# V5 — Architecture (Page Index)

This directory holds the V5 (a UE5 open-world narrative universe of six "ruleset
cells" — urban crime, period drama, frontier, monster hunter, and two sci-fi —
on a shared engine; the largest V-product) architecture reference, decomposed
from the single [`../V5_ARCHITECTURE.md`](../V5_ARCHITECTURE.md) hub into
focused, in-depth, code-grounded pages. The hub remains the canonical entry
point and preserves every section heading; each page below expands one part of
the system with richer, code-grounded detail and an honest implemented /
spec-only status. The companion feature map lives in
[`../V5_features.md`](../V5_features.md).

> **Cross-reference convention.** Page-to-page links are relative
> (`./<slug>.md`). Platform-foundation links point at the shared
> [`platform/`](../../platform/overview.html) space.

## Architecture landscape

```mermaid
flowchart TB
  Host[V5 world and ruleset host] --> Cells[Cell plugins and content versions]
  Cells --> Gameplay[GAS animation input combat vehicles mounts and ships]
  Gameplay --> AI[Perception crowds morality dialogue and interrogation]
  AI --> Mind[Mind Palace case evidence and deduction]
  Gameplay --> World[Modes streaming procgen and open-world state]
  World --> Authority[Netcode persistence cross-play and progression]
  Creator[Creator suite authored corpus and workshop] --> Mind
  Creator --> Cells
  Mind --> Data[(Cases clues saves world revisions provenance and rights)]
  Authority --> Services[Online live service community companion and providers]
  Data --> Build[Telemetry build cook quality security compliance and release]
  Services --> Build
```

V5 composes a large shared runtime, but canonical cell truth and authored case
truth remain versioned inputs rather than mutable side effects. Creator tools
publish reviewed versions; active sessions and saves never read an ungoverned
draft directly.

Use this index to trace one change through module/plugin ownership, authored
schemas and compatibility, shared/cell gameplay, world and authority,
persistence/services, presentation, telemetry, build, and recovery. Pair the
trace with the [feature index](../features/README.md) and name the applicable
cells, content versions, platforms, and player journey.

Every focused architecture page appears exactly once below. The
[V5 documentation guide](../docs/README.md) provides the six-cell truth model
and role paths; the [diagram atlas](../docs/diagram-atlas.md) provides the
shared visual vocabulary. Backlog, dependencies, current implementation/assets,
tests, rights, builds, and operational evidence govern completion.

## Orientation

- [Product Promise & Subsystem Glossary](./promise-and-glossary.md) — what V5
  commits to and every subsystem mapped to code.
- [Topology, Project Layout & Module Split](./topology-layout-module-split.md) —
  the runtime topology and how the 74 modules split by concern.

## Shared Gameplay Foundations

- [GAS, Animation & Input](./gas-animation-input.md) — the shared ability,
  animation, and input pipelines.
- [Perception, Crowd & the Morality System](./perception-crowd-and-morality.md)
  — AI perception, crowd simulation, and the morality/reputation system.

## Multiplayer, Modes & World Simulation

- [Netcode, Authority & Determinism](./netcode-authority-and-determinism.md) —
  the netcode model, server authority, and determinism.
- [Modes, World Streaming & Procedural Generation](./modes-streaming-procgen.md)
  — the modes, world streaming, and procgen.

## Platform, Services & Live Operations

- [Persistence, Online Services & Cross-Play](./persistence-online-and-crossplay.md)
  — persistence, online services, and cross-play/cross-progression.
- [Audio, VFX, Cinematics & UI](./audio-vfx-cinematics-ui.md) — the presentation
  pipelines.
- [Telemetry, Build & Data](./telemetry-build-and-data.md) — telemetry,
  build/cook, and data architecture.
- [Live Service & DLC](./live-service-and-dlc.md) — the live-service
  architecture and DLC delivery.

## Launch Readiness & Quality

- [Accessibility, Security & Compliance](./accessibility-security-and-compliance.md)
  — accessibility, security/privacy, and compliance.
- [Observability, Performance, Testing & the Content Pipeline](./observability-performance-testing-content-pipeline.md)
  — observability, performance, testing/eval gates, and the content pipeline.

## Signature Subsystems

- [The Creator Suite & the Mind Palace](./creator-suite-and-mind-palace.md) —
  the case-authoring suite and the detective deduction system.
- [Interrogation, Dialogue & Heist Systems](./interrogation-dialogue-and-heist.md)
  — the interrogation, dialogue, and heist systems.
- [Spaceships, Vehicles & Mounts](./spaceship-vehicles-and-mounts.md) — the
  Newtonian ship solver, vehicles, and mounts.
- [Hunter, Period & Bureau Cell Systems](./hunter-period-systems-and-bureau-spine.md)
  — the monster-hunter, period-drama, and urban-crime cell-specific systems.