so lets talk hunger au code structure
It occurred to me that i havent spoken a whole lot about the layers of code structure for entities!! I've mentioned surface code quite a bit, and deeper code, but i never actually got into what that deeper code entails-- so here's a little breakdown of what each code layer looks like and does!!
Surface code: This is the outer code layer, wrapping around everything in a similar way to how your skin covers your body. Surface code is, as previously stated in other asks, what dictates an entity's physical appearance. It's fairly easy to change once you learn the coding for it. This is the reason why physical hybrid traits can exist for Players, and why Watchers can camouflage themselves so well.
Utility code: This is the inner layer directly below surface code. Utility code is responsible for managing hearts, hunger, and saturation, and it's tied pretty directly to surface code. If your hunger bar or hearts are low, then that's going to reflect in your surface code-- and it's also going to effect how much of your surface code you can change at one time. Changing surface code takes energy, so entities who are changing their appearance often get hungry. It's common for a spotter to bring snacks!
Memory code: This is the code layer located beneath utility code, and is responsible for maintaining personality, memories, and keeping track of stats. Memory code is essentially what makes you a fully realized person!! Memory code can also be copied by entities (aka Watchers) that are very adept at manipulating code. In theory, a skilled Player could potentially do the same, but it's a very complex and tricky task to complete, so most people wouldn't consider attempting it.
Structural/deep code: As the innermost code layer, this code dictates whether an entity is alive and sentient/sapient or not. This is the code that essentially separates a Player from, say, a tree, and also keeps the other code layers functioning on a base level. It's the last layer of code to dissolve when code structure fully destabilizes.
And thats your little crash course in hunger au code structure!!! Pretty much every entity classified as alive has all of these code layers, although a chicken's memory code and a Player's memory code is going to look very different from each other. And, of course, non-sentient objects aren't going to have a utility or memory code, since they're, yknow, non-sentient. But their surface code can still be changed by a skilled coder, which is why some worlds are considered modded instead of vanilla!!










