The leagues, the plaque round: the meta speaks — the player plaque, the goal line, the way-up tag, the centred ceremony

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

PROJECT.md

@@ -491,6 +491,33 @@ zombie (now an occasional opponent, `TUNE.racketEvery`, not the every-game fixtu
   `RETURNED`, `DOUBLE KILL`) is a footnote to something you already watched happen. Sharing the loud
   FACE with the milestone cards is right; sharing their SIZE made every footnote read as a milestone.
 
+## Session log: THE LEAGUES — the plaque round: the meta speaks (2026-08-29, same day, STAGING ONLY)
+
+Oliver's first screenshot review, four items, all built. The theme: the meta layer existed but
+did not TALK to the player.
+
+- **No second bar** (his question, settled in discussion): a career bar moves ~2% a session late
+  and demotivates more than it informs. Total progress reads as the LEVEL NUMBER + LEAGUE
+  instead; the card carries the long form — "LEVEL 12 OF 50" and a thin CAREER bar (whole-curve
+  xp, honest about how far the cap is).
+- **THE PLAYER PLAQUE** replaces the bare level strip on the splash: ONE button-styled panel —
+  league wappen, name, "LEVEL X · LEAGUE Y" over the bar, a chevron that says it opens (the bare
+  strip's tap was undiscoverable), and **the standing GOAL LINE**: "WIN THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT CUP
+  TO ADVANCE" / "…BECOME CHAMPION" / "CHAMPION OF THE DEAD CLUB — DEFEND THE NAME". The badge
+  COLLECTION deliberately stays on the card (splash real estate: the boxed-bar lesson) — now one
+  DISCOVERABLE tap away.
+- **"How do I advance?" is answered in three standing places** (the promotion ceremony taught it
+  exactly once, and only AFTER the first promotion — too late): (1) the plaque's goal line;
+  (2) the arcade's own "what now?" moment — when the band's top body walks BACK on (`d.again`,
+  set by the clamp), its walk-on modal carries "NOBODY STRONGER IS LEFT / THE CUP IS THE WAY UP"
+  (pinned by the band-clamp test); (3) the tournament poster wears a corner tag **THE WAY UP**
+  (`tag` on the MODES row, rendered by banner()) and its blurb says "YOUR LEAGUE'S ROUNDS · WIN
+  IT TO RISE".
+- **The promotion ceremony's court tile is centred** (`margin auto` + `align-self` — the .mid
+  column stretches block children, so the 74%-wide img sat left), and the death screen's XP line
+  moved to +24/+36/+50 — the pulsing ★NEW BEST★ is B(20) drawn top-baseline at +2 and overlapped
+  the +18 line whenever both showed.
+
 ## Session log: THE LEAGUES, PHASE 4 — the duel learns, tin tiers, the level is you (2026-08-29, STAGING ONLY)
 
 Phase 4, the last of the built plan. STAGING ONLY — the whole feature waits on Oliver's own

index.html

@@ -271,7 +271,8 @@ if (location.hostname !== 'splatter-tennis.wuwi.one' && !window.Capacitor?.isNat
              animation: drop 0.5s ease-out 0.15s backwards; }
   #prLeague { margin: 0; font: 700 12px Silkscreen, monospace; color: var(--cream);
               letter-spacing: 2px; animation: drop 0.5s ease-out 0.3s backwards; }
-  #prCourt { width: 74%; max-width: 300px; margin-top: 10px; border: 2px solid var(--line);
+  #prCourt { width: 74%; max-width: 300px; margin: 10px auto 0; align-self: center;
+             border: 2px solid var(--line);
              image-rendering: pixelated; animation: drop 0.5s ease-out 0.5s backwards; }
   #prCourtName { margin: 0; font: 400 10px Silkscreen, monospace; color: var(--acid);
                  letter-spacing: 1.5px; animation: drop 0.5s ease-out 0.62s backwards; }
@@ -296,11 +297,34 @@ if (location.hostname !== 'splatter-tennis.wuwi.one' && !window.Capacitor?.isNat
   #xpRow { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; margin: 0 0 10px; }
   #xpRow u { font: 700 9px Silkscreen, monospace; color: var(--cream); text-decoration: none;
              letter-spacing: 1px; white-space: nowrap; }
-  #xpRow { cursor: pointer; }   /* the strip IS the door to the character card */
-  #xpRow s, #cdBar s { flex: 1; height: 6px; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.10); border: 1px solid var(--line);
-             text-decoration: none; display: block; }
+  /* THE PLAYER PLAQUE (replaces the bare level strip): ONE button-styled panel — wappen, name,
+     level+league over the bar, and the standing GOAL LINE ("win the X cup to advance"), with a
+     chevron that says it opens. The splash stays two buttons + one plaque; the badge COLLECTION
+     stays on the card, one (now discoverable) tap away. */
+  #plaque { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; width: 100%; margin: 0 0 10px;
+            padding: 8px 10px; background: var(--solid); border: 2px solid var(--line);
+            cursor: pointer; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; }
+  #plBadge { height: 34px; flex: none; image-rendering: pixelated; }
+  #plBody { flex: 1; min-width: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 4px; }
+  #plName { font: 700 10px Silkscreen, monospace; color: var(--cream); letter-spacing: 1.5px;
+            white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; }
+  #plRow { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; }
+  #plRow u { font: 700 8px Silkscreen, monospace; color: var(--dim); text-decoration: none;
+             letter-spacing: 1px; white-space: nowrap; }
+  #plGoal { font: 400 8px Silkscreen, monospace; font-style: normal; color: var(--acid);
+            letter-spacing: 1px; }
+  #plaque em { flex: none; font: 400 22px Bangers, cursive; font-style: normal; color: var(--acid); }
+  #plRow s, #cdBar s, #cdCareer s { flex: 1; height: 6px; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.10);
+             border: 1px solid var(--line); text-decoration: none; display: block; }
   #cdBar s { height: 8px; }
-  #xpRow s i, #cdBar s i { display: block; height: 100%; width: 0%;
+  #cdCareer { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; }
+  #cdCareer u { font: 700 8px Silkscreen, monospace; color: var(--dim); text-decoration: none;
+                letter-spacing: 1px; }
+  /* the mode picker's WAY-UP tag: the standing answer to "how do I advance", worn by the cup */
+  .way { position: absolute; top: 8px; left: 8px; padding: 3px 6px; font: 700 8px Silkscreen, monospace;
+         font-style: normal; color: var(--ink); background: var(--acid); letter-spacing: 1px;
+         text-decoration: none; }
+  #plRow s i, #cdBar s i, #cdCareer s i { display: block; height: 100%; width: 0%;
                background: linear-gradient(90deg, #3f9560, var(--acid) 55%, #e8b23a);
                transition: width 0.4s ease; }
   /* KIT and SKIN: a row of colour squares, under a label that names whatever is selected. That is
@@ -554,9 +578,17 @@ if (location.hostname !== 'splatter-tennis.wuwi.one' && !window.Capacitor?.isNat
              you can press before the sheets have landed is how you reach the stats screen with half
              the zombies missing. Swapped by #splash.busy, see main.js. -->
         <div id="boot"><s><i></i></s><u>LOADING</u></div>
-        <!-- THE LEVEL STRIP (the leagues): the clock the whole meta-game runs on, visible on every
-             visit to the title. Filled by refreshSplash. -->
-        <div id="xpRow"><u id="xpLv">LEVEL 1</u><s><i id="xpFill"></i></s></div>
+        <!-- THE PLAYER PLAQUE (the leagues): wappen, name, level+league, the bar, and the
+             standing goal line. One tap opens the character card. Filled by refreshSplash. -->
+        <button id="plaque">
+          <img id="plBadge" alt="">
+          <span id="plBody">
+            <b id="plName"></b>
+            <span id="plRow"><u id="plLv">LEVEL 1</u><s><i id="plFill"></i></s></span>
+            <i id="plGoal"></i>
+          </span>
+          <em>&rsaquo;</em>
+        </button>
         <button class="btn big" id="mStart">PLAY MATCH</button>
         <div class="two">
           <button class="btn sec" id="mStats">STATS<i id="mKills">0 KILLS</i></button>
@@ -660,6 +692,7 @@ if (location.hostname !== 'splatter-tennis.wuwi.one' && !window.Capacitor?.isNat
           <u id="cdLeague"></u>
           <b id="cdLevel">LEVEL 1</b>
           <div id="cdBar"><s><i id="cdFill"></i></s><u id="cdXp"></u></div>
+          <div id="cdCareer"><u>CAREER</u><s><i id="cdCareerFill"></i></s></div>
         </div>
       </div>
       <h3>HONOURS<span>WIN THE CUP TO CLIMB</span></h3>
@@ -795,6 +828,6 @@ if (location.hostname !== 'splatter-tennis.wuwi.one' && !window.Capacitor?.isNat
     </div>
   </div>
 </div>
-<script type="module" src="src/main.js?v=315"></script>
+<script type="module" src="src/main.js?v=316"></script>
 </body>
 </html>

src/beats.js

@@ -666,7 +666,10 @@ function matchOpponent() {
   const cup = G.match.cup;
   showModal({ title: zb.foe.name, color: UI.hot, icon: 'z_' + zb.fam + 'head', iconH: 64,
     body: [zb.foe.line].concat(cup ? [cup.rounds[cup.round].name + (cup.rounds[cup.round].need > 1
-      ? ' · FIRST TO ' + cup.rounds[cup.round].need + ' GAMES' : '')] : []) });
+      ? ' · FIRST TO ' + cup.rounds[cup.round].need + ' GAMES' : '')]
+      // the top of the band walking BACK on is the arcade's natural "what now?" moment — the
+      // intro answers it in place (THE LEAGUES: the cup is the only promotion)
+      : G.match.again ? ['NOBODY STRONGER IS LEFT', 'THE CUP IS THE WAY UP'] : []) });
   // ...and a fresh body has read NOTHING yet: the habit tracker starts clean (see THE READ, config)
   G.match.laneRun = 0; G.match.lastLane = undefined; G.match.surprised = G.match.expected = false;
   // a FLAT pool per body: with regicide gone the body is pure scoreboard (matchPoint takes a
@@ -793,8 +796,12 @@ function matchGameWon(zb, banked = false) {
   if (!G.net && !d.train) {
     d.felled = (d.felled || 0) + 1;                  // bodies actually felled (the board's number)
     // ...and the ladder climbs only inside the league's band: past its top rung the league has
-    // nobody stronger, so the top body walks back on (THE LEAGUES — the cup is the way up)
-    d.opp = Math.min(d.opp + 1, leagueOf(G.league).band[1]);
+    // nobody stronger, so the top body walks back on (THE LEAGUES — the cup is the way up).
+    // `d.again` marks exactly that moment — the felled body WAS the top — so its walk-on modal
+    // can answer the "what now?" the repeat would otherwise pose (see matchOpponent).
+    const top = leagueOf(G.league).band[1];
+    d.again = d.opp >= top;
+    d.opp = Math.min(d.opp + 1, top);
   }
   // ALTERNATING SERVICE, as the sport has it. The match calls advancePoint directly, which banks
   // the game but never touches the server — that flip lives in tennis's own pointTo, which the

src/config.js

@@ -826,7 +826,10 @@ export const COURTS = [
 export const MODES = [
   { id: 'classic', name: 'CLASSIC TENNIS', sub: 'REAL TENNIS · BEST OF THREE SETS', art: 'mode_classic' },
   { id: 'zombie',  name: 'ARCADE',         sub: 'ONE GAME PER OPPONENT · BLOOD ONLY', art: 'mode_arcade' },
-  { id: 'cup',     name: 'THE TOURNAMENT', sub: 'FOUR ROUNDS · THE CHAMPION WAITS', art: 'mode_cup' },
+  // `tag` is the poster's corner chip (main.banner): the cup is THE WAY UP — winning your
+  // league's tournament is the one route to promotion, and the picker should say so standing.
+  { id: 'cup',     name: 'THE TOURNAMENT', sub: 'YOUR LEAGUE\'S ROUNDS · WIN IT TO RISE', art: 'mode_cup',
+    tag: 'THE WAY UP' },
   // TRAINING (2026-08-28): pick any rung, play it one game at a time, nothing is banked. The same
   // match machinery with the ladder parked — see startMatch's train parameter.
   { id: 'train',   name: 'TRAINING',       sub: 'PICK A BODY · ONE GAME · GO AGAIN', art: 'mode_train' },

src/main.js

@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ const banner = (card, cls, last) => {
   b.style.backgroundImage =
     `linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(0,0,0,0) 34%, rgba(0,0,0,0.78)), url(assets/${card.art}.png?v=${SPRV})`;
   b.innerHTML = `<span class="cb"><b>${card.name}</b><i>${card.sub}</i></span>`
-    + (last ? '<u class="last">LAST</u>' : '');
+    + (last ? '<u class="last">LAST</u>' : '')
+    // the standing answer to "how do I advance", worn by the poster it is true of (config MODES)
+    + (card.tag ? `<u class="way">${card.tag}</u>` : '');
   return b;
 };
 const pickMode = id => { pickedMode = id; try { localStorage.setItem('mode', id); } catch {} };
@@ -512,10 +514,15 @@ function buildCard() {
   el.textContent = `LEAGUE ${lg.id} OF ${LEAGUES.length} — ${lg.name}`;
   el.style.color = lg.color;
   document.getElementById('cdLevel').textContent =
-    'LEVEL ' + pr.level + (pr.need ? '' : ' · THE CAP');
+    'LEVEL ' + pr.level + ' OF ' + profile.LEVEL_CAP;
   document.getElementById('cdFill').style.width = Math.round(pr.frac * 100) + '%';
   document.getElementById('cdXp').textContent = profile.prof.xp.toLocaleString('en-GB') + ' XP'
-    + (pr.need ? ' · ' + (pr.need - pr.into).toLocaleString('en-GB') + ' TO LEVEL ' + (pr.level + 1) : '');
+    + (pr.need ? ' · ' + (pr.need - pr.into).toLocaleString('en-GB') + ' TO LEVEL ' + (pr.level + 1)
+               : ' · THE CAP');
+  // the CAREER bar is the long form the splash deliberately does not carry: whole-curve progress,
+  // honest about how far level 50 is
+  document.getElementById('cdCareerFill').style.width =
+    Math.min(100, Math.round(profile.prof.xp / profile.xpFor(profile.LEVEL_CAP) * 100)) + '%';
   const row = document.getElementById('cdBadges');
   row.innerHTML = '';
   for (const l of LEAGUES) {
@@ -545,7 +552,7 @@ function buildCard() {
     + fig('RUNS', (g.matches + z.matches + c.matches).toLocaleString('en-GB'));
   refreshLook();
 }
-document.getElementById('xpRow').addEventListener('click', () => { buildCard(); go('card'); });
+document.getElementById('plaque').addEventListener('click', () => { buildCard(); go('card'); });
 document.getElementById('cdBack').addEventListener('click', () => go('splash'));
 let playerReturn = null;   // EDIT PLAYER borrows the identity screen and comes back to the card
 document.getElementById('cdEdit').addEventListener('click', () => {
@@ -613,11 +620,19 @@ function summary() {
 // has just ended and the count has moved.
 function refreshSplash() {
   document.getElementById('mKills').textContent = stats.total().kills.toLocaleString('en-GB') + ' KILLS';
-  // the level strip — the meta clock, re-read whenever the splash comes back because a run has
-  // just moved it (same rule as the kill count above)
-  const pr = profile.progress();
-  document.getElementById('xpLv').textContent = 'LEVEL ' + pr.level;
-  document.getElementById('xpFill').style.width = Math.round(pr.frac * 100) + '%';
+  // THE PLAQUE — the meta identity, re-read whenever the splash comes back because a run has just
+  // moved it (same rule as the kill count above). The goal line is the standing answer to "what
+  // do I do to advance": win the CURRENT league's cup, become champion, or rest on the crown.
+  const pr = profile.progress(), lg = leagueOf(profile.prof.lg);
+  document.getElementById('plBadge').src = `assets/badge_l${lg.id}.png?v=${SPRV}`;
+  document.getElementById('plName').textContent = stats.savedName() || 'YOUR PLAYER';
+  document.getElementById('plLv').textContent = 'LEVEL ' + pr.level + ' · LEAGUE ' + lg.id;
+  document.getElementById('plFill').style.width = Math.round(pr.frac * 100) + '%';
+  document.getElementById('plGoal').textContent = profile.prof.ch
+    ? 'CHAMPION OF THE DEAD CLUB — DEFEND THE NAME'
+    : profile.prof.lg >= LEAGUES.length
+      ? 'WIN THE ' + lg.name.replace('THE ', '') + ' CUP — BECOME CHAMPION'
+      : 'WIN THE ' + lg.name.replace('THE ', '') + ' CUP TO ADVANCE';
   summary();
 }
 

src/render.js

@@ -2919,10 +2919,11 @@ export function render() {
       if (xd.xp > 0) {
         const pr = progress();
         ctx.font = F(8);
+        // +24/+34: clear of the NEW BEST line above, which is B(20) drawn top-baseline at +2
         shadowText('+' + xd.xp + ' XP' + (xd.to > xd.from ? '  ·  LEVEL ' + xd.from + ' → ' + xd.to
                                                           : '  ·  LEVEL ' + pr.level),
-                   W / 2, H / 2 + 18, xd.to > xd.from ? UI.pick : UI.cream);
-        const bw = 120, bx = Math.round(W / 2 - bw / 2), by = Math.round(H / 2 + 30);
+                   W / 2, H / 2 + 24, xd.to > xd.from ? UI.pick : UI.cream);
+        const bw = 120, bx = Math.round(W / 2 - bw / 2), by = Math.round(H / 2 + 36);
         ctx.fillStyle = 'rgba(255,255,255,0.14)'; ctx.fillRect(bx, by, bw, 4);
         // the fill is a gradient (Oliver's call), green into gold — same ramp as the splash strip
         const gr = ctx.createLinearGradient(bx, 0, bx + bw, 0);
@@ -2932,7 +2933,7 @@ export function render() {
       // gated well past the animation so a panic tap can't skip it (main.js gates the restart the same)
       if (dead ? G.eatenT > EATEN_RESTART : G.done.t > DONE_RESTART) {
         ctx.font = F(8);
-        shadowText(IS_TOUCH ? 'TAP TO PLAY AGAIN' : 'PRESS ANY KEY TO PLAY AGAIN', W / 2, H / 2 + 44, UI.warm);
+        shadowText(IS_TOUCH ? 'TAP TO PLAY AGAIN' : 'PRESS ANY KEY TO PLAY AGAIN', W / 2, H / 2 + 50, UI.warm);
       }
       ctx.restore();
     }

test.js

@@ -2230,6 +2230,19 @@ test('THE LEAGUES: the arcade opens at its band, climbs inside it, and counts fe
   }
   assert.equal(d.opp, 8, 'the ladder clamps at the top of the band — the cup is the only way up');
   assert.equal(d.felled, 6, 'every felled body counts, clamp or no clamp');
+  // ...and the repeat walk-on ANSWERS the "what now?" it poses: fell the top body once more and
+  // read its intro modal instead of wiping it
+  G.interlude.introT = 0;
+  for (let k = 0; k < 4; k++) { resolveInterlude('P'); G.modal = null; G.modalQ.length = 0; }
+  for (let i = 0; i < 6 * 60 && G.matchFall; i++) { G.modal = null; G.modalQ.length = 0; update(DT); }
+  let saw = null;
+  for (let i = 0; i < (TUNE.matchMopT + 8) * 60 && !saw; i++) {
+    update(DT);
+    if (G.modal && G.modal.body) saw = G.modal.body.join(' | ');
+  }
+  assert.ok(saw && saw.includes('THE CUP IS THE WAY UP'),
+    'the repeat walk-on carries the promotion lesson: ' + saw);
+  G.modal = null; G.modalQ.length = 0;
   endMatch();
 });