60 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
60 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
# Game design overview
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This folder holds **vision-level** design: what we want players to feel, do, and discover before we lock schemas, APIs, or content pipelines. Use it for brainstorming and alignment; when something is ready to drive implementation, it should gain a path in [`docs/decomposition/`](../decomposition/README.md) or [`docs/plans/`](../plans/).
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## Summary
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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.
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**Hybrid progression:** [progression.md](progression.md) (vocabulary + why gigs + skills). **Gig** detail: [gigs.md](gigs.md). **Skills** + **seams**: [skills.md](skills.md). **Loose ideas:** [`brainstorm/`](brainstorm/README.md).
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## Presentation and target rating (vision)
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**Intent:** The world and systems can carry **very grim** **ideas** (e.g. noir crime, body horror *as fiction*, exploitation as something the story *condemns or resists*). **On-screen presentation** stays **restrained**—implication, silhouette, report text, off-camera beats—not graphic **adult-only** depiction. **Overall product goal** is roughly a **teen-oriented** band (think **ESRB Teen–class** framing); **exact** labels, cuts, and territory rules are **out of scope** for per-skill design docs.
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**TODO**
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- Lock **target band** with stakeholders and (when relevant) compliance counsel—not a commitment to a specific board outcome until submission.
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- Write **content guidelines**: grim **concept** vs acceptable **depiction** (UI, cinematics, props, loot naming) before heavy production on sensitive beats.
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- Track **regional ratings and storefront policy** (PEGI, CERO, platform rules, etc.) when we approach release—do not block skill or quest design on that in early vision work.
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## Artifact index
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| Document | Focus | Notes |
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|----------|--------|--------|
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| [progression.md](progression.md) | Shared **gig + skill** vision, vocabulary, links | Start here for progression |
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| [skills.md](skills.md) | Non-combat **skills**; seams; **v0 skill roster** by category | With [gigs.md](gigs.md) |
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| [gigs.md](gigs.md) | **9-gig roster** (v1 cyberpunk names); hub, sub-gig, party | Recruitment **deferred**; PvP **open indefinite**; niche LFG **if** tool ships |
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| [brainstorm/hack-bodyguard-missions.md](brainstorm/hack-bodyguard-missions.md) | Split **skill** (hack) + **gig** (bodyguard) instances—idea capture | Brainstorm |
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| *(add rows as files land)* | | |
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### Planned topics (stubs)
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Link new files here when they exist; remove or rewrite this subsection once the table is populated.
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- **Progression** — [progression.md](progression.md): hybrid **gig + skill** overview and vocabulary. **Gigs:** [gigs.md](gigs.md). **Skills** + seams: [skills.md](skills.md). Recruitment channel **deferred**; *professions* stay folded into **skills** + rep unless a future doc defines something separate.
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- **Zones** — tone, danger, faction or economic role of a place.
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- **Travel & connections** — how places link (gates, costs, downtime, danger en route); complements zone identity.
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- **Mechanics** — loops, constraints, what the server vs. client must honor.
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- **Items** — categories, rarity philosophy, crafting vs. drops.
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- **Abilities** — inputs, timing; combo with items; **gig** vs **skill** gates (see [progression.md](progression.md) vocabulary).
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- **Gathering & resources** — nodes, competition, exhaustion, what “open world” contesting feels like.
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- **Crafting & recipes** — depth vs. breadth, failure, specialization; pairs with items but is its own loop.
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- **Economy** — currency velocity, sinks, trade vs. self-sufficiency, how wealth shows up in play.
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- **Factions & reputation** — who remembers you, grudges, access gates; **gig** story arcs: [gigs.md](gigs.md), rep + seams: [skills.md](skills.md).
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- **Combat pillars** — PvE vs. PvP stance, readability, time-to-kill, what “fair” means here.
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- **Death, loss & recovery** — stakes on failure, recovery paths, anti-grief boundaries.
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- **Risk & security bands** — safe pockets vs. wild space; where optional PvP and theft sit (aligns with security-tier thinking).
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- **Social play** — squad scale, corps, trust, betrayal affordances, async cooperation.
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- **Encounters & enemy roles** — archetypes, what a fight teaches, variety without noise. **Skill + gig split runs:** [brainstorm/hack-bodyguard-missions.md](brainstorm/hack-bodyguard-missions.md).
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- **Onboarding** — first session hook, clarity vs. mystery, how much systems the new player sees.
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- **Tone & narrative** — how lore shows up (quests, environment, UI), voice of the world. **Presentation / ~teen rating target:** [Presentation and target rating (vision)](#presentation-and-target-rating-vision).
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## Related repo docs
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| Area | Location |
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|------|----------|
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| Module / epic breakdown | [`docs/decomposition/`](../decomposition/README.md) |
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| Implementation plans | [`docs/plans/`](../plans/) |
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| Architecture | [`docs/architecture/`](../architecture/tech_stack.md) |
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