[Gameplay/UI] Add new hero, rebalance combat values, implement home hero selection & hero profile UI

[zhaohacker8]

Description

Introduce a new playable hero, rebalance combat values for fairness and clarity, and add end-to-end hero selection and profile UI on the home screen.

This task includes:

1. New Hero: Create a new hero with distinct base stats, abilities, and assets/config.
2. Balance: Adjust combat values (e.g., base damage/HP/attack rate) to more reasonable levels across heroes.
3. Home UI: Implement a Hero Selection flow on the home screen (browse → inspect → confirm).
4. Profile UI: Design and implement the Hero Profile panel that shows stats, ability summary, and flavor text.

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Requirements

• Config-driven: Add hero definition(s) to config (e.g., configs/hero.json/configs/heroes.json): id, displayName, portrait, baseStats {hp, damage, attackRate, speed}, abilitySummary, unlock state, etc.
• Balance targets: Document target ranges for damage/HP/attackRate and align all heroes to those ranges; avoid one-shot / infinite-stun style outliers.
• Selection flow: From Home → Hero Select → Profile → Confirm, the chosen hero becomes the active one for the next session.
• Persistence: Persist the last selected hero (e.g., in save/profile) and restore on next launch.
• Profile UI: Show portrait, name, stats (with units), ability summary, and clear Select/Back actions.
• Accessibility/UX: Keyboard/controller and mouse support; focus states; safe area; text contrast; helpful empty/error states.
• Performance/Robustness: Lazy-load portraits; null-guards for assets/camera/renderer; dispose listeners/resources correctly.

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Milestones

List of steps that need to be completed for this task.

• Define config schema and add entry for the new hero (+ update existing heroes).
• Implement balance pass (damage/HP/attack rate/speed); update tests & docs.
• Build Hero Selection view on the home screen (grid/carousel + highlight).
• Build Hero Profile panel (portrait, stats, abilities, flavor, Select/Back).
• Wire selection → set active hero → persist → load on boot.
• Add analytics/logs (optional): selection events, time in view, cancel/confirm ratio.
• QA pass (accessibility/perf), fix issues, and update changelog + screenshots/GIF.

Completion Deadline: TBD

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User Story

• As a player, I want to pick my hero on the home screen, inspect their stats and abilities, and start with the hero I prefer.
• As a player, I want balanced combat values so different heroes feel fair, distinct, and viable.
• As a team, we want a config-driven hero system that's easy to extend and tune.

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Acceptance Criteria

New Hero

• The new hero appears in the selection list with correct portrait/name.
• In-game, the hero spawns with config-defined base stats and abilities.

Balance

• All heroes’ damage/HP/attack rate fall within documented target ranges.
• No regression tests fail; smoke test shows time-to-kill and survivability in expected bands.

Hero Selection

• Home → Select Hero displays available heroes; clicking one opens Profile.
• Select sets the active hero for the next session; Back returns without side effects.
• The last selected hero is restored upon relaunch.

Profile UI

• Shows: portrait, name, stats with units (e.g., DPS, HP, attacks/sec), ability summary, and flavor text.
• Button/Focus states visible; disabled states consistent; works with mouse and keyboard/controller.

Stability & Perf

• No NPEs from missing assets/camera; no frame hitches on open/close; resources disposed on scene change.

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Documentation

• Hero config fields and examples (new hero + existing heroes).
• Balance methodology and target ranges.
• Wireframe / screenshots / GIF for Selection and Profile UI.
• Known limitations and future improvements (e.g., filters, rarity, unlock rules).

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Test Plan

Automated

• Unit: load hero config → instantiate hero with expected stats.
• Unit: balance helpers (e.g., DPS calc) return expected values.
• UI: selection state machine (idle → viewing profile → confirmed).
• Persistence: save/load last selected hero.

Manual

• Navigate with mouse and keyboard/controller; focus/hover behave correctly.
• Portraits and texts load quickly; no missing textures.
• Select hero → start game → stats/abilities match profile.
• Relaunch the game → previously selected hero auto-restored.
• 10–15 min playtest: no crashes/hangs; UI remains responsive.

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Risks & Mitigations

• Risk: Balance feels off (too strong/weak).
  Mitigation: Define target bands; quick tuning via config; add DPS/TTK sanity checks.
• Risk: Asset loading causes jank.
  Mitigation: Lazy-load + cache portraits; prefetch on hover; avoid blocking main thread.
• Risk: State desync between selection/persistence.
  Mitigation: Single source of truth; explicit save points; integration tests.

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Definition of Done

• All Acceptance Criteria pass.
• New hero playable; balance updated; selection/profile UI complete.
• Config-driven and documented; tests green; demo GIF attached.
• PR reviewed and merged.

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Meta

Assignees: @zhaohacker8 (Chenxu Zhao)
Reviewers: @teammate-1 @teammate-2
Labels: sprint 2, team 2
Type: Task
Project: 2025 Studio 4 Project
Estimate: 3–5 SP Priority: High