# 🗄️ Data Directory - Isla Apocalypse

## Overview
The `/Data` directory is the static repository for all generated world files, visual previews, and configuration structures. It acts as the handoff point between the offline `/Tools` (which write the data) and the live `/Server` (which reads the data).

**Core Philosophy: "The Immutable Source of Truth."**
Files stored in this primary directory are considered *Base Blueprints*. They are the starting point of the world before any player interacts with it. The Game Client should almost never read from this folder directly; it receives this data via the Server.

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## 📦 Current Contents (Phase 1)

### 1. Binary Blueprints (`.dat`)
* **Format:** Custom serialized binary (`MapData_Seed_[X].dat`).
* **Purpose:** Contains the highly compressed, raw mathematical output of the 2D Generator (Map Size, Height floats, Biome IDs, POI coordinates, Highway vectors).
* **Usage:** Read by the Server's Chunk Manager at startup to construct the untouched 3D voxel world.

### 2. Map Previews (`.png`)
* **Format:** 1024x1024 RGBA Images (`Map_Seed_[X]_[Time].png`).
* **Purpose:** High-resolution visual snapshots of the generated seeds. 
* **Usage:** Used by the developer/server admin to visually review and select the best island layout before spinning up the 3D server.

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## 🚀 Future Roadmap & Planned Additions

As the game expands, this folder will be subdivided to organize different types of static game data:

### 3. /Prefabs (Planned - Phase 2/3)
* **Format:** `.json` or custom `.prefab` binaries.
* **Purpose:** 3D building templates (e.g., `GasStation_Tier3.json`) created by the Prefab Editor. The Server uses these files to spawn structures at the coordinates dictated by the master `.dat` blueprint.

### 4. /Configs (Planned - Phase 3)
* **Format:** `.json` or `.cfg`.
* **Purpose:** Human-readable configuration files for game balance.
    * `LootTables.json`: Defines what items spawn in which containers based on POI Tier.
    * `VoxelPalette.json`: Maps the 2D Biome IDs to 3D Voxel types.
    * `SpawnRates.json`: Defines zombie/animal spawn limits and Blood Moon horde scaling.

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## ⚠️ Directory Rules & Best Practices

1.  **NO Scripts or Code:** This directory must strictly contain data files (`.dat`, `.png`, `.json`, `.csv`). It contains zero executable logic.
2.  **Live Saves vs. Base Data:** * This folder holds the **Base Game Data**. 
    * *Live Player Saves* and *Terrain Deformation Diff Files* should generally be saved to Godot's safe `user://` path on the host machine, NOT in this project folder. This prevents live server saves from accidentally being bundled into the game's base code.
3.  **Version Control (Git) Warnings:**
    * `.dat` and `.png` files can become very large. 
    * **Rule:** Only commit the "Official Release" seed files to your repository. Use a `.gitignore` file to ignore random test generations so you don't bloat your project repository with gigabytes of discarded test maps.