settled-reach/docs/sprints/sprint-5/copy.md

# Sprint 5: Live — Copy Tasks

**Goal:** Content at scale — FRIEND packs, PC-as-NPC authoring, NPC style guide

**Branch:** `copy`
**Agents:** Mellanie (lead writer), Paula (NPC design), Gestalt (systems content)

## New Tickets

| # | Title | Blocked by |
|---|-------|------------|
| #310 | Character voice speech patterns — smuggler + detective | — |
| #379 | NPC Authoring Style Guide | #310 |
| #297 | THE FRIEND: Smuggler NPC — Kael Davan full profile + content pack | #310 |
| #298 | THE FRIEND: Detective NPC — Sera Venn full profile + content pack | #310 |
| #401 | PC-as-NPC content authoring | #297, #298 |
| #409 | UI microcopy | — (joint with client) |

Use `db/connectors/ticket show <id>` for full details.

## Key Decisions

- `decisions/content.md` — D-028 (dialogue architecture), D-032 (separate monologue pools), D-034 (THE FRIEND pattern), D-035 (tag taxonomy)
- `decisions/scope.md` — D-027 (vertical slice criteria), D-036 (Sova setting), D-039 (wow moments)

## Critical Path

This sprint's critical path runs through voice patterns:

```
#310 (voice patterns, CRITICAL START)
  → #297 (Kael FRIEND pack) + #298 (Sera FRIEND pack)
  → #401 (PC-as-NPC authoring)

#379 (style guide) — parallel authoring track, informed by #310
#409 (UI microcopy) — standalone, can start immediately
```

**#310 must be completed first.** The FRIEND packs require production-level voice consistency across ~75-100 hand-authored lines per character. Voice patterns are the specification that makes that consistency achievable.

## Notes

### #310: Character voice speech patterns

**What exists:**
- Smuggler and detective personality profiles in wiki (`docs/workshops/content-scoping-v01/round2-synthesis.md`)
- PC-as-NPC unified spec (#381, done in Sprint 4)
- Dual lens authoring guide (#261, completed earlier)

**What to deliver:**
- Speech-level character detail document covering both playable characters (smuggler + detective)
- Per character: sentence length patterns, contraction usage, internal monologue style, nervous behavior verbal markers, frustration register, vocabulary level
- The micro-decisions that ensure 500 lines sound like the same person
- Output format: markdown document at `content/campaigns/main/_meta/voice-patterns.md` or in wiki under `docs/workshops/content-scoping-v01/`

**Integration:** This document is the specification for all FRIEND pack authoring and PC-as-NPC content. Mellanie and Paula both use it as constraint set.

**Gotcha:** This is not personality traits (those exist). This is the sentence-level execution detail — how long are their sentences, do they use contractions, what verbal tics mark stress.

---

### #379: NPC Authoring Style Guide

**What exists:**
- Tier templates (Paula's Round 2 work)
- Authoring rules from Mellanie conventions
- Regional culture brief (Miri's Sova/Krenn content)
- Content pipeline structure (#384, done)
- Monologue guide (`docs/workshops/content-scoping-v01/monologue-authoring-guide.md`)

**What to deliver:**
- Combined style guide document consolidating tier templates, authoring rules, Gestalt constraints, Ozzie anchor line guidance
- Must cover: dialogue line authoring, monologue authoring, tag usage, dual-lens coordination, regional culture application
- Target audience: future content authors (including AI-assisted generation)
- Output location: `content/_meta/npc-authoring-style-guide.md` or similar

**Integration:** This is the handbook for all future NPC content authoring. Used immediately by FRIEND pack work.

**Blocked by:** #310 voice patterns should inform style guide rules. Style guide can start in parallel but final version needs voice patterns complete.

---

### #297: THE FRIEND — Kael Davan (smuggler NPC)

**What exists:**
- Full 10-axis profile concept (D-024)
- THE FRIEND pattern spec (D-034)
- Kael character concept: dock worker, ring member, smuggler's closest colleague
- Contradiction: meeting unknown person in restricted corridor (trying to exit ring to protect partner Naia)
- Content directory structure at `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/`
- YAML schema files in `content/_schema/`

**What to deliver:**
- ~75-100 hand-authored lines (NO generation expansion for FRIEND content)
- Breakdown: 25-35 dialogue, 15-20 trust-gated, 5-8 unprompted, 10-15 monologue (smuggler character pool), 5-8 tell observation, 3-5 contradiction discovery
- Multi-phase relationship arc: comfort → first crack → observation → confrontation → new equilibrium
- Full 10-axis NPC profile in YAML format
- Voice kit, greeting pool, trust-gated dialogue, routine dialogue, contradiction dialogue, monologue reactions, tell descriptions
- Dual-lens notes for detective perspective (how detective sees Kael differently)

**File locations:**
- Profile: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/npcs/kael-davan.yaml`
- Dialogue: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/dialogue/kael-davan-*.yaml` (split by content type)
- Monologue: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/monologue/smuggler/kael-*.yaml`

**Integration:** D-039 wow moment #3 (THE FRIEND's contradiction) depends on this content. Success criterion D-027 #3 (player names NPC they felt conflicted about) is tested by Kael.

**Blocked by:** #310 voice patterns. Kael needs consistent voice across 75-100 lines.

---

### #298: THE FRIEND — Sera Venn (detective NPC)

**What exists:**
- Full 10-axis profile concept (D-024)
- THE FRIEND pattern spec (D-034)
- Sera character concept: Commission field tech, bar regular, detective's social anchor
- Contradiction: avoids Torek Lintar (protecting friend Naia, sitting on unreported evidence)
- Content directory structure at `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/`

**What to deliver:**
- ~75-100 hand-authored lines (same breakdown as #297)
- Multi-phase relationship arc: trust → background data → pattern recognition → the question → contaminated trust
- Institutional access + personal loyalty conflict theme
- Avoidance pattern as observable tell
- Trust-contamination arc (relationship state shift when contradiction discovered)

**File locations:**
- Profile: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/npcs/sera-venn.yaml`
- Dialogue: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/dialogue/sera-venn-*.yaml`
- Monologue: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/monologue/detective/sera-*.yaml`

**Integration:** D-039 wow moment #3 for detective playthrough. Tests institutional vs personal loyalty conflict pattern.

**Blocked by:** #310 voice patterns.

---

### #401: PC-as-NPC content authoring

**What exists:**
- PC-as-NPC unified spec (#381, done)
- Smuggler voice card + moral arc spec (#382, done)
- NPC-format briefs for both PCs (#383, done)
- THE MIRROR pattern spec (#380, done)
- Content directory structure

**What to deliver:**
- Actual PC-as-NPC authored lines: 5-7 routine entries per character, 3-5 observation monologue lines, reverse dual-lens notes
- ~25 authored items total (Mellanie's budget from workshop)
- Smuggler-as-NPC content (how detective observes the smuggler)
- Detective-as-NPC content (how smuggler observes the detective)
- Routine entries showing how PC moves through space when played by engine vs by player

**File locations:**
- Smuggler routine: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/npcs/pc-smuggler.yaml`
- Detective routine: `content/campaigns/main/systems/krenn/sova/sova-transit/npcs/pc-detective.yaml`
- Cross-character monologue in respective character pools

**Integration:** D-039 wow moment #4 (the divergence reveal). Enables second playthrough recognition.

**Blocked by:** FRIEND packs must be complete first — PC-as-NPC uses same authoring patterns, benefits from FRIEND pack workflow lessons.

---

### #409: UI microcopy

**What exists:**
- Stig's UI element specs from Sprint 3
- Interaction prompt system (#405, in progress in Sprint 4/5)
- Client rendering scripts at `client/scripts/rendering/`
- Constants file at `client/scripts/constants.gd`

**What to deliver:**
- ~50 UI strings: interaction prompt labels, knowledge panel labels, relationship state descriptors, HUD labels, tutorial text
- Format: YAML file or GDScript constant definitions (coordinate with Stig)
- Must align with Sova setting voice (D-036) — working-class pragmatic, quotidian-with-undertow

**File location:** TBD with Stig — either `content/campaigns/main/_meta/ui-strings.yaml` or `client/scripts/constants/ui_strings.gd`

**Integration:** Joint ticket with client team. Copy writes strings, client integrates into UI systems.

**Not blocked:** Can start immediately, doesn't depend on FRIEND packs.

---

## Sprint Success Criteria

By end of Sprint 5, copy team delivers:

1. **Voice patterns document** — smuggler and detective speech-level specification
2. **Style guide** — comprehensive NPC authoring handbook
3. **Kael Davan FRIEND pack** — 75-100 hand-authored lines, full profile, multi-phase arc
4. **Sera Venn FRIEND pack** — 75-100 hand-authored lines, full profile, trust-contamination arc
5. **PC-as-NPC content** — 25 authored items enabling second-playthrough recognition
6. **UI strings** — 50 microcopy items for client integration

This is the heaviest copy sprint to date. FRIEND packs are production-level content that carries multiple D-027 success criteria and D-039 wow moments. Quality bar is high — these NPCs must make players feel conflicted.

## PR Workflow

When ready to submit, create a PR with `tea` CLI:

```bash
tea pr create \
  --repo jpmschweitzer/settled-reach \
  --login schweitz \
  --title "feat(content): Sprint 5 FRIEND packs + style guide" \
  --description "Sprint 5 copy team delivery - see docs/sprints/sprint-5/copy.md" \
  --base main \
  --head copy
```