Merge PR #169: ratify 3D asset direction (D-244) + repurpose sprite-gen, reconcile sprite-era decisions

Reviewed by Tyre + Hoshe; findings addressed (D-148/D-149 precedent + D-043/D-044/D-049/D-066 amendments + doc fixes).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

.claude/skills/sprite-gen/SKILL.md

@@ -1,55 +1,47 @@
 ---
 name: sprite-gen
 description: >
-  Render a 3D model to 2D sprites via the Godot render pipeline. Produces
+  2D-artwork generator for The Settled Reach — produces flat 2D art (paintings,
-  sprites at 3 resolutions (1024, 256, 64) from 4 cardinal directions (north,
+  flags, billboards, signage, screen content) as PNG textures/decals applied to
-  east, south, west) with outline applied at working resolution. Use when the
+  flat surfaces in the otherwise-3D world (D-244). Use when the user says "render
-  user says "render sprite", "render model", "run the render pipeline",
+  artwork", "make a painting/flag/billboard", "2d art", "/sprite-gen", or asks to
-  "test the pipeline", "/sprite-gen", or asks to render a specific model
+  produce flat decorative art. NOT for game objects or characters — those are 3D
-  (e.g., "render wall_structural"). Output: 12 PNG files in renderer/output/.
+  (.glb via /glb-gen; characters via the Quaternius pipeline). Output: PNG files
+  in renderer/output/.
 ---
 
+## What this is (D-244)
+
+Per **D-244**, the in-world view renders **3D objects directly**. The only flattened
+2D content is **textures** (PBR maps on 3D surfaces) and **flat 2D artwork** —
+paintings, flags, billboards, signage, screen content. This skill produces that flat
+artwork via the Godot render pipeline at `renderer/`.
+
+**This is NOT the in-world object format.** Game objects/props are 3D `.glb`
+(`/glb-gen`); characters are 3D meshes composited at runtime
+(`CharacterVisualDescriptor`). This tool began as the #541 spike that rendered 3D
+models to 4-direction sprites for a 2D view — that role is **retired** (D-244). It now
+serves flat 2D artwork only.
+
 ## Render Pipeline
 
-Run the render script with the model name:
-
 ```bash
-.claude/skills/sprite-gen/scripts/render.sh <model_name>
+.claude/skills/sprite-gen/scripts/render.sh <name>
 ```
 
-### Available Models
+Scenes live at `renderer/models/<name>.tscn`. The script still emits the legacy spike
+layout — 12 PNGs in `renderer/output/` (4 cardinal directions × 3 resolutions:
+1024/256/64). For **flat artwork** the relevant output is the single front (south)
+view; the multi-direction output is legacy object-sprite behaviour. A flat-artwork
+(single-view) mode for the render script is the natural follow-up.
 
-Models live at `renderer/models/<name>.tscn`. List them:
+### After rendering
 
-```bash
+1. Inspect the output PNG — does it read as the intended artwork at in-world scale?
-ls renderer/models/*.tscn | xargs -I{} basename {} .tscn
+2. Promote the final PNG to `client/assets/` as the surface texture/decal.
-```
-
-### Output
-
-12 files per model in `renderer/output/`:
-
-```
-<model>_north_1024.png   <model>_north_256.png   <model>_north_64.png
-<model>_east_1024.png    <model>_east_256.png    <model>_east_64.png
-<model>_south_1024.png   <model>_south_256.png   <model>_south_64.png
-<model>_west_1024.png    <model>_west_256.png    <model>_west_64.png
-```
-
-### After Rendering
-
-1. Read the 64x64 output files to visually inspect the runtime sprites
-2. Read the 256x256 files to check outline quality
-3. Report: does it read as the intended object at runtime scale?
 
 ### Troubleshooting
 
-- **No output files**: Godot needs a display. If running headless, prefix with `xvfb-run`.
+- **No output files:** Godot needs a display. If running headless, prefix with `xvfb-run`.
-- **Model not found**: Check the model .tscn exists in `renderer/models/`.
+- **Scene not found:** check the `.tscn` exists in `renderer/models/`.
-- **Godot not found**: Pass path as second arg: `render.sh wall_structural /path/to/godot`
+- **Godot not found:** pass the Godot path as the second arg: `render.sh <name> /path/to/godot`.
-
-### Adding New Models
-
-1. Create model scene at `renderer/models/<name>.tscn`
-2. Apply texture from `renderer/textures/` via StandardMaterial3D
-3. Run: `.claude/skills/sprite-gen/scripts/render.sh <name>`

docs/assets/README.md

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ docs/assets/
   README.md              # This file — master index
   _templates/
     audio.md             # Row template + detailed entry template for audio
-    sprite.md            # Row template + detailed entry template for sprites
+    sprite.md            # LEGACY object-sprite row template (D-244 retired sprites; model/texture/artwork template TBD)
     video.md             # Row template + detailed entry template for video
   audio/
     README.md            # Audio pipeline index — categories, status summary
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ docs/assets/
     ambient.md           # All ambient loops (station, planet, biome, weather)
     sfx.md               # All SFX (footsteps, doors, impacts, events)
     ui.md                # All UI sounds (cursor, chimes, insert-tech)
-  visual/
+  visual/                # 3D models + textures + flat artwork (D-244 — no per-object sprites)
     README.md            # Visual pipeline index
     palette.md           # Art direction, "the angle", color relationships
-    sprites.md           # Entities (NPCs, player, creatures)
+    models.md            # 3D objects/props (.glb via Trellis /glb-gen)
-    furniture.md         # Furniture items (hundreds, by location/type)
+    textures.md          # PBR surface maps (BaseColor/Normal/Roughness) for 3D models
-    tilesets.md          # Floor/wall tiles by biome/planet
+    artwork.md           # Flat 2D art — paintings, flags, billboards, signage (via /sprite-gen)
-    icons.md             # UI icons, status indicators
+    icons.md             # UI icons, status indicators (UI layer)
-    effects.md           # Fog shaders, particles, overlays
+    effects.md           # Shaders, particles, overlays
   video/
     README.md            # Video pipeline index
     palette.md           # Motion/editing style guide

docs/assets/_templates/sprite.md

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ status: active
 
 # Sprite Asset Template
 
+> **Legacy (D-244).** This is the retired **object-sprite** row schema (4-direction, resolution variants). Per [D-244](../../../governance/decisions/architecture.md#d-244-asset-rendering--3d-objects-in-world-2d-limited-to-textures--flat-artwork), game objects are 3D (not sprites) and the only flat 2D content is textures + artwork — so a model / texture / artwork row template is TBD (tracked with the visual-catalog re-scope, T-961/T-1049/T-1050). This schema is kept for reference and for the 2D-artwork (paintings/flags/billboards) use of `/sprite-gen`.
+
 ## Table Row Format
 
 ```

docs/assets/visual/README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: "Visual Asset Pipeline"
-description: "Visual pipeline index covering sprites, furniture, tilesets, icons, and effects with render pipeline overview"
+description: "Visual pipeline index — 3D models, textures, and flat 2D artwork (D-244)"
 type: design
 status: active
 ---
@@ -9,28 +9,32 @@ status: active
 
 Status: **Stub** — awaiting first visual sprint.
 
+Per **[D-244](../../../governance/decisions/architecture.md#d-244)**: the in-world view renders **3D objects directly**. The only flattened 2D content is **textures** (PBR maps on 3D surfaces) and **flat 2D artwork** (paintings, flags, billboards, signage) applied as textures/decals on flat surfaces *within* the 3D world. **There is no per-object sprite layer** — game objects are not pre-rendered to sprites.
+
 ## Categories
 
 | Category | File | Count | Description |
 |----------|------|-------|-------------|
-| Sprites | [sprites.md](sprites.md) | 0 | Entity sprites via 3D render pipeline |
+| Models | [models.md](models.md) | 0 | 3D objects/props (`.glb`) via Trellis (`/glb-gen`), promoted per [D-241] |
-| Furniture | [furniture.md](furniture.md) | 0 | Furniture items by location/type |
+| Characters | — | — | 3D meshes composited at runtime via `CharacterVisualDescriptor` — see [character-asset-organization.md](../../architecture/character-asset-organization.md) |
-| Tilesets | [tilesets.md](tilesets.md) | 0 | Floor/wall tiles by biome/planet |
+| Textures | [textures.md](textures.md) | 0 | PBR surface maps (BaseColor / Normal / Roughness) for 3D models |
-| Icons | [icons.md](icons.md) | 0 | UI icons, status indicators |
+| Artwork | [artwork.md](artwork.md) | 0 | Flat 2D art — paintings, flags, billboards, signage, screen content — applied as textures/decals (via the `/sprite-gen` 2D-artwork generator) |
-| Effects | [effects.md](effects.md) | 0 | Fog shaders, particles, overlays |
+| Icons | [icons.md](icons.md) | 0 | UI icons, status indicators (2D, UI layer only) |
+| Effects | [effects.md](effects.md) | 0 | Shaders, particles, overlays |
 
 ## Palette
 
-See [palette.md](palette.md) for art direction, "the angle", color relationships, and render pipeline specs.
+See [palette.md](palette.md) for art direction, "the angle", and colour relationships.
 
 ## Pipeline
 
-- **3D render pipeline:** Blender model → Godot Camera3D at -72.5deg → orthographic render → outline pass → resolution downscale
+- **3D objects / props:** concept image (`/image-gen`) → Trellis image→3D (`/glb-gen`) → `.glb` → promoted to `client/assets/models/`.
-- **Render skill:** `/sprite-gen` produces 12 PNGs (4 directions x 3 resolutions)
+- **Characters:** Quaternius source meshes, segmented + rigged, composited at runtime from slots (`CharacterVisualDescriptor`); see the character-asset doc.
-- **Art direction workshop:** `docs/workshops/art-direction-mood-board/`
+- **Textures:** PBR maps authored/generated for 3D surfaces.
+- **2D artwork** (paintings / flags / billboards / signage): the `/sprite-gen` **2D-artwork generator** → flat PNG → applied as a texture/decal on a flat surface in the 3D world.
 
 ## Decision References
 
-- D-019: Top-down camera, 15-20deg from vertical ("the angle")
+- **[D-244](../../../governance/decisions/architecture.md#d-244):** 3D objects in-world; 2D limited to textures + flat artwork.
-- D-033: Entity color = relationship to player
+- D-159–D-164: character 3D pipeline. D-241: asset promotion.
-- D-045: Environmental neutrality
+- D-019: top-down camera, "the angle". D-033: entity colour = relationship to player. D-045: environmental neutrality.

governance/README.md

@@ -309,6 +309,7 @@ line in place — keep the Q-record for the audit trail rather than deleting it.
 - [D-241: Spike binary artifacts are local-only — gitignored, never tracked](decisions/process.md#d-241-spike-binary-artifacts-are-local-only--gitignored-never-tracked) — _process_
 - [D-242: Corp HQ settlement model — HQs are not cities; separate from the name pool, specialization-keyed, install-baked](decisions/architecture.md#d-242-corp-hq-settlement-model--hqs-are-not-cities-separate-from-the-name-pool-specialization-keyed-install-baked) — _architecture_
 - [D-243: Spatial scale ladder — nested absolute containment with a single elastic planetary seam (resolves Q-110)](decisions/architecture.md#d-243-spatial-scale-ladder--nested-absolute-containment-with-a-single-elastic-planetary-seam-resolves-q-110) — _architecture_
+- [D-244: Asset rendering — 3D objects in-world; 2D limited to textures + flat artwork](decisions/architecture.md#d-244-asset-rendering--3d-objects-in-world-2d-limited-to-textures--flat-artwork) — _architecture_
 
 ## Open questions
 

governance/decisions/architecture.md

@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ Technical foundation decisions that constrain implementation: engine, client-ser
 - **Cursor/interaction:** No change — cursor already resolves to sim tile from pixel position. Interaction range of ~2 sim tiles = 1m (arm's length).
 - **Map authoring:** Author at 1m visual scale. Subdivision tool expands each visual tile to 4 sim tiles (2x2). Validation enforces 2x2 minimum on all world geometry layers.
 - **Amends:** OQ-01 resolution (ticket T-444). Sim tile size remains 0.5m; visual presentation changes from 1:1 to 2:1 retina factor.
+- **Amendment (2026-06-17):** The dual-scale coordinate model (0.5 m Subtile / 1 m Tile) and the 2×2-sim-tile **geometry minimum** are unchanged and load-bearing for the 3D architecture — cover/LOS/collision still map 1:1 to what the player sees. The "**Sprites: 2×2 sim tile footprint**" bullet and the "sprites look right" rationale are pre-Sprint-28 sprite-era: in-world entities/objects are now rendered as 3D ([D-149](#d-149-3d-characters-rendered-live-in-scene--not-pre-rendered-sprites) / [D-244](#d-244-asset-rendering--3d-objects-in-world-2d-limited-to-textures--flat-artwork)), so there is no pixel sprite footprint — the 2×2 figure persists only as the visual-tile proportionality the 3D entity occupies. The spatial math survives; only the rendering technology changed.
 - **Cross-reference:** Tile-based movement ([D-054](#d-054-tile-based-movement-with-same-tile-occupancy)), shadowcasting ([D-238](perception.md#d-238-symmetric-shadowcasting-albert-ford-selected-for-los-computation)), fog ([D-059](perception.md#d-059-fog--shader-based-five-layers-knowledge-graph-driven)), art direction ([D-043](perception.md#d-043-art-direction--visual-style-functional-warmth)), z-stack ([D-049](perception.md#d-049-z-level-rendering-stack-8-layers)), stance system ([D-053](scope.md#d-053-movement-as-stance-toggle-system))
 - **Rationale:** 0.5m sim tiles give stealth-grade granularity for movement stances, cover peeking, and interaction range. 1m visual tiles make spaces feel proportional, sprites look right, and world geometry readable. The 2x2 minimum on geometry eliminates visual/sim mismatch for cover and LOS — the only sub-visual-tile positioning is entity movement, which is communicated through fog feedback, not tile counting. Analogous to macOS Retina: logical resolution (visual) differs from physical resolution (sim), but the system is coherent because both agree on where solid objects are.
 - **Raised by:** Team Leader (Jeroen) — proposed retina scaling analogy and 2x2 geometry constraint. Tyre (feasibility: trivial, half-day integration). Gestalt (approved with 2x2 constraint resolving LOS readability concern). Ozzie (approved: solves sprite scale without uncanny mismatch).
@@ -1842,4 +1843,15 @@ Technical foundation decisions that constrain implementation: engine, client-ser
 
 ---
 
-*100 decisions (D-001 through D-243, excluding gaps). Last updated: 2026-06-14 (spatial scale ladder — D-243 resolves Q-110: nested absolute containment voxel→chunk→block→quarter→district→region with a single elastic region↔planet seam; region is the climate/weather lockdown scale + planetary grid, edge-fuzzed; the 1 km RegionProfile is dropped onto the district; D-201 tier-4 Region→Province; ladder recorded in CLAUDE.md).*
+### D-244: Asset rendering — 3D objects in-world; 2D limited to textures + flat artwork
+- **Date:** 2026-06-16
+- **Decision:** The in-world view renders **3D objects directly**. Environment and props come from the Trellis image→3D `.glb` pipeline (`/glb-gen`, promoted per [D-241](process.md#d-241-spike-binary-artifacts-are-local-only--gitignored-never-tracked)); characters come from the Quaternius 3D-mesh pipeline composited at runtime via `CharacterVisualDescriptor` ([D-159](scope.md#d-159-character-body-type-enum-5-types--2-genders--1-child-skeleton-11-total)–[D-164](#d-164): 11 body types, segmented regions, separate head mesh, slot system, shape keys, region tints). The **only flattened 2D content** is **(a) textures** (PBR maps on 3D surfaces) and **(b) flat 2D artwork** — paintings, flags, billboards, signage, screen content — images that live as textures/decals on flat surfaces *within* the 3D world. There is **no per-object sprite layer**: game objects are not pre-rendered to 2D sprites for display. This **completes** the 3D pivot already ratified for the camera ([D-148](#d-148-30-low-angle-camera-with-45-map-rotation--supersedes-d-019), supersedes D-019) and live 3D characters ([D-149](#d-149-3d-characters-rendered-live-in-scene--not-pre-rendered-sprites)), extending it to all objects and the asset pipeline.
+- **Rationale:** The character system is irreducibly 3D — runtime slot compositing across body × head × hair × clothing × skin-tone × colour-overrides × shape-keys × directions × animation-frames cannot be expressed as pre-rendered sprites without combinatorial explosion. The 3D direction was already implicit in the character architecture (the 2026-03-19 character-asset doc states "no mesh work from the spikes carries over") and the Trellis environment pipeline, but was never ratified — so the retired 2D-sprite assumption drifted on in tooling and docs.
+- **What this retires / repurposes:** the early-spike **3D→2D-sprite render pipeline** (`renderer/`, the `/sprite-gen` skill, added in #541) is **not** the in-world format. It is **repurposed as the 2D-artwork generator** — producing the flat paintings/flags/billboards/signage assets in (b). The sprite-centric asset catalog (`docs/assets/visual/` sprites/tilesets framing, `_templates/sprite.md`) is re-scoped to a **3D-model + texture + artwork** catalog.
+- **Root-cause note:** T-1049/T-1050 (the 2026-06-12 `fable-ous.md` audit) re-injected the dead sprite model because the retired spike scaffolding sat in the repo as live ground truth with no decision marking it dead. This record is that marker; T-961/T-1049/T-1050 are held in backlog pending re-scope.
+- **Cross-reference:** **Builds on** [D-148](#d-148-30-low-angle-camera-with-45-map-rotation--supersedes-d-019) (3D camera, supersedes D-019) and [D-149](#d-149-3d-characters-rendered-live-in-scene--not-pre-rendered-sprites) (live 3D characters, not sprites) — D-244 extends both to all objects + the asset pipeline. [D-159](scope.md#d-159-character-body-type-enum-5-types--2-genders--1-child-skeleton-11-total)–[D-164](#d-164) (character 3D pipeline), [D-241](process.md#d-241-spike-binary-artifacts-are-local-only--gitignored-never-tracked) (asset promotion), [D-227](#d-227) (derive/synthesise, don't store). **Reconciles the sprite-era decisions** (all amended 2026-06-17): [D-043](perception.md#d-043-art-direction--visual-style-functional-warmth) ("not 3D"/Light2D scoped to overlay layers), [D-044](perception.md#d-044-art-direction--visual-hierarchy-entity--object--structure) (sprite footprint retired; sim occupancy + hierarchy survive), [D-049](perception.md#d-049-z-level-rendering-stack-8-layers) (z-stack logical model survives; sprite implementation language retired), [D-066](#d-066-dual-scale-grid--05m-simulation-1m-visual-2x-retina-factor) (coordinate model + 2×2 geometry minimum survive; sprite-footprint language legacy); [D-019] is already superseded by D-148. Phase 5 (in-world rendering) builds on this.
+- **Dissent:** None
+
+---
+
+*101 decisions (D-001 through D-244, excluding gaps). Last updated: 2026-06-17 (D-244 — asset rendering direction: 3D objects in-world (Trellis environment + Quaternius characters via CharacterVisualDescriptor); 2D limited to textures + flat artwork; repurposes the early-spike sprite pipeline as the 2D-artwork generator; builds on D-148/D-149 and reconciles the sprite-era decisions D-043/D-044/D-049/D-066 (all amended); re-scopes T-961/T-1049/T-1050).*

governance/decisions/perception.md

@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ How the player observes and interacts with the world: camera, fog, line-of-sight
 - **Canonical reference:** `docs/workshops/art-direction-mood-board/workshop-outcomes.md` §1.1, §9.1-9.3
 - **Raised by:** Araminta (lead), unanimously endorsed. Art Direction & Mood Board Workshop (3 rounds + closing).
 - **Dissent:** None. All four agents independently converged on the same style.
+- **Amendment (2026-06-17):** The "not 3D" and Light2D-pipeline clauses describe the **overlay** layers (insert, fog, UI). The **in-world** view renders in 3D: camera per [D-148](architecture.md#d-148-30-low-angle-camera-with-45-map-rotation--supersedes-d-019), live 3D characters per [D-149](architecture.md#d-149-3d-characters-rendered-live-in-scene--not-pre-rendered-sprites), all objects + the asset pipeline per [D-244](architecture.md#d-244-asset-rendering--3d-objects-in-world-2d-limited-to-textures--flat-artwork). The "functional warmth" aesthetic, bold silhouettes, outline language, and the resolution chain survive — the chain now serves 2D textures + flat artwork (paintings/flags/billboards/signage), not per-object sprites.
 
 ### D-044: Art direction — visual hierarchy (entity > object > structure)
 - **Date:** 2026-02-12
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ How the player observes and interacts with the world: camera, fog, line-of-sight
 - **Raised by:** Araminta (outline spec), Ozzie (readability priority). Unanimously endorsed.
 - **Dissent:** None
 - **Amendment (2026-04-05):** The "D-033 relationship color" outline spec for entities applies only in perception mode overlay. [D-154](scope.md#d-154-character-outline-is-not-a-relationship-indicator--uniform-dark) (2026-03-17) establishes uniform dark outlines (#1a1a1a) for all characters in normal gameplay. The visual hierarchy layers remain valid; the entity outline color rule changes from always-on to perception-mode-only.
+- **Amendment (2026-06-17):** The three-layer visual *hierarchy* (entity > object > structure; entity-wins-ties readability rule) and the 1×1 simulation occupancy survive. The **2×2 subtile sprite footprint** and the **24×32px pixel footprint** are sprite-era specs, retired for in-world objects/entities per [D-149](architecture.md#d-149-3d-characters-rendered-live-in-scene--not-pre-rendered-sprites) / [D-244](architecture.md#d-244-asset-rendering--3d-objects-in-world-2d-limited-to-textures--flat-artwork) — live 3D characters/objects have no pixel sprite footprint. The silhouette-as-identity principle carries to the 3D character silhouette.
 
 ### D-045: Art direction — environmental neutrality (strict zero shift)
 - **Date:** 2026-02-12
@@ -196,6 +198,7 @@ How the player observes and interacts with the world: camera, fog, line-of-sight
 - **Canonical reference:** `docs/workshops/art-direction-mood-board/workshop-outcomes.md` §1.14
 - **Raised by:** Araminta (8-layer spec), Gore (overhead as thematic tool). Unanimously endorsed.
 - **Dissent:** None
+- **Amendment (2026-06-17):** The z-stack as a **logical** layering model — what occludes what; overhead/fog/insert/UI ordering — survives. Its implementation language ("entity sprites", CanvasLayer y-sort) is sprite-era: in-world layers 2–3 are now 3D scene nodes per [D-149](architecture.md#d-149-3d-characters-rendered-live-in-scene--not-pre-rendered-sprites) / [D-244](architecture.md#d-244-asset-rendering--3d-objects-in-world-2d-limited-to-textures--flat-artwork), z-ordered by the 3D renderer (camera per [D-148](architecture.md#d-148-30-low-angle-camera-with-45-map-rotation--supersedes-d-019)). Layers 5–7 (fog, insert, UI) remain 2D overlays.
 
 ### D-052: Character favorite colors — object-layer identification
 - **Date:** 2026-02-12

renderer/README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
-# Settled Reach — Sprite Render Pipeline
+# Settled Reach — 2D Artwork Render Pipeline
 
-Offline Godot 4 renderer for the 3D-to-2D sprite pipeline. Produces entity and structural sprites at three resolutions from a fixed camera angle, with outlines applied at working resolution.
+> **Repurposed (D-244).** This offline Godot renderer is **not** the in-world object
+> format. Per [D-244](../governance/decisions/architecture.md#d-244-asset-rendering--3d-objects-in-world-2d-limited-to-textures--flat-artwork) the in-world view renders 3D objects directly (props via Trellis
+> `.glb` / `/glb-gen`; characters via the Quaternius pipeline + `CharacterVisualDescriptor`);
+> the only flattened 2D content is **textures** and **flat 2D artwork** (paintings, flags,
+> billboards, signage). This pipeline began as the #541 3D-to-2D *sprite* spike and now
+> serves that flat artwork. The "render every entity/object/wall to sprites" framing below
+> is **legacy** (the retired object-sprite use); the camera / lighting / resolution mechanics
+> remain usable for flat-artwork rendering.
+
+Offline Godot 4 renderer. Produces flat 2D artwork (and, in its legacy mode, 3D-to-2D sprites) at three resolutions from a fixed camera angle, with outlines applied at working resolution.
 
 ## Camera Specification (D-019)
 
@@ -9,7 +18,9 @@ Offline Godot 4 renderer for the 3D-to-2D sprite pipeline. Produces entity and s
 - **Position**: `(0, 3, 1)` — above and slightly in front of the model origin
 - **Godot Transform3D**: `Transform3D(1, 0, 0, 0, 0.30071, 0.95372, 0, -0.95372, 0.30071, 0, 3, 1)`
 
-This is "the angle" per D-019 amendment (2026-02-12). All entity, object, and wall sprites for v0.1 are rendered at this angle. The Godot gameplay camera is purely orthographic — this tilt is an art convention expressed through the 3D render.
+**Note (D-244):** D-019 is superseded by D-148 (30° low-angle Camera3D) for the **gameplay** camera. The −72.5° angle here is the **offline render** camera used for 2D-artwork generation (and the retired object-sprite mode) — not the in-world gameplay camera.
+
+This is "the angle" per the D-019 amendment (2026-02-12); v0.1 object-sprite rendering used it, now retired. The offline renderer keeps this fixed camera for flat-artwork output.
 
 ## Lighting Rig
 
@@ -30,11 +41,15 @@ Three-point studio rig. All lights have `shadow_enabled = false` — sprites are
     ↓ bilinear resize
 256×256    — working PNG, outline applied at 4-8px, color #333340
     ↓ bilinear resize
-64×64      — runtime PNG, deployed to client/assets/sprites/
+64×64      — runtime PNG (legacy object-sprite output → client/assets/sprites/; for flat artwork, promote to client/assets/textures or .../artwork)
 ```
 
 Outline implementation: alpha-mask dilation + flat color fill. Outline width in `render_export.gd`: `outline_width_px = 4` (at 256px = 1px effective at 64px).
 
+## ⚠️ Legacy: object-sprite workflow (retired per D-244)
+
+Everything from here down describes the **retired** object-sprite pipeline (#541 spike) — entity/object/wall sprites are no longer the in-world format (objects are 3D `.glb`; characters are 3D meshes). It is kept for reference, and because the camera / lighting / resolution mechanics above are reused for **2D-artwork** rendering. When generating flat artwork, promote outputs to `client/assets/textures` or `client/assets/artwork` (**not** `client/assets/sprites/`) and ignore the entity-sprite footprint / material / deployment specifics below.
+
 ## Entity Footprint Spec (D-044, D-066)
 
 - Entity sprites occupy a **24×32px footprint** within the 64×64 visual tile