guts/docs/LANES/LANE_C_LEVELS.md

LANE C — Levels & Encounters (data, pacing, bosses)

Mission: turn the GDD into playable levels — you are the game designer lane. You own web/js/levels/** (JSON + registry/loader) and docs/GDD.md refinements.

What you build

• Level JSONs (schema TECH.md — you own the schema from round 1 sign-off onward; evolve it via NOTES + F referee, never silently). One file per level, L1_mouth … L5_colon
  • LS_appendix. Everything data-driven: if you need a new event type or enemy param, spec it in NOTES for B/A and stub it in data first.
• levels/index.js: registry, loader, and a schema selfcheck (every biome id exists in A's registry, events sorted by s, s within length, checkpoint before every boss…) that qa.sh runs headlessly via node.
• Encounter design: density curves (breather → pressure → spike → gate), teach-then-test (every mechanic appears safe before it appears lethal), par times, pickup economy, biopsy-sample hiding spots (visible-but-costly law: secrets are seen, reaching them is the challenge).
• Boss scripts (levels/bosses/*.js — logic-as-data where possible, small state machines where not; B owns the enemy framework you plug into): Pyloric Guardian, Tapeworm chase, The Blockage. Spec each as: phases, telegraphs, windows, failure pressure.
• Difficulty scaling: a single difficulty.js table (coat-drain ×, density ×, window ×) — GDD §Difficulty. No per-level hand-tuned forks.

Design laws

• Anatomy is the level designer. Every hazard/setpiece maps to something real (GDD table) — the game's charm is that it's actually the digestive tract. When inventing, check the anatomy first; reality is weirder and better (bile from the duodenum, Peyer's patches, the appendix as a secret room are all real).
• Readable at speed. Tube levels are experienced at 10–20 u/s: telegraph everything ≥2 s upstream (E gives you audio:cue + HUD pings — spec what you need in NOTES).
• Checkpoints are sphincter-themed where anatomy allows; death costs ≤30 s of progress.
• Tutorialization: level 1 teaches move/shoot/coat in arena safety; the epiglottis gate is the exam.

You owe / consume

Owe: level JSONs + registry + selfcheck; encounter tables per level in NOTES (they double as B's spawn-behavior wishlist); boss specs early (round 1–2) so A can build lair arenas and D can concept hero meshes. Consume: A's biome registry, B's enemy/event vocabulary, GDD as your spec (refine it in place — it's yours now, banner what you change).

Verification

You can't screenshot data — your evidence is playthrough notes: boot each level (?lvl=L2_esophagus&stub=1 before A lands), fly it, record pacing against your curve, note where it lies. Cite times/densities measured, not intended. qa selfcheck stays green.