nt-game-ui-layout

name

nt-game-ui-layout

description

Use for layout-affecting in-game UI work in this repository: new or changed HUDs, game screens, modal/dialogue sheets, menus, bottom navigation, responsive PC/phone layout, floating layers, clipping/scrolling/overflow, hit targets, or visual proof for a changed game UI surface. Forces a short widget/mode inventory before non-trivial edits so agents reuse existing Neotolis UI APIs. Skip for pure copy tweaks, asset swaps, or runtime automation tasks that do not change layout.

NT Game UI Layout

Use this skill as the pre-edit gate for product-facing game UI layout. The goal is not to memorize the whole engine UI surface; the goal is to discover the relevant widgets, modes, examples, and proof tools before touching layout code.

Required Gate

Fast path: for a pure copy, color, image, or obvious one-file tweak that does not change layout structure, skip the full inventory. Name the adjacent wrapper or primitive being reused and run proportionate verification.

For non-trivial layout work, produce this short inventory in working notes or the task log before editing:

• Game/surface: explicit game id plus HUD, screen, modal/sheet, overlay, menu, list, text, etc.
• Existing analogs: nearby games/<game-id>/src/ui/ files, tests, DevAPI scenarios, task logs, or accepted screenshots/handoffs.
• Primitives found: engine widgets, modes, wrappers, or examples that fit.
• Decision: reuse path, or why existing primitives do not fit.
• Proof: smallest native plus desktop/phone visual/runtime evidence.

Do not add a new reusable UI wrapper, custom renderer, manual scissor, or layout primitive until this inventory shows the existing engine/game primitives do not fit. Raw Clay composition inside an existing surface is fine when it follows the engine contract and current game wrappers.

Reference

After the inventory, load references/layout-contract.md for the source map, widget/mode checklist, retained-state rules, clipping pitfall, and proof commands. Load only the sections the current surface needs.

Invariants

• Reuse engine public APIs and current game wrappers before custom primitives.
• Keep layout Y-up and user-visible text on the engine font/text stack.
• Clear owned transient nt_ui_state on close; raise capacity only after an ID/lifetime audit.
• Prefer semantic UI IDs and one adaptive PC/phone contract.
• Inspect ui.tree and matching examples before tuning broken geometry.

Verification

Pick the smallest native test plus desktop/phone runtime or visual evidence that covers the changed surface. For retained state, loop open/close/reopen and confirm used slots return to the intended baseline. Record evidence paths before marking work done.