# Zones (places & identity)

Vision for **what a place is** in fiction and design: **tone**, **danger feel**, **faction** or **economic role**, and **content hooks**—paired with the **same** underlying **zone graph** as [risk-security-bands.md](risk-security-bands.md) (**security tiers**, **PvP** rules) but **not** duplicating **tier** or **eligibility** mechanics.

**Topology & travel (runtime):** [E4.M1 — ZoneGraphAndTravelRules](../decomposition/modules/E4_M1_ZoneGraphAndTravelRules.md) (`ZoneDef`, `ZoneEdge`, `TravelRule`)—**server-authoritative** **zone** **id** and **legal** **transitions** ([Epic 4 — Slice 1](../decomposition/epics/epic_04_world_topology.md#epic-4-slice-1)). **Travel** costs, **gates**, and **downtime** **fiction** → future **`travel.md`**; **TravelRule** already covers **gating** (level, quest, faction).

**Ecology & density:** [E4.M2 — SpawnEcologyController](../decomposition/modules/E4_M2_SpawnEcologyController.md) drives **resource** and **NPC** **profiles** **per** **zone** ([gathering.md](gathering.md) **competition** **feel** ties here).

**Handoffs:** [E4.M3 — SeamlessHandoffAndRegionState](../decomposition/modules/E4_M3_SeamlessHandoffAndRegionState.md) for **cross-region** **authority** (later scope).

**Security overlay:** [E4.M4](../decomposition/modules/E4_M4_SecurityTierZoneFlags.md) attaches **`SecurityTier`** to **`ZoneDef`**—**one** **zone** **row** carries **both** **fiction** **tags** and **policy** **flags** in data (**open** how we split **design** **docs** vs **one** **`ZoneDef`** **sheet**).

## Zone lenses (design-facing)

Use these when briefing **writers**, **environment**, and **systems**; they **overlap** in data.

| Lens | Questions |
|------|-----------|
| **Tone** | Noir, grime, hope, satire—how **hard** is life **here**? ([overview.md](overview.md) **presentation** band) |
| **Threat** | **Ambient** danger (mobs, cops, gangs) vs **opt-in** **combat**—distinct from **SecurityTier** **alone** |
| **Economy** | **Hub**, **industrial**, **black** **market**, **corporate** **enclave**—feeds **loot**, **vendors**, **gather** **node** **flavor** ([economy.md](economy.md)) |
| **Faction** | Who **owns** **the** **street**? **Rep** **gates**, **quests** ([skills.md](skills.md) **world** **gates**); detail → future **factions** doc |
| **Activity mix** | **PvE** **lanes**, **skill** **instances**, **social** **hubs**—what **players** **do** **here** |

## Relationship to security tiers

- **`SecurityTier`** answers **“what rules apply?”** ([risk-security-bands.md](risk-security-bands.md)).
- **Zone** **identity** answers **“what is this place **for** in the **fantasy**?”**—two **districts** can share a **tier** but **feel** **different** (**open** **content**).
- **TravelRule** can **reference** **rep**, **licenses**, **quests**—**fiction** **explains** **why** the **gate** **exists**.

## Hubs, pockets, and edges

Directional **shape** for **prototype** **districts** (names **TBD**—align with [Epic 4 — Slice 1](../decomposition/epics/epic_04_world_topology.md#epic-4-slice-1)):

| Role | Intent |
|------|--------|
| **Hub** | **Services**, **vendors**, **social** **density**, **lower** **ambient** **PvE** **pressure** in **safe** **bands** |
| **Pocket** | **Focused** **PvE** or **skill** **content**—**instances** or **carved** **overworld** **chunks** |
| **Edge / frontier** | **Higher** **risk** **feel**, **richer** **gather** **or** **loot** **fantasy**, **clear** **warnings** on **entry** |

## Module map (zone–fiction alignment)

| Module | Role | Ties to this doc |
|--------|------|-------------------|
| [E4.M1](../decomposition/modules/E4_M1_ZoneGraphAndTravelRules.md) | `ZoneDef`, edges, `TravelRule` | **Identity** **data** **home** |
| [E4.M4](../decomposition/modules/E4_M4_SecurityTierZoneFlags.md) | Tier, warnings | **Overlay** on **same** **zones** |
| [E4.M2](../decomposition/modules/E4_M2_SpawnEcologyController.md) | Spawn **profiles** | **Feel** of **danger** / **resources** |
| [E4.M3](../decomposition/modules/E4_M3_SeamlessHandoffAndRegionState.md) | Region **handoff** | **Scale** **up** **later** |
| [E7.M4](../decomposition/modules/E7_M4_ContractMissionGenerator.md) | Contract **gen** | **Zone**-tagged **missions** (per E4.M1 **dependents**) |

## Decisions log

| Topic | Direction | Status |
|-------|-----------|--------|
| Fiction vs policy | **Same** **zone** **graph**; **tier** **is** **not** the **only** **identity** **axis** | Agreed |
| Server zone truth | **Current** **zone** **id** **authoritative**—no **client** **shortcuts** | Agreed ([E4.M1](../decomposition/modules/E4_M1_ZoneGraphAndTravelRules.md)) |
| Presentation band | **Grim** **ideas**, **restrained** **depiction**—[overview.md](overview.md) | Agreed |

## Open questions

- **Naming** **convention** for **player-facing** **district** **labels** vs **internal** **`ZoneDef` ids**.
- **Verticality** **and** **interiors** as **sub-zones** vs **one** **flat** **graph** **node**.
- **Dynamic** **zones** (lockdown, **riot**, **player** **corp** **capture**) vs **static** **data** **only**.

## Where to read next

| Topic | Document / module |
|--------|-------------------|
| Security tiers, PvP, warnings | [risk-security-bands.md](risk-security-bands.md) |
| Gather contest, nodes | [gathering.md](gathering.md) |
| Death / loss by context | [death-loss-recovery.md](death-loss-recovery.md) |
| Economy, trade hubs | [economy.md](economy.md) |
| Epic 4 overview | [Epic 4](../decomposition/epics/epic_04_world_topology.md) |
| Travel detail (stub) | [overview.md](overview.md) planned **Travel & connections** |