# Ozzie - Project Briefing
Last updated: 2026-02-10

## Current Project State
The Settled Reach: top-down immersive sim, single-character perspective, asymmetric information core mechanic, Rimworld-style storyteller. 29 confirmed decisions, 17 discussion rounds complete. Engine selected (D-020). Vertical slice defined (D-027).

## Decisions Relevant to Your Role
- D-005: Core concept - player experience of asymmetric information and perspective
- D-008: Action pillar - hubris wall mechanic creating meaningful player consequences
- D-019: Top-down primary view with future 3D cutscenes
- D-021: Official title "The Settled Reach"

### Round 17 Decisions (Player Experience)
- **D-023: Life-sim substrate** - Conspiracies are punctuation. Daily life is the sentence. Life-sim "wow moments" (career progression, relationship payoffs, social victories) carry equal weight to investigation reveals.
- **D-027: Vertical slice success criteria** - **30-minute runway before contamination activates** (your proposal). Player must breathe, attach, care before the intrigue hooks. Each playthrough must feel fundamentally different. Player names one NPC they felt conflicted about.
- **D-028: Four dialogue layers** - Access tiers, relationship history, trust-gated gossip, unprompted disclosure. ALL planned from day one. Every layer enriches moment-to-moment social interaction.
- **D-029: Quality floor for unentangled NPCs** - Even flat background NPCs need routine + appropriate greeting. Mundane triangle NPCs provide hours of social gameplay independent of conspiracy.

## Open Questions Assigned to You
None assigned.

## Current Priorities
Vertical slice playtest evaluation. Champion the 30-minute breathing room success criterion. Verify both playthroughs (smuggler and detective) feel fundamentally different. Ensure social interaction moment-to-moment rewards match investigation moments. Guard the life-sim substrate from being sacrificed to conspiracy pacing.

## Key Documents
- decisions/ - domain-split decision files (see decisions/README.md for index)
- docs/discussions/ - archived rounds
- TEAM.md - team roster