# S14 Reference Comparison And User Review

## Status

- Document status: user decision recorded.
- Codex local comparison: complete.
- User decision: recorded in `summary-and-rule-implications.md`.

## Outputs For Review

| Arm | Output | Reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A | `../outputs/s14-anchor-board-reference-v1.png` | master character anchor board |
| B | `../outputs/s14-side-crop-reference-v1.png` | side identity crop |

## Codex Comparison

| Dimension | Arm A: master board | Arm B: side crop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reference evidence | Pass via visible image context | Pass via visible image context |
| Identity preservation | Strong overall identity and outfit preservation | Stronger side-face identity preservation |
| Glasses / hair / beard | Preserved | Preserved more tightly in side profile |
| Coat / backpack | Very strong | Strong |
| S-14 half-profile function | Good, but a little more three-quarter | Better match |
| Environment-led MV feel | Slightly better scene balance | Slightly more figure-dominant |
| Main risk | Less precise side-face control | Portrait-size pull from crop |

## Codex Ranking

For `S-14` specifically:

1. Preferred primary reference: side identity crop.
2. Useful supporting reference: master character anchor board, especially if the tool path supports multiple reference images.

If only one reference can be used for `S-14`, Codex recommends the side identity crop.

If multiple references can be used, Codex recommends:

```text
Primary: character-anchor-v2-side-reference-crop-tight.png
Secondary: character-anchor-v2-codex-posture-test.png
```

The side crop should control face / glasses / hair / beard / age. The master board should control coat / backpack / posture / overall character continuity.

## User Decision

The user concluded:

1. The successful channel is `gpt-image-2` Advisor prompt generation plus loading the real reference image into context before host `image_gen`.
2. This successful channel should be used now and in future; API/Garden generation should not be the default path.
3. Both the master anchor board and crop reference preserved strong character consistency.
4. Near shots should prioritize crop references; distant shots should prioritize the anchor board.
5. For `在路上`, because most shots are landscape-led, aerial, or distant and only need character consistency, crops derived from the accepted anchor board are sufficient.
6. For future projects with high identity requirements and many close shots, higher-resolution crop references may be generated through image-to-image from the accepted anchor board before production.