# vPOD — virtual pod / game-client stand-in

A test tool that impersonates a Tesla game client (Red Planet's `rpl4opt.exe`
or BattleTech's `btl4.exe`) so the operator **consoles can be exercised without
real cockpit hardware**. It speaks the Munga command/control protocol as a
server on TCP 1501 — the console connects to it exactly as it would a real pod —
emulates the pod `ApplicationState` machine, reassembles the streamed egg, and
shows everything on a live display.

## What it does

- **Listens on TCP 1501** (configurable) and answers the console's
  `StateQuery` with a `StateResponse`, reporting the game (`ApplicationID`) and
  the current `ApplicationState`.
- **Walks the mission lifecycle** the console drives it through:
  `WaitingForEgg → LoadingMission → WaitingForLaunch → LaunchingMission →
  RunningMission → …`, reacting to the egg stream and to Run / Stop / Abort /
  Suspend / Resume messages, and acknowledging the egg.
- **Reassembles and shows the egg** the console streams (the `EggFileMessage`
  chunks), one field per line, with a summary line (adventure / map / scenario /
  pilot count).
- **Game toggle** — a Red Planet ⇄ BattleTech switch on the window changes which
  `ApplicationID` the pod reports, live, so one vPOD can stand in for either
  game. (`-app rp|bt` sets the initial choice.)
- A **newest-first protocol log** of the traffic.

## Running it

```
vPOD.exe [-net <port>] [-app rp|bt] [-lc|-mr] [-host <id>] [-res W H]
```

- `-net <port>` Munga control port (default **1501**).
- `-app rp|bt`  which game to report initially (also switchable in the UI).
- `-lc` / `-mr` live-camera / mission-review role (cosmetic; the state model is
  identical to a game machine).
- `-host <id>`  responding host id reported in state responses (default 1).
- `-res W H`    accepted and ignored (real clients take it; kept for drop-in
  launch compatibility).

## Deploying from the console (Manage Site → Install Product)

vPOD is a catalog product (`RedPlanet\Apps.xml`, id `0041C870-…`) with Game
Client / Live Camera / Mission Review entries, so it appears in **Manage Site →
Install Product** like any game. Build the deployable package first:

```
pwsh -File pack.ps1        # produces dist\vPOD.zip
```

The zip lays out `vPOD\vPOD.exe` (+ `Munga Net.dll`) so the launcher extracts it
to `C:\Games\vPOD` and the catalog entry launches `C:\Games\vPOD\vPOD.exe`.

## Testing locally against the console

The default site ships a **`local` pod at 127.0.0.1**. Run vPOD on the console
machine, open a game window (e.g. *Games → Red Planet: Death Race*), and enable
the local pod — the console connects to `127.0.0.1:1501` (vPOD), and you can
drive Load → Run → Stop and watch vPOD's state and egg viewer follow along.