Jake Ferguson
# LCIE – Live Character Interaction Engine (Unity Prototype)
> Unity 2022.3.62f2 prototype
> Modular architecture for live 3D/holographic characters, synchronized performances, and AI-driven interactions.
> This build establishes the core engine – **SPM, CEM, DSM, MCM, and UIM** – within one Unity project.
> **Multitrack MIDI** is the canonical show format for animation timing and synchronization.
---
## ⚙️ Table of Contents
1. [Overview](#1-overview)
2. [High-Level Architecture](#2-high-level-architecture)
3. [Unity Setup & Conventions](#3-unity-setup--conventions)
4. [Folder Structure](#4-folder-structure)
5. [Show File Format (MIDI + JSON fallback)](#5-show-file-format--multitrack-midi)
6. [Show Performance Module (SPM)](#6-show-performance-module-spm)
7. [Character Engine Module (CEM)](#7-character-engine-module-cem)
8. [Main Control Module (MCM)](#8-main-control-module-mcm)
9. [Data Storage Module (DSM)](#9-data-storage-module-dsm)
10. [User Interface Module (UIM)](#10-user-interface-module-uim)
11. [Networking (Unity + Node.js microservices)](#11-networking-unity--nodejs)
12. [Node.js Skeletons (CEM & DSM servers)](#12-nodejs-skeletons)
13. [Character State Management & Relative Movements](#13-character-state-management--relative-movements)
14. [Development Workflow & CI](#14-development-workflow)
15. [Copilot Prompts](#15-copilot-prompts)
16. [Roadmap](#16-roadmap)
17. [Appendices: Code & Data Samples](#17-appendices)
---
## 1. Overview
The **Live Character Interaction Engine (LCIE)** is a modular framework for real-time animated character systems that combine:
- Pre-scripted performances (via MIDI show files)
- Real-time interaction through AI modules
- Unified orchestration via networked modules
In this prototype, everything runs inside **one Unity project** for development simplicity.
Later stages will deploy individual modules (like CEM and DSM) as standalone **Node.js microservices** communicating via HTTP/WebSocket.
---
## 2. High-Level Architecture
```
┌────────────────┐ ┌────────────────┐ ┌────────────────┐
│ UIM │◄────▶│ MCM │◄────▶│ DSM │
│ (Unity UI) │ │(Coordinator) │ │(File/Asset) │
└────────────────┘ └────────┬───────┘─────┴────┬────────────┘
│ │
│ │
┌────────▼──────┐ ┌──────▼──────────┐
│ SPM │◄────▶│ CEM │
│(Show/Render) │ │(AI/Dialogue) │
└───────────────┘ └────────────────┘
```
### Modules Summary
| Module | Description |
| ------- |...