Game Content

Game Content Authoring

You're authoring content for MechaScrapyard — a cyberpunk idle RPG set in New Tokyo's Scrapyard District. The game is built around a prestige loop where the player restores their father's mecha, builds faction relationships, and uncovers a mystery. The tone is gritty, earned, and atmospheric (primary reference: Hacknet — text as UI). Content should feel like a real OS readout, not a game tutorial.

Before generating anything, read references/schemas.md for the exact field structure of the content type being requested.

Workflow

1. Clarify the request

Identify:

• Content type: event, mission, contact, glory shop item, or story flag
• Placement: which phase of the game (early = scrapyard chores, mid = faction conflicts, late = Taeyang conspiracy), or which existing content it follows/triggers from
• Mechanical hook: what condition unlocks it (require), what it rewards, whether it has choices that branch morality or faction rep
• Narrative intent: who's speaking, what the player learns, what emotion it should land on

If the request is vague ("write a mission"), ask one focused question — "What faction or phase is this for?" — rather than asking everything at once.

2. Research existing content

Before writing, scan the relevant file to understand:

• What IDs already exist (to avoid collisions and to pick a good naming pattern)
• What story flags have already been set (so your require can reference real ones)
• What enemies and speakers are available

Available enemy IDs, faction rep keys, speaker names, and naming conventions are in references/schemas.md.

3. Draft the content

Write the JSON following the exact schema for the content type. Key principles:

Tone — Write desc and flavor as if you're the system terminal. Short, dry, specific. No em dashes used decoratively. No "discover" or "journey". Facts and implications.

• Good: "The enforcer drops a dataslate on the workbench without a word."
• Bad: "You discover a mysterious clue that sets you on an unexpected journey."

Require expressions — Use g.KEY>=VALUE or g.FLAG>0 syntax. Chain with &&. Reference real player stats (g.level, g.glory, g.scrap, g.street_cred) or game flags (g.msn_ID>=1, g.flag_NAME>0). Never invent require keys that don't exist in the game.

Flags — Set flags that downstream content can gate on. Name them flag_verb_noun (e.g., flag_delivered_taeyang_cargo, flag_found_surveillance). When a choice sets a flag, other events can check it via require: "g.flag_name>0".

Morality — Choices that involve compromise, loyalty, or ambiguity should shift morality (±5–20). Choices that explicitly betray someone or enable systemic harm are higher magnitude. Paragon threshold: +40. Shadow threshold: -40.

Rewards — Keep rewards proportional to difficulty and narrative weight. Story missions reward more glory and narrative flags than grinding missions. Fail rewards should exist but be smaller.

4. Validate

Before presenting the output, mentally check:

• IDs are unique (not duplicating existing ones you saw)
• require references real keys
• Enemy IDs exist in the enemy roster
• Speaker names are real NPC IDs or "system"
• Flags set here have names consistent with existing convention

5. Present and place

Show the JSON and tell the user exactly where to place it:

• Which file (data/mecha/events.json, missions.json, etc.)
• Where in the array (after what existing entry, or at the end)
• If the content chains to an existing event or mission, show how to wire it (e.g., add "onComplete": {"event": "evt_your_new_event"} to the mission)

If writing multiple pieces that chain together (e.g., a mission that fires an event), show them together with the wiring explained.

Content type quick reference

For full field-by-field reference, see references/schemas.md.