId != 0 and other is a creature: ignore
    otherwise collide

The moving object's target ID initializes to zero. The client must not infer it from the currently selected UI target.

Retail builds the transition sweep from Setup physics spheres when present, scaled by object scale. Although the lower-level transition routine has a dummy-sphere path, ordinary UpdateObjectInternal does not call transition when GetNumSphere() == 0; it commits the frame without a collision sweep. Projectile shape selection must therefore come from Setup data, not a mesh-size guess or a synthesized dummy radius.

11. Installed-DAT and fixture audit

The installed DAT files at C:\Turbine\Asheron's Call are private interoperability inputs and are not copied into the repository. The audit is reproducible with:

dotnet run --project tools/ProjectileVfxAudit/ProjectileVfxAudit.csproj -c Release

The command is a conformance gate: missing required assets, changed hashes or sphere shapes, parse failures, a changed recall-motion closure, or a changed raw CreateBlocking inventory produce a nonzero exit code.

The projectile WCID mapping comes from the local ACE weenie corpus at C:\Users\erikn\source\repos\acdream\references\weenies(single file).json by selecting WCIDs 300, 305, 7276-7282, and 23144 and reading DID properties Setup (1) and PhysicsEffectTable (22).

WCID	Name	Setup	PhysicsScriptTable
300	Arrow	0x02000124	0x3400002B
305	Quarrel / crossbow bolt	0x0200012A	0x3400002B
7276	Acid Stream	0x020003F6	0x34000082
7277	Flame Bolt	0x0200040D	0x34000005
7278	Force Bolt	0x0200087D	none in template
7279	Frost Bolt	0x020003F4	0x34000080
7280	Lightning Bolt	0x02000880	0x34000081
7281	Shockwave	0x020003FA	none in template
7282	Whirling Blade	0x020003FC	none in template
23144	Tusker Fist	0x02000EAE	none in template

11.1 Collision shapes

Every audited projectile Setup has exactly one ordinary sphere and no cylinder spheres. A sphere has a Setup-local origin and radius, not an orientation.

Setups	Sphere origin	Radius (world units)
Arrow, quarrel, acid, flame, frost, shockwave, whirling blade, Tusker Fist	(0, 0, 0)	0.10
Lightning Bolt 0x02000880	(0, 0, 0)	0.15
Force Bolt 0x0200087D	(0, -0.165, 0.1045)	0.102

This pins a one-sphere invariant for the required projectile set, but disproves a centered-sphere shortcut: Force Bolt's sphere is offset. Step 6 must preserve the Setup-local origin and multiply both origin and radius by object scale.

11.2 Projectile table order and chains

The relevant entries, in stored order, are:

• Arrow/quarrel table 0x3400002B: Create (1 -> 0x33000719), Destroy (1 -> 0x33000233), and DisappearDestroy (1 -> 0x33000302). It has no Launch or Explode entry.
• Flame table 0x34000005: ProjectileCollision (1 -> 0x33000109); Launch (0 -> 0x3300011B, 0.5 -> 0x3300011C, 1 -> 0x3300011D); Explode (0 -> 0x3300011E, 0.5 -> 0x3300012B, 1 -> 0x33000120).
• Frost 0x34000080: collision 0x33000109, Launch 0x330008BF, Explode 0x33000119, each at threshold 1.
• Lightning 0x34000081: collision 0x33000109, Launch 0x330008C0, Explode 0x3300013E, each at threshold 1.
• Acid 0x34000082: collision 0x33000109, Launch 0x330008C2, Explode 0x33000132, each at threshold 1.
• Tusker Fist has no network/template table, but its Setup 0x02000EAE carries direct DefaultScript=0x33000D77. Setup initialization therefore runs that direct PES: Scale, CreateParticle emitter 0x3200071B on part 0, and SoundTable, all at time zero.

The Launch scripts contain CreateParticle trails plus sound-table hooks; the collision script contains SetLight; Explode scripts contain particles and sound. This confirms that physical and spell missiles use the same generic PhysicsScript/hook sinks rather than a special render-only trail path.

11.3 Recall and Hidden/UnHide

0x10000153 is the ACE/local-DAT motion command, not an Animation DID. In the human MotionTable 0x09000001, the NonCombat link resolves it to Animation 0x030009BF, frames 0..end at 9.96 frames/second. At frame 16 that Animation directly creates emitter 0x3200078E, attached to root part -1 with logical ID 19 and zero offset, then plays SoundTweaked hooks at frames 16, 46, 76, and 116. There is no CallPES in this human recall chain. Other local creature MotionTables resolve the same command to 0x03000047, 0x0300098F, or a 0x03000C34 -> 0x030009BF -> 0x03000C34 sequence.

Installed tables containing both typed transitions group into two asset pairs:

• Tables 0x34000004, 0x34000064, 0x34000066, 0x34000076, 0x34000095, 0x340000B2, 0x340000B4, 0x340000C9, 0x340000CA, 0x340000CB, 0x340000CD, and 0x340000D1: UnHide (1 -> 0x3300032F), Hidden (1 -> 0x33000331).
• Tables 0x34000063, 0x340000A9, 0x340000B9, and 0x340000BB: UnHide (1 -> 0x330002E0), Hidden (1 -> 0x330002F3).

This installed metadata also validates the table comparison recovered from x86: state transitions call intensity 1 and the entries have Mod 1, so equality must match.

11.4 CreateBlocking and fixture provenance

An aligned raw retail-layout scan finds CreateBlocking hooks in PhysicsScripts 0x33000AEA through 0x33000AF8 inclusive and none in Animations. The scan validates the type, a retail direction value, and the 0x32xxxxxx emitter DID prefix directly from raw bytes, so the defective stock decoder cannot skip or misalign a following hook. The repository commits only synthetic, noncopyrighted fixtures:

• tests/AcDream.Core.Net.Tests/Messages/ProjectileVfxPacketFixtures.cs: exact F754/F755, a broad projectile-field CreateObject, isolated Movement and AnimationFrame branches, and absent-versus-present-zero PeTable shapes. Step 1 adds truncation at each gated cursor.
• tests/AcDream.Content.Tests/Vfx/ProjectileVfxDatFixtures.cs: a synthetic raw PhysicsScript and Animation container, each containing a complete CreateBlocking payload followed by an AnimationDone hook at the exact expected cursor.

Representative installed raw-entry identities are pinned as metadata, not copied bytes:

DID	Length	SHA-256
Arrow Setup 0x02000124	812	630D19A9C79137F7BA90D01448B03E8F44D655FF77A4725792CB5660930A079E
Quarrel Setup 0x0200012A	776	ED529E834CC1799B5655549200F7D1060FB62A707988E7B7D4FBED2D9C4BA0D1
Force Bolt Setup 0x0200087D	344	B30469764673F55BCBB4F123559256299C34D819974EAB42AC476E3FEED6EAE8
Flame table 0x34000005	88	86906B0EDDC9AA2242091EAC7A22C88FB2150F0773B6CCA1FA5E4AAEAFF2A386
Recall Animation 0x030009BF	143560	21EF99FE5A760216AF48946B9C41D0FA7E4B94297B8DEC8B91C41BB8C7A0D02D
Blocking PES 0x33000AEA	64	C0D75973ADB55386ED6AC860C6D08EC43862ABE8CE07AC4E942EBA31DAF61320
Tusker Fist default PES 0x33000D77	108	9F27628BDEA6B05C95CFADD037746AB380542DF8B040265EF881B3366CB8E12E

ACE's current SpellProjectile.Setup cross-check confirms that server-created spell projectiles set ReportCollisions, Missile, AlignPath, and PathClipped; rotating projectile definitions instead set omega and clear AlignPath. On impact ACE broadcasts authoritative SetState, typed effect scripts, velocity zero, and eventual deletion. The client therefore predicts presentation but does not invent impact or destruction.

The recall Animation's direct DAT hooks must be executed rather than replaced with a guessed cloud. Hidden/UnHide state transitions and explicit typed scripts remain distinct packet-driven events. A normal visible spawn alone is not evidence for an UnHide materialization effect; the observer portal-in sequence must be validated against its actual inbound state/effect packets during Step 8.

12. Secondary-reference cross-checks

The following secondary implementations were inspected after the named-retail oracle. They confirm wire/schema or server-authority details; none overrides a retail disagreement:

• ACE Source/ACE.Entity/Enum/PhysicsDescriptionFlag.cs and Source/ACE.Entity/Enum/PhysicsState.cs confirm PhysicsDesc gates and state bits.
• ACE Source/ACE.Server/Network/GameMessages/Messages/GameMessageScript.cs confirms F755's opcode/GUID/raw type/float layout.
• ACE Source/ACE.Server/WorldObjects/SpellProjectile.cs confirms the server creates missile bodies and remains authoritative for impact state, effect, vector correction, and deletion.
• Holtburger crates/holtburger-protocol/src/messages/object/messages/description.rs confirms PhysicsDesc field order and the nine trailing sequences.
• ACViewer ACViewer/Entity/AnimationHooks/CreateParticleHook.cs and ACViewer/Physics/Scripts/PhysicsScriptTableData.cs were used as schema interpretation aids only; their behavior is not substituted for retail's blocking-emitter or stored-order threshold rules.

Repository links:

• https://github.com/ACEmulator/ACE/blob/master/Source/ACE.Entity/Enum/PhysicsDescriptionFlag.cs
• https://github.com/ACEmulator/ACE/blob/master/Source/ACE.Entity/Enum/PhysicsState.cs
• https://github.com/ACEmulator/ACE/blob/master/Source/ACE.Server/Network/GameMessages/Messages/GameMessageScript.cs
• https://github.com/ACEmulator/ACE/blob/master/Source/ACE.Server/WorldObjects/SpellProjectile.cs
• https://github.com/merklejerk/holtburger/blob/main/crates/holtburger-protocol/src/messages/object/messages/description.rs
• https://github.com/ACEmulator/ACViewer/blob/master/ACViewer/Entity/AnimationHooks/CreateParticleHook.cs
• https://github.com/ACEmulator/ACViewer/blob/master/ACViewer/Physics/Scripts/PhysicsScriptTableData.cs

13. Port invariants

1. Server GUID is translated once to a canonical local entity ID before an effect reaches render, audio, light, translucency, or particle sinks.
2. Logical entity creation/destruction is separate from spatial rebucketing.
3. Server Position/Vector/State/Delete packets remain authoritative.
4. No client-side impact, explosion, damage, or deletion is synthesized.
5. Per-object frame ordering preserves retail: animation/timed object hooks, movement commit and child updates, particle tick, then PhysicsScript tick. A script-created emitter begins particle simulation on the following tick.
6. Hidden suppresses mesh/collision/interaction but does not destroy the effect owner.
7. DAT assets determine models, colors, timing, and attachment behavior.
8. Every ported branch receives a conformance test and a named-retail citation.