---
date: 2026-05-30
type: session
tags: [session, dots, netcode, m1]
permalink: gamevault/07-sessions/2026/2026-05-30-m1-player-slice
---

# Session 2026-05-30 — M1 Player Slice + foundation direction

## Goal

Kick off real dev via `/dots-dev`: lock the genre/foundation direction for a **V Rising × factory-automation co-op ARPG** (small team), plan the initial phases, and build **M1** — a server-spawned, owner-predicted player ghost that moves via twin-stick WASD + directional aim.

## Done

### Direction locked — see [[Pillars]]
- **Genre:** V Rising mechanics + action-ARPG combat (LoL / Diablo 4 / PoE2) + factory automation; small-team scope.
- **Control:** WASD movement, controller-first, **directional / twin-stick** aim (soft auto-target in-arc).
- **Multiplayer:** small co-op **2–4, client-hosted listen-server** (BinaryWorlds + in-proc IPC), PvE.
- **World:** persistent buildable **home base + instanced/procedural expeditions**.
- **Automation:** **progression accelerator** — self-running production chains; data model designed to grow toward full logistics.
- 6-phase roadmap M1–M6 — see [[Milestones]].

### M1 built — code-complete, EditMode-verified
All four asmdefs compile clean (source-gen OK); EditMode tests **3/3 green**.
- **Simulation:** `PlayerTag`, `PlayerInput` (IInputComponentData, `float2` Move/Aim `[GhostField]`, `ToFixedString`), `PlayerMoveStats`, `PlayerFacing` (`[GhostField]` Direction), `GoInGameRequest` (IRpcCommand), `PlayerSpawner`; `PlayerMoveSystem` + `PlayerAimSystem` (PredictedSimulationSystemGroup, `.WithAll<Simulate>()`, `SystemAPI.Time.DeltaTime` only — deterministic).
- **Client:** `GoInGameClientSystem`; `PlayerInputGatherSystem` (GhostInputSystemGroup, non-Burst ISystem reading the Input System).
- **Server:** `GoInGameServerSystem` (instantiate player + `GhostOwner` from `NetworkId` + `LinkedEntityGroup` auto-despawn).
- **Authoring/asset:** `PlayerAuthoring` / `PlayerSpawnerAuthoring` bakers; `Player.prefab` (GhostAuthoringComponent **OwnerPredicted**, HasOwner, AutoCommandTarget); `PlayerSpawner` wired into `Gameplay.unity`; `GameBootstrap.AutoConnectPort = 7979`.
- **Tests:** `PlayerMoveSystemTests` — deterministic advance + idempotence across tick batches.
- Live Netcode 6.6 API shapes verified via `unity_reflect` before coding (`GhostOwner.NetworkId`, `NetworkId.Value`, `Receive`/`SendRpcCommandRequest`, `GhostOwnerIsLocal`, `IInputComponentData.ToFixedString` → `FixedString512Bytes`).

### Build gotchas learned — now in repo `CLAUDE.md`
- Source-gen'd systems need **`Unity.Transforms`** as a *direct* asmdef reference (`LocalTransform`); transitive visibility doesn't satisfy the generator.
- Authoring asmdefs need **`Unity.Entities.Hybrid`** (for `Baker<T>`) and **`Unity.Collections`**.
- A component named **`PlayerInput`** collides with `UnityEngine.InputSystem.PlayerInput`; with `using UnityEngine.InputSystem;` the Entities generator binds `RefRW<PlayerInput>` to the *managed* class → misleading **CS8377** "must be unmanaged". Fix: fully-qualify Input System types, don't import the namespace.
- A nested baker class must not be named `Baker` (shadows `Unity.Entities.Baker<T>` → CS0308/CS0246).

## Decisions
- [[DR-002_Unity66_Alpha_Netcode_Transport]] — runtime netcode is blocked on the 6.6 alpha.
- **Host mode = BinaryWorlds + IPC** (stable), not the experimental `HostWorldMode.SingleWorld` (internal unless `NETCODE_EXPERIMENTAL_SINGLE_WORLD_HOST`).
- Correction to [[DR-001_Netcode_Test_Harness]] assumption: on the 6.6 upgrade, **Netcode (→6.6.0) and Physics (→6.5.0) DID renumber** into the editor line — they did **not** stay independent 1.x. `CLAUDE.md` updated.

## Open / deferred
- **BLOCKER — env-specific, NOT an engine bug (corrected 2026-05-31):** the in-editor connection never formed on Project M @ `6000.6.0a6` ("invalid wrapped network interface"). Initially mis-attributed to a Unity engine bug, but a **clean fresh `6000.6.0a6` project (`../Local Reference`, a full Netcode-for-Entities framework) connects fine**. The bare-scene repro still ran inside Project M's contaminated environment (embedded Entities-1.x `rukhanka` + in-place-upgrade `Library`/manifest residue + default driver/AutoConnect), so it isolated gameplay code but not the environment. Bug report withdrawn. See [[DR-002_Unity66_Alpha_Netcode_Transport]] → Correction.
- **RESOLVED 2026-05-31:** M1 runtime **fully validated on Unity 6.4.7 / Netcode 1.13.2** — connect → GoInGame → server-spawn → owner-predicted ghost → client replication all confirmed (`players=1`/`netIds=1`/`inGame=1`/`ownerLocal=1` in both worlds), no transport error. One-time fix: forced asset reimport to rebake the stale entity-subscene after the in-place downgrade. Minor follow-ups: enable `Application.runInBackground`; re-save URP global settings (cosmetic missing-types from the 17.6→17.4 downgrade).
- Deferred decisions (revisit at their phase): **relay provider** (default Unity Relay) before M3; home-base **grid 2D vs 3D** before M5; **production predicted vs server-only** before M6; **character controller** (custom kinematic vs vendor ECS-samples) at M4.

## Next
Re-run the M1 play-tick on a **stable Unity 6.x** (or reproduce with the `networked-cube` sample to file a bug). When green, proceed to **M2 — twin-stick combat / abilities**.