24 KiB
Parameter Registry
TheRON — OTIVM / CIVICVS / TESSERA Stack
Status: Living document — parameters added as established, never removed - Read and Approved
Date: 2026-04-28
0. Purpose
This document is the authoritative registry of all simulation parameters across all layers. It sits between the prose documents (scenarios, actor backgrounds, city substrates) and the SQL schema. It prevents the schema from prematurely flattening complex concepts into simple integers.
Every parameter here declares four structural fields before any values are given:
token: canonical code identifier (snake_case, period-neutral)
scope: actor | city | scenario | relation | derived
layer: roman | mesolithic | universal
maturity: canonical | provisional | research_needed
scope — where the parameter lives in the architecture:
actor— per-player, drifts with decisions, lives in per-player SQLitecity— shared across players, changes with events, lives in city substratescenario— exists within a scenario's active window onlyrelation— cross-layer dependency or derived interactionderived— computed from other parameters, not stored independently
layer — which cultural period the parameter belongs to:
roman— Roman-specific, approximately 1st c. BCE to 1st c. CEmesolithic— Mesolithic-specific, approximately 10000–4000 BCEuniversal— exists across all periods with different expressions
maturity — confidence in the parameter's definition:
canonical— fully defined, passes all three admission tests, schema-readyprovisional— defined but awaiting research confirmation or design decisionresearch_needed— identified as necessary, definition incomplete
On uncertainty: parameters marked with observable: partial or
observable: hidden must not be stored as clean point values. They carry
epistemic status — the actor does not know their precise value, only signals.
The schema must preserve this. A hidden parameter has a true value (server-side)
and a perceived value (actor-side). These are different records.
1. Actor Parameters
Parameters that live in the per-player database and drift over time as the actor makes decisions. These are the twelve canonical parameters from CHARACTER-FRAMEWORK plus extensions identified through scenario development.
AVCTORITAS
token: auctoritas
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Social capital with legal and commercial consequences. Not a reputation score — a social reality that other actors respond to. Accumulated through correct conduct, reliable commercial behaviour, appropriate OTIUM, and maintained CLIENTELA. Lost through failure, disgrace, or unmet obligations.
Type: ordinal scale, not a precise number
Unit: none — expressed as a band (low / medium / high / distinguished)
Observable: partial — the actor infers their own AVCTORITAS from social
signals, not from a ledger. The harbour master's speed, the factor's promptness,
the willingness of witnesses to sign — these are the observables.
Drift mechanics:
- Increases with: completed ventures, correct OTIUM, CLIENTELA maintenance, successful FAENUS recovery, public witness of reliability
- Decreases with: defaulted obligations, visible commercial failure, association with disgraced parties, FAENUS seen as predatory, prolonged absence from social obligations
- Lag: changes are not immediate — AVCTORITAS shifts over weeks, not days
Uncertainty: the actor's perceived AVCTORITAS may differ from their true AVCTORITAS. A recently failed magistrate may not yet know how damaged his standing is. A freedman may not know how much his practical reputation has grown.
Background starting values:
- Former Legionary: medium
- Freedman Trader: low
- Noble Younger Son: high
- Failed Magistrate: medium (falling — true value lower than perceived)
- Camp Logistician: low
- Guild Scribe: low
CLIENTELA
token: clientela
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: The network of mutual obligation between the actor and their clients and patrons. Generates social access and information quality. Consumes OTIUM to maintain. A MERCATOR with strong CLIENTELA receives better information, better terms, and more reliable witnesses. One who neglects it finds doors closed.
Type: network strength — breadth and depth
Unit: none — expressed as low / medium / high / extensive
Observable: partial — the actor knows who they know, but not always whether
those relationships remain active and reciprocal
Drift mechanics:
- Increases with: OTIUM spent in social engagement, fulfilled obligations, reciprocal favours, successful introductions
- Decreases with: neglect, failed obligations, social disgrace, prolonged travel away from home base
- Lag: slow to build, faster to erode
LIQVIDITAS
token: liquiditas
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Liquid capital available for immediate deployment — denarii in hand, not goods pledged or debts owed. Distinct from total wealth. A MERCATOR may be asset-rich and liquidity-poor. LIQVIDITAS is what actually governs whether a venture can be initiated.
Type: quantity
Unit: denarii (as integer)
Observable: full — the actor knows exactly what liquid capital they hold
Drift mechanics:
- Decreases with: venture cost, ITER expenses, PORTORIUM, personnel wages, HORREUM fees, FAENUS principal deployed
- Increases with: venture profit, FAENUS interest received, asset liquidation
- Immediate — no lag
FAMA
token: fama
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Public reputation — what is generally said about the actor. Distinct from AVCTORITAS (which is earned social capital) in that FAMA is more volatile, more vulnerable to rumour, and more sensitive to recent events. A single public failure can damage FAMA severely before AVCTORITAS is affected.
Type: ordinal with valence
Unit: none — expressed as low / neutral / mixed / good / distinguished
Observable: partial — the actor hears what is said about them, but not all
of it, and not always accurately
Drift mechanics:
- Volatile — responds quickly to visible events
- Affected by: public success or failure, rumour, association with other actors, behaviour in visible social settings (BALNEA, forum)
DISCIPLINA
token: disciplina
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Operational reliability — the actor's capacity to execute plans consistently, manage personnel, maintain schedules, and function under pressure. Not military discipline specifically — commercial discipline. The ability to show up, follow through, and not improvise when improvisation is costly.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: full — the actor knows their own operational habits
Drift mechanics:
- Stable — changes slowly through repeated behaviour patterns
- Increases with: consistent venture execution, reliable scheduling
- Decreases with: erratic behaviour, frequent plan changes, personnel failures
MERCATVS_SCIENTIA
token: mercatus_scientia
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Commercial knowledge — understanding of prices, goods, markets, seasonal patterns, and the logic of supply and demand. Determines whether the actor recognises opportunity, correctly prices ventures, and anticipates market movements.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: full — the actor knows what they know, though not what they
don't know
Drift mechanics:
- Increases with: completed ventures, market exposure, information from CLIENTELA
- Background-specific: Freedman Trader and Camp Logistician start high; Noble Younger Son and Former Legionary start low
ITINERIS_SCIENTIA
token: itineris_scientia
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Route knowledge — familiarity with roads, sea lanes, waypoints, hazards, seasonal constraints, and the practical logistics of movement. Affects ITER duration estimates, ability to avoid delays, and recognition of route disruption.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: full
Drift mechanics:
- Increases with: completed ITINERA, especially novel routes
- Former Legionary and Camp Logistician start high
IVS_ACCESSVS
token: ius_accessus
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Legal access — the actor's practical ability to use the Roman legal system: to enforce contracts, recover debts, obtain witnesses, and resist legal pressure from others. Not just knowledge of law but standing within it. A freedman may know the law perfectly and still lack access.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: partial — the actor knows their formal standing but not always
how it will be applied in a specific dispute
Drift mechanics:
- Increases with: AVCTORITAS growth, CLIENTELA with legal contacts, successful contract enforcement
- Noble Younger Son and Failed Magistrate start high
PERICVLVM_TOLERANTIA
token: periculum_tolerantia
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Risk tolerance — the actor's willingness and capacity to accept exposure to loss, physical danger, and uncertainty. Affects venture selection, route choice during MARE CLAVSVM, and FAENUS terms accepted.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: full
Drift mechanics:
- Relatively stable — personality-level trait
- May decrease after severe loss events
NEGOTIATIO
token: negotiatio
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Negotiation skill — the ability to achieve favourable terms in commercial and social exchanges. Affects prices obtained, FAENUS terms, FACTOR agreements, and conflict resolution.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: full
LITTERAE
token: litterae
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Literacy and accounting — the ability to read, write, and maintain accounts. Affects the actor's ability to detect fraud, draft contracts, and maintain a CODEX ACCEPTI ET EXPENSI. In 14 BCE Rome, not universal even among merchants.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: full
OFFICIA_BVRDEN
token: officia_burden
scope: actor
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Obligation load — the accumulated weight of social, civic, and personal obligations competing with NEGOTIVM for the actor's time. High OFFICIA_BVRDEN reduces available time for ventures and forces OTIUM expenditure on obligations rather than restoration.
Type: ordinal
Unit: none — low / medium / high
Observable: partial — the actor knows their formal obligations but may
underestimate the informal ones
Drift mechanics:
- Increases with: AVCTORITAS growth (more people seek patronage), CLIENTELA expansion, Noble Younger Son background
- Decreases with: fulfilled obligations, deliberate social withdrawal
BACKGROUND_DRIFT
token: background_drift
scope: actor
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The degree to which the actor's starting background profile still governs their parameter values versus the profile created by their decisions. A Former Legionary who has conducted fifty FAENUS transactions has drifted toward Guild Scribe behaviour. Background effects decay; decision history accumulates.
Type: 0.0 to 1.0 float per parameter (1.0 = fully background-governed,
0.0 = fully decision-governed)
Observable: hidden — the actor experiences this as gradual change in how
the world responds to them, not as a visible number
2. City Parameters
Parameters shared across players, anchored to a specific city substrate. These change through events, not individual player decisions. They live in the city substrate layer, not the per-player database.
RVMOR_VELOCITAS
token: rumor_velocity
scope: city
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: The speed at which information (accurate and inaccurate) moves through a city's social network. High in port cities, baths, and dense market districts. Affects how quickly scenario events are known, how distorted they become in transmission, and how fast prices adjust.
Drift: increases with transient population, decreases in winter
DOCK_CONGESTION
token: dock_congestion_index
scope: city
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: Pressure on port loading and unloading capacity. Affects ITER departure delay, BAIВLVS availability, and PORTORIUM queue time.
Drift: seasonal — peaks in spring and autumn, low in MARE CLAVSVM
STORAGE_FEE_INDEX
token: storage_fee_index
scope: city
layer: roman
maturity: provisional
Definition: Market rate for HORREUM storage. Rises when warehouse capacity is constrained by high cargo volume or when distressed sellers need to hold goods while awaiting better prices.
Research needed: specific rate data for Ostia, 1st c. BCE
BATH_SOCIAL_DENSITY
token: bath_social_density
scope: city
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Definition: The social richness of the BALNEA as an information and relationship node. Determines the quality of rumour available and the probability of encountering useful contacts during OTIUM.
Drift: time-of-day dependent (midday peak), seasonal
LEGAL_ACCESS_INDEX
token: legal_access_index
scope: city
layer: roman
maturity: provisional
Definition: The practical availability and reliability of legal enforcement in this city. Varies by magistrate quality, current political pressure, and backlog. Affects IVS_ACCESSVS modifiers for all actors.
FIRE_RISK_INDEX
token: fire_risk_index
scope: city
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: Background probability of industrial or residential fire in a city zone. Drives scenario trigger probability for SCENARIO-MERCHANT-0001 and similar events.
Drift: increases with workshop density, dry season, high transient population
RENT_PRESSURE_INDEX
token: rent_pressure_index
scope: city
layer: roman
maturity: provisional
Drift: increases with transient population factor
Research needed: Ostia lodging costs, 1st c. BCE
FOOD_PRICE_INDEX
token: food_price_index
scope: city
layer: universal
maturity: provisional
Research needed: Ostia grain and prepared food prices, 1st c. BCE
PORTER_AVAILABILITY
token: porter_availability
scope: city
layer: universal
maturity: provisional
Drift: seasonal, event-sensitive (disrupted by fires, floods, political events)
Research needed: BAIВLVS wage rates, 1st c. BCE Ostia
CART_AVAILABILITY
token: cart_availability
scope: city
layer: universal
maturity: provisional
Drift: decreases during scenario events involving transport disruption
Research needed: cart hire rates, Via Appia, 1st c. BCE
3. Scenario Parameters
Parameters that exist only within a scenario's active window. They are created when a scenario triggers, evolve during it, and are archived when it closes. They must not persist into the city substrate as permanent values — they are transient pressures, not permanent conditions.
WORKSHOP_OUTPUT_BRONZE
token: workshop_output_bronze
scope: scenario
layer: roman
maturity: canonical
Scenario: SCENARIO-MERCHANT-0001
Definition: Current production capacity of bronze workshops in the
affected district. Drops to near zero at scenario start, recovers over
rebuild_delay_days.
VRBAN_FIRE_DAMAGE
token: urban_fire_damage
scope: scenario
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: Severity of fire damage to a specific district. Drives
multiple secondary parameter effects.
Type: ordinal — minor / significant / severe / catastrophic
TIMBER_STOCK_DESTROYED
token: timber_stock_destroyed
scope: scenario
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Scenario: SCENARIO-MERCHANT-0002
Definition: Volume of seasoned timber stock lost in the Capuan yard fire.
Governs the magnitude of downstream shortage effects.
BORROWER_DISTRESS
token: borrower_distress
scope: scenario
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Scenario: SCENARIO-MERCHANT-0003
Definition: Financial and operational stress level of the counterparty
seeking FAENUS. Governs offered return, default probability, and collateral
availability.
Type: ordinal — stable / stressed / distressed / insolvent
Observable: hidden — the actor infers from signals, never knows precisely
RVMOR_CREDIBILITY
token: rumor_credibility
scope: scenario
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: How accurate the current circulating rumour about a scenario
event is. High rumour credibility means the market has correctly interpreted
the event. Low means prices have not yet adjusted correctly — creating
opportunity or risk depending on the actor's knowledge.
Observable: hidden to actor — server-side truth only
VENTURE_WINDOW_DAYS
token: venture_window_days
scope: scenario
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The number of days before the scenario's primary market
opportunity closes — either through price normalisation, competitor action,
or external resolution of the event.
Observable: partial — the actor estimates this from signals, cannot
know it precisely
HIDDEN_CAUSE_STATE
token: hidden_cause_state
scope: scenario
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The true cause of the inciting scenario event, selected from
the hidden cause variant table at scenario seed time. Never revealed to the
actor directly. Governs which secondary effects dominate and how quickly
the scenario resolves.
Observable: hidden — signals only
SCENARIO_CHAIN_FLAG
token: scenario_chain_flag
scope: scenario
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: Whether a prior scenario in the chain has occurred in this
world seed. recent_scenario_0001 == true modifies recovery speed in 0002.
recent_scenario_0001 or 0002 == true increases FAENUS opportunity in 0003.
Type: boolean per scenario ID
4. Relation and Derived Parameters
Parameters that exist at the intersection of layers — cross-layer dependencies, epistemic states, and derived values. These are first-class records, not comments in the schema.
INFORMATION_QUALITY
token: information_quality
scope: relation
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The accuracy and completeness of the information available
to a specific actor about a specific event or market state. Function of
CLIENTELA strength, rumor_velocity, and actor's location relative to the
event.
Type: 0.0 to 1.0 float (0.0 = pure noise, 1.0 = complete truth)
Observable: hidden — the actor does not know how good their information is
CONFIDENCE_TAG
token: confidence_tag
scope: relation
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The epistemic confidence attached to any parameter value,
derived from source quality and inference chain length. Mirrors the confidence
tags used in research documents.
Type: enum — measured | indicated | inferred | estimated | unknown
Use: attached to any parameter record where the value is not directly
observable or where source quality is limited. Must be a first-class field
in the schema, not a comment.
DELAYED_KNOWLEDGE
token: delayed_knowledge
scope: relation
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The lag between when a scenario event occurs and when a
specific actor's information_quality reflects it accurately. A MERCATOR
in Ostia learns about the Capuan timber fire after a delay determined by
route distance, rumor_velocity, and CLIENTELA reach.
Type: integer days
Use: applied per actor per scenario event
PERCEIVED_VS_TRUE
token: perceived_vs_true
scope: relation
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The structural distinction between a parameter's true value
(server-side ground truth) and the actor's perceived value (what they believe
or can infer). Applies to: AVCTORITAS, FAMA, borrower_distress,
hidden_cause_state, rumor_credibility, information_quality, and any parameter
marked observable: partial or observable: hidden.
Schema implication: parameters with perceived_vs_true distinction require
two records — value_true and value_perceived — not one. This is not
optional.
BACKGROUND_AFFINITY
token: background_affinity
scope: relation
layer: universal
maturity: canonical
Definition: The degree of match between a specific actor's current
parameter profile and each of the six canonical backgrounds. Used to detect
background drift and to surface narrative signals to the actor about how
others perceive them.
Type: 0.0 to 1.0 float per background_id
5. Universal Parameters (Cross-Period)
Parameters marked layer: universal are candidates for the cross-period
schema shared between OTIVM and CIVICVS. They appear in both periods with
different expressions but the same underlying structure.
| Token | Roman expression | Mesolithic expression |
|---|---|---|
liquiditas |
denarii | calories, stored food, portable goods |
information_quality |
rumour in BALNEA | territorial knowledge |
rumor_velocity |
port city gossip | inter-clan communication speed |
periculum_tolerantia |
maritime risk acceptance | predator territory tolerance |
fire_risk_index |
urban workshop density | hearth and camp fire risk |
venture_window_days |
market opportunity window | seasonal foraging window |
confidence_tag |
source quality | archaeological confidence |
delayed_knowledge |
route distance lag | territorial range lag |
These mappings are provisional. The Mesolithic expressions will be confirmed through corpus development.
6. Stub Parameters — Research Needed
Parameters identified as necessary but not yet fully defined. Listed here to prevent schema decisions that assume they do not exist.
| Token | Scope | Layer | What is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
portorium_rate |
scenario | roman | Specific rate data per crossing point, 1st c. BCE |
vectура_rate |
scenario | roman | Freight charge per cargo unit per leg, research brief target |
naufragium_probability |
scenario | roman | Per-voyage shipwreck probability from archaeological record |
mare_clausum_state |
city | roman | Binary seasonal flag with transition probability |
collegium_presence |
city | roman | Whether a relevant COLLEGIUM operates in this city |
factor_reliability |
actor | roman | FACTOR NPC trustworthiness — future release |
occ_flag |
city | mesolithic | Occupation evidence from TESSERA stage 06 — pipeline dependency |
terrain_restoration |
city | mesolithic | HYDE 3.3 / KK10 corrected terrain — pipeline dependency |
7. Admission Rules
A parameter is admitted to this registry when it passes all three tests
from terminology.md:
- Period-authentic or explicitly universal
- Semantically distinct from existing parameters
- Scope-bounded — cannot be misapplied across layers without the misapplication being visible
A parameter may be added at any maturity level. It may never be removed.
Deprecated parameters are marked maturity: deprecated with a note on
what superseded them.
Parameter Registry — living document, 2026-04-28 Uncertainty is a first-class record, not a comment. TheRON — single contributor. AI assistants implement, document, flag — do not direct.