aetherbound-guild/docs/runtime/PHASE9_0R2_CHARACTER_ANIMATION_CONTRACT.md

Phase 9.0R2 Character Animation Runtime Contract

Definition

Character animation means the visible character image progresses through authored frames whose body or limb poses differ. Position translation, bobbing, rotation, scaling, opacity, particles and camera motion may support a frame sequence but cannot replace it.

Runtime States

Tutorial phase	Hearthguard	Wayrunner	Farstring	Kindhand	Riftblade	Commit
Advance	advance, loop	advance, loop	advance, loop	advance, loop	advance, loop	none
Threat	idle, loop	idle, loop	idle, loop	idle, loop	telegraph, once/hold	none
Enemy attack	guard, once/hold	evade_counter, once/hold	idle, loop	idle, loop	attack, once/hold	front HP at Riftblade impact frame
Rear action	idle, loop	idle, loop	draw_release, once/hold	lantern_heal, once/hold	hit for Farstring, otherwise idle	enemy HP or front heal at rear impact frame
Final action	basic_attack, once/hold	evade_counter, once/hold	draw_release, once/hold	lantern_heal, once/hold	hit, once/hold	enemy HP at final impact frame
Defeat	idle, loop	idle, loop	idle, loop	idle, loop	death, once/hold	enemy HP reaches zero once
Victory	victory, once/hold	idle, loop	idle, loop	idle, loop	final death frame	one victory transition

For non-Hearthguard Recruits, the first accepted generated action row may also supply a restrained two-or-more-frame ready/idle sequence when no separate idle row exists. Reusing different action poses as an erratic loop is not allowed.

Timing

• Each animation state declares frames, FPS, loop/non-loop and impact frame.
• Looping states wrap. Non-looping states clamp to the final frame.
• The runtime records a per-phase impact-committed flag. Crossing the impact frame commits the value once even when one rendered delta skips multiple frames.
• Phase duration must allow the primary non-looping action to reach its final frame and remain readable before the next phase.
• Pausing for Restart confirmation freezes frame time and event commits.

Reduced Motion

Reduced motion removes the advance translation and nonessential looping idle cycles. It does not replace action states with the old static anchors. Required actions step through their authored anticipation, impact and terminal frames at a lower bounded FPS so their meaning remains visible.

Art And Provenance

• Hearthguard and Riftblade runtime frames are byte-identical copies of the accepted Phase 6 frame authority named in the asset manifest.
• Wayrunner, Farstring and Kindhand generation uses their Phase 7 canonical anchors as image references and the sprite-gen component-row contract.
• The generated strips use a flat chroma background, are deterministically extracted to transparent PNG frames, and retain request, prompt, provider report, source image, curation and hashes.
• Runtime actor frames keep identity, handedness, equipment, facing, baseline and play-size silhouette stable. VFX remain separate layers.

Runtime Evidence

The fixed recording must include:

1. authored advance cycles and collision stop;
2. Riftblade telegraph and attack;
3. one visible front guard or evade/counter response;
4. one visible Farstring draw/release or Kindhand lantern/heal action;
5. final attack, enemy recoil and non-looping death;
6. victory without a reset seam.

Static captures support layout only. The animation claim requires a continuous normal-render recording and sampled-frame proof that actor textures changed.

Evidence Markers

• ABG_P9_0R2_ANIMATION_ASSETS_OK
• ABG_P9_0R2_CHARACTER_ANIMATION_OK
• ABG_P9_0R2_DYNAMIC_SLICE_OK