Fix NPC visibility and stabilize world transport/taxi updates

include/audio/music_manager.hpp

@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <string>
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <vector>
 
 namespace wowee {
 namespace pipeline { class AssetManager; }
@@ -23,6 +26,7 @@ public:
     void setVolume(int volume);
     int getVolume() const { return volumePercent; }
     void setUnderwaterMode(bool underwater);
+    void preloadMusic(const std::string& mpqPath);
 
     bool isPlaying() const { return playing; }
     bool isInitialized() const { return assetManager != nullptr; }
@@ -41,6 +45,8 @@ private:
     std::string pendingTrack;
     float fadeTimer = 0.0f;
     float fadeDuration = 0.0f;
+
+    std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<uint8_t>> musicDataCache_;
 };
 
 } // namespace audio

include/core/application.hpp

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <unordered_map>
+#include <unordered_set>
 
 namespace wowee {
 
@@ -192,7 +193,12 @@ private:
         float x, y, z, orientation;
     };
     std::vector<PendingCreatureSpawn> pendingCreatureSpawns_;
-    static constexpr int MAX_SPAWNS_PER_FRAME = 2;
+    static constexpr int MAX_SPAWNS_PER_FRAME = 24;
+    static constexpr uint16_t MAX_CREATURE_SPAWN_RETRIES = 300;
+    std::unordered_set<uint64_t> pendingCreatureSpawnGuids_;
+    std::unordered_map<uint64_t, uint16_t> creatureSpawnRetryCounts_;
+    std::unordered_set<uint32_t> nonRenderableCreatureDisplayIds_;
+    std::unordered_set<uint64_t> creaturePermanentFailureGuids_;
     void processCreatureSpawnQueue();
 
     struct PendingGameObjectSpawn {

include/game/game_handler.hpp

@@ -427,6 +427,8 @@ public:
     uint32_t getPlayerXp() const { return playerXp_; }
     uint32_t getPlayerNextLevelXp() const { return playerNextLevelXp_; }
     uint32_t getPlayerLevel() const { return serverPlayerLevel_; }
+    const std::vector<uint32_t>& getPlayerExploredZoneMasks() const { return playerExploredZones_; }
+    bool hasPlayerExploredZoneMasks() const { return hasPlayerExploredZones_; }
     static uint32_t killXp(uint32_t playerLevel, uint32_t victimLevel);
 
     // Server time (for deterministic moon phases, etc.)
@@ -1085,11 +1087,8 @@ private:
     float taxiLandingCooldown_ = 0.0f;  // Prevent re-entering taxi right after landing
     size_t taxiClientIndex_ = 0;
     std::vector<glm::vec3> taxiClientPath_;
-    float taxiClientSpeed_ = 18.0f;  // Reduced from 32 to prevent loading hitches
+    float taxiClientSpeed_ = 32.0f;
     float taxiClientSegmentProgress_ = 0.0f;
-    bool taxiMountingDelay_ = false;  // Delay before flight starts (terrain precache time)
-    float taxiMountingTimer_ = 0.0f;
-    std::vector<uint32_t> taxiPendingPath_;  // Path nodes waiting for mounting delay
     bool taxiRecoverPending_ = false;
     uint32_t taxiRecoverMapId_ = 0;
     glm::vec3 taxiRecoverPos_{0.0f};
@@ -1144,9 +1143,15 @@ private:
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, uint32_t> spellToSkillLine_;      // spellID -> skillLineID
     bool skillLineDbcLoaded_ = false;
     bool skillLineAbilityLoaded_ = false;
+    static constexpr uint16_t PLAYER_EXPLORED_ZONES_START = 1041;  // 3.3.5a UpdateFields
+    static constexpr size_t PLAYER_EXPLORED_ZONES_COUNT = 128;
+    std::vector<uint32_t> playerExploredZones_ =
+        std::vector<uint32_t>(PLAYER_EXPLORED_ZONES_COUNT, 0u);
+    bool hasPlayerExploredZones_ = false;
     void loadSkillLineDbc();
     void loadSkillLineAbilityDbc();
     void extractSkillFields(const std::map<uint16_t, uint32_t>& fields);
+    void extractExploredZoneFields(const std::map<uint16_t, uint32_t>& fields);
 
     NpcDeathCallback npcDeathCallback_;
     NpcAggroCallback npcAggroCallback_;

include/game/zone_manager.hpp

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ public:
     uint32_t getZoneId(int tileX, int tileY) const;
     const ZoneInfo* getZoneInfo(uint32_t zoneId) const;
     std::string getRandomMusic(uint32_t zoneId) const;
+    std::vector<std::string> getAllMusicPaths() const;
 
 private:
     // tile key = tileX * 100 + tileY

include/rendering/renderer.hpp

@@ -323,6 +323,9 @@ private:
     float mountHeightOffset_ = 0.0f;
     float mountPitch_ = 0.0f;  // Up/down tilt (radians)
     float mountRoll_ = 0.0f;   // Left/right banking (radians)
+    int mountSeatAttachmentId_ = -1;  // -1 unknown, -2 unavailable
+    glm::vec3 smoothedMountSeatPos_ = glm::vec3(0.0f);
+    bool mountSeatSmoothingInit_ = false;
     float prevMountYaw_ = 0.0f; // Previous yaw for turn rate calculation (procedural lean)
     float lastDeltaTime_ = 0.0f; // Cached for use in updateCharacterAnimation()
     MountAction mountAction_ = MountAction::None;  // Current mount action (jump/rear-up)

include/rendering/world_map.hpp

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ struct WorldMapZone {
     float locLeft = 0, locRight = 0, locTop = 0, locBottom = 0;
     uint32_t displayMapID = 0;
     uint32_t parentWorldMapID = 0;
+    uint32_t exploreFlag = 0;
 
     // Per-zone cached textures
     GLuint tileTextures[12] = {};
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ public:
     void initialize(pipeline::AssetManager* assetManager);
     void render(const glm::vec3& playerRenderPos, int screenWidth, int screenHeight);
     void setMapName(const std::string& name);
+    void setServerExplorationMask(const std::vector<uint32_t>& masks, bool hasData);
     bool isOpen() const { return open; }
     void close() { open = false; }
 
@@ -87,6 +89,8 @@ private:
     GLuint tileQuadVBO = 0;
 
     // Exploration / fog of war
+    std::vector<uint32_t> serverExplorationMask;
+    bool hasServerExplorationMask = false;
     std::unordered_set<int> exploredZones;  // zone indices the player has visited
 };