# Modify Stations

> Guide for finding and modifying stations in The Years Between the Stars — docking rules, station placement, station rendering, and station interaction flow (landing, docked UI, undocking). Use this skill whenever the user wants to change docking radius/speed, docking behavior, where stations appear, station visuals, or station interaction flow. Trigger on "station", "dock", "docking", "undock", "dock radius", "landing at station", "station placement", "station model". Use when this capability is needed.

- Skill: `tomevault-io/modify-stations` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/modify-stations`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/modify-stations/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/modify-stations

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## 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](https://github.com/charkitch/time-in-transit) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).
<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-06-15 -->