# Risk & security bands

Vision for **how dangerous a place is** and **what the rules allow**: **security tiers** on the world graph, **PvP eligibility**, **consent / risk UX**, and how **tiers** connect to **theft**, **gathering contest**, **trade**, and **death** stakes. Place fiction (tone, economic role): [zones.md](zones.md).

**Tier data (runtime):** [E4.M4 — SecurityTierZoneFlags](../decomposition/modules/E4_M4_SecurityTierZoneFlags.md) assigns **`SecurityTier`**, **`ZonePolicyState`**, and **`ZoneEntryWarning`** per zone on the graph from [E4.M1 — ZoneGraphAndTravelRules](../decomposition/modules/E4_M1_ZoneGraphAndTravelRules.md). **Server** is source of truth; **client** shows warnings on transition ([Epic 4 — Slice 2](../decomposition/epics/epic_04_world_topology.md#epic-4-slice-2)).

**PvP gating:** [E6.M1 — PvPEligibilityAndFlagState](../decomposition/modules/E6_M1_PvPEligibilityAndFlagState.md) maps **tier + context** to whether **player hostility** is allowed—**never** client-only toggles ([Epic 6](../decomposition/epics/epic_06_pvp_security.md)).

**Risk UI:** [E6.M2 — ConsentAndRiskUxSignals](../decomposition/modules/E6_M2_ConsentAndRiskUxSignals.md) consumes **tier** and **warnings** for prompts and HUD.

**Combat pipeline order:** [pvp_combat_integration.md](../decomposition/modules/pvp_combat_integration.md) — eligibility → **E5.M1** resolution → [E6.M3](../decomposition/modules/E6_M3_LossPenaltyAndAntiGriefRules.md) **loss** rules.

**Downstream design:** [death-loss-recovery.md](death-loss-recovery.md) (**loss** tables may differ by tier), [economy.md](economy.md) (**binding**, **theft**, **effective** supply), [items.md](items.md) **Open questions**, [gathering.md](gathering.md) **contesting**. **Gig** roster does not define **security**—[gigs.md](gigs.md) **PvP** stays **open** until product locks **opt-in** posture.

## Tier lenses (design-facing)

Tiers are **discrete** in data (`SecurityTier`); fiction may say *green zone*, *extraterritorial*, *lockdown*. Example **bands** (names **TBD**—align with content):

| Band (illustrative) | Player expectation (directional) |
|---------------------|----------------------------------|
| **High security** | **No** optional **PvP**; **theft** / **player** **loot** **restricted** or **off**; **gather** contesting **mild** or **instanced** |
| **Low / frontier** | **Opt-in** or **conditional** **PvP**; **harsher** **death** **loss** **possible**; **contested** **nodes** |
| **Contested / special** | **Event**, **faction**, or **contract** **overrides**—explicit **warning** before entry |

Exact **count** of tiers, **instance** vs **overworld** rules, and **mission** **pocket** **exceptions** are **content** + data (**open**).

## What tiers gate (non-exhaustive)

| System | Tie to tier |
|--------|-------------|
| **PvP** | **E6.M1** / **E6.M2** |
| **Death penalties** | [death-loss-recovery.md](death-loss-recovery.md) — e.g. **drop** tables **stricter** in **riskier** bands (**open**) |
| **Theft / looting players** | [items.md](items.md), [economy.md](economy.md) — only where **policy** allows |
| **Gathering contest** | [gathering.md](gathering.md) — **FFA** vs **protected** **node** **access** |
| **Trade / market fees** | [economy.md](economy.md) — optional **tier**-based **tax** **fiction** (**open**) |

## Consent and clarity

- **ZoneEntryWarning** must support **plain** copy: what can happen to **you** and **your** **gear** ([E4.M4](../decomposition/modules/E4_M4_SecurityTierZoneFlags.md)).
- **Opt-in** flows (flag, party, **contract**) sit with **E6.M1** / **E6.M2**; **retroactive** “I didn’t know” is a **UX** **failure** to fix in **content** or **systems**.
- **Teen-oriented** presentation ([overview.md](overview.md)) applies to **risk** **UI** and **threat** **messaging**, not only **cutscenes**.

## Module map (risk / security–focused)

| Module | Role | Ties to this doc |
|--------|------|-------------------|
| [E4.M1](../decomposition/modules/E4_M1_ZoneGraphAndTravelRules.md) | Zone graph, travel | **Where** tiers attach |
| [E4.M4](../decomposition/modules/E4_M4_SecurityTierZoneFlags.md) | `SecurityTier`, warnings | **Core** |
| [E6.M1](../decomposition/modules/E6_M1_PvPEligibilityAndFlagState.md) | PvP allow/deny | **Consumes** tiers |
| [E6.M2](../decomposition/modules/E6_M2_ConsentAndRiskUxSignals.md) | Risk prompts, HUD | **Player** **readability** |
| [E6.M3](../decomposition/modules/E6_M3_LossPenaltyAndAntiGriefRules.md) | PvP loss, spawn protection | After **hostility** |
| [E5.M1](../decomposition/modules/E5_M1_CombatRulesEngine.md) | Combat | Consults **eligibility** for **PvP** |

## Decisions log

| Topic | Direction | Status |
|-------|-----------|--------|
| Server-authoritative tier | **Zone** **risk** and **PvP** **policy** from **server**; client **display** only | Agreed ([E4.M4](../decomposition/modules/E4_M4_SecurityTierZoneFlags.md)) |
| E4 → E6 direction | **Epic 4** **tags**; **Epic 6** **consumes**—**no** circular **module** **dependency** | Agreed (epic/module text) |
| PvE-first | **High-security** **default** for **new** / **core** **progression**; **harsh** **bands** **opt-in** or **signed** **entry** | Agreed direction ([Epic 6](../decomposition/epics/epic_06_pvp_security.md) framing) |

## Open questions

- **Instanced** **dungeons** vs **open** **world** **tier** **inheritance** (override table per **content** **type**).
- **Corporation** / **faction** **leased** **quarters** vs **public** **street** **tier** **in** **same** **district** **mesh**.
- **Skill** **activities** (**hack**, **gather**) in **high** **PvP** **zones**—**interrupt** rules and **loss** of **progress** vs **gear** only.

## Where to read next

| Topic | Document / module |
|--------|-------------------|
| Death, durability, PvP loss | [death-loss-recovery.md](death-loss-recovery.md) |
| Economy, theft, binding | [economy.md](economy.md), [items.md](items.md) |
| Gathering under contest | [gathering.md](gathering.md) |
| Zone graph & travel (implementation) | [Epic 4](../decomposition/epics/epic_04_world_topology.md), [E4.M1](../decomposition/modules/E4_M1_ZoneGraphAndTravelRules.md) |
| PvP product stance | [Epic 6](../decomposition/epics/epic_06_pvp_security.md) |
| Place identity & district roles | [zones.md](zones.md) |
| Folder index | [overview.md](overview.md) |