## Summary
Replaces `FastAStarAlgorithm` with `BitmapAStarAlgorithm`: one cache lookup per cell expansion (8-direction mask + per-direction destination Z) instead of 8 separate `MovementImpl.CheckMovement` calls. Adds the supporting cache infrastructure to back it.
Public API unchanged — `MovementPath` / `Mobile.Move` / `CalcMoves.Find` return the same shapes; the algorithm swap is internal.
## What's in this PR
- **`BitmapAStarAlgorithm`** — A* that issues one `StepCache.TryGetMask` call per cell expansion. Inline fallthrough to the per-cell slow path for multi-Z, off-map, source-Z mismatch, and non-default walkers.
- **`StepCache`** — singleton chunk store keyed by `(mapId, chunkX, chunkY)`. Lazily built on first query, invalidated by `Sector.MultisVersion` mismatch, memory-bounded by sampled probabilistic LRU.
- **`StepProbe`** — computes static-only walkability for a single cell, mirroring `MovementImpl.Check` minus the item / mobile collision phases.
- **`StepMask` / `StepChunk`** — value / storage types for the per-cell results.
- **`CacheEvictionTimer`** — periodic cap backstop (60s interval; early-returns when not over cap).
- **`Map.Sector.MultisVersion`** promoted to `public` so the cache can detect dynamic-static invalidations cheaply.
## Eviction strategy
Sampled probabilistic LRU (Redis-style). Per eviction, sample 5 random keys from a parallel `List<long>` kept in lockstep with the chunk dictionary; evict the oldest of the sample via swap-and-pop. O(1) per eviction regardless of resident count, so sustained cap pressure has no perpetual perf hit.
## Capability handling (interim)
Non-default walkers (non-GM players, creatures with `CanSwim` / `CanFly` / `CanOpenDoors` / `CanMoveOverObstacles`) route entirely through the per-cell slow path via `BitmapAStarAlgorithm.GetSuccessorsSlowPath`. The 2-pass design (cache + capability overlay + dynamic-obstacle pass) lands in the follow-up PR.
## Summary
Phase 3 PR B of the message-interpolation cleanup. Handles the multi-line restructure sites flagged in `dev-docs/string-handling-message-interp-audit.md` (Phase 2). Phase 3.1 (PR #2436) handled trivial sweeps; this PR handles sites that needed an `if/else` hoist or switch restructure to eliminate `string.Format` while preserving exact message text.
Each site previously allocated an intermediate `string.Format(...)` result before passing to the message handler, despite Phase 1 making the handler accept interpolated string handlers natively.
## Sites fixed
- **`Projects/Server/Mobiles/Mobile.cs:7911`** - Title/guild header was using `string.Format` with a conditional template (`"[{1}]{2}"` vs `"[{0}, {1}]{2}"`). Split into `if (title.Length <= 0)` / `else` with direct `$"..."` interpolation.
- **`Projects/UOContent/Engines/ConPVP/DuelContext.cs:1337`** - View-ladder rank text used `string.Format(text, from == pm ? "You" : "They")`. Split into `if (from == pm)` / `else` with direct `$"..."` interpolation in each branch.
- **`Projects/UOContent/Engines/ConPVP/DuelContext.cs:1463`** - Showladder text reused a single format string for both `LocalOverheadMessage` ("You ... are ...") and `NonlocalOverheadMessage` ("`{pm.Name}` ... is ..."). Each call now uses an inline `$"..."` directly; no shared template.
- **`Projects/UOContent/Engines/ConPVP/Gumps/ConfirmSignupGump.cs:518`** - The signup confirmation message used a `switch` expression assigning a literal format string to `fmt`, then `string.Format(fmt, from.Female ? "Lady" : "Lord", timeUntil)`. Converted to a `switch` statement where each case calls `_registrar.PrivateOverheadMessage(...)` directly with an inline `$"..."`. Lady/Lord branching is hoisted to a `title` local.
## Exempted
- **`Projects/UOContent/Engines/ConPVP/Participant.cs:138`** - The `nonLocalOverhead` format string is a parameter passed in by callers of `Participant.Broadcast`. Investigation found 5 call sites in `DuelContext.cs` (lines 782, 802, 1187, 1196, and three at 1535/1564/1608) that pass distinct literal format strings. Refactoring would require changing all 5 callers and the method signature - out of scope for this PR. Marked with a `// Phase 3 audit:` comment per the audit's exemption convention.
## Summary
Phase 3.1 of the message-interpolation optimization series. Fixes 9 of the 28 sites flagged in the Phase 2 audit (PR #2435):
| File | Fix |
|---|---|
| `Commands/StaffAccess.cs:88,99` | Drop redundant `.ToString()` on enum holes |
| `Commands/Handlers.cs:102` | `builder.ToString()` -> `builder.AsSpan()` |
| `World Saves/SaveCommands.cs:71-75` | Merge 3 concatenated `$"..."` into one literal |
| `Server/Items/Item.cs:4213` | Hoist nested ternary `$"..."` to if/else |
| `Engines/Factions/Mobiles/Guards/BaseFactionGuard.cs:140-150` | Convert switch expression to switch statement |
| `Mobiles/Monsters/LBR/Jukas/JukaLord.cs:85` | Restructure `string.Format(toSay.RandomElement(), ...)` into switch |
| `Misc/AttackMessage.cs:30-41` | Inline `AggressorFormat`/`AggressedFormat` constants |
No functional changes. Each site emits identical text; the only difference is that the message string is now built into a pooled char buffer instead of being allocated as a `string` first.
## Summary
Adds a custom `:L` format specifier to `RawInterpolatedStringHandler`. When the format string is `"L"`, the handler lowercases the formatted value's chars in-place after the underlying `ISpanFormattable.TryFormat` / `IFormattable.ToString` path completes. Zero allocation, single-pass.
## Usage
```csharp
mob.SendMessage($"You earned a {rank:L} trophy!"); // "gold"
mob.SendMessage($"Welcome, {playerName:L}"); // lowercased
mob.SendMessage($"{count:L} kills"); // ints unchanged ("42")
```
## Motivation
Eliminates the `value.ToString().ToLowerInvariant()` two-allocation idiom that appears across the codebase for any type that goes through an interpolation handler. After this lands, content code can use the `:L` specifier directly instead of helper extensions or per-enum lookup tables.
## Coverage
- `AppendFormatted<T>(T value, string? format)` — generic path (covers IFormattable, ISpanFormattable, .ToString fallback)
- `AppendFormatted(ReadOnlySpan<char> value, int alignment, string? format)` — span path with alignment-aware lowercase range (only the value range is lowercased, not padding)
- `AppendFormatted<T>(T value, int alignment, string? format)` and `AppendFormatted(string? value, int alignment, string? format)` and `AppendFormatted(object? value, int alignment, string? format)` — inherit via delegation
The `format == "L"` comparison is case-sensitive — `:l` (lowercase L) is NOT recognized. `:L` matches the convention of e.g. `:N0` / `:F2` (numeric format specifiers traditionally use uppercase). `char.ToLowerInvariant` is used (not locale-dependent) for predictable game text.
## Future cleanup
Phase 3.3 (#2438) introduced a per-enum `TrophyRank.LowerName()` extension to eliminate `rank.ToString().ToLower()` allocations at 10 ConPVP sites. Once this PR lands, those sites can be simplified to `{rank:L}` and the `TrophyRankExtensions` helper can be removed. Tracked as a follow-up.
## Summary
Phase 1 of a multi-phase optimization to eliminate intermediate string allocations between `$"..."` interpolation and the packet text region for ModernUO's player-facing message APIs.
- Adds `[InterpolatedStringHandler]` overloads to every `Send*`/`Public/Local/Private/NonlocalOverheadMessage`/`Say`/`Emote`/`Whisper`/`Yell`/`SendLocalizedMessageTo` API in `OutgoingMessagePackets`, `Mobile`, and `Item`. Each overload is a 3-line shim that forwards `handler.Text` to the existing span-based path then calls `handler.Clear()` to return the rented `STArrayPool<char>` buffer (matches the established `SpanWriter.WriteAscii(ref RawInterpolatedStringHandler)` precedent).
- Converts `string text/args/affix/name` parameters to `ReadOnlySpan<char>` for consistency with the handler path. `lang` intentionally stays `string` (it's never interpolated and the `??= "ENU"` fallback stays cleaner).
- Adds `int charCount` overloads of the three `GetMaxMessage*Length` helpers so stackalloc sizing can avoid the redundant `ROS<char>` round-trip.
- Moves `Mobile` (17 methods) and `Item` (4 methods) message methods into new partial-class files (`Mobile.Messages.cs`, `Item.Messages.cs`) for organization.
No UOContent call sites change in this PR — existing `string`/`ROS<char>` calls compile unchanged via implicit conversion. Phase 2 (intermediate-string audit) and Phase 3 (cleanup PRs) follow.
## Files
- `Projects/Server/Network/Packets/OutgoingMessagePackets.cs` — `string` → `ROS<char>` for text params, `int charCount` length helpers added, class made `partial`
- `Projects/Server/Network/Packets/OutgoingMessagePackets.Interpolated.cs` (new) — 3 `ref RawInterpolatedStringHandler` extension overloads
- `Projects/Server/Mobiles/Mobile.cs` — message methods extracted (-262 lines)
- `Projects/Server/Mobiles/Mobile.Messages.cs` (new, 463 lines) — moved + ROS-converted methods + 25 handler overloads
- `Projects/Server/Items/Item.cs` — message methods extracted (-93 lines)
- `Projects/Server/Items/Item.Messages.cs` (new, 142 lines) — moved + ROS-converted methods + 4 handler overloads
- `Projects/Server.Tests/Tests/Network/Packets/Outgoing/MessagePacketTests.cs` — 3 new regression tests verifying byte-equivalence for the handler overloads
## Summary
Migrates the Old Guild System (pre-AOS guild stones) gumps from the legacy `Gump` class to `DynamicGump`, following the same pattern used for the Quest gump migration in #2416. All concrete gumps now have private constructors gated by static `DisplayTo` entry points (empty-gump rule), and `Singleton => true` is set across the board so reopening a sibling dialog automatically closes the previous one.
**Migrated gumps:**
- `GuildGump` - main guild dialog
- `GuildmasterGump` - guildmaster functions
- `GuildCharterGump` - charter and website display
- `GuildWarGump` - warfare status (kept as player-facing)
- `GuildWarAdminGump` - war menu (retained as player-facing - reachable from `GuildmasterGump`'s WAR button by guildmasters)
- `GuildChangeTypeGump` - Standard/Order/Chaos selection
**Abstract bases:** `GuildListGump` and `GuildMobileListGump` keep their shared list-rendering chrome inside a single concrete `BuildLayout` on the abstract class and expose a `protected abstract void BuildHeader(ref DynamicGumpBuilder builder)` hook for subclasses (replacing the old `Design()` override). This mirrors the abstract-base treatment used for the ML quest base in the quest-gump migration PR.
**Concrete subclasses migrated alongside the abstract bases:**
- `GuildListGump` subclasses: `GuildAcceptWarGump`, `GuildDeclarePeaceGump`, `GuildDeclareWarGump`, `GuildRejectWarGump`, `GuildRescindDeclarationGump`
- `GuildMobileListGump` subclasses: `DeclareFealtyGump`, `GrantGuildTitleGump`, `GuildAdminCandidatesGump`, `GuildCandidatesGump`, `GuildDismissGump`, `GuildRosterGump`
**Cliloc rule:** Every gump bakes per-instance dynamic content (guild names, member names, war declarations, candidate lists), which would defeat `StaticGump<T>` caching. Per the cliloc rule, all are `DynamicGump`.
**External callers updated:** the prompt files (`GuildAbbrvPrompt`, `GuildCharterPrompt`, `GuildDeclareWarPrompt`, `GuildNamePrompt`, `GuildTitlePrompt`, `GuildWebsitePrompt`), `RecruitTarget`, the `Guildstone` item, and the New Guild System `GuildInfoGump`'s Order/Chaos handler all now go through static `DisplayTo` entry points instead of `new XGump(...)`.
## Summary
Removes per-call heap allocations from `Container`'s consume / find / group hot paths and from `BaseCreature.OnDeath`'s fame/karma tracking. The headline wins: kill the `List<List<Item>>` + `Item[][]` + `int[]` grouping bridges in `ConsumeTotal*` / `ConsumeTotalGrouped*` / `GetBestGroupAmount*`, and kill the per-call `Predicate<Item>` allocations in `FindItemsByType(Type)` / `FindItemsByType(Type[])`.
### `Container.cs`
- `ConsumeTotal`, `ConsumeTotalGrouped`, `GetBestGroupAmount` now share four streaming helpers (`HasAmount`, `TryFindGroupMeetingAmount`, `BestGroupTotal`, `ConsumeSlice`) backed by `PooledRefList` instead of allocating per-group lists and jagged arrays. Two-phase validate-then-consume pattern preserved — all-or-nothing semantics for spell reagents, vendor pay, and crafting still hold.
- `(Type)` / `(Type[])` / `(Type[][])` overload trios collapsed to single `ReadOnlySpan<Type>` + `ReadOnlySpan<int>` implementations. Implicit `T[] → ReadOnlySpan<T>` conversion means UOContent callers compile unchanged.
- Unused overloads deleted: `ConsumeTotalGrouped(Type)`, `ConsumeTotalGrouped(Type[][])`, `GetBestGroupAmount(Type)`, `GetBestGroupAmount(Type[][])`, plus the never-called `TryDropItems` hook and its private `ItemStackEntry` struct.
- Fixes a `PooledRefList` leak in `GetBestGroupAmount(Type[], …)` (missing `using`).
- `m_ContainerData` / `m_Items` / `m_TotalGold` / `m_TotalItems` / `m_TotalWeight` / `ContainerData.m_Table` / `ContainerData.logger` renamed to the underscored convention. `m_Items` cross-file rename for the Container-side references in `Item.cs`; `Item.CompactInfo.m_Items` deliberately left alone (separate effort).
- `CheckHold` parent walk simplified; trivial dispatch methods (`CheckHold` overloads, `OnItemAdded`, `OnItemRemoved`, `OnStackAttempt`) get `[MethodImpl(AggressiveInlining)]`; `Destroy` and `DisplayTo` cache `Items` outside the loop; dead comments removed.
### `Item.Enumerable.cs`
- `FindItemsByType(Type)` previously allocated a `Predicate<Item>` per call (method-group conversion). `FindItemsByType(Type[])` allocated a closure capturing `types`. Both now construct the enumerator with a `Type` / `ReadOnlySpan<Type>` field directly, no delegate.
- `FindItemsByTypeEnumerator<T>` gains two constructors plus a `Matches(T)` helper that picks the right filter inline. Constructor chaining via a private 2-arg seed constructor incidentally fixes a pre-existing bug where `PooledRefQueue` was always rented at capacity 0 because `_recurse` hadn't been assigned yet.
- `(Type[])` overload of `FindItemsByType` becomes `(ReadOnlySpan<Type>)`.
- `EnumerateItemsByType(Type)` / `EnumerateItemsByType(ReadOnlySpan<Type>)` / `ListItemsByType(Type)` / `ListItemsByType(ReadOnlySpan<Type>)` simplified to delegate to the new alloc-free overloads instead of filtering manually.
### `Utility.cs`
- `InTypeList<T>(this T, Type[])` and `InTypeList(this Type, Type[])` switched to `ReadOnlySpan<Type>`.
### `BaseCreature.cs`
- `OnDeath` per-death `List<Mobile>` / `List<int>` / `List<int>` for fame/karma tracking switched to `PooledRefList`.
## Summary
Replaces the basic `publish.cmd`/`publish.sh` scripts with an interactive **BuildTool** — a C# console app using [Spectre.Console](https://spectreconsole.net/) that guides users through publishing, prerequisite checking, and cross-compilation.
### Why
The community found the existing publish scripts unhelpful for newcomers. They worked but didn't walk users through the process, didn't check prerequisites, and provided no feedback when things went wrong.
### What's New
**Interactive BuildTool** (`Projects/BuildTool/`)
- NativeAOT-compiled C# console app with true-color ASCII logo and ModernUO brand gold/silver palette
- Guided publish wizard with step-by-step back navigation (Ctrl+C or menu "Back" to go to previous step)
- Prerequisite checking: .NET SDK version, VC++ Redistributable (Windows), native libraries (Linux/macOS)
- .NET SDK auto-install offer via Microsoft's official install scripts
- Platform detection: Windows 10 vs 11 (build number), macOS codenames, Linux distro + kernel version
- Cross-compilation support: skips native library checks, shows target prerequisites after build
- Non-interactive mode for CI: `--config Release --skip-prereqs`
- Backward-compatible positional args: `publish.cmd release win x64` still works
**Shell Wrappers** (`publish.cmd`, `publish.ps1`, `publish.sh`)
- Try native BuildTool binary first (downloaded from GitHub Releases)
- Fall back to `dotnet run --project Projects/BuildTool` if unavailable
- SDK bootstrapping: offer to install .NET if not found
**CI/CD Updates**
- Build/test workflows target `Projects/Application/Application.csproj` instead of the solution (excludes BuildTool and test projects from publish)
- New `build-tool-release.yml` workflow builds NativeAOT binaries for win-x64, win-arm64, osx-arm64, linux-x64, linux-arm64
- Minimum SDK bumped to 10.0.201 (required for Serialization Generator 2.14.3 / Roslyn 5.3.0)
**Other Changes**
- Solution converted from `.sln` to `.slnx`
- Updated README with interactive mode instructions and deployment guidance
## Screenshots
<img width="320" height="378" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/83c057c5-3992-4dbd-99fa-0e3c24ef6428" />
<img width="749" height="554" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e4ee4d6f-71d4-47f9-86b6-8fd1ca3c3e7a" />
## Summary
- **Add a self-referencing `InterpolationHandler` to `ValueStringBuilder`** that writes directly into the builder's buffer — zero intermediate allocation, works with `stackalloc`-backed builders
- **Replace all `System.Text.StringBuilder` usage** across the codebase with `ValueStringBuilder`
- **Convert `ValueStringBuilder.Create()` to `stackalloc`** at 10 sites where output length is provably bounded
- **Convert manual `Dispose()` to `using var`** where possible, and hoist loop-scoped builders outside loops with `Reset()`
- **Convert verbose `Append()` chains to `Append($"...")`** interpolation for readability
- **Add comprehensive documentation** for string handling patterns
## InterpolationHandler Design
`ValueStringBuilder` is a `ref struct`, which creates challenges for C#'s interpolated string handler pattern:
- **`ref` fields to ref structs are not allowed** (CS9050)
- **`[InterpolatedStringHandlerArgument("")]` passes struct receivers by value**, not by ref
- **`ISelfInterpolatedStringHandler` requires boxing** ref structs into interface fields
**Solution: Copy-and-reconcile pattern.** The handler receives a value copy of the builder. The copy shares the same underlying `char` buffer (`Span` points to the same `stackalloc`/pooled memory), so writes go to the original buffer. `Append()` reconciles by `this = handler._builder`, updating `_length` and any buffer references changed by `Grow()`.
This is safe because:
- The game loop is single-threaded — no concurrent access between handler construction and reconciliation
- If `Grow()` occurs in the copy, the original's stale buffer isn't accessed until `Append()` replaces it
- `Dispose()` correctly returns the reconciled buffer to the pool
## Changes by Category
### ValueStringBuilder (`Projects/Server/Buffers/ValueStringBuilder.cs`)
- Added nested `InterpolationHandler` ref struct with copy-and-reconcile pattern
- Added `Append([InterpolatedStringHandlerArgument("")] scoped ref InterpolationHandler)` method
- Removed `RawInterpolatedStringHandler` overloads (new handler replaces them)
- All `AppendFormatted` overloads delegate to existing `Append` methods (no code duplication)
- Alignment support via direct private field access (nested type privilege)
### StringBuilder → ValueStringBuilder (15 files)
Replaced all `new StringBuilder()` with `ValueStringBuilder.Create()` or `stackalloc`:
- ConPVP games: KingOfTheHill, DoubleDom, CTF, BombingRun, TourneyMatch
- ConPVP infrastructure: Tournament, Participant, TourneyParticipant
- ConPVP gumps: ArenaGump, TournamentBracketGump, AcceptTeamGump, ConfirmSignupGump
- Commands: Handlers, Logging, Add
- Other: TownCrier, SpeechLogGump, TestCenter
Key patterns:
- `sb = new StringBuilder()` reassignment → `sb.Reset()`
- `sb.AppendFormat("{0:N0}", value)` → `sb.Append($"{value:N0}")`
- `sb.Append(x).Append(y)` chains → separate statements (VSB returns void)
### Create() → stackalloc (10 files)
Converted heap-allocated builders to stackalloc where output is bounded:
- ClientVersion (32), MapSelection (160), HouseRaffleStone (48)
- HolySense (96), UnholySense (96), ClientVerification (192)
- AcceptTeamGump (64), ConfirmSignupGump (64)
- BaseWeapon (160), BaseArmor (128)
### Loop optimizations (2 files)
Hoisted `ValueStringBuilder` creation outside loops with `Reset()` per iteration:
- TourneyMatch.cs: `using var` inside for loop → stackalloc before loop
- ArenaGump.cs: `Create()` + `Dispose()` per iteration → stackalloc before loop
### Append chain → interpolation (5 files)
Converted multi-line `Append()` chains to `Append($"...")`:
- BountyMessage.cs: title switch (6 cases), paragraph (15→1 Append), description lines, closing
- AcceptTeamGump, ConfirmSignupGump, TournamentBracketGump: tournament type strings
- AdminGump: comment/tag formatting in loops
### Documentation
- `dev-docs/string-handling.md`: Full reference — construction, interpolation, disposal, decision guide
- `dev-docs/claude-skills/modernuo-string-handling.md`: Claude skill with quick reference
- `CLAUDE.md`: Added rule 17 (no StringBuilder), dev-docs table entry, skills table entry
- `dev-docs/code-standards.md`: Updated memory management section
## Test Plan
- [x] `dotnet build` — 0 errors, 0 warnings
- [x] `dotnet test` — 940/940 tests pass
- [x] 28 ValueStringBuilder tests covering all reconciliation scenarios:
- Stackalloc no-grow, stackalloc with grow (→pool transition)
- Heap no-grow, heap with grow, heap double grow
- Pre-existing content with and without grow
- Sequential multiple `Append($"...")` calls
- Mixed plain + interpolated Append
- Empty interpolation, literal-only, format specifiers
- Null string holes, ISpanFormattable types
- Dispose after stackalloc→pool grow
## Summary
- Refactors the poison system to separate `Index` (globally unique ID) from `Level` (tier within a family), enabling multiple poison families (Standard, Darkglow, Parasitic) to coexist without collisions
- Implements Darkglow and Parasitic poison special effects from Mondain's Legacy: Darkglow boosts damage by 10% when attacker is ranged, Parasitic heals the attacker for damage dealt in melee range
- Fixes several bugs: `Register()` crashing on duplicate `Level` values across families, `IncreaseLevel()` crossing family boundaries, `InfectiousStrike` and `NinjaWeapons` stripping poison family via level-based lookups, and `ArchCure`/`CleansingWinds` using raw `Level + 1` instead of `IncreaseLevel()`
## Changes
**`Projects/Server/Poison.cs`** — Adds `PoisonFamily` enum and abstract `Family` property. Adds `Index` as unique identifier. Fixes `Register()` to check `Index` uniqueness (not `Level`) and validate the new poison's name (not the existing one's). Fixes `IncreaseLevel()` to use `Index + 1`, naturally respecting family boundaries via Index gaps. Replaces linear name lookup with `Dictionary`-based `PoisonsByName`.
**`Projects/UOContent/Misc/Poison.cs`** — Adds `family` parameter to `PoisonImpl`. Implements Darkglow effect (10% damage boost when `From` >1 tile, cliloc 1072850) and Parasitic effect (heals `From` for damage dealt within 1 tile, cliloc 1060203) in `PoisonTimer.OnTick()`. Renames `m_` fields to `_` convention.
**`Projects/UOContent/Misc/PoisonKinds.cs`** — New file. Moves poison registration out of `PoisonImpl` into `PoisonKinds.Configure()`. Adds `PoisonFamily` to Darkglow/Parasitic registrations. Provides extension properties (`Lesser`, `Deadly`, `LesserDarkglow`, etc.), `GetPoison(int level)` (standard-only), `GetPoisonByFamilyAndLevel()`, and `IsDarkglow`/`IsParasitic` instance helpers.
**`Projects/UOContent/Items/Weapons/Abilities/InfectiousStrike.cs`** — Family-aware poison scaling: Darkglow caps at Deadly (Poisoning/33.3), Parasitic caps at Lethal (Poisoning/25), Standard unchanged. Level bump uses `IncreaseLevel()` with family boundary check.
**`Projects/UOContent/Items/Skill Items/Ninjitsu/NinjaWeapons.cs`** — EvilOmen level bump uses `Poison.IncreaseLevel()` instead of `Poison.GetPoison(Level + 1)`.
**`Projects/UOContent/Spells/Fourth/ArchCure.cs`** and **`CleansingWindsSpell.cs`** — Replace `poison.Level + 1` with `Poison.IncreaseLevel(poison).Level` for family-safe cure chance calculation.
**`Projects/Server/Serialization/SerializationExtensions.cs`** — Serializes/deserializes `Index` instead of `Level`.
**`DarkglowPotion.cs`** / **`ParasiticPotion.cs`** — Point to actual Darkglow/Parasitic poisons instead of placeholder `Greater`.
**`PotionKeg.cs`** / **`BasePotion.cs`** — Adds Darkglow, Parasitic, Invisibility, and FlintsPungentBrew to `PotionEffect` enum and keg label support.
## Test plan
- [ ] `dotnet build` compiles cleanly (verified, 0 warnings 0 errors)
- [ ] Verify `PoisonKinds.Configure()` registers all poisons without throwing (Register bug fix)
- [ ] Standard poison behavior unchanged — PoisonField, PoisonSpell, SerpentArrow, SavageShaman, TrappableContainer all use `GetPoison(int level)` which now correctly filters to Standard family
- [ ] Darkglow: poison tick deals +10% damage when attacker is >1 tile away, sends "Darkglow poison increases your damage!" message
- [ ] Parasitic: poison tick heals attacker for damage dealt when within 1 tile, sends heal message
- [ ] InfectiousStrike preserves poison family and respects family-specific skill scaling
- [ ] EvilOmen + NinjaWeapons level bump stays within poison family
- [ ] ArchCure/CleansingWinds cure chance calculations work correctly across all poison families
- [ ] Serialization round-trips correctly using Index
## Summary
- **Timer-aware idle sleep**: Exposes `Timer.MillisecondsUntilNextTick()` to calculate remaining ms until the next timer wheel tick (0–8ms). The game loop sleeps for that duration minus a 1ms safety margin, instead of spinning at 100% CPU.
- **I/O completion wakeup**: Replaces `Thread.Sleep` with `NetState.WaitForCompletion()`, which uses platform-native completion notification (RIO `RIONotify` on Windows, `eventfd` on Linux, `kevent` timeout on macOS) to wake immediately when network data arrives during sleep.
- **Always-on**: Removes the debug-only `core.enableIdleCPU` config gate. The sleep is self-regulating — under load, `MillisecondsUntilNextTick` returns 0 so no sleep occurs (zero overhead). On idle, CPU drops from ~100% to ~1%.
- **CPS calculation cleanup**: Replaces the 128-element ring buffer with an EMA (exponential moving average) for `CyclesPerSecond`/`AverageCPS` — fewer allocations, no LINQ `.Average()` call each sample.
- **IORingGroup 1.0.6**: Adds `WaitForCompletion(int timeoutMs)` to the `IIORingGroup` interface with platform implementations:
- **Windows**: `RIONotify` arms the CQ event, `WaitForSingleObject` with timeout
- **Linux**: `eventfd` registered with io_uring, `poll()` with timeout
- **macOS**: `kevent()` with timeout
## Test plan
- [ ] Build succeeds on all platforms (`dotnet build`)
- [ ] Empty server: verify CPU usage drops from ~100% to ~1% idle
- [ ] Loaded server: verify no added latency — `MillisecondsUntilNextTick` returns 0 when timers are firing, sleep is skipped
- [ ] Connect a client during idle — verify connection accepted within one timer tick (~8ms)
- [ ] Verify `[admin` gump shows reasonable CPS values (EMA convergence)
## Summary
Server-side movement throttle that prevents speed hacking while accurately identifying cheaters with detection of lagging connections.
**Key features:**
- Credit buffer (200ms) absorbs timing jitter from legitimate players
- Movement queue handles larger bursts, draining at proper game-tick intervals
- RTT measurement distinguishes network lag from speed hacks
- Queue depth detection catches ACK-throttled speed hacks (going straight)
## How It Works
**Throttle** (prevention): Movements arriving too early either consume credit or get queued. The queue drains at
correct intervals, so speed hackers can't move faster regardless of what they send.
**Detection** (identification): Combines multiple signals to identify cheaters:
| Signal | What it catches |
|--------|-----------------|
| Queue depth ≥4 sustained | ACK-throttled speed hacks (client limits unacked moves to 5) |
| Movement rate >1.05x | Direction-change speed hacks where timing is visible |
| Stable RTT + high queue | Eliminates false positives from laggy players |
**RTT-Aware Logic:**
- Probes only sent to players actively moving (event-driven, not global loop)
- Stable low-latency + problems = suspicious
- Unstable/high-latency + problems = probably just lag, throttle handles it
## Configuration
```json
{
"movementThrottle.maxCredit": 200,
"movementThrottle.softQueueLimit": 6,
"movementThrottle.hardQueueLimit": 10,
"movementThrottle.debugLogging": false
}
```
## Summary
- Adds `public virtual bool Murderer => Kills >= 5` property to `Mobile`, replacing ~30 scattered `Kills >= 5` / `Kills < 5` magic-number checks across the codebase
- `BaseCreature` overrides `Murderer` to also return `true` when `AlwaysMurderer` is set
- Updates `Corpse` serialization to v15, storing `_murderer` as a `bool` field (migrated from `int Kills >= 5` in earlier versions)
### Summary
Updates all calls to container.EnumerateItems() to properly dispose of the underlying PooledRefQueue so that we are properly recycling pooled arrays.
### Summary
- Bump IORingGroup 1.0.0 → 1.0.1 — fixes a disconnect handling bug in the native ring layer
- Fix ghost NetStates — Dispose() set _running = false before checking it, so the "force immediate disconnect" path
was dead code. Capture wasRunning before clearing it, add [Obsolete] guard, and route internal callers through
DisposeInternal()
- Fix unauthenticated socket cleanup — graceful disconnect on unauthed connections could get stuck with pending sends;
now force-immediate after Disconnect() if DisconnectPending is already set
- Replace ConcurrentQueue<NetState> _disposed with Queue<NetState> — server is single-threaded; moved the field into
the Network partial class where it's consumed
- Move ConnectingSocketIdleLimit into the Network partial class alongside DisconnectUnattachedSockets
- Reset activity timer on receive, not just send — receiving data directly proves liveness instead of relying on the
ping→pong→send round-trip to reset the timer
- Move CheckAllAlive from Timer into Slice — the timer fired before I/O completions were processed, so after server
stalls (world saves), buffered client pings hadn't reset timestamps yet, causing false disconnects. Now runs at the
end of Slice() after all recv completions are handled
- Lower inactivity timeout 90s → 30s, check interval 90s → 5s — clients ping every ~1s, so 30s of silence is ~30
missed pings; worst-case detection drops from ~180s to ~35s
- Simplify CheckAlive — early-return when socket is null or alive; force-kill stuck DisconnectPending sockets
immediately instead of calling Disconnect() again
- Remove unused imports from GameEncryption.cs
### Summary
Changes component verification so the order is now housing.bin, then txt files in client, then txt files in Data/Components folder on the server.
> [!IMPORTANT]
> **Breaking Changes**
> - DecodePacket and EncodePacket delegates replaced with IClientEncryption interface
> - NetState.Connection (Socket) replaced with internal RingSocket management
> - NetState.RecvPipe and NetState.SendPipe removed (buffers managed internally)
## Summary
Upgrades the networking stack from PollGroup-based I/O to io_uring, significantly improving I/O performance on Linux.
This also adds native client encryption support for encrypted UO clients.
## Major Changes
io_uring Networking Architecture
- Replaced PollGroup with IORingGroup for async socket I/O operations
- Removed Pipe.cs (mirrored ring buffer) and TcpServer.cs in favor of RingSocketManager
- Added NetState.Network.cs - centralized network infrastructure handling accept, recv, send, and disconnect
completions
- Added SocketHelper.cs - platform-specific socket utilities for raw socket handle operations (getpeername,
getsockname)
- Buffer management now handled by RingSocketManager with configurable slab allocation
### Client Encryption Support
- Added full encryption stack in Network/Encryption/:
- EncryptionConfig.cs - configurable encryption modes (None, Unencrypted, Encrypted, Both)
- EncryptionManager.cs - encryption detection and initialization for login/game packets
- LoginEncryption.cs - handles login packet encryption with version-derived keys
- GameEncryption.cs - handles game server encryption using Twofish
- TwofishEngine.cs - optimized Twofish block cipher implementation
- LoginKeys.cs - encryption key table for client versions
- IClientEncryption.cs - interface for client encryption implementations
### NetState Improvements
- Replaced Socket Connection with RingSocket _socket for managed socket lifecycle
- Changed from GCHandle polling to event-based completion processing
- Disconnect handling now properly waits for pending sends to flush
- Simplified connecting socket management using lazy queue removal
### Configuration
- New settings: network.encryptionMode and network.encryptionDebug
- Encryption mode flags: Unencrypted, Encrypted, or Both
### Dependencies
- Replaced PollGroup NuGet package with IORingGroup
- Linux requires liburing-dev / liburing-devel package
### Test plan
- Verify server starts and accepts connections on Linux with io_uring
- Verify server starts and accepts connections on Windows (fallback to IOCP)
- Test unencrypted client connections (ClassicUO with encryption disabled)
- Test encrypted client connections if available
- Verify graceful disconnect flushes pending data
- Confirm CI builds pass on all target platforms
## Summary
- Adds proper Latin1 encoding support, replacing CP1252 usage throughout the codebase
- Adds specialized, optimized string decoding methods with safe string filtering for each encoding type
- Filters invalid Unicode characters (C0/C1 control codes, non-characters) by removal rather than replacement since
the UO client renders nothing for these characters
- Fixes UTF-16 null terminator position handling to correctly advance by 2 bytes
## Changes
TextEncoding.cs
- Added SearchValues-based invalid byte/char detection for efficient filtering
- Added encoding-specific GetString methods: GetStringAscii, GetStringLatin1, GetStringUtf8, GetStringBigUni,
GetStringLittleUni
- Each method supports a safeString parameter for filtering invalid characters
- Little-endian UTF-16 uses direct memory cast for zero-copy decoding on LE systems
- Invalid characters are removed (not replaced with U+FFFD) since the client renders nothing for them
SpanReader.cs
- Added ReadLatin1() and ReadLatin1Safe() methods
- Rewrote encoding-specific read methods to use optimized TextEncoding.GetString* methods
- Fixed UTF-16 null terminator handling: position now correctly advances by byteLength (2) instead of 1
SpanWriter.cs
- Added WriteLatin1 and WriteLatin1Null methods
## Packet Updates
- Updated all packet code to use Latin1 encoding instead of CP1252
- Affected: account packets, equipment packets, menu packets, message packets, mobile packets, player packets, secure
trade packets, vendor packets, gump packets, book packets, mahjong packets
## Filtering Behavior
Invalid characters filtered in safe mode:
```
┌───────────────┬────────────────────────┐
│ Range │ Description │
├───────────────┼────────────────────────┤
│ 0x00-0x1F │ C0 control codes │
├───────────────┼────────────────────────┤
│ 0x7F │ DEL │
├───────────────┼────────────────────────┤
│ 0x80-0x9F │ C1 control codes │
├───────────────┼────────────────────────┤
│ 0xFFFE-0xFFFF │ Unicode non-characters │
└───────────────┴────────────────────────┘
```
Note: Surrogate pairs (0xD800-0xDFFF) are not filtered because proper validation requires context checking for paired
vs unpaired surrogates. The UO client renders nothing for these anyway.
## Test Plan
- All 631 Server.Tests pass
- Verified client rendering behavior using TestUnicodeGump command (pages 1-5)
- Confirmed U+FFFD, unpaired surrogates, and non-characters all render as blank in client
- Verified Latin1 characters (0xA0-0xFF) display correctly
- Verified C1 control codes (0x80-0x9F) are filtered and don't display
### Summary
* Fixes migration a socket from one poll group to another
* Fixes epoll/wepoll incompatibility
* Updates minimum support to Windows 10+ (Server 2019+)
* Enhances performance by supporting synchronous IOCP completions when available (up to 30% increase in performance).
Fix [add command failing with ambiguous type names + refactor for performance
### Problem
[add blight would fail with "No type with that name was found" because multiple types contain "blight" (e.g., Server.Items.Blight, Server.Ethics.Evil.Blight, Server.Items.BlightGrippedLongbow, Server.Items.QuiverOfBlight). The old code only succeeded when exactly one type matched the search regardless of constructability and inheriting Mobi les/Items.
### Solution
Exact match takes priority: If a type's name exactly equals the search string (case-insensitive), use it directly. Otherwise, show the AddGump with all partial matches.
- [add blight → Creates Blight (exact name match)
- [add bligh → Shows gump with Blight, BlightGrippedLongbow, etc.
### Refactoring
- CommandEventArgs context: Added GetContext<T>/SetContext<T> to pass resolved type through the command chain without method signature changes
- Removed TrySetupTarget duplication: Validation now happens only in ValidateArgs, eliminating redundant code paths
- Split type matching:
- ExactMatch(string) → Returns Type for exact name match (used by [add)
- MatchEmptyCtor(string) → Returns ConstructorInfo[] for gump display (empty-callable constructors only)
### Memory & Performance Improvements
| Optimization | Benefit |
|-------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| _mobileItemTypes cache | Filters Mobile/Item types once per assembly, reused on all subsequent searches |
| ReadOnlySpan<string> for args | Avoids string[] heap allocations when slicing arguments |
| ValueStringBuilder | Stack-allocated string building, avoids StringBuilder heap allocation |
| Single type resolution | Type resolved once in ValidateArgs, passed via context to Execute (was resolved 2-3x before) |
### Summary
- Create BitMask256 struct with scalar operations (benchmarks showed AVX2 vectorization provides no benefit for this size)
- Refactor Map.cs to use BitMask256 for full Z range support (-128 to 127)
- Remove SectorSpawnCache struct, use BitMask256 directly in manager
- Update tests to use BitMask256 directly
- Remove unused test assertions for old 64-bit behavior
### Summary
- Adds CanSpawnMobile(x, y, minZ, maxZ, canSwim, cantWalk, out spawnZ) overload for finding spawn surfaces within a Z range
- Adds CanSpawnItem(x, y, minZ, maxZ, out spawnZ) for item spawning with Surface+Impassable support (tables, furniture)
- Uses bitmask optimization inspired by Item.DropToWorld's m_OpenSlots pattern for O(1) surface/blocker checks
- HomeRange spawners now use surface detection to set proper Z bounds
### Key Changes
Map.cs:
- CanSpawnMobile with Z-range finds lowest valid surface for mobiles
- CanSpawnItem with Z-range finds lowest valid surface for items (including tables)
- CanFitItem for point-check item placement on Surface+Impassable tiles
- Bitmask approach eliminates nested loops and stackalloc arrays
Spawners:
- Simplified GetSpawnPosition using new Z-range methods
- HomeRange setter detects surface below spawner for proper Z bounds
- Consistent handling for mobiles and items
### Bug Fixes
- Water tiles (Impassable | Wet) no longer block swimming mobs
- Items can now spawn on tables/furniture (Surface+Impassable)
### Test Plan
- Run dotnet test - 631 tests pass
- Manual testing: multi-story spawning, water mobs, item spawning on tables
- Verify HomeRange spawner movement shifts bounds correctly
### Summary
This PR transitions the spawner system from a simple radius-based model to a flexible 3D boundary system.
### Core Changes
* **Replaced `HomeRange` with `SpawnBounds`**: Spawners now use a `Rectangle3D` to define spawn areas instead of a circular integer range.
* **Backward Compatibility**:
* The `HomeRange` property remains as a helper that generates square `SpawnBounds` centered on the spawner.
* Included a migration path (v10 to v11) that automatically converts old range data into new bounds during deserialization.
* **Dynamic Bounds Shifting**: If a spawner is moved, its `SpawnBounds` will automatically shift with it, provided the bounds are currently configured as a centered square.
* **New Spawn Logic**: Added `SpawnLocationIsHome` toggle. If enabled, spawned mobiles treat their exact spawn coordinates as their "Home" rather than the spawner's location.
### Implementation Details
* **Interface Updates**: Updated `ISpawner` to include `WalkingRange`, `SpawnBounds`, and `IsInSpawnBounds()`.
* **UI Enhancements**: The Spawner Controller Gump now displays "Custom" for complex bounds and allows copying of the new boundary properties between spawners.
* **Refactored Constructors**: Streamlined `BaseSpawner`, `ProximitySpawner`, and `RegionSpawner` constructors to support the new data types.
### Summary
* Adds better `SaveFlag` support.
* Fixes `SortedSet` support.
* Adds custom comparer support for `SortedSet`.
* Fixes various bugs.
* Adds support for `struct`, `record`, and `generic` classes.
* Adds support for `readonly` fields by skipping serializaton entirely.
* Adds support for interface fields that inherit ISerializable
* Adds tests.
See: 59a92cc49a
