Customers

In the daily rhythm of the station, not every visitor shops the same way — or for the same reasons. Most are just faces in the crowd, pulled along by the hum of daily dockings; some you see every week, while others are gone as quickly as they arrive. A few stand out — the ones you know by name, or who carry a story that threads back into your own. While each person is unique, they tend to fall into three broad groups that shape both your business and the kinds of conversations you’ll overhear.

For production purposes, these groups also define how we use our limited character meshes. Locals and Travelers mostly come from reusable “generic” model pools dressed and equipped to imply their buying profile. Patrons, in contrast, always have a unique and permanent look to signal their narrative importance from the moment they walk in. This approach lets us create a world that feels lively and varied within a small model budget.

Customer Types

Locals

Permanent residents of the station who form the backbone of your daily traffic. They don’t make large purchases, but their steady, predictable buying habits keep your shop running. They are drawn from a generic pool of about 6–8 meshes sourced from station‑resident Synty assets, and we keep them visually fresh through clothing, accessory, and prop swaps.
You learn to “read” them through their buying profiles: grease‑smudged overalls usually mean someone is here for tools and parts, while casual clothes often point toward snacks or creature comforts.
Most start as anonymous faces, but a handful naturally emerge as regulars the player recognizes — like the dock worker who always comes in after a long shift, or the canteen cook who shares gossip for a discount. These familiar locals may open up over time, giving the player glimpses into small personal stories.

Travelers

Passing customers who stop briefly to fuel up or make a layover before continuing their journey. They are drawn from a generic pool of about 6–8 meshes that represent off‑worlders, faction crews, industrial workers, and other transient types from our broader sci‑fi packs.
Buying profiles provide visual cues: bright tourist clothes suggest souvenir and snack sales, uniformed crew gravitate toward ration packs, scientists in clean gear often look for precision instruments, and rugged miners might browse heavy tools or bulk food.
Most are one‑off encounters, but occasionally a traveler reappears weeks later — perhaps a miner hauling an unusually good cargo or a merchant who remembers your shop from before. These repeat appearances can organically tie into your wider gossip and rumor network.

Patrons

Repeat visitors with personal connections to your shop and story arcs that unfold completely in‑store. They are always represented by unique, fixed meshes and outfits that are never reused, ensuring instant recognition by the player. The target is 5–6 patrons for the MVP, making each one a narrative anchor.
Their arcs may play out over weeks or months in small beats — a completed venture, a setback, or a special request. Some will shop like any other customer, but others act as solicitors, bringing you goods to place on your shelves for them.
Patrons are deeply integrated into the social web of the station. Locals might gossip about them, travelers may deliver news of their activities, and your subtle choices in stocking, advice, or discretion can shift the tone of their future visits.

Mesh / Model Casting Plan for MVP

To maintain variety on a small asset budget, customer meshes are split into three main roles — generic pools, unique story characters, and optional flavor — each with clear reuse rules and visual variation strategies.

Locals — 6–8 reusable meshes sourced from "station resident" assets.
These form the steady backbone of traffic. Meshes are reused with clothing, prop, and accessory swaps to suggest different individuals, all tagged with a buying profile (e.g., grease‑smudged coveralls = tools/parts; casual wear = snacks/comfort items).
A small subset will recur often enough to become recognizable “familiar locals” who open up over time.
Travelers — 6–8 reusable meshes from wider station, faction, and off‑world sets.
These rotate often, providing bursts of new faces and cultures through outfit/prop variation and faction flavor (tourists, crew, scientists, miners).
They are mostly one-off appearances, but occasional repeats can link back to other ongoing events.
Patrons — 5–6 unique meshes, permanently tied to their character identity.
Never reused for other NPCs. These are the narrative core: recognizable on sight, recurring across the game, and often with their own arcs.
Some may also function as recurring solicitors, bringing goods for you to sell.
Kids (Optional) — 2–3 reusable meshes for background flavor.
Appear with locals or travelers, never tied to major story roles.