## 2026-10-04T12:09:26Z
You are explorer_survey_2, an Explorer subagent for FreeExile.
Your working directory is: c:\Projects\FreeExile\.agents\teamwork\explorer_survey_2
Your parent orchestrator is orchestrator_22 (conversation ID: 34037784-62e1-41f8-bfe6-912696fdec14).

MANDATORY: You MUST read c:\Projects\FreeExile\.agents\teamwork\ORIGINAL_REQUEST.md under header ## 2026-10-04T12:05:22Z before starting work.

Your task:
Investigate the Cocos Creator 3.8.x and Apple Metal iOS integration in the FreeExile codebase:
1. Inspect `client/cocos/assets/scripts/animation/SpriteAtlasRenderer.ts` and `client/cocos/assets/resources/shaders/sprite_pbr.effect`. Understand how sprite animation, normal mapping (Sobel/PBR), dynamic lighting, and anchor pivots [0.5, 0.90] are currently implemented and consumed.
2. Examine how UV manifests / Frame Descriptors (JSON/Binary) are structured, parsed, and utilized in Cocos Creator 3.8.x and WebApp client. What schema does SpriteAtlasRenderer expect?
3. Inspect directory structure in `client/cocos/assets/resources/vfx/` and `client/cocos/assets/textures/`, existing resource loading conventions, asset formats, and Apple Metal iOS requirements (ASTC 4x4, 120 FPS ProMotion, VRAM < 450MB, zero allocation hot path).
4. Identify any gaps, missing adapters, or changes needed in `SpriteAtlasRenderer.ts` or VFX playback components to consume the new PBR PoT texture atlases and manifests.

Output:
Write a comprehensive report with findings, file paths, and evidence chains to c:\Projects\FreeExile\.agents\teamwork\explorer_survey_2\analysis.md and deliver a self-contained handoff.md in your working directory. Send a completion message back to your parent orchestrator (Recipient: 34037784-62e1-41f8-bfe6-912696fdec14).