NEON-29: Bee-line walk to goal; nav path only for vertical routing.

Default get_next_path_position steering caused crawl/stuck behavior with
Jolt at 120 Hz. Steer XZ toward the authoritative target always except
when the goal surface is meaningfully above/below the feet and the
player is within DIRECT_APPROACH_RADIUS — then use the baked path for
ramps/treads. Update README and NEON-29 plan.

client/README.md

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Elevated walkables use **distinct albedo tints** in `scenes/main.tscn` so screen
 
 With the game server running ([`server/README.md`](../server/README.md)), each valid floor click sends a **`MoveCommand`** (**`POST`**) and a follow-up **`GET`** for **`PositionState`**. The server still **snaps** authority to the target (NEON-4/19); the client **moves** toward that verified position using **`NavigationAgent3D`** + a **baked mesh** instead of teleporting on the **`GET`** (NEON-8). **Boot** `sync_from_server()` **snaps** once so spawn matches the server.
 
-**Tradeoff (prototype):** With a valid nav map, horizontal motion follows **`NavigationAgent3D.get_next_path_position()`** (or direct approach near the goal). **No descend bypass:** bee-lining in xz whenever the pick **Y** is below the capsule **feet** applied gravity for the entire crossing of a raised pad toward a lower target (e.g. **TerracePlatformA** or **TerracePlatformB**) and broke movement; **terraces and stepped QA bumps rely on the baked mesh + step assist** instead. **Automatic routing around tall obstacles on one click is still not guaranteed** — use **several clicks** to go around e.g. the gray **`Obstacle`** when needed.
+**Tradeoff (prototype):** Horizontal motion is a **direct XZ bee-line** toward the server’s verified target. The baked **`NavigationMesh`** is still used when the goal surface is **clearly above or below** the feet and the capsule is already **within `DIRECT_APPROACH_RADIUS`** of the goal column — so terraces / steps can follow the mesh toward a ramp or tread instead of hugging a vertical face. **`get_next_path_position()`** is no longer the default steer (it regressed under **Jolt** at **120 Hz**). **No descend bypass** for gravity while on an upper deck (same as before). **Automatic routing around tall obstacles on one click is still not guaranteed** — use **several clicks** to go around e.g. the gray **`Obstacle`** when needed.
 
 **NEON-7 / movement QA bumps:** On **run**, **`spawn_short_random_bumps`** adds **two** green cylinders, each on its own **`StaticBody3D`** **sibling** of **`Floor`** under **`NavigationRegion3D`** (**`walkable`** on bump roots — avoids compound **internal-edge** jitter vs floor+cylinder on one body). Bump meshes use Godot group **`random_floor_bump_mesh`**. **Collision radius** = mesh **+ `COLLISION_RADIUS_EXTRA`** (see **`scripts/random_floor_bump_collision_constants.gd`**, capped by **`COLLISION_RADIUS_MAX`**). **`bake_navigation_mesh(false)`** after spawn.
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ With the game server running ([`server/README.md`](../server/README.md)), each v
 1. From repo root: `cd server/NeonSprawl.Server && dotnet run` (note the URL/port, usually `http://localhost:5253`).
 2. If the port differs, set **`base_url`** on **`PositionAuthorityClient`** accordingly (e.g. `http://127.0.0.1:5253`).
 3. Open the client in Godot and run the main scene (**F5**). The player should **snap** to the server’s default position (e.g. **(-5, 0.9, -5)** per `Game:DefaultPosition` / NEON-6 walk demo).
-4. **Left-click** the floor: the client **POST**s the target, then **GET**s position; the capsule **walks** toward the authoritative target (follows **`NavigationAgent3D`** waypoints when the map is ready, or direct approach when near the goal). Server-rejected clicks show the reject label and do **not** start a path.
+4. **Left-click** the floor: the client **POST**s the target, then **GET**s position; the capsule **walks** in **XZ** straight toward that target (nav path only for **vertical** routing when you are already near the goal column). Server-rejected clicks show the reject label and do **not** start a path.
 5. Click the **pedestal top** (orange box at ~(7.5, 0, −6.5)) to confirm **`vertical_step_exceeded`** rejection — the top is ~2.5 m above floor, which exceeds `MaxVerticalStep`. The `MoveRejectFarPad` (blue pad at (9, 9)) is now a normal walkable surface; clicking it from any distance should succeed.
 6. After a move (or at spawn), **stand idle** with no click goal for **10+ seconds** and confirm the capsule does **not** visibly vibrate or drift in **x/z** on flat floor, then repeat on the **random green bumps** (positions change each run).
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ The main scene includes a **prototype terminal** at the map center (same world *
 
 ## Movement prototype (NEON-2 → NEON-8)
 
-**`player.gd`** uses **`NavigationAgent3D.get_next_path_position()`** + **`move_and_slide()`** for horizontal motion when following the mesh (NEON-8). **`snap_to_server()`** remains for **boot** (and would apply for any future hard reconcile).
+**`player.gd`** steers **XZ** toward the authoritative goal and uses **`NavigationAgent3D`**’s **current path** only for the **vertical-routing** case above; **`move_and_slide()`** does the motion (NEON-8). **`snap_to_server()`** remains for **boot** (and would apply for any future hard reconcile).
 
 - The avatar is on **physics layer 2** with **collision_mask** **3** (scans layers **1** and **2** so all walkables/occluders pair reliably). Environment **StaticBody3D** nodes stay on **collision_layer** **1** with **collision_mask** **3** as well. The pick ray uses **mask 1** only, so clicks pass through the avatar and hit the floor.
 

client/scripts/player.gd

@@ -669,41 +669,20 @@ func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
 	)
 	_apply_floor_block_for_descend_at_wall(feet_y)
 
-	var nav_map: RID = _nav_agent.get_navigation_map()
-	if NavigationServer3D.map_get_iteration_id(nav_map) == 0:
-		_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(_auth_walk_goal, want_goal_h)
-		_apply_walk_air_gravity(delta)
-		floor_snap_length = _walk_floor_snap_length(feet_y, want_goal_h)
-		move_and_slide()
-		_after_walk_move_and_slide()
-		_clear_step_assist_after_walk_move()
-		_debug_trace_transform("physics")
-		_snap_capsule_upright()
-		return
-
-	if horiz_dist <= DIRECT_APPROACH_RADIUS:
-		if want_goal_h.length_squared() > 1e-12:
-			_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(_auth_walk_goal, want_goal_h)
-		else:
-			_set_horizontal_velocity_from_nav_path_or_goal(want_goal_h)
+	# Horizontal motion toward the **authoritative** click target (XZ), not toward
+	# `NavigationAgent3D.get_next_path_position()`. Waypoint steering regressed badly under Jolt /
+	# 120 Hz (next point barely advancing, path finished edge cases, map iteration timing), which
+	# reads as “stuck” or a few centimeters per click. Use the baked path only when we are close in
+	# XZ but the goal surface is clearly above or below the feet — same column as a terrace /
+	# step / drop — so the mesh can steer us toward a ramp or tread instead of hugging a wall.
+	var needs_vertical_routing: bool = (
+		_auth_walk_goal.y > feet_y + DESCEND_GOAL_Y_MARGIN
+		or _auth_walk_goal.y < feet_y - DESCEND_GOAL_Y_MARGIN
+	)
+	if needs_vertical_routing and horiz_dist <= DIRECT_APPROACH_RADIUS:
+		_set_horizontal_velocity_from_nav_path_or_goal(want_goal_h)
 	else:
-		# Tight path_desired_distance can make the agent oscillate around a corner without ever
-		# satisfying the advance threshold; finished-with-no-path can also happen if the map was
-		# empty or the target projected oddly. In those cases keep bee-lining in XZ toward the goal.
-		if _nav_agent.is_navigation_finished() and horiz_dist > ARRIVE_EPS:
-			_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(_auth_walk_goal, want_goal_h)
-		else:
-			var next_path_position: Vector3 = _nav_agent.get_next_path_position()
-			var to_next_h: Vector3 = Vector3(
-				next_path_position.x - global_position.x, 0.0, next_path_position.z - global_position.z
-			)
-			# When the next mesh point is almost under the capsule (same XZ), still steer using the
-			# segment from agent to next point if it has length; else fall back to full goal direction
-			# (not arbitrary +X) so vertical-offset goals and nav edges resolve.
-			if to_next_h.length_squared() > 0.0025:
-				_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(next_path_position, want_goal_h)
-			else:
-				_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(_auth_walk_goal, want_goal_h)
+		_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(_auth_walk_goal, want_goal_h)
 
 	_apply_walk_air_gravity(delta)
 	floor_snap_length = _walk_floor_snap_length(feet_y, want_goal_h)

docs/plans/NEON-29-implementation-plan.md

@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ No new automated GDScript tests are added for this story — there is no new GDS
 - **Terrace B descend / climb (resolved, iterated):** Scene lifts and **descend-bypass** bee-lines caused regressions (stuck climbs, lip oscillation, wrong-direction slides). **Removed the descend bypass:** vertical moves (e.g. platform ↔ floor) use the **baked nav path + step assist** only. **Walk gravity** is **`!is_on_floor()`** again — never “goal below feet” while still walking on an upper surface (that applied gravity across the whole **TerracePlatformB** deck and destroyed horizontal motion). **`velocity.y`** is cleared by the horizontal steer each tick as before. 
 - **Lip stuck (floor→platform / platform→floor):** QA screenshots for this were on **`TerracePlatformA`** (10 × 10 large SE pad, **0.3 m** single step — not the NW **Terrace B** step/platform pair). Step assist required **`vel_h.dot(want) ≤ 0.52`**, so a **head-on** push into the vertical face (dot ≈ 1) **never** triggered the lift. **Removed** that gate. For **platform→floor**, **`floor_block_on_wall = false`** only when the nav goal is **below** the feet **and** **`is_on_wall()`** or a **wall-ish slide normal** exists, so open deck walking stays stable.
 - **Teal pad still stuck (follow-up):** Step assist used **slide normals only**; Jolt often exposes the lip via **`is_on_wall()`** / **`get_wall_normal()`** instead — re-added a **directional** wall check (`wnh.dot(want) < -0.02`). Descend relax now also triggers on **shallow floor normal** (`get_floor_normal().dot(UP) < 0.992`) and slightly wider vertical-ish slide band. **`TerracePlatformA`** root **Y = 0.012 m** breaks **coplanarity** with the main floor without the larger gap that hurt **TerraceStepB** approach.
+- **Nav waypoint steering dropped (movement):** Following **`get_next_path_position()`** by default caused **near-zero** horizontal progress under **Jolt** + **120 Hz** (waypoint advance / finished edge cases), read as universal **stuck** movement even with the server up. **`player.gd`** now **bee-lines in XZ** toward **`_auth_walk_goal`** and uses **`_set_horizontal_velocity_from_nav_path_or_goal`** only when **`needs_vertical_routing`** (goal **Y** vs feet beyond **`DESCEND_GOAL_Y_MARGIN`**) **and** **`horiz_dist <= DIRECT_APPROACH_RADIUS`**.
 - **Teal cardinal / tread shake (rollback):** Aggressive tweaks (**0.16** lift, **1**-tick cooldown, **`descending_stall`** toggling **`floor_block_on_wall`**, **seam-based** step-assist clear, **walk-stall nav replan**) caused **oscillation** on the small approach treads. **Reverted** to **`WALK_STEP_ASSIST_DELTA = 0.11`**, **`WALK_STEP_ASSIST_COOLDOWN_TICKS = 8`**, **no** stall replan, **no** `descending_stall` branch, **no** seam-based assist clear — only the original clear (clean floor without wall, or airborne with no slides). **Climb** wallish snap cap applies only when **`goal.y > feet_y + 0.12`** so shallow tread-to-tread motion is not capped to assist snap every frame.
 - **Teal pad — geometry wins:** Script-only mitigations still failed in practice; **`TerracePlatformA_Approach`** adds **twelve** `walkable` **`StaticBody3D`** treads (three per cardinal) with **~0.104 m** rise each, **darker teal** albedo, flush to the platform lip — nav + `CharacterBody3D` use **sloped contact** instead of fighting a **single vertical face**. **Follow-up:** tread **run** was **0.45 m** along the climb axis while the capsule **diameter is 0.8 m** — the body was wider than each tread, causing straddle / stuck motion when **entering** and blocking horizontal progress toward the lip when **exiting**. Treads widened to **1.0 m** run with positions re-centered. **`NavigationAgent3D`** `path_desired_distance` / `target_desired_distance` were briefly lowered to **0.22** but that caused **floor** movement to **stall** (waypoint threshold tighter than practical motion at `MOVE_SPEED` / physics dt, plus finished-without-arrival edge cases); **reverted to 0.35** and **`player.gd`** now **bee-lines in XZ** when **`is_navigation_finished()`** yet **`horiz_dist > ARRIVE_EPS`**.