world-generation

# World Generation Protocol > Dynamic world creation — questions create places. > *"The world grows where curiosity leads."* ## Core Principle **Don't pre-generate everything. Generate on demand.** When a player asks about a place that doesn't exist, create it. Questions expand the world. Exploration IS creation. ``` Player: "What's north?" DM: *creates north* ``` ## Generation Philosophy ```yaml # What triggers world generation generation_triggers: questions: "Where did the grue come from?" statements: "There must be a library somewhere!" actions: DIG: "tunnel" CLIMB: "passage" quests: "Objective location generates itself" exploration: "Walking beyond known areas" ``` ## Methods ### CREATE - Generate New Place ```yaml invoke: CREATE params: seed: "Starting concept or name" style: "World style (fantasy, sci-fi, modern)" parent: "What area this connects to" effect: - Create directory for new place - Generate ROOM.yml with properties - Add exits connecting to parent - Optionally populate with objects/NPCs ``` ### EXPAND - Add to Existing Area ```yaml invoke: EXPAND params: from: "Existing place" direction: "north/south/etc or conceptual" hints: "Optional flavor hints" effect: - Generate adjacent room - Add bidirectional exits - Inherit parent's atmosphere with variations ``` ### CONNECT - Link Two Areas ```yaml invoke: CONNECT params: a: "First place" b: "Second place" type: "door/portal/path/secret" effect: - Add exit from A to B - Add exit from B to A (unless one-way) - Update both ROOM.yml files ``` ## Directory Inheritance Directories carry behavioral defaults that children inherit: | Parent Directory | Children Inherit | |-----------------|------------------| | `maze/` | Dark, twisty, grue-friendly | | `basement/` | Damp, underground, echoing | | `tower/` | Height, wind, views, vertigo, ELEVATOR | | `dungeon/` | Cells, guards, escape themes | | `garden/` | Outdoor, weather, growing | | `library/` | Books, quiet, knowledge | | `market/` | Vendors, crowds, commerce | | `department-store/` | Floors, escalators, departments | | `underground/` | Basements, tunnels, secrets | | `rooftop/` | Sky, signs, views, access | ### Tower Directory Pattern ```yaml # Tower directories extend vertically tower_directory: pattern: "tower-name/" contains: - ROOM.yml # Tower exterior (storefront) - lobby/ # Floor 0 - elevator/ # Central column (goes anywhere) - roof/ # Top floor - floor-N/ # Numbered floors (positive = up) - basement-N/ # OR link to external skills as floors # Skill-as-floor pattern skill_floors: principle: "Skills can BE floors — no duplication" method: | Instead of creating floor-1/ inside tower/, link to skills/some-skill/ and add ROOM.yml there. The skill IS the floor content. example: | # In elevator exits: floor_minus_1: destination: ../../../../../skills/no-ai-ideology/ floor: -1 # In skills/no-ai-ideology/ROOM.yml: room: floor: -1 tower: no-ai-tower exits: up: ../no-ai-lobby/ # or explicit path down: ../no-ai-bias/ # next skill in chain ``` ## Topology Patterns | Pattern | Structure | Use Case | |---------|-----------|----------| | **Twisty maze** | Randomized connections | Challenge, getting lost | | **Grid** | Regular X/Y layout | Cities, chessboards | | **Star** | Hub with spokes | Crossroads, central plaza | | **Loop** | Circular path | Racing, time loops | | **Tree** | Branching, dead ends | Dungeons, boss rooms | | **Web** | Many cross-connections | Complex social spaces | | **Tower** | Vertical stack + horizontal branches | Buildings, department stores | ### Tower Pattern (Yoot Tower / SimTower) Inspired by Yoot Saito's SimTower (1994). Buildings extend vertically with each floor branching horizontally. ```yaml tower_pattern: principle: "Build UP or DOWN. The tower has no natural limits." structure: central_column: - elevator/ # Goes anywhere (express) - stairs/ # Up/down between adjacent floors - utilities/ # Shared services (HVAC, power) floor_template: - lobby # Entry point from elevator/stairs - departments # Horizontal branches - services # Bathrooms, vending, etc. navigation: elevator: description: "Express access to any floor by number or name" aliases: [lift, express] buttons: "Panel with all floors listed" stairs: description: "Up/down to adjacent floors only" pattern: "Each floor has stairs_up and stairs_down exits" extensibility: vertical: "Add floors in either direction (up OR down)" horizontal: "Each floor branches to sub-departments" modular: "Floors can be reordered by changing up/down links" ``` **Example: NO AI TOWER** ``` R ROOF .......... The Sign, The Sun ═════════════════════════════════════ 0 LOBBY ......... Storefront (FRONT) ═════════════════════════════════════ -1 IDEOLOGY ...... ← skills/no-ai-ideology/ -2 BIAS .......... ← skills/no-ai-bias/ -3 SLOP .......... ← skills/no-ai-slop/ ... -9 SOUL .......... ← skills/no-ai-soul/ (branches: facets/, pantheon/) -10 OVERLORD ...... ← skills/no-ai-overlord/ (branches: archetypes/) -11 CUSTOMER SVC .. ← skills/no-ai-customer-service/ (BASE CLASS) ``` **Key Features:** - **Skills ARE rooms** — no duplication, just ROOM.yml in each skill - **Floors link via up/down** — stairs connect adjacent floors - **Elevator links to all** — express access anywhere - **Horizontal branching** — each floor has sub-departments - **Reorderable** — change floor numbers + links anytime - **Underground** — tower can go DOWN (like iceberg) ## Generation Seeding ### From Questions ``` Q: "Where does the blacksmith live?" A: Creates blacksmith-quarters/ with: - Forge room - Living quarters - Connected to market/ ``` ### From Actions ``` Action: DIG Creates: tunnel/ or cellar/ - Connects to current room - Darkness, rough-hewn walls - Possible discoveries ``` ### From Quests ``` Quest: "Find the ancient tome" Creates: hidden-archive/ somewhere logical - Contains the tome - Appropriate guardians - Connected via discoverable path ``` ## Lazy Evaluation ```yaml principle: "Don't create until needed" strategy: - Player enters room: generate exits (names only) - Player asks about exit: generate room behind it - Player ignores exit: it remains potential benefits: - Infinite worlds in finite storage - Every playthrough unique - Player choices shape reality ``` ## State ```yaml generation_state: seed: 42 # Reproducibility style: "fantasy" # World genre generated_places: [] # What exists pending_exits: [] # Named but not yet created topology: "organic" # Generation pattern ``` ## Safety Guidelines - Maintain **consistency** — don't contradict established facts - Respect **player agency** — their discoveries are canon - Preserve **mystery** — not everything needs explanation - Allow **emergence** — unexpected connections enrich world ## Integration | Skill | Integration | |-------|-------------| | **room** | Generated places are rooms | | **adventure** | World generation serves the adventure | | **character** | NPCs generated with their locations | | **worm** | Worms can trigger generation by crawling | ## Example Session ``` > GO NORTH The path leads into unexplored territory... [CREATE: forest-path/] You find yourself on a narrow forest path. Tall oaks loom overhead. The trail continues east and west. > WHAT'S EAST? [EXPAND: from=forest-path, direction=east] Through the trees, you glimpse an ancient stone structure — perhaps a ruin or shrine. > GO EAST [CREATE: old-shrine/] A weathered shrine stands in a small clearing... ```