Playable, IP-safe GalacticSim

name: Playable IP-safe GalacticSim overview: Rename and scrub the experimental stack to remove trademarked names and shipped game binaries, then add a playable clean-room 4X client with optional local import (numeric data only) and an architecture aimed at long-term parity with the original simulation. todos:

• id: rename-ip-scrub

content: Rename Rebellion→Galactic namespaces; scrub trademarks; expand gitignore; add verify-ip-clean.ps1; remove generated user artifacts from repo status: completed

• id: sanitized-import

content: "Refactor import: numeric schema JSON only, no text/audio/video by default, pack under LocalAppData" status: completed

• id: galactic-core-sim

content: Add Galactic.Core + Galactic.Simulation with WorldState, turn loop, fleets, combat v0, save/load status: completed

• id: galactic-app-mvp

content: "Build Galactic.App: interactive galaxy, selection, orders, end turn, win/lose; synthetic default.json" status: completed

• id: cli-import-play

content: Wire CLI import/play; fold viewer into debug mode; update README and parity-roadmap.md status: completed isProject: false

Goals (your choices)

• Playable: Real game loop (not just a viewer), architected for full parity over multiple phases; first milestone is a shippable MVP loop.
• Content: Optional local import from an install the user owns; no names/strings/audio/video in the pack; nothing committed to git.

Non-negotiable IP rules

Rename map (code + UX):

• Novolis.Experimental.Rebellion.* → Novolis.Experimental.Galactic.*
• RebellionInstall → LegacyInstallLocator (docs: “1998 grand-strategy PC install”, never “Star Wars”)
• SW_REBELLION_DIR → GALACTIC_SOURCE_INSTALL
• CLI: build/run → `import` / `play`
• Window title: "Novolis GalacticSim (experimental)"

Remove committed infringing artifacts: replace `generated/*.g.cs` with tiny hand-written stubs or delete folder; add verify-clean-repo.ps1 that fails if .dat/.bmp/trademark strings appear outside docs/legacy-reference.md.

flowchart LR
  subgraph repo [Repo_clean_room]
    Core[Galactic.Core]
    Sim[Galactic.Simulation]
    App[Galactic.App]
    Scenario[scenarios/default.json]
  end
  subgraph local [User_machine_only]
    Install[Owned_PC_install]
    Import[import_command]
    Pack[sanitized_pack]
  end
  Install --> Import --> Pack
  Pack --> App
  Scenario --> App
  Core --> Sim --> App

Phase 1 — Sanitized import pipeline

Refactor existing extract/parse stack (`RebellionAssetDumper`, `DatRegistry`):

`import` output layout (%LOCALAPPDATA%/NovolisExperimental/GalacticSim/pack/):

pack/
  manifest.json          # hashes, counts, no trademark strings
  schema/
    systems.json           # id, sectorId, x, y, production fields (numbers only)
    ships.json             # id, stats vector, factionMask
    sectors.json
    params.json            # GNPRTB/SDPRTB numeric tables
  visuals/                 # optional --include-visuals
    meshes/mesh_###.x
    sprites/sprite_###.png

Strip from current importer:

• Delete ExtractTextResources / StringTables codegen / entities.json / encyclopedia.json
• Default off: voice WAV, SMK video, soundtrack (John Williams) — add --include-audio only if user explicitly wants local research copies
• PE UI bitmaps: anonymous sprite_#####.png only; no DLL names in manifest

New: `ContentSanitizer.cs` — maps DAT rows to schema DTOs; never serializes string fields from game.

Phase 2 — Playable MVP (`Galactic.App`)

New projects under `novolis-experimental/src/`:

MVP gameplay (first playable milestone):

1. Galaxy map — reuse/improve `GalaxyMapGpu.cs`: colored by owner, clickable systems
2. Selection panel — system stats (numeric), fleet list, production queue
3. Orders — select fleet → click destination system; Enter confirms move
4. End turn — Space advances week; production + combat resolve
5. Combat v0 — deterministic strength formula from imported ship stats (placeholder for 7-phase parity)
6. Win/lose — control 60% systems or enemy eliminated
7. Save/load — JSON save in pack folder (saves/slot1.json), own format (not original save v7)

Synthetic scenario (no import required): ~20 systems, 2 factions (FactionA / FactionB), 3 ship hull types, 2 fleets — enough to play 15–30 minutes.

CLI:

dotnet run --project src/Novolis.Experimental.Galactic.Cli -- import --install "<path>"
dotnet run --project src/Novolis.Experimental.Galactic.Cli -- play
dotnet run --project src/Novolis.Experimental.Galactic.Cli -- play --pack "%LOCALAPPDATA%\NovolisExperimental\GalacticSim\pack"

Phase 3 — UI parity shell (post-MVP, same architecture)

Extend Galactic.App toward original UX without importing names:

• Strategy map mode (current galaxy) + system detail panel + fleet roster
• Tactical mode stub → later XOF mesh render (Assimp) using visuals/meshes/
• Mission slot from *MSTB schema (numeric mission types only)
• In-game labels: "System #142", "Hull type 3", "Faction A" — user may mentally map; we never display "Coruscant" / "Luke Skywalker"

Phase 4 — Simulation parity roadmap (documented, incremental)

Track in `docs/parity-roadmap.md` (references open-rebellion / Ghidra notes as read-only specs, no code copy):

Each parity slice adds tests against sanitized golden numbers from import, not against original strings.

Phase 5 — Repo hygiene and verification

1. Rename all projects in `Novolis.Experimental.slnx`; update `README.md` with legal banner + two-command flow (import / play)
2. Remove `scripts/rebellion-*.ps1` → galactic-import.ps1, galactic-play.ps1
3. Add `scripts/verify-ip-clean.ps1`: scan for forbidden tokens (Star Wars, Rebellion, LucasArts, .dat in tree, etc.)
4. Retire or fold `Novolis.Experimental.Rebellion.Viewer` into Galactic.App debug mode (--debug-assets)

Success criteria

Risks

• Meshes/sprites remain derivative if distributed; mitigated by local-only --include-visuals and synthetic fallback art in repo (simple colored shapes).
• Full parity is multi-month; MVP must not block on combat fidelity.
• Assimp + XOF and PE bitmap parsing remain engineering tasks; MVP uses galaxy gameplay + synthetic art first.