chore: lock game-design vocabulary (gig vs skill)

docs/game-design/README.md

@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 
 **Master index:** [`overview.md`](overview.md) — summary, artifact table, and links to related docs.
 
-Non-implementation notes: skills, professions, zones, mechanics, items, abilities, and other design artifacts before they are tied to concrete systems or tickets.
+Non-implementation notes: **gigs** (combat roles), **skills** (non-combat), zones, mechanics, items, abilities, and other design artifacts before they are tied to concrete systems or tickets.
 
 Implementation-facing breakdowns stay under [`docs/decomposition/`](../decomposition/README.md) and plans under [`docs/plans/`](../plans/).

docs/game-design/overview.md

@@ -6,23 +6,25 @@ This folder holds **vision-level** design: what we want players to feel, do, and
 
 Neon Sprawl’s design work here starts from **concrete visions** of progression, places, risk, economy, social play, combat, and the items/abilities that express them. Documents below are added as we write them; each should stay opinionated and specific enough to argue with, without pretending to be a full GDD.
 
+**Vocabulary ([skills.md](skills.md)):** **gig** = combat role; **skill** = non-combat trained capability only.
+
 ## Artifact index
 
 | Document | Focus | Notes |
 |----------|--------|--------|
-| [skills.md](skills.md) | Hybrid: combat gigs + classless non-combat skills | First vision artifact |
+| [skills.md](skills.md) | Gigs (combat) + skills (non-combat); hybrid progression | First vision artifact |
 | *(add rows as files land)* | | |
 
 ### Planned topics (stubs)
 
 Link new files here when they exist; remove or rewrite this subsection once the table is populated.
 
-- **Skills & combat gigs** — [skills.md](skills.md): gig-style **combat roles** for grouping; **classless skilling** for gather/craft/etc. *Professions* stay folded into non-combat skills + rep unless a future doc defines a non-skill meaning.
+- **Gigs & skills** — [skills.md](skills.md): **gigs** for combat; **skills** (classless) for gather/craft/etc. *Professions* stay folded into **skills** + rep unless a future doc defines something separate.
 - **Zones** — tone, danger, faction or economic role of a place.
 - **Travel & connections** — how places link (gates, costs, downtime, danger en route); complements zone identity.
 - **Mechanics** — loops, constraints, what the server vs. client must honor.
 - **Items** — categories, rarity philosophy, crafting vs. drops.
-- **Abilities** — inputs, timing, combo with items and skills.
+- **Abilities** — inputs, timing; combo with items; **gig** vs **skill** gates (see [skills.md](skills.md) vocabulary).
 - **Gathering & resources** — nodes, competition, exhaustion, what “open world” contesting feels like.
 - **Crafting & recipes** — depth vs. breadth, failure, specialization; pairs with items but is its own loop.
 - **Economy** — currency velocity, sinks, trade vs. self-sufficiency, how wealth shows up in play.

docs/game-design/skills.md

@@ -1,79 +1,87 @@
-# Skills & combat gigs (hybrid progression)
+# Gigs & skills (hybrid progression)
 
-Vision-level design for how characters grow. **Combat** leans **gig-style** (swap roles for grouping clarity). **Non-combat** stays **classless skilling** (gathering, crafting, and similar loops). [Epic 2 — Classless progression](../decomposition/epics/epic_02_classless_progression.md) (E2.M1–M4) still describes the **skill/XP machinery**; a **combat job layer** may sit beside or above it in data—decomposition should be revisited when this split hardens.
+Vision-level design for how characters grow. **Combat** uses **gigs** (swap roles for grouping clarity). **Non-combat** uses **skills** (gathering, crafting, and similar loops). [Epic 2 — Classless progression](../decomposition/epics/epic_02_classless_progression.md) (E2.M1–M4) still describes **skill** XP machinery; a **gig** progression layer may sit beside or above it in data—decomposition should be revisited when this split hardens.
+
+## Vocabulary
+
+From here on in game-design docs:
+
+| Term | Means |
+|------|--------|
+| **Gig** | The **combat role** (combat “class”): what you bring to a fight—kit, tuning band, party expectations. Not used for crafting or gathering. |
+| **Skill** | A **non-combat** trained capability only (gather, craft, etc.). Never used to mean the combat gig. |
+
+Fiction and UI may still say *job*, *contract*, or *loadout* in dialogue; design vocabulary stays **gig** / **skill** to avoid ambiguity.
 
 ## Why hybrid
 
-- **Gig-style combat** gives parties a readable answer to “what are you on this run?” without forcing alts. It matches **contracts, loadouts, and corporate muscle** as fantasy.
-- **RuneScape-style non-combat** keeps the **economy and crafting** surface wide: anyone can work the world’s jobs over time, and “street doc” can mean high medic craft + rep, not only a combat button pick.
+- **Gigs** give parties a readable answer to “what are you on this run?” without forcing alts. They match **contracts, loadouts, and corporate muscle** as fantasy.
+- **Skills** keep the **economy and crafting** surface wide: anyone can work those capabilities over time, and “street doc” can mean high medic **craft skill** + rep, not only an active gig.
 
-## Combat gigs (roles)
+## Gigs (combat)
 
-**Gig** (job / role—final name TBD) is the **combat identity** you bring to a fight: ability access, baseline tuning band, and party expectations (tank, support, control, damage, etc.). Gigs are **swapped** under rules TBD—not necessarily mid-fight.
+A **gig** is the **combat identity** you bring to a fight: ability access, baseline tuning band, and party expectations (tank, support, control, damage, etc.). Gigs are **swapped** under rules TBD—not necessarily mid-fight.
 
-- **Swap constraints** (out of combat only, hub-only, cooldown, consumable, story gate) are a major feel knob: permissive = FF flexibility; strict = sharper commitment per outing.
+- **Swap constraints** (out of combat only, hub-only, cooldown, consumable, story gate) are a major feel knob: permissive = high flexibility; strict = sharper commitment per outing.
 - **Progression per gig:** separate level/track vs. shared “combat rank” with gig-specific unlocks—**open**; separate tracks support “I main tank but leveled medic for backup” at the cost of more balancing.
-- **Mastery/perks** can attach to **gigs** (combat expression) while **non-combat skills** use the same *idea* for craft depth (E2.M3-style), or stay separate—**open**.
+- **Mastery/perks** can attach to **gigs** (combat expression) while **skills** use the same *idea* for craft depth (E2.M3-style), or stay separate—**open**.
 
-## Non-combat skills (classless)
+## Skills (non-combat, classless)
 
-Everything **outside combat role resolution**—gathering, refining, crafting lines, hacking that isn’t the combat gig, etc.—uses **classless skills**:
+Everything **outside combat role resolution**—gathering, refining, crafting lines, non-combat tech, etc.—uses **skills**:
 
-- **Any character can train any non-combat skill** over time (subject to world gates: discovery, rep, licenses—those expand content, they are not “you picked the wrong class”).
-- **Identity** for “what you do in the economy” is the **non-combat skill graph + reputation + gear**, not the combat gig you wore last night.
+- **Any character can train any skill** over time (subject to world gates: discovery, rep, licenses—those expand content, they are not “you picked the wrong gig”).
+- **Identity** for “what you do in the economy” is the **skill graph + reputation + gear**, not the gig you ran last night.
 - **Long-term:** avoid dead-end grinds; slow or expensive is fine, “wrong choice forever” is not.
 
-### What counts as a non-combat skill
+### What counts as a skill
 
-A **skill** here is a persistent, leveled capability improved primarily by **doing the activity** (chop, refine, assemble, etc.). Supplementary sources (books, training) stay optional. Skills stay **data-defined** (stable IDs, categories, prerequisites).
+A **skill** is a persistent, leveled capability improved primarily by **doing the activity** (chop, refine, assemble, etc.). Supplementary sources (books, training) stay optional. Skills stay **data-defined** (stable IDs, categories, prerequisites).
 
 ### Categories (families)
 
-Categories group skills for **UI and balance** (e.g. *Gathering*, *Craft*, *Tech*, *Social*). They are **not** combat gigs and do not replace them.
+Categories group skills for **UI and balance** (e.g. *Gathering*, *Craft*, *Tech*, *Social*). They are **not** gigs and do not replace them.
 
-### XP, failure, caps, pacing (non-combat)
-
-Same principles as before, scoped to **non-combat** awards:
+### XP, failure, caps, pacing (skills)
 
 - **Server-authoritative** grants with structured sources (node, recipe, mission payout, …).
 - **Failure XP** per activity where it helps fun and not exploits.
 - **Runaway mitigation** via diminishing returns, context, soft caps.
-- **Gates** (recipes, rep, licenses) should **add** paths, not fake classes.
-- **Pacing/catch-up** (E2.M4) applies across non-combat skills; combat gigs may use the same engine or a parallel one—**open**.
+- **Gates** (recipes, rep, licenses) should **add** paths, not fake gigs.
+- **Pacing/catch-up** (E2.M4) applies across **skills**; **gigs** may use the same engine or a parallel one—**open**.
 
-## Seams (where the two halves meet)
-
-These need crisp answers so players and designers do not argue from different assumptions:
+## Seams (gigs ↔ skills)
 
 | Topic | Question |
 |--------|----------|
 | **Gear** | Can any gig use any weapon, or do gigs restrict weapon classes? |
-| **Crafted combat gear** | Gated by non-combat skill, by gig level, or both? |
-| **Consumables** | Usually shared; gig might gate *deployment* (e.g. only medic gig applies this stim at full power). |
+| **Crafted combat gear** | Gated by **skill**, by **gig** level, or both? |
+| **Consumables** | Usually shared; a gig might gate *deployment* (e.g. only medic gig applies this stim at full power). |
 | **Rep / story** | Almost always **character-wide**; gigs change how you *express* it in combat. |
-| **Alts** | Hybrid should reduce alt pressure; if gig swap is too free, maining “everything” becomes the new problem—tune swap cost or ramp. |
+| **Alts** | Hybrid should reduce alt pressure; if gig swap is too free, maining every gig becomes the new problem—tune swap cost or ramp. |
 
 ## Player-facing readability
 
 - **Combat:** UI shows **active gig**, gig level/track, and combat abilities for that gig.
-- **Non-combat:** skill list, XP sources, categories—as today.
-- Avoid two different words meaning the same thing (“job” for both gig and trade skill) unless intentional in fiction.
+- **Non-combat:** **skill** list, XP sources, categories.
+- Use **gig** / **skill** consistently in specs and tools; flavor text can vary.
 
 ## Decisions log
 
 | Topic | Direction | Status |
 |-------|-----------|--------|
-| Combat vs. non-combat | **Gigs** for combat roles; **classless skills** for gather/craft/etc. | Proposed |
-| Classless vs. professions (economy) | No separate profession system; economy identity from skills + rep | Agreed ([overview](overview.md)) |
-| Primary non-combat XP | Do the activity | Proposed |
+| Vocabulary | **Gig** = combat role; **skill** = non-combat only | Agreed |
+| Combat vs. non-combat | **Gigs** for combat; **skills** for gather/craft/etc. | Proposed |
+| Professions (economy) | No separate profession system; economy identity from **skills** + rep | Agreed ([overview](overview.md)) |
+| Primary skill XP | Do the activity | Proposed |
 | Failure XP | Per-activity; watch exploits | Open |
-| Non-combat caps | Prefer soft; hard only if economy/PvP needs | Proposed |
+| Skill caps | Prefer soft; hard only if economy/PvP needs | Proposed |
 | Gig swap rules | — | Open |
 | Shared vs. per-gig combat progression | — | Open |
 | Epic 2 doc split | Align modules when gig data model is chosen | TBD |
 
 ## Next artifacts
 
-- **Combat gigs** — deeper pass: roster size, swap UX, party finder tags, PvP implications ([overview](overview.md)).
-- **Abilities** — which abilities are **gig-locked** vs. **item-locked** vs. **skill-gated** (non-combat).
-- **Items** — requirements that reference gig level vs. craft skill.
+- **Gigs** — roster size, swap UX, party finder tags, PvP ([overview](overview.md)).
+- **Abilities** — **gig-locked** vs. **item-locked** vs. **skill-gated**.
+- **Items** — requirements: **gig** level vs. **skill** level.