feat(provisioning): admin game-signup mode setting, invite link option, staff self-create

Follow-ups from live testing:

- Game-account creation is now an admin Settings control (disabled / website /
  hybrid / game) instead of a hidden on/off flag. The site offers creation for
  website+hybrid; help text notes the shard's SignupMode (Bridge.cfg) has the final
  say. game_account_signup setting widened to a 4-value enum + validated on save.
- Invites: the accept link is ALWAYS returned and shown with a Copy button, and a
  "Email the invitation" toggle lets an admin create a link-only invite (no email)
  or email it. Backend takes sendEmail (default true) and always returns acceptUrl.
- Staff can create a game account from their own /admin/characters page too
  (POST /admin/shard/account → the shared createGameAccount controller), so the
  form is reachable in both the player and admin portals.

Note: the admin Houses view (/admin/houses) already worked; the earlier failure
was a stale Vite HMR state for the new route (needs a hard refresh).

Client build clean; server routes load; swagger regenerated.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

client/src/api/client.js

@@ -177,7 +177,8 @@ export const api = {
     deleteUser: (id) => req(`/admin/users/${id}`, { method: 'DELETE' }),
     // Email invites.
     listInvites: () => req('/admin/invites'),
-    createInvite: (email, role) => req('/admin/invites', { method: 'POST', body: { email, role } }),
+    createInvite: (email, role, sendEmail = true) =>
+      req('/admin/invites', { method: 'POST', body: { email, role, sendEmail } }),
     revokeInvite: (id) => req(`/admin/invites/${id}`, { method: 'DELETE' }),
     // A single user's shard (uo-link) footprint, scoped to their linked accounts.
     // accounts/sales/houses/online are user-scoped endpoints; roster/vendors/char
@@ -260,6 +261,8 @@ export const api = {
       char: (serial) => req(`/admin/shard/char/${encodeURIComponent(serial)}`),
       sales: () => req('/admin/shard/sales'),
       houses: () => req('/admin/shard/houses'), // full registry (admin/moderator)
+      createAccount: (account, password) =>
+        req('/admin/shard/account', { method: 'POST', body: { account, password } }),
     },
 
     // ----- auth providers / SSO config (admin only) -----

client/src/routes/admin/views/InvitesAdmin.jsx

@@ -11,12 +11,39 @@ const ROLES = ['player', 'moderator', 'editor', 'admin']
 const ROLE_BADGE = { admin: 'badge-admin', editor: 'badge-editor', moderator: 'badge-moderator', player: 'badge-player' }
 const STATUS_COLOR = { pending: 'var(--accent)', accepted: '#7fd0a4', revoked: 'var(--muted)' }
 
+function CopyLink({ url }) {
+  const [copied, setCopied] = useState(false)
+  async function copy() {
+    try {
+      await navigator.clipboard.writeText(url)
+      setCopied(true)
+      setTimeout(() => setCopied(false), 1800)
+    } catch {
+      /* clipboard blocked — the link is selectable in the box regardless */
+    }
+  }
+  return (
+    <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, alignItems: 'stretch' }}>
+      <code
+        onClick={(e) => { const r = document.createRange(); r.selectNodeContents(e.currentTarget); const s = window.getSelection(); s.removeAllRanges(); s.addRange(r) }}
+        style={{ flex: 1, wordBreak: 'break-all', color: 'var(--head)', background: 'var(--panel-flat)', padding: '8px 10px', borderRadius: 6, border: '1px solid var(--line)', cursor: 'text', fontSize: '0.8rem' }}
+      >
+        {url}
+      </code>
+      <button type="button" onClick={copy} className="btn btn-sq" style={{ flex: 'none' }}>
+        {copied ? 'Copied ✓' : 'Copy'}
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
 function CreateInvite({ onCreated }) {
   const [email, setEmail] = useState('')
   const [role, setRole] = useState('player')
+  const [sendEmail, setSendEmail] = useState(true)
   const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false)
   const [error, setError] = useState('')
-  const [result, setResult] = useState(null) // { emailed, acceptUrl }
+  const [result, setResult] = useState(null) // { emailed, acceptUrl, emailError }
 
   async function submit(e) {
     e.preventDefault()
@@ -24,7 +51,7 @@ function CreateInvite({ onCreated }) {
     if (!email.trim()) return setError('Enter an email address.')
     setBusy(true)
     try {
-      const res = await api.admin.createInvite(email.trim(), role)
+      const res = await api.admin.createInvite(email.trim(), role, sendEmail)
       setResult(res)
       setEmail('')
       await onCreated()
@@ -50,25 +77,24 @@ function CreateInvite({ onCreated }) {
           </select>
         </label>
         <button type="submit" disabled={busy} className="btn btn-primary btn-sq">
-          {busy ? 'Sending…' : 'Send invite'}
+          {busy ? 'Creating…' : (sendEmail ? 'Create & email' : 'Create link')}
         </button>
       </form>
 
+      <label className="sans" style={{ display: 'inline-flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 8, marginTop: 12, fontSize: '0.85rem', color: 'var(--ink)', cursor: 'pointer' }}>
+        <input type="checkbox" checked={sendEmail} onChange={(e) => setSendEmail(e.target.checked)} />
+        Email the invitation (otherwise just generate a link to share)
+      </label>
+
       {error && <p className="sans" style={{ margin: '12px 0 0', color: '#d98b84', fontSize: '0.85rem' }}>{error}</p>}
       {result && (
         <div style={{ marginTop: 14 }}>
-          {result.emailed ? (
-            <p className="sans" style={{ margin: 0, color: '#7fd0a4', fontSize: '0.86rem' }}>Invitation emailed.</p>
-          ) : (
-            <div className="sans" style={{ fontSize: '0.84rem', color: 'var(--muted)' }}>
-              <p style={{ margin: '0 0 6px', color: '#e0b070' }}>
-                Email isn’t configured{result.emailError ? ` (${result.emailError})` : ''} — share this single-use link:
-              </p>
-              <code style={{ display: 'block', wordBreak: 'break-all', color: 'var(--head)', background: 'var(--panel-flat)', padding: '8px 10px', borderRadius: 6, border: '1px solid var(--line)' }}>
-                {result.acceptUrl}
-              </code>
-            </div>
-          )}
+          <p className="sans" style={{ margin: '0 0 8px', fontSize: '0.84rem', color: result.emailed ? '#7fd0a4' : 'var(--muted)' }}>
+            {result.emailed
+              ? 'Invitation emailed. You can also share this single-use link:'
+              : `Invite created${result.emailError ? ` (email not sent: ${result.emailError})` : ''}. Share this single-use link:`}
+          </p>
+          <CopyLink url={result.acceptUrl} />
         </div>
       )}
     </div>

client/src/routes/admin/views/SettingsAdmin.jsx

@@ -35,6 +35,18 @@ const FIELDS = [
     ],
     fallback: 'disabled',
   },
+  {
+    key: 'game_account_signup',
+    label: 'Game-account creation',
+    help: 'Whether players can create a GAME account (for the game client) from the site. The game server’s own SignupMode (Bridge.cfg) must agree: website/hybrid accept site-created accounts, game refuses them. When enabled, a “Create a game account” form appears in the player portal.',
+    options: [
+      { value: 'disabled', label: 'Disabled — link an existing account only' },
+      { value: 'website', label: 'Website — the site creates game accounts' },
+      { value: 'hybrid', label: 'Hybrid — site or in-game (recommended)' },
+      { value: 'game', label: 'Game only — created in the game client, not the site' },
+    ],
+    fallback: 'disabled',
+  },
 ]
 
 export default function SettingsAdmin() {

server/src/model/settings/settings.model.js

@@ -32,11 +32,25 @@ function registrationFlags(mode) {
   }
 }
 
-// Game-account signup (Protocol 2.0 hybrid mode). Off unless an admin opts in;
-// the shard's own signup mode still has the final say when we call the sidecar.
+// Game-account signup (Protocol 2.0). The admin picks who mints game accounts:
+//   disabled — the site never offers game-account creation (link-only).
+//   website  — the site is the authority (offer creation; pair with the shard in
+//              website mode + AutoCreateAccounts=false).
+//   hybrid   — either side may create (the site offers creation).
+//   game     — the game server is the authority; the site does NOT offer creation.
+// The site OFFERS creation only for 'website'/'hybrid'; the shard's own SignupMode
+// (Bridge.cfg) still has the final say and may 403 a call regardless.
 const GAME_SIGNUP_KEY = 'game_account_signup'
+const GAME_SIGNUP_MODES = ['disabled', 'website', 'hybrid', 'game']
+const GAME_SIGNUP_OFFER = ['website', 'hybrid']
+
+async function getGameSignupMode() {
+  const v = await settingsDb.get(GAME_SIGNUP_KEY)
+  return GAME_SIGNUP_MODES.includes(v) ? v : 'disabled'
+}
+
 async function isGameAccountSignupEnabled() {
-  return (await settingsDb.get(GAME_SIGNUP_KEY)) === 'enabled'
+  return GAME_SIGNUP_OFFER.includes(await getGameSignupMode())
 }
 
 async function get(key) {
@@ -73,7 +87,8 @@ async function getPublic() {
   out.registration = registrationFlags(mode)
   // Whether the site offers game-account creation (the shard's own mode still has
   // the final say when the call is made). Lets the portal show/hide the form.
-  out.gameAccountSignup = all[GAME_SIGNUP_KEY] === 'enabled'
+  const gsMode = GAME_SIGNUP_MODES.includes(all[GAME_SIGNUP_KEY]) ? all[GAME_SIGNUP_KEY] : 'disabled'
+  out.gameAccountSignup = GAME_SIGNUP_OFFER.includes(gsMode)
   return out
 }
 
@@ -89,5 +104,7 @@ module.exports = {
   getRegistrationMode,
   registrationFlags,
   GAME_SIGNUP_KEY,
+  GAME_SIGNUP_MODES,
+  getGameSignupMode,
   isGameAccountSignupEnabled,
 }

server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.controller.js

@@ -494,6 +494,12 @@ async function updateSettings(req, res) {
   ) {
     return res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid player_registration value' })
   }
+  if (
+    settings.GAME_SIGNUP_KEY in updates &&
+    !settings.GAME_SIGNUP_MODES.includes(updates[settings.GAME_SIGNUP_KEY])
+  ) {
+    return res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid game_account_signup value' })
+  }
   // The homepage teaser is rich text (HTML) from the shared editor — sanitize it
   // against the same allowlist as post/wiki bodies so a stored value is safe (the
   // client re-sanitizes on render as defense in depth).

server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js

@@ -182,6 +182,21 @@ adminRouter.get(
   /* #swagger.responses[200] = { description: 'Vendor sales', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "array", items: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/ShardVendorSale" } } } } } */
   selfShard.getSales,
 )
+adminRouter.post(
+  '/shard/account',
+  // #swagger.tags = ['Admin · Account']
+  // #swagger.summary = 'Create a game account and link it to the caller (staff self-service)'
+  // #swagger.description = 'Same as POST /player/shard/account but for a signed-in staff user — provisions a game account (own username + password) and links it. Gated by game_account_signup + the shard’s mode; the password is never stored or logged.'
+  // #swagger.security = [{ "cookieAuth": [] }, { "bearerAuth": [] }]
+  /* #swagger.requestBody = { required: true, content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", required: ["account","password"], properties: { account: { type: "string" }, password: { type: "string" } } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[201] = { description: 'Account created and linked', content: { "application/json": { schema: { type: "object", additionalProperties: true } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[403] = { description: 'Game-account signup unavailable (site or shard)', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  /* #swagger.responses[409] = { description: 'Account name already taken', content: { "application/json": { schema: { $ref: "#/components/schemas/Error" } } } } */
+  body('account').matches(/^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9_.-]{2,29}$/),
+  body('password').isString().isLength({ min: 8, max: 64 }),
+  validate,
+  selfShard.createGameAccount,
+)
 
 // ── In-game staff operations (uo-link write plane + support queue) ─────
 // Privileged live-shard actions and the help-page queue, open to moderators as

server/src/router/v1/admin/invites.controller.js

@@ -22,10 +22,14 @@ function acceptUrl(token) {
   return `${baseUrl()}/invite/${token}`
 }
 
-// POST /admin/invites — create an invite and email it.
+// POST /admin/invites — create an invite. Optionally email it (sendEmail, default
+// true); the copyable accept link is ALWAYS returned so the admin can hand it over
+// directly. The token is single-use + expiring and the caller is the authenticated
+// admin who made it, so echoing the link back to them is safe.
 async function create(req, res) {
   const email = String(req.body.email || '').trim()
   const role = req.body.role
+  const sendEmail = req.body.sendEmail !== false // default true
   if (!email || !ROLES.includes(role)) {
     return res.status(400).json({ message: 'A valid email and role are required.' })
   }
@@ -33,24 +37,26 @@ async function create(req, res) {
     const { invite, token } = await invites.create({ email, role, invitedBy: req.user.id })
     const url = acceptUrl(token)
 
-    // Send the email; if mail isn't configured, hand the link back so the admin
-    // can share it manually. A send failure doesn't delete the invite — surface it.
+    // Send the email only if asked. A send failure doesn't delete the invite — the
+    // link is still returned so the admin can share it manually.
     let emailed = false
     let emailError = null
-    try {
-      const result = await mailer.sendInvite({ to: email, acceptUrl: url, role, invitedByName: req.user.username })
-      emailed = Boolean(result.sent)
-    } catch (err) {
-      emailError = err.message
-      log.warn('invite email failed (invite still created)', { id: invite.id, message: err.message })
+    if (sendEmail) {
+      try {
+        const result = await mailer.sendInvite({ to: email, acceptUrl: url, role, invitedByName: req.user.username })
+        emailed = Boolean(result.sent)
+        if (!result.sent && result.reason === 'NOT_CONFIGURED') emailError = 'email is not configured'
+      } catch (err) {
+        emailError = err.message
+        log.warn('invite email failed (invite still created)', { id: invite.id, message: err.message })
+      }
     }
 
     await activity.log({ req, userId: req.user.id, action: 'invite.create', detail: { email, role, emailed } })
     log.info('invite created', { id: invite.id, email, role, emailed, by: req.user.username })
 
-    // The accept link is returned only when email did not deliver, so the admin
-    // can copy it. When emailed, we don't echo the token.
-    return res.status(201).json({ invite, emailed, acceptUrl: emailed ? undefined : url, emailError })
+    // acceptUrl is always returned (copyable link); emailed says whether it also went out.
+    return res.status(201).json({ invite, emailed, acceptUrl: url, emailError })
   } catch (err) {
     log.error('create invite', err)
     return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Internal Server Error' })

server/swagger/swagger-output.json

@@ -2426,6 +2426,63 @@
         ]
       }
     },
+    "/api/v1/admin/shard/account": {
+      "post": {
+        "tags": [
+          "Admin · Account"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Create a game account and link it to the caller (staff self-service)",
+        "description": "Same as POST /player/shard/account but for a signed-in staff user — provisions a game account (own username + password) and links it. Gated by game_account_signup + the shard’s mode; the password is never stored or logged.",
+        "responses": {
+          "201": {
+            "description": "Account created and linked",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "additionalProperties": true
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Bad Request"
+          },
+          "403": {
+            "description": "Game-account signup unavailable (site or shard)",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "409": {
+            "description": "Account name already taken",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/Error"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Internal Server Error"
+          }
+        },
+        "security": [
+          {
+            "cookieAuth": []
+          },
+          {
+            "bearerAuth": []
+          }
+        ],
+        "requestBody": {}
+      }
+    },
     "/api/v1/admin/shard/kick": {
       "post": {
         "tags": [