Novolis Docs
novolis-governance / completed-plans/pulsestrip_wipeout_mvp_be9bfbef.plan.md

PulseStrip — Wipeout-homage MVP (desktop-first)

Policies that keep the org coherent

dotnetgovernancenovolis

name: PulseStrip Wipeout MVP overview: "Ship a playable Wipeout-homage anti-grav racer (PulseStrip) under dogfooding apps/raylib: spline circuits, weapons/boost, procedural FX+SFX, evolutionary ML opponents — Windows+Linux now; Android deferred via shared core + workflow notes." todos:

  • id: scaffold

content: Scaffold PulseStrip + Core + Tests; slnx; CPM Audio/miniaudio; README status: completed

  • id: hover-sim

content: "HoverRaceSimulation on Racing splines: motion, boost, weapons, sensors, laps" status: completed

  • id: ml-ai

content: Evolutionary trainer + NeuralHoverController + Content/brains snapshots status: completed

  • id: raylib-game

content: "RayGame host: 3D track/craft, VFX, chase cam, MenuFlows HUD, miniaudio SFX" status: completed

  • id: smoke-ci

content: "--smoke headless path + pulsestrip-smoke.yml + publish win/linux + Android defer note" status: completed isProject: false

Locked decisions

  • Platforms: Windows + Linux playable via Raylib (net10.0). Android is documented follow-up (shared headless core only; no fake APK).
  • Scope: Playable MVP — 1–2 spline circuits, hover craft, weapons/boost, procedural VFX+SFX, evolutionary ML AI, menu, --smoke CI.
  • Name: PulseStrip (homage; avoid Wipeout trademark in product/strings).
  • Location: `d:\novolis\novolis-dogfooding\apps\raylib\PulseStrip` (mirrors FreightWing/XFighter).
  • Stack: Novolis.Raylib* + Novolis.Simulation.Racing (splines/tracks) + Novolis.MachineLearning.Neural (DenseNetwork mutate/eval) + Novolis.Game.MenuFlows + miniaudio game SFX (Novolis.Audio / Novolis.Audio.Runtime — add CPM entries; not NAudio Playback).

Architecture

flowchart TB
  Desktop[PulseStrip_Raylib_host] --> Core[PulseStrip.Core]
  Core --> Racing[Novolis.Simulation.Racing_splines]
  Core --> Hover[HoverRaceSimulation]
  Core --> ML[Neural opponents DenseNetwork]
  Core --> AudioAbs[IAudioEngine]
  Desktop --> RayDraw[3D mesh FX HUD]
  Desktop --> Miniaudio[MiniaudioAudioEngine]
  Smoke[smoke_headless] --> Core
  • `PulseStrip.Core` (class lib under apps/raylib/PulseStrip/Core or apps/shared/…): track bake from SplineLoop/CatmullRomSplineSampler/TrackBuilder, hover dynamics, weapons, race session, ML controller + optional short evolutionary train, pure C# — no Raylib.
  • `PulseStrip` exe: RayGame.Run, 3D track ribbon/walls, craft meshes, particle FX, chase camera, MenuFlows, miniaudio cues.
  • Reuse patterns from `NeuralRacing` (NeuralRaceCarController, EvolutionaryRacingTrainer) adapted to hover controls (steer / throttle / brake / boost / fire).

Gameplay MVP

PieceBehavior
Circuits2 built-in closed splines (e.g. Oval + Chicane/Esses) via Racing `BuiltInTracks` / custom `TrackSpecs.Polyline`; extrude centerline to a 3D hover tube (fixed altitude band + banked ribbon mesh)
CraftAnti-grav: forward accel, steering, lateral airbrake feel, boost meter; wall scrape damage
WeaponsPickup pads on track → one weapon (e.g. plasma bolt) + shield optional; fire along craft forward
Opponents3 ML craft: short in-process evolution **or** load shipped JSON network snapshots under `Content/brains/` generated once at first run / train smoke
EffectsSpeed streaks, boost trail, weapon flash, shield hit sparks, gate/checkpoint pulses (procedural Raylib draw — no art pack required)
AudioEngine loop (pitch∝speed), boost whoosh, weapon fire/hit, lap/checkpoint, menu blip via miniaudio + tiny procedural/WAV assets
UITitle → Circuit select → Race → Results; HUD: speed, boost, weapon, lap, position

Hover sim (vs stock Racing)

`Novolis.Simulation.Racing` is planar ground cars. Keep for:

  • Spline sampling, RaceTrack progress/gates/laps, sensor rays against road/wall grid, reward model hooks.

Replace in Core:

  • HoverCraftState (position on centerline frame + lateral offset + altitude within band + yaw/bank).
  • HoverControlDecision (steer, throttle, brake, boost, fire).
  • HoverRaceSimulation tick integrating hover motion + weapon projectiles + boost; map sensors to NN inputs (pad sensor vector to fixed size matching network, e.g. 10→hidden→4/5).

Do not change the Simulation package in this MVP unless a tiny shared helper is unavoidable — prefer app-local hover layer on top of track geometry.

ML opponents

  1. Copy/adapt evolutionary trainer from NeuralRacing into Core (population of DenseNetwork, fitness = progress + lap reward − crashes − time).
  2. Train quickly on MicroCircle/Oval for smoke; persist champion snapshots to Content/brains/*.json.
  3. Race-time: NeuralHoverController wraps INeuralNetwork.Evaluate → hover controls; player uses keyboard/gamepad.

Registration / packages

  • Add projects to `Novolis.Dogfooding.slnx` under /raylib/.
  • CPM: ensure Novolis.Audio, Novolis.Audio.Runtime, Novolis.Audio.Abstractions (and transitive Native) versions 2026.1.* in `Directory.Packages.props` if missing.
  • Existing already: Novolis.Simulation.Racing, Novolis.MachineLearning.Neural, Novolis.Game.MenuFlows, Raylib packages.
  • Unit tests: PulseStrip.Tests — spline track build, hover tick smoke, NN controller clamps, weapon fire hit; no native Raylib required.
  • README: run commands (absolute paths), --smoke, Android follow-up note.

Workflows (Win / Linux / Android note)

Dogfooding already has PR/merge calling reusable Ubuntu CI. Add app-focused workflows under `d:\novolis\novolis-dogfooding\.github\workflows`:

WorkflowPurpose
`pulsestrip-smoke.yml`On PR paths touching PulseStrip: `dotnet test` Core/Tests + `dotnet run … -- --smoke` with `NOVOLIS_RAYLIB_HEADLESS=1` on **ubuntu-latest**
`pulsestrip-publish.yml``workflow_dispatch` (+ optional main): `dotnet publish` `-r win-x64` and `-r linux-x64` (self-contained), upload artifacts
AndroidJob or README step that **documents** deferred status (needs Raylib Android RID/host); optional `if: false` placeholder job commenting the gap — **no APK build**

Keep existing solution-wide PR/merge unchanged.

Out of scope (MVP)

  • Raylib Android natives / APK
  • Campaign meta, multiplayer, licensed Wipeout assets
  • Changing Novolis.Simulation.Racing into full 3D hover in the platform package
  • Inno installer / Steam

Verify before done

dotnet test d:\novolis\novolis-dogfooding\apps\raylib\PulseStrip.Tests\PulseStrip.Tests.csproj -p:NovolisUseProjectReferences=true
$env:NOVOLIS_RAYLIB_HEADLESS='1'
dotnet run --project d:\novolis\novolis-dogfooding\apps\raylib\PulseStrip -p:NovolisUseProjectReferences=true -- --smoke
pwsh -File d:\novolis\novolis-governance\scripts\verify-nuget-only.ps1