Phase 2: Modular Plugin Architecture + Game Client #120

Overview

Phase 2 has two parallel tracks: refactoring the server into a modular DLL plugin system (Track A) and building a game client for Quick Battle mode (Track B).

Design principle: The stock game's combat, scoring, movement, power, repair -- all game logic -- lives in DLLs loaded via TOML config. Stock modules use the exact same API as mod DLLs. A total conversion mod replaces any module and the engine doesn't know the difference.

Architecture Documentation

• Plugin System Architecture
• Event System
• Module API Reference
• Data Format Guide
• Shared Code Architecture

Modding Documentation

• Getting Started
• DLL Module Guide
• Lua Scripting Guide
• TOML Reference
• Total Conversion Guide

Track A: Plugin Architecture

A1: Core Infrastructure

• A1: Implement event bus #121 — Implement event bus
• A2: Implement module loader #122 — Implement module loader
• A3: Define engine API table (module_api.h) #123 — Define engine API table (`module_api.h`)
• A4: Integrate TOML parser #124 — Integrate TOML parser

A2: Extract Stock Modules (dependency order)

• A5: Extract protocol module #125 — Extract protocol module
• A6: Extract lobby module #126 — Extract lobby module
• A7: Extract combat module #127 — Extract combat module
• A8: Extract scoring module #128 — Extract scoring module
• A9: Extract power module #129 — Extract power module
• A10: Extract repair module #130 — Extract repair module
• A11: Extract movement module #131 — Extract movement module
• A12: Extract gamespy module #132 — Extract gamespy module
• A13: Extract chat module #133 — Extract chat module

A3: Scripting

• A14: Embed Lua 5.4 runtime #134 — Embed Lua 5.4 runtime
• A15: Implement Lua sandbox API #135 — Implement Lua sandbox API

A4: TOML Game Modes

• A16: Convert game modes to TOML #136 — Convert game modes to TOML
• A17: Implement TOML event binding #137 — Implement TOML event binding
• A18: Implement mission definition format #138 — Implement mission definition format

Track B: Game Client

B1: Foundation

• B1: Restructure repo (src/shared/, src/server/, src/client/) #139 — Restructure repo (`src/shared/`, `src/server/`, `src/client/`)
• B2: SDL3 + bgfx window init #140 — SDL3 + bgfx window init
• B3: NIF V3.1 parser #141 — NIF V3.1 parser
• B4: Scene graph (simple tree) #142 — Scene graph (simple tree)
• B5: Asset resolver #143 — Asset resolver
• B6: Ship model rendering #144 — Ship model rendering

B2: Space Environment

• B7: Skybox + lighting #145 — Skybox + lighting
• B8: NIF animation (keyframes) #146 — NIF animation (keyframes)
• B9: Audio system (miniaudio) #147 — Audio system (miniaudio)
• B10: Ship movement + input #148 — Ship movement + input

B3: Combat

• B11: Custom physics (~500 LOC) #149 — Custom physics (~500 LOC)
• B12: Combat system wiring #150 — Combat system wiring
• B13: Phaser beam rendering #151 — Phaser beam rendering
• B14: Torpedo rendering #152 — Torpedo rendering
• B15: Shield hit rendering #153 — Shield hit rendering
• B16: Engine glow + explosions #154 — Engine glow + explosions

B4: Quick Battle Mode

• B17: Quick Battle TOML definitions #155 — Quick Battle TOML definitions
• B18: Quick Battle C event handlers #156 — Quick Battle C event handlers
• B19: LCARS UI system #157 — LCARS UI system
• B20: AI opponents #158 — AI opponents
• B21: HUD #159 — HUD

B5: Multiplayer Client

• B22: Multiplayer client networking #160 — Multiplayer client networking

Documentation (all complete)

• D1: Plugin system architecture doc #161 — Plugin system architecture doc
• D2: Event system doc #162 — Event system doc
• D3: Module API reference #163 — Module API reference
• D4: Data format guide #164 — Data format guide
• D5: Modder getting started guide #165 — Modder getting started guide
• D6: DLL module guide #166 — DLL module guide
• D7: Lua scripting guide #167 — Lua scripting guide
• D8: TOML reference #168 — TOML reference
• D9: Total conversion guide #169 — Total conversion guide

Verification

Phase 3 (Future): Campaign

TOML mission files + C handlers per episode. Bridge interiors, NIF animation, cinematics, dialogue. Uses the same plugin system as multiplayer.