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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 Reservation

Customer meshes are divided into five roles — generic locals, semi‑regular locals, travelers, unique patrons, and kids (separate local and traveler pools). Each role has a defined mesh count, reuse rules, and appearance frequency.

  • Locals (Generic Pool): 6–10 reusable meshes sourced from "station resident" asset packs. Common background traffic for the shop. Meshes can be varied through clothing, props, and accessories. Not designed to be recognized individually.

  • Semi‑Regular Locals: 2–4 fixed meshes pulled from the local pool and treated as recurring familiar faces. Appear 8–10 times across the game. Light personality and small talk progression, but not full narrative arcs.

  • Local Kids: 2–5 reusable meshes appearing alongside locals as background life. May be semi‑regulars, appearing 2–5 times over the course of the game with small, incidental moments (toys, snacks, errands).

  • Travelers (Generic Pool): 6–10 reusable meshes from faction, off‑world, and industrial sets. Outfits and props reflect buying profiles (tourists, miners, crew, scientists). Mostly one‑off visits with occasional repeats.

  • Traveler Kids: 2–5 reusable meshes appearing alongside travelers. Used sparingly to add variety and contrast to transient groups; usually one‑off appearances with occasional light chatter tied to their faction or travel context.

  • Patrons (Unique): Minimum of 5 unique meshes reserved for primary narrative characters. Never reused elsewhere. Appear multiple times over the game with dedicated story arcs. May also act as recurring solicitors.

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