settled-reach/docs/briefings/gestalt.md

Gestalt - Project Briefing

Last updated: 2026-02-13

Current Project State

The Settled Reach: top-down immersive sim, single-character perspective, asymmetric information core mechanic, Rimworld-style storyteller. 41+ confirmed decisions, 17 discussion rounds + 2 workshops complete. Engine selected (D-020). Vertical slice defined (D-027). Sprints 1-4 complete. Sprint 5 (Live) active — content at scale.

Status

ACTIVE. Sprint 5 systems content support. Tag taxonomy is formalized in YAML schemas. Knowledge vocabulary delivered. Content pipeline operational. Primary role this sprint: validate FRIEND pack content against systems constraints, support relationship phase mapping.

Decisions Relevant to Your Role

• D-005: Core concept — story generator mechanics, emergent narrative from systems
• D-007: Five pillars — mechanical framework
• D-008: Action pillar — hubris wall mechanic
• D-011: Fog of war as pillar 1 infrastructure
• D-015: Camera lock — vision cone as information constraint
• D-017: Perception loadout system — observer queries
• D-018: Three-range sound system — information quality by distance
• D-020: Godot client + Rust/bevy_ecs simulation via subprocess/IPC
• D-024: 10-axis NPC consolidation
• D-025: Social site as systemic unit
• D-026: Timestamp eviction
• D-027: Vertical slice as systems proof
• D-028: Axis-to-pipeline mapping (dialogue selection)
• D-032: Separate monologue pools — character is a hard partition tag
• D-034: THE FRIEND ECS spec — full pipeline depth test
• D-035: Converged tag taxonomy (6+3) — your Round 2 design is canonical
• D-038: Audio architecture — event-driven system
• D-039: 6 wow moments — systems must support all 6
• D-041: Knowledge Graph Data Model — 4-level confidence hierarchy, contradiction detection

What's Been Delivered (Sprints 2-4)

Server infrastructure (all operational):

• Knowledge graph components + types (#361), event queue (#363), direct observation flow (#364), decay (#365) — Sprint 2
• Content directory structure (#385), schema definitions (#386), validate-content CLI (#392) — Sprint 3
• Global enums YAML (#387), entity-attributes.yaml (#388), pools.yaml (#389), template YAMLs (#390), triangle YAMLs (#391) — Sprint 4
• Seed configuration schema (#394) — Sprint 4
• YAML content loader Phase 2 (#408) — Sprint 4
• YAML-to-RON converter (#403) — Sprint 4
• Line previewer CLI (#407) — Sprint 4

Content pipeline: fully operational

• Schemas defined, loader working, validator running, previewer available
• Tag taxonomy formalized in content/_schema/ and content/global/enums/

Sprint 5 Priorities

Sprint briefing: docs/sprints/sprint-5/copy.md (supporting copy team)

Primary:

1. Relationship phase mapping for Kael and Sera — map the arc phases to concrete systems triggers, tag transitions, and knowledge state thresholds. Support Paula during FRIEND profile authoring.
2. #379 NPC Authoring Style Guide validation — review Gestalt constraints section, verify tag usage rules, validate 4-layer pipeline documentation.
3. FRIEND pack content validation — when #297/#298 content arrives, validate tag compliance, access tier correctness, trust progression logic, monologue trigger prerequisites.

Supporting:

4. Tag usage review — ensure FRIEND pack content exercises the full tag taxonomy correctly
5. Contradiction detection spec support — verify FRIEND contradiction content maps correctly to D-041 knowledge states

Open Questions Assigned to You

• Q-002: v0.1 scope definition (co-lead)
• Q-005: Prototype scale (co-lead with Tyre, Miri)
• Q-010: Storyteller AI architecture (co-lead with Nigel)
• Q-012: Generation expansion method (co-lead with Mellanie)
• Q-013: Line previewer temporal progression (co-lead with Dudley)
• Q-014: Audio timing with monologue chime (co-lead with Ozzie)
• Q-015: Generation expansion for FRIEND content (co-lead with Mellanie)
• Q-017: Triangle pressure threshold (co-lead with Paula)
• Q-024: Gossip propagation timing (co-lead with Tyre)
• Q-026: Contradiction detection algorithm (co-lead with Paula, Dudley)

Key Documents

• decisions/content.md — D-023 through D-037
• decisions/architecture.md — D-008 through D-031, D-041
• docs/sprints/sprint-5/copy.md — current sprint briefing (copy team, where Gestalt supports)
• content/_schema/ — YAML schema definitions (your taxonomy formalized)
• content/global/ — enums, knowledge, pools, templates, triangles