# S14 Reference-Capable Generation Investigation

```yaml
status: user_decision_recorded
date: 2026-06-24
project: projects/2026-06-23-在路上
scope:
  - image-reference generation
  - identity consistency
  - s14 half-profile shot
non_goals:
  - no text-to-image baseline
  - no broad shot production
  - no API/Garden workflow
```

## Purpose

This investigation tests whether the current usable image-generation path can truly use character image references for identity-critical scene generation.

The test uses `S-14` because it is a high-risk half-profile identity shot. It compares two reference strategies with the same scene prompt:

| Arm | Reference input | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A | `projects/2026-06-23-在路上/visual-system/characters/character-anchor-v2-codex-posture-test.png` | Test whether the full character anchor board can carry overall identity, clothing, posture, and props into a scene. |
| B | `projects/2026-06-23-在路上/visual-system/characters/character-anchor-v2-side-reference-crop-tight.png` | Test whether the side identity crop better preserves half-profile face, glasses, hair, beard, and age. |

## Files

- `s14-reference-test-plan.md`: test design, evidence standard, and review rubric.
- `prompts/s14-anchor-board-reference-prompt.md`: Arm A prompt.
- `prompts/s14-side-crop-reference-prompt.md`: Arm B prompt.
- `generation-log.md`: actual execution trace and reference-attachment evidence.
- `outputs/`: generated candidates copied into the workspace.
- `reviews/`: local review files and user decision conclusion.

## Current Boundary

The current `gpt-image-2` mode check returns `B-or-C` with no Garden API key. This investigation therefore tests the host built-in image-generation path, not Garden CLI/API generation.

For this investigation, a generation is considered reference-capable only if an actual image is made visible to the generation context before the call and the prompt explicitly assigns that image a reference role. A prompt that merely names a local file path is recorded as prompt-only and does not pass the reference-capability test.

## Current Result

Two candidates were generated and copied into `outputs/`:

```text
outputs/s14-anchor-board-reference-v1.png
outputs/s14-side-crop-reference-v1.png
```

Codex conclusion:

```text
reviews/summary-and-rule-implications.md
```

User decision has been recorded in:

```text
reviews/summary-and-rule-implications.md
```

The global Video Workbench rule was promoted into:

```text
AGENTS.md
VIDEO_WORKBENCH.md
```