# Open questions

Each links to the finding that raised it. Promoted to backlog or closed by **re-quartermaster**.

- **Compiler archive mismatch** — imports say MSVCR100/MSVCP100 (VS2010), but Ghidra applied
  `windows_vs12_32` datatypes (closest available). Confirm the exact toolchain from the PE Rich
  header; decide which datatype archive best fits. (from [[01-fingerprint]])
- **Battle-load root cause** — inferred as single-threaded engine + core-count-sensitive code;
  must be confirmed by a `ForceSingleCore=0` vs `=1` diff once the main loop is mapped.
  (from [[00-strategy]])
- **Save-editor struct coverage** — community editors cover players/tech/systems; fleet/combat
  state coverage may be partial. Treat as strong hints, verify each field against real saves.
- **Lockstep determinism** — `@SYNC ERROR DETECTED: Frame %d` indicates a deterministic lockstep sim. Big for reimplementation + old-vs-new differential (determinism makes equivalence checkable frame-by-frame). Confirm scope. (from [[strings-and-config]])
- **Mods override mechanism** — `.gob` = `gobio::ZipFileSystem` with a `NativeFileSystem` loose-file override; this is how `./Mods` wins over archived files. Verify load order. (from [[strings-and-config]])
- **Battle-load root cause** — the shipped fix is a blunt process-affinity pin (`FUN_0089ee70`) with NO CPU-topology detection, so there is no adaptive branch. The real cause is emergent multi-core contention: which thread(s)? Investigate the 3 `CreateThread` sites (`FUN_00902350`, `FUN_00736e30`, startup `FUN_008a0e50`), the streaming-sound thread, and lockstep sync waits. (from [[ghidra-recon]])
- **Save-struct contradictions (R1 vs R2)** — field widths (`Abdn`/`Dstyd`/`ltis` Int16 vs Int32; `Bats2`), R2's `OID = PID*16` owner-handle claim, species id 4 (`_NPC` vs 'AI Rebellion'). Resolve against the binary's Streamable read code. (from [[save-editor-structs]])
- **Unlabeled save blocks** — `CdPlayer` (unknown1..35), empty `SimSystemDetailSpy`, opaque ~2500 B RNG blob. Analyst targets once the Streamable readers are located. (from [[save-editor-structs]])
- **Missing HUD scripts** — exe references `GUI/Combat/CombatHUD.script`, `SensorHUD.script`, `NoHUD.script` but none ship in the gobs or loose; likely dev-only overrides via the gobio native-FS fallback. Confirm via `CombatScreen` load path. Also: `.script` files are display configs, not widget layouts (corrects round-one note). (from [[ui-screen-map]])
- **Tech `allows` default per-race %** — `tech_tree.json` edges only carry races written in the `allows` string; the default for an unlisted race (believed 100%) is engine code. Ghidra target in the tech loader. (from [[data-parsers]])
- **Engine parser leniency** — 12 shipped shipsections are syntactically broken (unclosed `{`, extra `}`) yet load; keys and identifiers are case-insensitive. Reimplementation must match this leniency. `.effect` is its own `TXT`/`BEGIN-END` format, not brace-block (corrects round one). (from [[data-parsers]])
- **Struct recovery leftovers** — `PlayerColorID` exact on-disk width (writer `FUN_008b9cb0` undecompiled); `ServerSystem+0x10` owner type; `TechTree` per-tech body; `CdPlayer` block. R2's `OID = PID*16` is an id-allocation pattern, not in this code. (from [[struct-recovery]])
- **Resolved (R1/R2 contradictions)** — `Bats2`/`rcex` are int64 (R2 wrong); `Abdn`/`Dstyd` bools, `ltis` int; `TRM`/`CstR/E/T`/`shrm`/`RefCap`/`RepCap`/PlayerView `Infra` are floats; `pswd` string; `TShn`/`ETS`/diplomacy counters int16 in memory, int32 on disk; `Nexp` carries `xid/xmin/xmax/xper`; `FtOrig` is Vector3. (from [[struct-recovery]])
- **Battle-load, narrowed** — sim/combat load run on the main thread; the only other threads are net watchdog, TIME_CRITICAL audio streaming (`g_musicCS`), and a star-map mesh builder. Hypothesis: audio-thread critical-section contention or D3D9 runtime/driver threads on many cores. Needs a dynamic profile (x32dbg / ETW) under the software-GPU stack. (from [[turn-spine]])
- **Spine leftovers** — `StrategyServer` struct partial (41 fields); static-initialiser region 0x009be000–0x009c1400 undisassembled; `Mars::Stream` vftable not located; several small ProcessTurn phase fns unnamed. (from [[turn-spine]])
- **Save framing ambiguities (settle on first real save)** — padding joint `[len][name][value][pad]` vs split; bool vs int for names with len%4==0 (no type byte); on-disk tags for Summary/CreateParameters and count/element tags inside framed arrays unknown (positional for now). A real 3-char bool tag (`NPC`,`Dep`,`hsp`) settles padding. (from [[SAVE_FORMAT]])
- **Strict-parse gaps vs real save (verifier output, round 3)** — (1) `ServerSystem`: 7/28 systems carry `VFlags` where `Name`/`vnh` were expected — a conditional layout (uncolonized/special systems?); (2) `halt[].haltv` is a 31/35-byte struct, not a bool; (3) optional `indi` (IndependenceInfo?) precedes `NVE`/`PID` in some systems; (4) `PrisonerHold.prisoners[]` entries lack `PrNSp`; (5) `/createParams/key` is int; (6) `turnstats.hist.stats.tch` is int; (7) optional trailing `zdsi`/`zdst`. Padding = **joint** (settled). 7 resyncs / 2728 raw bytes ≈ RNG blob. (from [[turn2-strict-issues]])
- **RESOLVED: strict-parse gaps** — 5/8 were reader bugs (ASCII plausibility test applied to string values; empty string == int 0), 3 real: `PrNSp` only when `PrMax>0`; `indi` unconditional in `NVO` nodes (system-level gated by `hindi`); `zdsi/zdst` pairs under `zdsc`. `Key` is an empty string; `tch` int. Summary/CreateParams tag lists confirmed. Reader patch in flight. (from [[schema-gaps-resolved]])
- **RESOLVED: save framing** — padding is joint; `"."` = NULL tag (VectorHelper count+elements, Vector3 bodies); empty strings are 4 zero bytes; `CDT` is a tagged frame + opaque `CD` frames. All three real saves parse `--strict` clean. Note: `SvSctOb` IS present in all saves (patch doc §7 was wrong). (from [[SAVE_FORMAT]])
- **(parked) Combat loader job API** — does tactical-battle loading go through the job helpers `0x8fc160`/`0x8fa5b0` with the `TryEnterCriticalSection→Sleep(1000)` completion poll (`0x0071ea60`)? If yes, that is a plausible many-core stall (lost try-lock = +1 s per poll). End Turn also has a deliberate `Sleep(computed)` ≈0.85 s at `0x00838da9`. (from [[battle-load-profile]])
- **Ship-design code rules (Ghidra, from SHIP_DESIGN_RULES.md §8)** — hidden default rider designs are built WITHOUT tech gating (where?); is section class-equality enforced or merely unoffered; confirm the turret class-accept table (`standard ← {standard,missile,grapple}`, `strafe ← {standard}`; grapple weakest); hull-class tech injection (`IND_CruisCon`/`IND_DreadCon`) + station exemption; option defaults/auto-upgrade and what `option_cost` multiplies; weapon cost per bank vs per mount; mass/speed formulas; `faiDes`/`dWep` meaning. (from [[SHIP_DESIGN_RULES]])
- **Corrections from turn internals** — `ServerPlayer+0xf9` is the AI flag (not bTurnDone); `FUN_007d7f70` is encounter detection; ProcessTurn phase 2 is trade, not diplomacy; the spine's `FUN_00840fe0` 'income' is special projects — income is `FUN_00863030` ComputeBudget. `TECHBEN_*` data blocks are inert (effects hard-coded via the 116-entry tech-name table @0x00a19718). Open: TRA/TRP producers, `FPsp2` derivation, `PERGATETRAFFIC_*` readers, exact BnkEl/BnkPr expression. (from [[strategic-turn-internals]])
- **`Mars::Application::Initialize` signature (P2-M0 finding)** — a C++ `__thiscall` detour that called the original crashed inside Initialize; the trace hook now uses a convention-agnostic asm stub. Verify the real signature (stack args? EDX use? return value?) before any `compare`/`replace` hook on it. Same caution for every `[unverified]` entry in `ghidra/addresses.json`. (from [[m0]])
- **Formula gaps surfaced by the game/sim port (feed back to Ghidra)** — which bankruptcy limit carries the 3.3 factor and when the bankruptcy start turn is stamped; the suitability→carrying-capacity hazard curve shape; the trade-points→money system-income tail; the `POPBONUS_INC` population increment; the expense-slider request term; which running total the tech-income bonus / savings aid read; node-line speed clamp at the influence radius; whether `DecayAllResearch` also hits the current target. (from [[game-sim]])
- **RESOLVED: Initialize signature** — `bool __thiscall Application::Initialize(this, AppStartup*)`, RET 4; Run = `void(this)`; OnTick = `bool(this)`. Plain thiscall wrappers are safe for Run/OnTick; Initialize needs the extra arg. (from [[loader-prototypes]])
- **PARITY BUG (fix in mars/text + Python flat_kv): duplicate config keys are FIRST-occurrence-wins in the engine** (entry erased on use; duplicates log 'multiply defined'); our readers implement last-wins. Also the brace parser DROPS a final key/value pair that lacks a trailing newline, and uses whitespace-only delimiting (braces not delimiters) with `" ' \`` quotes and no escapes — mars/parse must match these for compare mode; verify on the 12 broken sections + a no-trailing-newline fixture. (from [[loader-prototypes]])
- **Not traced end-to-end** — `Species/_NPC/weapons/*.weapon` loading and the `.effect` dictionary entry `EffectDictionary_Load` (0x008b42b0, unverified). (from [[loader-prototypes]])
- **RESOLVED: End-Turn oracle** — deterministic and cross-process: compare autosaves by sha256, no masking. Only when diffing a re-save of a *loaded post-turn* autosave: mask `Player.Status` (→0) and recompute/ignore `Summary.Checksum` (additive). (from [[determinism-oracle]])
- **SAVE_FORMAT tag corrections (fix Python reader + spec)** — real on-disk tags: `otnF` (not `ontF`) in Odes/Owep/Otch, `nextid` (not `nextId`) in NdGr2, Design = `FAIDes/DHide/DWep/DName`; `ords`/`wpts` are real tags. Python's positional R() matching hid these. RNG: float mapping `(float)(y*2^-32)`, `next_int` mask, and lazy-vs-eager twist at `left==0` still need binary confirmation. (from [[mars-stream]])
- **RESOLVED: tech `allows` default** — unlisted species = 1.0 (confirmed in `FUN_005822d0` tree-creation roll, strategic-turn-internals §2); `game/data` uses 100. Still open from game/data: what the engine's converter does with the 34 malformed tokens (`force_right o`, `crew false`, `1.0f`, `0-5`, ``90\``); repeated scalars in a block are last-wins per the sequential if/else consumers (loader-prototypes §M3) — confirm on a fixture in compare mode. (from [[game-data]])
- **RESOLVED: SAVE_FORMAT tag names** — all corrections confirmed by bytes and applied to the Python reader + spec (§10). Residual doc debt: `findings/objects/save-editor-structs.md` and `verify/design-rules/SHIP_DESIGN_RULES.md` still quote R1's `ontF/faiDes/nextId` spellings (R1-provenance; annotate rather than rewrite). (from [[SAVE_FORMAT]])
- **Notes disagree on MSVC-2010 `std::string` layout** — `struct-recovery.md` §0 vs `turn-spine.md` §1.1 give different offsets; pin both from the `_Myres >= 16` SSO branch in `Stream::WriteString` and correct the loser. (from [[re-windows-2000s-howto]])
- **RESOLVED: formula gaps (all 8)** — see [[formula-gaps]]; game/sim's low-confidence functions can now be pinned. **RESOLVED: std::string** = `_Bx@0,_Mysize@0x10,_Myres@0x14,_Alval@0x18`, sizeof 0x1c (struct-recovery §0 right; turn-spine §1.1 WRONG — annotated). **CORRECTION:** the 116-entry table @0x00a19718 is a name-membership list, not the effects table; use `g_TechIdNames` (196) + `OnTechResearched`. Open: values of the 6-entry AI-tech bonus table (0x00a17888); producer of ServerPlayer +0x224/+0x228/+0x22c beyond the setup-record copy (0x0077b620). (from [[tech-effects]])