movement/movement_params.gd

@@ -22,8 +22,11 @@ class_name MovementParams
 # ── Air Strafe (Quake-style) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # Classic accelerate: only the velocity component along wish_dir is capped, so
 # turning while strafing genuinely gains speed (up to max_air_speed overall).
-@export var air_strafe_accel: float = 55.0
-@export var air_wish_speed_cap: float = 1.2   # per-tick projection cap (m/s), quake-style
+@export var air_strafe_accel: float = 90.0
+@export var air_wish_speed_cap: float = 2.5   # per-tick projection cap (m/s), quake-style
+# Direct steering: bends existing horizontal velocity toward the input without
+# changing its magnitude, so air direction changes feel light and responsive.
+@export var air_steer_rate: float = 5.0
 
 # ── Bunny Hop ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 @export var bunny_hop_impulse: float = 1.1
@@ -82,7 +85,8 @@ class_name MovementParams
 # ── Dash ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 @export var dash_speed: float = 13.0
 @export var dash_duration: float = 0.18
-@export var dash_cooldown: float = 2.0
+@export var dash_charges: int = 2           # dashes available before recharging
+@export var dash_cooldown: float = 2.0      # seconds to regain ONE charge
 @export var dash_invulnerability_time: float = 0.1
 
 # ── Landing feel ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

movement/movement_state_machine.gd

@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ var last_ground_time: float = 0.0
 var jump_buffer_time: float = 0.0
 var coyote_timer: float = 0.0
 var jump_cooldown_timer: float = 0.0
-var dash_cooldown_timer: float = 0.0
+var dash_charges: int = -1              # -1 = initialize from params on first tick
+var dash_recharge_timer: float = 0.0
 var current_jump_count: int = 0
 var chain_timer: float = 0.0
 var chain_count: int = 0
@@ -103,10 +104,18 @@ func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
 
 	# Update timers
 	jump_cooldown_timer = maxf(jump_cooldown_timer - delta, 0.0)
-	dash_cooldown_timer = maxf(dash_cooldown_timer - delta, 0.0)
 	slide_cooldown_timer = maxf(slide_cooldown_timer - delta, 0.0)
 	wall_cooldown_timer = maxf(wall_cooldown_timer - delta, 0.0)
 
+	# Dash charges: regain one per dash_cooldown while below max
+	if dash_charges < 0:
+		dash_charges = params.dash_charges
+	if dash_charges < params.dash_charges:
+		dash_recharge_timer -= delta
+		if dash_recharge_timer <= 0.0:
+			dash_charges += 1
+			dash_recharge_timer = params.dash_cooldown if dash_charges < params.dash_charges else 0.0
+
 	# Update chain timer
 	if chain_timer > 0.0 and on_ground:
 		chain_timer -= delta
@@ -401,5 +410,26 @@ func get_crouch_factor() -> float:
 		/ (original_capsule_height * 0.5), 0.0, 1.0)
 
 
+func can_dash() -> bool:
+	return dash_charges != 0  # -1 (uninitialized) counts as ready
+
+
+## Spend one dash charge and start the recharge clock if it isn't running.
+func consume_dash_charge() -> void:
+	if dash_charges < 0:
+		dash_charges = params.dash_charges
+	dash_charges = maxi(dash_charges - 1, 0)
+	if dash_recharge_timer <= 0.0:
+		dash_recharge_timer = params.dash_cooldown
+
+
+## Seconds until the NEXT dash is available (0 when a charge is banked).
+## HUDs also read get_dash_charges() to draw pips.
 func get_dash_cooldown_remaining() -> float:
-	return dash_cooldown_timer
+	if dash_charges != 0:
+		return 0.0
+	return maxf(dash_recharge_timer, 0.0)
+
+
+func get_dash_charges() -> int:
+	return dash_charges if dash_charges >= 0 else params.dash_charges

movement/states/state_air.gd

@@ -45,9 +45,21 @@ func update(delta: float) -> void:
 			# Quake's trick: cap per-tick projection so sharp turns give the gain
 			accel_speed = minf(accel_speed, params.air_wish_speed_cap)
 			hvel += wish_dir * accel_speed
+
+		# Direct steering: bend existing velocity toward the input WITHOUT
+		# changing its magnitude, so airborne direction changes feel light.
+		# Skipped when input opposes travel (braking is the accel path's job,
+		# and lerping through zero would flip the heading unstably).
+		var speed_now := hvel.length()
+		if speed_now > 1.0:
+			var travel_dir := hvel / speed_now
+			if travel_dir.dot(wish_dir) > -0.7:
+				var steered := hvel.lerp(wish_dir * speed_now, params.air_steer_rate * delta)
+				if steered.length_squared() > 0.01:
+					hvel = steered.normalized() * speed_now
 	else:
-		# No input: slight air drag (very subtle)
-		hvel *= (1.0 - 0.5 * delta)
+		# No input: barely any drag — held momentum should carry
+		hvel *= (1.0 - 0.15 * delta)
 
 	vel.x = hvel.x
 	vel.z = hvel.z
@@ -127,6 +139,6 @@ func update(delta: float) -> void:
 				return
 
 	# ── Dash ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-	if machine.input_dash and machine.dash_cooldown_timer <= 0.0:
+	if machine.input_dash and machine.can_dash():
 		machine.switch_to("dash")
 		return

movement/states/state_dash.gd

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ var _dash_speed: float = 0.0
 
 func enter(_data: Dictionary = {}) -> void:
 	elapsed = 0.0
-	machine.dash_cooldown_timer = params.dash_cooldown
+	machine.consume_dash_charge()
 
 	var player := machine.player
 	if player.dash_player:

movement/states/state_ground.gd

@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func update(delta: float) -> void:
 					return
 
 	# ── Dash ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-	if machine.input_dash and machine.dash_cooldown_timer <= 0.0:
+	if machine.input_dash and machine.can_dash():
 		machine.switch_to("dash")
 		return
 

movement/states/state_slide.gd

@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func update(delta: float) -> void:
 			return
 
 	# Dash out of slide
-	if machine.input_dash and machine.dash_cooldown_timer <= 0.0:
+	if machine.input_dash and machine.can_dash():
 		machine.switch_to("dash")
 		return
 

movement/tests/fake_player.gd.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://d07u4xreb41rf

movement/tests/run_fsm_tests.gd.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://dhu2es4slyh2i

movement/tests/test_fsm_runner.gd

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ func run_all() -> void:
 		"test_wall_run_preserves_fast_entry_speed",
 		"test_wall_run_entry_keeps_some_upward_momentum",
 		"test_dash_cooldown_is_per_machine",
+		"test_dash_has_two_charges_then_recharges",
 		"test_dash_adds_speed_to_forward_momentum",
 		"test_chain_bonus_soft_caps",
 		"test_notify_landed_emits_scaled_event",
@@ -149,9 +150,10 @@ func test_dash_cooldown_is_per_machine() -> void:
 	fake_player.velocity = Vector3(10, 0, 0)
 	sm.wish_dir_world = Vector3(1, 0, 0)
 	sm.switch_to("dash")
-	_expect(sm.dash_cooldown_timer > 0.0, "dash arms this machine's cooldown")
+	_expect(sm.get_dash_charges() == params.dash_charges - 1, "dash spends one charge")
+	_expect(sm.dash_recharge_timer > 0.0, "dash arms this machine's recharge clock")
 
-	# A second, independent machine must NOT share that cooldown (the old
+	# A second, independent machine must NOT share that state (the old
 	# implementation used a static var shared across all players).
 	var player2 = load("res://movement/tests/fake_player.gd").new()
 	add_child(player2)
@@ -159,11 +161,36 @@ func test_dash_cooldown_is_per_machine() -> void:
 	sm2.player = player2
 	sm2.params = MovementParams.new()
 	player2.add_child(sm2)
-	_expect(sm2.dash_cooldown_timer == 0.0, "second player's dash must be ready")
+	_expect(sm2.get_dash_charges() == sm2.params.dash_charges, "second player keeps full charges")
 	remove_child(player2)
 	player2.free()
 
 
+func test_dash_has_two_charges_then_recharges() -> void:
+	params.dash_charges = 2
+	sm.wish_dir_world = Vector3(1, 0, 0)
+	fake_player.velocity = Vector3(10, 0, 0)
+
+	_expect(sm.can_dash(), "first dash available")
+	sm.switch_to("dash")
+	sm.switch_to("air")
+	_expect(sm.can_dash(), "second charge still banked — no cooldown wait")
+	_eq(sm.get_dash_cooldown_remaining(), 0.0, "cooldown reads 0 while a charge is banked")
+	sm.switch_to("dash")
+	sm.switch_to("air")
+	_expect(not sm.can_dash(), "both charges spent → dash blocked")
+	_expect(sm.get_dash_cooldown_remaining() > 0.0, "cooldown now counts to next charge")
+
+	# Simulate the recharge tick the machine runs each physics frame.
+	# Blank the state so only machine bookkeeping runs (no state update /
+	# move_and_slide outside a real physics frame).
+	sm.current_state = ""
+	sm.dash_recharge_timer = 0.0001
+	sm._physics_process(0.016)
+	_expect(sm.can_dash(), "one charge regained after recharge timer elapses")
+	_expect(sm.dash_recharge_timer > 0.0, "recharge continues toward the second charge")
+
+
 func test_dash_adds_speed_to_forward_momentum() -> void:
 	fake_player.velocity = Vector3(12, 0, 0)
 	sm.wish_dir_world = Vector3(1, 0, 0)