clay-borg/editions/CATALOG.md

Edition & rules catalog (schema 2 — composable modules by aspect)

Authority: this file + catalog.yaml on main.
Aspect map: ASPECTS.md — full design-space dimensionality for GROUND.
Simulator research: clay-borg research/CB-RES-0010-game-aspects-and-design-space.md

Purpose: pin baseline content and independent rules modules so humans and clay-borg can run any module alone or in combination, measure, keep, or reject — without silent baseline edits.

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Model

                    ┌─────────────────────┐
                    │  baseline content   │  editions/ground-darvo-rN/
                    │  (CSVs, print data) │
                    └──────────┬──────────┘
                               │
         ┌─────────────────────┼─────────────────────┐
         ▼                     ▼                     ▼
   problem_stress        attack_relief         end_condition  …
   (≤1 module)           (≤1 module)           (≤1 module)
         ▲                     ▲                     ▲
         └────────── aspects of the game ────────────┘

Concept	Meaning
Aspect	An orthogonal design dimension of the game (how stress is routed, how the game ends, how Problems enter play, …). Full list: ASPECTS.md.
Baseline	Edition data package (Problems.csv, modes, …). Frozen columns still require rN→rN+1 (GROUND-WP-0002 T01).
Module	One implementable choice on one aspect. Defaults are named modules with no delta.
Profile	Named list of modules (convenience). Not a third rules source — expands to baseline + modules.
Configuration	Baseline + resolved module list = what is actually played.
Composition	At most one module per aspect. Missing aspects use default_module.

Independence rule: a module may only declare rules on its own aspect. Cross-aspect effects belong in a profile (explicit combo) or a new aspect — never silent coupling inside one module.

Legacy experiments (editions/experiments/h1-…, h2-…) remain on disk as measured packages; they map to profiles. Prefer module_id / profile_id going forward.

Synonym: older docs said axis for aspect. Machine field is aspect:.

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Aspects with modules (registered)

Aspect	Default	Other modules
problem_stress	none	flat_any_open (H1-A, reject), scoped (H2, keep)
attack_relief	none	self_soothe_ge4 (H1-B)
end_condition	fixed_rounds_5	hybrid_clear_collapse (proposed)
problem_deal	fixed_setup	pressure_deck (proposed)

Many other aspects exist but are fixed in r0 until a competing design appears (see ASPECTS.md § full map).

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Selection (clay-borg / trials)

Preferred API

baseline: ground-darvo-r0
modules:
  - problem_stress.scoped
  - end_condition.hybrid_clear_collapse   # when implemented
# other aspects → defaults

Or:

profile: h2
# expands to modules: [problem_stress.scoped]

Or multi-aspect:

profile: scoped_plus_attack_soothe
# problem_stress.scoped + attack_relief.self_soothe_ge4

Validation

1. Every module_id exists and selectable: true.
2. No two modules share the same aspect.
3. status: proposed modules may be selected only if the host declares allow_proposed: true (kernel may no-op or refuse).
4. State / recordings must store the resolved module list (and baseline id), not only a legacy experiment string — so A/B names the point in design space.

Implementation

• Baseline CSVs: vendor as today.
• Each module: apply rules_delta + optional data_overlays from its path.
• Apply modules in aspect order listed in catalog.yaml aspects: (stable, documented).
• Conflict: refuse composition rather than last-write-wins.

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Profiles (named combos)

profile_id	modules	note
baseline	(defaults)	Pure r0
h1	flat + attack soothe	Legacy H1; reject-as-baseline
h2	scoped	Legacy H2; keep-as-experiment
scoped_plus_attack_soothe	scoped + soothe	Unmeasured combo
scoped_plus_hybrid_end	scoped + hybrid end	Needs kernel for end
scoped_plus_pressure_deck	scoped + pressure deck	Needs kernel for deal

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Adding a module (checklist)

1. Confirm the aspect exists in ASPECTS.md; add the aspect first if needed.
2. Create editions/modules/<aspect>/<slug>/ with MODULE.md and, if non-default, rules_delta.yaml (+ CSV overlays if needed).
3. Register under modules: with aspect, path, status, decision.
4. Optionally add a profile that includes it alone and/or with other modules.
5. Message clay-borg: module_id, aspect, delta path, compose examples.
6. Measure alone first when possible; then measure interesting profiles.
7. Update utility_estimate / decision per module (and per profile if combo-specific).

What must not happen

• Silent edit of frozen baseline columns inside ground-darvo-r0.
• A new mega-experiment that re-bundles three aspects into one non-decomposable id (use a profile instead).
• Modules that hard-require another aspect’s module without documenting a profile.

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Git

main + catalog is discovery; commits pin digests; branches optional for WIP. Modules live as directories on main.

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Legacy map

Old experiment	Prefer
h1-problem-stress	profile h1 or modules problem_stress.flat_any_open + attack_relief.self_soothe_ge4
h2-scoped-problem-stress	profile h2 or module problem_stress.scoped