msw-general

MSW General — Foundation Skill

The foundation skill for MSW (MapleStory Worlds) creation, integrating shared tools, domain knowledge, platform rules, and file authoring. Every other MSW skill depends on it.

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Core Principle: Visual Polish

MSW is a game creation platform. The goal is not a prototype where logic merely runs — it is a polished game players can enjoy.

So whatever entity you create — monster, NPC, tower, item, background object — search for and apply appropriate resources (sprites, animations, sounds) that match its role and personality. Do not leave the default sprite in place or leave SpriteRUID empty.

Resource application principle when creating an entity:

1. After creating the entity, use the msw-search skill to find sprites/animations that fit it
2. Apply the RUID of the found resource to SpriteRendererComponent so the entity is visually represented
3. If there is combat, also set hit/explosion effects; if there is interaction, set sound effects

Functionality implemented != finished. A polished game requires appropriate resources plus visual presentation.

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When making a .model — catalog first

Do not start a new .model from an empty file. The skill-local models/ folder contains validated templates organized by category — monsters (ChaseMonster/MoveMonster/StaticMonster), NPC (StaticNPC), players (Player/DefaultPlayer), terrain (Foothold/Ladder/Rope/Portal), map objects (MapObject/SkeletonMapObject/ItemAsset), particles (BasicParticle/SpriteParticle/AreaParticle/AnimationPlayer), sound (Sound/SoundEffect), tile map containers (TileMap/RectTileMap), UI (UIButton/UIText/UISprite/UIGroup, etc.), external media (WebSprite/YoutubePlayerWorld).

Workflow: Read references/model.md IN FULL FIRST (mandatory — see "Model Work Preflight — MUST" below) → pick the closest template from the catalog → load it via ModelBuilder (call protocol: references/builder-protocol.md core + references/builder-protocol-model.md) → replace the 3 identifiers (EntryKey, Id, Name) through the builder → customize Components/Values/Properties/Children through the builder → save under a typed subfolder of RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/ (e.g. Models/Monsters/{Name}.model, never directly under MyDesk/) → refresh. Detailed catalog and builder procedure: references/model.md §2.

The builder emits the required value metadata, so agents do not need to read or hand-write .model format internals.

For a monster, first pick a pattern in references/animation-state.md §0, then follow references/monster.md §5 for the recommended path.

• Pattern A (verified working canonical — Soldier reference setup, full source inlined in references/monster.md §7): no template needed; assemble 11 components from scratch with a custom script.MyMonsterAI (SoldierAI-style) instead of AIChase/AIWander. StateComponent.IsLegacy left at the default.
• Pattern B (MonsterCanonical.model): AIChaseComponent + ActionSheet pipeline. StateComponent.IsLegacy=false mandatory. The other monster templates (ChaseMonster / MoveMonster / StaticMonster) leave ActionSheet empty and use defaults that silently fail under Pattern B (uppercase keys, SortingLayer="Default", IsLegacy=true).

For any entity that has StateAnimationComponent (monster/NPC) or AvatarStateAnimationComponent (player) — or any .mlua that calls ChangeState / AddState / SetActionSheet — also read references/animation-state.md. The state-machine ↔ animation pipeline, the two-pattern split, default-state registration rules, [LEA-3005] cause, and SetActionSheet vs ChangeState semantics live there (not duplicated into per-entity docs).

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Placing multiple entities — model first

If the same entity is going to appear twice or more in a map (5 monsters, 10 trees, 3 portals, …), author a .model first and place each instance via modelId rather than copy-pasting inline @components.

Why this is the default:

• Edit once, propagate everywhere — change SpriteRUID/HP/ActionSheet in the model and every instance updates. Inline copies require touching N entities each time.
• Smaller, reviewable .map diffs — modelId instances carry only Transform overrides; inline copies bloat the map by hundreds of lines per entity.
• Avoids drift — five inline copies silently diverge (one gets IsLegacy: true, another forgets SortingLayer: "MapLayer0"). The model anchors the canonical values.
• Required for SpawnByModelId — without a registered model id, dynamic spawning fails.

Workflow:

1. Author .model under RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/{Category}/{Name}.model (see folder rule above).
2. Place each instance via MapBuilder (call protocol: references/builder-protocol.md core + references/builder-protocol-map.md) so ids, paths, componentNames, origin metadata, and per-instance component overrides stay synchronized.
3. refresh.

Details and the inline-vs-modelId comparison: references/entity.md "Two-Step Map Editing Workflow", references/model.md §1.

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Preflight read semantics — applies to every "MUST Read" in this skill

"Read X FIRST" in the preflights and Absolute Principles means: X must be fully in context before the work starts — not "re-read X every turn". Read the file IN FULL (no offset/limit, no cat/Get-Content) only if it was never loaded this session or was lost to context compaction. Do not re-read a file that is already fully in context — presence in context is the requirement; re-reading is waste. Memory or a summary of a file does not count as the file being in context, and a prior turn having loaded it does not exempt this turn from confirming it is still there.

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Entity Work Preflight — MUST

If the task involves an entity in any way, you must read references/entity.md first. No exceptions.

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Builder Protocol Preflight — MUST

If the task creates or modifies any .map / .model / .ui file — directly, or as a side effect of writing .mlua that spawns / places / binds — references/builder-protocol.md (core) plus the per-builder file for each file type the task mutates — references/builder-protocol-map.md (.map) / references/builder-protocol-model.md (.model) / references/builder-protocol-ui.md (.ui) — must be fully in context FIRST (read semantics above). No exceptions.

The protocol is one unified entry point split into a shared core (builder-protocol.md — routing, common workflow, chaining contract, §0 pre-flight, §4 cross-flow, §5 checklist) plus per-builder files (builder-protocol-map.md §1 / builder-protocol-model.md §2 / builder-protocol-ui.md §3). Knowing only one builder's protocol and then invoking another builder's .cjs bypasses that builder's write-side contract (componentNames sync, Values typeKey metadata, write-time auto-lint, placeModel component mirroring, child entity invariants) — the three are interlocked through cross-flow (model authoring → map placement → ui binding), so cross-flow work loads every matching per-builder file.

Triggers (intentionally broad — load the missing protocol file(s) whenever any match):

• .map changes (entity placement, component patching, tile / foothold inspection)
• .model changes (new authoring, value / component / property / child edits)
• .ui changes (new build, component CRUD, binding injection)
• Any call to MapBuilder / ModelBuilder / UIBuilder
• Requests shaped like "entity-shaped" work — monster / NPC / projectile / map object / popup / HUD, etc.
• Any code using _SpawnService (a spawnable model must be authored and placed first)

The domain refs (entity.md / model.md / msw-ui-system design references) are read alongside the protocol files — they are not substitutes (domain context + call protocol are a pair). Confirm they are still in context on every turn that fires a trigger — re-read only what was never loaded or was lost to compaction.

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Model Work Preflight — MUST

If the task involves authoring or editing a .model file in any way — including any call to ModelBuilder (any API), creating a new model from a template, mutating components/values/properties/children/event links on an existing model, or even a one-line tweak — references/model.md must be fully in context FIRST (read semantics above). No exceptions.

The builder's template catalog, the 3-identifier replacement rule (EntryKey / Id / Name), required value metadata, property/child/event-link API surface, and the typed save-folder layout under RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/ live only in references/model.md. Calling the builder without reading references/model.md first silently produces broken models (missing value metadata, mismatched identifiers, wrong save folder, default-value silent failures). Reading scattered template files or guessing the API from memory is not a substitute — at the start of every turn that touches a .model, confirm it is still in context and re-read only if it was lost.

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Map Work Preflight (do this BEFORE any map work)

Before starting any map-related task — entity placement, spawn, movement scripts, model authoring, tile edits, etc. — you must complete these two steps in order:

1. Identify the target map — its path (./map/{mapname}.map), its root entity, and its location in the Hierarchy.
2. Use MapBuilder to read MapComponent.TileMapMode as a number (call protocol: references/builder-protocol.md core + references/builder-protocol-map.md). Keep the value in mind for the rest of the session.

Never start map work without knowing the current TileMapMode. The three modes differ completely in Body component, gravity, collision, and event stacks. A mismatch is almost never a compile-time error — it shows up either as a silent failure (entity doesn't move / passes through walls / invisible) or as one of the three [LEA-3004] MissingComponent runtime logs above. Whenever you see one of those three messages, suspect a TileMapMode ↔ entity Body mismatch first.

Recommending the right mode — MUST when starting a new map or when the current mode is clearly wrong for the user's goal

Whenever the user describes what game / map they want to build (new map authoring, "make a side-scroller", "I want a top-down dungeon", or you read the current .map and find its TileMapMode does not fit the user's intended gameplay), you must explicitly recommend the appropriate TileMapMode to the user and explain why before proceeding with any further entity / model / script work.

Use this decision matrix as the source of truth:

Procedure:

1. If the user has not yet told you what kind of game they want, ask before recommending a mode (one short question is enough — e.g. "Is it top-down, or side-scrolling (jump/ladder)? And is the terrain based on freely placed footholds, or a square tile grid?").
2. Once the intent is clear, state the recommendation (mode number + name + one-sentence rationale) and the matching Body / map component the user will need (platform.md §4 mapping table).
3. Lock the choice in early — switching TileMapMode later wipes terrain, forces every Body / movement script to be re-checked, and may force re-painting all tiles (platform.md §4 "Cautions When Switching Map Type").

Changing TileMapMode — user action in Maker, not an AI file edit

The AI must never flip MapComponent.TileMapMode by editing the .map JSON directly. Mode switching requires swapping tile components, rebuilding footholds, converting tile-data formats, and resetting terrain — all internal Maker operations.

Guide the user to do this in the Maker editor:

1. Open the Maker editor's Hierarchy window.
2. Right-click the target map entity in the Hierarchy.
3. From the context menu, choose the "Switch ..." option that matches the target mode (Switch TileMap / RectTileMap / SideViewRectTileMap). Maker performs the conversion, swaps the tile component, and resets terrain as needed.
4. After the user confirms the switch is complete, call MCP refresh, then re-read MapComponent.TileMapMode to verify and re-check every dynamic entity's Body component against the new mode.

The AI's role in mode changes: recommend → wait for user to right-click-switch in Maker Hierarchy → refresh → fix Body components / scripts that no longer match. Never write a new value to TileMapMode from a file edit.

The table above is a summary. The mode-switch procedure, the post-Body-swap checklist, and the silent-failure symptom dictionary beyond LEA-3004 live only in references/platform.md §4 (mapping + check protocol + switching policy) and references/troubleshooting.md (full symptom dictionary) — you must Read them when changing modes / swapping Body / debugging silent failures. Per-map-type detail patterns: platform-maple.md / platform-rect.md / platform-sideview.md. Tile painting: references/tile.md. Map Work Preflight: references/entity.md.

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Platform Rules Preflight — MUST when any of these triggers fire

If any of the following triggers matches your task, Read the corresponding reference before editing code or proposing a plan. These triggers are intentionally broad — when in doubt, read. The "8 Core Rules" in this SKILL.md are a summary only; the symptom→cause→fix tables, per-map-type code patterns, the MovementComponent conversion formulas, and SortingLayer/SpriteRUID details live only in references.

If two or more triggers match, read all of them. "I already saw the 8 Core Rules in SKILL.md" is not an excuse for skipping references.

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8 Core Rules (must memorize)

1. If you don't align TileMapMode ↔ Body mapping, the entity will not move (no error) or raises [LEA-3004] MissingComponent at runtime → references/platform.md §4 (or if approaching by symptom, references/troubleshooting.md)
2. User scripts only work as a .mlua + .codeblock pair — .codeblock is generated by Maker Refresh
3. If SpriteRUID is an empty string, the entity is invisible on screen (no error)
4. When calling SpawnByModelId, not passing a map entity (self.Entity.CurrentMap) as parent causes a runtime error
5. Coordinates are in world units (1 unit = 100 px). Pixel values are off by 100x
6. Maker only scans RootDesk/ — user files placed in Global/ will not be recognized
7. Do not modify .d.mlua or .codeblock.
8. CoreVersion is 26.7.0.0 — do not work if there is a mismatch

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MCP Tool Quick Reference (msw-maker-mcp)

On MCP call failure / "MCP connection" / "API Key" requests → guide the user to the official setup docs: https://maplestoryworlds-creators.nexon.com/ko/docs?postId=1368

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Per-task routing — which reference to read

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Absolute Principles (apply to every task)

0. If the task involves an entity, read references/entity.md first. No exceptions. 0-bis. If the user's request mentions any UI element (popup, HUD, button, toast, panel, dialog window, menu, tab, layout, screen, bar/gauge, slot) OR involves writing/editing .ui files, BEFORE proposing any plan, options, or questions to the user:
   1. Invoke msw-ui-system via the Skill tool first — the single UI entry point (design judgment, component API, enums, layout recipes, runtime patterns, UUID binding, builder invocation protocol unified in one skill).
   2. All .ui mutations must go through msw-ui-system's UIBuilder — no direct raw JSON editing or grep. Read existing .ui files via UIBuilder's read-side API too. (Call protocol: references/builder-protocol.md core + references/builder-protocol-ui.md §3.)
   3. (Optional) If you need UI pattern templates (simple popup, minimal HUD, multi-tab, shop flow), Read/Glob the files under msw-ui-system/references/templates/ directly (templates.md + style-N-*/ + ruid-map.md + Popupbutton.mlua). No exceptions. 0-ter. If the task will create, modify, rename, or delete ANY .mlua file — including new scripts, edits to existing scripts, adding/removing a Component/@Logic/@Event/@State/@BTNode, wiring lifecycle methods (OnBeginPlay/OnUpdate/...), or even small one-line fixes — you MUST Read BOTH msw-scripting/SKILL.md AND msw-scripting/references/verify-checklist.md IN FULL FIRST (no offset/limit, no cat/Get-Content). Reading msw-general plus scattered .d.mlua files is not a substitute. This applies even when a previous turn already loaded msw-scripting — re-confirm at the start of the new turn. Trigger phrases are intentionally broad: if there is any chance the turn will touch a .mlua, treat it as triggered. No exceptions, no "I already know this", no shortcut via memory. 0-quater. If the task involves spawning, movement, jump/gravity, coordinate placement, layer/order debugging, MapleTile/RectTile/SideViewRectTile-specific logic, OR you observe any silent-failure symptom ([LEA-3004] log, "won't move", "won't render", "floating in mid-air", "stuck in wall", "disappears off the map", "falls off the foothold edge", "100× off", "doesn't show in Maker", "client-only sync"), the matching references/platform*.md / references/troubleshooting.md MUST be fully in context FIRST (Read only if missing — see "Preflight read semantics"). Additionally, if the symptom is animation/state-related ([LEA-3005] log, 'stateName' is not a valid argument, animation doesn't match behavior, stuck in stand/idle clip while moving, attack pose never plays, hit loops, custom state never animates, anything touching StateComponent / StateType / ChangeState / AddState / ActionSheet / SetActionSheet / StateAnimationComponent), references/animation-state.md MUST be fully in context FIRST before any code or model edit. The 8 Core Rules in this SKILL.md are summary only — the symptom→cause→fix tables, per-map-type code patterns (Foothold patrol / RectTile 4-directional movement / SideView wall detection), the MovementComponent InputSpeed conversion formula, SpriteRUID, SortingLayer/OrderInLayer detail, SpawnByModelId initialization order, folder metadata Refresh policy, and CoreVersion policy live only in references. Trigger phrases are intentionally broad: if there is any chance the turn touches one of these areas, treat as triggered. For the matching Read targets, follow the trigger table in the "Platform Rules Preflight — MUST" section above. No exceptions, no "I already know this from the 8 Core Rules", no shortcut via memory.
1. Visual polish — never leave SpriteRUID empty. Use msw-search to find resources.
2. refresh after content file changes that Maker must ingest (if in play mode, stop first). Folder-only changes do not need immediate refresh.
3. Never modify Environment/*.d.mlua — API definitions are read-only.
4. Never create .codeblock by hand — Maker refresh generates it from .mlua. Folder metadata is also generated from real folders during refresh.
5. Do not create new user files in Global/ — Maker will not recognize them. User files belong under RootDesk/MyDesk/.
6. Structured files prefer builders, and the call manual is one unified entry point — a shared core plus per-builder files — .model / .ui are builder-only; .map is builder-first. The call protocol for all three builders — MapBuilder / ModelBuilder / UIBuilder — is consolidated in references/builder-protocol.md (core) plus the per-builder files (builder-protocol-map.md / builder-protocol-model.md / builder-protocol-ui.md). The core + the file(s) matching the mutated types must be in context on every turn that mutates .map / .model / .ui (see Builder Protocol Preflight). Direct raw JSON edits are allowed only in the coverage-gap areas explicitly listed in the per-builder files — minimal scope + refresh + logs verification.
7. Entity reference binding (Entity/EntityRef property) — the AI injects the UUID string directly. Do not ask the user to drag in Maker.
8. Stop work on CoreVersion mismatch — first verify CoreVersion in Environment/config is 26.7.0.0.
9. Call screenshot only when the user explicitly requests it. Never call it automatically after task completion.
10. If a workflow step fails mid-flow, stop later steps — fix the root cause first.
11. Two-or-more = make a model. Whenever the same entity composition is placed ≥2 times in a map, author a .model first and instance it via modelId. Inline @components duplication is reserved for genuine one-off entities.
12. Models live in typed subfolders. Save new .model files under a category subfolder of RootDesk/MyDesk/Models/ (e.g. Models/Monsters/, Models/NPCs/, Models/Terrain/, Models/MapObjects/, Models/Particles/, Models/UI/) — never directly under MyDesk/ or Models/. When a needed subfolder does not exist, create the folder only; Maker Refresh will generate folder metadata later (see references/platform.md §2).
13. Translation is client-side only. _LocalizationService and Translator methods (GetText / GetTextFormat) are all ClientOnly. For server-originated localized messages, send the key over RPC and let the client resolve it.
14. Cross-platform tool selection — no shell for workspace exploration, use tools. Use the Glob / Read / Grep tools for all workspace file/folder exploration, reading, and search. Bash commands like ls / dir / Get-ChildItem / gci / cat / type / Get-Content / gc / head / tail / find / where / grep / findstr / Select-String are forbidden for workspace exploration — they are not compatible across Windows (PowerShell/Git Bash) and macOS (bash/zsh), due to shell/path-handling differences (notably, in bash a path like D:\path\foo has its backslashes consumed as escapes and collapses to D:pathfoo). Use Bash only for actual shell programs (git / npm / MCP / build scripts), and even then: (a) prefer workspace-relative paths, (b) if an absolute path is unavoidable, use forward slashes + double quotes ("D:/path/to/map/", never pass D:\... form), (c) use POSIX commands only (ls / mv / cp / rm). If you see an error like ls: cannot access 'D:path...': No such file or directory, stop immediately and retry via Glob / Read.
15. .model files are builder-only — and the builder requires references/model.md (domain) plus references/builder-protocol.md core and references/builder-protocol-model.md (call protocol) first. Do not inspect or edit .model JSON directly. Before using ModelBuilder, all of these documents must be fully in context (read semantics above) — both "Model Work Preflight" and "Builder Protocol Preflight" fire. Identifier / value-metadata / property / child / event-link consistency is only guaranteed when they are read together.
16. .map files are builder-first. Use MapBuilder for covered inspection and mutation so entity ids, paths, component names, origin metadata, and model instance mirrors stay consistent. If MapBuilder explicitly does not cover the required operation, make the smallest direct .map edit possible, then refresh and verify. Full API / require path / per-operation patterns / coverage gaps / false-return handling / cross-flow: references/builder-protocol-map.md §1 + references/builder-protocol.md §4 (read alongside references/entity.md for domain context).