Follow-up to #2721. It fixes how the remaining tests behave and changes no production code.
## CI
- Both `dotnet test` steps pass `--filter "Category!=Manual"`. Before this, Manual-tagged tests ran on CI anyway.
- The one surviving movement-throttle latency test is the only coverage of burst forgiveness over a full, wrapped history. It loses its Manual tag, so it runs on CI.
## Tests that passed on CI without testing anything
- **Corpse and throwing tests.** They relied on tiledata for the weapon `Layer`, so on CI the equip silently failed and they asserted against empty lists. They now set `Layer` explicitly and assert the equip took effect. `TestThrown` also pins its own strength and range values, so a shard retuning SoulGlaive no longer breaks them.
- **Healthbar poison rows.** Server.Tests registers no poisons, so every row tested `null`. They now use real poison levels.
- **Account packet tests.** The mock accounts reported `Length` 0, so the character-list tests only ever encoded empty slots. They now encode the real characters.
- **Pathing and AI tests that only mean something on real Trammel/Felucca terrain** are now guarded with `TileDataRequirement.SkipIfMissing()`: Britain desk and clutter scenes, house footprints (no MultiData on CI) and fingerprints. Tests that are valid on flat blank terrain stay unguarded. (A synthetic tiledata fixture to run these on CI is a planned follow-up.)
- **Assertions that couldn't fail now check their claim.** Affected tests include the `DefaultWalker` cache use, cache on/off parity requiring a path, the recorder capability flags, the idle-pet gate, the monthly DST recurrence, the AdvancedSearch `Record.Exception` wrappers, `CanFitItem` with no branch-guarded assert, the Firewall callback, and `Import_NoMap`. The Geometry Parse asserts also now use the same input as their TryParse.
## Shared state
Every test that changes process-wide state now restores it, even when an assert fails:
- **The clock.** A new `TimerWheelScope` saves and restores `Core._tickCount`, `Core._now` and the timer wheel. `SimulatedClockScope` covers decay tests.
- **StepCache settings and caches**, via `StepCacheStateScope`.
- **Network state.** The ManualAllowlist, LoginAllowlist, firewall and BanChannel reporters are restored. Global packet handlers are now registered per test and removed afterwards, so they no longer stay registered for later tests.
- **Data and config tables.** `ArchiveJournal` statics, `TileData.ItemTable`, `ObjectPropertyList.Enabled`, `Core.Expansion` and the localization table are restored. One `MobileStatusVersion` restore was resetting a different expansion than the one the test changed.
- **Entities.** Tests with fixed serials now delete what they create. Fixed mobile serials moved to `World.NewMobile`, because deleting a hard-coded serial could unregister a live entity.
- **Collection race.** `SpiralScanTests` no longer clears the spawn cache from a separate collection that could run in parallel with the cache-manager tests.
- **Shared statics.** Classes reading shared static allowlists joined the sequential collection.
## Duplication
New shared helpers replace copy-pasted harness code:
- **Server.Tests:** `PacketAssert.Sends`, used by about 130 packet tests; `TestClientHarness`, `PersistencePipelineScope`, `NetTestHelpers`, `EntityCleanup` and one `TestMulti`.
- **UOContent.Tests:** `TimerWheelScope`, which also holds one wraparound-safe `RunFor`/`RunUntil`; `AiTestStubs`, which merges six walker copies and five identical creature stubs; `MobileTestHarness`, `CommandTestHarness` and `TempDirectory`.
Dead oracle packet classes are removed.
## Cost
| Test | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| `VirtualSerialTests` | 1.57s | 2ms (starts near the wrap via reflection instead of drawing ~17.9M serials) |
| Event scheduler recurrence loop | 473ms | 1ms |
| CrowdSec drain | 517ms | 16ms (event-driven instead of a fixed 500ms wait) |
| AuthId tests | 248ms | 99ms (SHA2 except the two GameLogin tests) |
| Container cap tests | 5,000 items | 3,449 / 3,277 (one past each protocol cap) |
| Bulk removal | 100k children | 20k children |
| OPL hash distribution | 60k builds | 10k builds |
## Shard-tuning decoupling
- AI assertions read `ReacquireDelay` and `FollowMoveSpeed` instead of hard-coding production tuning.
- The guard friendly-fire test uses an `AI_Mage` stub instead of WhiteWyrm.
- Argon2 assertions pin the `argon2id` variant and `v=19` but read the cost parameters from the configured hasher.
## Tests
| Run | Server.Tests | UOContent.Tests |
|---|---|---|
| With client files | 812 pass | 1,123 pass |
| Without client files (CI simulation) | 800 pass, 12 skip | 1,021 pass, 102 skip |
- The UOContent fixture reads `MODERNUO_TEST_DATA_DIR`; Server.Tests reads `MODERNUO_CLIENT_PATH`.
- The 15 new UOContent skips are the map-dependent guards above.
- Total run time with client files is about 5s, down from about 8s.
## Summary
After #2670, `BaseCreature` stores one master. Callers still reached it through three differently gated names plus hand-rolled combinations of the `Controlled`/`Summoned` flags. Each gate is now one named view:
| Member | Definition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| `Master` | the reference; its setter does the follower bookkeeping; serialized as before | whoever the creature answers to |
| `ControlMaster` | `Controlled ? Master : null` | the owner |
| `SummonMaster` | `Summoned ? Master : null` | the summoner |
| `GetMaster()` | `ControlMaster ?? SummonMaster` | who answers for the creature |
`ControlMaster` and `SummonMaster` stay settable so custom code keeps compiling: both setters assign `Master`. There is no guard, so a write through either one can read back as null until the matching flag is set.
An enraged creature is the one shape with a master and neither flag. It keeps its meer through `Master`, while `GetMaster()` stays null, so the meer never answers for it (notoriety, kill credit).
Readers move onto the view they mean:
- "Owner or summoner" pairs and `ControlMaster ?? SummonMaster` collapse into `GetMaster()`: pack instinct, familiars, golem, house access, mounts, pack horse, Solen friendship, spell target and guild checks, and the `[` pet command.
- Checks such as `Controlled && ControlMaster == from` drop the flag the view already applies. Checks that don't reduce keep it: `Controlled && ControlMaster != from`, a possibly-null `from`, and `MageAI.CanDispel`'s `Summoned &&`.
**No behavior change, save format unchanged** (the schema generator produces no diff). Edge cases for custom code and shard operators:
- `SummonMaster = x` on a plain pet now replaces its owner (#2670 made that a no-op), and `ControlMaster = null` on an uncontrolled summon now clears its caster (it did nothing before).
- `SpellHelper.GetGuildFor` no longer falls back to an enraged creature's meer. Meer mages have no guild.
## Docs
- `dev-docs/content-patterns.md` § Masters: which view answers which question, how to set a master, and which flag checks are redundant.
- `dev-docs/runuo-migration-docs/09-items-mobiles-creatures.md` § Masters: RunUO's two-field reads mapped onto the views, plus the gotcha for creatures that set `SummonMaster` without `Summoned` (the write compiles, the read now returns null; use `Master`).
- The `modernuo-content-patterns` and `migrate-items-mobiles` skills point at both.
## Test plan
- [x] `MasterViewsTests`: all four views across wild, pet, controlled summon, uncontrolled summon and enraged shapes; reassigning `Master` moves follower slots; `SetControlMaster(null)` keeps an uncontrolled summon's caster; deleting a summon returns the caster's slots
- [x] Serialization tests updated to the new views (round-trip, legacy v22, v23 migration)
- [x] UOContent.Tests (1178 passed, 2 skipped) and Server.Tests (907) green
## Summary
`BaseCreature` stored the pet owner (`ControlMaster`) and the summoner (`SummonMaster`) in two fields. Every flow that manages pets kept them in step by hand: summon, transfer, stable, claim, ball of summoning and GM obey. They now share one `_master` field, and the two properties read it through the Controlled and Summoned flags:
```csharp
ControlMaster => Controlled ? master : null
SummonMaster => Controlled && !Summoned ? null : master
```
Every existing reader keeps its meaning:
- `ControlMaster` is still "the owner".
- `SummonMaster` is still "the summoner, controlled or not".
Blade spirits, energy vortexes, clones, undead minions and enraged creatures (a summon master without `Summoned`) never become visible through `ControlMaster`, so the ungated readers (ML notoriety, aggressor entries and similar) behave as before.
- Setting `SummonMaster` on a plain pet does nothing, instead of quietly replacing the owner.
- `SetControlMaster` now keeps both masters in step, so the hand-written `SummonMaster` copies are removed from ball of summoning, GM obey, pet transfer, auto-stable and claim, the animal trainer's stable and claim, and jail stabling.
## Serialization
BaseCreature moves to v24 with one serialized master (slot 15); the old `SummonMaster` slot is dropped.
- `MigrateFrom(V23Content)` resolves absent fields through the same default-value methods the live reader uses.
- A save that carried both masters (a summon traded before ownership followed transfers) resolves to the owner. Legacy pre-codegen streams follow the same rule.
Requires `ModernUO.Serialization.Generator` 4.2.0 (#2671). `UOContent.Tests` was still on 4.1.0 and is bumped to match.
## Test plan
- [x] `MasterShapes_RoundTrip`: controlled pet, controlled summon, energy vortex, enraged creature
- [x] `SummonMaster_OnPlainPet_KeepsTheOwner`: owner and follower counts unchanged
- [x] `LegacyV22Stream_DifferingMasters_OwnerWins`
- [x] `V23Stream_MigratesToOneMaster_AndDefaultsAbsentFields`: both master slots -> owner; flags past bit 32; absent fields take class defaults
- [x] UOContent.Tests (1168 passed, 2 skipped) and Server.Tests (907) green
The pure SerializationGenerator conversion of `BaseCreature`, split out of #2592 so it can serve as the reference for converting every other large hand-written class in the Delta Saves project (#7, phase 3). Two behaviour changes from #2592 are deliberately not here and follow in their own PRs on top of this one: `SpeedClass`, and the collapse of `ControlMaster`/`SummonMaster` into one reference (a creature can lose or keep either independently: Blade Spirits and Energy Vortexes are summoned but never controlled, EnragedCreature and talisman summons keep a summon master with neither flag set).
## What this is
- `BaseCreature` becomes `[SerializationGenerator(23, false)]` with a `[SerializableField]` per serialized slot and `[SaveFlag]` elision on nearly every field, so a stock creature serializes to its version plus flags. Field orders run 0..53 with no gaps (54 fields).
- The hand-written reader stays as `private void Deserialize(IGenericReader reader, int version)` for every pre-codegen version (0..22); post-codegen bumps use `MigrateFrom` from here on. `[AfterDeserialization]` carries the post-load fixups main did after reading (stat timers, AI type, followers, reacquire seeding).
- `ControlMaster` and `SummonMaster` stay two independent fields with main's semantics, each elided when null.
- `DamageMin`/`DamageMax`/`ActiveSpeed`/`PassiveSpeed` are no longer virtual (nothing in the tree overrode them); comments swept to the constraints that matter.
- Direct writes to serialized backing fields outside the generated setters (`SetDamage`, `SetResistance`, the move-speed helpers, the loot flag, feed loyalty, the delete timer) call `this.MarkDirty()`, matching the #2609 standard, so the class is ready for delta saves once `Mobile` is audited.
- Schema `Server.Mobiles.BaseCreature.v23.json` regenerated by the tool (a second run produces no diff).
## Deferred to follow-up PRs
SpeedClass: the serialized `_speedClass` field, `DefaultSpeedClass` replacing the type constant, `ApplySpeedClass`/`OnSpeedClassChange`, "None means custom", the four-speeds-as-one-block elision, `NPCSpeeds.FindEntry(SpeedLevel)`, the constructor fallback to Medium, and their tests.
Master references: serializing one `Master` with a `Controlled`/`Summoned` fan-out and the `SetControlMaster` lockstep.
## Tests
UOContent.Tests 776 / Server.Tests 855 green. `BaseCreatureSerializationTests` covers: a default creature elides to version + flags; a populated creature round-trips with exact byte consumption; back-to-back saves are byte-identical; an uncontrolled summon keeps its SummonMaster; byte-authentic v22 legacy streams (replicas of main's `Serialize`) load through the legacy reader for a wild tamable, a controlled pet, a controlled summon with an anchored `SummonEnd`, and a summon-master-only creature (the EnragedCreature shape); a running delete timer round-trips through `[DeserializeTimer]`; `Friends`, `CurrentWayPoint` and `HomeMap` round-trip; a `BaseVendor` stub round-trips the generated BaseVendor v2 → generated BaseCreature v23 chain.
## Behaviour notes for reviewers
- `ActiveMoveSpeed`/`PassiveMoveSpeed` getters return the raw override (0 = inherit); `CurrentMoveSpeed` is the resolved pace.
- Speeds elided as table defaults re-snap to the current `npc-speeds.json` on load, so table edits reach unmodified spawns on restart.
- `GetSpeeds` no longer throws on the save/load path when the table has no entry for the type: saves elide against the creature's own values and loads keep the stream. Construction still throws (`InvalidOperationException`, was `KeyNotFoundException`). An elided load with no table entry would otherwise resume at speed 0, so `[AfterDeserialization]` logs once and paces it at Medium.
- `virtual` removed from `ActiveSpeed`, `PassiveSpeed`, `DamageMin`, `DamageMax` (no overrides in the tree; forks may have some).
- `ControlMaster`, `SummonMaster`, `ControlOrder`, `Tamable`, `IsParagon` are `[SerializableProperty]` over hand-written setters because follower bookkeeping must run before the assignment, which a `fieldChanged` hook cannot express; the wire format is identical.
## Prerequisites for cherry-picking
#2609 (BaseVendor is already generated on top of BaseCreature) and SerializationGenerator 4.1.0.
Kamron Batman