feat(cardinal): change command to use schema with proto wire

go.mod

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ require (
 	connectrpc.com/connect v1.19.1
 	connectrpc.com/otelconnect v0.9.0
 	connectrpc.com/validate v0.6.0
+	github.com/MicahParks/keyfunc/v3 v3.3.10
 	github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2 v1.41.3
 	github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2/config v1.32.11
 	github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2/service/s3 v1.96.4
@@ -17,11 +18,9 @@ require (
 	github.com/expr-lang/expr v1.17.7
 	github.com/getsentry/sentry-go v0.36.2
 	github.com/goccy/go-json v0.10.5
-	github.com/MicahParks/keyfunc/v3 v3.3.10
 	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5 v5.2.2
 	github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0
 	github.com/invopop/jsonschema v0.13.0
-	github.com/jackc/pgerrcode v0.0.0-20240316143900-6e2875d9b438
 	github.com/jackc/pgx/v5 v5.10.0
 	github.com/kelindar/bitmap v1.5.3
 	github.com/nats-io/nats-server/v2 v2.12.6
@@ -31,12 +30,13 @@ require (
 	github.com/rs/zerolog v1.34.0
 	github.com/shamaton/msgpack/v3 v3.0.0
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1
-	go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.40.0
-	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace/otlptracegrpc v1.40.0
-	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.40.0
-	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.40.0
-	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20260128011058-8636f8732409
-	google.golang.org/grpc v1.79.3
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.44.0
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace/otlptracegrpc v1.44.0
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.44.0
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.44.0
+	golang.org/x/net v0.55.0
+	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa
+	google.golang.org/grpc v1.81.1
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.36.11
 )
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/go-logr/stdr v1.2.2 // indirect
 	github.com/google/cel-go v0.26.1 // indirect
 	github.com/google/go-tpm v0.9.8 // indirect
-	github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.27.7 // indirect
+	github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.29.0 // indirect
 	github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru/v2 v2.0.7 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgpassfile v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgservicefile v0.0.0-20240606120523-5a60cdf6a761 // indirect
@@ -88,16 +88,15 @@ require (
 	github.com/stoewer/go-strcase v1.3.1 // indirect
 	github.com/wk8/go-ordered-map/v2 v2.1.8 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/auto/sdk v1.2.1 // indirect
-	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace v1.40.0 // indirect
-	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.40.0 // indirect
-	go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.9.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/crypto v0.49.0 // indirect
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace v1.44.0 // indirect
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.44.0 // indirect
+	go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.10.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.51.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20250911091902-df9299821621 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/net v0.51.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.42.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/text v0.35.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.45.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/text v0.37.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/time v0.15.0 // indirect
-	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20260128011058-8636f8732409 // indirect
+	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 )

go.sum

@@ -98,14 +98,12 @@ github.com/google/go-tpm v0.9.8 h1:slArAR9Ft+1ybZu0lBwpSmpwhRXaa85hWtMinMyRAWo=
 github.com/google/go-tpm v0.9.8/go.mod h1:h9jEsEECg7gtLis0upRBQU+GhYVH6jMjrFxI8u6bVUY=
 github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0 h1:NIvaJDMOsjHA8n1jAhLSgzrAzy1Hgr+hNrb57e+94F0=
 github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0/go.mod h1:TIyPZe4MgqvfeYDBFedMoGGpEw/LqOeaOT+nhxU+yHo=
-github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.27.7 h1:X+2YciYSxvMQK0UZ7sg45ZVabVZBeBuvMkmuI2V3Fak=
-github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.27.7/go.mod h1:lW34nIZuQ8UDPdkon5fmfp2l3+ZkQ2me/+oecHYLOII=
+github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.29.0 h1:5VipnvEpbqr2gA2VbM+nYVbkIF28c5ZQfqCBQ5g2xfk=
+github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.29.0/go.mod h1:Hyl3n6Twe1hvtd9XUXDec4pTvgMSEixRuQKPTMH2bNs=
 github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru/v2 v2.0.7 h1:a+bsQ5rvGLjzHuww6tVxozPZFVghXaHOwFs4luLUK2k=
 github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru/v2 v2.0.7/go.mod h1:QeFd9opnmA6QUJc5vARoKUSoFhyfM2/ZepoAG6RGpeM=
 github.com/invopop/jsonschema v0.13.0 h1:KvpoAJWEjR3uD9Kbm2HWJmqsEaHt8lBUpd0qHcIi21E=
 github.com/invopop/jsonschema v0.13.0/go.mod h1:ffZ5Km5SWWRAIN6wbDXItl95euhFz2uON45H2qjYt+0=
-github.com/jackc/pgerrcode v0.0.0-20240316143900-6e2875d9b438 h1:Dj0L5fhJ9F82ZJyVOmBx6msDp/kfd1t9GRfny/mfJA0=
-github.com/jackc/pgerrcode v0.0.0-20240316143900-6e2875d9b438/go.mod h1:a/s9Lp5W7n/DD0VrVoyJ00FbP2ytTPDVOivvn2bMlds=
 github.com/jackc/pgpassfile v1.0.0 h1:/6Hmqy13Ss2zCq62VdNG8tM1wchn8zjSGOBJ6icpsIM=
 github.com/jackc/pgpassfile v1.0.0/go.mod h1:CEx0iS5ambNFdcRtxPj5JhEz+xB6uRky5eyVu/W2HEg=
 github.com/jackc/pgservicefile v0.0.0-20240606120523-5a60cdf6a761 h1:iCEnooe7UlwOQYpKFhBabPMi4aNAfoODPEFNiAnClxo=
@@ -179,51 +177,51 @@ github.com/wk8/go-ordered-map/v2 v2.1.8 h1:5h/BUHu93oj4gIdvHHHGsScSTMijfx5PeYkE/
 github.com/wk8/go-ordered-map/v2 v2.1.8/go.mod h1:5nJHM5DyteebpVlHnWMV0rPz6Zp7+xBAnxjb1X5vnTw=
 go.opentelemetry.io/auto/sdk v1.2.1 h1:jXsnJ4Lmnqd11kwkBV2LgLoFMZKizbCi5fNZ/ipaZ64=
 go.opentelemetry.io/auto/sdk v1.2.1/go.mod h1:KRTj+aOaElaLi+wW1kO/DZRXwkF4C5xPbEe3ZiIhN7Y=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.40.0 h1:oA5YeOcpRTXq6NN7frwmwFR0Cn3RhTVZvXsP4duvCms=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.40.0/go.mod h1:IMb+uXZUKkMXdPddhwAHm6UfOwJyh4ct1ybIlV14J0g=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace v1.40.0 h1:QKdN8ly8zEMrByybbQgv8cWBcdAarwmIPZ6FThrWXJs=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace v1.40.0/go.mod h1:bTdK1nhqF76qiPoCCdyFIV+N/sRHYXYCTQc+3VCi3MI=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace/otlptracegrpc v1.40.0 h1:DvJDOPmSWQHWywQS6lKL+pb8s3gBLOZUtw4N+mavW1I=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace/otlptracegrpc v1.40.0/go.mod h1:EtekO9DEJb4/jRyN4v4Qjc2yA7AtfCBuz2FynRUWTXs=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.40.0 h1:rcZe317KPftE2rstWIBitCdVp89A2HqjkxR3c11+p9g=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.40.0/go.mod h1:ib/crwQH7N3r5kfiBZQbwrTge743UDc7DTFVZrrXnqc=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.40.0 h1:KHW/jUzgo6wsPh9At46+h4upjtccTmuZCFAc9OJ71f8=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.40.0/go.mod h1:Ph7EFdYvxq72Y8Li9q8KebuYUr2KoeyHx0DRMKrYBUE=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric v1.40.0 h1:mtmdVqgQkeRxHgRv4qhyJduP3fYJRMX4AtAlbuWdCYw=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric v1.40.0/go.mod h1:4Z2bGMf0KSK3uRjlczMOeMhKU2rhUqdWNoKcYrtcBPg=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.40.0 h1:WA4etStDttCSYuhwvEa8OP8I5EWu24lkOzp+ZYblVjw=
-go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.40.0/go.mod h1:zeAhriXecNGP/s2SEG3+Y8X9ujcJOTqQ5RgdEJcawiA=
-go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.9.0 h1:l706jCMITVouPOqEnii2fIAuO3IVGBRPV5ICjceRb/A=
-go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.9.0/go.mod h1:xE+Cx5E/eEHw+ISFkwPLwCZefwVjY+pqKg1qcK03+/4=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.44.0 h1:JjwHmHpA4iZ3wBxluu2fbbE7j4kqlE8jXyAyPXH7HqU=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.44.0/go.mod h1:BMgjTHL9WPRlRjL2oZCBTL4whCGtXch2H4BhOPIAyYc=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace v1.44.0 h1:4YsVu3B8+3qtWYYrsUYgn0OG78pN0rnNPRGX4SbokQI=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace v1.44.0/go.mod h1:+wnlSn0mD1ADVMe3v9Z/WIaiz6q6gL2J/ejaAmdmv80=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace/otlptracegrpc v1.44.0 h1:qazEJlUOQzhCpzQpFETGby7EdqjI1wsd0W+6Gg1SCTU=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlptrace/otlptracegrpc v1.44.0/go.mod h1:fOD2Yefuxixkx3ahVNf0O/PERb6r4OlbxfATVnYvzCo=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.44.0 h1:1w0gILTcHdr3YI+ixLyjemwrVnsMURbTZFrSYCdDdmc=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.44.0/go.mod h1:8O7hanEPBNgEMmybD3s2VBKcgWOCsA6tzHBPODAiquo=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.44.0 h1:nHYwb9lK+fJPU/dnT6s7W7Z8itMWyqrnVfbheVYrZ58=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.44.0/go.mod h1:Osuydd3Se74nqjAKxid74N5eC+jfEqfTegHRnq58oK0=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric v1.44.0 h1:3LlKgI+VjbVsjNRFZJZAJ30WjXC5VkNRks6si09iEfI=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric v1.44.0/go.mod h1:5B5pMARnXxKhltooO4xUuCBorl65a4EpnTalObqOigA=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.44.0 h1:jxF5CsGYCe74MCRx2X4g7WsY/VBKRqqpNvXlX/6gtIk=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.44.0/go.mod h1:oLl1jrMQAVo6v3GAggN+1VH9VIz9iUSvW53sW1Q8PIE=
+go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.10.0 h1:IQRWgT5srOCYfiWnpqUYz9CVmbO8bFmKcwYxpuCSL2g=
+go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.10.0/go.mod h1:/CV4QoCR/S9yaPj8utp3lvQPoqMtxXdzn7ozvvozVqk=
 go.uber.org/goleak v1.3.0 h1:2K3zAYmnTNqV73imy9J1T3WC+gmCePx2hEGkimedGto=
 go.uber.org/goleak v1.3.0/go.mod h1:CoHD4mav9JJNrW/WLlf7HGZPjdw8EucARQHekz1X6bE=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.49.0 h1:+Ng2ULVvLHnJ/ZFEq4KdcDd/cfjrrjjNSXNzxg0Y4U4=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.49.0/go.mod h1:ErX4dUh2UM+CFYiXZRTcMpEcN8b/1gxEuv3nODoYtCA=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.51.0 h1:IBPXwPfKxY7cWQZ38ZCIRPI50YLeevDLlLnyC5wRGTI=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.51.0/go.mod h1:8AdwkbraGNABw2kOX6YFPs3WM22XqI4EXEd8g+x7Oc8=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20250911091902-df9299821621 h1:2id6c1/gto0kaHYyrixvknJ8tUK/Qs5IsmBtrc+FtgU=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20250911091902-df9299821621/go.mod h1:TwQYMMnGpvZyc+JpB/UAuTNIsVJifOlSkrZkhcvpVUk=
-golang.org/x/net v0.51.0 h1:94R/GTO7mt3/4wIKpcR5gkGmRLOuE/2hNGeWq/GBIFo=
-golang.org/x/net v0.51.0/go.mod h1:aamm+2QF5ogm02fjy5Bb7CQ0WMt1/WVM7FtyaTLlA9Y=
+golang.org/x/net v0.55.0 h1:bcvxaJn3e1U6InsFWt1JUq1aSjnRxLzT2rtD2KfkDF8=
+golang.org/x/net v0.55.0/go.mod h1:L5U2KuzuOe1lY7Z+aWVIKK6qEeJXnXV9yzGA+WCHJww=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0 h1:e0PTpb7pjO8GAtTs2dQ6jYa5BWYlMuX047Dco/pItO4=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0/go.mod h1:9xrNwdLfx4jkKbNva9FpL6vEN7evnE43NNNJQ2LF3+0=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220704084225-05e143d24a9e/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220811171246-fbc7d0a398ab/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.12.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.21.0/go.mod h1:/VUhepiaJMQUp4+oa/7Zr1D23ma6VTLIYjOOTFZPUcA=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.42.0 h1:omrd2nAlyT5ESRdCLYdm3+fMfNFE/+Rf4bDIQImRJeo=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.42.0/go.mod h1:4GL1E5IUh+htKOUEOaiffhrAeqysfVGipDYzABqnCmw=
-golang.org/x/text v0.35.0 h1:JOVx6vVDFokkpaq1AEptVzLTpDe9KGpj5tR4/X+ybL8=
-golang.org/x/text v0.35.0/go.mod h1:khi/HExzZJ2pGnjenulevKNX1W67CUy0AsXcNubPGCA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.45.0 h1:dO4czNzziLiiXplLQgBCEpCvXQ3dnkn0SdaZSYdQ+FY=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.45.0/go.mod h1:4GL1E5IUh+htKOUEOaiffhrAeqysfVGipDYzABqnCmw=
+golang.org/x/text v0.37.0 h1:Cqjiwd9eSg8e0QAkyCaQTNHFIIzWtidPahFWR83rTrc=
+golang.org/x/text v0.37.0/go.mod h1:a5sjxXGs9hsn/AJVwuElvCAo9v8QYLzvavO5z2PiM38=
 golang.org/x/time v0.15.0 h1:bbrp8t3bGUeFOx08pvsMYRTCVSMk89u4tKbNOZbp88U=
 golang.org/x/time v0.15.0/go.mod h1:Y4YMaQmXwGQZoFaVFk4YpCt4FLQMYKZe9oeV/f4MSno=
-gonum.org/v1/gonum v0.16.0 h1:5+ul4Swaf3ESvrOnidPp4GZbzf0mxVQpDCYUQE7OJfk=
-gonum.org/v1/gonum v0.16.0/go.mod h1:fef3am4MQ93R2HHpKnLk4/Tbh/s0+wqD5nfa6Pnwy4E=
-google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20260128011058-8636f8732409 h1:merA0rdPeUV3YIIfHHcH4qBkiQAc1nfCKSI7lB4cV2M=
-google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20260128011058-8636f8732409/go.mod h1:fl8J1IvUjCilwZzQowmw2b7HQB2eAuYBabMXzWurF+I=
-google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20260128011058-8636f8732409 h1:H86B94AW+VfJWDqFeEbBPhEtHzJwJfTbgE2lZa54ZAQ=
-google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20260128011058-8636f8732409/go.mod h1:j9x/tPzZkyxcgEFkiKEEGxfvyumM01BEtsW8xzOahRQ=
-google.golang.org/grpc v1.79.3 h1:sybAEdRIEtvcD68Gx7dmnwjZKlyfuc61Dyo9pGXXkKE=
-google.golang.org/grpc v1.79.3/go.mod h1:KmT0Kjez+0dde/v2j9vzwoAScgEPx/Bw1CYChhHLrHQ=
+gonum.org/v1/gonum v0.17.0 h1:VbpOemQlsSMrYmn7T2OUvQ4dqxQXU+ouZFQsZOx50z4=
+gonum.org/v1/gonum v0.17.0/go.mod h1:El3tOrEuMpv2UdMrbNlKEh9vd86bmQ6vqIcDwxEOc1E=
+google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa h1:Kjn0N0tCrDgiAFW+lGO4JZ3ck44CehvJQMAwj9QF0G8=
+google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa/go.mod h1:q4lMZS6kskjT5HvCPrnnypcDPVJqT/f4nfxmkE7gryY=
+google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa h1:mZHHdPZl0dbGHCflZgAq/Q468DWVFcU2whhB2KAo8fk=
+google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc v0.0.0-20260526163538-3dc84a4a5aaa/go.mod h1:4Hqkh8ycfw05ld/3BWL7rJOSfebL2Q+DVDeRgYgxUU8=
+google.golang.org/grpc v1.81.1 h1:VnnIIZ88UzOOKLukQi+ImGz8O1Wdp8nAGGnvOfEIWQQ=
+google.golang.org/grpc v1.81.1/go.mod h1:xGH9GfzOyMTGIOXBJmXt+BX/V0kcdQbdcuwQ/zNw42I=
 google.golang.org/protobuf v1.36.11 h1:fV6ZwhNocDyBLK0dj+fg8ektcVegBBuEolpbTQyBNVE=
 google.golang.org/protobuf v1.36.11/go.mod h1:HTf+CrKn2C3g5S8VImy6tdcUvCska2kB7j23XfzDpco=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=

pkg/cardinal/cardinal.go

@@ -138,6 +138,11 @@ func NewWorld(opts WorldOptions) (*World, error) {
 
 // StartGame launches your game and runs it until stopped.
 func (w *World) StartGame() {
+	// Freeze the command codec registry: all codecs register from generated init() (before now), so
+	// any later RegisterCommandCodec is a bug. Sealing turns that into a clear panic instead of an
+	// unrecoverable concurrent-map write against the tick loop's hot-path reads.
+	command.Seal()
+
 	ctx, stop := signal.NotifyContext(context.Background(), syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
 	defer stop()
 

pkg/cardinal/dst.go

@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/command"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/ecs"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/event"
-	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/schema"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/snapshot"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/testutils"
 	cardinalv1 "github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/proto/gen/go/worldengine/cardinal/v1"
@@ -271,7 +270,7 @@ func (f *dstFixture) randCommand(t *testing.T, rng *rand.Rand, name string) *isc
 	fillRandom(rng, val, f.world.world.LiveEntityIDs()) // Recursive so not inlined
 	p, ok := val.Interface().(command.Payload)
 	require.True(t, ok, "type assertion to command.Payload failed for %q", name)
-	payload, err := schema.Serialize(p)
+	payload, err := command.Marshal(p)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	return &iscv1.Command{
 		Name:    name,
@@ -282,7 +281,7 @@ func (f *dstFixture) randCommand(t *testing.T, rng *rand.Rand, name string) *isc
 }
 
 func (f *dstFixture) enqueueCommand(cmd Command) error {
-	payload, err := schema.Serialize(cmd)
+	payload, err := command.Marshal(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}

pkg/cardinal/e2e.go

@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/command"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/ecs"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/event"
-	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/cardinal/internal/schema"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/micro"
 	"github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/pkg/testutils"
 	cardinalv1 "github.com/argus-labs/world-engine/proto/gen/go/worldengine/cardinal/v1"
@@ -252,7 +251,7 @@ func (f *e2eFixture) randCommand(t *testing.T, rng *rand.Rand, name string) *isc
 	fillRandom(rng, val, f.world.world.LiveEntityIDs())
 	p, ok := val.Interface().(command.Payload)
 	require.True(t, ok, "type assertion to command.Payload failed for %q", name)
-	payload, err := schema.Serialize(p)
+	payload, err := command.Marshal(p)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	return &iscv1.Command{
 		Name:    name,

pkg/cardinal/internal/command/codec.go

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package command
+
+import (
+	"sync/atomic"
+
+	"github.com/rotisserie/eris"
+)
+
+// Codec encodes and decodes a command payload to and from its wire bytes. Each command type has its
+// own codec (generated from its schema); the engine does not know a command's shape, so it looks the
+// codec up by command name. Unmarshal returns a fresh payload rather than mutating a receiver, so a
+// codec implementation needs no pointer receivers.
+type Codec interface {
+	Marshal(Payload) ([]byte, error)
+	Unmarshal([]byte) (Payload, error)
+}
+
+// codecs maps a command name to its wire codec. It is populated once at init time by generated code
+// (command package imported wherever the command is used), then only read, so it needs no locking.
+//
+//nolint:gochecknoglobals // command codec registry: set once at init, read-only thereafter
+var codecs = map[string]Codec{}
+
+// sealed freezes the registry once the world starts. After that the map is immutable, so the hot-path
+// reads in Marshal/unmarshal stay lock-free; a register attempt after sealing is a programming error.
+//
+//nolint:gochecknoglobals // paired with codecs; write-once at StartGame
+var sealed atomic.Bool
+
+// Seal freezes the codec registry. cardinal calls it when a world starts. Codecs must be registered
+// from generated init() (which runs before any StartGame); registering afterwards would be an
+// unrecoverable concurrent-map write against the command hot path, so a post-seal register panics
+// deterministically instead of racing.
+func Seal() {
+	sealed.Store(true)
+}
+
+// RegisterCodec registers the wire codec for a command name. Generated code calls this from init().
+// A name may be registered only once: a duplicate means two generated files claim the same wire name
+// (e.g. a stale commands_wire.gen.go left behind after a command moved packages), so we fail loudly at
+// startup rather than let a last-wins map write silently shadow the correct codec. Registration must
+// happen before the world starts (Seal); a later call panics rather than racing the hot-path reads.
+func RegisterCodec(name string, c Codec) {
+	if sealed.Load() {
+		panic(eris.Errorf(
+			"command codec registry is sealed: register %q from generated init(), not after the world starts",
+			name,
+		))
+	}
+	if _, exists := codecs[name]; exists {
+		panic(eris.Errorf("command %q already has a registered codec (duplicate or stale generated code)", name))
+	}
+	codecs[name] = c
+}
+
+// HasCodec reports whether a codec is registered for the command name.
+func HasCodec(name string) bool {
+	_, ok := codecs[name]
+	return ok
+}
+
+// Marshal encodes a command payload using its registered codec.
+func Marshal(p Payload) ([]byte, error) {
+	c, ok := codecs[p.Name()]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, eris.Errorf("command %q has no registered codec (run the generator)", p.Name())
+	}
+	return c.Marshal(p)
+}
+
+// unmarshal decodes wire bytes for the named command using its registered codec.
+func unmarshal(name string, data []byte) (Payload, error) {
+	c, ok := codecs[name]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, eris.Errorf("command %q has no registered codec (run the generator)", name)
+	}
+	return c.Unmarshal(data)
+}

pkg/cardinal/internal/command/command.go

@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ func (m *Manager) Enqueue(command *iscv1.Command) error {
 	assert.That(command.GetName() != "", "command has empty name")
 	assert.That(command.GetAddress() != nil, "command has nil address")
 	assert.That(command.GetPersona() != nil, "command has nil persona")
-	assert.That(command.GetPayload() != nil, "command has nil payload")
+	// Payload may be empty: a command whose proto message has no set fields serializes to zero
+	// bytes (e.g. lobby_heartbeat). Identity lives in name/address/persona, so an empty payload
+	// is valid — only those three are real invariants.
 
 	// We're doing 2 lookups here to keep the Enqueue caller simple, at the cost of less performance.
 	// If this is determined to be a bottleneck in the future, do what callers of Get do and store the
@@ -155,9 +157,9 @@ func (m *Manager) Names() []string {
 	return names
 }
 
-// ZeroPayload returns a zero-value instance of the named command's payload type.
+// Zero returns a zero-value instance of the named command's payload type.
 func (m *Manager) Zero(name string) Payload {
 	id, exists := m.catalog[name]
-	assert.That(exists, "command doens't exist")
+	assert.That(exists, "command doesn't exist")
 	return m.queues[id].Zero()
 }