@woosh/meep-engine 3.0.2 → 3.2.0

package/src/engine/control/first-person/DESIGN.md

@@ -1,640 +1,640 @@
-# FirstPersonPlayerController — Design
-
-> Status: **Draft** — design doc. No implementation yet.
-> Scope: one entity, one body, one camera. No skeleton, no avatar mesh, no sound, no input wiring.
-> Companion files (planned): `FirstPersonPlayerController.js` (component), `FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem.js` (system), serialization adapter, spec.
-
----
-
-## 1. Goals
-
-The controller has two intertwined goals. Every design decision below should be justified against at least one of them.
-
-1. **Feel alive.** Convey weight, inertia, breath, exertion, and consequence. The player should sense a body even when the screen shows only the world.
-2. **Be configurable.** Every parameter that contributes to "feel" must be exposed and tunable per-entity, with sensible defaults. Different characters (heavy soldier vs. light scout vs. drunk NPC) must be expressible by data alone.
-
-### Non-goals (explicitly out of scope)
-
-- Visual representation of the body (arms, weapon, third-person mesh, shadow).
-- Input wiring (keyboard, gamepad, touch). The controller exposes an **intent surface**; binding is the job of `InputController` or a script.
-- Collision and ground-truth physics resolution. This document assumes a separate physics or capsule-controller layer reports `grounded`, `groundNormal`, and resolves penetration. The controller writes desired velocity / impulses.
-- Skeletal pose evaluation. The controller exports **pose channels** (numeric outputs) intended for a future skeleton system to consume.
-- Sound. The controller exports **events** intended for a future audio system to consume.
-- Networking / rollback. The component is designed to be deterministic per fixed update so this is possible later, but no replication is included.
-
----
-
-## 2. Research notes
-
-A condensed reading of public sources informed this design:
-
-- **3Cs framework** (Camera, Character, Controls) — these three are interdependent; tuning one warps the others. Treat them as one design surface even though they live in separate components. Joel Nilsson (Massive, *Avatar*) and the gamedevpills writeup are the canonical references.
-- **Mirror's Edge Catalyst camera** (DICE / Erik Söderholm) — the hardest problem is "not feeling like a box that glides around". Solution: animate the camera with body weight, not just track a capsule. Inform jump anticipation, land recovery, breathing, head tilt with the same data the body uses.
-- **Star Citizen FPS stances & breathing** — breathing is an *active subsystem*, not decoration. Breath rate scales with stamina/exertion. Camera sway has 1s rest pauses at full stamina and shrinks to ~0.2s pauses when depleted. Heavy gear amplifies it.
-- **Playtank "First-Person 3Cs: Camera"** — a layered transform hierarchy (Root → Head → Noise → Camera) lets effects compose without coupling. Anti-motion-sickness: keep horizon stable by default, make roll/shake opt-in.
-- **NeoFPS additive transforms** — effects are an additive stack; translation and rotation compose independently so layer order doesn't matter for one but does for the other.
-- **Spring-roll-call** (Daniel Holden) — critically damped springs with half-life parameterization beat lerp for camera smoothing. Under-damped springs are the right tool for landing recovery (they overshoot and ring slightly, which reads as compression).
-- **Coyote time + jump buffer + variable jump height** — three small forgiveness tricks that single-handedly elevate a "stiff" controller. Coyote ~80–120 ms, buffer ~80–150 ms, fall gravity multiplier 1.5–2.5×.
-- **Gait research** — a walk/run cycle is two footfalls per stride; cadence scales roughly with √(g·L) where L is leg length (the pendulum approximation). Heel-strike events happen at the bottom of the vertical bob.
-
----
-
-## 3. Architectural overview
-
-```
-┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
-│  ENTITY                                                            │
-│                                                                    │
-│  ┌──────────────────────┐  ┌──────────────┐  ┌────────────────┐    │
-│  │ FirstPersonPlayer-   │  │  Transform   │  │  Motion        │    │
-│  │ Controller           │  │  (BODY)      │  │  (velocity)    │    │
-│  │                      │  │              │  │                │    │
-│  │ - config             │  │              │  │                │    │
-│  │ - intent (RW)        │  └──────────────┘  └────────────────┘    │
-│  │ - state (RO)         │           ▲                              │
-│  │ - signals (RO)       │           │ written by System            │
-│  │ - pose channels (RO) │           │                              │
-│  └──────────────────────┘           │                              │
-│            ▲                        │                              │
-│            │              ┌─────────┴────────┐                     │
-│            │              │ Camera entity    │                     │
-│            │              │  (child or       │                     │
-│            │              │   referenced)    │                     │
-│            │              │ - Transform (EYE)│                     │
-│            │              │ - Camera         │                     │
-│            │              └──────────────────┘                     │
-│            │                                                       │
-│            └── intent set by: InputController binding / AI script  │
-│                pose channels read by: future skeleton system       │
-│                signals consumed by: future audio / FX systems      │
-└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
-```
-
-### Two transforms, not one
-
-The controller drives **two** transforms:
-
-1. **Body transform** — the entity's own `Transform`. Position is the ground-projected foot/capsule origin. Yaw is the body's facing. Pitch and roll on the body are always zero. The body is what a physics system would integrate.
-2. **Eye transform** — a separate transform (camera entity, attached via `TransformAttachment` or held as a referenced entity). Position is body + (height − crouchDip) + (bob + breath + landKick + shake). Rotation is body-yaw × eye-pitch × (lean roll). This is where all the "feel" lives.
-
-Why split: body kinematics must remain physics-clean (no jitter into the collider); the camera must be free to lie, dip, and oscillate without affecting collision or AI line-of-sight.
-
-### Five processing layers
-
-Each frame the system walks these in order:
-
-| Layer | Reads | Writes | Cadence |
-|---|---|---|---|
-| **L0 Intent** | (external) | `intent.*` | event-driven |
-| **L1 Locomotion** | `intent`, `state.grounded` | `Motion.velocity`, `Transform` (body) | fixed |
-| **L2 Pose** | `state`, `config` | `pose.*` channels | fixed |
-| **L3 Camera** | `pose`, `state` | eye `Transform`, `Camera.fov` | variable (per-frame) |
-| **L4 Events** | derived from `state` transitions | `signals.*` | fixed (where possible) |
-
-L1, L2, L4 run in `fixedUpdate` so they're deterministic and not framerate-coupled. L3 runs in `update` because camera smoothing must be at render rate to avoid judder.
-
----
-
-## 4. The component: `FirstPersonPlayerController`
-
-Standard meep component contract: `typeName`, `toJSON/fromJSON`, `copy/clone/equals/hash`. Fields are grouped into five sub-objects so the public API stays legible.
-
-```
-class FirstPersonPlayerController {
-    static typeName = "FirstPersonPlayerController"
-
-    config   : FirstPersonConfig    // tunables — serialized
-    intent   : FirstPersonIntent    // written by input/AI — transient
-    state    : FirstPersonState     // read-only outputs — transient
-    pose     : FirstPersonPose      // read-only outputs for skeleton — transient
-    signals  : FirstPersonSignals   // Signal<...> instances — transient
-
-    /** Reference to the eye/camera entity; created on link if absent. */
-    eyeEntity : EntityReference
-}
-```
-
-Only `config` is serialized. Everything else is rebuilt on `link()`.
-
-### 4.1 `FirstPersonConfig` — the tunable surface
-
-Grouped by feel-axis so designers can browse without scrolling past 80 floats.
-
-```
-config = {
-    body: {
-        height          : 1.80   // m, standing eye height
-        crouchHeight    : 1.10   // m, crouched eye height
-        radius          : 0.35   // m, capsule radius (for downstream physics)
-        mass            : 80     // kg, drives bob amplitude & land impact
-    },
-
-    motion: {
-        walkSpeed       : 3.0    // m/s
-        sprintSpeed     : 6.0    // m/s
-        crouchSpeed     : 1.4    // m/s
-        airControl      : 0.25   // [0..1] how much intent influences air velocity
-        groundAccel     : 35     // m/s² (~ "snap" of start-up)
-        groundDecel     : 50     // m/s² when intent zero
-        airAccel        : 8      // m/s²
-        turnRateMax     : Inf    // rad/s — Inf = instantaneous (mouse-look default)
-    },
-
-    jump: {
-        peakHeight          : 1.2    // m, the *desired* clean-jump apex
-        timeToApex          : 0.40   // s — together with peakHeight → gravity & impulse
-        coyoteTime          : 0.10   // s of grace after walking off a ledge
-        bufferTime          : 0.12   // s a queued jump remains valid before landing
-        fallGravityMult     : 2.0    // gravity ×N once vy < 0 or jump released early
-        cutGravityMult      : 1.8    // gravity ×N if jump released before apex (variable height)
-        anticipation: {              // squash before take-off
-            duration       : 0.08   // s
-            dipAmount      : 0.06   // m, eye dips this much
-            curve          : "ease-out-quad"
-        }
-    },
-
-    landing: {
-        softThreshold       : 3.0    // m/s vertical — below = soft signal
-        hardThreshold       : 7.5    // m/s vertical — above = hard signal
-        recovery: {
-            dipPerVy         : 0.012   // m of eye dip per m/s impact velocity
-            dipMax           : 0.18    // m, clamp
-            spring: {
-                halfLife    : 0.12   // s — under-damped (zeta < 1) for the ring
-                zeta        : 0.55
-            }
-        }
-    },
-
-    crouch: {
-        transitionTime  : 0.18   // s to lerp eye height
-        mode            : "hold" // "hold" | "toggle" — affects intent semantics
-    },
-
-    bob: {
-        // Cadence is derived from speed: freq = stepFreqAtWalk * (speed / walkSpeed) ^ stepFreqExp
-        stepFreqAtWalk   : 1.8    // Hz (≈ 1.8 footfalls/s, both feet)
-        stepFreqExp      : 0.9    // sub-linear so sprint isn't frantic
-        verticalAmpAtWalk: 0.045  // m
-        lateralAmpAtWalk : 0.025  // m  — figure-8 (vert is 2x lateral freq)
-        ampMassScale     : 0.005  // m per kg over reference (80kg)
-        rollAtWalkDeg    : 0.6    // deg, sympathetic head roll
-        // Pattern: vertical(t) = A_v * |sin(πft)|        (footfall = trough)
-        //          lateral (t) = A_l * sin(2πft / 2)     (one full cycle = 2 steps)
-        //          roll    (t) = A_r * sin(2πft / 2)     (in phase with lateral)
-    },
-
-    breath: {
-        // Resting respiration — 14 breaths/min ≈ 0.23 Hz
-        rateRestHz       : 0.23
-        rateMaxHz        : 0.70   // panting at full exertion
-        amplitudeRestM   : 0.004  // tiny — barely visible at rest
-        amplitudeMaxM    : 0.022  // visible chest heave when exhausted
-        pitchAmpRestDeg  : 0.10
-        pitchAmpMaxDeg   : 0.55
-        // Optional micro-noise on top of the sine, perlin@0.7Hz, ±20% of amp
-        noiseAmount      : 0.20
-    },
-
-    exertion: {
-        // Single scalar [0..1]. Inputs raise it, time decays it.
-        sprintRiseRate   : 0.20   // /s while sprinting
-        jumpRise         : 0.08   // per jump
-        idleDecayRate    : 0.12   // /s while walking or still
-        // Carry-over: after exertion peaks, breath rate decays slower than amplitude
-        // (you keep breathing hard for a moment after stopping).
-        rateDecayHalfLife: 4.0    // s
-        ampDecayHalfLife : 2.0    // s
-    },
-
-    lean: {
-        enabled          : true   // ACCESSIBILITY — make false to disable roll
-        maxRollDeg       : 2.5    // deg per (lateral m/s² / 9.81)
-        spring: { halfLife: 0.18, zeta: 1.0 }
-    },
-
-    fov: {
-        base             : 70     // deg
-        sprintAdd        : 6      // deg added when at full sprint speed
-        crouchAdd        : -3
-        smoothHalfLife   : 0.20   // s
-    },
-
-    look: {
-        pitchMinDeg      : -85
-        pitchMaxDeg      :  85
-        invertY          : false
-        // Sensitivity itself belongs to the input layer, not here.
-    }
-}
-```
-
-Every nested object is itself a normal object that round-trips through `toJSON`. Serialization adapter just walks the tree.
-
-### 4.2 `FirstPersonIntent` — the control surface
-
-This is what input bindings or AI scripts write to. The system reads it once per fixed update and zeroes the *consumable* bits (`look`).
-
-```
-intent = {
-    move      : Vector2      // [-1..1, -1..1] — forward+/right+ in body-local (state)
-    look      : Vector2      // accumulated delta yaw/pitch in radians (consumed each fixed step)
-    jump      : boolean      // HOLD STATE — true while button held; edge detected inside system
-    crouch    : boolean      // HOLD STATE — meaning depends on config.crouch.mode
-    sprint    : boolean      // HOLD STATE — sprint applies only when moveY > 0 and grounded
-}
-```
-
-Three input semantics live here:
-- **Delta**: `look` — accumulated between fixed updates, zeroed on consume.
-- **State (hold)**: `move`, `crouch`, `sprint`, `jump` — latched. Always reflects the current physical button/stick state.
-- **Edge**: detected internally by the system from `jump` (and from `crouch` when `config.crouch.mode === "toggle"`). The intent surface never exposes "I just pressed it" — that's the system's bookkeeping. This is what guarantees a held jump button doesn't auto-repeat.
-
-That makes all three common input topologies trivial to wire:
-- Mouse + keyboard: mouse writes `look += delta`, WASD writes `move`, space-down/space-up writes `jump`.
-- Gamepad: right stick writes `look = stick * sensitivity * dt`, left stick writes `move`, A-down/A-up writes `jump`.
-- AI: scripts write the same fields directly, no input device required. Scripts that want a "single jump" set `jump = true` for one fixed step then `jump = false`.
-
-### 4.3 `FirstPersonState` — derived, read-only
-
-```
-state = {
-    // Grounding
-    grounded           : boolean
-    timeSinceGrounded  : number   // s — feeds coyote time
-    groundNormal       : Vector3  // unit, set by physics layer; default Up
-    surfaceTag         : string?  // optional, "grass" | "wood" | ... for FX
-
-    // Locomotion
-    speed              : number   // m/s, horizontal magnitude of Motion.velocity
-    speedNormalized    : number   // [0..1] vs sprintSpeed — drives bob amp/freq
-    moveMode           : enum     // Idle | Walk | Sprint | Crouch | Air
-
-    // Vertical
-    verticalSpeed      : number   // signed m/s
-    airborneTime       : number   // s since leaving ground
-    fallDistance       : number   // m fallen since last grounded
-
-    // Jump bookkeeping
-    jumpBufferRemaining: number   // s — set when intent.jump fires; consumed on land
-    inJumpAnticipation : boolean  // true during the squash window
-    isVariableJumpCut  : boolean  // true if button released before apex
-
-    // Exertion & breath
-    exertion           : number   // [0..1], smoothed
-    breathPhase        : number   // [0..1) — fraction through current breath cycle
-    breathRateHz       : number   // current actual rate
-    breathAmplitudeM   : number   // current actual amplitude
-
-    // Stride
-    stridePhase        : number   // [0..1) — fraction through 2-step cycle
-    stepCount          : integer  // monotonic; useful for "every Nth step" effects
-
-    // Pose
-    eyeHeight          : number   // current m above body origin (lerped during crouch)
-
-    // Tilt
-    leanRollRad        : number   // current eye roll
-}
-```
-
-### 4.4 `FirstPersonPose` — channels for a skeleton system
-
-These are the *outputs* a future humanoid rig should drive itself from. Designed so the same controller can later feed:
-- a first-person arms rig (arms + weapon),
-- a third-person full-body rig,
-- a network-replicated remote rig.
-
-```
-pose = {
-    // World-space body
-    rootPosition       : Vector3
-    rootYawRad         : number      // body facing
-
-    // Head decoupled from body (the "look")
-    headYawRad         : number      // = body yaw for most controllers
-    headPitchRad       : number
-    headRollRad        : number      // includes lean
-
-    // Locomotion phase — for animation playback
-    locomotionPhase    : number      // [0..1), synced to stridePhase
-    locomotionSpeed    : number      // m/s, for blend tree
-    locomotionStrafe   : number      // [-1..1], for strafe-blend space
-
-    // Action state — for state machine driving
-    actionState        : enum        // Grounded | Anticipating | Airborne | Landing
-    crouchAmount       : number      // [0..1] interpolation between standing/crouched poses
-    aimPitch           : number      // = headPitchRad, surfaced separately for IK
-}
-```
-
-The pose channels are intentionally *redundant* with `state` — they're a stable contract for downstream systems, even if `state` internals churn.
-
-### 4.5 `FirstPersonSignals` — event surface
-
-```
-signals = {
-    onFootStep   : Signal<{ side: "L"|"R", speed: number, surfaceTag: string? }>
-    onJumpStart  : Signal<{ peakHeight: number }>          // fires at impulse, after anticipation
-    onJumpApex   : Signal<{}>
-    onLeaveGround: Signal<{ reason: "jump"|"fall" }>
-    onLand       : Signal<{ verticalSpeed: number, kind: "soft"|"hard" }>
-    onCrouchEnter: Signal<{}>
-    onCrouchExit : Signal<{}>
-    onSprintStart: Signal<{}>
-    onSprintStop : Signal<{}>
-    onBreathIn   : Signal<{ amplitude: number, rateHz: number }>  // peak inhale
-    onBreathOut  : Signal<{ amplitude: number, rateHz: number }>  // peak exhale
-}
-```
-
-All signals fire from `fixedUpdate` so listeners see consistent state. `onFootStep` fires twice per stride at the troughs of vertical bob. The `side` flips each footstep.
-
----
-
-## 5. The system: `FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem`
-
-```
-class FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem extends System {
-    dependencies = [FirstPersonPlayerController, Transform, Motion]
-    components_used = [
-        spec(Transform, RW),
-        spec(Motion,    RW),
-        spec(Camera,    RW),    // on the eye entity
-    ]
-
-    fixedUpdate(dt) { /* L1, L2, L4 — deterministic */ }
-    update(dt)      { /* L3 — camera composition at render rate */ }
-
-    link(controller, transform, motion, entity)   { /* spawn eye entity if missing, build signals, snapshot defaults */ }
-    unlink(controller, transform, motion, entity) { /* tear down eye entity, clear signals */ }
-}
-```
-
-### 5.1 `fixedUpdate` — pseudocode
-
-```
-for each entity (controller, bodyTransform, motion):
-    // ---- L1: Locomotion -------------------------------------------------
-    consumeLookDelta(controller.intent.look) → apply to bodyYaw, eyePitch (clamped)
-    desiredSpeed = pickSpeed(controller, state.moveMode)
-    desiredVel   = bodyLocal(intent.move) * desiredSpeed
-    accel        = state.grounded ? config.motion.groundAccel : config.motion.airAccel
-    motion.velocity.xz  = stepTowards(motion.velocity.xz, desiredVel, accel * dt)
-
-    // Jump
-    if intent.jump consumed:
-        state.jumpBufferRemaining = config.jump.bufferTime
-    state.jumpBufferRemaining -= dt
-
-    canJump = (state.grounded || state.timeSinceGrounded < config.jump.coyoteTime)
-              && state.jumpBufferRemaining > 0
-    if canJump and not state.inJumpAnticipation:
-        beginJumpAnticipation()    // schedules impulse after anticipation.duration
-        signals.onJumpStart.send(...)
-
-    integrateAnticipationAndImpulse(dt)
-    applyGravity(dt, with fallGravityMult / cutGravityMult)
-    integrate(bodyTransform.position += motion.velocity * dt)
-
-    // Ground detection feedback (set externally by physics layer or assumed flat)
-    updateGroundedFromExternalContact()
-
-    // ---- L2: Pose -------------------------------------------------------
-    updateExertion(dt)
-    updateBreath(dt)            // advances breathPhase, computes amp/rate
-    updateStride(dt)            // advances stridePhase when grounded & moving
-    updateCrouch(dt)            // lerps eyeHeight
-    updateLeanTarget(dt)        // computes target roll from lateral accel; springed in L3
-
-    // ---- L4: Events -----------------------------------------------------
-    if stridePhase wrapped past 0 or 0.5:
-        signals.onFootStep.send({ side: nextSide(), ... })
-    detectGroundedEdges()       // sends onLeaveGround / onLand
-    detectJumpApex()
-    detectBreathPeaks()         // sends onBreathIn / onBreathOut
-    detectCrouchEdges()
-    detectSprintEdges()
-
-    // Publish pose channels
-    writePoseChannels()
-```
-
-### 5.2 `update` (variable rate) — camera composition
-
-```
-for each entity:
-    eyeT = eye transform
-    body = body transform
-
-    // Base eye position (body local)
-    base = (0, state.eyeHeight, 0)
-
-    // Additive offsets — composed in the body's local space, then world-transformed
-    bobOffset    = computeBob(state.stridePhase, state.speedNormalized, config)
-    breathOffset = computeBreath(state.breathPhase, state.breathAmplitudeM, config)
-    landOffset   = landingSpring.evaluate(dt)        // under-damped, decays to 0
-    anticipOffset= state.inJumpAnticipation ? anticipationCurve.eval() : 0
-    shakeOffset  = externalShakeStack.evaluate(dt)   // future: gunfire, explosions
-
-    localEyePos  = base + (bobOffset + breathOffset + landOffset + anticipOffset + shakeOffset)
-    eyeT.position = body.position + bodyRotation * localEyePos
-
-    // Rotation: yaw from body, pitch from look, roll from lean + bob
-    rollTotal = leanSpring.evaluate(dt) + bobRoll(state.stridePhase, config)
-    eyeT.rotation = quatYaw(body.yaw) * quatPitch(state.eyePitch) * quatRoll(rollTotal)
-
-    // FOV
-    fovTarget = config.fov.base
-                + lerp(0, config.fov.sprintAdd, state.speedNormalized * sprintness)
-                + (state.moveMode == Crouch ? config.fov.crouchAdd : 0)
-    camera.fov = springTowards(camera.fov, fovTarget, config.fov.smoothHalfLife, dt)
-```
-
-### 5.3 Key formulas
-
-**Jump from peak height & time-to-apex** (lets designers think in m and seconds, not Newtons):
-```
-g           = 2 * peakHeight / (timeToApex²)
-initialVy   = 2 * peakHeight / timeToApex
-```
-On variable-height cut: switch gravity to `g * cutGravityMult` once button released *and* `vy > 0`.
-On descent: switch gravity to `g * fallGravityMult` once `vy <= 0`.
-This matches the classic Sonic/Mario "fast fall" feel.
-
-**Stride frequency from speed**:
-```
-f = config.bob.stepFreqAtWalk
-    * (max(speed, ε) / config.motion.walkSpeed) ^ config.bob.stepFreqExp
-```
-At rest `f → 0` and bob amplitude clamps to 0, so the player stops bobbing when they stop.
-
-**Bob shape**:
-
-`stridePhase ∈ [0, 1)` wraps once per stride (= 2 footsteps).
-
-Lateral and roll alternate ONCE per stride (head shifts right during right-foot midstance, left during left-foot midstance):
-```
-phase    = stridePhase * 2π                       // one full cycle per stride (= 2 steps)
-lateral  =  A_l * sin(phase) * intensity          // 1 full L↔R cycle per stride
-roll     =  A_r * sin(phase) * intensity          // in phase with lateral
-```
-
-Vertical is modeled as an **impulse-driven under-damped spring** rather than a sinusoid — the smooth `|sin|` curve we initially specified didn't match real gait dynamics (head is *highest* at midstance, *dips* at footfall under loading response, then is *pushed back up* by the standing leg). At each footfall event:
-```
-verticalImpactSpring.velocity -= A_v * impactKickMultiplier * intensity
-```
-Then each fixed step the spring damps toward zero with `halfLife ≈ 0.14 s`, `ζ ≈ 0.5`:
-```
-verticalOffset = verticalImpactSpring.value     // negative during impact dip,
-                                                // positive during overshoot/push
-```
-
-The under-damped response produces the four-phase curve:
-1. **Impact** — sharp dip below neutral as the foot arrests the head's fall
-2. **Recovery** — value rises back through neutral
-3. **Push** — overshoot above neutral, modeling energy injection from the standing leg
-4. **Settle** — back toward neutral until the next footfall kicks it again
-
-At fast cadence (sprint) the spring barely settles between footfalls and the head oscillates continuously. At slow cadence (back-pedal) each impact is more punctuated, with visible settling between steps. This emerges from the dynamics — no separate handling needed.
-
-**Intensity envelope.** The `intensity` factor used by the lateral/roll/kick amplitudes is itself a critically damped spring around `max(speedNormalized, backwardness)` (or zero when airborne), with `halfLife ≈ 0.22 s`. This is what prevents the "whiplash" of stopping motion — bob amplitudes fade smoothly to zero instead of being cut off when speed drops below the stride threshold.
-
-> An even earlier draft of this doc used `sin(phase / 2)` for lateral and roll, intending a "half-rate" oscillation. That formula actually produces only the first *half* of a sine wave per stridePhase cycle (range [0, π) of sin → all non-negative), which manifested as a one-sided sustained offset for the duration of one stride. The current `sin(phase)` formulation alternates correctly.
-
-**Footstep detection**: emit `onFootStep` when `stridePhase` crosses `0` (right foot) or `0.5` (left foot), but only if `state.grounded && speed > minStepSpeed`. The boundary check uses the *previous* phase so it fires exactly once even at huge dt.
-
-**Breath cycle**:
-```
-breathRateHz = lerp(rateRest, rateMax, exertion) decaying with rateDecayHalfLife
-breathAmpM   = lerp(ampRest,  ampMax,  exertion) decaying with ampDecayHalfLife
-breathPhase += breathRateHz * dt; wrap to [0,1)
-
-verticalBreath = -breathAmpM * sin(2π * breathPhase) * (1 + noiseAmount * perlin(t*0.7))
-pitchBreath    =  breathPitchAmp * cos(2π * breathPhase)   // gentle nod, 90° out of phase
-```
-Negative `vertical` so peak exhale dips the eye slightly (chest collapses). `onBreathIn` fires at phase `0.25`, `onBreathOut` at `0.75`.
-
-**Exertion update**:
-```
-rise = (sprintActive ? sprintRiseRate : 0) + jumpRiseDelta(this frame)
-fall = idleDecayRate * (1 - rise > 0 ? 0 : 1)
-exertion = clamp(exertion + (rise - fall) * dt, 0, 1)
-```
-Then `breathRateHz` and `breathAmpM` track `exertion` through *separate* exponential lags — rate hangs around longer than amplitude, matching how real recovery works (you breathe fast for a while after the chest has stopped heaving).
-
-**Critically damped spring** (used for FOV, lean, crouch height):
-```
-y = halfLife / 0.6931
-α = exp(-y * dt)
-β = (x - target)
-v = (v - β * y) * α
-x = target + (β + v * dt / y) * α
-```
-For landing recovery, use the same form with `zeta = 0.55` so it overshoots once before settling.
-
-### 5.4 Edge cases and rules
-
-- **Look-pitch clamp** is *non-wrapping*: the pitch is stored as a separate scalar so it cannot accidentally roll over. Yaw on the body wraps freely.
-- **Posture is intent-driven; ceilings only block RISING, never push you down**: low geometry constrains posture in exactly one direction. If `intent.crouch` releases but an *already-crouched* (or -prone) entity cannot grow into the taller posture (headroom up-cast collides), the controller *holds* the lower posture and exposes `state.crouchBlocked = true`; standing resumes automatically when clear. The converse is deliberately NOT done: a *standing* player who walks under a low overhang is **not** auto-crouched, and a crouching player who meets a sub-crouch overhang is **not** auto-proned. Their current-posture capsule simply doesn't fit, so the mover blocks their forward motion — "if I can't clear it, I don't move forward." Dropping to a lower stance is always the player's choice (press crouch / slide), never the ceiling's. This rule lives in the controller because it's universal; the headroom cast itself is a service-injection point.
-- **Sprint requires forward intent**: sideways-only or backwards movement should not consume exertion at sprint rates. Specifically `sprint = intent.sprint && intent.move.y > 0.5 && state.grounded`.
-- **No bob in air**: stride does not advance while `!grounded`. Phase freezes so landing doesn't re-fire a stale footstep.
-- **Jump cancel during anticipation**: if grounded becomes false during anticipation (e.g. ground pulled out), drop the queued impulse and emit `onLeaveGround{reason:"fall"}` without `onJumpStart`.
-- **Disable when paused**: the system should respect a `controller.enabled` flag (or scene pause) and freeze `update` but still allow `fixedUpdate` to integrate gravity if desired. This is a configuration concern, not behavior — exposed via the existing engine pause mechanism.
-
----
-
-## 6. Accessibility & motion sickness
-
-Three settings every player should be able to toggle (defaults shown):
-
-| Setting | Default | Effect when off |
-|---|---|---|
-| `config.lean.enabled` | true | No roll on strafe |
-| `config.bob.verticalAmpAtWalk` | (nonzero) | Set to 0 to disable bob |
-| `config.fov.sprintAdd` | 6 | Set to 0 to disable FOV kick (a known nausea trigger) |
-
-The Playtank article calls these out specifically — keeping the horizon flat and the FOV stable accommodates a meaningful fraction of players who otherwise can't play first-person at all. They are exposed as plain config knobs, not buried.
-
----
-
-## 7. Integration points (deferred work)
-
-These don't ship with the controller but the design preserves a clean attachment surface for each:
-
-| Future system | How it hooks in |
-|---|---|
-| **Capsule physics / collision** | Reads `Motion.velocity` and resolves; writes `state.grounded`, `state.groundNormal`, `state.surfaceTag`. Suggested via a small `GroundContact` component the physics system populates and the controller reads. |
-| **First-person arms rig** | Reads `pose.headPitchRad`, `pose.locomotionPhase`, `state.actionState`. Driven by an animation graph keyed to the same stride phase the bob uses, so feet animate in sync with footstep events. |
-| **Third-person body rig** | Reads `pose.rootYawRad`, `pose.locomotionSpeed/Strafe`, `pose.crouchAmount`, `state.actionState`. Built around a standard blend-space. |
-| **Sound** | Subscribes to `signals.onFootStep` (modulated by `surfaceTag`), `onLand` (kind = soft/hard), `onJumpStart`, `onBreathIn/Out` (volume = amplitude). |
-| **Camera shake from external sources** (gunfire, explosions) | Pushes into the `externalShakeStack` on the controller — an additive transform list. The controller's L3 evaluates it; sources only push. |
-| **Stamina / damage / status** | A separate component can write into `controller.config.exertion.*` at runtime — e.g. an injury raises `idleDecayRate` to a negative value (exertion can never recover fully). |
-| **Networking** | Because L1+L2+L4 are deterministic in `fixedUpdate` and the intent surface is small, the controller can be rolled back / replayed by writing intent and re-running fixed updates. No design changes needed. |
-
----
-
-## 8. File layout
-
-```
-engine/control/first-person/
-    DESIGN.md                                                  (this file)
-    FirstPersonPlayerController.js                             (component class)
-    FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem.js                       (system class)
-    FirstPersonPlayerControllerSerializationAdapter.js
-    FirstPersonPlayerController.spec.js                        (component contract)
-    FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem.spec.js                  (system behavior)
-    math/
-        criticallyDampedSpring.js
-        underDampedSpring.js
-        computeJumpFromApex.js
-    pose/
-        FirstPersonPose.js                                     (the pose-channel struct)
-```
-
-Math helpers live as standalone pure functions so they're independently testable and reusable.
-
----
-
-## 9. Resolved design decisions
-
-The open questions from the previous draft are now answered:
-
-1. **Body pitch** — **No pitch on the body, ever.** Body holds only yaw. Pitch lives on the eye. Standard FPS convention; keeps physics integration clean.
-2. **Eye representation** — **Separate entity** with its own `Transform` + `Camera`, parented to the body via `TransformAttachment`. Holds the door open for vehicle-mount / turret-style reparenting later without refactor.
-3. **Look intent shape** — **`Vector2` delta** (yaw on `x`, pitch on `y`). Matches mouse semantics; yaw-only sources (turret-style AI) just write `(x, 0)`.
-4. **Bob curve evaluation** — **Runtime sine.** Cheap on modern CPUs. No LUT.
-5. **Look processing rate** — **Inside `fixedUpdate`.** Determinism wins. Input bindings accumulate look delta into `intent.look` (a `Vector2`) between fixed updates; the system consumes and zeroes it once per fixed step. Cost: at very low fixed rates (e.g. 30 Hz) mouse feel becomes slightly chunky; mitigation if it ever bites is to raise `fixedUpdateStepSize` from default ~60 Hz to 120 Hz for entities with this controller, *not* to move look back to render rate.
-
-### Jump-button repeat (added requirement)
-
-**Holding the jump button must not produce repeated jumps.** A jump must consume an explicit *button-down edge*; holding the button after a jump produces no further jumps until the button is released and pressed again.
-
-Implementation:
-
-- `intent.jump` is a **hold-state boolean** (true while the button is held). The input binding sets it on key-down and clears it on key-up.
-- The system tracks `_jumpButtonWasDown` internally. A jump is *requested* only on the false→true edge, not while the value remains true.
-- Pressing space then holding it across grounded → airborne → grounded transitions produces exactly **one** jump. The player must release and re-press to jump again.
-- Auto-repeat from the OS is already filtered by `KeyboardDevice` (`event.repeat` check), so the edge fires cleanly once per physical press.
-- Bonus: the same edge gives us **variable jump height** — the true→false edge (release) cuts gravity on the ascending portion of the jump. Two birds, one signal.
-
-The same hold-state-plus-edge pattern is used for crouch (when `config.crouch.mode === "toggle"`); when in `"hold"` mode the held value is used directly.
-
----
-
-## 10. Sources
-
-- gamedevpills — [The 3Cs Framework: Character, Camera, Controls](https://www.gamedevpills.com/p/the-3cs-framework-character-camera)
-- Playtank — [First-Person 3Cs: Camera](https://playtank.io/2023/05/12/first-person-3cs-camera/)
-- Roberts Space Industries — [Design Notes: FPS Stances & Breathing](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/en/comm-link/engineering/14653-Design-Notes-FPS-Stances-Breathing)
-- NeoFPS — [Additive Transforms and Effects](https://docs.neofps.com/manual/fpcam-additive-transforms-and-effects.html)
-- Daniel Holden — [Spring-It-On: The Game Developer's Spring-Roll-Call](https://theorangeduck.com/page/spring-roll-call)
-- Allen Chou — [Game Math: Precise Control over Numeric Springing](https://allenchou.net/2015/04/game-math-precise-control-over-numeric-springing/)
-- Ryan Juckett — [Damped Springs](https://www.ryanjuckett.com/damped-springs/)
-- GDC Vault — [Animation Bootcamp: Giving Purpose to First-Person Animation](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1017633/Animation-Bootcamp-Giving-Purpose-to)
-- GDC Vault — [The Art of First Person Animation for Destiny](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1022297/The-Art-of-First-Person)
-- Palos Publishing — [Simulating Breathing and Idle Motion Procedurally](https://palospublishing.com/simulating-breathing-and-idle-motion-procedurally/)
-- Ketra Games — [Coyote Time and Jump Buffering](https://www.ketra-games.com/2021/08/coyote-time-and-jump-buffering.html)
-- Opsive — [First Person Lean](https://opsive.com/support/documentation/ultimate-character-controller/character/abilities/included-abilities/first-person-lean/) and [Character Foot Effects](https://opsive.com/support/documentation/ultimate-character-controller/surface-system/character-foot-effects/)
-- CTRL500 — [Mirror's Edge Catalyst: Keeping the camera in your face](https://ctrl500.com/developers-corner/mirrors-edge-catalyst-keeping-the-camera-in-your-face/) (DICE / Erik Söderholm)
+# FirstPersonPlayerController — Design
+
+> Status: **Draft** — design doc. No implementation yet.
+> Scope: one entity, one body, one camera. No skeleton, no avatar mesh, no sound, no input wiring.
+> Companion files (planned): `FirstPersonPlayerController.js` (component), `FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem.js` (system), serialization adapter, spec.
+
+---
+
+## 1. Goals
+
+The controller has two intertwined goals. Every design decision below should be justified against at least one of them.
+
+1. **Feel alive.** Convey weight, inertia, breath, exertion, and consequence. The player should sense a body even when the screen shows only the world.
+2. **Be configurable.** Every parameter that contributes to "feel" must be exposed and tunable per-entity, with sensible defaults. Different characters (heavy soldier vs. light scout vs. drunk NPC) must be expressible by data alone.
+
+### Non-goals (explicitly out of scope)
+
+- Visual representation of the body (arms, weapon, third-person mesh, shadow).
+- Input wiring (keyboard, gamepad, touch). The controller exposes an **intent surface**; binding is the job of `InputController` or a script.
+- Collision and ground-truth physics resolution. This document assumes a separate physics or capsule-controller layer reports `grounded`, `groundNormal`, and resolves penetration. The controller writes desired velocity / impulses.
+- Skeletal pose evaluation. The controller exports **pose channels** (numeric outputs) intended for a future skeleton system to consume.
+- Sound. The controller exports **events** intended for a future audio system to consume.
+- Networking / rollback. The component is designed to be deterministic per fixed update so this is possible later, but no replication is included.
+
+---
+
+## 2. Research notes
+
+A condensed reading of public sources informed this design:
+
+- **3Cs framework** (Camera, Character, Controls) — these three are interdependent; tuning one warps the others. Treat them as one design surface even though they live in separate components. Joel Nilsson (Massive, *Avatar*) and the gamedevpills writeup are the canonical references.
+- **Mirror's Edge Catalyst camera** (DICE / Erik Söderholm) — the hardest problem is "not feeling like a box that glides around". Solution: animate the camera with body weight, not just track a capsule. Inform jump anticipation, land recovery, breathing, head tilt with the same data the body uses.
+- **Star Citizen FPS stances & breathing** — breathing is an *active subsystem*, not decoration. Breath rate scales with stamina/exertion. Camera sway has 1s rest pauses at full stamina and shrinks to ~0.2s pauses when depleted. Heavy gear amplifies it.
+- **Playtank "First-Person 3Cs: Camera"** — a layered transform hierarchy (Root → Head → Noise → Camera) lets effects compose without coupling. Anti-motion-sickness: keep horizon stable by default, make roll/shake opt-in.
+- **NeoFPS additive transforms** — effects are an additive stack; translation and rotation compose independently so layer order doesn't matter for one but does for the other.
+- **Spring-roll-call** (Daniel Holden) — critically damped springs with half-life parameterization beat lerp for camera smoothing. Under-damped springs are the right tool for landing recovery (they overshoot and ring slightly, which reads as compression).
+- **Coyote time + jump buffer + variable jump height** — three small forgiveness tricks that single-handedly elevate a "stiff" controller. Coyote ~80–120 ms, buffer ~80–150 ms, fall gravity multiplier 1.5–2.5×.
+- **Gait research** — a walk/run cycle is two footfalls per stride; cadence scales roughly with √(g·L) where L is leg length (the pendulum approximation). Heel-strike events happen at the bottom of the vertical bob.
+
+---
+
+## 3. Architectural overview
+
+```
+┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│  ENTITY                                                            │
+│                                                                    │
+│  ┌──────────────────────┐  ┌──────────────┐  ┌────────────────┐    │
+│  │ FirstPersonPlayer-   │  │  Transform   │  │  Motion        │    │
+│  │ Controller           │  │  (BODY)      │  │  (velocity)    │    │
+│  │                      │  │              │  │                │    │
+│  │ - config             │  │              │  │                │    │
+│  │ - intent (RW)        │  └──────────────┘  └────────────────┘    │
+│  │ - state (RO)         │           ▲                              │
+│  │ - signals (RO)       │           │ written by System            │
+│  │ - pose channels (RO) │           │                              │
+│  └──────────────────────┘           │                              │
+│            ▲                        │                              │
+│            │              ┌─────────┴────────┐                     │
+│            │              │ Camera entity    │                     │
+│            │              │  (child or       │                     │
+│            │              │   referenced)    │                     │
+│            │              │ - Transform (EYE)│                     │
+│            │              │ - Camera         │                     │
+│            │              └──────────────────┘                     │
+│            │                                                       │
+│            └── intent set by: InputController binding / AI script  │
+│                pose channels read by: future skeleton system       │
+│                signals consumed by: future audio / FX systems      │
+└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+### Two transforms, not one
+
+The controller drives **two** transforms:
+
+1. **Body transform** — the entity's own `Transform`. Position is the ground-projected foot/capsule origin. Yaw is the body's facing. Pitch and roll on the body are always zero. The body is what a physics system would integrate.
+2. **Eye transform** — a separate transform (camera entity, attached via `TransformAttachment` or held as a referenced entity). Position is body + (height − crouchDip) + (bob + breath + landKick + shake). Rotation is body-yaw × eye-pitch × (lean roll). This is where all the "feel" lives.
+
+Why split: body kinematics must remain physics-clean (no jitter into the collider); the camera must be free to lie, dip, and oscillate without affecting collision or AI line-of-sight.
+
+### Five processing layers
+
+Each frame the system walks these in order:
+
+| Layer | Reads | Writes | Cadence |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| **L0 Intent** | (external) | `intent.*` | event-driven |
+| **L1 Locomotion** | `intent`, `state.grounded` | `Motion.velocity`, `Transform` (body) | fixed |
+| **L2 Pose** | `state`, `config` | `pose.*` channels | fixed |
+| **L3 Camera** | `pose`, `state` | eye `Transform`, `Camera.fov` | variable (per-frame) |
+| **L4 Events** | derived from `state` transitions | `signals.*` | fixed (where possible) |
+
+L1, L2, L4 run in `fixedUpdate` so they're deterministic and not framerate-coupled. L3 runs in `update` because camera smoothing must be at render rate to avoid judder.
+
+---
+
+## 4. The component: `FirstPersonPlayerController`
+
+Standard meep component contract: `typeName`, `toJSON/fromJSON`, `copy/clone/equals/hash`. Fields are grouped into five sub-objects so the public API stays legible.
+
+```
+class FirstPersonPlayerController {
+    static typeName = "FirstPersonPlayerController"
+
+    config   : FirstPersonConfig    // tunables — serialized
+    intent   : FirstPersonIntent    // written by input/AI — transient
+    state    : FirstPersonState     // read-only outputs — transient
+    pose     : FirstPersonPose      // read-only outputs for skeleton — transient
+    signals  : FirstPersonSignals   // Signal<...> instances — transient
+
+    /** Reference to the eye/camera entity; created on link if absent. */
+    eyeEntity : EntityReference
+}
+```
+
+Only `config` is serialized. Everything else is rebuilt on `link()`.
+
+### 4.1 `FirstPersonConfig` — the tunable surface
+
+Grouped by feel-axis so designers can browse without scrolling past 80 floats.
+
+```
+config = {
+    body: {
+        height          : 1.80   // m, standing eye height
+        crouchHeight    : 1.10   // m, crouched eye height
+        radius          : 0.35   // m, capsule radius (for downstream physics)
+        mass            : 80     // kg, drives bob amplitude & land impact
+    },
+
+    motion: {
+        walkSpeed       : 3.0    // m/s
+        sprintSpeed     : 6.0    // m/s
+        crouchSpeed     : 1.4    // m/s
+        airControl      : 0.25   // [0..1] how much intent influences air velocity
+        groundAccel     : 35     // m/s² (~ "snap" of start-up)
+        groundDecel     : 50     // m/s² when intent zero
+        airAccel        : 8      // m/s²
+        turnRateMax     : Inf    // rad/s — Inf = instantaneous (mouse-look default)
+    },
+
+    jump: {
+        peakHeight          : 1.2    // m, the *desired* clean-jump apex
+        timeToApex          : 0.40   // s — together with peakHeight → gravity & impulse
+        coyoteTime          : 0.10   // s of grace after walking off a ledge
+        bufferTime          : 0.12   // s a queued jump remains valid before landing
+        fallGravityMult     : 2.0    // gravity ×N once vy < 0 or jump released early
+        cutGravityMult      : 1.8    // gravity ×N if jump released before apex (variable height)
+        anticipation: {              // squash before take-off
+            duration       : 0.08   // s
+            dipAmount      : 0.06   // m, eye dips this much
+            curve          : "ease-out-quad"
+        }
+    },
+
+    landing: {
+        softThreshold       : 3.0    // m/s vertical — below = soft signal
+        hardThreshold       : 7.5    // m/s vertical — above = hard signal
+        recovery: {
+            dipPerVy         : 0.012   // m of eye dip per m/s impact velocity
+            dipMax           : 0.18    // m, clamp
+            spring: {
+                halfLife    : 0.12   // s — under-damped (zeta < 1) for the ring
+                zeta        : 0.55
+            }
+        }
+    },
+
+    crouch: {
+        transitionTime  : 0.18   // s to lerp eye height
+        mode            : "hold" // "hold" | "toggle" — affects intent semantics
+    },
+
+    bob: {
+        // Cadence is derived from speed: freq = stepFreqAtWalk * (speed / walkSpeed) ^ stepFreqExp
+        stepFreqAtWalk   : 1.8    // Hz (≈ 1.8 footfalls/s, both feet)
+        stepFreqExp      : 0.9    // sub-linear so sprint isn't frantic
+        verticalAmpAtWalk: 0.045  // m
+        lateralAmpAtWalk : 0.025  // m  — figure-8 (vert is 2x lateral freq)
+        ampMassScale     : 0.005  // m per kg over reference (80kg)
+        rollAtWalkDeg    : 0.6    // deg, sympathetic head roll
+        // Pattern: vertical(t) = A_v * |sin(πft)|        (footfall = trough)
+        //          lateral (t) = A_l * sin(2πft / 2)     (one full cycle = 2 steps)
+        //          roll    (t) = A_r * sin(2πft / 2)     (in phase with lateral)
+    },
+
+    breath: {
+        // Resting respiration — 14 breaths/min ≈ 0.23 Hz
+        rateRestHz       : 0.23
+        rateMaxHz        : 0.70   // panting at full exertion
+        amplitudeRestM   : 0.004  // tiny — barely visible at rest
+        amplitudeMaxM    : 0.022  // visible chest heave when exhausted
+        pitchAmpRestDeg  : 0.10
+        pitchAmpMaxDeg   : 0.55
+        // Optional micro-noise on top of the sine, perlin@0.7Hz, ±20% of amp
+        noiseAmount      : 0.20
+    },
+
+    exertion: {
+        // Single scalar [0..1]. Inputs raise it, time decays it.
+        sprintRiseRate   : 0.20   // /s while sprinting
+        jumpRise         : 0.08   // per jump
+        idleDecayRate    : 0.12   // /s while walking or still
+        // Carry-over: after exertion peaks, breath rate decays slower than amplitude
+        // (you keep breathing hard for a moment after stopping).
+        rateDecayHalfLife: 4.0    // s
+        ampDecayHalfLife : 2.0    // s
+    },
+
+    lean: {
+        enabled          : true   // ACCESSIBILITY — make false to disable roll
+        maxRollDeg       : 2.5    // deg per (lateral m/s² / 9.81)
+        spring: { halfLife: 0.18, zeta: 1.0 }
+    },
+
+    fov: {
+        base             : 70     // deg
+        sprintAdd        : 6      // deg added when at full sprint speed
+        crouchAdd        : -3
+        smoothHalfLife   : 0.20   // s
+    },
+
+    look: {
+        pitchMinDeg      : -85
+        pitchMaxDeg      :  85
+        invertY          : false
+        // Sensitivity itself belongs to the input layer, not here.
+    }
+}
+```
+
+Every nested object is itself a normal object that round-trips through `toJSON`. Serialization adapter just walks the tree.
+
+### 4.2 `FirstPersonIntent` — the control surface
+
+This is what input bindings or AI scripts write to. The system reads it once per fixed update and zeroes the *consumable* bits (`look`).
+
+```
+intent = {
+    move      : Vector2      // [-1..1, -1..1] — forward+/right+ in body-local (state)
+    look      : Vector2      // accumulated delta yaw/pitch in radians (consumed each fixed step)
+    jump      : boolean      // HOLD STATE — true while button held; edge detected inside system
+    crouch    : boolean      // HOLD STATE — meaning depends on config.crouch.mode
+    sprint    : boolean      // HOLD STATE — sprint applies only when moveY > 0 and grounded
+}
+```
+
+Three input semantics live here:
+- **Delta**: `look` — accumulated between fixed updates, zeroed on consume.
+- **State (hold)**: `move`, `crouch`, `sprint`, `jump` — latched. Always reflects the current physical button/stick state.
+- **Edge**: detected internally by the system from `jump` (and from `crouch` when `config.crouch.mode === "toggle"`). The intent surface never exposes "I just pressed it" — that's the system's bookkeeping. This is what guarantees a held jump button doesn't auto-repeat.
+
+That makes all three common input topologies trivial to wire:
+- Mouse + keyboard: mouse writes `look += delta`, WASD writes `move`, space-down/space-up writes `jump`.
+- Gamepad: right stick writes `look = stick * sensitivity * dt`, left stick writes `move`, A-down/A-up writes `jump`.
+- AI: scripts write the same fields directly, no input device required. Scripts that want a "single jump" set `jump = true` for one fixed step then `jump = false`.
+
+### 4.3 `FirstPersonState` — derived, read-only
+
+```
+state = {
+    // Grounding
+    grounded           : boolean
+    timeSinceGrounded  : number   // s — feeds coyote time
+    groundNormal       : Vector3  // unit, set by physics layer; default Up
+    surfaceTag         : string?  // optional, "grass" | "wood" | ... for FX
+
+    // Locomotion
+    speed              : number   // m/s, horizontal magnitude of Motion.velocity
+    speedNormalized    : number   // [0..1] vs sprintSpeed — drives bob amp/freq
+    moveMode           : enum     // Idle | Walk | Sprint | Crouch | Air
+
+    // Vertical
+    verticalSpeed      : number   // signed m/s
+    airborneTime       : number   // s since leaving ground
+    fallDistance       : number   // m fallen since last grounded
+
+    // Jump bookkeeping
+    jumpBufferRemaining: number   // s — set when intent.jump fires; consumed on land
+    inJumpAnticipation : boolean  // true during the squash window
+    isVariableJumpCut  : boolean  // true if button released before apex
+
+    // Exertion & breath
+    exertion           : number   // [0..1], smoothed
+    breathPhase        : number   // [0..1) — fraction through current breath cycle
+    breathRateHz       : number   // current actual rate
+    breathAmplitudeM   : number   // current actual amplitude
+
+    // Stride
+    stridePhase        : number   // [0..1) — fraction through 2-step cycle
+    stepCount          : integer  // monotonic; useful for "every Nth step" effects
+
+    // Pose
+    eyeHeight          : number   // current m above body origin (lerped during crouch)
+
+    // Tilt
+    leanRollRad        : number   // current eye roll
+}
+```
+
+### 4.4 `FirstPersonPose` — channels for a skeleton system
+
+These are the *outputs* a future humanoid rig should drive itself from. Designed so the same controller can later feed:
+- a first-person arms rig (arms + weapon),
+- a third-person full-body rig,
+- a network-replicated remote rig.
+
+```
+pose = {
+    // World-space body
+    rootPosition       : Vector3
+    rootYawRad         : number      // body facing
+
+    // Head decoupled from body (the "look")
+    headYawRad         : number      // = body yaw for most controllers
+    headPitchRad       : number
+    headRollRad        : number      // includes lean
+
+    // Locomotion phase — for animation playback
+    locomotionPhase    : number      // [0..1), synced to stridePhase
+    locomotionSpeed    : number      // m/s, for blend tree
+    locomotionStrafe   : number      // [-1..1], for strafe-blend space
+
+    // Action state — for state machine driving
+    actionState        : enum        // Grounded | Anticipating | Airborne | Landing
+    crouchAmount       : number      // [0..1] interpolation between standing/crouched poses
+    aimPitch           : number      // = headPitchRad, surfaced separately for IK
+}
+```
+
+The pose channels are intentionally *redundant* with `state` — they're a stable contract for downstream systems, even if `state` internals churn.
+
+### 4.5 `FirstPersonSignals` — event surface
+
+```
+signals = {
+    onFootStep   : Signal<{ side: "L"|"R", speed: number, surfaceTag: string? }>
+    onJumpStart  : Signal<{ peakHeight: number }>          // fires at impulse, after anticipation
+    onJumpApex   : Signal<{}>
+    onLeaveGround: Signal<{ reason: "jump"|"fall" }>
+    onLand       : Signal<{ verticalSpeed: number, kind: "soft"|"hard" }>
+    onCrouchEnter: Signal<{}>
+    onCrouchExit : Signal<{}>
+    onSprintStart: Signal<{}>
+    onSprintStop : Signal<{}>
+    onBreathIn   : Signal<{ amplitude: number, rateHz: number }>  // peak inhale
+    onBreathOut  : Signal<{ amplitude: number, rateHz: number }>  // peak exhale
+}
+```
+
+All signals fire from `fixedUpdate` so listeners see consistent state. `onFootStep` fires twice per stride at the troughs of vertical bob. The `side` flips each footstep.
+
+---
+
+## 5. The system: `FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem`
+
+```
+class FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem extends System {
+    dependencies = [FirstPersonPlayerController, Transform, Motion]
+    components_used = [
+        spec(Transform, RW),
+        spec(Motion,    RW),
+        spec(Camera,    RW),    // on the eye entity
+    ]
+
+    fixedUpdate(dt) { /* L1, L2, L4 — deterministic */ }
+    update(dt)      { /* L3 — camera composition at render rate */ }
+
+    link(controller, transform, motion, entity)   { /* spawn eye entity if missing, build signals, snapshot defaults */ }
+    unlink(controller, transform, motion, entity) { /* tear down eye entity, clear signals */ }
+}
+```
+
+### 5.1 `fixedUpdate` — pseudocode
+
+```
+for each entity (controller, bodyTransform, motion):
+    // ---- L1: Locomotion -------------------------------------------------
+    consumeLookDelta(controller.intent.look) → apply to bodyYaw, eyePitch (clamped)
+    desiredSpeed = pickSpeed(controller, state.moveMode)
+    desiredVel   = bodyLocal(intent.move) * desiredSpeed
+    accel        = state.grounded ? config.motion.groundAccel : config.motion.airAccel
+    motion.velocity.xz  = stepTowards(motion.velocity.xz, desiredVel, accel * dt)
+
+    // Jump
+    if intent.jump consumed:
+        state.jumpBufferRemaining = config.jump.bufferTime
+    state.jumpBufferRemaining -= dt
+
+    canJump = (state.grounded || state.timeSinceGrounded < config.jump.coyoteTime)
+              && state.jumpBufferRemaining > 0
+    if canJump and not state.inJumpAnticipation:
+        beginJumpAnticipation()    // schedules impulse after anticipation.duration
+        signals.onJumpStart.send(...)
+
+    integrateAnticipationAndImpulse(dt)
+    applyGravity(dt, with fallGravityMult / cutGravityMult)
+    integrate(bodyTransform.position += motion.velocity * dt)
+
+    // Ground detection feedback (set externally by physics layer or assumed flat)
+    updateGroundedFromExternalContact()
+
+    // ---- L2: Pose -------------------------------------------------------
+    updateExertion(dt)
+    updateBreath(dt)            // advances breathPhase, computes amp/rate
+    updateStride(dt)            // advances stridePhase when grounded & moving
+    updateCrouch(dt)            // lerps eyeHeight
+    updateLeanTarget(dt)        // computes target roll from lateral accel; springed in L3
+
+    // ---- L4: Events -----------------------------------------------------
+    if stridePhase wrapped past 0 or 0.5:
+        signals.onFootStep.send({ side: nextSide(), ... })
+    detectGroundedEdges()       // sends onLeaveGround / onLand
+    detectJumpApex()
+    detectBreathPeaks()         // sends onBreathIn / onBreathOut
+    detectCrouchEdges()
+    detectSprintEdges()
+
+    // Publish pose channels
+    writePoseChannels()
+```
+
+### 5.2 `update` (variable rate) — camera composition
+
+```
+for each entity:
+    eyeT = eye transform
+    body = body transform
+
+    // Base eye position (body local)
+    base = (0, state.eyeHeight, 0)
+
+    // Additive offsets — composed in the body's local space, then world-transformed
+    bobOffset    = computeBob(state.stridePhase, state.speedNormalized, config)
+    breathOffset = computeBreath(state.breathPhase, state.breathAmplitudeM, config)
+    landOffset   = landingSpring.evaluate(dt)        // under-damped, decays to 0
+    anticipOffset= state.inJumpAnticipation ? anticipationCurve.eval() : 0
+    shakeOffset  = externalShakeStack.evaluate(dt)   // future: gunfire, explosions
+
+    localEyePos  = base + (bobOffset + breathOffset + landOffset + anticipOffset + shakeOffset)
+    eyeT.position = body.position + bodyRotation * localEyePos
+
+    // Rotation: yaw from body, pitch from look, roll from lean + bob
+    rollTotal = leanSpring.evaluate(dt) + bobRoll(state.stridePhase, config)
+    eyeT.rotation = quatYaw(body.yaw) * quatPitch(state.eyePitch) * quatRoll(rollTotal)
+
+    // FOV
+    fovTarget = config.fov.base
+                + lerp(0, config.fov.sprintAdd, state.speedNormalized * sprintness)
+                + (state.moveMode == Crouch ? config.fov.crouchAdd : 0)
+    camera.fov = springTowards(camera.fov, fovTarget, config.fov.smoothHalfLife, dt)
+```
+
+### 5.3 Key formulas
+
+**Jump from peak height & time-to-apex** (lets designers think in m and seconds, not Newtons):
+```
+g           = 2 * peakHeight / (timeToApex²)
+initialVy   = 2 * peakHeight / timeToApex
+```
+On variable-height cut: switch gravity to `g * cutGravityMult` once button released *and* `vy > 0`.
+On descent: switch gravity to `g * fallGravityMult` once `vy <= 0`.
+This matches the classic Sonic/Mario "fast fall" feel.
+
+**Stride frequency from speed**:
+```
+f = config.bob.stepFreqAtWalk
+    * (max(speed, ε) / config.motion.walkSpeed) ^ config.bob.stepFreqExp
+```
+At rest `f → 0` and bob amplitude clamps to 0, so the player stops bobbing when they stop.
+
+**Bob shape**:
+
+`stridePhase ∈ [0, 1)` wraps once per stride (= 2 footsteps).
+
+Lateral and roll alternate ONCE per stride (head shifts right during right-foot midstance, left during left-foot midstance):
+```
+phase    = stridePhase * 2π                       // one full cycle per stride (= 2 steps)
+lateral  =  A_l * sin(phase) * intensity          // 1 full L↔R cycle per stride
+roll     =  A_r * sin(phase) * intensity          // in phase with lateral
+```
+
+Vertical is modeled as an **impulse-driven under-damped spring** rather than a sinusoid — the smooth `|sin|` curve we initially specified didn't match real gait dynamics (head is *highest* at midstance, *dips* at footfall under loading response, then is *pushed back up* by the standing leg). At each footfall event:
+```
+verticalImpactSpring.velocity -= A_v * impactKickMultiplier * intensity
+```
+Then each fixed step the spring damps toward zero with `halfLife ≈ 0.14 s`, `ζ ≈ 0.5`:
+```
+verticalOffset = verticalImpactSpring.value     // negative during impact dip,
+                                                // positive during overshoot/push
+```
+
+The under-damped response produces the four-phase curve:
+1. **Impact** — sharp dip below neutral as the foot arrests the head's fall
+2. **Recovery** — value rises back through neutral
+3. **Push** — overshoot above neutral, modeling energy injection from the standing leg
+4. **Settle** — back toward neutral until the next footfall kicks it again
+
+At fast cadence (sprint) the spring barely settles between footfalls and the head oscillates continuously. At slow cadence (back-pedal) each impact is more punctuated, with visible settling between steps. This emerges from the dynamics — no separate handling needed.
+
+**Intensity envelope.** The `intensity` factor used by the lateral/roll/kick amplitudes is itself a critically damped spring around `max(speedNormalized, backwardness)` (or zero when airborne), with `halfLife ≈ 0.22 s`. This is what prevents the "whiplash" of stopping motion — bob amplitudes fade smoothly to zero instead of being cut off when speed drops below the stride threshold.
+
+> An even earlier draft of this doc used `sin(phase / 2)` for lateral and roll, intending a "half-rate" oscillation. That formula actually produces only the first *half* of a sine wave per stridePhase cycle (range [0, π) of sin → all non-negative), which manifested as a one-sided sustained offset for the duration of one stride. The current `sin(phase)` formulation alternates correctly.
+
+**Footstep detection**: emit `onFootStep` when `stridePhase` crosses `0` (right foot) or `0.5` (left foot), but only if `state.grounded && speed > minStepSpeed`. The boundary check uses the *previous* phase so it fires exactly once even at huge dt.
+
+**Breath cycle**:
+```
+breathRateHz = lerp(rateRest, rateMax, exertion) decaying with rateDecayHalfLife
+breathAmpM   = lerp(ampRest,  ampMax,  exertion) decaying with ampDecayHalfLife
+breathPhase += breathRateHz * dt; wrap to [0,1)
+
+verticalBreath = -breathAmpM * sin(2π * breathPhase) * (1 + noiseAmount * perlin(t*0.7))
+pitchBreath    =  breathPitchAmp * cos(2π * breathPhase)   // gentle nod, 90° out of phase
+```
+Negative `vertical` so peak exhale dips the eye slightly (chest collapses). `onBreathIn` fires at phase `0.25`, `onBreathOut` at `0.75`.
+
+**Exertion update**:
+```
+rise = (sprintActive ? sprintRiseRate : 0) + jumpRiseDelta(this frame)
+fall = idleDecayRate * (1 - rise > 0 ? 0 : 1)
+exertion = clamp(exertion + (rise - fall) * dt, 0, 1)
+```
+Then `breathRateHz` and `breathAmpM` track `exertion` through *separate* exponential lags — rate hangs around longer than amplitude, matching how real recovery works (you breathe fast for a while after the chest has stopped heaving).
+
+**Critically damped spring** (used for FOV, lean, crouch height):
+```
+y = halfLife / 0.6931
+α = exp(-y * dt)
+β = (x - target)
+v = (v - β * y) * α
+x = target + (β + v * dt / y) * α
+```
+For landing recovery, use the same form with `zeta = 0.55` so it overshoots once before settling.
+
+### 5.4 Edge cases and rules
+
+- **Look-pitch clamp** is *non-wrapping*: the pitch is stored as a separate scalar so it cannot accidentally roll over. Yaw on the body wraps freely.
+- **Posture is intent-driven; ceilings only block RISING, never push you down**: low geometry constrains posture in exactly one direction. If `intent.crouch` releases but an *already-crouched* (or -prone) entity cannot grow into the taller posture (headroom up-cast collides), the controller *holds* the lower posture and exposes `state.crouchBlocked = true`; standing resumes automatically when clear. The converse is deliberately NOT done: a *standing* player who walks under a low overhang is **not** auto-crouched, and a crouching player who meets a sub-crouch overhang is **not** auto-proned. Their current-posture capsule simply doesn't fit, so the mover blocks their forward motion — "if I can't clear it, I don't move forward." Dropping to a lower stance is always the player's choice (press crouch / slide), never the ceiling's. This rule lives in the controller because it's universal; the headroom cast itself is a service-injection point.
+- **Sprint requires forward intent**: sideways-only or backwards movement should not consume exertion at sprint rates. Specifically `sprint = intent.sprint && intent.move.y > 0.5 && state.grounded`.
+- **No bob in air**: stride does not advance while `!grounded`. Phase freezes so landing doesn't re-fire a stale footstep.
+- **Jump cancel during anticipation**: if grounded becomes false during anticipation (e.g. ground pulled out), drop the queued impulse and emit `onLeaveGround{reason:"fall"}` without `onJumpStart`.
+- **Disable when paused**: the system should respect a `controller.enabled` flag (or scene pause) and freeze `update` but still allow `fixedUpdate` to integrate gravity if desired. This is a configuration concern, not behavior — exposed via the existing engine pause mechanism.
+
+---
+
+## 6. Accessibility & motion sickness
+
+Three settings every player should be able to toggle (defaults shown):
+
+| Setting | Default | Effect when off |
+|---|---|---|
+| `config.lean.enabled` | true | No roll on strafe |
+| `config.bob.verticalAmpAtWalk` | (nonzero) | Set to 0 to disable bob |
+| `config.fov.sprintAdd` | 6 | Set to 0 to disable FOV kick (a known nausea trigger) |
+
+The Playtank article calls these out specifically — keeping the horizon flat and the FOV stable accommodates a meaningful fraction of players who otherwise can't play first-person at all. They are exposed as plain config knobs, not buried.
+
+---
+
+## 7. Integration points (deferred work)
+
+These don't ship with the controller but the design preserves a clean attachment surface for each:
+
+| Future system | How it hooks in |
+|---|---|
+| **Capsule physics / collision** | Reads `Motion.velocity` and resolves; writes `state.grounded`, `state.groundNormal`, `state.surfaceTag`. Suggested via a small `GroundContact` component the physics system populates and the controller reads. |
+| **First-person arms rig** | Reads `pose.headPitchRad`, `pose.locomotionPhase`, `state.actionState`. Driven by an animation graph keyed to the same stride phase the bob uses, so feet animate in sync with footstep events. |
+| **Third-person body rig** | Reads `pose.rootYawRad`, `pose.locomotionSpeed/Strafe`, `pose.crouchAmount`, `state.actionState`. Built around a standard blend-space. |
+| **Sound** | Subscribes to `signals.onFootStep` (modulated by `surfaceTag`), `onLand` (kind = soft/hard), `onJumpStart`, `onBreathIn/Out` (volume = amplitude). |
+| **Camera shake from external sources** (gunfire, explosions) | Pushes into the `externalShakeStack` on the controller — an additive transform list. The controller's L3 evaluates it; sources only push. |
+| **Stamina / damage / status** | A separate component can write into `controller.config.exertion.*` at runtime — e.g. an injury raises `idleDecayRate` to a negative value (exertion can never recover fully). |
+| **Networking** | Because L1+L2+L4 are deterministic in `fixedUpdate` and the intent surface is small, the controller can be rolled back / replayed by writing intent and re-running fixed updates. No design changes needed. |
+
+---
+
+## 8. File layout
+
+```
+engine/control/first-person/
+    DESIGN.md                                                  (this file)
+    FirstPersonPlayerController.js                             (component class)
+    FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem.js                       (system class)
+    FirstPersonPlayerControllerSerializationAdapter.js
+    FirstPersonPlayerController.spec.js                        (component contract)
+    FirstPersonPlayerControllerSystem.spec.js                  (system behavior)
+    math/
+        criticallyDampedSpring.js
+        underDampedSpring.js
+        computeJumpFromApex.js
+    pose/
+        FirstPersonPose.js                                     (the pose-channel struct)
+```
+
+Math helpers live as standalone pure functions so they're independently testable and reusable.
+
+---
+
+## 9. Resolved design decisions
+
+The open questions from the previous draft are now answered:
+
+1. **Body pitch** — **No pitch on the body, ever.** Body holds only yaw. Pitch lives on the eye. Standard FPS convention; keeps physics integration clean.
+2. **Eye representation** — **Separate entity** with its own `Transform` + `Camera`, parented to the body via `TransformAttachment`. Holds the door open for vehicle-mount / turret-style reparenting later without refactor.
+3. **Look intent shape** — **`Vector2` delta** (yaw on `x`, pitch on `y`). Matches mouse semantics; yaw-only sources (turret-style AI) just write `(x, 0)`.
+4. **Bob curve evaluation** — **Runtime sine.** Cheap on modern CPUs. No LUT.
+5. **Look processing rate** — **Inside `fixedUpdate`.** Determinism wins. Input bindings accumulate look delta into `intent.look` (a `Vector2`) between fixed updates; the system consumes and zeroes it once per fixed step. Cost: at very low fixed rates (e.g. 30 Hz) mouse feel becomes slightly chunky; mitigation if it ever bites is to raise `fixedUpdateStepSize` from default ~60 Hz to 120 Hz for entities with this controller, *not* to move look back to render rate.
+
+### Jump-button repeat (added requirement)
+
+**Holding the jump button must not produce repeated jumps.** A jump must consume an explicit *button-down edge*; holding the button after a jump produces no further jumps until the button is released and pressed again.
+
+Implementation:
+
+- `intent.jump` is a **hold-state boolean** (true while the button is held). The input binding sets it on key-down and clears it on key-up.
+- The system tracks `_jumpButtonWasDown` internally. A jump is *requested* only on the false→true edge, not while the value remains true.
+- Pressing space then holding it across grounded → airborne → grounded transitions produces exactly **one** jump. The player must release and re-press to jump again.
+- Auto-repeat from the OS is already filtered by `KeyboardDevice` (`event.repeat` check), so the edge fires cleanly once per physical press.
+- Bonus: the same edge gives us **variable jump height** — the true→false edge (release) cuts gravity on the ascending portion of the jump. Two birds, one signal.
+
+The same hold-state-plus-edge pattern is used for crouch (when `config.crouch.mode === "toggle"`); when in `"hold"` mode the held value is used directly.
+
+---
+
+## 10. Sources
+
+- gamedevpills — [The 3Cs Framework: Character, Camera, Controls](https://www.gamedevpills.com/p/the-3cs-framework-character-camera)
+- Playtank — [First-Person 3Cs: Camera](https://playtank.io/2023/05/12/first-person-3cs-camera/)
+- Roberts Space Industries — [Design Notes: FPS Stances & Breathing](https://robertsspaceindustries.com/en/comm-link/engineering/14653-Design-Notes-FPS-Stances-Breathing)
+- NeoFPS — [Additive Transforms and Effects](https://docs.neofps.com/manual/fpcam-additive-transforms-and-effects.html)
+- Daniel Holden — [Spring-It-On: The Game Developer's Spring-Roll-Call](https://theorangeduck.com/page/spring-roll-call)
+- Allen Chou — [Game Math: Precise Control over Numeric Springing](https://allenchou.net/2015/04/game-math-precise-control-over-numeric-springing/)
+- Ryan Juckett — [Damped Springs](https://www.ryanjuckett.com/damped-springs/)
+- GDC Vault — [Animation Bootcamp: Giving Purpose to First-Person Animation](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1017633/Animation-Bootcamp-Giving-Purpose-to)
+- GDC Vault — [The Art of First Person Animation for Destiny](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1022297/The-Art-of-First-Person)
+- Palos Publishing — [Simulating Breathing and Idle Motion Procedurally](https://palospublishing.com/simulating-breathing-and-idle-motion-procedurally/)
+- Ketra Games — [Coyote Time and Jump Buffering](https://www.ketra-games.com/2021/08/coyote-time-and-jump-buffering.html)
+- Opsive — [First Person Lean](https://opsive.com/support/documentation/ultimate-character-controller/character/abilities/included-abilities/first-person-lean/) and [Character Foot Effects](https://opsive.com/support/documentation/ultimate-character-controller/surface-system/character-foot-effects/)
+- CTRL500 — [Mirror's Edge Catalyst: Keeping the camera in your face](https://ctrl500.com/developers-corner/mirrors-edge-catalyst-keeping-the-camera-in-your-face/) (DICE / Erik Söderholm)