perf(paint): stronger X-ray hit flash + kill spawn/respawn freeze

X-ray hit flash: drive a dedicated flash mode instead of the normal
reveal - pulse off (steady), intensity boost (xrayFlashBoost, default 3x),
snap-on, then restore authored color/pulse exactly. Fixes the weak/dark
flicker where the 0.35s hit window often caught only the pulse's near-off
plateau.

Spawn/respawn freeze: pool GPU RenderTextures across despawn->respawn
(TeardownGpu recycles, CreateRT pops) so a hider->hunter conversion no
longer churns ~70MB of RT alloc/free on every observer; reuse staging
textures to cut per-map GC. Defer the blank base-seed on reveal-gated
remote replicas (DeferInitialSeed) - the real pixels arrive with the
snapshot apply anyway; gate the FurShellRenderer alongside the body so a
deferred replica never shows the pooled RT's stale fur; EnsureBackendSeeded
+ TryCaptureSnapshot guard against capture-before-reseed.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Assets/Scripts/Components/MeshPainter/MeshPainter.Backend.cs

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
     /// </summary>
     private void ReseedCanonical(Color32[][] canonical)
     {
+        _backendSeeded = true; // the backend is about to hold real content (fast-path reseed or full rebuild)
         if (_setupValid)
         {
             if (useGpu && _gpuActive && _gpu != null) { ReseedGpuInPlace(canonical); _hasLastScreen = false; return; }
@@ -54,6 +55,17 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
         RebuildBackend(useGpu, canonical);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Materializes a DEFERRED backend's base seed on demand: a remote replica that skipped its Start seed
+    /// (see <see cref="DeferInitialSeed"/>) must fill the base BEFORE a replicated stamp lands on it or it is
+    /// captured, so nothing paints over / serves uninitialized pixels. No-op once seeded (the normal case: the
+    /// snapshot apply already re-seeded it). A null canonical resolves each map to the material seed.
+    /// </summary>
+    private void EnsureBackendSeeded()
+    {
+        if (!_backendSeeded) ReseedCanonical(null);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Tears down the active backend and sets up the requested one on the given maps.</summary>
     private void RebuildBackend(bool gpu, Color32[][] canonical)
     {

Assets/Scripts/Components/MeshPainter/MeshPainter.Cpu.cs

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
 
     private void SetupCpu(Color32[][] canonical)
     {
+        int n = textureSize * textureSize;
         _cpu = new CpuMap[MAP_COUNT];
         for (int mi = 0; mi < MAP_COUNT; mi++)
         {
@@ -17,15 +18,20 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
                     wrapMode = TextureWrapMode.Clamp,
                     filterMode = FilterMode.Bilinear
                 },
-                pixels = SeedCpuPixels(mi, canonical),
-                // UV-island seed protects loaded/switched-in content from edge padding right away
-                // (the gutter stays paddable). Clone: painted[] is mutated per stroke.
-                painted = (bool[])GetIslandMask().Clone(),
-                fillStamp = new int[textureSize * textureSize],
+                // Deferred (remote replica): allocate empty buffers and skip the seed + upload; the snapshot
+                // re-seed fills them before the reveal gate shows the body. Otherwise seed now. The UV-island
+                // seed protects loaded/switched-in content from edge padding right away (the gutter stays
+                // paddable). Clone: painted[] is mutated per stroke.
+                pixels = DeferInitialSeed ? new Color32[n] : SeedCpuPixels(mi, canonical),
+                painted = DeferInitialSeed ? new bool[n] : (bool[])GetIslandMask().Clone(),
+                fillStamp = new int[n],
                 dilateStamp = 0
             };
-            cm.tex.SetPixels32(cm.pixels);
-            cm.tex.Apply(false);
+            if (!DeferInitialSeed)
+            {
+                cm.tex.SetPixels32(cm.pixels);
+                cm.tex.Apply(false);
+            }
             _cpu[mi] = cm;
             AssignMapTexture(mi, cm.tex);
         }

Assets/Scripts/Components/MeshPainter/MeshPainter.Gpu.cs

@@ -25,6 +25,26 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
     private Material _packMat;
     private bool _prevSRGB;
 
+    // --- Shared backend resource pools ---------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Every paint RT has the identical descriptor (textureSize² ARGBHalf linear), so a despawned avatar's
+    // freed RTs can be reused by the next spawn instead of re-allocating ~70 MB. This closes the gap the
+    // in-place reseed left: reseed reuses an EXISTING backend, but a Conversion hit (hider despawns ->
+    // hunter respawns) tears one down and builds another - the observer stalled on that full free+alloc.
+    // Pooling reclaims the just-freed set immediately. Bounded so a mass despawn (match end) does not park
+    // every avatar's RTs; extras beyond the cap are released normally. Static, to survive the despawn->
+    // respawn gap; flushed on quit. Unity's null-check safely skips any entry a fast-enter-playmode reload
+    // left dangling.
+    private static readonly System.Collections.Generic.Stack<RenderTexture> s_rtPool =
+        new System.Collections.Generic.Stack<RenderTexture>();
+    private const int RtPoolCap = 18; // ~2 avatars' worth (9 RTs each)
+    private static bool s_poolQuitHooked;
+
+    // Reused staging textures for seed uploads (one per colour space), so re-seeding on every spawn/apply
+    // does not churn a 4 MB Texture2D per map. The linear flag must match the data (colour maps decode sRGB
+    // on the blit), so the two spaces are kept apart; rebuilt if the paint size ever changes.
+    private static Texture2D s_stageLinear;
+    private static Texture2D s_stageSRGB;
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Sets up the GPU backend (RenderTexture set + materials per map). Returns true on
     /// success; on missing shaders it falls back to the CPU backend and returns false so
@@ -62,7 +82,7 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
             };
             _gpu[mi] = gm;
 
-            SeedGpuMap(mi, canonical);
+            if (!DeferInitialSeed) SeedGpuMap(mi, canonical); // deferred: RTs stay unseeded until the snapshot re-seed
 
             // Color maps render to the display RT; the MS map exposes its packed final RT.
             AssignMapTexture(mi, gm.final != null ? gm.final : gm.display);
@@ -149,9 +169,9 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
             foreach (var gm in _gpu)
             {
                 if (gm == null) continue;
-                if (gm.display) { gm.display.Release(); Destroy(gm.display); }
-                if (gm.temp) { gm.temp.Release(); Destroy(gm.temp); }
-                if (gm.final) { gm.final.Release(); Destroy(gm.final); }
+                RecycleRT(gm.display);
+                RecycleRT(gm.temp);
+                RecycleRT(gm.final);
             }
             _gpu = null;
         }
@@ -160,8 +180,45 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
         if (_packMat) { Destroy(_packMat); _packMat = null; }
     }
 
+    // Returns an RT to the shared pool for the next spawn to reuse, or releases it if the pool is full.
+    // Deliberately NOT Released before pooling - Release frees the GPU memory the reuse is meant to keep.
+    private static void RecycleRT(RenderTexture rt)
+    {
+        if (!rt) return;
+        if (s_rtPool.Count < RtPoolCap) s_rtPool.Push(rt);
+        else { rt.Release(); Object.Destroy(rt); }
+    }
+
+    // Flushes the pooled RTs + staging textures. Hooked to Application.quitting (does not fire on editor
+    // play-mode stop, so the capped set lingers until the next domain reload there - a bounded ~150 MB).
+    private static void ClearBackendPool()
+    {
+        while (s_rtPool.Count > 0)
+        {
+            var rt = s_rtPool.Pop();
+            if (rt) { rt.Release(); Object.Destroy(rt); }
+        }
+        if (s_stageLinear) { Object.Destroy(s_stageLinear); s_stageLinear = null; }
+        if (s_stageSRGB) { Object.Destroy(s_stageSRGB); s_stageSRGB = null; }
+    }
+
     private RenderTexture CreateRT(string rtName)
     {
+        // Reuse a pooled RT of the matching size before allocating (see s_rtPool). A pooled RT is still
+        // Created (never Released while pooled); its stale content is fully overwritten by SeedGpuMap.
+        while (s_rtPool.Count > 0)
+        {
+            var pooled = s_rtPool.Pop();
+            if (pooled && pooled.width == textureSize && pooled.height == textureSize)
+            {
+                pooled.name = rtName;
+                return pooled;
+            }
+            if (pooled) { pooled.Release(); Destroy(pooled); } // size mismatch / stale -> drop it
+        }
+
+        if (!s_poolQuitHooked) { Application.quitting += ClearBackendPool; s_poolQuitHooked = true; }
+
         // 16-bit half-float, NOT ARGB32: repeated low-opacity source-over only converges to the
         // target colour if the accumulation buffer has sub-8-bit precision. At 8 bpp the per-stroke
         // decrement dst*alpha rounds back to dst once it drops below half an LSB, so painting e.g.
@@ -189,7 +246,7 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
     /// zero alpha is correct there too.</summary>
     private void UploadColorsToRT(Color32[] colors, RenderTexture rt, bool linear)
     {
-        var tmp = new Texture2D(textureSize, textureSize, TextureFormat.RGBA32, false, linear);
+        var tmp = AcquireStage(linear); // reused per colour space, not allocated per call
         for (int i = 0; i < colors.Length; i++) colors[i].a = 0;
         tmp.SetPixels32(colors);
         tmp.Apply(false);
@@ -200,7 +257,25 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
         GL.sRGBWrite = false;
         Graphics.Blit(tmp, rt);
         GL.sRGBWrite = prev;
-        Destroy(tmp);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>A reusable staging Texture2D per colour space (see s_stageLinear/s_stageSRGB): seeding uploads
+    /// through it instead of churning a 4 MB texture per map. The linear flag must match the data (colour maps
+    /// decode sRGB when the blit samples the staging tex), so the two spaces are kept separate; rebuilt if the
+    /// paint size ever changes. Main-thread only, so the shared instances never overlap.</summary>
+    private Texture2D AcquireStage(bool linear)
+    {
+        ref Texture2D slot = ref linear ? ref s_stageLinear : ref s_stageSRGB;
+        if (!slot || slot.width != textureSize || slot.height != textureSize)
+        {
+            if (slot) Destroy(slot);
+            slot = new Texture2D(textureSize, textureSize, TextureFormat.RGBA32, false, linear)
+            {
+                name = linear ? "MeshPainter_StageLinear" : "MeshPainter_StageSRGB",
+                hideFlags = HideFlags.HideAndDontSave
+            };
+        }
+        return slot;
     }
 
     /// <summary>

Assets/Scripts/Components/MeshPainter/MeshPainter.Net.cs

@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
     public void ApplyNetworkStamp(in PaintStampNet s)
     {
         if (!_setupValid) return;
+        EnsureBackendSeeded(); // a stamp arriving before the first snapshot re-seed must land on the base seed
 
         paintAlbedo = (s.Channels & PaintStampNet.FlagAlbedo) != 0;
         paintMetallicSmoothness = (s.Channels & PaintStampNet.FlagMetallicSmoothness) != 0;

Assets/Scripts/Components/MeshPainter/MeshPainter.Persistence.cs

@@ -350,7 +350,9 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
         var bytes = new byte[n * 4];
         for (int mi = 0; mi < MAP_COUNT; mi++)
         {
-            Color32[] px = ReadCanonical(mi);
+            // A deferred backend not yet re-seeded holds uninitialized RTs; serve the material seed instead
+            // so a snapshot captured in that window is the base look (consistent with its cutoff), not garbage.
+            Color32[] px = _backendSeeded ? ReadCanonical(mi) : _seedCanonical[mi];
             int count = Mathf.Min(n, px.Length);
             for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
             {

Assets/Scripts/Components/MeshPainter/MeshPainter.Setup.cs

@@ -293,4 +293,22 @@ public partial class MeshPainter
         c.a = a;
         _materialInstance.SetColor(XRayColorId, c);
     }
+
+    /// <summary>Applies the current hit-flash state to the X-ray material: flash mode boosts the authored glow
+    /// rgb by <c>xrayFlashBoost</c>, turns the breathing pulse off (steady), and snaps the reveal alpha on for an
+    /// immediate pop; leaving flash restores the authored rgb + pulse (alpha keeps easing via TickXRayFade). The
+    /// pulse plateau otherwise leaves a short hit window looking dim, so a steady boosted glow reads far stronger.</summary>
+    private void ApplyXRayFlashState()
+    {
+        if (!_materialInstance || !_materialInstance.HasProperty(XRayColorId)) return;
+        float boost = _xrayFlash ? Mathf.Max(1f, xrayFlashBoost) : 1f;
+        Color c = _materialInstance.GetColor(XRayColorId);
+        c.r = _xrayBaseColor.r * boost;
+        c.g = _xrayBaseColor.g * boost;
+        c.b = _xrayBaseColor.b * boost;
+        if (_xrayFlash) c.a = _xrayTarget; // snap the glow on so the hit reads instantly (no ramp-in)
+        _materialInstance.SetColor(XRayColorId, c);
+        if (_materialInstance.HasProperty(XRayPulseStrengthId))
+            _materialInstance.SetFloat(XRayPulseStrengthId, _xrayFlash ? 0f : _xrayBasePulseStrength);
+    }
 }

Assets/Scripts/Components/MeshPainter/MeshPainter.cs

@@ -126,13 +126,30 @@ public partial class MeshPainter : MonoBehaviour
     public bool XRayRevealed
     {
         get => _xrayTarget > 0f;
-        set => _xrayTarget = value ? 1f : 0f;
+        set => SetXRayReveal(value, false);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Drives the X-ray reveal with an optional hunter-hit <paramref name="flash"/> mode: the flash
+    /// multiplies the authored glow by <see cref="xrayFlashBoost"/> and disables the breathing pulse, so a hit
+    /// reads as a strong, solid pop (the subtle breathing plateau otherwise leaves a short hit window looking
+    /// dim). Leaving flash mode restores the authored colour + pulse. Only writes the material on a change.</summary>
+    public void SetXRayReveal(bool revealed, bool flash)
+    {
+        _xrayTarget = revealed ? 1f : 0f;
+        if (flash != _xrayFlash) { _xrayFlash = flash; ApplyXRayFlashState(); }
     }
 
     [Tooltip("Seconds for the see-through X-ray reveal glow to fade fully in or out when toggled (0 = instant snap).")]
     [Min(0f)]
     [SerializeField] private float xrayFadeDuration = 0.3f;
+
+    [Tooltip("Hunter-hit flash strength: multiplies the authored _XRayColor and turns off its breathing pulse for the flash window, so a hit is a strong solid pop instead of the subtle breathing reveal used elsewhere.")]
+    [Min(1f)]
+    [SerializeField] private float xrayFlashBoost = 3f;
     private float _xrayTarget; // desired _XRayColor alpha (0/1); the material eases toward it each frame
+    private bool _xrayFlash;   // hit-flash mode: boosted rgb + pulse off, applied on toggle
+    private Color _xrayBaseColor = Color.white; // authored _XRayColor rgb, captured at setup (alpha ignored)
+    private float _xrayBasePulseStrength;       // authored _XRayPulseStrength, restored when the flash ends
 
     [Header("Backend")]
     [Tooltip("ON = GPU painting (fast), OFF = CPU painting. Can be toggled live in Play mode.")]
@@ -349,6 +366,19 @@ public partial class MeshPainter : MonoBehaviour
     private bool _gpuActive;
     private bool _setupValid;
 
+    // Networked remote replicas set this (before Start) to SKIP the base seed during the initial backend
+    // build: the RTs/materials are still created, but the grey/white base pixels are not uploaded. The body
+    // is reveal-gated hidden until the painting snapshot is applied (which re-seeds the backend), so seeding
+    // the base at Start is wasted work that stalls every observer's spawn frame (SetPixels/Apply/coverage-
+    // raster per map). One-shot: consumed at the end of Start, so any later (re)build seeds normally. The
+    // owner never defers (it shows immediately).
+    public bool DeferInitialSeed { get; set; }
+
+    // True once the active backend holds valid content. False only between a DEFERRED setup and the first
+    // re-seed/stamp: during that window the reveal gate hides the body and TryCaptureSnapshot serves the
+    // material seed instead of the still-uninitialized RTs (see EnsureBackendSeeded).
+    private bool _backendSeeded;
+
     // Seed colors per map in canonical (material) layout, built once at Start:
     //   albedo   -> RGB color
     //   MSO      -> R = metallic, G = occlusion/height (0.5 = neutral: no relief, AO = 1), A = smoothness
@@ -401,6 +431,7 @@ public partial class MeshPainter : MonoBehaviour
     private static readonly int HalfLambertBrightnessId = Shader.PropertyToID("_HalfLambertBrightness");
     private static readonly int SpecularDampenId = Shader.PropertyToID("_SpecularDampen");
     private static readonly int XRayColorId = Shader.PropertyToID("_XRayColor");
+    private static readonly int XRayPulseStrengthId = Shader.PropertyToID("_XRayPulseStrength");
     private static readonly int BrushColorId = Shader.PropertyToID("_BrushColor");
     private static readonly int ColorWriteMaskId = Shader.PropertyToID("_ColorWriteMask");
     private static readonly int BrushCenterId = Shader.PropertyToID("_BrushCenter");
@@ -446,12 +477,22 @@ public partial class MeshPainter : MonoBehaviour
 
         // Seed the X-ray reveal target from the authored alpha so the fade baseline matches the material
         // (authored 0 = off). NetworkPlayerSetup drives this target at runtime; Update eases the alpha to it.
-        if (_materialInstance.HasProperty(XRayColorId)) _xrayTarget = _materialInstance.GetColor(XRayColorId).a;
+        // Also cache the authored glow rgb + pulse strength so the hit flash can boost/restore them.
+        if (_materialInstance.HasProperty(XRayColorId))
+        {
+            Color xc = _materialInstance.GetColor(XRayColorId);
+            _xrayBaseColor = new Color(xc.r, xc.g, xc.b, 1f);
+            _xrayTarget = xc.a;
+        }
+        if (_materialInstance.HasProperty(XRayPulseStrengthId))
+            _xrayBasePulseStrength = _materialInstance.GetFloat(XRayPulseStrengthId);
 
         BuildSeedColors();
         // Always start fresh from the material seed. Saved paintings are loaded explicitly from the
         // HUD library (MeshPainter.Persistence), never auto-loaded on start.
         SetupBackend(useGpu, _seedCanonical);
+        _backendSeeded = !DeferInitialSeed;
+        DeferInitialSeed = false; // one-shot: only the initial build defers; later (re)builds seed normally
         ConfigureMaterialPbr();
         InitUndoHistory(); // baseline = material seed, captured before any stroke
 

Assets/Scripts/Network/NetworkPlayerSetup.cs

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using Unity.Netcode;
 using UnityEngine;
+using Chameleon.Components;
 
 /// <summary>
 /// Per-avatar network glue on the spawned player. The local owner binds the scene singletons
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ public class NetworkPlayerSetup : NetworkBehaviour
     public void MarkConversionSpawn(Vector3 worldPos) => _conversionSpawnPos = worldPos;
 
     private Renderer[] _bodyRenderers; // skinned body mesh(es), toggled by the per-client visibility pass
+    private FurShellRenderer[] _furRenderers; // fur draws via a custom GPU-instanced pass (NOT a Renderer); gated with the body so the avatar reveals atomically and never shows stale pooled fur
     private bool _visibilityApplied;
     private bool _lastVisible = true;
     private bool _renderGate; // conversion: body force-hidden until the fresh hunter has settled into place
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ public class NetworkPlayerSetup : NetworkBehaviour
     private PlayerCharacterController _controller; // sibling, cached (the freeze re-asserts per frame)
     private bool _xrayApplied;
     private bool _lastXRay;
+    private bool _lastFlash;
     private bool _frozenApplied;
     private bool _lastFrozen;
     private float _xrayFlashUntil; // Time.time deadline for the just-shot X-ray flash (local per client)
@@ -122,6 +125,7 @@ public class NetworkPlayerSetup : NetworkBehaviour
     {
         _active.Add(this); // scoreboard registry (paired with OnNetworkDespawn)
         _bodyRenderers = GetComponentsInChildren<SkinnedMeshRenderer>(true);
+        _furRenderers = GetComponentsInChildren<FurShellRenderer>(true);
         _painter = GetComponentInChildren<MeshPainter>(true);
         _paintSync = GetComponentInChildren<PlayerPaintSync>(true);
         _concealment = GetComponentInChildren<ConcealmentMeter>(true);
@@ -297,6 +301,12 @@ public class NetworkPlayerSetup : NetworkBehaviour
         if (_bodyRenderers != null)
             foreach (var r in _bodyRenderers)
                 if (r) r.enabled = visible;
+        // Fur is drawn by a custom GPU-instanced pass, NOT a Renderer, so the skinned-mesh toggle above
+        // misses it; gate it too (enabled=false unsubscribes its camera hook), or a deferred/reveal-gated
+        // body would show stale pooled fur strands while its own mesh is hidden.
+        if (_furRenderers != null)
+            foreach (var f in _furRenderers)
+                if (f) f.enabled = visible;
         _lastVisible = visible;
         _visibilityApplied = true;
     }
@@ -353,20 +363,21 @@ public class NetworkPlayerSetup : NetworkBehaviour
     private void UpdateXRayReveal()
     {
         if (!_painter) return;
-        bool reveal = ComputeXRay();
-        if (_xrayApplied && reveal == _lastXRay) return;
-        _painter.XRayRevealed = reveal;
+        // Just-shot flash: a hunter's hit lights this hider up for a brief window (server-broadcast). It drives
+        // a distinct, much stronger flash mode (steady + boosted), so it is tracked apart from the normal reveal.
+        bool flash = Time.time < _xrayFlashUntil;
+        bool reveal = flash || ComputeXRay();
+        if (_xrayApplied && reveal == _lastXRay && flash == _lastFlash) return;
+        _painter.SetXRayReveal(reveal, flash);
         _lastXRay = reveal;
+        _lastFlash = flash;
         _xrayApplied = true;
     }
 
-    // The X-ray reveal predicate for this avatar on the local machine.
+    // The normal (non-flash) X-ray reveal predicate for this avatar on the local machine. The just-shot flash
+    // is OR-combined by the caller so it can select the stronger flash mode.
     private bool ComputeXRay()
     {
-        // Just-shot flash: a hunter's hit lights this hider up for a brief window (server-broadcast), on top
-        // of the normal reveal triggers, so the moment of the hit reads before the hider leaves play.
-        if (Time.time < _xrayFlashUntil) return true;
-
         // Buried-hider reveal: already gated to hider + running match on the owner before it is published.
         if (_embeddedReveal.Value) return true;
 

Assets/Scripts/Network/PlayerPaintSync.cs

@@ -158,6 +158,12 @@ public class PlayerPaintSync : NetworkBehaviour
             // Remote replica: never paint from this machine's mouse; paint only from replicated data.
             _painter.PaintingEnabled = false;
 
+            // Skip the wasted base seed on the initial backend build: this reveal-gated body stays hidden
+            // until the painting snapshot is applied (which re-seeds the backend), so seeding grey/white at
+            // Start only stalls this observer's spawn frame. Set BEFORE the painter's Start (OnNetworkSpawn
+            // runs first), so the deferral takes effect.
+            _painter.DeferInitialSeed = true;
+
             // Track the owner's emission intensity; seed the current (late-join) value right away.
             _emissionIntensity.OnValueChanged += OnEmissionChanged;
             _painter.emissionIntensity = _emissionIntensity.Value;