Field Types
The structured representations of world state within the E.D.E.N. engine.
Fields are the core data units of the E.D.E.N. simulation model.
They store world state in simple, consistent forms mapped directly onto the geodesic surface.
Every subsystem operates through fields — reading, transforming, and writing new values across the planet.
This page introduces the major categories of fields used within the engine.
Purpose
The purpose of field types is to provide a small, consistent vocabulary for representing diverse physical, environmental, and systemic states.
Fields allow different systems to communicate through a unified model rather than custom data structures.
Core Principles
- Uniform Representation — every state variable fits one of a handful of field categories.
- Topology-Aware — fields always map onto tiles, edges, or directed edges.
- Deterministic Layout — no random scatter; every value has a defined spatial anchor.
- Efficient & Stable — fields prioritize clarity and performance.
- System-Agnostic — any subsystem can read any field safely.
System Model
E.D.E.N. supports three topological classes of fields:
Tile Fields
Represent values stored per tile.
Common uses:
- temperature
- biome type
- elevation
- moisture
- ecosystem attributes
Tile fields typically hold:
- scalar values
- categorical enums
- boolean flags
Edge Fields
Represent values per undirected edge (relationship between two tiles).
Common uses:
- slope magnitude
- boundary classification
- stress along plate boundaries
Edge fields are symmetrical by definition.
Directed-Edge Fields
Represent values per direction of each edge (A → B and B → A).
Common uses:
- water flow
- wind direction
- pressure gradients
- influence propagation
These support asymmetric processes in the simulation.
How It Interacts With Other Systems
- Geodesic Topology defines where fields live.
- Subsystems declare and update their fields.
- Tick Engine drives when fields are updated.
- Overlays visualize fields for debugging and education.
- Application Layer exposes fields through inspectors and scenarios.
What This Enables
- expressive subsystem modeling
- natural diffusion and flow
- equal-area global simulation
- modular domain design
- educational visualization
- long-term engine extensibility
Visual Examples (Optional)
- tile-based color maps
- edge gradient overlays
- directed flow fields
Public Extensibility Notes
Future SDK features may allow developers to:
- introduce new field categories
- define custom tile/edge/directed-edge fields
- derive fields from other fields
Fields remain the canonical model for world state.