The toss travels: the receiver watches the serve coming

One event on the toss, replayed as a real toss over O — update() already
poses the server off the phase and drops an uncaught ball back to pretoss
by plain physics, so the wind-up, the cancel and the re-toss all carry for
free. The strike's shot event overwrites whatever drifted.

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

src/gameplay.js

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { updateDrill } from './drill.js';
 import { endRun, beginRun, MODE_CLASSIC } from './stats.js';
 import { updateZombies, updateParts, spawnZombie, spawnRacketZombie, spawnMachine, spawnChapterBoss, zombies, gore, explode, meleeSwipe, extras, parts, pellets, shots, playerGore, eatenBleed, resetZombies , firePellet , spawnBarrel , fireBeam , pops, popText } from './zombies.js';
 import { proceedAfterClear, startDuel, startHorde, warnHorde, resolveInterlude, watchdog, updateBench, benchKey, tickMatchFall } from './beats.js'; // runtime-only cycle: beats calls back into cheer/aside/endBurst/deliverTin/showModal/logSwing
-import { netSendShot, netTick, netJudging, netSendPoint, netSendFault, netClose } from './net.js'; // runtime-only cycle: net calls back into pointTo/fault/showModal
+import { netSendShot, netSendToss, netTick, netJudging, netSendPoint, netSendFault, netClose } from './net.js'; // runtime-only cycle: net calls back into pointTo/fault/tossBall/showModal
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------- ballistics ----
 // Launch ball from (x0,y0,z0) so it arrives at (tx, tz) with horizontal speed s under gravity g.
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ function doHit(ch, quality, aim) {
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------- serve ----
-function tossBall(sv) {
+export function tossBall(sv) { // exported for net.js: a remote toss replays as a real toss over O
   ball.active = true; ball.bounces = 0; ball.collected = false;
   // The ball rises over the tossing HAND, not the head — TOSS.dx/oDx are measured off the toss
   // frames' raised fingertips (see config). `* facing` because drawChar mirrors the whole sprite
@@ -250,6 +250,9 @@ function tossBall(sv) {
   // same latent bug for anyone tossing from deep behind the line.
   ball.lastHit = sv.side;
   G.phase = 'toss';
+  // netplay: the toss travels too, so the receiver watches the serve COMING instead of a ball
+  // appearing from nothing — return timing is half the sport and it needs the wind-up
+  if (G.net && sv.side === 'P') netSendToss();
 }
 export function serveApexY() { return TOSS.y0 + TOSS.vy * TOSS.vy / (2 * TUNE.gravity); } // ~2.95
 

src/net.js

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 // plan calls reconnection "the bulk of the real work" and a prototype must not start there.
 import { COURT, UI } from './config.js';
 import { G, P, O, ball, score, setupPoint } from './state.js';
-import { pointTo, fault, showModal } from './gameplay.js';
+import { pointTo, fault, showModal, tossBall } from './gameplay.js';
 
 let ws = null, hb = 0, posT = 0;
 let applying = false;            // a remote verdict being applied must not echo back out
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@ function send(m) {
 export const netJudging = () => !!(G.net && G.net.ready) && !applying;
 export const netSendPoint = (side, reason) => send({ t: 'pt', win: side === 'P' ? 'me' : 'you', reason: reason || null });
 export const netSendFault = () => send({ t: 'fault' });
+export const netSendToss = () => { if (G.net && G.net.ready) send({ t: 'toss' }); };
+
+// their toss: replay it as a REAL toss over O, so the receiver watches the serve coming. Everything
+// downstream is machinery that already exists — update() poses the server off phase 'toss', the
+// uncaught-toss reset drops a cancelled one back to pretoss on both phones by plain physics, and
+// the strike's shot event overwrites the ball wherever the two sims had drifted to.
+function netApplyToss() {
+  if (score.server !== 'O' || G.phase === 'rally') return; // a stray toss must not touch a live rally
+  tossBall(O);
+}
 
 // called by gameplay the moment a local strike has finished writing the ball — the ball IS the message
 export function netSendShot() {
@@ -106,6 +116,7 @@ export function netMsg(m) {
   else if (m.t === 'start') netStart(m.side);
   else if (m.t === 'gone') netDead('NO SUCH ROOM — RELOAD AND HOST ONE');
   else if (m.t === 'bye') netDead('YOUR OPPONENT LEFT — RELOAD TO PLAY AGAIN');
+  else if (m.t === 'toss') netApplyToss();
   else if (m.t === 'shot') netApplyShot(m);
   else if (m.t === 'pt') netApplyPoint(m);
   else if (m.t === 'fault') netApplyFault();