# PlotDirector Phase 17 - Scene Inspector V2 Redesign

**Status:** Planned
**Phase:** 17
**Author:** Nick Beckley / PlotDirector
**Date:** June 2026

## Overview

The original Scene Inspector has evolved over time into a very large shared CRUD surface containing numerous independent workflows.

Although functionally rich, the current implementation has several significant usability and maintenance issues:

- Extremely long scrolling experience.
- Intimidating for new users.
- Large initial data load.
- Numerous independent forms on a single page.
- Extensive full-page postback behaviour.
- Difficult to maintain.
- Difficult to extend safely.
- Shared between Scene Edit and Timeline despite very different interaction models.

The purpose of Phase 17 is to redesign the Scene Inspector into a modern, summary-first workspace with focused editing experiences.

## Existing Inspector Problems

- Effectively a very large CRUD page.
- Contains many unrelated editing experiences simultaneously.
- Loads large amounts of data regardless of what the user actually needs.
- Forces users to scroll extensively.
- Frequently reloads the entire page.
- Re-collapses sections after save.
- Performs poorly in development.
- Increasingly difficult to maintain.

A previous migration-in-place attempt was abandoned because:

- Duplicate controls caused confusion.
- Legacy and V2 controls became mixed.
- Load times became unacceptable.
- Page complexity increased rather than decreased.
- Maintenance became significantly harder.

## Design Principles

### Summary First

The first view shown to the user should answer:

- What is this scene?
- Why does it matter?
- Who is involved?
- What happens here?
- Are there any problems?

### Focused Editing

Read summary → choose something to edit → edit only that thing → save → return to summary.

### On-Demand Loading

Editors load only when requested.

### Separate Hosts

Scene Edit and Timeline use different interaction models and therefore require separate host partials.

## Architecture

### Scene Edit Host

`_SceneInspectorEditPage.cshtml`

Responsibilities:

- Full-width Scene Edit experience.
- Summary cards.
- Focused editor overlay.
- Summary scrolling.
- Editor lifecycle.

### Timeline Host

`_SceneInspectorTimeline.cshtml`

Responsibilities:

- Timeline flyout experience.
- Summary cards.
- Focused editor overlay.
- Flyout lifecycle.

## Shared Summary Components

- `_SceneInspectorHealthStrip.cshtml`
- `_SceneOverviewCard.cshtml`
- `_SceneStoryCard.cshtml`
- `_ScenePeopleCard.cshtml`
- `_SceneWorldCard.cshtml`
- `_SceneWriterCard.cshtml`
- `_SceneContinuityCard.cshtml`

## Scene Edit Layout

The Scene Edit page should become a full-width workspace similar to the Timeline page.

## Unified Editor Behaviour

Summary visible → user clicks Manage → focused editor covers summary → save/cancel → summary visible again.

Rules:

- No Bootstrap modals.
- No nested flyouts.
- No second drawer.
- No scrolling to hidden sections.
- No inserting editors above summaries.

## Editor Overlay

Both hosts should include:

`.scene-inspector-editor-overlay`

Responsibilities:

- Load editor partials.
- Animate open/close.
- Provide independent scrolling.
- Host Save and Cancel actions.

## Default Summary Content

### Health Strip

- Revision status
- POV
- Word count
- Character count
- Asset count
- Location count
- Warning count

### Overview Card

Displays:

- Scene title
- Chapter and scene number
- Revision status
- POV character
- Scene type
- Date/time
- Primary location
- Synopsis

Action:

- Manage scene details

### Story Card

Displays:

- Purpose
- Outcome
- Plot thread summary
- Metrics

Actions:

- Manage purpose
- Manage metrics
- Manage threads

### People Card

Displays:

- Characters present
- POV indicator
- Character count
- Knowledge change count
- Relationship change count

Actions:

- Manage characters
- Manage knowledge
- Manage relationships

### World Card

Displays:

- Locations
- Assets
- Custody summary

Actions:

- Manage locations
- Manage assets
- Manage custody

### Writer Card

Displays:

- Notes count
- Checklist completion
- Attachment count

Actions:

- Manage notes
- Manage checklist
- Manage attachments

### Continuity Card

Displays:

- Warning count
- Continuity health summary

Action:

- Review warnings

## Data Loading Strategy

Initial V2 load should retrieve only summary information.

Editor datasets should be loaded lazily.

## Legacy Inspector Strategy

The original inspector should be archived as reference only.

It must not be rendered inside V2.

## Existing Functional Areas

- Scene Core
- Word Companion Suggestions
- Notes
- Characters
- Character Attributes
- Character Knowledge
- Relationships
- Plot Threads
- Story Assets
- Asset Locations
- Occupancy
- Asset Custody
- Writer Workflow
- Checklist
- Attachments
- Continuity Warnings
- Scene Dependencies
- Move / Reorder

## Proposed Migration Order

### Phase 17A
Create V2 shell only.

### Phase 17B
Scene Core.

### Phase 17C
People.

### Phase 17D
World.

### Phase 17E
Writer tools.

### Phase 17F
Story structure.

### Phase 17G
Knowledge and relationships.

### Phase 17H
Continuity and warning actions.

### Phase 17Z
Retire legacy implementation.

## Success Criteria

- Legacy inspector is no longer rendered.
- Initial load is significantly faster.
- No giant scrolling CRUD page exists.
- Editing occurs through focused editors.
- Timeline and Scene Edit share common concepts.
- Timeline remains responsive.
- Scene Edit uses full workspace width.
- All legacy functionality has been migrated.
- Legacy implementation can be retired safely.