Fix dedicated server: delay netfox tick loop until first client connects, keep full scene tree for identity sync

examples/multiplayer-fps/scripts/player-spawner.gd

@@ -6,6 +6,17 @@ extends Node
 ## Set to false for dedicated server operation.
 @export var spawn_host_avatar: bool = true
 
+## When true, this is a dedicated server. Peer 1 (the server itself) never
+## gets a player avatar. Clients also skip spawning peer 1 locally.
+var _dedicated_server: bool = false
+
+## Mark this spawner as running on a dedicated server.
+## The host avatar (peer 1) is skipped entirely — no avatar is spawned for the
+## server process itself.
+func set_dedicated_server() -> void:
+	_dedicated_server = true
+	print("[PlayerSpawner] Dedicated server mode enabled")
+
 var t_spawn_points: Array[Marker3D] = []
 var ct_spawn_points: Array[Marker3D] = []
 var team_manager: TeamManager
@@ -47,8 +58,12 @@ func _handle_connected(id: int):
 	_spawn(id)
 
 func _handle_host():
+	if _dedicated_server:
+		print("[PlayerSpawner] Dedicated server — skipping host avatar entirely")
+		# Match starts when the first client connects (handled by headless_server)
+		return
 	if not spawn_host_avatar:
-		print("[PlayerSpawner] Dedicated server mode — skipping host avatar")
+		print("[PlayerSpawner] spawn_host_avatar=false — skipping host avatar")
 		if round_manager:
 			round_manager.start_match()
 		return
@@ -58,8 +73,11 @@ func _handle_host():
 		round_manager.start_match()
 
 func _handle_new_peer(id: int):
+	if _dedicated_server and id == 1:
+		# Peer 1 is the server itself — no avatar needed
+		return
 	if id == 1 and not spawn_host_avatar:
-		print("[PlayerSpawner] Skipping spawn for peer 1 (dedicated server)")
+		print("[PlayerSpawner] Skipping spawn for peer 1 (spawn_host_avatar=false)")
 		return
 	_spawn(id)
 	if multiplayer.is_server():