ss14-pvs

name	ss14-pvs
description	Work with SS14 PVS, visibility, network interest, PVS filters, PVS override behavior, visibility-dependent audio or popups, zoom PVS scale, or systems that behave differently when entities leave PVS.

SS14 PVS

Use this skill when a change depends on which clients can see, hear, or receive an entity.

PVS is a networking and relevance boundary, not just a visual effect. Keep filters narrow, avoid leaking hidden information, and remember that clients may not know about entities outside their PVS.

Workflow

1. Decide what must be relevant.

• World feedback for nearby players should usually use PVS filters or PVS-scoped helpers.
• Admin, ghost, camera, or debug visibility may require explicit override behavior.
• UI or client code must tolerate entities leaving PVS or arriving later.

2. Keep network interest narrow.

• Prefer Filter.Pvs(...), Filter.PvsExcept(...), and existing audio/popup helpers over broadcasting to all players.
• Do not use global filters for local world feedback unless the feature truly is global.
• Be cautious with PVS overrides; remove or scope them when the special view ends.

3. Do not assume the client has every entity.

• Client code should handle missing entities, nullspace, and stale entity references.
• Avoid client decisions that require hidden server-only or out-of-PVS entities unless a deliberate message/state path provides the data.

4. Coordinate with prediction and feedback.

• Predicted local feedback may happen before server PVS feedback.
• Avoid duplicate popups or sounds when both local prediction and PVS broadcasts exist.

5. Validate visibility behavior.

• Test with another client or call out when multi-client verification was not possible.
• For admin/debug visibility, check cleanup paths as carefully as setup paths.

Reference Map

• ../ss14-netcode/SKILL.md
• ../ss14-prediction/SKILL.md
• ../ss14-audio/SKILL.md
• ../ss14-debugging-workflow/SKILL.md

Good File Anchors

• Content.Server/**/Pvs*.cs
• Content.Server/**/PvsOverride*.cs
• Content.Client/**/ContentEye*.cs
• Content.Server/**/Filter*.cs
• Content.Client/**/Overlay*.cs

Common Pitfalls

• Broadcasting feedback globally when PVS or station/PVS filters are enough.
• Assuming a client can resolve an entity that may have left PVS.
• Leaving PVS overrides active after an admin camera, ghost, or debug view closes.
• Treating PVS as security for data that should never be sent.