wip(standalone): GPU step 18 -- warm-up marker: hybrid now wins cached and ties first launch

App-owned marker (bin/VoxelForgeGpuWarmup.state: adapter, driver, shader sources and
binaries). Miss -> CPU builds the first view, shader warm-up runs after it. Match ->
warm-up overlaps startup, at Normal thread priority (was Idle).
My runs outside the sandbox (Step18.exe, marker removed first, interleaved):
  CPU 1.395 / 1.363 / 1.329 s
  GPU 1.409 (marker miss, cold driver: 0 GPU tiles, warm-up 683 ms after present)
      / 1.290 / 1.278 / 1.289 s (marker match: warm-up queue 4.6 / 3.6 / 191 ms,
      GPU took 1,394 / 1,410 / 1,115 tiles, CPU mesh sum 5.1 -> 1.3-2.0 s,
      GPU busy 206-227 ms)
Cached target was <= 1.26 s: not met. With the GPU taking almost every tile, the
wall barely moves, so the rest of the 1.28 s is outside meshing. Known risk: if the
marker matches but the driver cache was evicted, the launch pays ~2.2 s (Luna's
sandbox runs).
Audits: hashes w1/w8, walk 5,642/5,642, near 960 / far 1,114 tiles 0 diffs vs CPU
and WARP, thin 353 cells, survival 6.14 GB, ten captures (2+2 edge pixels as step 17).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01MmSoF64BbRFmk9C3p1VsBJ

Standalone/Research/OwnerShapeWorld/gpu_field_port/RunGpuFarAgreement.ps1

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [CmdletBinding()]
-param([string]$ExecutableName='VoxelForgeGpuFarAgreement.exe',[string]$LogStem='whole_far_rx7900_warp',[switch]$WholeFar,[switch]$WholeNear,[int]$ClipRadius=3)
+param([string]$ExecutableName='VoxelForgeGpuFarAgreement.exe',[string]$LogStem='whole_far_rx7900_warp',[switch]$WholeFar,[switch]$WholeNear,[switch]$FindThinFeature,[int]$ClipRadius=3)
 
 $ErrorActionPreference='Stop'
 if([IO.Path]::GetFileName($LogStem)-ne$LogStem){throw 'LogStem must be a filename stem.'}
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ if(-not(Test-Path -LiteralPath $ExecutablePath -PathType Leaf)){throw "GPU field
 $Arguments=@("--clip-radius=$ClipRadius");if($WholeFar){$Arguments+='--whole-far'}
 if($WholeNear){$Arguments+='--whole-near'}
 if($WholeFar-and$WholeNear){throw 'Choose either WholeFar or WholeNear, not both.'}
+if($FindThinFeature-and($WholeFar-or$WholeNear)){throw 'FindThinFeature selects one targeted tile; do not combine it with WholeFar or WholeNear.'}
+if($FindThinFeature){$Arguments+='--find-thin-feature'}
 
 for($Attempt=0;$Attempt -lt 2;$Attempt++)
 {

Standalone/Research/OwnerShapeWorld/gpu_field_port/RunGpuFarViewer.ps1

@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ param(
     [int]$ClipRadius=3,
     [string]$CaptureName='',
     [string]$ExecutableName='VoxelForgeGpuFarHybridViewer.exe',
-    [switch]$WarmupBeforeWorkers
+    [switch]$WarmupBeforeWorkers,
+    [ValidateSet('auto','cold','cached')][string]$WarmupPolicy='auto'
 )
 
 $ErrorActionPreference='Stop'
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ $Arguments=@("--clip-radius=$ClipRadius",'--workers=8','--quit-after-clipmap')
 if($Mode-eq'gpu'){$Arguments+='--gpu-far'}
 elseif($Mode-eq'cpu'){$Arguments+='--cpu-far'}
 else{$Arguments+='--gpu-far-audit'}
+if($Mode-eq'gpu' -and $WarmupPolicy-eq'cold'){$Arguments+='--gpu-far-force-cold-start'}
+elseif($Mode-eq'gpu' -and $WarmupPolicy-eq'cached'){$Arguments+='--gpu-far-force-cached-start'}
 if($Mode-eq'gpu'-and$WarmupBeforeWorkers){$Arguments+='--gpu-far-warmup-before-workers'}
 if($CaptureName)
 {
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ if($CaptureName)
 }
 $Command="`"$ExecutablePath`" $($Arguments -join ' ')"
 Write-Output "VIEWER_COMMAND mode=$Mode $Command"
+if($Mode-eq'gpu'){Write-Output "WARMUP_POLICY requested=$WarmupPolicy state_file=bin\VoxelForgeGpuWarmup.state"}
 
 for($Attempt=0;$Attempt -lt 2;$Attempt++)
 {

Standalone/Research/OwnerShapeWorld/gpu_field_port/STEP18_REPORT.md

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# GPU field port — Step 18 report
+
+Date: 2026-10-07. The viewer and agreement runner were built from `Standalone\` with `/MP8`. Viewer and audit processes ran BelowNormal with affinity `0xFF00`; memory stayed below 8 GB private plus GPU-local memory. No `0xC0000142` retry was needed. All viewers exited. No driver or cache was manually inspected, cleared, or edited; shader warm-up ran through the application as usual. No full-size image was opened in an image viewer.
+
+## Startup policy
+
+The viewer now keeps an app-owned warm-up record at `Standalone\bin\VoxelForgeGpuWarmup.state`. Its key covers the adapter LUID and IDs, driver version, the HLSL source, the GPU runner source, and the production shader binaries. It is a history hint; it does not inspect or prove the contents of the driver cache.
+
+With plain `--gpu-far`, a missing or mismatched record defers GPU pipeline creation and warm-up until the initial CPU view has been presented. A completed full shader warm-up records the key. A matching record selects the early warm-up route. The regular asynchronous warm-up thread now runs at Normal relative priority within the BelowNormal process; audit and before-worker modes retain their previous priority policy. The step 17 exported-mesher skirt-depth fix is unchanged.
+
+`RunGpuFarViewer.ps1` accepts `-WarmupPolicy auto|cold|cached`:
+
+- `auto` follows the app record.
+- `cold` forces the CPU-first deferred route.
+- `cached` forces the early route, whether or not the app record matches.
+
+## Launch measurements
+
+The interleaved CPU controls were 1.357 s and 1.355 s to `[InitialClipmapReady]` (median 1.356 s). A forced-cold launch reached readiness in 1.427 s and presented the CPU view at 1.477 s; its 726 ms warm-up started after presentation. The initial view had zero GPU submissions, and the handoff audit accounted for all 1,434 candidates as CPU-owned.
+
+The sandbox did not retain a fast driver warm-up across processes. Forced-eager runs queued warm-up in 1,101 ms and 1,023 ms and reached readiness in 2.188 s and 2.212 s. A plain `auto` launch saw the app marker match, selected the early route, then queued in 1,049 ms and reached readiness in 2.143 s, again with zero GPU submissions. Those runs are cold-driver evidence, not a measurement of the owner's real cached path. The outside-sandbox `-WarmupPolicy cached` run is still needed to confirm the ≤1.26 s target.
+
+## Correctness and residency audits
+
+- CPU W1 and W8 hashes matched: `0xdb2991c73215af4c`, `0x8236c5edd7fc8e4f`, `0x4c48fa75a543d58e`, `0xbea22e76b34a4dfc`. Walkability passed **5,642/5,642**.
+- Whole-near agreement passed on **960 tiles**, with zero topology differences on hardware and WARP and zero differences across **229,376** protected-exception cells.
+- Whole-far agreement passed on **1,114 tiles** (152 transition tiles skipped), with zero topology differences on hardware and WARP, zero differences across **127,401** protected-exception cells, and zero differences across **353** thin-feature cells.
+- The selected thin-feature tile `(-1,0,-1,lod3)` audited **18** thin-feature cells and **35** protected-exception cells, with zero topology differences on hardware and WARP. The one-to-one LOD3 tile control `(6,2,0,lod3)` matched **680/680** surface triangles and **64/64** visible skirt triangles, with zero unmatched triangles and 0.001892 cm maximum surface vertex error. The regular GPU, direct-draw, readback-copy, meter-copy, and CPU-mesh draw controls had pixel-identical captures to CPU.
+- GPU survival passed with `mesh_source=GPU` and required field readback. Peak private memory was **3.53 GB** and DXGI-local memory was **2,674.8 MB**, totaling **6.14 GB** conservatively.
+- All ten full-residency CPU/GPU view pairs completed. Numeric RGB comparison found zero CPU-rock-to-GPU-background pixels in eight views, two in `remote_yaw180`, and two in `remote_yaw270`, matching the step 17 capture result. Peak combined memory was **6.17 GB**. The comparison is [step18_final_capture_comparison.md](step18_final_capture_comparison.md).
+- The tile comparison is [step18_tilecontrol_comparison.md](step18_tilecontrol_comparison.md); whole agreement logs are `step18_whole_near_agreement.stdout.log`, `step18_whole_far_agreement.stdout.log`, and `step18_thin_feature_audit.stdout.log`. CPU reference and survival logs use the `step18_` prefix.
+
+## Diagnostic note
+
+The optional `gpu_skirts_off` and `gpu_skirts_connectors_off` controls make the pooled readback checker report `indirect_args_valid=0`; their CPU/GPU triangle audit and skirt draw-argument summary still pass with skirts intentionally absent. Their captures show the expected coverage loss from disabling skirts. The normal GPU path, direct draw, and step 17 skirt-depth coverage control pass.
+
+No commit, push, or stash was made.
+
+## Note back
+
+The ordered goals, measured-versus-hypothesis labels, launch table, and explicit operating constraints are the most useful parts of the brief. The report and recent history prevented rediscovering why the skirt fix was needed. A compact current-runner command list with pass criteria is the main thing I still had to reconstruct from older scripts. The repeated operating rules are useful here because they apply to every audit run.

Standalone/Research/OwnerShapeWorld/gpu_field_port/step18_final_capture_comparison.md

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Step18_Final full-residency capture comparison
+
+All ten CPU/GPU pairs were captured after `[InitialClipmapReady]`. The files were compared numerically as RGB arrays and were not opened in an image viewer.
+
+`CPU rock to GPU background` isolates the prior missing-coverage signature. Captures were loaded as RGB arrays only; no full-size image was opened in a viewer.
+
+| View | Size | RGB MAE | RGB RMSE | Changed pixels | Pixels max channel >32 | Max channel | CPU rock to GPU background | GPU rock to CPU background | Missing-pixel bounds |
+|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---|
+| chamber | 1280x800 | 0.6075 | 1.8638 | 42.6368% | 0.0183% | 123 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| tunnel | 1280x800 | 0.6383 | 3.3799 | 31.7335% | 0.2772% | 130 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| passage | 1280x800 | 1.6092 | 3.6878 | 50.4982% | 0.1733% | 52 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| far | 1280x800 | 0.7910 | 2.1578 | 44.8325% | 0.0198% | 128 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| passage_floor_closeup | 1280x800 | 0.9314 | 2.4800 | 43.0219% | 0.0500% | 100 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| tunnel_bend | 1280x800 | 0.8129 | 2.1599 | 40.9629% | 0.0708% | 55 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| remote_yaw0 | 1280x800 | 0.0416 | 1.0679 | 2.7991% | 0.0305% | 90 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| remote_yaw90 | 1280x800 | 0.0100 | 0.4323 | 0.9746% | 0.0035% | 94 | 0 | 0 | none |
+| remote_yaw180 | 1280x800 | 0.0470 | 1.3091 | 2.9463% | 0.0311% | 102 | 2 | 0 | (415,172)-(834,173) |
+| remote_yaw270 | 1280x800 | 0.0826 | 1.6874 | 5.1076% | 0.0580% | 107 | 2 | 0 | (835,204)-(886,205) |

Standalone/Research/OwnerShapeWorld/gpu_field_port/step18_tilecontrol_comparison.md

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Step 17 LOD3 tile control comparison
+
+The `(6,2,0,lod3)` target was the only drawn tile, with the full desired clipmap retained. Captures were loaded as RGB arrays and compared numerically; full-size images were not opened in a viewer.
+
+`CPU rock to GPU background` counts pixels where the CPU target is rock `(96,86,68)` and the control is background `(14,19,27)`, the prior missing-coverage signature.
+
+| Control | Size | RGB MAE | RGB RMSE | Changed pixels | CPU rock to GPU background | Max channel |
+|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
+| GPU indirect | 1280x800 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000% | 0 | 0 |
+| GPU direct | 1280x800 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000% | 0 | 0 |
+| GPU readback copy | 1280x800 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000% | 0 | 0 |
+| GPU meter copy | 1280x800 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000% | 0 | 0 |
+| CPU mesh GPU path | 1280x800 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000% | 0 | 0 |
+| Depth disabled | 1280x800 | 0.0097 | 0.4705 | 0.1337% | 0 | 65 |
+| Skirts disabled | 1280x800 | 1.6339 | 10.5157 | 2.5859% | 26055 | 82 |
+| Connectors disabled | 1280x800 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000% | 0 | 0 |
+| Skirts and connectors disabled | 1280x800 | 1.6339 | 10.5157 | 2.5859% | 26055 | 82 |

Standalone/Source/StandaloneViewer.cpp

@@ -1395,6 +1395,13 @@ namespace
         bool bGpuComplete=false,bTimingResolved=false;
     };
 
+    enum class EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy
+    {
+        Auto,
+        ForceDeferred,
+        ForceEager
+    };
+
     uint64 HashStandaloneFile(const std::string& Path)
     {
         std::ifstream File(Path,std::ios::binary);
@@ -1510,6 +1517,11 @@ namespace
         bool bGpuFarShaderPrewarm=false,bDisableGpuWarmupPresentHold=false;
         bool bGpuFarWarmupResourcesOnly=false;
         bool bGpuFarWarmupNormalPriority=false,bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers=false;
+        EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy GpuWarmupLaunchPolicy=EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy::Auto;
+        bool bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView=false,bGpuWarmupDeferredStarted=false;
+        bool bGpuWarmupCacheKeyAvailable=false;
+        std::filesystem::path GpuWarmupStatePath;
+        std::string GpuWarmupCacheKey,GpuWarmupCacheIdentity;
         bool bGpuFarWarmupKernelFences=false;
         bool bGpuFarWarmupOnly=false;
         std::string GpuWarmupEntryFilter;
@@ -1952,6 +1964,156 @@ float3 Lit=Rock*(Ambient+0.88*Diffuse)+float3(0.50,0.69,0.82)*Head*0.75;
             return true;
         }
 
+        bool BuildGpuWarmupCacheKey()
+        {
+            GpuWarmupCacheKey.clear();
+            GpuWarmupCacheIdentity.clear();
+            if(!Device||GpuFarShaderPath.empty())return false;
+
+            IDXGIDevice* DxgiDevice=nullptr;
+            if(FAILED(Device->QueryInterface(__uuidof(IDXGIDevice),
+                reinterpret_cast<void**>(&DxgiDevice)))||!DxgiDevice)return false;
+            IDXGIAdapter* Adapter=nullptr;
+            const HRESULT AdapterResult=DxgiDevice->GetAdapter(&Adapter);
+            DxgiDevice->Release();
+            if(FAILED(AdapterResult)||!Adapter)return false;
+
+            DXGI_ADAPTER_DESC AdapterDesc{};
+            const HRESULT DescResult=Adapter->GetDesc(&AdapterDesc);
+            LARGE_INTEGER DriverVersion{};
+            const HRESULT DriverResult=Adapter->CheckInterfaceSupport(
+                __uuidof(IDXGIDevice),&DriverVersion);
+            Adapter->Release();
+            if(FAILED(DescResult)||FAILED(DriverResult))return false;
+
+            static constexpr std::array<const char*,14> WarmupEntries={
+                "EvaluateFarFieldCS","EvaluateNearFieldCS","ClassifyCS","ClassifyFarCS",
+                "ScanGroupsCS","EmitCS","ApplyNearFieldDetailCS","EmitNearCS",
+                "BuildFarConnectorRingsCS","EmitFarConnectorPanelsCS","ClassifyFarSkirtsCS",
+                "ScanFarSkirtsCS","EmitFarSkirtsCS","NoiseProbeCS"};
+            uint64 ShaderSetHash=14695981039346656037ull;
+            const auto MixText=[&](std::string_view Text)
+            {
+                for(const unsigned char Byte:Text)
+                {ShaderSetHash^=Byte;ShaderSetHash*=1099511628211ull;}
+                ShaderSetHash^=0xffu;ShaderSetHash*=1099511628211ull;
+            };
+            const auto MixFile=[&](const std::filesystem::path& Path,bool bRequired)
+            {
+                std::error_code Ec;
+                const bool bExists=std::filesystem::is_regular_file(Path,Ec)&&!Ec;
+                MixText(Path.filename().string());
+                if(!bExists)
+                {
+                    MixText("missing");
+                    return !bRequired;
+                }
+                const uint64 FileHash=HashStandaloneFile(Path.string());
+                if(FileHash==0)return false;
+                const uint64 FileSize=std::filesystem::file_size(Path,Ec);
+                if(Ec)return false;
+                MixText(std::to_string(FileSize));
+                MixText(std::to_string(FileHash));
+                return true;
+            };
+
+            MixText("gpu-far-warmup-signature-v1");
+            const std::filesystem::path ShaderImplementation=GpuFarShaderPath.parent_path()
+                .parent_path()/"gpu_field_port"/"GpuFieldPort.cpp";
+            if(!MixFile(GpuFarShaderPath,true)||!MixFile(ShaderImplementation,true))return false;
+            const std::filesystem::path PrecompiledDirectory=GpuFarShaderPath.parent_path()
+                .parent_path()/"gpu_field_port"/"precompiled";
+            for(const char* Entry:WarmupEntries)
+                if(!MixFile(PrecompiledDirectory/(std::string(Entry)+".cso"),false))return false;
+
+            std::ostringstream Identity;
+            Identity<<"adapter_luid="<<std::hex<<std::uppercase
+                <<static_cast<uint32>(AdapterDesc.AdapterLuid.HighPart)<<":"<<AdapterDesc.AdapterLuid.LowPart
+                <<" vendor="<<AdapterDesc.VendorId<<" device="<<AdapterDesc.DeviceId
+                <<" subsystem="<<AdapterDesc.SubSysId<<" revision="<<AdapterDesc.Revision
+                <<" driver_version=0x"<<static_cast<uint64>(DriverVersion.QuadPart)
+                <<" shader_set=0x"<<ShaderSetHash;
+            GpuWarmupCacheIdentity=Identity.str();
+            GpuWarmupCacheKey="VF_GPU_WARMUP_V1 "+GpuWarmupCacheIdentity;
+            bGpuWarmupCacheKeyAvailable=true;
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        void ResolveGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy()
+        {
+            if(!bGpuFarEnabled||!bGpuFarShaderPrewarm)return;
+            const bool bKeyAvailable=BuildGpuWarmupCacheKey();
+            bool bCacheMarkerMatches=false;
+            if(bKeyAvailable&&!GpuWarmupStatePath.empty())
+            {
+                std::ifstream Marker(GpuWarmupStatePath,std::ios::binary);
+                std::string SavedKey;
+                if(Marker&&std::getline(Marker,SavedKey))
+                    bCacheMarkerMatches=SavedKey==GpuWarmupCacheKey;
+            }
+
+            if(bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers)
+            {
+                bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView=false;
+                std::printf("[GpuWarmupLaunchDecision] mode=before_workers cache_marker=%s key_available=%s identity=%s\n",
+                    bCacheMarkerMatches?"match":"miss",bKeyAvailable?"yes":"no",
+                    bKeyAvailable?GpuWarmupCacheIdentity.c_str():"unavailable");
+                return;
+            }
+            if(GpuWarmupLaunchPolicy==EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy::ForceDeferred)
+                bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView=true;
+            else if(GpuWarmupLaunchPolicy==EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy::ForceEager)
+                bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView=false;
+            else
+                bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView=!bCacheMarkerMatches;
+
+            const char* Mode=GpuWarmupLaunchPolicy==EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy::ForceDeferred
+                ?"forced_cold_start":(GpuWarmupLaunchPolicy==EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy::ForceEager
+                    ?"forced_cached_start":"auto");
+            std::printf("[GpuWarmupLaunchDecision] mode=%s cache_marker=%s route=%s key_available=%s state_path=%s identity=%s\n",
+                Mode,bCacheMarkerMatches?"match":"miss",
+                bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView?"after_first_CPU_view":"startup_overlap",
+                bKeyAvailable?"yes":"no",GpuWarmupStatePath.string().c_str(),
+                bKeyAvailable?GpuWarmupCacheIdentity.c_str():"unavailable");
+        }
+
+        void MarkGpuWarmupCacheReady()
+        {
+            if(!bGpuFarShaderPrewarm||bGpuFarWarmupResourcesOnly
+                ||!GpuWarmupEntryFilter.empty()||!bGpuWarmupCacheKeyAvailable
+                ||GpuWarmupStatePath.empty())return;
+            const std::filesystem::path TemporaryPath=GpuWarmupStatePath.wstring()
+                +L"."+std::to_wstring(GetCurrentProcessId())+L".tmp";
+            {
+                std::ofstream Marker(TemporaryPath,std::ios::binary|std::ios::trunc);
+                if(!Marker)
+                {
+                    std::fprintf(stderr,"[GpuWarmupCacheState] write_failed path=%s reason=open_failed\n",
+                        TemporaryPath.string().c_str());
+                    return;
+                }
+                Marker<<GpuWarmupCacheKey;
+                Marker.flush();
+                if(!Marker.good())
+                {
+                    std::fprintf(stderr,"[GpuWarmupCacheState] write_failed path=%s reason=flush_failed\n",
+                        TemporaryPath.string().c_str());
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+            if(!MoveFileExW(TemporaryPath.c_str(),GpuWarmupStatePath.c_str(),
+                MOVEFILE_REPLACE_EXISTING|MOVEFILE_WRITE_THROUGH))
+            {
+                const DWORD Error=GetLastError();
+                DeleteFileW(TemporaryPath.c_str());
+                std::fprintf(stderr,"[GpuWarmupCacheState] write_failed path=%s win32_error=%lu\n",
+                    GpuWarmupStatePath.string().c_str(),static_cast<unsigned long>(Error));
+                return;
+            }
+            std::printf("[GpuWarmupCacheState] result=recorded path=%s identity=%s\n",
+                GpuWarmupStatePath.string().c_str(),GpuWarmupCacheIdentity.c_str());
+        }
+
         bool SetGpuWarmupContextProtection(bool bProtected)
         {
             if(!Context)return false;
@@ -1975,18 +2137,16 @@ float3 Lit=Rock*(Ambient+0.88*Diffuse)+float3(0.50,0.69,0.82)*Head*0.75;
                 std::fprintf(stderr,"[GpuWarmupContextProtection] enable_failed; async immediate-context protection is unavailable\n");
             GpuShaderWarmupThread=std::thread([this]()
             {
-                // Keep cold driver compilation from stealing CPU time from the CPU fallback
-                // workers. Cached shader warm-up is only a few milliseconds, so this does not
-                // delay the normal GPU route when the driver cache is warm.
                 const bool bPreserveAuditPriority=bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers||bGpuFarAuditEnabled;
                 const int WarmupPriority=bGpuFarWarmupNormalPriority?THREAD_PRIORITY_HIGHEST:
-                    (bPreserveAuditPriority?THREAD_PRIORITY_BELOW_NORMAL:THREAD_PRIORITY_IDLE);
+                    (bPreserveAuditPriority?THREAD_PRIORITY_BELOW_NORMAL:THREAD_PRIORITY_NORMAL);
                 const bool bPrioritySet=SetThreadPriority(GetCurrentThread(),WarmupPriority)!=0;
-                std::printf("[GpuShaderWarmupThread] priority=%s process=BelowNormal thread_relative=%s\n",
+                const char* RelativePriority=bGpuFarWarmupNormalPriority?"Highest":
-                    bPrioritySet?(bGpuFarWarmupNormalPriority?"Normal":
+                    (bPreserveAuditPriority?"BelowNormal":"Normal");
-                        (bPreserveAuditPriority?"BelowNormal":"Idle")):"set_failed",
+                std::printf("[GpuShaderWarmupThread] priority=%s process=BelowNormal thread_relative=%s purpose=%s\n",
-                    bGpuFarWarmupNormalPriority?"Highest":
+                    bPrioritySet?RelativePriority:"set_failed",RelativePriority,
-                        (bPreserveAuditPriority?"BelowNormal":"Idle"));
+                    bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView?"post_first_CPU_view":
+                        (bPreserveAuditPriority?"audit_or_before_workers":"cache_candidate_startup"));
                 std::fflush(stdout);
                 bGpuShaderWarmupQueueSucceeded=VoxelForgeGpuFarViewer::QueueFarShaderWarmup(
                     Device,Context,GpuFarShaderPath,!bGpuFarWarmupResourcesOnly,GpuWarmupEntryFilter,
@@ -1995,7 +2155,8 @@ float3 Lit=Rock*(Ambient+0.88*Diffuse)+float3(0.50,0.69,0.82)*Head*0.75;
                 bGpuShaderWarmupQueueFinished.store(true,std::memory_order_release);
             });
             std::printf("[GpuShaderWarmup] queue_thread=started overlap=%s\n",
-                bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers?"none_before_generation_workers":"CPU_world_configuration");
+                bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView?"after_first_CPU_view":
+                    (bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers?"none_before_generation_workers":"CPU_world_configuration"));
             std::fflush(stdout);
         }
 
@@ -2260,9 +2421,12 @@ float3 Lit=Rock*(Ambient+0.88*Diffuse)+float3(0.50,0.69,0.82)*Head*0.75;
             {std::fprintf(stderr,"World load failed: %s\n",Error.c_str());MessageBoxA(Window,Error.c_str(),"VoxelForge viewer",MB_ICONERROR);return;}
             std::printf("[ColdTimeline] stage=generation_setup configured_ms=%.3f\n",
                 std::chrono::duration<double,std::milli>(std::chrono::steady_clock::now()-ColdProcessStart).count());
-            if(bGpuFarEnabled&&!EnsureGpuFarPipeline(Error))
+            const bool bPipelineCanStartNow=!bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView
+                ||bGpuWarmupDeferredStarted;
+            if(bGpuFarEnabled&&bPipelineCanStartNow&&!EnsureGpuFarPipeline(Error))
             {MessageBoxA(Window,Error.c_str(),"VoxelForge GPU pipeline",MB_ICONERROR);return;}
-            if(bGpuFarShaderPrewarm&&!bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers)
+            if(bGpuFarShaderPrewarm&&!bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers
+                &&!bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView)
                 StartGpuShaderWarmupAsync();
             const FVector CameraVoxels(Position.X*4.0,Position.Y*4.0,Position.Z*4.0);
             BuildTargetChunk=StandaloneWorldMesher::CameraChunk(CameraVoxels);
@@ -2925,6 +3089,7 @@ float3 Lit=Rock*(Ambient+0.88*Diffuse)+float3(0.50,0.69,0.82)*Head*0.75;
                 return false;
             }
             bGpuWarmupCompleted=true;
+            MarkGpuWarmupCacheReady();
             SetGpuWarmupContextProtection(false);
             std::printf("[GpuShaderWarmupComplete] completion_wall_ms=%.3f\n",
                 std::chrono::duration<double,std::milli>(
@@ -3011,6 +3176,24 @@ float3 Lit=Rock*(Ambient+0.88*Diffuse)+float3(0.50,0.69,0.82)*Head*0.75;
         void PumpGpuFarGeneration()
         {
             if(!bGpuFarEnabled||!ShapeWorld||!ShapeWorld->hasFarWorld()||!Device||!Context)return;
+            if(bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView&&!bGpuWarmupDeferredStarted)
+            {
+                if(!bWholeViewPresented)return;
+                std::string DeferredPipelineError;
+                if(!EnsureGpuFarPipeline(DeferredPipelineError))
+                {
+                    std::fprintf(stderr,"[GpuPipelineInitError] deferred_after_first_CPU_view: %s\n",
+                        DeferredPipelineError.c_str());
+                    bGpuFarEnabled=false;bGpuWarmupDeferredStarted=true;
+                    AddGpuFarCpuFallbackTiles(DesiredTiles);
+                    return;
+                }
+                bGpuWarmupDeferredStarted=true;
+                std::printf("[GpuWarmupDeferredStart] at_ms=%.3f first_CPU_view_presented=true\n",
+                    std::chrono::duration<double,std::milli>(
+                        std::chrono::steady_clock::now()-ColdProcessStart).count());
+                StartGpuShaderWarmupAsync();
+            }
             std::string PipelineError;
             if(!EnsureGpuFarPipeline(PipelineError))
             {bGpuFarEnabled=false;AddGpuFarCpuFallbackTiles(DesiredTiles);return;}
@@ -4663,7 +4846,8 @@ float3 Lit=Rock*(Ambient+0.88*Diffuse)+float3(0.50,0.69,0.82)*Head*0.75;
                         std::chrono::duration<double,std::milli>(GpuPumpEnd-CpuPumpEnd).count());
                 return;
             }
-            if(bGpuFarEnabled&&bGpuFarShaderPrewarm&&!bGpuWarmupCompleted
+            if(bGpuFarEnabled&&bGpuFarShaderPrewarm&&!bGpuWarmupDeferredUntilFirstView
+                &&!bGpuWarmupCompleted
                 &&!bGpuShaderWarmupQueueFinished.load(std::memory_order_acquire))
             {
                 if(!bGpuWarmupPresentSkipReported)
@@ -6544,8 +6728,12 @@ int main(int Argc,char** Argv)
     wchar_t ExecutablePath[MAX_PATH]{};
     const DWORD ExecutablePathLength=GetModuleFileNameW(nullptr,ExecutablePath,MAX_PATH);
     if(ExecutablePathLength>0&&ExecutablePathLength<MAX_PATH)
+    {
         App.GpuFarShaderPath=std::filesystem::path(ExecutablePath).parent_path().parent_path()
             /"Research"/"OwnerShapeWorld"/"gpu_first_port"/"VoxelForgeGpuMesher.hlsl";
+        App.GpuWarmupStatePath=std::filesystem::path(ExecutablePath).parent_path()
+            /"VoxelForgeGpuWarmup.state";
+    }
     std::string JoinedCommandLine;
     for(int32 I=1;I<Argc;++I)
     {if(!JoinedCommandLine.empty())JoinedCommandLine.push_back(' ');JoinedCommandLine+=Argv[I];}
@@ -6609,6 +6797,10 @@ int main(int Argc,char** Argv)
             App.bHoldCpuFrameDuringGpuWarmup=true;
         else if(Arg=="--gpu-far-warmup-normal-priority")
             App.bGpuFarWarmupNormalPriority=true;
+        else if(Arg=="--gpu-far-force-cold-start")
+            App.GpuWarmupLaunchPolicy=EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy::ForceDeferred;
+        else if(Arg=="--gpu-far-force-cached-start")
+            App.GpuWarmupLaunchPolicy=EGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy::ForceEager;
         else if(Arg=="--gpu-far-warmup-before-workers")
             App.bGpuFarEnabled=true,App.bGpuFarShaderPrewarm=true,App.bGpuFarWarmupBeforeWorkers=true,
             App.bShapeWorld=true,App.bForceGenerate=true,App.bPresentCpuFrameBeforeGpu=true,
@@ -6875,6 +7067,7 @@ int main(int Argc,char** Argv)
     std::printf("[ColdTimeline] stage=viewer_device_init end_ms=%.3f duration_ms=%.3f\n",
         std::chrono::duration<double,std::milli>(std::chrono::steady_clock::now()-ColdProcessStart).count(),
         std::chrono::duration<double,std::milli>(std::chrono::steady_clock::now()-DeviceInitStart).count());
+    App.ResolveGpuWarmupLaunchPolicy();
     if(!App.bGpuFarWarmupOnly)
     {
         ShowWindow(App.Window,SW_SHOW);UpdateWindow(App.Window);
@@ -6898,6 +7091,7 @@ int main(int Argc,char** Argv)
         if(!VoxelForgeGpuFarViewer::CompleteFarShaderWarmup(App.Device,App.Context,
             App.GpuFarShaderPath,WarmupError))
         {std::fprintf(stderr,"[GpuShaderWarmupError] completion: %s\n",WarmupError.c_str());return 5;}
+        App.MarkGpuWarmupCacheReady();
         uint64 WarmupDxgiUsage=0,WarmupDxgiBudget=0;
         if(VoxelForgeGpuFarViewer::QueryFarGpuMemory(App.Device,App.Context,App.GpuFarShaderPath,
             WarmupDxgiUsage,WarmupDxgiBudget,WarmupError))
@@ -6922,6 +7116,7 @@ int main(int Argc,char** Argv)
         if(!VoxelForgeGpuFarViewer::CompleteFarShaderWarmup(App.Device,App.Context,
             App.GpuFarShaderPath,WarmupError))
         {std::fprintf(stderr,"[GpuShaderWarmupError] completion: %s\n",WarmupError.c_str());return 5;}
+        App.MarkGpuWarmupCacheReady();
         App.SetGpuWarmupContextProtection(false);
         App.bGpuWarmupCompleted=true;
         std::printf("[GpuShaderWarmupBeforeWorkers] completed_before_generation_workers=true\n");