space-game/SESSION.md

Session Summary

Project State

This repository now contains a playable Three.js/Vite autonomous space-sim prototype that has moved away from a player-command RTS testbed and toward a game-master / observer simulation.

The codebase is still TypeScript + Three.js on Vite, with authored catalogs under src/game/data/, but the runtime now centers on:

• procedural universe generation
• autonomous faction behavior
• fleet / wing hierarchy
• economic production loops
• pirate harassment
• strategic system control
• observer-oriented HUD and camera controls

Current Prototype

The current build includes:

• a generated universe with a few dozen systems
• 4 empire factions inspired by EVE-style sovereign powers
• multiple pirate factions that raid empire space
• rich central systems that factions contest for control
• faction-owned stations, ships, inventories, and combat stats
• autonomous shipbuilding and limited outpost growth
• fleet and wing structure with behaviors such as:
  • command
  • screen
  • mining
  • logistics
  • escort
• observer controls for camera orbit, pan, focus, and inspection

Major Gameplay / Sim Systems

Universe Generation

• Startup no longer uses the fixed two-system authored sandbox.
• src/game/world/universeGenerator.ts now generates:
  • empire capitals
  • empire mining systems
  • pirate base systems
  • central high-value systems
  • frontier filler systems
• The generated scenario also assigns:
  • faction definitions
  • initial faction-owned stations
  • initial ship formations
  • central system IDs

Factions

• Runtime faction state now exists in src/game/types.ts.
• Factions track:
  • credits
  • ore mined
  • goods produced
  • ships built
  • stations built
  • ships lost
  • enemy ships destroyed
  • raids completed
  • stolen cargo
  • owned systems
• Empire factions and pirate factions are distinct runtime kinds.

High-Level AI / Delegation

• Faction AI now acts at a strategic level instead of directly micromanaging every ship.
• Empire AI chooses high-level goals such as:
  • secure home and mining space
  • contest central systems
  • assign industrial fleets to mining loops
• Pirate AI chooses raid targets and dispatches fleets into hostile space.
• Fleet-level orders are now the intended command boundary between:
  • faction strategy
  • fleet / wing execution
• This work was specifically done to stop faction AI from stomping screen behavior with raw ship move orders.

Fleets / Wings

• Fleet creation now groups ships per faction and role in src/game/fleet/runtime.ts.
• War fleets and industry fleets are generated from faction-owned ships.
• Wing behaviors remain meaningful at the tactical layer.
• screen is intended to remain subordinate to fleet command rather than independent faction micromanagement.

Economy / Production

• Mining, refining, and fabrication still run through recipe-driven station logic.
• Faction-owned inventories are effectively pooled across faction stations for recipe consumption.
• Factions can build new ships when enough goods exist.
• Empires can build limited defense outposts in central systems they control.

Combat / Control

• Ships and relevant stations now have combat stats:
  • health
  • damage
  • range
  • cooldown
• Combat is lightweight and proximity-based.
• Central systems track control progress and controlling faction.
• Pirate ships can steal cargo from vulnerable civilian ships.

Starting State

• Empires now start very small for easier debugging and growth observation.
• Each empire currently starts with only 3 ships:
  • 1 frigate
  • 1 hauler
  • 1 miner
• Pirates still start with small raiding groups.

UI / UX State

Observer HUD

• The old summary panel is gone.
• The old bottom RTS command bar has been removed.
• The bottom HUD is now a selection dock that shows:
  • selection title
  • status line
  • horizontally scrolling cards for selected entities
  • fallback observer details when nothing specific is selected
• Fleet launch controls were removed from the main HUD.
• A dedicated Debug window now contains the New Universe button.

Selection / Inspection

• Selection is no longer limited to ships and stations.
• It is now possible to select:
  • systems
  • planets
  • ships
  • stations
• Double-click centers / focuses the clicked target.
• Multiple ship selections render as horizontal cards in the bottom dock.
• Fleet window tree selection still works.

Windows

• Generic draggable / resizable app windows still exist.
• Main windows currently in use:
  • Fleet Command
  • Debug

Strategic Rendering

• Strategic overlay and minimap infrastructure still exist.
• The minimap canvas is still created for renderer use, but it is no longer shown in the visible HUD.

Controls

• Left Click: inspect / select systems, planets, ships, or stations
• Shift + Left Click: add ships to multi-selection
• Ctrl/Cmd + Left Click: toggle ships in multi-selection
• Left Drag: marquee-select multiple visible ships
• Double Click: center / focus the clicked target
• Middle Drag: orbit camera
• Shift + Middle Drag: pan camera
• Mouse Wheel or - / =: zoom
• W A S D: pan camera
• Q / E: rotate camera
• F: focus current selection
• G: toggle fleet command window
• Tab: jump camera between systems

Technical Notes

• Main runtime remains concentrated in src/game/GameApp.ts
• World construction and entity instancing:
  • src/game/world/worldFactory.ts
• Procedural universe generation:
  • src/game/world/universeGenerator.ts
• Fleet composition helpers:
  • src/game/fleet/runtime.ts
• Selection state:
  • src/game/state/selectionManager.ts
• HUD / presentation:
  • src/game/ui/hud.ts
  • src/game/ui/presenters.ts
  • src/game/ui/strategicRenderer.ts
• Production build is currently passing with npm run build

Known Limitations / Caveats

• GameApp.ts is still carrying too much simulation responsibility.
• Faction AI is improved, but still fairly heuristic and not yet a deep planning system.
• Combat is lightweight and does not yet model formations, threat evaluation, or target priorities in a sophisticated way.
• Economic logistics are still abstracted heavily.
• Ship construction is recipe-gated but still simplified.
• Stations consume pooled faction stock rather than explicit transport delivery chains.
• Fleet window remains useful, but the overall UI is now only partially refit for observer mode.
• There is still no persistence layer for window layouts, saves, or generated universe seeds.

Suggested Next Steps

• Extract faction strategy into a dedicated AI / planning module
• Extract fleet order execution into its own gameplay system
• Separate economic simulation from UI and rendering concerns
• Improve transport logistics so goods physically move through faction supply chains
• Add explicit shipyard construction queues and faction production priorities
• Improve combat behavior so screen, escort, and command have stronger distinct tactical roles
• Add system-level threat, ownership, and economy views for game-master inspection
• Add save/load support for generated universes and long-running simulations