projects.md

# Projects

## ZScape (Zandronum Server Browser) (Active, Jan–Feb 2026)

**Goal:** Build a modern, dark-themed Zandronum server browser to replace Doomseeker and Internet Doom Explorer.

**Naming:** Named "ZScape" after discussion Feb 1. Other contenders: Styx, Ztyx, ZScout.

**Implementation:** Vibe-coded with Opus in VSCode. Raptor Mini wrote documentation.
- Dark theme WinForms C# targeting .NET 10
- Concurrent hash verification (1 sec vs 10 sec for Doomseeker on 1GB+ mod list)
- Concurrent WAD downloads (unlimited downloads, 8 concurrent domains)
- Configurable concurrency limits
- Huffman encoding/decoding for Zandronum protocol
- Proper master server queries with segmented response handling
- Settings persistence to settings.json
- Verbose logging and hexdump debugging

**Status:** Working. Raymond can download files and join servers. Considering open-source but hesitant. Not actively discussed in recent chats.

**Key files:** README.md, SPECIFICATION.md uploaded Jan 29.

## Doom ML Map Generator (Active, Nov 2024–2026)

**Goal:** Train a machine learning model to generate playable Doom maps (specifically for Complex Doom/Zandronum).

**Recent Developments (Jan 20–27, 2026):**
- **Raycast pathfinding approach attempted but failed.** Raymond spent hours designing a 360-degree ray system with Info → Use → Explore → Traceback phases, but ultimately it didn't work.
- **Pivoted to A* pathfinding** for map validation. Opus implementing.
- **Still facing fundamental issue:** A* treats player as a 1x1x0 point, can fit through any gap and walk under closed doors without keys. Need to add collision detection (player hitbox is 32x32x56 units).
- Raymond refined phase order before pivot: RayCast (once per iteration) → Info → Use (auto-skip if nothing) → Explore (merged Traceback). Merged Traceback into Explore because both did the same thing (find best next location). RayCast now only casts rays once per iteration; Info/Use/Explore read from those results. Huge optimization.
- **Previous MAP02 bug:** Opus repeatedly thought the map was beatable without red key because abstract sector traversal didn't account for player hitbox or physical barriers.
- **VSCode/Opus extension stable** – Raymond is not updating to avoid breaking it (Microsoft broke it multiple times in Jan).
- Raymond feels he's finally making progress after 14 months.
- **Markov chain approach considered (Jan 26):** Simpler than deep learning, tracks state transitions and probabilities. Could work for coherent local structure in Doom maps. Not yet implemented.

**Tools:** TorchSharp (C#), CUDA on RTX 3060 Laptop (500 epochs in 42 seconds). VSCode with GitHub Copilot/Opus (cheap access to Opus for coding).

**Next steps:** Get A* pathfinding working with proper collision detection. Then integrate with reinforcement learning to validate maps during training. Possibly try Markov chain approach.

**Status:** Not actively worked on during Part 11 (Pyrite chat focus), but planned to resume.

## Hedz Reverse Engineering
- 1998 game "Head Extreme Destruction Zone" – intergalactic head hunting tournament where aliens wear decapitated heads as power-ups. 225 heads, 1 causes game-breaking crashes. Made by British developers Vis Interactive (Now Entertainment).
- Running on Windows 95 with DirectX 5; C# port shimming DirectX calls to OpenGL.
- Tools: IDA Pro, Ghidra, Cheat Engine, VS Code with GitHub Copilot.
- Built custom VSCode extension for method stack tracking.
- **Feb 17-18 work:** Debugging level loading code (blank black screen issue). Audio started working (level ambience). Opus grinding slowly through disassembly.
- Currently ~400 methods left to verify against disassembly.

## Voxel Engine
- Started as a break from Hedz; C# (likely Unity or custom engine).
- Scale: 10 blocks per 1 player height.
- Inactive.

## Zandronum Gaming
- Raymond plays Zandronum regularly during downtime. Co-op and survival servers. Had one softlock on Feb 18 (spawned enemies before grabbing key).

## Other
- ZScape is primary project focus as of Feb 2026.
- NexusVNC project mentioned briefly – custom VNC implementation with extended protocol for modern features (adaptive quality, Android keyboard support, backward compatibility with vanilla VNC). Not actively worked on during Part 11.