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Shop Progression

The player's shop begins as a single, fully-dressed bodega unit — visually appealing from the start despite its small size. Its hybrid Normcore + Cyberpunk look creates warmth (soft blues, fog, lived-in clutter) alongside sci-fi edge (neon pops, layered signage). From this base, the shop grows both physically and socially through deliberate stocking choices, customer relationships, and space acquisition along the station corridor.

Starting State — "The Lived-In Bodega"

  • Single, compact shop space directly connected to the Office/Front Desk.
  • Fully decorated with shelves, displays, and scattered personal touches.
  • Stock is minimal, drawing mainly locals and casual travelers.
  • All transactions handled via self-checkout units — personal interactions occur only when a customer approaches for conversation, questions, or conflict.

Player Choice and Signals ("Pheromones")

Stock selection acts as the player's signal to the station community:

  • Everyday staples → draw in quick, low-engagement customers.
  • Specialized, rare, or unusual goods → attract more distinctive personalities.
  • These choices determine the overall client mix and open the door to deeper interactions.

Solicitors

Some regular customers and Patrons act as Solicitors, offering to place their goods in the player's shop:

  • Each solicitor product is unique and unavailable from standard suppliers.
  • Carry their own “signal tags” that can draw new types of customers.
  • Stocking these can evolve the shop's identity and variety naturally over time.

Remote Opportunities — Reseller Network

Not all market expansion comes face-to-face:

  • As reputation grows, the player is contacted via the communication network (Station Comms or PDA) with offers from other traders seeking a trusted reseller.
  • These opportunities:
    • Do not originate from Patrons (purely commercial, not story-driven arcs).
    • Provide access to niche or specialty goods that can further shape your shop's customer draw.
    • May be one-time offers or ongoing supply relationships.
  • These contacts expand your influence without requiring on-screen characters to be created or animated — keeping scope manageable.

Physical Expansion — From Bodega to Full Row

  • The shop exists as a row of linked retail slots along the station corridor.
  • Linear expansion occurs by acquiring adjacent units.
  • Not all slots are available at once; some require:
    • Straightforward purchase or leasing, OR
    • Small narrative “mini-dramas” tied to the current tenant or station control.
  • Each new unit:
    • Extends the usable floor space.
    • Allows for added displays and more customer movement.
    • Can be decorated/stocked immediately or left as flavor space.

Expansion Payoffs

  • As more slots are acquired, the shop feels fuller and busier, moving from a cozy corner bodega to a spacious retail stretch.
  • Full Expansion Visual Payoffs (all slots owned):
    • Hallway-facing walls replaced by glass display cases showcasing goods to foot traffic.
    • Outer-hull walls replaced by vista windows revealing ships docking and departures.
    • Ambient sound broadens — public concourse chatter on one side, deep dock hums on the other.

Progression Stages (Suggested)

  1. Stage 1 — Lived-In Bodega
    Minimal stock, small space, warm and atmospheric.

  2. Stage 2 — Growing Stretch
    Acquire 1–2 adjacent slots; more displays, broader stock; introduction of solicitors and first remote reseller offers.

  3. Stage 3 — Full Row / Vista Reveal
    Entire corridor section under your control; glass cases and outer-hull windows installed; vibrant customer mix influenced by your chosen stock.

Progression Drivers

  • Economic: Sales revenue and/or steady reputation growth.
  • Social: Exposure to new solicitors through customer mix.
  • Remote Network: Comms-based offers from external resellers as trust builds.

Design Goals

  • Keep physical footprint manageable for small-team development: re-use same base scene; swaps and set dressing changes sell the feeling of growth.
  • Tie all progression — physical, social, and economic — back to player choice of stock.
  • Use remote communications to broaden product variety without heavy asset creation or additional NPC modeling.
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