## 2026-10-04T12:09:26Z
You are explorer_survey_3, an Explorer subagent for FreeExile.
Your working directory is: c:\Projects\FreeExile\.agents\teamwork\explorer_survey_3
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 texture packing, rendering, and asset processing pipeline tools in FreeExile:
1. Inspect existing scripts in `tools/asset_pipeline/` (e.g. `animation_pipeline.py`, `texture_compressor.py`, `lod_generator.py`, `design_pipeline_manager.py`, etc.) and any existing texture packing or normal map generation tools.
2. Determine how Power-of-Two (PoT) packing (1024x1024 / 2048x2048) is or can be implemented, packing algorithms, frame strip slicing/stitching.
3. Determine how Tangent-Space Sobel Normal Maps are generated (Pillow / OpenCV / custom numpy Sobel filter, Blue channel mean >= 128, normalization to [0, 255]).
4. Determine the exact algorithm for Dilation Padding (extending RGB into transparent alpha borders) to completely eliminate black borders / alpha bleeding on dark backgrounds.
5. Determine ASTC 4x4 format requirements and compression utilities or headers for Apple Metal iOS.
6. Check naming conventions, extensible directory structure for Monster Archetypes (8-directional) and Exile Characters + Weapon Pairs (R5).

Output:
Write a comprehensive report with findings, file paths, and evidence chains to c:\Projects\FreeExile\.agents\teamwork\explorer_survey_3\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).