Load raw chunk JSON at runtime instead of baked DCF/DMF

Experimental: skip the offline tools/asset/chunk bake step entirely.
The chunk asset loader now parses the same JSON schema tools/asset/chunk
already consumed (tiles/meshes/entities/areas) directly at load time,
generating the terrain mesh in C instead of reading pre-baked .dcf/.dmf
bytes. The raw assetsraw/maps/*/chunks/*.json files are now the shipped
source directly under assets/, replacing the old baked chunk/mesh/model
output.

Also drops MAP_CHUNK_LOAD_CONCURRENCY to 1 for now, per PSP hardware
testing (8 crashed, 4 untested further - 1 is the known-safe value).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <[email protected]>

assets/maps/overworld/models/chunks/chunk_-1_0_0_0.json

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "mesh": "maps/overworld/meshes/chunks/chunk_-1_0_0_0.dmf",
-  "color": [
-    255,
-    255,
-    255,
-    255
-  ],
-  "texture": "tiles.png"
-}

assets/maps/overworld/models/chunks/chunk_0_0_0_0.json

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "mesh": "maps/overworld/meshes/chunks/chunk_0_0_0_0.dmf",
-  "color": [
-    255,
-    255,
-    255,
-    255
-  ],
-  "texture": "tiles.png"
-}

assets/maps/overworld/models/chunks/chunk_0_1_0_0.json

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "mesh": "maps/overworld/meshes/chunks/chunk_0_1_0_0.dmf",
-  "color": [
-    255,
-    255,
-    255,
-    255
-  ],
-  "texture": "tiles.png"
-}

assets/maps/overworld/models/chunks/chunk_1_0_0_0.json

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "mesh": "maps/overworld/meshes/chunks/chunk_1_0_0_0.dmf",
-  "color": [
-    255,
-    255,
-    255,
-    255
-  ],
-  "texture": "tiles.png"
-}

assets/maps/overworld/models/chunks/chunk_1_1_0_0.json

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "mesh": "maps/overworld/meshes/chunks/chunk_1_1_0_0.dmf",
-  "color": [
-    255,
-    255,
-    255,
-    255
-  ],
-  "texture": "tiles.png"
-}

assets/maps/overworld/models/chunks/chunk_2_0_0_0.json

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "mesh": "maps/overworld/meshes/chunks/chunk_2_0_0_0.dmf",
-  "color": [
-    255,
-    255,
-    255,
-    255
-  ],
-  "texture": "tiles.png"
-}

assetsraw/maps/overworld/map.json

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-{}

src/dusk/asset/loader/chunk/assetchunkloader.c

@@ -8,41 +8,288 @@
 #include "assetchunkloader.h"
 #include "assert/assert.h"
 #include "util/memory.h"
-#include "util/endian.h"
+#include "util/string.h"
+#include "asset/asset.h"
 #include "asset/loader/assetloading.h"
 #include "asset/loader/assetentry.h"
 #include "asset/loader/assetloader.h"
-#include "asset/asset.h"
+#include "asset/loader/json/assetjsonloader.h"
+#include "display/color.h"
+#include "display/texture/texture.h"
 #include "rpg/overworld/worldpos.h"
+#include "yyjson.h"
+
+#define ASSET_CHUNK_TERRAIN_TEXTURE "tiles.png"
+
+// Per-shape corner Z offsets (sw, se, ne, nw) as offsets from a tile's own
+// base Z, ported 1:1 from tools/asset/chunk/__main__.py's _RAMP_CORNERS.
+// TILE_SHAPE_NULL's row is never read - assetChunkTilesHaveTerrain/
+// assetChunkBuildTerrain skip those tiles outright.
+static const float_t CHUNK_RAMP_CORNERS[TILE_SHAPE_COUNT][4] = {
+  [TILE_SHAPE_GROUND]               = {0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_NORTH]           = {0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_SOUTH]           = {1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_EAST]            = {0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_WEST]            = {1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_NORTHEAST]       = {0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_NORTHWEST]       = {0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_SOUTHEAST]       = {0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_SOUTHWEST]       = {1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_NORTHEAST_INNER] = {0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_NORTHWEST_INNER] = {1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_SOUTHEAST_INNER] = {1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f},
+  [TILE_SHAPE_RAMP_SOUTHWEST_INNER] = {1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f},
+};
 
 errorret_t assetChunkLoaderAsync(assetloading_t *loading) {
   assertNotNull(loading, "Loading cannot be NULL");
   assertNotMainThread("Should be called from an async thread.");
+  errorOk();
+}
 
-  if(loading->loading.chunk.state != ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_READ_FILE) {
-    errorOk();
+static bool_t assetChunkTilesHaveTerrain(const tile_t *tiles) {
+  for(uint32_t i = 0; i < CHUNK_TILE_COUNT; i++) {
+    if(tiles[i].shape != TILE_SHAPE_NULL) return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+// Reads the "tiles" array - one quad's worth of column data per entry,
+// last one in the array wins per (x, y) column - matching
+// tools/asset/chunk/__main__.py:390-403.
+static void assetChunkParseTiles(yyjson_val *root, tile_t *tiles) {
+  memoryZero(tiles, CHUNK_TILE_COUNT * sizeof(tile_t));
+
+  yyjson_val *tilesArr = yyjson_obj_get(root, "tiles");
+  if(!yyjson_is_arr(tilesArr)) return;
+
+  size_t idx, len;
+  yyjson_val *tileVal;
+  yyjson_arr_foreach(tilesArr, idx, len, tileVal) {
+    yyjson_val *posArr = yyjson_obj_get(tileVal, "pos");
+    if(!yyjson_is_arr(posArr) || yyjson_arr_size(posArr) < 3) continue;
+
+    int32_t x = (int32_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 0));
+    int32_t y = (int32_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 1));
+    int32_t z = (int32_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 2));
+    if(x < 0 || x >= CHUNK_WIDTH || y < 0 || y >= CHUNK_HEIGHT) continue;
+
+    int32_t type = (int32_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(tileVal, "type"));
+    tiles[x + y * CHUNK_WIDTH] = (tile_t){
+      .shape = (tileshape_t)type, .z = (uint8_t)z
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+// Resolves "meshes" (external building references, by bare filename) into
+// out->modelNames/meshOffsets starting at *ioIndex, advancing it as
+// entries are written. Filenames are resolved as
+// "models/buildings/<basename>.json" - a hardcoded stand-in for
+// tools/asset/chunk/__main__.py's find_model() recursive search, valid
+// as long as every building model lives flat under that one directory
+// (true today - see the raw-json-maps plan notes for the tradeoff).
+static void assetChunkParseMeshes(
+  yyjson_val *root, assetchunkoutput_t *out, uint8_t *ioIndex
+) {
+  yyjson_val *meshesArr = yyjson_obj_get(root, "meshes");
+  if(!yyjson_is_arr(meshesArr)) return;
+
+  size_t idx, len;
+  yyjson_val *meshVal;
+  yyjson_arr_foreach(meshesArr, idx, len, meshVal) {
+    if(*ioIndex >= CHUNK_MESH_COUNT_MAX) break;
+
+    yyjson_val *fileVal = yyjson_obj_get(meshVal, "file");
+    if(!fileVal || !yyjson_is_str(fileVal)) continue;
+
+    char_t baseName[CHUNK_MESH_NAME_MAX];
+    stringCopy(baseName, yyjson_get_str(fileVal), sizeof(baseName));
+    char_t *dot = stringFindLastChar(baseName, '.');
+    if(dot != NULL) *dot = '\0';
+
+    uint8_t m = *ioIndex;
+    stringFormat(
+      out->modelNames[m], CHUNK_MESH_NAME_MAX,
+      "models/buildings/%s.json", baseName
+    );
+
+    vec3 offset = {0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f};
+    yyjson_val *posArr = yyjson_obj_get(meshVal, "pos");
+    if(yyjson_is_arr(posArr) && yyjson_arr_size(posArr) >= 3) {
+      offset[0] = (float_t)yyjson_get_num(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 0));
+      offset[1] = (float_t)yyjson_get_num(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 1));
+      offset[2] = (float_t)yyjson_get_num(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 2));
+    }
+    memoryCopy(out->meshOffsets[m], offset, sizeof(vec3));
+
+    (*ioIndex)++;
+  }
+}
+
+static void assetChunkParseEntities(yyjson_val *root, assetchunkoutput_t *out) {
+  out->entitySpawnCount = 0;
+
+  yyjson_val *arr = yyjson_obj_get(root, "entities");
+  if(!yyjson_is_arr(arr)) return;
+
+  size_t idx, len;
+  yyjson_val *val;
+  yyjson_arr_foreach(arr, idx, len, val) {
+    if(out->entitySpawnCount >= CHUNK_ENTITY_SPAWN_COUNT_MAX) break;
+
+    const char_t *type = yyjson_get_str(yyjson_obj_get(val, "type"));
+    yyjson_val *posArr = yyjson_obj_get(val, "pos");
+    if(type == NULL || !yyjson_is_arr(posArr) || yyjson_arr_size(posArr) < 3) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    worldpos_t pos = {
+      .x = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 0)),
+      .y = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 1)),
+      .z = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(posArr, 2)),
+    };
+
+    chunkentityspawn_t *spawn = &out->entitySpawns[out->entitySpawnCount];
+    if(stringEquals(type, "global")) {
+      spawn->kind = CHUNK_ENTITY_SPAWN_KIND_GLOBAL;
+      spawn->globalId =
+        (uint16_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(val, "globalId"));
+      spawn->itemId = 0;
+      spawn->itemQuantity = 0;
+    } else if(stringEquals(type, "item")) {
+      spawn->kind = CHUNK_ENTITY_SPAWN_KIND_ITEM;
+      spawn->globalId = 0;
+      spawn->itemId = (uint16_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(val, "itemId"));
+      spawn->itemQuantity =
+        (uint8_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(val, "quantity"));
+    } else {
+      continue;
+    }
+    spawn->position = pos;
+    out->entitySpawnCount++;
+  }
+}
+
+static void assetChunkParseAreas(yyjson_val *root, assetchunkoutput_t *out) {
+  out->areaSpawnCount = 0;
+
+  yyjson_val *arr = yyjson_obj_get(root, "areas");
+  if(!yyjson_is_arr(arr)) return;
+
+  size_t idx, len;
+  yyjson_val *val;
+  yyjson_arr_foreach(arr, idx, len, val) {
+    if(out->areaSpawnCount >= CHUNK_AREA_COUNT_MAX) break;
+
+    yyjson_val *minArr = yyjson_obj_get(val, "min");
+    yyjson_val *maxArr = yyjson_obj_get(val, "max");
+    if(
+      !yyjson_is_arr(minArr) || yyjson_arr_size(minArr) < 3 ||
+      !yyjson_is_arr(maxArr) || yyjson_arr_size(maxArr) < 3
+    ) continue;
+
+    chunkareaspawn_t *area = &out->areaSpawns[out->areaSpawnCount];
+    area->min = (worldpos_t){
+      .x = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(minArr, 0)),
+      .y = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(minArr, 1)),
+      .z = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(minArr, 2)),
+    };
+    area->max = (worldpos_t){
+      .x = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(maxArr, 0)),
+      .y = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(maxArr, 1)),
+      .z = (worldunit_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_arr_get(maxArr, 2)),
+    };
+    area->callbackId =
+      (uint16_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(val, "callbackId"));
+    area->notify = (uint8_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(val, "notify"));
+    area->trigger = (uint8_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(val, "trigger"));
+    out->areaSpawnCount++;
+  }
+}
+
+// Six vertices (2 CCW triangles) for one tile's quad, matching
+// tools/asset/chunk/__main__.py's _tile_quad. Corner order: SW=(x,y),
+// SE=(x+1,y), NE=(x+1,y+1), NW=(x,y+1). NORTH=+Y, EAST=+X.
+static void assetChunkAppendTileQuad(
+  meshvertex_t *verts, uint32_t *vertCount,
+  const uint32_t x, const uint32_t y,
+  const float_t sw, const float_t se, const float_t ne, const float_t nw
+) {
+  const float_t u0 = (float_t)x / (float_t)CHUNK_WIDTH;
+  const float_t u1 = (float_t)(x + 1) / (float_t)CHUNK_WIDTH;
+  const float_t v0 = (float_t)y / (float_t)CHUNK_HEIGHT;
+  const float_t v1 = (float_t)(y + 1) / (float_t)CHUNK_HEIGHT;
+  const float_t fx = (float_t)x;
+  const float_t fy = (float_t)y;
+
+  meshvertex_t *v = verts + *vertCount;
+  v[0] = (meshvertex_t){ .uv = {u0, v0}, .pos = {fx,     fy,     sw} };
+  v[1] = (meshvertex_t){ .uv = {u1, v0}, .pos = {fx + 1, fy,     se} };
+  v[2] = (meshvertex_t){ .uv = {u1, v1}, .pos = {fx + 1, fy + 1, ne} };
+  v[3] = (meshvertex_t){ .uv = {u0, v0}, .pos = {fx,     fy,     sw} };
+  v[4] = (meshvertex_t){ .uv = {u1, v1}, .pos = {fx + 1, fy + 1, ne} };
+  v[5] = (meshvertex_t){ .uv = {u0, v1}, .pos = {fx,     fy + 1, nw} };
+  *vertCount += 6;
+}
+
+// Builds a mesh_t straight from the tile grid - one quad per non-null
+// tile column, shaped by CHUNK_RAMP_CORNERS - the runtime equivalent of
+// tools/asset/chunk/__main__.py's build_terrain_verts. Only called once
+// assetChunkTilesHaveTerrain has confirmed at least one real tile exists.
+// Mirrors assetMeshLoaderSync's meshInit/meshFlush/free-after-upload
+// sequence (assetmeshloader.c) since this produces the same
+// assetmeshoutput_t shape, just from generated verts instead of a file.
+static errorret_t assetChunkBuildTerrain(
+  const tile_t *tiles, assetmeshoutput_t *out
+) {
+  meshvertex_t *verts = memoryAllocate(
+    CHUNK_TILE_COUNT * 6 * sizeof(meshvertex_t)
+  );
+  uint32_t vertCount = 0;
+
+  for(uint32_t y = 0; y < CHUNK_HEIGHT; y++) {
+    for(uint32_t x = 0; x < CHUNK_WIDTH; x++) {
+      const tile_t *tile = &tiles[x + y * CHUNK_WIDTH];
+      if(tile->shape == TILE_SHAPE_NULL) continue;
+
+      const float_t *corners = CHUNK_RAMP_CORNERS[tile->shape];
+      const float_t fz = (float_t)tile->z;
+      assetChunkAppendTileQuad(
+        verts, &vertCount, x, y,
+        (fz + corners[0]) * WORLD_LAYER_HEIGHT,
+        (fz + corners[1]) * WORLD_LAYER_HEIGHT,
+        (fz + corners[2]) * WORLD_LAYER_HEIGHT,
+        (fz + corners[3]) * WORLD_LAYER_HEIGHT
+      );
+    }
   }
 
-  assertNull(loading->loading.chunk.data, "Data already defined?");
+  assertTrue(vertCount > 0, "Terrain build called with no terrain tiles.");
 
-  assetfile_t *file = &loading->loading.chunk.file;
-  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading,
-    assetFileInit(file, loading->entry->name, NULL, NULL)
+  out->vertices = verts;
+  errorret_t ret = meshInit(
+    &out->mesh, MESH_PRIMITIVE_TYPE_TRIANGLES, (int32_t)vertCount, verts
   );
+  if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
+    memoryFree(out->vertices);
+    out->vertices = NULL;
+    errorChain(ret);
+  }
+  out->meshInitialized = true;
 
-  uint8_t *data = memoryAllocate(file->size);
-  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileOpen(file));
-  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileRead(file, data, file->size));
-  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileClose(file));
-  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileDispose(file));
-  assertTrue(
-    file->lastRead == file->size,
-    "Failed to read entire chunk file."
-  );
+  ret = meshFlush(&out->mesh, 0, (int32_t)vertCount);
+  if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
+    meshDispose(&out->mesh);
+    out->meshInitialized = false;
+    memoryFree(out->vertices);
+    out->vertices = NULL;
+    errorChain(ret);
+  }
+
+  #if defined(DUSK_OPENGL) && !defined(DUSK_OPENGL_LEGACY)
+    memoryFree(out->vertices);
+    out->vertices = NULL;
+  #endif
 
-  loading->loading.chunk.data = data;
-  loading->loading.chunk.state = ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_PARSE;
-  loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_SYNC;
   errorOk();
 }
 
@@ -55,8 +302,8 @@ errorret_t assetChunkLoaderSync(assetloading_t *loading) {
 
   switch(loading->loading.chunk.state) {
     case ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_INITIAL:
-      loading->loading.chunk.state = ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_READ_FILE;
-      loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_ASYNC;
+      loading->loading.chunk.state = ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_PARSE;
+      loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_SYNC;
       errorOk();
 
     case ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_PARSE:
@@ -69,9 +316,7 @@ errorret_t assetChunkLoaderSync(assetloading_t *loading) {
           out->modelEntries[m] = assetLock(
             out->modelNames[m], ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_MODEL, NULL
           );
-          assertNotNull(
-            out->modelEntries[m], "Failed to lock model."
-          );
+          assertNotNull(out->modelEntries[m], "Failed to lock model.");
           loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_SYNC;
           errorOk();
         }
@@ -93,126 +338,103 @@ errorret_t assetChunkLoaderSync(assetloading_t *loading) {
       errorOk();
   }
 
-  uint8_t *data = loading->loading.chunk.data;
-  assertNotNull(data, "Chunk data should have been loaded by now.");
-
-  if(data[0] != 'D' || data[1] != 'C' || data[2] != 'F') {
-    memoryFree(data);
-    assetLoaderErrorThrow(loading, "Invalid chunk file header");
-  }
-
-  uint32_t version = endianLittleToHost32(*(uint32_t *)(data + 4));
-  if(version != ASSET_CHUNK_FILE_VERSION) {
-    memoryFree(data);
+  // --- PARSE: lock+require the chunk's own JSON as a sub-asset, exactly
+  // like assetmodelloader.c's ASSET_MODEL_LOADING_STATE_LOCK_ASSETS does
+  // for its model descriptor, then read everything out of it before
+  // unlocking (the yyjson_doc/vals only stay valid while jsonEntry does).
+  char_t jsonKey[ASSET_FILE_NAME_MAX];
+  stringFormat(jsonKey, sizeof(jsonKey), "json:%s", loading->entry->name);
+  assetloaderinput_t jsonInput;
+  memoryZero(&jsonInput, sizeof(jsonInput));
+  stringCopy(
+    jsonInput.json.path, loading->entry->name, ASSET_FILE_NAME_MAX
+  );
+  assetentry_t *jsonEntry =
+    assetLock(jsonKey, ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_JSON, &jsonInput);
+  errorret_t jsonRet = assetRequireLoaded(jsonEntry);
+  if(errorIsNotOk(jsonRet)) {
+    assetUnlockEntry(jsonEntry);
     assetLoaderErrorThrow(
-      loading, "Unsupported chunk file version %u", version
+      loading, "Failed to load chunk JSON: %s", loading->entry->name
     );
   }
 
-  size_t offset = 8;
+  yyjson_val *root = yyjson_doc_get_root(jsonEntry->data.json);
 
-  size_t tileSize = CHUNK_TILE_COUNT * sizeof(tile_t);
-  out->tiles = memoryAllocate(tileSize);
-  memoryCopy(out->tiles, data + offset, tileSize);
-  offset += tileSize;
+  tile_t tiles[CHUNK_TILE_COUNT];
+  assetChunkParseTiles(root, tiles);
+  out->hasTerrain = assetChunkTilesHaveTerrain(tiles);
 
-  for(size_t t = 0; t < CHUNK_TILE_COUNT; t++) {
-    uint32_t *shape = (uint32_t *)&out->tiles[t].shape;
-    *shape = endianLittleToHost32(*shape);
-  }
+  uint8_t meshIndex = out->hasTerrain ? 1 : 0;
+  assetChunkParseMeshes(root, out, &meshIndex);
+  out->meshCount = meshIndex;
 
-  out->meshCount = data[offset];
-  offset += sizeof(uint8_t);
-  assertTrue(
-    out->meshCount <= CHUNK_MESH_COUNT_MAX,
-    "Chunk mesh count exceeds maximum."
-  );
+  assetChunkParseEntities(root, out);
+  assetChunkParseAreas(root, out);
 
-  for(uint8_t m = 0; m < out->meshCount; m++) {
-    uint8_t nameLen = 0;
-    while(
-      data[offset + nameLen] != '\0' &&
-      nameLen < CHUNK_MESH_NAME_MAX - 1
-    ) {
-      nameLen++;
-    }
-    memoryCopy(out->modelNames[m], data + offset, nameLen);
-    out->modelNames[m][nameLen] = '\0';
-    offset += nameLen + 1;
+  assetUnlockEntry(jsonEntry);
 
-    memoryCopy(out->meshOffsets[m], data + offset, sizeof(vec3));
-    offset += sizeof(vec3);
-    out->meshOffsets[m][0] = endianLittleToHostFloat(out->meshOffsets[m][0]);
-    out->meshOffsets[m][1] = endianLittleToHostFloat(out->meshOffsets[m][1]);
-    out->meshOffsets[m][2] = endianLittleToHostFloat(out->meshOffsets[m][2]);
-  }
+  out->tiles = memoryAllocate(CHUNK_TILE_COUNT * sizeof(tile_t));
+  memoryCopy(out->tiles, tiles, CHUNK_TILE_COUNT * sizeof(tile_t));
 
-  out->entitySpawnCount = data[offset];
-  offset += sizeof(uint8_t);
-  assertTrue(
-    out->entitySpawnCount <= CHUNK_ENTITY_SPAWN_COUNT_MAX,
-    "Chunk entity spawn count exceeds maximum."
-  );
-
-  for(uint8_t s = 0; s < out->entitySpawnCount; s++) {
-    chunkentityspawn_t *spawn = &out->entitySpawns[s];
-    spawn->kind = (chunkentityspawnkind_t)data[offset];
-    offset += sizeof(uint8_t);
-
-    uint16_t a;
-    memoryCopy(&a, data + offset, sizeof(uint16_t));
-    a = endianLittleToHost16(a);
-    offset += sizeof(uint16_t);
-
-    uint8_t b = data[offset];
-    offset += sizeof(uint8_t);
-
-    if(spawn->kind == CHUNK_ENTITY_SPAWN_KIND_ITEM) {
-      spawn->globalId = 0;
-      spawn->itemId = a;
-      spawn->itemQuantity = b;
-    } else {
-      spawn->globalId = a;
-      spawn->itemId = 0;
-      spawn->itemQuantity = 0;
+  // Terrain: build the mesh, then wrap it in synthetic (non-cache,
+  // non-refcounted) mesh/model entries so modelEntries[0] behaves exactly
+  // like a real file-backed model entry for every downstream consumer -
+  // see the header's doc comment on hasTerrain/terrainMeshEntry.
+  if(out->hasTerrain) {
+    assetmeshoutput_t terrainMesh;
+    memoryZero(&terrainMesh, sizeof(terrainMesh));
+    errorret_t terrainRet = assetChunkBuildTerrain(out->tiles, &terrainMesh);
+    if(errorIsNotOk(terrainRet)) {
+      memoryFree(out->tiles);
+      out->tiles = NULL;
+      assetLoaderErrorThrow(
+        loading, "Failed to build chunk terrain mesh: %s",
+        loading->entry->name
+      );
     }
 
-    spawn->position = worldPosReadLE(data, &offset);
+    assetloaderinput_t texInput = { .texture = TEXTURE_FORMAT_RGBA };
+    assetentry_t *texEntry = assetLock(
+      ASSET_CHUNK_TERRAIN_TEXTURE, ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_TEXTURE, &texInput
+    );
+    errorret_t texRet = assetRequireLoaded(texEntry);
+    if(errorIsNotOk(texRet)) {
+      assetUnlockEntry(texEntry);
+      meshDispose(&terrainMesh.mesh);
+      memoryFree(out->tiles);
+      out->tiles = NULL;
+      assetLoaderErrorThrow(
+        loading, "Failed to load chunk terrain texture: %s",
+        loading->entry->name
+      );
+    }
+    out->terrainTexEntry = texEntry;
+
+    out->terrainMeshEntry = memoryAllocate(sizeof(assetentry_t));
+    memoryZero(out->terrainMeshEntry, sizeof(assetentry_t));
+    out->terrainMeshEntry->type = ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_MESH;
+    out->terrainMeshEntry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED;
+    out->terrainMeshEntry->data.mesh = terrainMesh;
+
+    out->terrainModelEntry = memoryAllocate(sizeof(assetentry_t));
+    memoryZero(out->terrainModelEntry, sizeof(assetentry_t));
+    out->terrainModelEntry->type = ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_MODEL;
+    out->terrainModelEntry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED;
+    out->terrainModelEntry->data.model.meshEntry = out->terrainMeshEntry;
+    out->terrainModelEntry->data.model.texEntry = out->terrainTexEntry;
+    out->terrainModelEntry->data.model.color = COLOR_WHITE;
+
+    out->modelEntries[0] = out->terrainModelEntry;
   }
 
-  out->areaSpawnCount = data[offset];
-  offset += sizeof(uint8_t);
-  assertTrue(
-    out->areaSpawnCount <= CHUNK_AREA_COUNT_MAX,
-    "Chunk area spawn count exceeds maximum."
-  );
-
-  for(uint8_t s = 0; s < out->areaSpawnCount; s++) {
-    chunkareaspawn_t *area = &out->areaSpawns[s];
-    area->min = worldPosReadLE(data, &offset);
-    area->max = worldPosReadLE(data, &offset);
-
-    uint16_t callbackId;
-    memoryCopy(&callbackId, data + offset, sizeof(uint16_t));
-    area->callbackId = endianLittleToHost16(callbackId);
-    offset += sizeof(uint16_t);
-
-    area->notify = data[offset];
-    offset += sizeof(uint8_t);
-    area->trigger = data[offset];
-    offset += sizeof(uint8_t);
-  }
-
-  memoryFree(data);
-  loading->loading.chunk.data = NULL;
-
   if(out->meshCount == 0) {
     loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED;
     errorOk();
   }
 
   loading->loading.chunk.state = ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_LOAD_MODELS;
-  loading->loading.chunk.modelIndex = 0;
+  loading->loading.chunk.modelIndex = out->hasTerrain ? 1 : 0;
   loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_SYNC;
   errorOk();
 }
@@ -231,8 +453,36 @@ errorret_t assetChunkDispose(assetentry_t *entry) {
 
   for(uint8_t m = 0; m < out->meshCount; m++) {
     if(out->modelEntries[m] == NULL) continue;
+    if(out->hasTerrain && m == 0) continue; // synthetic - freed below.
     assetUnlockEntry(out->modelEntries[m]);
     out->modelEntries[m] = NULL;
   }
+
+  if(out->hasTerrain) {
+    if(out->terrainMeshEntry != NULL) {
+      assetmeshoutput_t *meshOut = &out->terrainMeshEntry->data.mesh;
+      if(meshOut->meshInitialized) {
+        meshDispose(&meshOut->mesh);
+        meshOut->meshInitialized = false;
+      }
+      if(meshOut->vertices != NULL) {
+        memoryFree(meshOut->vertices);
+        meshOut->vertices = NULL;
+      }
+      memoryFree(out->terrainMeshEntry);
+      out->terrainMeshEntry = NULL;
+    }
+    if(out->terrainModelEntry != NULL) {
+      memoryFree(out->terrainModelEntry);
+      out->terrainModelEntry = NULL;
+    }
+    if(out->terrainTexEntry != NULL) {
+      assetUnlockEntry(out->terrainTexEntry);
+      out->terrainTexEntry = NULL;
+    }
+    out->modelEntries[0] = NULL;
+    out->hasTerrain = false;
+  }
+
   errorOk();
 }

src/dusk/asset/loader/chunk/assetchunkloader.h

@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@
 #include "asset/assetfile.h"
 #include "rpg/overworld/chunk.h"
 
-#define ASSET_CHUNK_FILE_VERSION 5
-
 typedef struct assetloading_s assetloading_t;
 typedef struct assetentry_s assetentry_t;
 
@@ -20,16 +18,17 @@ typedef struct {
 
 typedef enum {
   ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_INITIAL,
-  ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_READ_FILE,
   ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_PARSE,
   ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_LOAD_MODELS,
   ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_DONE
 } assetchunkloadingstate_t;
 
 typedef struct {
-  assetfile_t file;
   assetchunkloadingstate_t state;
-  uint8_t *data;
+
+  // Index into assetchunkoutput_t.modelNames/modelEntries the external
+  // (non-terrain) model polling loop has reached - see
+  // ASSET_CHUNK_LOADING_STATE_LOAD_MODELS.
   uint8_t modelIndex;
 } assetchunkloaderloading_t;
 
@@ -61,6 +60,27 @@ typedef struct {
   vec3 meshOffsets[CHUNK_MESH_COUNT_MAX];
   assetentry_t *modelEntries[CHUNK_MESH_COUNT_MAX];
 
+  // Terrain mesh generated at load time from the tile grid (no baked
+  // .dmf/.json - see assetChunkBuildTerrain in assetchunkloader.c). NULL
+  // (with hasTerrain false) for a chunk with no non-null tiles, in which
+  // case modelEntries[0] (if meshCount > 0) is the first external mesh
+  // instead - matches the old baked pipeline's "only write a terrain
+  // model if it has vertices" behavior.
+  //
+  // terrainMeshEntry/terrainModelEntry are heap-allocated, plain
+  // assetentry_t values that are never passed to assetLock/assetGetEntry/
+  // assetUnlockEntry (only a real, name-keyed, ref-counted entry may be)
+  // - they exist purely so modelEntries[0] can point at something with
+  // the same ->state/->data.model/->data.mesh.mesh shape every other
+  // model/mesh entry has, so chunk.c/map.c/sceneoverworld.c don't need to
+  // know terrain isn't file-backed. Freed directly (not assetUnlockEntry)
+  // in assetChunkDispose. terrainTexEntry is a real, ref-counted texture
+  // entry (the shared "tiles.png") and must be assetUnlockEntry'd there.
+  bool_t hasTerrain;
+  assetentry_t *terrainMeshEntry;
+  assetentry_t *terrainModelEntry;
+  assetentry_t *terrainTexEntry;
+
   uint8_t entitySpawnCount;
   chunkentityspawn_t entitySpawns[CHUNK_ENTITY_SPAWN_COUNT_MAX];
 
@@ -69,9 +89,10 @@ typedef struct {
 } assetchunkoutput_t;
 
 /**
- * Asynchronous loader for chunk assets. Reads the raw DCF file bytes into
- * the loading buffer so the sync phase can parse without blocking the
- * main thread on I/O.
+ * Async loader stub for chunk assets. Chunk loading is performed entirely
+ * on the main thread (it delegates to the JSON asset loader and to
+ * meshInit/meshFlush, both main-thread-only); this callback is never
+ * reached.
  *
  * @param loading Loading information for the asset being loaded.
  * @return Error code indicating success or failure of the load operation.
@@ -79,9 +100,11 @@ typedef struct {
 errorret_t assetChunkLoaderAsync(assetloading_t *loading);
 
 /**
- * Synchronous loader for chunk assets. Validates the DCF binary previously
- * read by the async phase and populates the output assetchunkoutput_t with
- * tile data and model paths.
+ * Synchronous loader for chunk assets. Locks the chunk's JSON descriptor
+ * as a sub-asset, parses tiles/external mesh references/entity spawns/
+ * area spawns, generates the terrain mesh directly from the tile grid,
+ * and locks/waits for every referenced model (and the terrain's shared
+ * tileset texture) to finish loading.
  *
  * @param loading Loading information for the asset being loaded.
  * @return Error code indicating success or failure of the load operation.

src/dusk/rpg/overworld/map.c

@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ errorret_t mapChunkLoad(chunk_t *chunk) {
   char_t name[MAP_FILE_PATH_MAX];
   stringFormat(
     name, sizeof(name),
-    "maps/%s/chunks/%d_%d_%d.dcf",
+    "maps/%s/chunks/chunk_%d_%d_%d.json",
     MAP.name,
     (int32_t)chunk->position.x,
     (int32_t)chunk->position.y,
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ void mapChunkLoadNext() {
     char_t name[MAP_FILE_PATH_MAX];
     stringFormat(
       name, sizeof(name),
-      "maps/%s/chunks/%d_%d_%d.dcf",
+      "maps/%s/chunks/chunk_%d_%d_%d.json",
       MAP.name,
       (int32_t)chunk->position.x,
       (int32_t)chunk->position.y,

src/dusk/rpg/overworld/map.h

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 // Number of chunks that may be mid-load (asset locked & awaiting onLoaded/
 // onError) at the same time - everything past this waits in loadQueue.
-#define MAP_CHUNK_LOAD_CONCURRENCY 2
+#define MAP_CHUNK_LOAD_CONCURRENCY 1
 
 typedef struct map_s {
   // Name of the currently loaded map, or an empty string if none is