Combat feel: correct boss bar, player hit-flash, dash-to-move, finisher hit-stop

Boss bar reconstructs the true max client-side (Health.Max unreplicated) via
Kind==Charger + expedition-pos filter; boss slam telegraph = a full ground ring
at BossSlamRadius; IsAttacking OR's IsLunging. Player body flash on hurt (distinct
red, jitter-safe threshold). Dash toward movement input when moving else facing.
Warrior cone: muzzle-cue suppressed (cone arc is its cue). Minimal finisher-only
hit-stop (PrototypeCameraRig.Hold, behind FeelConfig flag; never Time.timeScale).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

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

@@ -312,13 +312,25 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                 }
             }
 
+            // C3: a CONE ability (the Warrior cleave) gets the dedicated cone-arc cue below, NOT the projectile muzzle
+            // flash + zap (those read as a ranged shot). Detect the local ability archetype once and gate the muzzle.
+            bool localIsCone = false;
+            if (_localPlayer != Entity.Null && EntityManager.HasComponent<AbilityRef>(_localPlayer)
+                && SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<AbilityDatabase>(out var muzDb) && muzDb.Value.IsCreated)
+            {
+                ref var muzAdb = ref muzDb.Value.Value;
+                if (muzAdb.TryGetAbility(EntityManager.GetComponentData<AbilityRef>(_localPlayer).Id, out var muzDef)
+                    && muzDef.Archetype == (byte)AbilityArchetype.Cone)
+                    localIsCone = true;
+            }
+            
 // Local-player fire feedback: AbilityCooldown.NextFireTick advances on each shot.
             // Raw uint inequality is intentional here: only the edge (a new shot) matters and the worst case
             // of a tick wrap is a single dropped/duplicated muzzle flash — purely cosmetic, never the sim.
             if (_localPlayer != Entity.Null && EntityManager.HasComponent<AbilityCooldown>(_localPlayer))
             {
                 uint nextFire = EntityManager.GetComponentData<AbilityCooldown>(_localPlayer).NextFireTick;
-                if (_fireTickInit && nextFire != 0 && nextFire != _lastLocalFireTick)
+                if (_fireTickInit && nextFire != 0 && nextFire != _lastLocalFireTick && !localIsCone)
                 {
                     Burst(_muzzleFx, cfg != null ? cfg.Muzzle : null, (Vector3)localPos + Vector3.up * 0.9f, 8);
                     PlayClip(_fireClip, (Vector3)localPos, 0.5f);
@@ -398,7 +410,11 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                         if (FeelConfig.RumbleEnabled && AimPresentation.Scheme == 1)
                             RumbleUtil.Pulse(FeelConfig.RumbleHit * 0.6f, FeelConfig.RumbleHit, FeelConfig.RumbleDurationSec);
                     }
-                    if (finisher) PrototypeCameraRig.PunchFov(FeelConfig.DashFovKick * 0.6f, FeelConfig.HitStopDurationMs);
+                    if (finisher)
+            {
+                PrototypeCameraRig.PunchFov(FeelConfig.DashFovKick * 0.6f, FeelConfig.HitStopDurationMs);
+                if (FeelConfig.HitStopFreezeEnabled) PrototypeCameraRig.Hold(FeelConfig.HitStopMaxFrames); // C4: a beat of crunch on the combo finisher (the deliberate payoff hit)
+            }
                 }
                 _lastLocalSwingTick = mc.SwingStartTick;
                 _swingTickInit = true;
@@ -938,6 +954,8 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             if (_fxRoot == null || _dangerMat == null) return;
             Unity.NetCode.NetworkTick serverTick = SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<NetworkTime>(out var nt) ? nt.ServerTick : default;
             _dangerSeen.Clear();
+            bool bossRoom = SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<RunInfo>(out var dangerRi) && dangerRi.Lifecycle == RunLifecycle.InRoom && dangerRi.CurrentRoomType == RoomTypeId.Boss; // A7: in a Boss room the Charger-kind enemy IS the boss (adds are swarmers)
+
             if (serverTick.IsValid)
             {
                 foreach (var (xf, stats, windup, tele, entity) in
@@ -946,6 +964,8 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                 {
                     // Feature D: a committed Charger lunge keeps the cue ALIVE past windup (AttackWindup zeroes at commit).
                     bool lunging = SystemAPI.HasComponent<IsLunging>(entity) && SystemAPI.IsComponentEnabled<IsLunging>(entity);
+                    bool isBoss = bossRoom && tele.ValueRO.Kind == ZoneEnemyMath.KindCharger; // A7: boss radial SLAM telegraph
+
                     uint until = windup.ValueRO.WindUpUntilTick;
                     if (until == 0u && !lunging) continue;
 
@@ -961,7 +981,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                         int remaining = untilTick.TicksSince(serverTick);
                         // Feature C: per-enemy windup duration (baked, client-safe) -> ramps 0->1 ending AT impact for
                         // any windup length (fixes the Charger plateauing early under the old hard-coded 22).
-                        float windupDur = math.max(1f, tele.ValueRO.WindupTicks);
+                        float windupDur = isBoss ? Tuning.BossSlamWindupTicks : math.max(1f, tele.ValueRO.WindupTicks); // A7: ramp over the boss's real slam wind-up
                         intensity = math.saturate(1f - remaining / windupDur);
 
                         // Near-impact strike beep (deferred-items pass): a "dodge NOW" cue once per windup, gated to
@@ -1003,7 +1023,13 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                     }
                     float coneRange = math.max(1f, stats.ValueRO.AttackRange + 0.6f);
                     if (lunging) coneRange += 1.5f; // forward-stretch the wedge to read the committed travel
-                    if (tele.ValueRO.Kind == ZoneEnemyMath.KindSpitter)
+                    if (isBoss)
+                    {
+                        // A7: the boss SLAM is RADIAL (Tuning.BossSlamRadius) -> paint a FULL ground ring so the tell
+                        // matches the hit area (a forward wedge sized to melee reach would lie about a radial AoE).
+                        BuildDangerMesh(go.GetComponent<MeshFilter>().sharedMesh, Tuning.BossSlamRadius, 3.14159f, intensity);
+                    }
+                    else if (tele.ValueRO.Kind == ZoneEnemyMath.KindSpitter)
                     {
                         // MC-3: a Spitter is a RANGED threat — a melee wedge at its feet is useless. Paint a thin aim
                         // LANE along its (face-locked) facing out to projectile reach during wind-up, brightening as the

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

@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                 dt = dt,
                 prevPos = _prevPos,
                 seen = seen,
+                isLunging = SystemAPI.GetComponentLookup<IsLunging>(true),
+
             };
             Dependency = job.Schedule(Dependency); // .Schedule (not parallel): mutates _prevPos
             // Prune stale entries (despawned Husks) AFTER the job, on the main thread.
@@ -90,6 +92,8 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
         partial struct EnemyDriveJob : IJobEntity
         {
             public FastAnimatorParameter moveX, moveZ, speed, isAttacking;
+            [Unity.Collections.ReadOnly] public ComponentLookup<IsLunging> isLunging; // A7: a lunge has no AttackWindup; OR it in so the boss/Charger attack anim plays during the committed lunge
+
             public float dt;
             public NativeParallelHashMap<Entity, float3> prevPos;
             public NativeParallelHashSet<Entity> seen;
@@ -111,7 +115,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
 
                 float2 facing = AnimParamMath.PlanarForward(xform.Rotation);
                 float3 p = AnimParamMath.LocomotionParams(vel, facing, stats.MoveSpeed);
-                bool attacking = windup.WindUpUntilTick != 0;
+                bool attacking = windup.WindUpUntilTick != 0 || (isLunging.HasComponent(e) && isLunging.IsComponentEnabled(e)); // A7: the committed lunge (which zeroes AttackWindup) still animates as an attack
 
                 var a = new AnimatorParametersAspect(parametersArr, indexTable);
                 if (a.HasParameter(moveX))       a.SetParameterValue(moveX, p.x);

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

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             public float LastHp;
             public float Flash;   // 1 on a fresh hit, decays to 0
             public bool Settled;  // wrote the final white frame after a flash ended (skips per-frame writes at rest)
+            public bool IsPlayer; // C2: a player entry flashes PlayerHurtFlashColor (red), an enemy the white overdrive rest)
         }
 
         readonly Dictionary<Entity, FlashEntry> _tracked = new();
@@ -50,12 +51,12 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             _seen.Clear();
             var ecb = new EntityCommandBuffer(Unity.Collections.Allocator.Temp);
             foreach (var (health, entity) in
-                     SystemAPI.Query<RefRO<Health>>().WithAll<EnemyTag, LinkedEntityGroup>().WithEntityAccess())
+                     SystemAPI.Query<RefRO<Health>>().WithAny<EnemyTag, PlayerTag>().WithAll<LinkedEntityGroup>().WithEntityAccess())
             {
                 _seen.Add(entity);
                 if (_tracked.ContainsKey(entity)) continue;
 
-                var entry = new FlashEntry { LastHp = health.ValueRO.Current, Flash = 0f, Settled = true };
+                var entry = new FlashEntry { LastHp = health.ValueRO.Current, Flash = 0f, Settled = true, IsPlayer = EntityManager.HasComponent<PlayerTag>(entity) };
                 var leg = EntityManager.GetBuffer<LinkedEntityGroup>(entity);
                 for (int i = 0; i < leg.Length; i++)
                 {
@@ -73,7 +74,9 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
 
             // Pass 2: edge-detect Health, drive + decay the flash, write _BaseColor to the render children.
             var bc = FeelConfig.BodyFlashColor;
-            float4 peak = new float4(bc.r, bc.g, bc.b, bc.a);
+            float4 enemyPeak = new float4(bc.r, bc.g, bc.b, bc.a);
+            var pc = FeelConfig.PlayerHurtFlashColor;
+            float4 playerPeak = new float4(pc.r, pc.g, pc.b, pc.a);
             float decay = dt / math.max(0.01f, FeelConfig.BodyFlashDurationSec);
             foreach (var kv in _tracked)
             {
@@ -82,7 +85,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                 if (!_seen.Contains(entity)) continue; // despawned -> pruned below
 
                 float cur = EntityManager.GetComponentData<Health>(entity).Current;
-                if (cur < entry.LastHp - 0.001f) { entry.Flash = 1f; entry.Settled = false; }
+                if (cur < entry.LastHp - 0.5f) { entry.Flash = 1f; entry.Settled = false; }
                 entry.LastHp = cur;
 
                 if (entry.Flash <= 0f)
@@ -92,6 +95,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
                 }
 
                 entry.Flash = math.max(0f, entry.Flash - decay);
+                float4 peak = entry.IsPlayer ? playerPeak : enemyPeak;
                 WriteColor(entry, math.lerp(White, peak, entry.Flash));
             }
 

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

@@ -140,6 +140,11 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
         public static bool BodyFlashEnabled;
         /// <summary>Peak _BaseColor the enemy body flashes to on a hit (HDR; lerps from the baked white base and decays back).</summary>
         public static Color BodyFlashColor;
+
+        /// <summary>C2: player-body HURT flash tint (hot red-orange) — distinct from the enemy white overdrive so
+        /// 'you got hit' reads differently from 'you hit them'. Multiplies the Synty atlas base map like BodyFlashColor.</summary>
+        public static Color PlayerHurtFlashColor;
+
         /// <summary>Seconds the body flash decays from peak back to the baked white base.</summary>
         public static float BodyFlashDurationSec;
         /// <summary>Master gate for rendering REMOTE teammates' melee cleave arcs (co-op readability).</summary>
@@ -168,11 +173,11 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             HitStopDurationMs = 90f;
             HitStopFovKickMin = 0.6f;
             HitStopFovKickMax = 2.2f;
-            HitStopMaxFrames = 3;
+            HitStopMaxFrames = 2;         // C4: a 2-frame (~33ms) camera hold reads as crunch, not a lag-y stutter
             HitStopRefDamage = 30f;
             HitFlashColor = new Color(1f, 0.85f, 0.55f, 1f);
             HitFlashDurationMs = 80f;
-            HitStopFreezeEnabled = false;
+            HitStopFreezeEnabled = true;  // C4: enable the finisher hit-stop hold (presentation-only camera freeze, bounded below)
 
             // Feature 1/2 death
             PlayerDeathShake = 0.50f;
@@ -226,6 +231,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             // Deferred-items pass (2026-06)
             BodyFlashEnabled = true;
             BodyFlashColor = new Color(3.2f, 2.8f, 2.2f, 1f); // hot near-white overdrive (multiplies the Synty atlas base map)
+            PlayerHurtFlashColor = new Color(2.6f, 0.55f, 0.4f, 1f); // C2: hot red-orange body flash when the player is hitmap)
             BodyFlashDurationSec = 0.16f;
             RemoteSwingEnabled = true;
             RemoteSlashColor = new Color(1.4f, 2.2f, 2.8f, 1f); // cool teammate arc

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

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using ProjectM.Simulation;
 using Unity.Entities;
 using Unity.NetCode;
+using Unity.Transforms; // A6: boss-bar query reads LocalTransform (source-gen needs the using in this file)
+
 using UnityEngine;
 using UnityEngine.UIElements;
 
@@ -317,7 +319,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             int launchSecs = 0;
             bool terminal = SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<RunOutcome>(out var readyOc)
                 && readyOc.Value != RunOutcomeId.InProgress;
-            bool readyShow = haveRun && !terminal
+            bool readyShow = haveRun && !terminal && !goalFull /* D6: goal full -> final defense armed, launching is refused server-side */
                 && (runInfo.Lifecycle == RunLifecycle.Staging || runInfo.Lifecycle == RunLifecycle.Launching);
             if (readyShow)
             {
@@ -337,21 +339,28 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             }
             UpdateReadyPanel(readyShow, runInfo, rTotal, rReady, localReady, launchSecs);
 
-            // Boss presence bar — client heuristic: a Boss room spawns exactly ONE enemy (the boss), so any live
+            // Boss presence bar. The boss is a scaled Charger (EnemyTelegraph.Kind==KindCharger, baked/client-safe)
-            // EnemyTag Health in a Boss-type room is it. Replicated state only; no netcode surface.
+            // in the EXPEDITION region — filtering on both excludes phase-two summoned swarmers AND a base-region
+            // siege enemy a dead teammate can see. Health.Max is NOT replicated, so reconstruct the true max from the
+            // baked Charger Max × the shared BossHealthMultiplier (A6 client fix; zero ghost-hash change).
             bool bossAlive = false;
             float bossHp = 0f, bossMax = 0f;
             if (haveRun && runInfo.Lifecycle == RunLifecycle.InRoom && runInfo.CurrentRoomType == RoomTypeId.Boss)
             {
-                foreach (var bhq in SystemAPI.Query<RefRO<Health>>().WithAll<EnemyTag>())
+                float bossBakedMax = 0f;
+                foreach (var (bhq, tele, blt) in
+                         SystemAPI.Query<RefRO<Health>, RefRO<EnemyTelegraph>, RefRO<LocalTransform>>().WithAll<EnemyTag>())
                 {
-                    if (bhq.ValueRO.Max > bossMax)
+                    if (tele.ValueRO.Kind != ZoneEnemyMath.KindCharger) continue;      // the boss is a Charger; skip summoned swarmers
+                    if (blt.ValueRO.Position.x <= ExpeditionRegionXMin) continue;        // expedition only (not a base siege enemy)
+                    if (bhq.ValueRO.Max > bossBakedMax)
                     {
-                        bossMax = bhq.ValueRO.Max;
+                        bossBakedMax = bhq.ValueRO.Max;
                         bossHp = bhq.ValueRO.Current;
                         bossAlive = bhq.ValueRO.Current > 0f;
                     }
                 }
+                bossMax = bossBakedMax * Tuning.BossHealthMultiplier;
             }
             UpdateBossBar(bossAlive, bossHp, bossMax);
 
@@ -435,7 +444,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             // broken turret): a dry base during a siege tells the player to build a Fabricator.
             if (siege && charge == 0 && !onExpedition)
             {
-                _locationText.text = "TURRETS OUT OF CHARGE   -   build a Fabricator (Ore -> Charge)";
+                _locationText.text = "TURRETS OUT OF AMMO   -   build a Fabricator (Ore -> ammo)";
                 _locationText.style.color = new Color(1f, 0.4f, 0.9f);
             }
 
@@ -466,7 +475,15 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             }
             // First-run onboarding owns the prompt voice: while a coach-mark step is showing, blank the HUD's own
             // location/gate hint so the player sees a single prompt (OnboardingSystem drives its own overlay).
-            if (OnboardingState.Active) _locationText.text = "";
+            if (OnboardingState.SuppressLocationLine) _locationText.text = ""; // D4: blank only for the early base-framing steps; room/siege/charge cues survive
+            // D6: goal full but the final siege hasn't spawned yet (the arming gap) -> the READY panel is hidden; tell the
+            // player what's coming instead of a stale base line (goalFull is replicated; RunPhase is server-only).
+            if (haveRun && goalFull && !terminal && !siege && !finalSiege)
+            {
+                _locationText.text = "GOAL REACHED   -   FINAL DEFENSE INCOMING: hold the Engine!";
+                _locationText.style.color = new Color(1f, 0.35f, 0.28f);
+            }
+            
 // ---- END-2: terminal run banner (Victory / Loss), observed from the replicated RunOutcome ----
             if (SystemAPI.TryGetSingleton<RunOutcome>(out var runOutcome) && runOutcome.Value != RunOutcomeId.InProgress)
             {

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

@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             s_fovLambda = 3f / durSec; // ~95% decayed after durSec (3 time constants)
         }
 
+        /// <summary>C4 hit-stop: hold the follow camera for a couple frames on a heavy hit (the combo finisher) so the
+        /// impact lands with a beat of crunch. Presentation only — NEVER Time.timeScale (the deterministic sim keeps ticking).</summary>
+        static int s_holdFrames;
+        public static void Hold(int frames) { if (frames > s_holdFrames) s_holdFrames = frames; }
+
+        
 [Header("Angle (degrees)")]
         [Range(10f, 89f)] public float Pitch = 45f;
         [Range(-180f, 180f)] public float Yaw = 0f;
@@ -125,7 +131,9 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             Vector3 desired = target - (rot * Vector3.forward) * Distance;
 
             float k = FollowSharpness <= 0f ? 1f : 1f - Mathf.Exp(-FollowSharpness * Time.deltaTime);
-            Vector3 basePos = Vector3.Lerp(transform.position, desired, k);
+            Vector3 basePos;
+            if (s_holdFrames > 0) { s_holdFrames--; basePos = transform.position; } // C4: brief hit-stop hold (freeze the follow a couple frames)
+            else basePos = Vector3.Lerp(transform.position, desired, k);
             if (s_shake > 0.0001f)
             {
                 basePos += UnityEngine.Random.insideUnitSphere * s_shake;

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Simulation/Player/DashSystem.cs

@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ namespace ProjectM.Simulation
                                 && new NetworkTick(ds.ValueRO.RecoverUntilTick).IsNewerThan(serverTick);
                 if (input.ValueRO.Dash.IsSet && ready && !inWindow)
                 {
-                    float2 dir = facing.ValueRO.Direction;
+                    // C1: dash toward MOVEMENT input when moving (a panic 'dash away' while aiming at the threat now
+                    // works), else toward facing (a stationary aim-and-dash). Pure fn of replicated input -> idempotent.
+                    float2 mv = input.ValueRO.Move;
+                    float2 dir = math.lengthsq(mv) > 1e-4f ? mv : facing.ValueRO.Direction;
                     if (math.lengthsq(dir) < 1e-6f) dir = new float2(0f, 1f);
                     dir = math.normalize(dir);
                     ds.ValueRW.Dir = dir;