Melee Part → Exact Variables (MeleeFeel)
Status: Locked (design)
Date: 2026-11-08
Guns parallel: GDD fig-140-3.jpg (Primary/Secondary) + Exact Weapon Variables dense matrix
Frame parallel: GDD O17 (o17.jpg) — part → frame base stats
Art handoff: docs/superpowers/plans/2026-11-08-melee-parts-art-handoff.md
Stubs: docs/superpowers/plans/_melee_module_variants.py
Intent
Section titled “Intent”Melee Refit modules follow the gun module system: each part owns weapon feel dials (Primary + Secondary), visualized as both a Primary/Secondary table and a dense parts×dials matrix. One ownership dictionary feeds both plates.
O17 frame bars stay. V1–V5 numeric effect packages remain TBA — this spec locks who owns what, not balance numbers.
Hard rules
Section titled “Hard rules”- Feel only. Modules change how the weapon moves, recovers, tracks, and hits in the hand.
- Not modifiers. Out of scope on modules: crit, execute, cleave-as-loot, chip%, lifesteal, procs, combo damage scalers, Reach/length, resist/pen affixes.
- Family aliases (Blade, Collar, Shaft, …) are art names only — parent sockets own the variables.
- Block on Guard = frame mitigation / hold-the-line feel — not a Melee Drive Block button (Drive defense = Dodge / vault / slide / Phys Shield / spacing).
- Staves: no Guard module. Clash settle / defense-while-swinging come from Spine / family band only.
- Spine / family data own attack-string length, 1H vs 2H legality, family WSM band floors — never a Refit module.
MeleeFeel columns (matrix headers)
Section titled “MeleeFeel columns (matrix headers)”Gun Exact Weapon Variables → melee analogs:
| Guns | MeleeFeel |
|---|---|
| Recoil Impact | Strike Impact |
| Stability | Swing Stability |
| Jump Sway | Air Sway |
| Reload Mag | Inertia Drop |
| Equip Mag | Equip / Draw |
| Airborne | Air Swing Control |
| Hip-Fire | Free-aim Swing |
| Slide-Fire | Move-Swing |
| Kickback | Recovery Kick |
Matrix columns (locked order):
Strike Impact · Swing Stability · Air Sway · Inertia Drop · Equip/Draw · Air Swing Control · Free-aim Swing · Move-Swing · Recovery Kick
O17 frame owners (unchanged)
Section titled “O17 frame owners (unchanged)”| Parent | Frame bar |
|---|---|
| Head | Damage · AR |
| Guard | Block |
| Haft | WSM |
| Pommel | Balance |
| Core | Channel |
Frame plate numbers are owned by these sockets the way Barrel still owns Damage/Range on guns. V1–V5 sell MeleeFeel, not loot mods.
Ownership table (source of truth)
Section titled “Ownership table (source of truth)”| Part | Frame (O17) | Primary MeleeFeel | Secondary MeleeFeel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head (Blade / Bit / Tip / Talons / Cap / DoubleEdge) | Damage · AR | Strike Impact · Active-frame timing · Sweet-spot bias (tip vs flat, same length) | Recovery Kick on connect · Swing Stability on connect · Hit Impulse feel |
| Guard (Guard / Collar / KnucklePlate) | Block | Clash settle · Defense-while-swinging feel · Swing Stability under trade | Free-aim Swing tightness · Recovery Kick damp · Move-Swing guard carry |
| Haft (Grip / Haft / Shaft / HandBrace / GripWrap) | WSM | WSM / cadence feel · Inertia Drop · Handling turn-in | Equip/Draw · Free-aim Swing · Air Swing Control · Move-Swing |
| Pommel (Pommel / ButtSpike / Counterweight / ButtCap / Brace) | Balance | Balance · Recovery Kick · Momentum carry | Strike Impact contribution · Air Sway · Swing Stability after miss · Stagger feel outbound |
| Core (Cell / Servo) | Channel | Channel spool-up · Channel regen cadence · Special/charge ready timing | Inertia Drop after channel verb · Equip/Draw with live cell · Air Swing Control while channeling |
Soft taxes
Section titled “Soft taxes”- Heavier Pommel → more Balance / Recovery Kick authority; soft-taxes WSM (Haft still owns WSM).
- Higher Head Strike Impact → soft-taxes Inertia Drop.
- Heavier Guard hold → soft-taxes Handling turn-in.
Plates
Section titled “Plates”| Plate | Role |
|---|---|
| O17 | Part → frame base stats (existing; keep) |
| fig-142.jpg | Melee Family Part Matrix (O14 sibling) — family → alias map; Staves omit Guard; Wrist-only — 1280×720 · style lock gdd_artstyle_lock.jpg |
| fig-140-4.jpg | Melee Primary/Secondary table (fig-140-3 sibling) — 1280×720 |
| fig-140-5.jpg | Exact Melee Variables matrix (gun matrix sibling) — 1280×720 |
Do not overwrite o18.jpg / o19.jpg (those are Five Corps armor plates).
Art size lock: 1280×720 JPG per tf-gdd-pictures-grok-size.mdc (infographic lock from 2026-11-08). Do not stretch. Do not treat O15 as the parts/variables plate.
Explicit non-goals (this spec)
Section titled “Explicit non-goals (this spec)”- V1–V5 balance numbers / effect packages (still TBA)
- UE / GAS implementation
- Changing family socket aliases or Wrist Razors/Claws collapse
- Inventing Reach or length as a Head dial
Related
Section titled “Related”docs/superpowers/plans/2026-11-08-melee-parts-art-handoff.mddocs/superpowers/plans/_melee_module_variants.pydocs/inventory/demo-mod-item-specs.md(Melee plate: Damage · Block · Speed · Knockback · Channel — Speed≈WSM, Knockback≈Weight side)- GDD figures:
o17.jpg,fig-140-3.jpg