settled-reach/docs/workshops/v01-content-scoping/SUMMARY.md

v0.1 Content Scoping Workshop — Summary

Date: 2026-02-12 Called by: Jeroen Participants: Gestalt (Systems Design), Paula (Narrative), Tyre (Architecture), Mellanie (Copywriter), Stig (UI), Dudley (Server), SI (Project Manager), Qatux (Documenter) Rounds: 2 + closing round (lead resolutions) Purpose: Scope and prioritize content work for v0.1 vertical slice. Apply Wiki Review long-term strategy (300-world generator model) to the hand-authored Sova Transit District proof. Key constraint: v0.1 proves the interaction model. All structures must be generator-compatible for the 300-world future.

Source files:

• docs/workshops/v01-content-scoping/round1-tracking.md
• docs/workshops/v01-content-scoping/round2-tracking.md
• docs/workshops/v01-content-scoping/si-ticket-changes.md
• docs/workshops/v01-content-scoping/v01-content-scoping-workshop-brief.md
• Round 1 responses: round1-gestalt.md through round1-si.md
• Round 2 responses: round2-gestalt.md through round2-si.md

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1. Workshop Overview

Round 1 — 7 responses across 6 topics (wiki fixes, NPC architecture, content directory, interaction model, scope boundary, tickets). Produced 17 consensus items, 5 disagreements, 7 wiki gaps, 7 decisions ready to formalize, 26 surviving tickets + 7 new proposals.

Round 2 — Lead issued 4 decisions resolving the major disagreements (NPC mapping, content format, interaction model, pause behavior). 7 responses addressed remaining convergence work. Gestalt changed 6 of 10 NPC mapping positions to Paula's reads. Tyre and Dudley independently produced structurally identical ObserverSnapshot v3 definitions. Mellanie delivered canonical PC voice registers and the Kael Davan content pack template.

Closing round — Lead resolved 3 remaining questions: Q-012 (16 EntityKnowledge keys), Q-013 (server-authoritative pause, NEW-12 killed), Q-016 (verbs[] rename confirmed). Established process rule: no ticket merges across domain teams.

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2. Decisions Made (D-042 through D-061)

From Round 1 Consensus (7)

ID	Decision
D-042	Drin promoted from Tier 3 to Tier 2.
D-043	THE NOBODY mechanic deferred to v0.2; hidden pattern+motivation data ships in v0.1 content files.
D-044	v0.1 interaction model: 7 interactions (Move, Look, Monologue, Examine Object, Examine NPC, Talk, Overhear).
D-045	v0.1 scope IN additions: News ticker, PC-as-NPC, Time progression, Relationship state transitions.
D-046	v0.1 scope OUT additions: Inventory, Stealth, Combat, Player-facing save/load, Lattice modification.
D-047	v0.1 triangles: 3 active forks (T1, T2, T4), 2 passive tensions (T3, T5).
D-048	Client receives all text from server via state updates; client does not load or evaluate content files.

From Round 2 + Closing (13)

ID	Decision
D-049	YAML is the content file format for v0.1. RON converter available as optional build-time tool. Server loads YAML directly; RON cache is a future production optimization.
D-050	Gestalt's NPC pattern/motivation mapping is canonical for v0.1. Paula's emotional/narrative layer becomes v0.2 annotations. Version-toggle approach.
D-051	v0.1 ships single context-sensitive action; multi-verb architecture modeled underneath. Server computes N available verbs per entity. v0.1 client shows priority-0 only. v0.2 client reads full list — no server changes.
D-052	3-state pause: Normal (100%), Overlay (50%), Paused (0%). Server-authoritative — client is a dumb renderer. Client sends pause IPC command; reads sim_speed from ObserverSnapshot.
D-053	Self-contained triangle forks for v0.1. No cross-triangle cascade. v0.2 adds storyteller-managed cascade.
D-054	ObserverSnapshot v3 protocol. Extends v2 with: sim_speed, nearby_interactions, active_dialogue, monologue, overheard, knowledge_updates, examine_result, ticker_headlines. Backward compatible via serde defaults.
D-055	16 EntityKnowledge keys. 4 new generic role-perspective keys. trust_read merged into trust_level. secret_held renamed to leverage_held (expanded value space). secret_confidence → leverage_confidence. social_debt and loyalty_conflict deferred to v0.2.
D-056	PC voice registers defined. Smuggler: feeling-first, fragments, concrete/physical. Detective: analysis-first, complete sentences, institutional vocabulary.
D-057	Content directory: content/ with schema/, global/, districts/ top-level split. JSON Schema validation at build time. Dialogue by location+role. Monologue partitioned by character.
D-058	THE FRIEND content pack template: Kael Davan. 91 lines across 5 arc phases. Becomes template for all subsequent packs.
D-059	Monologue display: 160 char max, 2-line max, 4-6s display, 2s cooldown, queue depth 1, 9-level priority ordering.
D-060	actions[] renamed to verbs[] across all surfaces (server, client, YAML, wiki, decisions).
D-061	No ticket merges across domain teams. Shared epics fine; each team gets own ticket with own definition of done.

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3. EntityKnowledge — 16 Keys

Architecture: All keys are observer-to-target. Interpretation lives in content (monologue pools, voice registers, archetype briefs), not schema. Same key, same enum, different meaning per archetype.

12 Existing Keys

#	Key	Category
1	name	Identity
2	role	Identity
3	faction	Identity
4	species	Identity
5	location	Spatial
6	routine_pattern	Behavioral
7	trust_level	Relational (absorbs trust_read)
8	leverage_held	Relational (renamed from secret_held; expanded: secrets, debts, promises, obligations, compromising positions)
9	leverage_confidence	Relational (renamed from secret_confidence)
10	relationship_state	Relational
11	behavior_flags	Behavioral (tracks tells + contradictions)
12	known_associates	Social

4 New Role-Perspective Keys

#	Key	Values	What It Stores
13	risk_assessment	none / low / moderate / high / critical	How this NPC threatens observer's position
14	loyalty_assessment	solid / dependable / uncertain / wavering / hostile	How predictably this NPC serves observer's interests
15	position_integrity	solid / thin / cracking / blown / N/A	Status of active deception involving this NPC
16	moral_weight	innocent / peripheral / complicit / compromised / willing	Observer's subjective moral assessment

Deferred to v0.2: social_debt (no favor economy in 30-min session), loyalty_conflict (inferable from behavior_flags + loyalty_assessment).

Not added: tell_observed, contradiction_flagged — tracked in existing behavior_flags.

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4. NPC Mapping

v0.1 Canonical (Gestalt's Mechanical Mapping)

#	Name	Tier	Pattern	Motivation
1	Kael Davan	T1	FRIEND	OPERATOR
2	Sera Venn	T1	FRIEND	WITNESS
3	Naia Tamm	T1*	MIRROR	CIVILIAN
4	Voss	T2	SYSTEM	OPERATOR
5	Lera Sessik	T2	ANCHOR	OPERATOR
6	Torek Lintar	T2	CATALYST	CIVILIAN
7	Devra	T2	THRESHOLD	HANDLER
8	Maret Korr	T2	WITNESS	SKEPTIC
9	Resha	T2	CATALYST	CIVILIAN
10	Drin	T2	SYSTEM	TURNCOAT
11	Renn	T2	THRESHOLD	OPERATOR
12	Pell	T2	CATALYST	TURNCOAT
13	Harek	T2	ANCHOR	HANDLER
14	Sess	T3	ANCHOR	CIVILIAN
15	Olin	T3	CATALYST	CIVILIAN
16	Sabel	T3	GHOST	OPERATOR
17	Tav	T3	SYSTEM	CIVILIAN

Off-stage: Nils Davan — GHOST + HANDLER

Distribution: 8 of 9 patterns present (REMNANT correctly absent; NOBODY deferred). All 6 motivations present. CIVILIAN at 6/17 (35%) matches D-029 noise floor (~30%).

v0.2 Emotional Layer (Paula's Annotations)

Paula annotated all 10 disagreement NPCs with emotional/narrative depth descriptions specifying what content each v0.2 motivation/pattern unlocks (~30-50 lines per NPC). The version-toggle approach: same NPCs, same schema, deeper analytical lens.

Resolution Process

Gestalt changed 6 of 10 Round 1 disagreement positions to Paula's reads (Maret pattern+motivation, Resha motivation, Harek pattern, Drin pattern, Sabel pattern, Olin motivation). Gestalt held on 3 (Voss motivation, Devra motivation, Sess pattern). Tav was a design-choice change (NOBODY deferred = SYSTEM+CIVILIAN instead).

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5. Content Architecture

Format

YAML for all content files (D-049). RON converter in tooling/ as optional build-time optimization. Server loads YAML directly via serde_yaml. JSON Schema validation at authoring and build time.

Directory Structure

content/
  content.yaml              # manifest
  _schema/                  # JSON Schema files
  _meta/                    # infrastructure
  global/
    facts.yaml
    factions.yaml
    enums/                  # situations, topics, moods, triggers, access-tiers, activities
    knowledge/
      entity-attributes.yaml
    regions/
  districts/
    sova-transit/
      district.yaml
      npcs/                 # per-NPC YAML (tier-conditional fields)
      locations/
      triangles/            # 5 triangle definitions
      lines/
        dialogue/           # by location + role (not NPC)
        monologue/          # partitioned by character
      routines/
      templates/

Canonical ID format: {system}.{station}.{district}.{type}.{slug}

Validation Pipeline (3-tier)

1. Authoring time: IDE with JSON Schema autocomplete
2. Build time: make validate-content — JSON Schema + cross-reference validation
3. Load time: serde_yaml deserialization + semantic validation (StableId assignment, relationship wiring)

Schemas Defined

• npc-profile.schema.json — tier-conditional fields, pattern/motivation enums, axes, tells, access tiers, trust levels, friend_arc, triangle membership
• dialogue-pool.schema.json — tagged per D-028/D-035, role+location based, access/trust/situation gating, knowledge_grants
• monologue-pool.schema.json — character-partitioned (D-032), trigger+prerequisite (AND-only)+priority+cooldown, 160 char max

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6. Interaction Model

7 Verbs (D-044)

Move, Look, Monologue, Examine Object, Examine NPC, Talk, Overhear.

Architecture

• Server computes N available verbs per entity every tick via verbs[] field (D-060 rename from actions[])
• Priority-sorted: context determines which verb surfaces as [E] prompt
• Post-contradiction: Examine can rise above Talk (detective investigating flagged NPC)
• verbs[] embedded in ObserverSnapshot via nearby_interactions, not separate message

v0.1 Client

Single context-sensitive action. [E] Talk / [E] Examine. One keybind. InteractPrimary PlayerAction variant sends priority-0 verb.

v0.2 Extension

[E] Talk [F] Observe — horizontal label row. InteractWith PlayerAction variant. Client reads full verbs[] list. No server changes needed.

Convergence

Tyre (AvailableActions/ActionOption), Dudley (EntityInteractions/AvailableAction), and Stig (InteractionOptions) independently produced structurally identical designs. Naming unification deferred to implementation (Q-015).

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7. Pause System

3 States (D-052)

State	Speed	Trigger
Normal	100% (1.0)	Default
Overlay	50% (0.5)	Knowledge panel, dialogue
Paused	0% (0.0)	Spacebar (always)

Authority

Server-authoritative. Tick rate is a server simulation concern. Client is a dumb renderer — renders ObserverSnapshots at whatever rate the server sends them. Client sends pause IPC command to server. Client reads sim_speed from ObserverSnapshot for visual feedback.

Spacebar from any state goes to Paused. Spacebar from Paused resumes to pre-pause state. Multiple overlays don't stack below 50% in v0.1.

NEW-12 (client pause state machine) killed — client doesn't manage time. Stig's PauseManager reduced to sending IPC commands and reading sim_speed.

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8. Scope Boundary

IN (v0.1)

• WASD movement + collision
• Context-sensitive interaction (7 verbs, single-action prompt)
• Monologue system (tagged triggers, FactId prerequisites, AND-only)
• Knowledge graph (player learns facts, relationships change)
• 2 playable characters (smuggler, detective)
• THE FRIEND arc (Kael for smuggler, Sera for detective)
• 5 triangles: 3 active forks (T1, T2, T4), 2 passive tensions (T3, T5)
• 6 wow moments (D-039)
• 3 social sites (Terminal, Last Shift, Maintenance Corridors)
• NPC routines (schedule-based movement)
• News ticker (world-space at bar)
• PC-as-NPC (other character exists as NPC)
• Time progression (DayPhase)
• Relationship state transitions (Friendly → PersonOfInterest)
• Self-contained triangle forks (no cross-triangle cascade)
• ~695 authored content items (~200 monologue + ~350 dialogue + ~50 environmental + ~20 ticker + ~50 UI + ~25 PC-as-NPC)

OUT (v0.1)

• THE NOBODY / dynamic tier promotion (data ships, mechanic deferred)
• Archetype transitions
• Multiple FRIEND candidates per character
• Secondary contraband variation
• Gate network / multi-world
• Content generation / randomization
• Modding support (mod-compatible conventions ship; overlay implementation doesn't)
• Inventory system (evidence is knowledge, not physical items)
• Stealth mechanics (social stealth, not mechanical)
• Combat system
• Player-facing save/load (session-based 30-minute slice)
• Lattice modification/upgrade
• Cross-triangle cascade (storyteller-managed, v0.2)
• social_debt / loyalty_conflict EntityKnowledge keys

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9. Ticket Summary

Counts

Category	Count	Teams
Wiki fixes (A-series)	8	copy
Style guides & specs (B-series)	5	copy
Content directory & schema (C-series)	10	copy (1), server (8), ci (1)
Design specs (D-series)	2	server (1), copy (1)
Workshop tickets (NEW 1-7)	7	copy
Lead decision tickets (NEW 8-14, excl. killed NEW-12)	6	server (4), client (2)
Total new tickets	38	copy (21), server (13), client (2), ci (1)
Existing ticket updates	10	—

Sprint 3 Allocation

Copy team (15 tickets):

• P0: #261 (Dual Lens Guide — critical path root, blocks 9 tickets), C1 (content dir design), A1 (canonical names), A2 (Naia Tamm rename), A7 (smuggler attributes)
• P1: B2 (MIRROR spec), B4 (smuggler voice + moral arc), NEW-1 (NPC mapping), NEW-5 (wow moment checklist), A10 (Nils stub), A11 (Triangle 1 fix)
• P2: B3 (PC-as-NPC spec), A8 (shortcode fix), NEW-2 (Drin expansion), NEW-7 (interaction verb spec)

Server team (6 additions to existing 10):

• C2 (directory skeleton), C3 (schemas), C9 (validate-content CLI), NEW-9 (proximity + InteractionOptions), #326-P1 (loader skeleton), NEW-11 (tick rate scaling)

Client team (1 addition):

• NEW-10 (extensible interaction prompt)

Critical Paths

Chain 1 — Content Authoring: #261 → B4 → A6 (Sprint 4) → NEW-4 (Sprint 4) → content packs (Sprint 5)

Chain 2 — Content Architecture: C1 → C2+C3 (Sprint 3) → C4-C8+NEW-3 (Sprint 4) → #326-P2 (Sprint 4)

Chain 3 — Interaction Pipeline: NEW-7 (soft) → NEW-9 (server) → NEW-10 (client)

#261 (Dual Lens Authoring Guide) is the single biggest blocker. Blocks 9 downstream tickets across the entire content pipeline. Recommended: Paula as owner, 5-day time-box.

Key Existing Ticket Updates

• #368: Close (wiki delivered)
• #369: Repurpose as parent epic
• #326: Split into Phase 1 (Sprint 3, skeleton) + Phase 2 (Sprint 4, real content)
• #86: Update ECS component list to workshop output
• #88: Add #237 (A* pathfinding) dependency

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10. Open Items Carried Forward

ID	Item	Owner	Priority
Q-014	3 NPC surnames awaiting Miri validation: Drin Vassar, Sess Torin, Tav Lenn	Miri	Low
Q-015	Interaction struct naming: AvailableActions (Tyre) vs EntityInteractions (Dudley). Trivial — resolved at implementation time.	Tyre/Dudley	Low
Q-017	695 authored items validated as scope input but not independently verified by other agents.	SI/Mellanie	Low (informational)

None of these block Sprint 3 work.

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Compiled by Qatux. Workshop produced 20 decisions (D-042 through D-061), 38 new tickets + 10 updates, canonical NPC mapping for 17 NPCs, 16-key EntityKnowledge spec, full content architecture, and Sprint 3-5 roadmap. 3 minor open items carried forward. #261 is the critical path root.