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+# Header Text Player Meter — Design
+
+## Summary
+
+Add a gradient fill meter to the "ROOM CODE:" header text that visually represents lobby fill (playerCount / maxPlayers). The fill sweeps left-to-right from the configured header color (pink) to white. A pulse/glow fires when the lobby is full.
+
+Also: revert the player list checkbox to unchecked by default.
+
+## Requirements
+
+- Smooth CSS gradient across the header text, not per-character or per-word.
+- Fill percentage = `playerCount / maxPlayers`, clamped to `[0, 1]`.
+- 0 players → 100% pink. All players → 100% white.
+- Gradient edge animates smoothly (~400ms ease) when player count changes.
+- Brief pulse/glow animation when fill reaches 100%.
+- Existing header settings (text, color, size, offset) continue to work. The configured header color becomes the "unfilled" color; white is always the "filled" color.
+- Player list disabled by default.
+
+## Approach
+
+CSS `background-clip: text` with a dynamic `linear-gradient`.
+
+### CSS Changes (`optimized-controls.html`)
+
+Replace the static `#header` color with gradient-compatible styles:
+
+```css
+#header {
+    /* existing position, font, letter-spacing, opacity, transition stay */
+    -webkit-background-clip: text;
+    background-clip: text;
+    -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
+    /* drop-shadow replaces text-shadow (incompatible with transparent text) */
+    filter: drop-shadow(3px 3px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8));
+    text-shadow: none;
+}
+```
+
+New keyframes for the full-lobby pulse:
+
+```css
+@keyframes meter-full-pulse {
+    0%   { filter: drop-shadow(3px 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.8)); transform: scale(1) translateY(var(--header-offset)); }
+    50%  { filter: drop-shadow(0 0 20px rgba(255,255,255,0.6)) drop-shadow(3px 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.8)); transform: scale(1.05) translateY(var(--header-offset)); }
+    100% { filter: drop-shadow(3px 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.8)); transform: scale(1) translateY(var(--header-offset)); }
+}
+
+#header.meter-full-pulse {
+    animation: meter-full-pulse 0.6s ease-out;
+}
+```
+
+### JS Changes (`js/room-code-display.js`)
+
+1. **Track meter state** — new private fields: `#meterFill` (current 0–1), `#meterTarget` (target 0–1), `#meterRafId`.
+2. **`#applySettings()`** — replace `header.style.color = headerColor` with `header.style.background = linear-gradient(...)` using current `#meterFill` and the configured header color.
+3. **`update(ctx)`** — compute new target from `ctx.playerCount / ctx.maxPlayers`. If different from current target, call `#animateMeterTo(newTarget)`.
+4. **`#animateMeterTo(target)`** — `requestAnimationFrame` loop that interpolates `#meterFill` toward target over ~400ms with ease-out. Each frame calls `#applyMeterGradient()`.
+5. **`#applyMeterGradient()`** — sets `header.style.background` to `linear-gradient(to right, #fff 0%, #fff ${pct}%, ${headerColor} ${pct}%, ${headerColor} 100%)` plus re-applies `background-clip` properties.
+6. **`#triggerFullPulse()`** — adds `meter-full-pulse` class, removes after `animationend` event.
+7. **`deactivate()`** — cancels RAF, resets `#meterFill` to 0.
+
+### HTML Change (`optimized-controls.html`)
+
+Remove `checked` from `<input type="checkbox" id="player-list-enabled" checked>`.
+
+## Data Flow
+
+```
+WebSocket event (lobby.player-joined / player-count-updated)
+  → OverlayManager updates context.playerCount
+  → OverlayManager calls RoomCodeDisplay.update(ctx)
+  → RoomCodeDisplay computes target = playerCount / maxPlayers
+  → #animateMeterTo(target) runs RAF interpolation
+  → When target reaches 1.0, #triggerFullPulse() fires
+```
+
+## Edge Cases
+
+- `maxPlayers` is 0 or missing → fill stays at 0%.
+- `playerCount > maxPlayers` → clamp to 100%.
+- Rapid successive joins → each new target interrupts the current animation, smoothly redirecting.
+- Lobby reset (new game) → `deactivate()` resets fill to 0; next `activate()` starts fresh.