Research Brief Save Integrity V3

Identity

Worker w-save_integrity_v3-a1; task save_integrity_v3; research/implement. Read .agent-cache/WORKER.md. Bus script %USERPROFILE%/.agents/skills/agent-cache-orchestrator/scripts/acbus.py.

Objective

Determine the exact cause of our malformed custom-map save candidates offline. Fix the candidate builder and derive game.details checksum if possible. Prior reports are hypotheses, not trustworthy runtime proof.

Verification behavior

For every important assurance provide a negative counterexample. Report uncertainty and failed hypotheses explicitly. Correct DAT hashes alone do not imply a structurally valid save. Do not conclude verify files block saves from AES strings or unknown checksum alone.

Sources

• tools/build_custom_save_candidate.py (currently replaces NUL strings in mapstart, but length prefixes may remain stale; checkpoint special case duplicated).
• re_probes/save_backups/SLOT0_before_c2custom (original FC2-WOLF0)
• re_probes/custom_save_candidates/FC2-WOLF0-c2v1_custom_v2
• tools/probe_savegame.py, tools/savehash.py, docs/spielstaende.md
• public primary id Software Doom3/BFG idDict::Checksum source: test dictionary checksum algorithms against multiple distinct original game.details. Browse when using external sources.

Ownership

tools/build_custom_save_candidate.py; new tools/probe_details_checksum.py; new tools/verify_custom_save_candidate.py; re_probes/agent_reports/save_integrity_v3.md; new isolated candidate under re_probes/custom_save_candidates/v3.

Forbidden

No live save writes, game install writes, launches, process memory modifications, or claims of playable map. No broad test suites. Other docs and source belong to master.

Acceptance

Find concrete structural errors by parsing actual original/candidate files; preserve untouched structures; candidate identity transform should be byte-exact for relevant DAT/details; longer/shorter names must round-trip; deliberate malformed prefixes/checksum rejected. Check game.details checksum on corpus if solved, not one sample. If not solved, clearly mark candidate invalid/unverified.

Coordination and deliverable

Checkpoint meaningful milestones, publish proven cross-worker findings, return concise findings and artifacts. Finish bus task when work done, master verifies. Real token metrics only if available.