From 30d760874134c67ef8336b1ca3e97b1167dfbc84 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: VinPropane Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2026 20:16:47 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] chore: split Refine (physical materials) vs Synth-chem prep (bio/chem) --- docs/game-design/skills.md | 17 +++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/game-design/skills.md b/docs/game-design/skills.md index 8d6b009..6faa606 100644 --- a/docs/game-design/skills.md +++ b/docs/game-design/skills.md @@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ Domains are **content-shaped**, not a locked taxonomy. Early vision includes: | Domain | Examples (illustrative) | |--------|-------------------------| | **Extraction** | Pulling value from the world: **earth/subsurface** (mining, drilling), **consumer salvage & biology** (**Salvage**, **Harvest**), and **urban infrastructure materials** (**Quarry**) vs geological **Extraction** skill | -| **Processing** | Refining, chemistry prep, material conversion | +| **Processing** | **Refine** (ores, glass, steel, physical scrap → usable material grades); **Synth-chem prep** (bio/chem inputs → precursors/reagents); other conversion | | **Fabrication** | Weaponsmith, armtech, synth-chem, cooking if we track it | | **Tech / intrusion** | Hacking, netsec, counter-intrusion, bypass, diagnostics—**combat-facing** net actions stay **gig** | | **Support craft** | Medtech fabrication, field repair kits, augment maintenance (**open** naming) | @@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ New skills land here as **design + data** demand; a skill can sit in **multiple | Category | Rough scope | |----------|-------------| | **Gather** | Nodes, yields, field extraction | -| **Process** | Refine (incl. fab-tech intermediates), batch, intermediate goods | +| **Process** | **Refine** (physical materials); **Synth-chem prep** (bio/chem); fab-tech intermediates; batch; intermediate goods | | **Make** | Finished goods, recipes, bench work | | **Tech** | Intrusion, netsec, counter-intrusion, electronics, signal—**not** combat gig kit | @@ -73,13 +73,13 @@ Layout mirrors **[gigs.md](gigs.md) gig roster**: one **table per category**, ** #### Process — turn raw into workable intermediate -**Overlapping chains:** **Process** and **Make** are not isolated trees. **Different** skills (or different recipes under one skill) can consume the **same** items and yield **different** intermediates or products—e.g. the same gathered or refined feedstock feeding **Refine**, **Synth-chem prep**, or **Bioprocess** paths with **different outputs**. Data-defined recipes carry the truth; overlap is **intentional** for a dense, interconnected economy. +**Overlapping chains:** **Process** and **Make** are not isolated trees. **Different** skills (or different recipes under one skill) can consume the **same** items and yield **different** intermediates or products—e.g. side streams where one batch of scrap or ore can route through **Refine**, **Synth-chem prep**, or **Bioprocess** with **different outputs** where content allows. Data-defined recipes carry the truth; overlap is **intentional** for a dense, interconnected economy. **Refine** vs **Synth-chem prep** stay **separate fantasies** (physical materials vs bio/chem)—see table. | Skill | What it covers | Open / merge | |-------|----------------|--------------| -| **Refine** | Smelt, purify, reduce ore and scrap to usable grades. | Merge vs **Synth-chem prep**? **open** | -| **Fab tech** | *Refine family:* print circuits, micro-actuators, substrate prep—industrial intermediates for **Make**. | Fold into **Refine** mastery only? **open** | -| **Synth-chem prep** | Precursors, reagents, stable compounds for **Make** (stims, reactives, polymers). | — | +| **Refine** | **Physical material** feedstock: raw **ore**, **salvaged glass** and **steel**, scrap metals, bulk mineral inputs—**smelt, purify, grade** toward **usable material forms** (ingots, sheet, cullet, structural grades). **Not** the bio/chem lane (**Synth-chem prep**). | Separate from **Synth-chem prep** — **agreed** | +| **Fab tech** | *Refine-adjacent (physical/industrial):* print circuits, micro-actuators, substrate prep—intermediates for **Make**. | Fold into **Refine** mastery only? **open** | +| **Synth-chem prep** | **Bio- and chemistry** streams: precursors, reagents, stable compounds, polymer feeds—inputs and outputs are **chem / organic / lab** oriented; feeds **Synth-chem (product)** and related **Make**. **Not** primary home for ore/glass/metal refinement (**Refine**). | Separate from **Refine** — **agreed** | | **Bioprocess** | Ferment, culture, grow feedstock for medtech or consumables. | — | | **Composite work** | Laminate layers, weave fibers, prep armtech “blanks” before final assembly. | — | | **Data scrub** | Clean, normalize, or decrypt **datasets** that become a craft input. | **Tech** overlap—pick one **primary** category | @@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ Layout mirrors **[gigs.md](gigs.md) gig roster**: one **table per category**, ** |-------|----------------|--------------| | **Gunsmith** | Barrels, receivers, ballistics fab. | [Seams](#seams-gigs--skills): craft without gig to *use* | | **Armtech** | Armor plates, suits, hardshell integration. | — | -| **Synth-chem (product)** | Finish stims, chems, consumables from **Process** outputs. | — | +| **Synth-chem (product)** | Finish stims, chems, consumables from **Synth-chem prep** (and related **Process**) outputs. | — | | **Medtech fab** | Field kits, injectors, trauma foam—**craft** lane. | **Gig** Sawbones = *combat use* | | **Rigging (gear)** | Drones, harnesses, tool mods—**non-combat** rigging. | Combat deployables **gig**-gated — **open** | | **Food synth** | Ration fab, street kitchens. | Skill at all? **open** | @@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ Layout mirrors **[gigs.md](gigs.md) gig roster**: one **table per category**, ** **Cross-cutting notes** - **Overlapping production chains:** **Agreed**—shared **inputs** across **Process** / **Make** with **different outputs**; recipe UX and balance **open** (paragraph under **Process** in [Skill roster](#skill-roster-draft-ideas-by-category)). -- **Merge candidates:** e.g. **Refine** + **Synth-chem prep** vs split by fantasy. **Salvage** vs **Quarry** split (**consumer goods / vehicles** vs **urban infrastructure** materials) — **agreed**. +- **Merge candidates:** e.g. **Fab tech** folded into **Refine** vs separate. **Salvage** vs **Quarry** split (**consumer goods / vehicles** vs **urban infrastructure** materials) — **agreed**. **Refine** vs **Synth-chem prep** — **agreed** separate (physical materials vs bio/chem). - **Cut / defer:** **Food synth** if not a loop. - **Next pass:** pick **prototype trio** (one Gather, one Process/Make, one Tech) for Epic 2/3 slices—align with decomposition when ready. @@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ Beyond raw level, **mastery tracks** and **perks** ([E2.M3](../decomposition/mod | Sub-gig | **FFXI-style** slot **agreed**; sub abilities up to **~½ main gig level** (formula TBD); wide build space | Agreed | | Combat progression | **Per gig**—separate level/XP (and mastery) per gig; no shared combat rank | Agreed | | Social skills category | **No** dedicated **Social** skill family or tracked negotiation/fixer/fence skills—outcomes live in **rep**, **quests**, **economy**, and other systems if we need them | Agreed | +| **Refine** vs **Synth-chem prep** | **Refine** = physical materials (ore, glass, steel, scrap metals → usable grades); **Synth-chem prep** = bio/chem streams (precursors, reagents, lab-oriented outputs) | Agreed | | Low-gig specialist | **Viable** to focus progression on **skills** (gather/craft/tech) with **low gig levels**; economy loops must not **hard-gate** on high gig rank | Agreed | | Skill roster size | **Opening** v0 list is strong; **add skills** pre-launch as needed—**breadth** is a feature | Agreed | | Gig XP award | **Main gig only**; **sub-gig** earns no XP—see [gigs.md](gigs.md) | Agreed |