polish(engine): standard empty/loading/error states (Phase L)

New ui_modal::spawn_empty_state — glyph + headline + optional detail,
centred, with next-step actions composed alongside rather than
configured in. Glyphs restricted to FiraMono-covered ranges (suits,
arrows, ASCII) per the section-10/11 Android constraint.

Swept every improvised surface onto it:
- Theme store: loading / error / empty-catalog branches
- Leaderboard: fetching / error / be-the-first branches
- You-hub Replays tab: dedicated no-replays state (selector and
  actions no longer spawn dead controls when history is empty)
- Stats: first-launch nudge above the em-dash grid

The Account tab's sync row was deliberately NOT swept: it is a live
status + action row, not an empty state, and its deeper treatment
belongs to Phase M's sync-transparency work.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

solitaire_engine/src/leaderboard_plugin.rs

@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsResource, SettingsStoragePath};
 use crate::sync_plugin::SyncProviderResource;
 use crate::ui_modal::{
-    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions,
+    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_empty_state, spawn_modal,
-    spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
+    spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, STATE_INFO, TEXT_DISABLED, TEXT_PRIMARY,
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, TEXT_DISABLED, TEXT_PRIMARY,
-    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4,
+    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
-    Z_MODAL_PANEL, Z_PAUSE_DIALOG,
+    Z_PAUSE_DIALOG,
 };
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -536,11 +536,6 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
             font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
             ..default()
         };
-        let font_status = TextFont {
-            font: font_handle.clone(),
-            font_size: TYPE_BODY_LG,
-            ..default()
-        };
         let font_row = TextFont {
             font: font_handle.clone(),
             font_size: TYPE_BODY,
@@ -647,30 +642,31 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
         .with_children(|body| {
             match data {
                 LeaderboardResource::Idle => {
-                    body.spawn((
+                    spawn_empty_state(
-                        Text::new("Fetching\u{2026}"),
+                        body,
-                        font_status.clone(),
+                        "\u{21BB}",
-                        TextColor(STATE_INFO),
+                        "Fetching the leaderboard\u{2026}",
-                    ));
+                        None,
+                        font_res,
+                    );
                 }
                 LeaderboardResource::Error(_) => {
-                    body.spawn((
+                    spawn_empty_state(
-                        Text::new("Couldn't reach the leaderboard. Try again later."),
+                        body,
-                        font_status.clone(),
+                        "!",
-                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                        "Couldn't reach the leaderboard.",
-                    ));
+                        Some("Try again later."),
+                        font_res,
+                    );
                 }
                 LeaderboardResource::Loaded(rows) if rows.is_empty() => {
-                    body.spawn((
+                    spawn_empty_state(
-                        Text::new("Be the first on the leaderboard."),
+                        body,
-                        font_status.clone(),
+                        "\u{2660}",
-                        TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+                        "Be the first on the leaderboard.",
-                    ));
+                        Some("Win a game and opt in to appear here."),
-                    body.spawn((
+                        font_res,
-                        Text::new("Win a game and opt in to appear here."),
+                    );
-                        font_row.clone(),
-                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                    ));
                 }
                 LeaderboardResource::Loaded(rows) => {
                     // Column headers

solitaire_engine/src/stats_plugin.rs

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ use crate::ui_modal::{ButtonVariant, ModalButton, spawn_modal_button};
 use crate::ui_theme::{
     ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder, RADIUS_SM, STATE_INFO,
     STATE_WARNING, STREAK_MILESTONES, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG,
-    TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4,
+    TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4,
 };
 
 /// Bevy resource wrapping the current stats.
@@ -719,25 +719,17 @@ pub(crate) fn spawn_stats_body(
             },
         ))
         .with_children(|body| {
-            // First-launch caption — sits above the grid as gentle nudge so
+            // First-launch empty state (Phase L) — sits above the grid so
             // the wall of em-dashes reads as "nothing to track yet" rather
             // than as broken state.
             if is_first_launch {
-                body.spawn((
+                crate::ui_modal::spawn_empty_state(
-                    Text::new("Play a game to start tracking stats."),
+                    body,
-                    TextFont {
+                    "\u{2663}",
-                        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
+                    "Play a game to start tracking stats.",
-                        ..default()
+                    None,
-                    },
+                    font_res,
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                );
-                    Node {
-                        margin: UiRect {
-                            bottom: VAL_SPACE_2,
-                            ..default()
-                        },
-                        ..default()
-                    },
-                ));
             }
 
             // --- primary stat cells grid ---
@@ -893,6 +885,20 @@ pub(crate) fn spawn_replays_body(
     selected_index: usize,
     font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
 ) {
+    // Standard empty state (Phase L) — the selector / Watch / Copy
+    // controls only spawn when there is something to select, so their
+    // handlers all no-op via their existing empty-query paths.
+    if replays.is_empty() {
+        crate::ui_modal::spawn_empty_state(
+            card,
+            "\u{2666}",
+            "No replays yet.",
+            Some("Every win records a replay here automatically."),
+            font_res,
+        );
+        return;
+    }
+
     let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
     let font_row = TextFont {
         font: font_handle,

solitaire_engine/src/theme_store_plugin.rs

@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ use crate::resources::TokioRuntimeResource;
 use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsPanel, SettingsResource};
 use crate::theme::{ImportError, ThemeRegistry, import_theme, refresh_registry};
 use crate::ui_modal::{
-    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions,
+    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_empty_state, spawn_modal,
-    spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
+    spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
     BORDER_SUBTLE, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
@@ -528,25 +528,31 @@ fn spawn_store_modal(
 
         match catalog_state {
             CatalogState::Idle | CatalogState::Loading => {
-                card.spawn((
+                spawn_empty_state(
-                    Text::new("Loading catalog…"),
+                    card,
-                    body_font.clone(),
+                    "\u{21BB}",
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                    "Loading the catalog\u{2026}",
-                ));
+                    None,
+                    font_res,
+                );
             }
             CatalogState::Error(msg) => {
-                card.spawn((
+                spawn_empty_state(
-                    Text::new(format!("Could not load the catalog: {msg}")),
+                    card,
-                    body_font.clone(),
+                    "!",
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                    "Couldn't load the catalog.",
-                ));
+                    Some(msg.as_str()),
+                    font_res,
+                );
             }
             CatalogState::Loaded(entries) if entries.is_empty() => {
-                card.spawn((
+                spawn_empty_state(
-                    Text::new("The server has no themes yet."),
+                    card,
-                    body_font.clone(),
+                    "#",
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                    "The server has no themes yet.",
-                ));
+                    Some("Themes dropped into the server's theme_store folder appear here."),
+                    font_res,
+                );
             }
             CatalogState::Loaded(entries) => {
                 for entry in entries {

solitaire_engine/src/ui_modal.rs

@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
     ACCENT_PRIMARY, ACCENT_PRIMARY_HOVER, ACCENT_SECONDARY, BG_BASE, BG_ELEVATED, BG_ELEVATED_HI,
     BG_ELEVATED_PRESSED, BG_ELEVATED_TOP, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder,
-    MOTION_MODAL_SECS, RADIUS_LG, RADIUS_MD, RADIUS_SM, SCRIM, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_PRIMARY,
+    MOTION_MODAL_SECS, RADIUS_LG, RADIUS_MD, RADIUS_SM, SCRIM, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_DISABLED,
-    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
+    TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_DISPLAY,
-    VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_5, scaled_duration,
+    TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_5, scaled_duration,
 };
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -328,6 +328,80 @@ pub fn spawn_modal_body_text(
     parent.spawn((ModalBody, Text::new(text.into()), font, TextColor(color)));
 }
 
+/// Standard empty / loading / error surface (Phase L): a large glyph,
+/// a headline, and an optional secondary detail line, centred in the
+/// available space. Every async or possibly-empty surface (leaderboard,
+/// replays, theme store, first-launch stats) renders through this so
+/// "nothing here yet" reads identically everywhere.
+///
+/// A next-step action is composition, not configuration: spawn a
+/// [`spawn_modal_button`] (or any control) in the same parent right
+/// after this call.
+///
+/// `glyph` MUST come from FiraMono-covered ranges — card suits
+/// (U+2660–2666), Arrows (U+2190–21FF), or ASCII. The Geometric Shapes
+/// block renders as tofu on Android (§10 / §11).
+pub fn spawn_empty_state(
+    parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
+    glyph: &str,
+    headline: &str,
+    detail: Option<&str>,
+    font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
+) {
+    let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let font_glyph = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_DISPLAY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_headline = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY_LG,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_detail = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle,
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+
+    parent
+        .spawn((
+            EmptyStateBlock,
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                padding: UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_5),
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|block| {
+            block.spawn((
+                Text::new(glyph.to_string()),
+                font_glyph,
+                TextColor(TEXT_DISABLED),
+            ));
+            block.spawn((
+                Text::new(headline.to_string()),
+                font_headline,
+                TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+            ));
+            if let Some(detail) = detail {
+                block.spawn((
+                    Text::new(detail.to_string()),
+                    font_detail,
+                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                ));
+            }
+        });
+}
+
+/// Marker on every [`spawn_empty_state`] block, mostly for tests.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct EmptyStateBlock;
+
 /// Spawns the bottom actions row — flex-row with primary right-aligned.
 /// The closure populates the row's buttons via `spawn_modal_button`.
 ///
@@ -1184,4 +1258,62 @@ mod tests {
             "exactly one of the two stacked dismissible modals should remain"
         );
     }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Phase L: standard empty state
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// The helper spawns glyph + headline (+ detail when given) under one
+    /// marked block, so every empty surface renders identically.
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_state_spawns_expected_structure() {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins);
+        {
+            let world = app.world_mut();
+            let mut commands = world.commands();
+            commands.spawn(Node::default()).with_children(|parent| {
+                spawn_empty_state(
+                    parent,
+                    "\u{2660}",
+                    "Nothing here.",
+                    Some("Do the thing."),
+                    None,
+                );
+                spawn_empty_state(parent, "!", "No detail variant.", None, None);
+            });
+        }
+        app.update();
+
+        let blocks = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<EmptyStateBlock>>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(blocks, 2, "each call spawns exactly one marked block");
+
+        let texts: Vec<String> = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&Text>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .map(|t| t.0.clone())
+            .collect();
+        for expected in [
+            "\u{2660}",
+            "Nothing here.",
+            "Do the thing.",
+            "!",
+            "No detail variant.",
+        ] {
+            assert!(
+                texts.iter().any(|t| t == expected),
+                "missing text node {expected:?}; got {texts:?}"
+            );
+        }
+        assert_eq!(
+            texts.len(),
+            5,
+            "the detail-less variant must not spawn a detail node"
+        );
+    }
 }