Modify Stations

What "station" means in this codebase

Station work spans four areas:

1. Docking mechanics — when docking is allowed (distance/speed), nearest-station checks.
2. Station generation/placement — which planets get stations and how a "main station" is chosen.
3. Station rendering — station mesh and in-system orbit behavior.
4. Station interaction flow — flight -> landing event -> docked station UI -> undock.

Files to read/modify

Docking mechanics

src/game/constants.ts — docking thresholds:

• DOCKING.maxDistance
• DOCKING.maxSpeed

src/game/mechanics/DockingSystem.ts — core docking checks:

• canDock() — distance and speed gate
• findNearestStation() — picks nearest station and avoids docking when scenery is closer

src/game/Game.ts — docking flow:

• tryDock() — validates nearest station and docking constraints
• Alert behavior for failed docking attempts

Station generation and placement (Rust engine)

engine/src/system_generator.rs — station placement rules:

• has_station assignment on generated planets
• main_station_planet_id selection
• Edit here to change station frequency/distribution

engine/src/types/world.rs — station-related data fields:

• PlanetData.has_station
• SolarSystemData.main_station_planet_id

Station rendering and in-system behavior

src/game/rendering/mesh/entities.ts (exported through src/game/rendering/meshFactory.ts) — makeStation() mesh geometry

src/game/rendering/scene/buildPlanets.ts and src/game/rendering/scene/orbitAndNpcUpdates.ts — station entities:

• Spawns station objects for planets with hasStation
• Sets station orbit radius/speed relative to parent planet
• Tags entities as type: 'station' for docking systems

Station interaction UI flow

src/ui/LandingDialog/LandingDialog.tsx — pre-docked landing event UI and choice flow

src/ui/StationUI/StationUI.tsx — docked station screen (market and station actions)

src/ui/App.tsx — UI mode transitions and onUndock wiring

src/game/GameState.ts — UI modes ('flight', 'landing', 'docked')

Typical workflows

Change docking radius/speed rules:

1. src/game/constants.ts (DOCKING)
2. src/game/mechanics/DockingSystem.ts (if logic beyond thresholds is needed)
3. src/game/Game.ts (optional: failure messaging)

Change how stations are distributed across planets/systems:

1. engine/src/system_generator.rs
2. engine/src/types/world.rs (only if adding/changing station-related data shape)
3. Rebuild WASM: npm run wasm:build (or cd engine && wasm-pack build --target web --out-dir pkg)

Change station look/shape:

1. src/game/rendering/mesh/entities.ts (makeStation)
2. src/game/rendering/scene/buildPlanets.ts or src/game/rendering/scene/orbitAndNpcUpdates.ts (optional: orbit/scale/spawn behavior)

Change station interaction flow (dock -> landing -> docked -> undock):

1. src/game/Game.ts (flow control)
2. src/ui/LandingDialog/LandingDialog.tsx
3. src/ui/StationUI/StationUI.tsx
4. src/ui/App.tsx and/or src/game/GameState.ts (mode plumbing)

Boundaries with other skills

• Use modify-trading for market prices, goods, station economy behavior, and trade UI specifics.
• Use modify-events for landing event narrative content, choices, and event selection logic.
• Use modify-ships for ship physics/handling not specific to station docking rules.

Source: charkitch/time-in-transit — distributed by TomeVault.