5.5 KiB
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.