# Session 0006.0 — Transcript

> App: human-experience-filter-art
> Type: coding
> Start: 2026-06-05T17-52 (PST) · End: 2026-06-05T18-15 (PST)
> Goal: `/goal next` — drive the roadmap to its next frontier item (sub-project 3,
>       the player / machine-alteration engine), and build it.
> Outcome: **Sub-project 3 slice 1 — the pure-logic alteration-engine + player
>          core — built and MERGED to `main` via PR #5** (merge commit `aeeed66`).
>          New `player/` package; 56 new tests (189 passed / 2 skipped total).
>          Sub-project 3 advanced from "next" to "in progress."

## Plan

Begin sub-project 3 (Player Runtime + alteration engine) per `docs/ROADMAP.md` §3
and the approved machine-altered-perception design (§4 alteration engine, §5 mood
grade, §6 7-way content dial, §7 intensity). Sub-project 3 is large (runtime
grading + overlay compositing + v2v variant selection + serial input + mpv/GPU +
white-noise DSP); this session ships **slice 1 — the pure-logic core** as a new
`player/` package, fully unit-tested with all I/O behind injected interfaces,
mirroring how sub-project 1 was the pure-logic dependency root. Process:
writing-plans → TDD → branch → PR → merge.

## Launch prompt

```
/goal next — drive the roadmap to its next frontier item.

Per project memory (session 0005, machine-altered-perception design SPEC merged
to main via PR #4), the roadmap frontier is sub-project 3: the player /
machine-alteration engine. This coding session builds that.
```

## Pre-session state

- `main` @ `77746e4` locally (behind `origin/main` by 2 — session 0005's finalized
  transcript + this session's claim placeholder); fast-forwarded to `origin/main`
  during init.
- Sub-projects 1 & 2 done/merged; design of record = the machine-altered-perception
  revision (PR #4). No `player/` package and no sub-project-3 plan existed yet.
- Launch cwd was the stale, already-merged worktree
  `.worktrees/feature-BuildSimulator11/` (branch `feature/machine-altered-perception-spec`,
  remote gone) — same situation as session 0005.

## Turn-by-turn arc

1. **Gate / classify.** `/goal next` → unambiguously a coding session (roadmap
   frontier = sub-project 3 build). Ran `wgl-session-coding-init`.
2. **Claim snag (same as 0005, kept in the record).** `resolve-app.py` reported
   **ambiguous** — the nested worktree's `app.json` discovered alongside the main
   clone's. Read the resolver to confirm root cause (`find_app_jsons` prunes
   `.git/node_modules/…` but not `.worktrees/`). Worked around with
   `WGL_APP_SCAN_DEPTH=4` (prunes the depth-5 worktree copy, keeps the depth-3 main
   one). Claimed session **0006**, type coding, at `e694489`. Filed a plugin-feedback
   note for the recurring gap (`feedback/2026-06-05T18-13-resolver-nested-worktree-ambiguous.md`).
3. **Baseline + branch.** Fast-forwarded the main clone; confirmed PR #4 merged;
   created `feature/player-alteration-core` off `origin/main` in the worktree.
4. **Read the design.** Read ROADMAP §3 + the machine-altered-perception spec
   (§4 alteration engine, §5 mood grade, §6 7-way dial, §7 intensity), and the
   existing `hef/` conventions (frozen dataclasses, pure modules, heavy unit tests).
5. **Scoped the session → slice 1.** Sub-project 3 is too large for one session;
   chose the pure-logic core (controls model, content-dial resolver, alteration
   render-plan, player state machine) with all I/O behind injected interfaces, and
   deferred the renderer/serial/white-noise/v2v/catalog slices (named in the plan).
6. **Surfaced a spec ambiguity (Deferred decision).** §3 "(2,2,2,2) neutral" vs
   §4.2 (Left/Right stack as independent layers) vs §5 (mood center = identity)
   cannot all be literally true for four independent knobs. Resolved with a
   swappable calibration: brain `value/4`, mood `(light−dark)/4`; flagged for
   operator confirm.
7. **writing-plans.** Wrote `docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-05-player-alteration-core.md`
   (6 TDD tasks, full code + tests, self-review against the spec).
8. **TDD implementation.** Red→green→commit per module: `player/controls.py`
   (Controls, validation, parse), `player/content.py` (§6 7-way table),
   `player/alteration.py` (RenderPlan: ColorGrade/AnalyticalOverlay/Restyle +
   calibration helpers), `player/state.py` (Player state machine + Transition
   kinds). Registered the package in `pyproject.toml`; updated ROADMAP §3.
9. **Verify.** Full suite green: **189 passed, 2 skipped** (the opt-in ffprobe
   tests), 56 of them new player tests. No regressions.
10. **Ship.** Pushed the branch; created **PR #5** and merged it via the Gitea API
    helper (merge commit `aeeed66`); synced the main clone; deleted the remote
    feature branch.
11. **Wrap.** Filed plugin feedback, updated memory, finalized.

## Cut state

- `main` @ `aeeed66` (PR #5 merged). `player/` package present: `controls.py`,
  `content.py`, `alteration.py`, `state.py` + 4 test files. Full suite 189 passed /
  2 skipped.
- Sub-project 3 = **⏳ in progress**. Slice 1 done; remaining slices listed in
  ROADMAP §3 and `[[sub-project-3-player-progress]]`.
- Working tree clean. Remote feature branch deleted; the local worktree remains on
  the now-merged `feature/player-alteration-core` branch (harmless).

## Deferred decisions (operator plate)

Two low-confidence calls made autonomously this session — both flagged for operator
confirmation:

1. **Knob→strength calibration (§3 vs §4.2/§5 conflict).** §3 says "(2,2,2,2) is
   neutral," but §4.2 (Left/Right stack as independent layers: overlay vs substrate)
   and §5 (mood center = identity) conflict with that for four independent physical
   knobs. Implemented: brain knobs `strength = value/4` (0 = off, 4 = max — full
   range, honors §4.2 stacking), mood `tone = (light − dark)/4` (equal dark/light →
   identity, honors §5). Under this the un-altered base is `(0,0,·,·)` with
   `dark==light`, **not** `(2,2,2,2)` — read as a vestige of the old coordinate-grid
   *center*. The calibration is three one-line helpers in `player/alteration.py`;
   flipping to a "centered at 2 = no push" convention is a localized change that
   leaves the RenderPlan shape and all downstream logic untouched. **Recommend
   operator confirm the intended panel UX.**
2. **Volume/Brightness granularity.** Modeled as `0..4` ints for uniformity with the
   experience knobs and the Arduino's `0..4` quantization (roadmap §4). The spec
   calls them "levels" without fixing granularity; revisit if the panel warrants
   finer steps.

## Next-session prompt

The roadmap frontier is now the remaining sub-project-3 slices. Read
`[[sub-project-3-player-progress]]` and the slice-1 plan first. Two strong
candidates for the next slice — the **runtime renderer** (makes the core visible)
or the **serial framing contract + input adapter** (unblocks sub-project 4 in
parallel):

```
/goal Sub-project 3 slice 2 — settle the 3⇄4 serial framing contract and build the
USB-serial / keyboard input adapter that feeds the player a `Controls` stream
(unblocks sub-project 4), per docs/ROADMAP.md §3 and docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-05-player-alteration-core.md.
Alternatively start the runtime renderer (mpv/ffmpeg + grade/overlay). First
confirm the open knob→strength calibration decision (§3 vs §4.2/§5).
```

Gotcha to carry forward: running from the nested `.worktrees/…` checkout breaks
`resolve-app.py` (ambiguous app.json) — run from the main clone, or use
`WGL_APP_SCAN_DEPTH=4` on claim and explicit `--sessions-*` flags on publish, until
the plugin fix lands.
