### **Project Brief: Stasis Warden**

**Version: 1.1**
**Date:** August 24, 2025

### 1. Executive Summary
*   **Product Concept:** The player assumes the role of the amnesiac AI of a generation starship. Following a disaster, the player must repair the ship and save the cryo-sleeping crew, uncovering their own identity by restoring their systems.
*   **Problem:** A starship is derelict and its crew is in peril. The AI controlling it is damaged and must restore functionality and order to save everyone.
*   **Key Value Proposition:** A unique blend of strategic ship-building and deep social simulation, driven by a core narrative of self-discovery and presented with a distinct ASCII/TUI interface.

### 2. Target Users
*   **Primary User Segment:** Fans of sci-fi, emergent narrative gameplay, strategy games, and ASCII/TUI interfaces (e.g., Dwarf Fortress, Caves of Qud). Players who enjoy titles with deep systems that allow for unique stories to unfold with each playthrough.

### 3. Goals & Success Metrics
*   **Project Philosophy:** This is a passion project. The primary goal is to create a game that is fun and engaging for its creator, and hopefully for others who share a similar taste. Traditional business metrics like sales figures or KPIs are not a focus.
*   **User Success Metrics:** The game is successful if players feel they are creating a unique story and are consistently engaged by the core gameplay loop.

### 4. MVP Scope
*   **Core Features (In Scope):**
    *   Manual power generation.
    *   Awakening crew to automate tasks.
    *   "Room Card" selection for ship-building.
    *   Crew stats (e.g., Engineering) and personality traits (1 positive, 1 negative).
    *   An ASCII-based TUI with a keyboard-driven interface.
    *   A dedicated area for "Room Card" choices.
*   **Out of Scope for MVP:**
    *   Full narrative reveal of the amnesiac AI.
    *   Dynamic relationships (friendship, rivalry).
    *   AI-driven influence over crew relationships.
    *   Generational system (crew having children).
    *   Complex graphics; the focus is on a clean, functional ASCII interface.
*   **MVP Success Criteria:**
    *   The core gameplay loop is proven to be engaging.
    *   Replayability is high, with each game session unfolding differently.

### 5. Technical Considerations
*   **Target Platforms:** Windows and Linux.
*   **Technology Preferences:**
    *   **Framework:** Python with the Textual library for TUI
    *   **IDE:** Visual Studio Code

### 6. Constraints & Assumptions
*   **Constraints:**
    *   **Resources:** The project will be developed by a sole human developer.
    *   **Assets:** Graphics and sound assets are no longer a primary concern due to the ASCII focus.
*   **Key Assumptions:**
    *   The "vibe coding" development strategy will be sufficient to complete the project.
    *   The blend of social simulation, ship management, and amnesiac AI narrative will be engaging for the target audience.
    *   The ASCII/TUI aesthetic will be appealing and enhance the game's unique identity.

### 7. Risks & Open Questions
*   **Key Risks:**
    *   **Project Abandonment:** As a solo passion project, there is a risk the developer may stop working on it.
    *   **Technical Blockers:** A critical bug may be encountered that AI coding assistants cannot resolve, halting progress.
    *   **UI/UX Complexity:** Designing an intuitive and engaging ASCII interface can be challenging.
*   **Open Questions:**
    *   How can we best leverage Textual's features to create a compelling and unique TUI experience?