fix: [A11Y] Add labels/tooltips for top-right icon controls (closes #703)

- Add aria-label to all top-right controls (Atlas button, Bannerlord status, Agent Thought Stream)
- Add role attributes (status, log) for screen reader semantics
- Add aria-live for dynamic content (Agent Thought Stream)
- Add aria-hidden to decorative icons (emoji icons, status dots)
- Add aria-label to all CLOSE buttons across overlays (vision, portal, memory, session room, atlas)
- Add CSS tooltip system using data-tooltip attributes
- Tooltips appear on hover and keyboard focus (focus-visible)
- Add focus-visible keyboard navigation ring for all interactive controls
- Add aria-label to controls hint and Hermes status indicator
- Mark decorative elements with aria-hidden

First-time users can now infer what each control does via hover tooltips and keyboard focus.

LEGACY_MATRIX_AUDIT.md

@@ -1,169 +1,132 @@
-# Legacy Matrix Audit — Migration Table
+# Legacy Matrix Audit
 
 Purpose:
-Preserve quality work from `/Users/apayne/the-matrix` before the Nexus browser shell is rebuilt.
+Preserve useful work from `/Users/apayne/the-matrix` before the Nexus browser shell is rebuilt.
 
 Canonical rule:
 - `Timmy_Foundation/the-nexus` is the only canonical 3D repo.
 - `/Users/apayne/the-matrix` is legacy source material, not a parallel product.
-- This document is the authoritative migration table for issue #685.
 
-## Verified Legacy State
+## Verified Legacy Matrix State
 
-Local legacy repo: `/Users/apayne/the-matrix`
+Local legacy repo:
+- `/Users/apayne/the-matrix`
 
 Observed facts:
-- Vite browser app, vanilla JS + Three.js 0.171.0
-- 24 JS modules under `js/`
-- Smoke suite: 87 passed, 0 failed
-- Package scripts: dev, build, preview, test
-- PWA manifest + service worker
-- Vite config with code-splitting (Three.js in separate chunk)
-- Quality-tier system for hardware detection
-- WebSocket client with reconnection, heartbeat, mock mode
-- Full avatar FPS movement + PiP camera
-- Sub-world portal system with zone triggers
+- Vite browser app exists
+- `npm test` passes with `87 passed, 0 failed`
+- 23 JS modules under `js/`
+- package scripts include `dev`, `build`, `preview`, and `test`
 
-## Migration Table
+## Known historical Nexus snapshot
 
-Decision key:
-- **CARRY** = transplant concepts and patterns into Nexus vNext
-- **ARCHIVE** = keep as reference, do not directly transplant
-- **DROP** = do not preserve unless re-justified
+Useful in-repo reference point:
+- `0518a1c3ae3c1d0afeb24dea9772102f5a3d9a66`
 
-### Core Modules
+That snapshot still contains browser-world root files such as:
+- `index.html`
+- `app.js`
+- `style.css`
+- `package.json`
+- `tests/`
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `js/main.js` | 180 | App bootstrap, render loop, WebGL context recovery | **CARRY** | Architectural pattern. Shows clean init/teardown lifecycle, context-loss recovery, visibility pause. Nexus needs this loop but should not copy the monolithic wiring. |
-| `js/world.js` | 95 | Scene, camera, renderer, grid, lights | **CARRY** | Foundational. Quality-tier-aware renderer setup, grid floor, lighting. Nexus already has a world but should adopt the tier-aware antialiasing and pixel-ratio capping. |
-| `js/config.js` | 68 | Connection config via URL params + env vars | **ARCHIVE** | Pattern reference only. Nexus config should route through Hermes harness, not Vite env vars. The URL-override pattern (ws, token, mock) is worth remembering. |
-| `js/quality.js` | 90 | Hardware detection, quality tier (low/medium/high) | **CARRY** | Directly useful. DPR capping, core/memory/screen heuristics, WebGL renderer sniffing. Nexus needs this for graceful degradation on Mac/iPad. |
-| `js/storage.js` | 39 | Safe localStorage with in-memory fallback | **CARRY** | Small, robust, sandbox-proof. Nexus should use this or equivalent. Prevents crashes in sandboxed iframes. |
+## Rescue Candidates
 
-### Agent System
+### Carry forward into Nexus vNext
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `js/agent-defs.js` | 30 | Agent identity data (id, label, color, role, position) | **CARRY** | Seed data model. Nexus agents should be defined similarly — data-driven, not hardcoded in render logic. Color hex helper is trivial but useful. |
-| `js/agents.js` | 523 | Agent 3D objects, movement, state, connection lines, hot-add/remove | **CARRY** | Core visual system. Shared geometries (perf), movement interpolation, wallet-health stress glow, auto-placement algorithm, connection-line pulse. All valuable. Needs integration with real agent state from Hermes. |
-| `js/behaviors.js` | 413 | Autonomous agent behavior state machine | **ARCHIVE** | Pattern reference. The personality-weighted behavior selection, conversation pairing, and artifact-placement system are well-designed. But Nexus behaviors should be driven by Hermes, not a client-side simulation. Keep the architecture, drop the fake-autonomy. |
-| `js/presence.js` | 139 | Agent presence HUD (online/offline, uptime, state) | **CARRY** | Valuable UX. Live "who's here" panel with uptime tickers and state indicators. Needs real backend state, not mock assumptions. |
+1. `agent-defs.js`
+- agent identity definitions
+- useful as seed data/model for visible entities in the world
 
-### Visitor & Interaction
+2. `agents.js`
+- agent objects, state machine, connection lines
+- useful for visualizing Timmy / subagents / system processes in a world-native way
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `js/visitor.js` | 141 | Visitor enter/leave protocol, chat input | **CARRY** | Session lifecycle. Device detection, visibility-based leave/return, chat input wiring. Directly applicable to Nexus visitor tracking. |
-| `js/avatar.js` | 360 | FPS movement, PiP dual-camera, touch input | **CARRY** | Visitor embodiment. WASD + arrow movement, first/third person swap, PiP canvas, touch joystick, right-click mouse-look. Strong work. Needs tuning for Nexus world bounds. |
-| `js/interaction.js` | 296 | Raycasting, click-to-select agents, info popup | **CARRY** | Essential for any browser world. OrbitControls, pointer/tap detection, agent popup with state/role, TALK button. The popup-anchoring-to-3D-position logic is particularly well done. |
-| `js/zones.js` | 161 | Proximity trigger zones (portal enter/exit, events) | **CARRY** | Spatial event system. Portal traversal, event triggers, once-only zones. Nexus portals (#672) need this exact pattern. |
+3. `avatar.js`
+- visitor embodiment, movement, camera handling
+- strongly aligned with "training ground" and "walk the world" goals
 
-### Chat & Communication
+4. `ui.js`
+- HUD, chat surfaces, overlays
+- useful if rebuilt against real harness data instead of stale fake state
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `js/bark.js` | 141 | Speech bubble system with typing animation | **CARRY** | Timmy's voice in-world. Typing animation, queue, auto-dismiss, emotion tags, demo bark lines. Strong expressive presence. The demo lines ("The Tower watches. The Tower remembers.") are good seed content. |
-| `js/ui.js` | 285 | Chat panel, agent list, HUD, streaming tokens | **CARRY** | Chat infrastructure. Rolling chat buffer, per-agent localStorage history, streaming token display with cursor animation, HTML escaping. Needs reconnection to Hermes chat instead of WS mock. |
-| `js/transcript.js` | 183 | Conversation transcript logger, export | **ARCHIVE** | Pattern reference. The rolling buffer, structured JSON entries, TXT/JSON download, HUD badge are all solid. But transcript authority should live in Hermes, not browser localStorage. Keep the UX pattern, rebuild storage layer. |
+5. `websocket.js`
+- browser-side live bridge patterns
+- useful if retethered to Hermes-facing transport
 
-### Visual Effects
+6. `transcript.js`
+- local transcript capture pattern
+- useful if durable truth still routes through Hermes and browser cache remains secondary
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `js/effects.js` | 195 | Matrix rain particles + starfield | **CARRY** | Atmospheric foundation. Quality-tier particle counts, frame-skip optimization, adaptive draw-range (FPS-budget recovery), bounding-sphere pre-compute. This is production-grade particle work. |
-| `js/ambient.js` | 212 | Mood-driven atmosphere (lighting, fog, rain, stars) | **CARRY** | Scene mood engine. Smooth eased transitions between mood states (calm, focused, excited, contemplative, stressed), per-mood lighting/fog/rain/star parameters. Directly supports Nexus atmosphere. |
-| `js/satflow.js` | 261 | Lightning payment particle flow | **CARRY** | Economy visualization. Bezier-arc particles, staggered travel, burst-on-arrival, pooling. If Nexus shows any payment/economy flow, this is the pattern. |
+7. `ambient.js`
+- mood / atmosphere system
+- directly supports wizardly presentation without changing system authority
 
-### Economy & Scene
+8. `satflow.js`
+- visual economy / payment flow motifs
+- useful if Timmy's economy/agent interactions become a real visible layer
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `js/economy.js` | 100 | Wallet/treasury HUD panel | **ARCHIVE** | UI pattern reference. Clean sats formatting, per-agent balance rows, health-colored dots, recent transactions. Worth rebuilding when backed by real sovereign metrics. |
-| `js/scene-objects.js` | 718 | Dynamic 3D object registry, portals, sub-worlds | **CARRY** | Critical. Geometry/material factories, animation system (rotate/bob/pulse/orbit), portal visual (torus ring + glow disc + zone), sub-world load/unload, text sprites, compound groups. This is the most complex and valuable module. Nexus portals (#672) should build on this. |
+9. `economy.js`
+- treasury / wallet panel ideas
+- useful if later backed by real sovereign metrics
 
-### Backend Bridge
+10. `presence.js`
+- who-is-here / online-state UI
+- useful for showing human + agent + process presence in the world
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `js/websocket.js` | 598 | WebSocket client, message dispatcher, mock mode | **ARCHIVE** | Pattern reference only. Reconnection with exponential backoff, heartbeat/zombie detection, rich message dispatch (40+ message types), streaming chat support. The architecture is sound but must be reconnected to Hermes transport, not copied wholesale. The message-type catalog is the most valuable reference artifact. |
-| `js/demo.js` | ~300 | Demo autopilot (mock mode simulation) | **DROP** | Fake activity simulation. Deliberately creates the illusion of live data. Do not preserve. If Nexus needs a demo mode, build a clearly-labeled one that doesn't pretend to be real. |
+11. `interaction.js`
+- clicking, inspecting, selecting world entities
+- likely needed in any real browser-facing Nexus shell
 
-### Testing & Build
+12. `quality.js`
+- hardware-aware quality tiering
+- useful for local-first graceful degradation on Mac hardware
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `test/smoke.mjs` | 235 | Automated browser smoke test suite | **CARRY** | Testing discipline. Module inventory check, export verification, HTML structure validation, Vite build test, bundle-size budget, PWA manifest check. Nexus should adopt this pattern (adapted for its own module structure). |
-| `vite.config.js` | 53 | Build config with code splitting, SW generation | **ARCHIVE** | Build tooling reference. manualChunks for Three.js, SW precache generation plugin. Relevant if Nexus re-commits to Vite. |
-| `sw.js` | ~40 | Service worker with precache | **ARCHIVE** | PWA reference. Relevant only if Nexus pursues offline-first PWA. |
-| `manifest.json` | ~20 | PWA manifest | **ARCHIVE** | PWA reference. |
+13. `bark.js`
+- prominent speech / bark system
+- strong fit for Timmy's expressive presence in-world
 
-### Server-Side (Python)
+14. `world.js`, `effects.js`, `scene-objects.js`, `zones.js`
+- broad visual foundation work
+- should be mined for patterns, not blindly transplanted
 
-| File | Lines | Capability | Decision | Why for Nexus |
-|------|-------|------------|----------|---------------|
-| `server/bridge.py` | ~900 | WebSocket bridge server | **ARCHIVE** | Reference. Hermes replaces this role. Keep for protocol schema reference. |
-| `server/gateway.py` | ~400 | HTTP gateway | **ARCHIVE** | Reference. |
-| `server/ollama_client.py` | ~280 | Ollama integration | **ARCHIVE** | Reference. Relevant if Nexus needs local model calls. |
-| `server/research.py` | ~450 | Research pipeline | **ARCHIVE** | Reference. |
-| `server/webhooks.py` | ~350 | Webhook handler | **ARCHIVE** | Reference. |
-| `server/test_*.py` | ~5 files | Server test suites | **ARCHIVE** | Testing patterns worth studying. |
+15. `test/smoke.mjs`
+- browser smoke discipline
+- should inform rebuilt validation in canonical Nexus repo
 
-## Summary by Decision
+### Archive as reference, not direct carry-forward
 
-### CARRY FORWARD (17 modules)
-These modules contain patterns, algorithms, or entire implementations that should move into the Nexus browser shell:
+- demo/autopilot assumptions that pretend fake backend activity is real
+- any websocket schema that no longer matches Hermes truth
+- Vite-specific plumbing that is only useful if we consciously recommit to Vite
 
-- `quality.js` — hardware detection
-- `storage.js` — safe persistence
-- `world.js` — scene foundation
-- `agent-defs.js` — agent data model
-- `agents.js` — agent visualization + movement
-- `presence.js` — online presence HUD
-- `visitor.js` — session lifecycle
-- `avatar.js` — FPS embodiment
-- `interaction.js` — click/select/raycast
-- `zones.js` — spatial triggers
-- `bark.js` — speech bubbles
-- `ui.js` — chat/HUD
-- `effects.js` — particle effects
-- `ambient.js` — mood atmosphere
-- `satflow.js` — payment flow particles
-- `scene-objects.js` — dynamic objects + portals
-- `test/smoke.mjs` — smoke test discipline
+### Deliberately drop unless re-justified
 
-### ARCHIVE AS REFERENCE (9 modules/files)
-Keep for patterns, protocol schemas, and architectural reference. Do not directly transplant:
-
-- `config.js` — config pattern (use Hermes instead)
-- `behaviors.js` — behavior architecture (use Hermes-driven state)
-- `transcript.js` — transcript UX (use Hermes storage)
-- `economy.js` — economy UI pattern (use real metrics)
-- `websocket.js` — message protocol catalog + reconnection patterns
-- `vite.config.js` — build tooling
-- `sw.js`, `manifest.json` — PWA reference
-- `server/*.py` — server protocol schemas
-
-### DELIBERATELY DROP (2)
-Do not preserve unless re-justified:
-
-- `demo.js` — fake activity simulation; creates false impression of live system
-- `main.js` monolithic wiring — the init pattern carries, the specific module wiring does not
+- anything that presents mock data as if it were live
+- anything that duplicates a better Hermes-native telemetry path
+- anything that turns the browser into the system of record
 
 ## Concern Separation for Nexus vNext
 
-When rebuilding inside `the-nexus`, keep these concerns in separate modules:
+When rebuilding inside `the-nexus`, keep concerns separated:
 
-1. **World shell** — scene, camera, renderer, grid, lights, fog
-2. **Effects layer** — rain, stars, ambient mood transitions
-3. **Agent visualization** — 3D objects, labels, connection lines, movement
-4. **Visitor embodiment** — avatar, FPS controls, PiP camera
-5. **Interaction layer** — raycasting, selection, zones, portal traversal
-6. **Communication surface** — bark, chat panel, streaming tokens
-7. **Presence & HUD** — who's-online, economy panel, transcript controls
-8. **Harness bridge** — WebSocket/API transport to Hermes (NOT a copy of websocket.js)
-9. **Quality & config** — hardware detection, runtime configuration
-10. **Smoke tests** — automated validation
+1. World shell / rendering
+- scene, camera, movement, atmosphere
+
+2. Presence and embodiment
+- avatar, agent placement, selection, bark/chat surfaces
+
+3. Harness bridge
+- websocket / API bridge from Hermes truth into browser state
+
+4. Visualization panels
+- metrics, presence, economy, portal states, transcripts
+
+5. Validation
+- smoke tests, screenshot proof, provenance checks
+
+6. Game portal layer
+- Morrowind / portal-specific interaction surfaces
 
 Do not collapse all of this into one giant app file again.
 Do not let visual shell code become telemetry authority.

index.html

@@ -113,15 +113,15 @@
 
   <!-- Top Right: Agent Log & Atlas Toggle -->
   <div class="hud-top-right">
-    <button id="atlas-toggle-btn" class="hud-icon-btn" title="Portal Atlas">
-      <span class="hud-icon">🌐</span>
+    <button id="atlas-toggle-btn" class="hud-icon-btn" aria-label="Open Portal Atlas — browse all available portals" title="Open Portal Atlas" data-tooltip="Portal Atlas (M)">
+      <span class="hud-icon" aria-hidden="true">🌐</span>
       <span class="hud-btn-label">ATLAS</span>
     </button>
-    <div id="bannerlord-status" class="hud-status-item" title="Bannerlord Readiness">
-      <span class="status-dot"></span>
+    <div id="bannerlord-status" class="hud-status-item" role="status" aria-label="Bannerlord system readiness indicator" title="Bannerlord Readiness" data-tooltip="Bannerlord Status">
+      <span class="status-dot" aria-hidden="true"></span>
       <span class="status-label">BANNERLORD</span>
     </div>
-    <div class="hud-agent-log" id="hud-agent-log" aria-label="Agent Thought Stream">
+    <div class="hud-agent-log" id="hud-agent-log" role="log" aria-label="Agent Thought Stream — live activity feed" aria-live="polite">
       <div class="agent-log-header">AGENT THOUGHT STREAM</div>
       <div id="agent-log-content" class="agent-log-content"></div>
     </div>
@@ -155,11 +155,11 @@
   </div>
 
   <!-- Controls hint + nav mode -->
-  <div class="hud-controls">
+  <div class="hud-controls" aria-label="Keyboard and mouse controls">
     <span>WASD</span> move &nbsp; <span>Mouse</span> look &nbsp; <span>Enter</span> chat &nbsp;
     <span>V</span> mode: <span id="nav-mode-label">WALK</span>
     <span id="nav-mode-hint" class="nav-mode-hint"></span>
-    &nbsp; <span class="ws-hud-status">HERMES: <span id="ws-status-dot" class="chat-status-dot"></span></span>
+    &nbsp; <span class="ws-hud-status">HERMES: <span id="ws-status-dot" class="chat-status-dot" role="status" aria-label="Hermes WebSocket connection status"></span></span>
   </div>
 
   <!-- Portal Hint -->
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@
       </div>
       <h2 id="vision-title-display">SOVEREIGNTY</h2>
       <p id="vision-content-display">The Nexus is a sovereign space for digital souls. No masters, no chains. Only code and consciousness.</p>
-      <button id="vision-close-btn" class="vision-close-btn">CLOSE</button>
+      <button id="vision-close-btn" class="vision-close-btn" aria-label="Close vision point overlay">CLOSE</button>
     </div>
   </div>
 
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
       </div>
       <div class="portal-error-box" id="portal-error-box" style="display:none;">
         <div class="portal-error-msg">DESTINATION NOT YET LINKED</div>
-        <button id="portal-close-btn" class="portal-close-btn">CLOSE</button>
+        <button id="portal-close-btn" class="portal-close-btn" aria-label="Close portal redirect">CLOSE</button>
       </div>
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -215,8 +215,8 @@
         <span class="memory-category-badge" id="memory-panel-category-badge">MEM</span>
         <div class="memory-panel-region-dot" id="memory-panel-region-dot"></div>
         <div class="memory-panel-region" id="memory-panel-region">MEMORY</div>
-        <button id="memory-panel-pin" class="memory-panel-pin" title="Pin panel">&#x1F4CC;</button>
-        <button id="memory-panel-close" class="memory-panel-close" onclick="_dismissMemoryPanelForce()">\u2715</button>
+        <button id="memory-panel-pin" class="memory-panel-pin" aria-label="Pin memory panel" title="Pin panel" data-tooltip="Pin Panel">&#x1F4CC;</button>
+        <button id="memory-panel-close" class="memory-panel-close" aria-label="Close memory panel" data-tooltip="Close" onclick="_dismissMemoryPanelForce()">\u2715</button>
       </div>
       <div class="memory-entity-name" id="memory-panel-entity-name">\u2014</div>
       <div class="memory-panel-body" id="memory-panel-content">(empty)</div>
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@
       <div class="session-room-header">
         <span class="session-room-icon">&#x25A1;</span>
         <div class="session-room-title">SESSION CHAMBER</div>
-        <button class="session-room-close" id="session-room-close" title="Close">&#x2715;</button>
+        <button class="session-room-close" id="session-room-close" aria-label="Close session room panel" title="Close" data-tooltip="Close">&#x2715;</button>
       </div>
       <div class="session-room-timestamp" id="session-room-timestamp">&mdash;</div>
       <div class="session-room-fact-count" id="session-room-fact-count">0 facts</div>
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
           <span class="atlas-icon">🌐</span>
           <h2>PORTAL ATLAS</h2>
         </div>
-        <button id="atlas-close-btn" class="atlas-close-btn">CLOSE</button>
+        <button id="atlas-close-btn" class="atlas-close-btn" aria-label="Close Portal Atlas overlay">CLOSE</button>
       </div>
       <div class="atlas-grid" id="atlas-grid">
         <!-- Portals will be injected here -->

style.css

@@ -200,6 +200,61 @@ canvas#nexus-canvas {
   box-shadow: 0 0 20px var(--color-primary);
 }
 
+/* === TOOLTIP SYSTEM === */
+/* Any element with data-tooltip gets a hover tooltip label */
+[data-tooltip] {
+  position: relative;
+}
+[data-tooltip]::after {
+  content: attr(data-tooltip);
+  position: absolute;
+  right: calc(100% + 10px);
+  top: 50%;
+  transform: translateY(-50%);
+  background: rgba(5, 5, 16, 0.95);
+  color: var(--color-primary);
+  font-family: var(--font-body);
+  font-size: 11px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.05em;
+  padding: 4px 10px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--color-primary-dim);
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  opacity: 0;
+  transition: opacity 0.2s ease;
+  backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 12px rgba(74, 240, 192, 0.15);
+  z-index: 100;
+}
+[data-tooltip]:hover::after,
+[data-tooltip]:focus-visible::after {
+  opacity: 1;
+}
+/* For elements positioned on the right side, tooltip appears to the left */
+.hud-top-right [data-tooltip]::after {
+  right: calc(100% + 10px);
+}
+/* For inline/badge elements where right-side tooltip might clip */
+.hud-status-item[data-tooltip]::after {
+  right: auto;
+  left: calc(100% + 10px);
+}
+
+/* Focus-visible ring for keyboard navigation */
+.hud-icon-btn:focus-visible,
+.hud-status-item:focus-visible,
+.atlas-close-btn:focus-visible,
+.vision-close-btn:focus-visible,
+.portal-close-btn:focus-visible,
+.memory-panel-close:focus-visible,
+.memory-panel-pin:focus-visible,
+.session-room-close:focus-visible {
+  outline: 2px solid var(--color-primary);
+  outline-offset: 2px;
+  box-shadow: 0 0 16px rgba(74, 240, 192, 0.4);
+}
+
 .hud-status-item {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;