Squared distance optimizations across 30 files:
- Convert glm::length() comparisons to glm::dot() (no sqrt)
- Use glm::inversesqrt() for check-then-normalize patterns (1 rsqrt vs 2 sqrt)
- Defer sqrt to after early-out checks in collision/movement code
- Hottest paths: camera_controller (21), weather particles, WMO collision,
transport movement, creature interpolation, nameplate culling
Container and algorithm improvements:
- std::map<string> → std::unordered_map for asset/DBC/MPQ/warden caches
- std::mutex → std::shared_mutex for asset_manager and mpq_manager caches
- std::sort → std::partial_sort in lighting_manager (top-2 of N volumes)
- Double-lookup find()+operator[] → insert_or_assign in game_handler
- Add reserve() for per-frame vectors: weather, swim_effects, WMO/M2 collision
Threading and synchronization:
- Replace 1ms busy-wait polling with condition_variable in character_renderer
- Move timestamp capture before mutex in logger
- Use memory_order_acquire/release for normal map completion signaling
API additions:
- DBC getStringView()/getStringViewByOffset() for zero-copy string access
- Parse creature display IDs from SMSG_CREATURE_QUERY_SINGLE_RESPONSE
- Nameplates: player names always rendered regardless of V-key toggle;
separate cull distance 40u (players/target) vs 20u (NPCs); cyan name
color for other players; fade alpha scales with cull distance
- Level-up: add expanding golden ring burst (3 staggered waves, 420u
max radius) + full-screen flash to renderDingEffect(); M2 LevelUp.m2
is still attempted as a bonus on top
- Vanilla tile loading: add AssetManager::setBaseFallbackPath() so that
when the primary manifest is an expansion-specific DBC-only subset
(e.g. Data/expansions/vanilla/), world terrain files fall back to
the base Data/ extraction; wired in Application::initialize()
- Warden: map a null guard page at address 0x0 in the Unicorn emulator
so NULL-pointer reads in the module don't crash with UC_ERR_MAP;
execution continues past the NULL read for better diagnostics
- game: clear pendingNameQueries on player out-of-range and DESTROY_OBJECT so
re-entering players get a fresh name query instead of being silently skipped
- game: add 5s periodic name resync scan that re-queries players with empty names
and no pending query, recovering from dropped CMSG_NAME_QUERY responses
- warden: fix UC_ERR_MAP by moving HEAP_BASE from 0x200000 to 0x20000000; the old
heap [0x200000, 0x1200000) overlapped the module at 0x400000, causing Unicorn to
reject the heap mapping and abort emulator initialisation
- warden: add early overlap check between module and heap regions to catch future
layout bugs at init time
- assets: add loadDBCOptional() which logs at DEBUG level when a DBC is absent,
for files that are not distributed on all expansions
- assets: use loadDBCOptional for Item.dbc (absent on Vanilla 1.12 clients) and
fall back to server-sent itemInfoCache displayInfoId for NPC weapon resolution
Remove HDPackManager, expansion overlay manifests, and BLP size-comparison
logic. Assets now resolve through a single manifest with a simple override
directory (Data/override/) for future HD upgrades.
- Vanilla M2 bone struct (108 bytes) with 28-byte animation tracks
- Version-aware bone parsing (vanilla vs WotLK format detection)
- Fix CharSections.dbc field layout for vanilla (variation/color at 4-5)
- Remove broken CharSections.csv files (all fields marked as strings)
- Expansion data reload on profile switch (DBC cache clear, layout reload)
- Vanilla packet encryption (VanillaCrypt XOR-based header crypt)
- Extended character preview geoset range (0-99) for vanilla models
- DBC cache clear support in AssetManager
Replace hardcoded WotLK protocol constants with a data-driven architecture
supporting Classic 1.12.1, TBC 2.4.3, and WotLK 3.3.5a. Each expansion
has JSON profiles for opcodes, update fields, and DBC layouts, plus C++
polymorphic packet parsers for binary format differences (movement flags,
speed fields, transport data, spline format, char enum layout).
Key components:
- ExpansionRegistry: scans Data/expansions/*/expansion.json at startup
- OpcodeTable: logical enum <-> wire values loaded from JSON
- UpdateFieldTable: field indices loaded from JSON per expansion
- DBCLayout: schema-driven DBC field lookups replacing magic numbers
- PacketParsers: WotLK/TBC/Classic parsers with correct flag positions
- Multi-manifest AssetManager: layered manifests with priority ordering
- HDPackManager: overlay texture packs with expansion compatibility
- Auth screen expansion picker replacing hardcoded version dropdown
- Add MemoryMonitor class for dynamic cache sizing based on available RAM
- Increase terrain load radius to 8 tiles (17x17 grid, 289 tiles)
- Scale worker threads to 75% of logical cores (no cap)
- Increase cache budget to 80% of available RAM, max file size to 50%
- Increase M2 render distance: 1200 units during taxi, 800 when >2000 instances
- Fix camera positioning during taxi flights (external follow mode)
- Add 2-second landing cooldown to prevent re-entering taxi mode on lag
- Update interval reduced to 33ms for faster streaming responsiveness
Optimized for high-memory systems while scaling gracefully to lower-end hardware.
Cache and render distances now fully utilize available VRAM on minimum spec GPUs.
