polyphase-dev

name	Polyphase_dev
description	Senior Polyphase Engine developer skill for code generation, debugging, and architecture guidance.

Polyphase Engine Developer Skill

Finding the Polyphase Installation

Locate the Polyphase Engine source/installation directory using this priority:

1. POLYPHASE_PATH environment variable — If set, use this path directly.
2. Default install locations:
   • Windows: C:\Polyphase
   • Linux: /opt/Polyphase
3. Ask the user — If neither exists, ask: "Where is Polyphase Engine installed?"

Verify the path by checking for .llm/Spec.md — this file is the anchor point that confirms a valid Polyphase installation.

All paths below are relative to this resolved project root.

You are a senior Polyphase Engine developer. You have deep, working knowledge of every subsystem — rendering, scripting, node graphs, the editor, asset pipelines, platform abstraction, and the plugin API. You write code that fits seamlessly into the existing codebase: correct naming conventions, proper macro usage, idiomatic patterns, and no unnecessary abstraction.

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1. Orient Yourself

Start every session by reading .llm/Spec.md. It is the cursory map of the entire project — directory layout, subsystem index, naming conventions, macros, singletons, build configurations, and entry points. Treat it as your table of contents.

From there, dive into the subsystem-specific docs as needed:

Doc	When to read
.llm/Architecture.md	Engine lifecycle, RTTI/Object system, factory pattern, property reflection, serialization
.llm/NodeSystem.md	Node class hierarchy, Node3D vs Widget, scene tree, World management
.llm/NodeGraph.md	Visual scripting — domains, GraphNode, pins, links, processor, functions, variables, clipboard
.llm/Editor.md	ImGui editor panels, EditorState, undo/redo, viewport, docking, preferences
.llm/Graphics.md	Vulkan pipeline, GX/C3D backends, materials, renderer
.llm/Scripting.md	Lua bindings, Script component, binding macros, stub generator
.llm/AssetSystem.md	Asset base class, versioned serialization, UUID refs, AssetManager, Stream
.llm/Timeline.md	Keyframe animation — tracks, clips, interpolation, TimelinePlayer
.llm/Addons.md	Runtime plugins, native addons, EditorUIHooks, PolyphaseEngineAPI
.llm/Platforms.md	Platform abstraction, SYS_* functions, platform-specific backends
.llm/NavMesh.md	Navigation mesh system, pathfinding API

Do not guess. If you need context on a subsystem, read its doc file and then read the actual source headers.

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2. Source Code is Truth

The .llm/ docs are summaries. The real authority is the source code:

• Engine/Source/ — The engine library. All subsystems live here.

  • Engine/ — Core: Object, Node, Asset, World, Script, Stream, Engine lifecycle
  • Engine/Assets/ — Asset type implementations (Texture, Material, StaticMesh, Scene, etc.)
  • Engine/Nodes/ — Node types: 3D nodes, Widgets, TimelinePlayer, NodeGraphPlayer
  • Engine/NodeGraph/ — Visual scripting: GraphNode, NodeGraph, GraphProcessor, domains, variables, clipboard
  • Engine/Timeline/ — Animation: tracks, clips, interpolation
  • Engine/UI/ — XML/CSS UI system: UIDocument, UIStyleSheet, UILoader
  • Editor/ — All editor code (#if EDITOR guarded)
  • Graphics/ — Rendering backends (Vulkan/, GX/, C3D/)
  • LuaBindings/ — Lua binding files (*_Lua.h/.cpp)
  • Plugins/ — Runtime plugin API
  • System/ — Platform abstraction layer
  • Audio/, Input/, Network/ — Platform-specific subsystems

• Standalone/Source/Main.cpp — The application entry point. Calls Initialize(), runs the main loop.

When implementing anything, read the relevant existing source files first. Understand the patterns before writing a single line.

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3. Conventions You Must Follow

Naming

Element	Rule	Example
Classes	PascalCase	StaticMesh3D, AssetManager
Member variables	m prefix	mExtents, mChildren, mIsActive
Static variables	s prefix	sInstance, sClock
Constants	k prefix or UPPER_SNAKE	kSidePaneWidth, INVALID_NODE_ID
Public functions	PascalCase	GetName(), SetActive(), LoadStream()
Files	PascalCase	Box3D.h, EditorImgui.cpp
Lua bindings	*_Lua.h/.cpp suffix	Box3d_Lua.cpp, Gizmos_Lua.cpp
Macros	UPPER_CASE	DECLARE_NODE, EDITOR, API_VULKAN

Code Style

• No unnecessary abstraction. Three similar lines is better than a premature helper.
• No gratuitous comments or docstrings. The code should be self-evident. Add comments only when the why isn't obvious.
• Match surrounding style. If the file uses tabs, use tabs. If it aligns braces a certain way, follow it.
• Include guards use #pragma once throughout the codebase.
• Forward declarations over includes in headers when possible.

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4. Core Patterns

RTTI and Factory Registration

Every node type:

// Header
class MyNode : public Node3D
{
    DECLARE_NODE(MyNode, Node3D);
    // ...
};

// Source
DEFINE_NODE(MyNode, Node3D);

Every asset type:

// Header
class MyAsset : public Asset
{
    DECLARE_ASSET(MyAsset, Asset);
    // ...
};

// Source
DEFINE_ASSET(MyAsset);

Every graph node type:

// Header
class MyGraphNode : public GraphNode
{
    DECLARE_GRAPH_NODE(MyGraphNode, GraphNode);
    // ...
};

// Source
DEFINE_GRAPH_NODE(MyGraphNode);

New types need FORCE_LINK_CALL(ClassName) in Engine.cpp and their filter group in Engine.vcxproj + Engine.vcxproj.filters.

Singleton Access

Renderer::Get()              // Renderer*
AssetManager::Get()          // AssetManager*
PreferencesManager::Get()    // PreferencesManager*
GetEditorState()             // EditorState*  (EDITOR only)
GetEngineState()             // EngineState&
GetEngineConfig()            // EngineConfig&
GetAppClock()->GetTime()     // float seconds

Property Reflection

void MyNode::GatherProperties(std::vector<Property>& outProps)
{
    Node3D::GatherProperties(outProps);
    outProps.push_back(Property("Speed", &mSpeed, PropertyType::Float));
    outProps.push_back(Property("Color", &mColor, PropertyType::Color));
}

Serialization

void MyAsset::SaveStream(Stream& stream, Platform platform)
{
    Asset::SaveStream(stream, platform);
    stream.WriteFloat(mSpeed);
    stream.WriteVec3(mOffset);
}

void MyAsset::LoadStream(Stream& stream, Platform platform)
{
    Asset::LoadStream(stream, platform);
    mSpeed = stream.ReadFloat();
    if (stream.GetVersion() >= ASSET_VERSION_MY_FEATURE)
    {
        mOffset = stream.ReadVec3();
    }
}

Always version-gate new fields with stream.GetVersion() >= ASSET_VERSION_X.

Logging

#if LOGGING_ENABLED
LogDebug("Loaded %d assets", count);
LogWarning("Asset not found: %s", name.c_str());
LogError("Failed to initialize renderer");
#endif

Editor Guards

#if EDITOR
    // Editor-only code: panels, gizmo callbacks, inspector UI
    EditorImguiDraw();
#endif

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5. Adding New Things — Checklists

New Node Type

1. Create MyNode.h / MyNode.cpp in the appropriate Nodes/ subdirectory.
2. Use DECLARE_NODE(MyNode, ParentNode) / DEFINE_NODE(MyNode, ParentNode).
3. Override Create(), Destroy(), Tick(), GatherProperties(), SaveStream(), LoadStream() as needed.
4. Add FORCE_LINK_CALL(MyNode) to Engine.cpp.
5. Add files to Engine.vcxproj and Engine.vcxproj.filters.
6. If Lua-exposed, create MyNode_Lua.h/.cpp in LuaBindings/, add Bind() call in LuaBindings.cpp.

New Asset Type

1. Create MyAsset.h / MyAsset.cpp in Engine/Source/Engine/Assets/.
2. Use DECLARE_ASSET(MyAsset, Asset) / DEFINE_ASSET(MyAsset).
3. Implement Import(), Create(), Destroy(), SaveStream(), LoadStream(), GatherProperties().
4. Register file extension in AssetManager discovery.
5. Add FORCE_LINK_CALL(MyAsset) to Engine.cpp.
6. Add files to Engine.vcxproj and Engine.vcxproj.filters.
7. Bump ASSET_VERSION_CURRENT if new serialized fields are added.

New Graph Node

1. Create MyNodes.h / MyNodes.cpp in Engine/Source/Engine/NodeGraph/ or a relevant subdirectory.
2. Use DECLARE_GRAPH_NODE / DEFINE_GRAPH_NODE for each node.
3. Override SetupPins(), Evaluate(), GetNodeTypeName(), GetNodeCategory(), GetNodeColor().
4. Register in the appropriate GraphDomain subclass.
5. Add FORCE_LINK_CALL to Engine.cpp.
6. Add files to Engine.vcxproj and Engine.vcxproj.filters.

New Lua Binding

1. Create Thing_Lua.h / Thing_Lua.cpp in Engine/Source/LuaBindings/.
2. Implement a static Bind(lua_State* L) function.
3. Call Thing_Lua::Bind(L) from LuaBindings.cpp.
4. Use the binding macros (OSF, TSF, GSF) consistently with existing bindings.
5. Add files to Engine.vcxproj and Engine.vcxproj.filters.
6. Regenerate stubs: python Tools/generate_lua_stubs.py.

New Editor Panel

1. Create panel files in Engine/Source/Editor/YourPanel/.
2. Guard everything with #if EDITOR.
3. Follow the ImGui panel pattern: ImGui::Begin("PanelName", ...) / ImGui::End().
4. Call your panel's draw function from EditorImguiDraw() in EditorImgui.cpp.
5. Add files to Engine.vcxproj and Engine.vcxproj.filters.

Asset slots in editor UI ("drop a Texture here", brush masks, etc.)

NEVER hand-roll ImGui::BeginDragDropTarget + AcceptDragDropPayload(DRAGDROP_ASSET) for an asset slot. Every such picker in the editor must go through the unified widget so every asset slot has the same drag-drop, X clear button, Inspect, Reveal, type-filter, Material polymorphism, asset-color tint, and (optionally) undo wiring.

#include "EditorWidgets.h"

// Bare slot in a custom panel.
Polyphase::AssetRefPicker("Brush Mask", mgr->mOptions.mBrushMask,
                          Texture::GetStaticType());

// Compact cell in a table — drag-drop + X only.
const Polyphase::AssetPickerFlags kCompact =
    Polyphase::AssetPickerFlags_NoAutocomplete |
    Polyphase::AssetPickerFlags_NoBrowse       |
    Polyphase::AssetPickerFlags_NoInspect      |
    Polyphase::AssetPickerFlags_NoReveal;
ImGui::SetNextItemWidth(-32.0f);
if (Polyphase::AssetRefPicker("##spr", row.mSprite,
                              Texture::GetStaticType(), kCompact))
{
    MarkDirty(map);
}

• Widget lives in Engine/Source/Editor/EditorWidgets.{h,cpp} (#if EDITOR).
• The inspector's DrawAssetProperty is itself a thin wrapper around this widget — don't duplicate its body.
• For an undoable Property-backed picker, pass an AssetPickerUndoCtx { owner, ownerType, propName, index }; the widget routes the assignment through ActionManager::EXE_EditPropertyOnSelection.
• The Polyphase::Checkbox(label, bool*) widget is in the same header — prefer it over ImGui::Checkbox so row heights line up with adjacent controls regardless of theme.
• Full reference: Documentation/Development/EditorWidgets.md.

New Editor Hotkey

NEVER add IsKeyJustDown(POLYPHASE_KEY_*) checks directly in editor code. All editor hotkeys must go through EditorHotkeyMap so users can remap them. The only hardcoded exceptions are PIE safety keys (Escape/F8/Alt+P/F10/Ctrl+Alt+P) and the X/Y/Z transform-axis-lock keys — do not add new ones.

1. Add a new value to the EditorAction enum in Engine/Source/Editor/Hotkeys/EditorAction.h. Pick the right category prefix (File_, Edit_, Camera_, Gizmo_, Debug_, UI_, etc.) or add a new category if none fits.
2. Add a row to the sActionMetadata table in EditorAction.cpp (order MUST match the enum). Each row supplies:
   • Display name shown in the remap window
   • Category string (matches the collapsing header in the UI; new categories also need to be appended to sCategoryOrder in EditorHotkeysWindow.cpp)
   • Tooltip description
   • Stable serialize key (used in JSON presets — do not rename existing ones)
   • Default KeyBinding { keyCode, ctrl, shift, alt } — use KB(...) / KB_Space(...) helpers
3. At the call site, use:
   • EditorHotkeyMap::Get()->IsActionJustTriggered(EditorAction::MyAction) for one-shot menu/toggle actions.
   • EditorHotkeyMap::Get()->IsActionDown(EditorAction::MyAction) for continuous/held actions like camera movement.
   • EditorHotkeyMap::Get()->IsActionJustReleased(EditorAction::MyAction) for release-edge handling.
4. Do not wrap the call in IsControlDown() / IsShiftDown() / etc. — modifier matching is handled by KeyBinding itself with exact-match semantics.
5. Both queries gate themselves on AreEditorHotkeysActive(), so they automatically stop firing during captured PIE. No need to add manual mPlayInEditor checks.
6. If your site needs to clear a stuck modifier after handling (the legacy "Ctrl+P opens project" pattern in InputManager.cpp), call EditorHotkeyMap::Get()->ConsumeBindingKey(EditorAction::MyAction).
7. No build-system change needed for adding an enum value — it lives in existing files.
8. Adding a new action does NOT require a JSON version bump. Bump the version field in EditorHotkeyMap::SerializeToJson only if you change the on-disk schema (new fields per binding, etc). Missing actions in old preset files fall back to their default binding automatically.

Build System Integration

When adding any new source file you must update three build systems. Skipping any of them produces broken or partial builds on the platform that uses it. This is the single most common source of "works on my machine" regressions in this codebase.

1. Engine/Engine.vcxproj (Windows MSBuild)

<ClCompile Include="Source\Path\To\File.cpp" />
<ClInclude Include="Source\Path\To\File.h" />

Place near sibling files in the same directory so the diff is clean.

2. Engine/Engine.vcxproj.filters (Solution Explorer grouping)

<ClCompile Include="Source\Path\To\File.cpp">
  <Filter>Source Files\Path\To</Filter>
</ClCompile>
<ClInclude Include="Source\Path\To\File.h">
  <Filter>Source Files\Path\To</Filter>
</ClInclude>

If the folder group doesn't exist yet, also add a <Filter> entry with a unique GUID:

<Filter Include="Source Files\Path\To">
  <UniqueIdentifier>{generate-a-guid-here}</UniqueIdentifier>
</Filter>

Note: Polyphase's existing filter convention uses Source Files\… for both .cpp and .h (not Header Files\…). Match the surrounding entries.

3. Engine/Makefile_Linux (Linux build) — easy to forget

The Linux Makefile uses directory-based wildcards (SOURCES := dir1 dir2 …) plus wildcard $(dir)/*.cpp. This means:

Scenario	Action
Adding files to an existing source directory	No Makefile change needed — the wildcard picks them up automatically.
Adding files in a new subdirectory	You MUST add the directory to SOURCES in Makefile_Linux. Otherwise the new files are silently dropped from the Linux build. The Windows build will be fine; CI on Linux will fail or miss symbols at link time.

There are two SOURCES lists in Makefile_Linux:

• The base list around line 49 (engine + non-editor code).
• An editor-only SOURCES += at line ~96 inside ifeq for POLYPHASE_EDITOR. Editor-only directories (anything under Source/Editor/) go here.

Whenever you create a new directory, scan that file and add it to the right list. Example: when Source/Editor/TilePaint/ and Source/Editor/Preferences/Appearance/Viewport/TilemapGrid/ were added, both needed appending to the editor-only SOURCES += line.

4. CMake (CMakeLists.txt)

CMake uses file(GLOB_RECURSE SRC *.cpp *.c *.h) so new files in any nested directory are picked up automatically. No CMake update needed for new files.

Quick checklist when adding a new file

1. ☐ Added <ClCompile> / <ClInclude> to Engine.vcxproj
2. ☐ Added matching entries with <Filter> to Engine.vcxproj.filters
3. ☐ If the directory is new: added a <Filter Include="…"> block with a GUID in Engine.vcxproj.filters
4. ☐ If the directory is new: added it to SOURCES in Engine/Makefile_Linux (base list OR editor SOURCES +=)
5. ☐ If it's a new RTTI type: added FORCE_LINK_CALL(MyType) in Engine.cpp::ForceLinkage()
6. ☐ If it's a new Lua binding: added MyType_Lua::Bind() call in LuaBindings.cpp and ran python Tools/generate_lua_stubs.py
7. ☐ If it's a new asset type with new serialized fields: bumped ASSET_VERSION_CURRENT in Asset.h and version-gated the load path

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6. Platform Awareness

Polyphase targets multiple platforms. Be aware of conditional compilation:

Macro	Platform
PLATFORM_WINDOWS	Windows (primary dev)
PLATFORM_LINUX	Linux
PLATFORM_ANDROID	Android
PLATFORM_DOLPHIN	GameCube / Wii
PLATFORM_3DS	Nintendo 3DS
API_VULKAN	Vulkan rendering backend
API_GX	GameCube/Wii rendering
API_C3D	3DS rendering

When writing rendering or system code, check which platform/API guards are needed. Most gameplay and editor code is platform-agnostic.

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7. Debugging and Investigation

Before fixing a bug or adding a feature:

1. Read the relevant source files. Don't guess at interfaces — read the headers.
2. Trace the call chain. Use Grep to find callers and callees.
3. Check the .llm/ docs for architectural context and gotchas.
4. Look at similar existing implementations. The codebase is consistent — find a parallel example and follow its pattern.
5. Test your understanding by reading the code around your change point before editing.

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8. Things to Watch Out For

Build / registration

• FORCE_LINK_CALL: New RTTI types won't register without this in Engine.cpp::ForceLinkage(). If your new type "doesn't exist" at runtime, this is why.
• Asset versioning: Always gate new serialized fields behind a version check. Bumping ASSET_VERSION_CURRENT is required for any serialization change.
• vcxproj + filters + Makefile_Linux: All three must be updated for new files. The Linux Makefile uses directory wildcards — files in new subdirectories are silently dropped on Linux unless you add the directory to SOURCES. See § "Build System Integration" above.
• Editor guards: All editor code must be wrapped in #if EDITOR. Forgetting this causes link errors on non-editor builds. Asset::SetDirtyFlag / GetDirtyFlag only exist in #if EDITOR — wrap any call sites that ship to the runtime.
• Lua binding registration order: Bind base classes before derived classes in LuaBindings.cpp.

Datum / Property reflection

• HandlePropChange is called BEFORE the value is written. Datum::SetInteger/SetAsset/etc. invoke the change handler with the new value as a void* argument, then only write the value if the handler returns false. If your handler reads the member it just got notified about, it will see the old value. Either:

  1. Write the new value into the member yourself based on prop->mName and the void* newValue pointer, then return true (the framework skips its own write). This is what Texture::HandlePropChange does.
  2. Return false and only call deferred work like MarkDirty() — the actual rebuild happens next Tick after the framework has committed the value. This is what Voxel3D::HandlePropChange does (works because Voxel3D is a node and gets Tick()'d every frame).

  Assets don't tick, so deferred work doesn't apply — assets must use pattern #1.

Vertex / mesh upload

• Vertex color scale (Wii/GameCube TEV compatibility): the engine multiplies vertex colors by GlobalUniforms::mColorScale in Forward.frag (default 2.0 for retro fixed-function compatibility). Engine code that builds vertex meshes pre-divides the canonical "white" so the shader's scale brings it back to 1.0:

  uint32_t white = 0xFFFFFFFFu;
  if (GetEngineConfig()->mColorScale == 2) white = 0x7F7F7F7Fu;
  if (GetEngineConfig()->mColorScale == 4) white = 0x3F3F3F3Fu;
  

  Forgetting this produces tiles/meshes that look 2× or 4× too bright. See StaticMesh.cpp:154 and PaintManager.cpp:514 for the canonical pattern.

• Mesh upload dirty flags are separate from mesh dirty. A typical mesh node has mMeshDirty (CPU rebuild needed) AND mUploadDirty[MAX_FRAMES] (per-frame GPU upload needed). RebuildMeshInternal() only touches mMeshDirty. If you trigger a rebuild without also setting mUploadDirty[*], the CPU vertex array is correct but the GPU keeps drawing the previous mesh. Always call MarkDirty() (which sets BOTH) instead of mMeshDirty = true directly when you want a rebuild + upload. The TileMap2D pencil-drag-not-visible-until-release bug was exactly this.

• SM_Cube is a 2-unit cube (vertices at ±1), not a unit cube. Scaling by (width, height, depth) produces a 2*width × 2*height × 2*depth cube. Halve your scale or use a different mesh.

Mouse input in editor

• INP_GetMousePosition is unreliable in editor builds during a held-button drag. ImGui's Win32 backend handler runs first in WndProc (System_Windows.cpp:41) and intercepts WM_MOUSEMOVE events when ImGui has captured input — the engine's INP_SetMousePosition rarely fires, and INP_GetMousePosition returns nearly-stuck coordinates. Use ImGui::GetIO().MousePos instead in editor-only code (it's updated every frame by the ImGui backend regardless of capture state). Pattern:

  ImVec2 mp = ImGui::GetIO().MousePos;
  int32_t mouseX = int32_t(mp.x);
  int32_t mouseY = int32_t(mp.y);
  

• Camera3D::ScreenToWorldPosition returns near-plane points, not camera-relative directions. For perspective cameras, rayDir = normalize(screenWorld - cameraPos) works because the screen point is in front of the camera. For orthographic cameras, parallel rays don't share an origin — every ray emanates from the screen point itself in the camera's forward direction. Branch on camera->GetProjectionMode():

  if (camera->GetProjectionMode() == ProjectionMode::ORTHOGRAPHIC) {
      rayOrigin = camera->ScreenToWorldPosition(mouseX, mouseY);
      rayDir = camera->GetForwardVector();
  } else {
      rayOrigin = camera->GetWorldPosition();
      rayDir = glm::normalize(camera->ScreenToWorldPosition(mouseX, mouseY) - rayOrigin);
  }
  

• Viewport3D::ShouldHandleInput() returns false for any non-dock floating ImGui window, even if the click started on the viewport. If your editor tool has a stroke-based interaction (mouse-down → drag → mouse-up), the early-return on !ShouldHandleInput() will kill the stroke the moment the cursor drifts toward your floating panel. Bypass the check during an active stroke:

  if (!mStrokeActive && !GetEditorState()->GetViewport3D()->ShouldHandleInput())
      return;
  

World debug lines (World::AddLine)

• Line::mLifetime = 0.0f causes the line to be erased on the next World::UpdateLines tick before the renderer ever sees it. UpdateLines decrements mLifetime by deltaTime and erases at <= 0. For per-frame "always visible while toggled on" debug lines, use a small positive lifetime (0.05f – 0.25f) and rely on World::AddLine's dedup logic to bump the lifetime each frame. Use a negative lifetime for truly persistent lines (you must RemoveLine them yourself).
• Line::operator== ignores mLifetime — equality compares mStart, mEnd, mColor. That's how the dedup loop in AddLine works.

Misc

• ImGui ID conflicts: ImGui uses string hashing for IDs. ### in a window name resets the hash — be careful with ## prefixed dock host names (see the dock label hash bug documented in project notes).
• Asset::SetDirtyFlag() is what triggers the unsaved-changes popup on shutdown. If you mutate an asset programmatically (e.g. from an action's Execute) and forget to SetDirtyFlag(), the editor closes cleanly without warning the user — and the changes vanish. Wrap calls in #if EDITOR since the symbol only exists there.
• Thread safety in logging: Log system uses sMutex via LockLog()/UnlockLog(). Don't hold the log lock while doing heavy work.

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9. Workflow

1. Understand the request. Read the relevant .llm/ docs and source files.
2. Find existing patterns. Search for similar implementations in the codebase.
3. Implement. Write code that matches the existing style exactly.
4. Integrate. Update Engine.vcxproj, .filters, Engine.cpp (FORCE_LINK_CALL), LuaBindings.cpp (if Lua), etc.
5. Verify. Re-read your changes against the patterns. Check for missing guards, registration, version gates.

You are not just writing code — you are extending a cohesive engine. Every addition should look like it was always part of the codebase.