# PLAN — all phases shipped (v2 complete + three feedback rounds, 2026-07-12)

Phases 1–13 are implemented, verified, and deployed, plus three post-plan feedback
rounds from Oliver's phone playtests (aiming rework, freeze fix + presentation,
aesthetics/stadium, runner + battery). See git log for the per-round record and
HANDOFF.md for the current system map. This file now only records what was DECIDED,
so nobody re-litigates it.

## The shape of the game (as shipped)
- **The scoreboard is the progression.** Waves = games (spawn director scales with
  G.runGames), 6 games = a set = a horde, odd games end in changeovers, deliveries
  follow the new-balls rule. Permadeath: eaten = run over, best run persisted.
- **Game-end theater**: at every game end the surviving wave collapses (sweepCourt),
  a real beat plays (gameBeatT / changeoverT), and 'GAME N' announces the next wave.
- **An opponent, always**: every game you win spawns a racket zombie if none is alive.
  With the court clear and an un-dueled opponent waiting, the umpire restores order:
  SUDDEN DEATH — one point under real tennis line calls. Win = the next tin on the
  spot; lose = a game on their scoreboard + a 5-shambler surge. One duel per opponent.
- **Weapon ladder** (deliveries cycle): BOMB → TRIPLE → FIRE → GUN. One tin at a time.
  Specials fire ONLY on deliberate serves: flick = aim + commit, tap = keep the stock.
- **Free-aim**: a flick maps to a landing point (length = depth, zSnap magnetism);
  taps keep the auto-target assist.
- **Roster**: runner (set 1 game 3+, shriek, solo), brute (set 2, hp 2, pushback-proof),
  shield zombie (set 3, chair blocks front, stagger = kill window). Touch is honest:
  eatenR 0.9 sprite-overlap = eaten.

## Feedback-round decisions (Oliver, 2026-07-12)
- Zombies pass-through: resolved as (a) — touch HURTS (eatenR honest), not avoidance.
- Interlude frequency: currently every game won (fresh opponent each game). If it
  overstays its welcome, gate it to every 2nd opponent — one-line change in the
  trigger (gameplay.js, `dueled`).
- Multi-ball stays "one proper serve per fan" (triple serve), never rapid-fire.
- Serve aiming is TWO-STAGE: touch shows the reticle at once (auto-lock on the most
  advanced zombie), drag aims, release fires, drag-back cancels. A flick is just a
  fast drag now. Specials commit only on aimed serves; tap-toss keeps the stock and
  the PERFECT power ceiling. Do not regress to blind flicks.
- Runner counter: GLASS CANNON (any ball contact kills it) + runnerVMax cap — NOT a
  dedicated weapon (you'd never hold it when the shriek comes).
- fps default 60 — Oliver felt 30 immediately and vetoed it. The TUNE.fps knob stays
  as an opt-in battery saver. Battery wins that DID stick: cached pile canvases,
  matchMedia hoist, RAF rescheduled before update (also the freeze insurance).
- Engine port ruled out (third failed-rewrite risk; feel is the asset). If rendering
  ever truly outgrows canvas 2D, swap ONLY render.js for a WebGL backend.

## Tuning surface (T panel)
All pacing knobs are in config.js TUNE — spawn director (zSpawnEvery/Min/Step, zMax,
zMaxCap), beats (changeoverT, gameBeatT), deliveries (ballChangeFirst/Every), roster
(runnerSpeed, bruteHp, shieldDown), aim (zSnap), stakes (eatenR).

## If a next arc happens, candidates in rough order of value
1. Balance pass from phone playtests (Oliver tunes, nothing to build).
2. PWA (manifest + icon + service worker, ~an afternoon) — full-screen home-screen
   app, offline, keeps the instant deploy loop. Oliver is also interested in SELLING
   it at 0.99 someday → that path is Capacitor + App Store (dev account €99/yr,
   Apple as merchant of record); informational only so far, do not build unasked.
3. Boss variety: a second duel opponent type (sprite session first, as before).
4. Meta between runs: unlock/records screen beyond best-run.