Fix: Character Forge now completes with blank placeholders for failed images

- Changed error handling to create grey placeholders instead of failing
- All 4 generated views (front/side portrait, side/rear body) use placeholders if API fails
- Character sheet will always complete, even if some images fail
- Fixes issue with Gemini API sometimes returning text instead of images

character_forge_image/services/character_forge_service.py

@@ -180,8 +180,10 @@ class CharacterForgeService:
             )
 
             if front_portrait is None:
-                logger.error(f"{current_stage} failed: {status}")
-                return None, f"Stage 1 failed: {status}", {}
+                logger.warning(f"{current_stage} failed: {status} - will use placeholder")
+                # Create blank placeholder (3:4 portrait aspect ratio = 864x1184)
+                front_portrait = Image.new('RGB', (864, 1184), color=(60, 60, 60))
+                status = f"Failed - using placeholder: {status}"
 
             logger.info(f"{current_stage} complete: {front_portrait.size}")
             stages['front_portrait'] = front_portrait
@@ -213,8 +215,10 @@ class CharacterForgeService:
             )
 
             if side_portrait is None:
-                logger.error(f"{current_stage} failed: {status}")
-                return None, f"Stage 2 failed: {status}", {}
+                logger.warning(f"{current_stage} failed: {status} - will use placeholder")
+                # Create blank placeholder (3:4 portrait aspect ratio = 864x1184)
+                side_portrait = Image.new('RGB', (864, 1184), color=(60, 60, 60))
+                status = f"Failed - using placeholder: {status}"
 
             logger.info(f"{current_stage} complete: {side_portrait.size}")
             stages['side_portrait'] = side_portrait
@@ -241,8 +245,10 @@ class CharacterForgeService:
             )
 
             if side_body is None:
-                logger.error(f"{current_stage} failed: {status}")
-                return None, f"Stage 3 failed: {status}", {}
+                logger.warning(f"{current_stage} failed: {status} - will use placeholder")
+                # Create blank placeholder (9:16 body aspect ratio = 768x1344)
+                side_body = Image.new('RGB', (768, 1344), color=(60, 60, 60))
+                status = f"Failed - using placeholder: {status}"
 
             logger.info(f"{current_stage} complete: {side_body.size}")
             stages['side_body'] = side_body
@@ -271,8 +277,10 @@ class CharacterForgeService:
             )
 
             if rear_body is None:
-                logger.error(f"{current_stage} failed: {status}")
-                return None, f"Stage 4 failed: {status}", {}
+                logger.warning(f"{current_stage} failed: {status} - will use placeholder")
+                # Create blank placeholder (9:16 body aspect ratio = 768x1344)
+                rear_body = Image.new('RGB', (768, 1344), color=(60, 60, 60))
+                status = f"Failed - using placeholder: {status}"
 
             logger.info(f"{current_stage} complete: {rear_body.size}")
             stages['rear_body'] = rear_body