Portal made visible: cyan beacon pillar + always-on RoomExplore steer prompt (DR-046 follow-up)

The room-exit portal was invisible in the first playtest - players loitered
out the 30s ExploreGrace timeout. Adds RegionMath.ExpeditionPortalPos as the
single client-derivable portal-position authority (HUD prompt + beacon can't
drift), a pooled breathing HDR pillar in CombatFeedbackSystem shown only
during RoomExplore, and an in-range/out-of-range two-stage prompt.

Also repairs the comment-swallowed _portalMat initialization (NRE in
OnStartRunning killed ALL combat feedback each session and auto-paused the
editor via Error Pause). 456/456 EditMode.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/CombatFeedbackSystem.cs

@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
         double _lastHoldTime; // C4: last hit-stop hold time (throttle so a horde wipe doesn't stutter)
         bool _coneTickInit;
         Material _dangerMat;
-        readonly Dictionary<Entity, GameObject> _dangerZones = new();
+        readonly Dictionary<Entity, GameObject> _dangerZones = new();        Material _portalMat;              // DR-046: room-exit portal beacon glow (mutated for the pulse; beacon-only mat)
+        GameObject _portalBeacon;         // DR-046: pooled world-space "go here" pillar, shown only during RoomExplore
+
         readonly HashSet<Entity> _dangerSeen = new();
         readonly List<Entity> _dangerStale = new();
         // ---- Enemy health bars (Slice 1, Feature B) — one pooled world-space Canvas per live Husk ----
@@ -148,6 +150,10 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             _dangerMat = MakeParticleMaterial();
             _dangerMat.name = "EnemyDanger";
             _dangerMat.color = new Color(3.2f, 0.28f, 0.18f, 1f); // HDR red (per-zone intensity carried in vertex alpha)
+            _portalMat = MakeParticleMaterial();
+            _portalMat.name = "RoomPortal";
+            _portalMat.color = new Color(0.5f, 2.6f, 3.4f, 0.85f); // DR-046: HDR cyan portal glow (pushes past bloom)
+
             // Health-bar materials (UI/Default = always-included URP-compatible UI shader; per-instance Image.color carries alpha).
             Shader uiShader = Shader.Find("UI/Default") ?? Shader.Find("Sprites/Default");
             _barBgMat = new Material(uiShader) { name = "HealthBarBg" };
@@ -163,7 +169,8 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                 Object.Destroy(_fxRoot.gameObject);
             if (_slashMesh != null) Object.Destroy(_slashMesh);
             if (_slashMat != null) Object.Destroy(_slashMat);
-            if (_dangerMat != null) Object.Destroy(_dangerMat);
+            if (_dangerMat != null) Object.Destroy(_dangerMat);            if (_portalMat != null) Object.Destroy(_portalMat);
+
             if (_barBgMat != null) Object.Destroy(_barBgMat);
             if (_barFillMat != null) Object.Destroy(_barFillMat);
             foreach (var kv in _dangerZones)
@@ -500,7 +507,8 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             PruneVfx();
             AnimateNumbers(dt, cam);
             UpdateSlash(dt);
-            UpdateEnemyDanger(localPos);
+            UpdateEnemyDanger(localPos);            UpdatePortalBeacon();
+
             UpdateRemoteSwings(dt);
             UpdateHealthBars(dt, cam, localPos);
         }
@@ -982,7 +990,45 @@ void TriggerSlash(Vector3 pos, float2 facing, float range, float halfAngle, int
             return new RemoteSlash { Go = go, Mesh = mesh, Mr = mr, Mat = mat, Active = false, Init = false };
         }
 
-        // Enemy attack TELEGRAPH (MC-4 clarity): while an enemy's AttackWindup counts down, paint a red ground danger
+        // DR-046: the room-exit PORTAL made VISIBLE. During the RoomExplore loot window a glowing cyan pillar marks the
+        // client-derived portal position so the player has an unmistakable "go here to continue" target — the HUD prompt
+        // alone left the exit invisible, so players waited out the ~30s grace timeout ("nothing happens for a while").
+        // Client-only, observe-only; one pooled GameObject, hidden whenever the run isn't in RoomExplore. Position
+        // resolves through the SAME RegionMath.ExpeditionPortalPos authority the HUD prompt uses -> beacon + "PRESS E"
+        // range always agree.
+        void UpdatePortalBeacon()
+        {
+            if (_fxRoot == null || _portalMat == null) return;
+            bool inExplore = SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<RunInfo>(out var ri) && ri.Lifecycle == RunLifecycle.RoomExplore;
+            if (!inExplore || !SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<BaseAnchor>(out var anchor))
+            {
+                if (_portalBeacon != null && _portalBeacon.activeSelf) _portalBeacon.SetActive(false);
+                return;
+            }
+            float3 pos = RegionMath.ExpeditionPortalPos(BaseGridMath.PlotCenter(anchor), (byte)(ri.CurrentRoom & 1));
+            if (_portalBeacon == null)
+            {
+                _portalBeacon = GameObject.CreatePrimitive(PrimitiveType.Cylinder);
+                _portalBeacon.name = "~RoomPortalBeacon";
+                var col = _portalBeacon.GetComponent<Collider>(); if (col != null) Object.Destroy(col); // cosmetic only
+                _portalBeacon.transform.SetParent(_fxRoot, false);
+                var mr = _portalBeacon.GetComponent<MeshRenderer>();
+                mr.sharedMaterial = _portalMat;
+                mr.shadowCastingMode = UnityEngine.Rendering.ShadowCastingMode.Off;
+                mr.receiveShadows = false;
+            }
+            if (!_portalBeacon.activeSelf) _portalBeacon.SetActive(true);
+            float t = (float)SystemAPI.Time.ElapsedTime;
+            float breathe = 0.5f + 0.5f * math.sin(t * 3.5f);
+            var tr = _portalBeacon.transform;
+            // Cylinder is 2u tall in local space -> scale.y=3 gives a 6u pillar; lift the centre so the base sits on the ground.
+            tr.position = new Vector3(pos.x, pos.y + 3f, pos.z);
+            tr.localScale = new Vector3(1.4f + 0.15f * breathe, 3f, 1.4f + 0.15f * breathe);
+            _portalMat.color = new Color(0.5f, 2.6f, 3.4f, 0.55f + 0.35f * breathe); // glow throb (beacon-only mat, safe to mutate)
+        }
+
+        
+// Enemy attack TELEGRAPH (MC-4 clarity): while an enemy's AttackWindup counts down, paint a red ground danger
         // cone in its facing out to its reach, brightening + scaling as the strike nears -> the player reads WHERE +
         // WHEN to dodge. Client-only, observe-only; one pooled mesh per winding-up enemy, pruned each frame.
         void UpdateEnemyDanger(float3 localPos)

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/HudSystem.cs

@@ -1949,23 +1949,25 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
         {
             var root = _doc != null ? _doc.rootVisualElement : null; if (root == null) return;
             if (!_portalBuilt) { BuildPortalPrompt(root); _portalBuilt = true; }
-            bool show = false;
+            bool show = false, inRange = false;
             if (haveRun && runInfo.Lifecycle == RunLifecycle.RoomExplore
                 && SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<BaseAnchor>(out var anchor))
             {
-                float3 center = BaseGridMath.PlotCenter(anchor);
+                show = true; // room cleared -> ALWAYS steer the player to the (now visible) portal, not only when in range
-                float3 portalPos = RegionMath.ExpeditionRoomOrigin(center, (byte)(runInfo.CurrentRoom & 1));
+                float3 portalPos = RegionMath.ExpeditionPortalPos(BaseGridMath.PlotCenter(anchor), (byte)(runInfo.CurrentRoom & 1));
-                portalPos.z += Tuning.PortalOffsetZ;
                 foreach (var lt in SystemAPI.Query<RefRO<LocalTransform>>().WithAll<PlayerTag, GhostOwnerIsLocal>())
                 {
-                    if (math.distance(lt.ValueRO.Position.xz, portalPos.xz) <= Tuning.PortalInteractRange)
+                    inRange = math.distance(lt.ValueRO.Position.xz, portalPos.xz) <= Tuning.PortalInteractRange;
+                    if (inRange)
                     {
-                        show = true;
                         var kb = UnityEngine.InputSystem.Keyboard.current;
                         if (kb != null && kb.eKey.wasPressedThisFrame) PortalInteractSendSystem.Interact();
                     }
                     break;
                 }
+                _portalPrompt.text = inRange
+                    ? "PRESS E TO LEAVE  —  the haul comes home"
+                    : "ROOM CLEAR  —  reach the glowing portal to move on";
             }
             _portalPrompt.style.display = show ? DisplayStyle.Flex : DisplayStyle.None;
         }

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Simulation/World/RegionComponents.cs

@@ -53,7 +53,18 @@ namespace ProjectM.Simulation
             return baseCenter + new float3(ExpeditionOffsetX + subSlot * RoomStrideX, 0f, 0f);
         }
 
-        /// <summary>World-space origin of <paramref name="region"/>, given the base center (BaseGridMath.PlotCenter).
+        /// <summary>World-space position of the room-exit PORTAL for sub-slot <paramref name="subSlot"/> — the single
+        /// client-derivable authority the HUD prompt AND the presentation beacon both resolve through (DR-046), so they
+        /// can't drift. = the room origin nudged by <see cref="Tuning.PortalOffsetZ"/> in Z.</summary>
+        public static float3 ExpeditionPortalPos(float3 baseCenter, byte subSlot)
+        {
+            float3 p = ExpeditionRoomOrigin(baseCenter, subSlot);
+            p.z += Tuning.PortalOffsetZ;
+            return p;
+        }
+
+        
+/// <summary>World-space origin of <paramref name="region"/>, given the base center (BaseGridMath.PlotCenter).
         /// The expedition resolves to room sub-slot 0 (legacy call sites; room-aware systems pass the ACTIVE
         /// sub-slot to <see cref="ExpeditionRoomOrigin"/> directly).</summary>
         public static float3 RegionOrigin(byte region, float3 baseCenter)

Docs/Vault/07_Sessions/_Decisions/DR-044_Expedition_Redesign_Shipped_Demo_Polish.md

@@ -3,8 +3,17 @@ id: DR-044
 title: Expedition Redesign SHIPPED (steps 1–14) + Demo-Readiness Polish Pass
 date: 2026-07-04
 status: locked
-tags: [decision, expedition, roguelite, netcode, demo, polish, onboarding, audio]
+tags:
+- decision
+- expedition
+- roguelite
+- netcode
+- demo
+- polish
+- onboarding
+- audio
 supersedes: parts of DR-031/DR-042 (base-mining loop text); completes the [[2026-06-29_Expedition_Redesign_Build_Spec]]
+permalink: gamevault/07-sessions/decisions/dr-044-expedition-redesign-shipped-demo-polish
 ---
 
 # DR-044 — Expedition Redesign SHIPPED + Demo-Readiness Polish

Docs/Vault/07_Sessions/_Decisions/DR-046_Base_Expedition_Ties_Portal_Class_Prep.md

@@ -59,6 +59,17 @@ Rooms no longer auto-advance the instant the last enemy dies. New FSM beat betwe
   LEAVE"** prompt; E near the portal → `PortalInteractSendSystem.Interact()`. Never reads `RunParticipant`/`RunRuntime`/
   `RegionTag` client-side. Tuning: `PortalOffsetZ=-5`, `PortalInteractRange=3.5`, `ExploreGraceTicks=1800`.
 
+**Playtest fix (2026-07-05) — the portal was INVISIBLE.** The shipped cue was only a HUD line that appeared *when the
+player was already within `PortalInteractRange` of an unmarked point*, so after picking a boon there was no world target
+to walk to — players loitered until the ~30 s `ExploreGrace` timeout auto-advanced them ("nothing happens for a while
+until the next room selection comes up"). Fix (client presentation only, no netcode/re-bake): (1) new
+`RegionMath.ExpeditionPortalPos(baseCenter, subSlot)` = the single portal-position authority the HUD prompt AND the
+beacon both resolve through (extract-before-second-caller, per this batch's own lesson); (2) `CombatFeedbackSystem` now
+renders a glowing cyan HDR **portal-beacon pillar** at that position during `RoomExplore` (pooled GameObject, hidden
+otherwise, breathing pulse; mirrors the danger-zone pattern); (3) the `HudSystem` prompt is now **always-on during
+RoomExplore** — "ROOM CLEAR — reach the glowing portal to move on" out of range, "PRESS E TO LEAVE" in range. 456/456
+EditMode; the beacon is the operator's visual fun-gate.
+
 **Post-impl review fix (confirmed, medium):** the RoomExplore empty-abort guard first read `expeditionPlayers==0 &&
 LastTerminalCleared==0`, which SKIPPED a boss clear — so a post-boss total wipe/disconnect idled the run in RoomExplore
 for the full ~30 s ExploreGrace before the win banked (a promptness regression vs the old flow, self-healing but a bad