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+# Idris DLL Research -- Model Ownership & Structure
+
+Findings from `/home/august/projects/idris/dlls/` relevant to outline improvements.
+
+## Model Pointer Sources (forward mapping: object -> model)
+
+Units/players store their CM2Model pointers directly:
+- `object + 0xD8` -- primary render model
+- `object + 0xDC` -- secondary model (mounted/transformed state)
+
+The Idris DLL reads these during object iteration and stores them in a
+`g_modelToOwner` map. ManageRenderListNode then does a map lookup first,
+falling back to model back-pointers only if needed.
+
+**Relevance**: solves the "shapeshift form breaks local player occlusion"
+issue -- when a player shapeshifts, their model pointer at +0xD8 changes.
+Reading +0xD8 each frame from the object gives the current model, while
+the back-pointer approach relies on matching against a stale pointer.
+Also relevant for "mount + rider" tracking.
+
+## Model Back-Pointers (reverse mapping: model -> owner)
+
+| Offset   | Set by                          | Stores           | Notes |
+|----------|---------------------------------|-------------------|-------|
+| `+0x28`  | `InitializeModelWithParameters` | Owner object ptr  | All model types (units, GOs, doodads) |
+| `+0x1F8` | `SetCallbackFunctions`          | Owner object ptr  | Units only (via CreateUnitModel) |
+| `+0x3C0` | `SetRenderCallbacks`            | Owner object ptr  | Units only (via CreateUnitModel) |
+| `+0x3BC` | `SetRenderCallbacks`            | Render callback fn| EntityRenderCallback_ProcessLighting |
+
+Key: `model+0x3C0` is **only set for units** (by SetRenderCallbacks called
+from CreateUnitModel). Game objects do NOT go through CreateUnitModel, so
+their model+0x3C0 is uninitialized. Use model+0x28 for all-type matching.
+
+Source: Idris `RESEARCH_LOG.md` lines 432-487, verified via Ghidra decompilation
+of SetRenderCallbacks and SetCallbackFunctions.
+
+## CM2Model Instance Structure (key offsets)
+
+From `M2_MODEL_SYSTEM.md`:
+```
++0x10:  Initialization flag (0=not loaded, 1=loaded)
++0x28:  Direct owner object pointer
++0x2c:  Parent scene/world context pointer
++0x30:  Pointer to CM2Shared data
++0x34:  Parent CM2Model (for attachments)
++0x44:  Render list prev pointer
++0x48:  Render list next pointer
++0x90:  Bone animation state array
++0x94:  Bone matrix array (4x4 matrices, 0x40 bytes each)
++0xa4:  Texture reference array
++0x30:  Resource/loaded model pointer (NOT M2 data directly)
+        M2 data is at *(resource + 0x130), i.e. *(*(model+0x30) + 0x130)
+        Confirmed via Ghidra: raycastPickObjects (0x7089C0) line 174:
+          iVar15 = *(*(node+0x30) + 0x130)
++0x130: NOT the M2 data pointer (contains float data for GO models).
+        For unit models this may coincidentally look like a pointer.
+        The correct path is always via +0x30 indirection (see above).
++0x1cc: Next sibling model (hierarchy traversal)
++0x1dc: Child model list head
++0x1e8: Children initialized flag
++0x1F8: Owner object ptr (via SetCallbackFunctions)
++0x3BC: Render callback function (EntityRenderCallback_ProcessLighting)
++0x3C0: Owner object ptr (via SetRenderCallbacks, units only)
+```
+
+## CM2Model Hierarchy (attachment system)
+
+- `+0x34`: parent CM2Model (for attached equipment, riders)
+- `+0x1dc`: child model list head
+- `+0x1cc`: next sibling model
+
+**Relevance**: for "mount + rider + gear" outline tracking, traverse the
+attachment hierarchy: mount model has rider as child, rider has gear as
+children. All child models should be included in the silhouette.
+
+## Batch Types in CM2SceneRenderDraw
+
+| Type | Function                        | Used for |
+|------|---------------------------------|----------|
+| 0    | CM2Scene_DrawModelBatchProjected | Projected/UI models, corpses |
+| 1    | CM2Scene_DrawModelBatch          | Standard model batches |
+| 2    | CM2Scene_DrawDoodadBatch         | Instanced world doodads |
+| 3    | CM2Scene_DrawRibbonEmitter       | Ribbon trails |
+| 4    | CM2Scene_DrawParticleEmitter     | Particle systems |
+| 5    | DrawCallback                     | Custom render callbacks |
+
+The outline system hooks type 0 (DrawBatchProjected) where corpses render.
+
+## Vertex Skinning Paths
+
+WoW 1.12 supports two vertex skinning modes:
+1. **GPU path**: vertex shader (`shaders/vertex/Model2.bls`), bone matrices
+   uploaded to shader constants. Enabled by `M2UseShaders` CVar.
+2. **CPU path**: `CM2Model_TransformVerticesSSE` (SSE2) or
+   `CM2Model_ApplySkinning` (FPU fallback). Function pointer at 0x00cf04c8.
+
+**Relevance**: the DIP hook captures draw calls regardless of skinning path,
+but understanding which path is active helps debug vertex transform issues.