README.md

@@ -40,27 +40,15 @@ python3 -m http.server 8080
   population, and an `owner` seam reserved for the factions/pirates to come.
   The current system's dossier (name, identity, what's there) shows
   top-left in the game scene.
-- **Names with a point of view** (`data/naming.json`): planets draw from a
-  deep curated bank — colonial "New Denver" worlds beside alien "Klaxoria"
-  worlds — and stations from a bank of official designations ("Deep Space
-  SC-145") and smuggler hangouts ("Hell's Hideout"). Names are dealt out
-  randomly per system **without repeats until the bank is exhausted** (a
-  seeded shuffle, so the first N draws are N distinct names). Stars and the
-  galaxy itself are still synthesised from syllable pools, so you never run
-  out of those. Within a system a planet never shares a name with another
-  planet and a station never with another station.
 - Game screen with a top-down ship (real spritesheet art — frame 0 of
   `assets/images/ships-player.png`, see `data/ship.json`): **click anywhere to fly there**
   in the current system's open space (system boundaries/jumps come next).
-  Discovered worlds get a screen-edge arrow + a name tag showing the
-  world's **name** (e.g. `HOME WORLD · ESHKAELURA`); **clicking the
+  Discovered worlds get a screen-edge arrow + name tag; **clicking the
   name tag autopilots the ship there** (it arrives on the keep-out rim,
   facing the world)
-- **The home planet** — the player's world — in the system you start in:
-  a 1024 px disc rendered 1:1 from the `assets/images/planets.png`
-  spritesheet, with a **proper name drawn from the planet name bank** (the
-  first name off the starting system's deck, so it never clashes with one
-  of the other worlds). Which Terran face it shows (frames 0–2) is a
+- **The home planet** — the player's Terran world — in the system you
+  start in: a 1024 px disc rendered 1:1 from the `assets/images/planets.png`
+  spritesheet. Which Terran face it shows (frames 0–2) is a
   seed-deterministic pick, so the same galaxy always yields the same home
   world. The ship spawns ~150 px (edge-to-edge) off its rim in a
   seed-derived direction, may fly in as close as 50 px from the rim, and
@@ -100,7 +88,7 @@ orbit/
 │   ├── research.json       #   RESEARCH: time-based, one at a time, gates builds/research
 │   ├── builds.json         #   BUILDING: credits + minerals, ship/planet/station upgrades
 │   ├── actionbar.json      #   the command deck: 6 slots (Research, Build, Ship, ·, ·, Menu)
-│   └── naming.json         #   names: star/galaxy syllable pools + the curated PLANET & STATION name banks
+│   └── naming.json         #   syllable pools for names
 ├── assets/images/          # art: planets.png (1024×1024 frames), ships-player.png (256×256 frames)
 ├── assets/fonts/           # UI typefaces: Ethnocentric (headers), Centauri (body)
 ├── lib/                    # vendored third-party libs (Phaser 4.2.1)

data/naming.json

@@ -1,106 +1,25 @@
 {
-  "_comment": "Names. Stars and the galaxy are still SYNTHEISED from syllable pools (star / galaxy below) — short, consistent, unlimited. PLANETS and STATIONS draw from finite, curated NAME BANKS instead: a deep pool of hand-picked names, dealt out without repeats until the pool is exhausted (see js/utils/NameGenerator.js → planetDeck / stationDeck). Edit the banks freely — names are drawn per-system from the galaxy seed, so changing the banks changes every name, consistently. Within a system a planet never repeats another planet's name and a station never repeats another station's name; across the 40,000-system galaxy a finite pool must eventually recur (that's the price of lazy, order-independent generation — see docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md).",
+  "_comment": "Syllable pools for deterministic name synthesis (NameGenerator.js). Edit freely — names are drawn per-entity from the galaxy seed, so changing pools changes every name, consistently.",
   "star": {
     "syllables": ["ka", "vel", "thu", "ori", "an", "esh", "mar", "dy", "neth", "avi", "cor", "lu", "tan", "ys", "brei", "hal", "ion", "sol", "qua", "ren"],
     "minParts": 2,
     "maxParts": 4
   },
+  "planet": {
+    "roots": ["aurel", "bryn", "cald", "dross", "emrys", "fen", "gale", "hyra", "ilv", "jor", "kest", "lun", "mora", "neth", "orb", "pyre", "quill", "ross", "sable", "tarn", "ulric", "vex", "wren", "xan", "yrra", "zeph"]
+  },
   "galaxy": {
     "syllables": ["an", "dro", "me", "mil", "ky", "cen", "tau", "rhi", "sa", "vel", "pyr", "os", "eth", "ni"],
     "minParts": 3,
     "maxParts": 5
   },
-  "banks": {
-    "_comment": "planet.colonial = familiar, Earth-flavored names (colonial 'New <city>' + American place-names). planet.alien = unfamiliar, exotic names. station.procedural = official designations. station.smuggler = underworld hangouts. A system's worlds/stations are drawn from the COMBINED pool for each category (colonial+alien, procedural+smuggler) without replacement.",
-    "planet": {
-      "colonial": [
-        "New Denver", "New Austin", "New Phoenix", "New Portland", "New Dallas", "New Houston",
-        "New Chicago", "New Detroit", "New Boston", "New Atlanta", "New Nashville", "New Memphis",
-        "New Kansas", "New Omaha", "New Tulsa", "New Fargo", "New Duluth", "New Billings",
-        "New Cheyenne", "New Amarillo", "New Laredo", "New Albuquerque", "New Flagstaff", "New Prescott",
-        "New Yakima", "New Spokane", "New Tacoma", "New Salem", "New Provo", "New Reno",
-        "New Elko", "New Medford", "New Eugene", "New Corvallis", "New Astoria", "New Olympia",
-        "New Wenatchee", "New Missoula", "New Butte", "New Casper", "New Sheridan", "New Bismarck",
-        "New Superior", "New Milwaukee", "New Madison", "New Rockford", "New Peoria", "New Columbus",
-        "New Cincinnati", "New Cleveland", "New Buffalo", "New Rochester", "New Syracuse", "New Albany",
-        "New Binghamton", "New Harrisburg", "New Scranton", "New Elmira", "New Ithaca", "New Kingston",
-        "New Yonkers", "New Greenwich", "New Stamford", "New Hartford", "New Bridgeport", "New Portsmouth",
-        "New Manchester", "New Concord", "New Bangor", "New Lewiston", "New Auburn", "New Waterville",
-        "New Saco", "New Exeter", "New Keene", "New Plymouth", "New Brockton", "New Lowell",
-        "New Haverhill", "New Gloucester", "New Ipswich", "New Andover", "New Quincy", "New Dedham",
-        "New Natick", "New Worcester", "New Pittsfield", "New Greenfield", "New Chelsea", "New Holyoke",
-        "New Westfield", "Fort Boise", "Port Tucson", "Denver City", "Austin Falls", "Phoenix Ridge",
-        "Tucson Mesa", "Dallas Harbor", "Houston Gulf", "Chicago Point", "Boston Landing", "Nashville Bend",
-        "Kansas Plains", "Cheyenne Gap", "Brownsville Bay", "Salem Harbor", "Provo Canyon", "Elko Basin",
-        "Butte Ridge", "Havre Plains", "Rawlins Basin", "Wausau River", "Springfield Falls", "Champaign Valley",
-        "Erie Bay", "Albany Point", "Poughkeepsie Point", "Norwalk Cove", "Danbury Ridge", "Waterbury Falls",
-        "Kennebunk Cove", "Newburyport Cove", "Braintree Cove", "Worcester River", "Northampton River"
-      ],
-      "alien": [
-        "Klaxoria", "Zyneatha", "Draonvexus", "Zorvraquaax", "Vexithunhal", "Ythorialzyr",
-        "Elithanzra", "Zaxaviion", "Quavex", "Avivryxyl", "Ananora", "Kakethilith",
-        "Zynera", "Koren", "Zorath", "Velvrazr", "Alkhaqo", "Velqavalax",
-        "Xylzolenori", "Eshkaelura", "Kadraisia", "Kordrasul", "Suldra", "Ketosera",
-        "Elisyth", "Xyresh", "Rendymar", "Ythera", "Anera", "Khaora",
-        "Khaqor", "Oridravexia", "Zalax", "Zalqor", "Vrazalthu", "Zalvexkha",
-        "Xanzranvry", "Qavnydraziv", "Aviusys", "Corsyl", "Zynziv", "Drathu",
-        "Xylhalil", "Sylxanys", "Breivexyrr", "Quaqor", "Ysvexys", "Qulxyl",
-        "Zorzalthuea", "Xevquazax", "Thaeaithxyl", "Exvexvryzax", "Zyrxun", "Nyilsul",
-        "Ketqavkor", "Ketzra", "Uravex", "Breiqe", "Iaoriythxun", "Vryvex",
-        "Yrryrrxan", "Umothora", "Alnyth", "Thaunketsol", "Oraka", "Oriqavyldys",
-        "Kethothixys", "Kaelyld", "Zrakoris", "Nytholonzyn", "Thazrqor", "Axos",
-        "Zorqul", "Korvex", "Envra", "Exqav", "Nythkor", "Thairayth",
-        "Qalsul", "Olnythhal", "Ustan", "Nyith", "Korvrady", "Nethzolyld",
-        "Solil", "Vryin", "Zaxzyr", "Xylan", "Draqosol", "Ixzal",
-        "Quaketxyl", "Xuniazaxan", "Athkha", "Haldy", "Ysorayldum", "Ketzyl",
-        "Zrathu", "Umzynzr", "Ketqavxan", "Nethys", "Korvane", "Sulthar",
-        "Vrynnex", "Zaxolis", "Xanthea", "Ylthar", "Zorvax", "Vraxol",
-        "Nymthea", "Qorvyn", "Zorvane", "Kethar", "Xanthys", "Zorvyn",
-        "Klaxys", "Dravys", "Korvys", "Vexxys", "Sulthys", "Qorvax",
-        "Xylthys", "Ylthys", "Zynthys", "Vrynnys", "Zaxolys", "Draquis",
-        "Sulvar", "Korthex", "Vrynnal", "Xanthis", "Ylthral", "Zorvael",
-        "Kethral", "Vraxalis", "Nymthal", "Qorvael", "Xylthral", "Zynthral",
-        "Klaxalis", "Vexxalis", "Dravael", "Sulvaris", "Korveth", "Vrynthal"
-      ]
-    },
   "station": {
-      "procedural": [
-        "Deep Space SC-145", "Orbital Station KX-2210", "Nav Relay V-77", "Forward Base SC-09", "Survey Camp 8812",
-        "Transit Gate SG-4", "Habitat Ring 330", "Dock Platform 12", "Relay Node 210", "Anchor Point 55",
-        "Beacon 4491", "Waypoint 7", "Station 9012", "Outpost Delta-7", "Habitat 44",
-        "Ring Station 12", "Platform 44", "Module 7", "Sector 8", "Node 44",
-        "Port 88", "Dock 11", "Berth 22", "Pad 33", "Bay 55",
-        "Quay 66", "Spire 77", "Tower 88", "Rig 44", "Yard 55",
-        "Works 66", "Terminal 11", "Depot 22", "Trading Post 88", "Bourse 99",
-        "Observatory 77", "Research Station 99", "Institute 11", "Archive 77", "Vault 88",
-        "Warehouse 11", "Reserve 33", "Cache 44", "Supply Depot 66", "Outfitting 99",
-        "Repair Bay 33", "Service Station 55", "Salvage Yard 22", "Lighthouse 12", "Signal 34",
-        "Pulse 56", "Echo 78", "Resonance 90", "Frequency 12", "Band 34",
-        "Channel 56", "Carrier 78", "Wave 90", "Phase 12", "Orbit 78",
-        "Apogee 12", "Perigee 34", "Sidereal 34", "Synodic 56", "Tropical 78",
-        "Draconic 12", "Lunar 34", "Solar 56", "Planetary 78", "Stellar 90",
-        "Galactic 12", "Cosmic 34", "Universal 56", "Absolute 78", "Relative 90"
-      ],
-      "smuggler": [
-        "Hell's Hideout", "The Rusty Anchor", "Black Tide", "The Gilded Cage", "Widow's Rest",
-        "The Broken Compass", "The Salted Barrel", "The Drowned Bell", "The Cursed Cargo", "The Phantom Rig",
-        "The Ghost Dock", "The Midnight Berth", "The Shadow Quay", "The Black Market", "The Hidden Hold",
-        "The Secret Stow", "The Smuggler's Den", "The Contraband Bay", "The Night Runner", "The Shadow Fleet",
-        "The Dark Harbor", "The Hidden Cove", "The Smuggler's Cove", "The Cursed Anchor", "The Wandering Rig",
-        "The Drifting Hulk", "The Broken Mast", "The Tattered Sail", "The Rusty Helm", "The Salted Keel",
-        "The Drowned Rig", "The Phantom Ship", "The Last Light", "The Fading Star", "The Dying Sun",
-        "The Waning Moon", "The Hollow Crown", "The Broken Chain", "The Shattered Wheel", "The Lost Helm",
-        "The Cursed Compass", "The Wandering Star", "The Drifting Light", "The Fading Flame", "The Dying Ember",
-        "The Last Ember", "The Cold Hearth", "The Dead Hearth", "The Frozen Flame", "The Drowned Flame",
-        "The Buried Light", "The Hidden Fire", "The Secret Flame", "The Smuggler's Flame", "The Contraband Light",
-        "The Black Flame", "The Cursed Fire", "The Wandering Fire", "The Drifting Flame", "The Broken Light",
-        "The Tattered Ember", "The Rusty Ember", "The Salted Flame", "The Drowned Light", "The Phantom Flame",
-        "The Ghost Fire", "The Midnight Ember", "The Shadow Flame", "The Hidden Ember", "The Secret Fire",
-        "The Night Flame", "The Dark Ember", "The Cursed Flame", "The Wandering Ember", "The Wrecked Beacon",
-        "The Tattered Flame", "The Rusty Flame", "The Salted Light", "The Drowned Ember", "The Phantom Fire",
-        "The Ghost Light", "The Midnight Flame", "The Shadow Ember", "The Smuggler's Light", "The Secret Light",
-        "The Night Ember", "The Dark Flame", "The Cursed Light", "The Lost Lantern", "The Broken Flame"
-      ]
+    "nouns": {
+      "colony": ["Reach", "Haven", "Landing", "Hold", "City", "Gate"],
+      "miningStation": ["Rig", "Dredge", "Claim", "Works", "Yard"],
+      "cloudBase": ["Skyspire", "Drift", "Aerie", "Balcony", "Cloudspire"],
+      "deepSpaceStation": ["Relay", "Gate", "Beacon", "Haven", "Anchor"],
+      "waypoint": ["Waypoint", "Beacon", "Marker", "Light"]
     }
   }
 }

dev/galaxy.test.mjs

@@ -292,15 +292,9 @@ let big;
   const avg = (arr) => arr.reduce((s, x) => s + x.n, 0) / arr.length;
   check(`core→rim settlement gradient (inner ${avg(inner).toFixed(2)}/system > outer ${avg(outer).toFixed(2)}/system)`, avg(inner) > avg(outer));
 
-  // Station + planet naming now draws from the curated BANKS (no repeats
-  // within a system until the pool is exhausted). The deck is a seeded
-  // shuffle of the whole bank ⇒ the first N draws are N distinct names.
-  const stDeck = NameGenerator.stationDeck(Rng.derive('x', 'names', 'S1', 'stations'));
-  check('station deck is a non-empty list of names', Array.isArray(stDeck) && stDeck.length >= 10 && stDeck.every((n) => typeof n === 'string' && n.length > 0));
-  check('station deck has no duplicates', new Set(stDeck).size === stDeck.length);
-  const plDeck = NameGenerator.planetDeck(Rng.derive('x', 'names', 'S1', 'planets'));
-  check('planet deck is a non-empty list of names', Array.isArray(plDeck) && plDeck.length >= 10 && plDeck.every((n) => typeof n === 'string' && n.length > 0));
-  check('planet deck has no duplicates', new Set(plDeck).size === plDeck.length);
+  // Station naming + the pure report formatter.
+  const stName = NameGenerator.station(Rng.derive('x', 'station', 'S1'), 'cloudBase', 'Kest');
+  check('settlement names are anchor + noun ("Kest Skyspire"-style)', /Kest [A-Z]\w+/.test(stName));
 
   const { formatSystemReport, formatPop } = await import(
     pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/SystemReport.js')).href
@@ -308,7 +302,7 @@ let big;
   const anySys = big2.currentSystem();
   const report = formatSystemReport(big2.ensureContent(anySys.id));
   check('report has title/subtitle/settlements/summary', !!report.title && !!report.subtitle && Array.isArray(report.settlements) && typeof report.summary === 'string');
-  check('report lines name their anchor world or open space', report.settlements.every((s) => /on .+|in open space/.test(s.text)));
+  check('report lines name their anchor world or open space', report.settlements.every((s) => /on \w+ [IVX]+|in open space/.test(s.text)));
   check('report population sums match', report.population === report.settlements.reduce((s, x) => s + x.population, 0));
   check('formatPop() scales (1.2k / 9.0M)', formatPop(1234) === '1.2k' && formatPop(9000000) === '9.0M' && formatPop(12) === '12');
 
@@ -316,28 +310,6 @@ let big;
   const unclaimedRec = sample.map((r) => big2.ensureContent(r.id)).find((c) => c.settlements.length === 0);
   check('unclaimed systems report "charted · unclaimed"', unclaimedRec && formatSystemReport(unclaimedRec).summary === 'charted · unclaimed');
 
-  // No-duplicate guarantee: within a system, planet names and station names
-  // never repeat (drawn without replacement from the bank).
-  const noDupOk = sample.every((r) => {
-    const c = big2.ensureContent(r.id);
-    const pnames = c.planets.map((p) => p.name);
-    const snames = c.settlements.map((s) => s.name);
-    return new Set(pnames).size === pnames.length && new Set(snames).size === snames.length;
-  });
-  check('within a system: planet names & station names are all distinct', noDupOk);
-
-  // The starting system's HOME world gets a bank name distinct from its
-  // planets; only the starting system has one.
-  const homeRec = big2.currentSystem();
-  const homeC = big2.ensureContent(homeRec.id);
-  check(
-    'starting system has a home-world bank name, distinct from its planets',
-    typeof homeC.homeName === 'string' && homeC.homeName.length > 0 &&
-      !homeC.planets.some((p) => p.name === homeC.homeName),
-  );
-  const nonHomeRec = big2.records.find((r) => r.id !== homeRec.id);
-  check('other systems have no home world', !('homeName' in big2.ensureContent(nonHomeRec.id)));
-
   // Lazy === eager still holds with the lived-in layer (spot check).
   const fresh2 = Galaxy.create(SEED);
   check('settlements: lazy content === content from a fresh galaxy', deepEq(fresh2.ensureContent(big2.records[0].id).settlements, big2.ensureContent(big2.records[0].id).settlements));

docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ trading/economy, stations, quests — to be scoped as we go.
   *parameters*.
 - Split config by concern as the game grows: world generation already has
   `data/galaxy.json` (shape/scale), `data/systems.json` (archetypes), and
-  `data/naming.json` (syllable pools + name banks); next up might be `data/economy.json`,
+  `data/naming.json` (name pools); next up might be `data/economy.json`,
   `data/ships.json`, `data/crew.json`, etc. One file per system beats one
   giant file.
 
@@ -146,26 +146,6 @@ unclaimed". Model & seams:
   of interest: the data already says what's there and where (anchor =
   planet ordinal or open space).
 
-**Naming** — planets and stations get their names from **curated banks** in
-`data/naming.json → banks` (distinct from the star/galaxy *syllable pools*):
-- **`banks.planet`** — a deep list mixing **colonial** names ("New Denver",
-  "Port Tucson") and **alien** names ("Klaxoria", "Vexithunhal").
-- **`banks.station`** — a deep list mixing **official/procedural**
-  designations ("Deep Space SC-145", "Nav Relay V-77") and **smuggler** /
-  outlaw hangouts ("Hell's Hideout", "The Rusty Anchor").
-- **Assignment** — `NameGenerator.planetDeck(rng)` / `stationDeck(rng)`
-  build one seeded shuffle of the whole bank; `SystemGenerator` deals names
-  out of it in order. So **within a system there are no repeats** (the first
-  N draws are N distinct names), and a system only reuses a name if it has
-  more bodies than the bank holds (impossible at these sizes). The decks are
-  dealt from dedicated derived streams (`Rng.derive(seed,'system',id,'names',
-  'planets'|'stations')`) so they stay order-independent (lazy === eager).
-  The **home world** (the player's planet, in the starting system only) takes
-  the first name off that system's planet deck — so it gets a real bank name
-  too, never clashing with one of the planets (`content.homeName`; the old
-  `planets.homeName` is now just a fallback). Stars and the galaxy are still
-  synthesised from syllable pools (unbounded).
-
 ## The current system is a place, not just a dossier (discovery + compass)
 
 The player starts in a solar system, and the other worlds **exist in the

js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { config } from '../config/Config.js';
 import { Rng } from '../utils/Rng.js';
-import { NameGenerator } from '../utils/NameGenerator.js';
+import { NameGenerator, ordinalLabel } from '../utils/NameGenerator.js';
 
 const clamp = (v, lo, hi) => Math.min(hi, Math.max(lo, v));
 
@@ -62,18 +62,6 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
     clamp(pc.mean + (rng.next() - 0.5) * (pc.max - pc.min), pc.min, pc.max),
   );
   const classWeights = attr.planetClasses ?? { rocky: 45, gas: 25, ice: 18, lava: 12 };
-  // Planet names come from a curated bank (data/naming.json → banks.planet),
-  // dealt out per-system without repeats (see NameGenerator.planetDeck).
-  // A dedicated derived stream keeps this order-independent (lazy === eager).
-  const planetDeck = NameGenerator.planetDeck(
-    Rng.derive(galaxy.seed, 'system', record.id, 'names', 'planets')
-  );
-  // The player's home world sits at the origin of the STARTING system and is
-  // not one of the generated planets. It takes the first name off that
-  // system's deck so it can never clash with a planet; the planets then draw
-  // from the rest of the deck (all distinct within the system).
-  const isHome = record.id === galaxy?.currentSystemId;
-  const homeName = isHome ? planetDeck[0] : null;
   const planets = [];
   for (let i = 1; i <= count; i++) {
     const pclass = rng.weighted(classWeights, 'rocky');
@@ -82,9 +70,11 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
       // Jovian/ice worlds drag moon systems; terrestrials mostly don't.
       moons = pclass === 'gas' || pclass === 'ice' ? rng.int(1, 6) : rng.int(0, 2);
     }
+    const root = NameGenerator.planetRoot(rng);
     planets.push({
-      name: planetDeck[(isHome ? i : i - 1) % planetDeck.length],
+      name: `${root} ${ordinalLabel(i)}`,
       ordinal: i,
+      root,
       class: pclass,
       moons,
       habitable: pclass === 'rocky' && rng.chance(attr.habitability ?? 0.1),
@@ -98,9 +88,7 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
     kindDefs: config.get('settlements.kinds', {}),
     spec: attr.settlements ?? {},
     planets,
-    stationDeck: NameGenerator.stationDeck(
-      Rng.derive(galaxy.seed, 'system', record.id, 'names', 'stations')
-    ),
+    starName: star.name,
     density: settlementDensity(galaxy, record),
   });
 
@@ -111,7 +99,7 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
   };
   const hazard = rng.chance(attr.hazard ?? 0.1);
 
-  const content = {
+  return {
     name: record.name,
     type: record.type,
     star,
@@ -120,8 +108,6 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
     belt,
     hazard,
   };
-  if (isHome) content.homeName = homeName; // the player's home world (starting system only)
-  return content;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -199,15 +185,14 @@ function settlementDensity(galaxy, record) {
  * orbital order (colony, mining, cloud), then free-floating (deep-space
  * station, waypoint). Every roll goes through the system's own stream.
  */
-function generateSettlements({ rng, kindDefs, spec, planets, stationDeck, density }) {
+function generateSettlements({ rng, kindDefs, spec, planets, starName, density }) {
   const out = [];
-  let nameIndex = 0; // next station name from the system's deck (no repeats)
 
-  const make = (kind, anchor) => {
+  const make = (kind, anchor, rootWord) => {
     const def = kindDefs[kind] ?? {};
     out.push({
       kind,
-      name: stationDeck[nameIndex++ % stationDeck.length],
+      name: NameGenerator.station(rng, kind, rootWord),
       anchor,
       population: logPopulation(rng, def.population),
       owner: null, // reserved: factions / pirates claim settlements later
@@ -217,24 +202,24 @@ function generateSettlements({ rng, kindDefs, spec, planets, stationDeck, densit
   // Planet-bound, in orbital order.
   for (const p of planets) {
     if (p.habitable && roll(rng, spec.colony?.chance ?? 0.3, density)) {
-      make('colony', { type: 'planet', ordinal: p.ordinal });
+      make('colony', { type: 'planet', ordinal: p.ordinal }, p.root);
     }
     if (needs(p, spec.miningStation?.needs, ['rocky', 'lava', 'ice']) &&
         roll(rng, spec.miningStation?.chance ?? 0.2, density)) {
-      make('miningStation', { type: 'planet', ordinal: p.ordinal });
+      make('miningStation', { type: 'planet', ordinal: p.ordinal }, p.root);
     }
     if (needs(p, spec.cloudBase?.needs, ['gas']) &&
         roll(rng, spec.cloudBase?.chance ?? 0.15, density)) {
-      make('cloudBase', { type: 'planet', ordinal: p.ordinal });
+      make('cloudBase', { type: 'planet', ordinal: p.ordinal }, p.root);
     }
   }
 
   // Free-floating, out in the dark.
   if (roll(rng, spec.deepSpaceStation?.chance ?? 0.12, density)) {
-    make('deepSpaceStation', { type: 'space' });
+    make('deepSpaceStation', { type: 'space' }, starName);
   }
   if (roll(rng, spec.waypoint?.chance ?? 0.2, density)) {
-    make('waypoint', { type: 'space' });
+    make('waypoint', { type: 'space' }, starName);
   }
 
   return out;

js/scenes/GameScene.js

@@ -83,11 +83,6 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.ensureGalaxy();
     this.systemRecord = this.galaxy.currentSystem();
     this.systemContent = this.galaxy.ensureContent(this.systemRecord.id);
-    // The home world's name — dealt from the planet name bank by the
-    // generator (the starting system is the only one with a home world), so
-    // it reads as a real place rather than a generic "Terra". Fallback keeps
-    // the old configured name if the bank is ever unavailable.
-    this.homeWorldName = this.systemContent.homeName || config.get('planets.homeName', 'Terra');
     this.createSystemHud();
 
     // The home planet — the player's Terran world, always present in the
@@ -163,7 +158,7 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       config.get('tether.homeId', 'home'),
       0, 0, // home world's center (it sits at the system origin)
       config.get('tether.homeLevel', 1),
-      config.get('tether.homeLabel', '') || this.homeWorldName,
+      config.get('tether.homeLabel', '') || config.get('planets.homeName', 'Terra'),
     );
     this.tetherToastAt = null;
     this.refreshTetherHud();
@@ -473,7 +468,7 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       y: this.planet.y,
       radius: this.planet.radius,
       typeLabel: config.get('planets.homeTypeLabel', 'Home World'),
-      name: this.homeWorldName,
+      name: config.get('planets.homeName', 'Terra'),
     });
     for (const p of this.systemPlanets) {
       out.push({

js/utils/NameGenerator.js

@@ -1,31 +1,13 @@
 import { config } from '../config/Config.js';
 
 /**
- * Names.
+ * Deterministic name synthesis. Everything is drawn from the caller's
+ * Rng (so names are part of the seed), with syllable pools coming from
+ * data/naming.json. Code-level fallbacks keep this working even if the
+ * file is missing.
  *
- * Two different strategies, both seed-deterministic:
- *
- *   STARS & THE GALAXY — synthesised from syllable pools (data/naming.json →
- *   star / galaxy). Short, consistent, and effectively unlimited: there are
- *   40,000 systems and no reason to run out of star names.
- *
- *   PLANETS & STATIONS — drawn from finite, curated NAME BANKS (data/
- *   naming.json → banks). A deep pool of hand-picked names — colonial
- *   "New Denver" worlds and alien "Klaxoria" worlds; official designations
- *   like "Deep Space SC-145" and smuggler hangouts like "Hell's Hideout".
- *   Within a single system a planet never repeats another planet's name and
- *   a station never repeats another station's name (no-duplicate drawing).
- *   Across the galaxy a finite pool must eventually recur — that's the cost
- *   of keeping generation LAZY and ORDER-INDEPENDENT (see
- *   docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md → "Determinism rules").
- *
- * How the banks are dealt out:
- *   const deck = NameGenerator.planetDeck(Rng.derive(seed, 'system', id, 'names', 'planets'));
- *   const name = deck[i % deck.length];   // i = the system's i-th planet
- *
- * The deck is a seeded SHUFFLE of the whole bank, so the first N draws are
- * N distinct names until the bank is exhausted. `Rng.derive(..., 'system',
- * id, ...)` keeps it independent per system ⇒ lazy === eager.
+ *   const rng  = Rng.derive(seed, 'name', 'S000123');
+ *   const name = NameGenerator.star(rng);   // "Kethavoryn"
  */
 
 const FALLBACK = {
@@ -34,15 +16,23 @@ const FALLBACK = {
     minParts: 2,
     maxParts: 4,
   },
+  planet: {
+    roots: ['aurel', 'bryn', 'cald', 'dross', 'emrys', 'fen', 'gale', 'hyra', 'ilv', 'jor', 'kest', 'lun', 'mora', 'neth', 'orb', 'pyre', 'quill', 'ross', 'sable', 'tarn', 'ulric', 'vex', 'wren', 'xan', 'yrra', 'zeph'],
+  },
   galaxy: {
     syllables: ['an', 'dro', 'me', 'mil', 'ky', 'cen', 'tau', 'rhi', 'sa', 'vel', 'pyr', 'os'],
     minParts: 3,
     maxParts: 5,
   },
-  // Tiny built-in pools so the game still names things if data/naming.json
-  // is missing. The real banks live in data/naming.json → banks.
-  planet: ['New Denver', 'Klaxoria', 'New Austin', 'Zyneatha', 'New Phoenix', 'Vexithunhal', 'New Dallas', 'Kordrasul'],
-  station: ['Deep Space SC-145', "Hell's Hideout", 'Beacon 4491', 'The Rusty Anchor', 'Station 9012', 'The Shadow Quay'],
+  station: {
+    nouns: {
+      colony: ['Reach', 'Haven', 'Landing'],
+      miningStation: ['Rig', 'Dredge', 'Claim'],
+      cloudBase: ['Skyspire', 'Drift', 'Aerie'],
+      deepSpaceStation: ['Relay', 'Beacon', 'Anchor'],
+      waypoint: ['Waypoint', 'Beacon', 'Light'],
+    },
+  },
 };
 
 const ROMAN = ['I', 'II', 'III', 'IV', 'V', 'VI', 'VII', 'VIII', 'IX', 'X', 'XI', 'XII', 'XIII', 'XIV', 'XV', 'XVI', 'XVII', 'XVIII', 'XIX', 'XX'];
@@ -63,26 +53,6 @@ function joinSyllables(rng, syllables, minParts, maxParts) {
   return capitalize(out);
 }
 
-/**
- * The combined name bank for a category: the curated sub-pools concatenated
- * (planets: colonial + alien; stations: procedural + smuggler). Deduplicated
- * defensively in case the JSON has an accidental repeat.
- */
-function combinedBank(pools) {
-  const out = [];
-  const seen = new Set();
-  for (const pool of pools) {
-    if (!Array.isArray(pool)) continue;
-    for (const name of pool) {
-      if (typeof name !== 'string' || !name) continue;
-      if (seen.has(name)) continue;
-      seen.add(name);
-      out.push(name);
-    }
-  }
-  return out;
-}
-
 /** "1" → "I" … "20" → "XX"; beyond that, plain digits. */
 export function ordinalLabel(n) {
   return ROMAN[n - 1] ?? String(n);
@@ -96,6 +66,13 @@ export const NameGenerator = {
     return joinSyllables(rng, syllables, s.minParts ?? 2, s.maxParts ?? 4);
   },
 
+  /** A planet root word: "Aurel" (compose the ordinal yourself). */
+  planetRoot(rng) {
+    const p = section('planet', FALLBACK.planet);
+    const roots = Array.isArray(p.roots) && p.roots.length ? p.roots : FALLBACK.planet.roots;
+    return capitalize(rng.pick(roots) ?? 'Novus');
+  },
+
   /** A galaxy name: "Vethani". */
   galaxy(rng) {
     const g = section('galaxy', FALLBACK.galaxy);
@@ -104,29 +81,15 @@ export const NameGenerator = {
   },
 
   /**
-   * A shuffled deck of PLANET names for one system. The first N draws are N
-   * distinct names (until the bank is exhausted). Pure function of (rng) ⇒
-   * deterministic and order-independent when the rng is a per-system derive.
+   * A settlement name from its anchor + kind: "Kest Reach", "Cortan Relay".
+   * `anchorWord` is the planet's root word (planet-bound settlements) or the
+   * star's name (free-floating ones).
    */
-  planetDeck(rng) {
-    const b = config.get('naming.banks.planet', null);
-    const pools = (b && (Array.isArray(b.colonial) || Array.isArray(b.alien)))
-      ? [b.colonial, b.alien]
-      : [FALLBACK.planet];
-    const names = combinedBank(pools);
-    return names.length ? rng.shuffle(names) : Array.from(FALLBACK.planet);
-  },
-
-  /**
-   * A shuffled deck of STATION names for one system (official designations +
-   * smuggler hangouts). Same no-duplicate-until-exhausted guarantee.
-   */
-  stationDeck(rng) {
-    const b = config.get('naming.banks.station', null);
-    const pools = (b && (Array.isArray(b.procedural) || Array.isArray(b.smuggler)))
-      ? [b.procedural, b.smuggler]
-      : [FALLBACK.station];
-    const names = combinedBank(pools);
-    return names.length ? rng.shuffle(names) : Array.from(FALLBACK.station);
+  station(rng, kind, anchorWord) {
+    const cfg = section('station', FALLBACK.station);
+    const all = cfg.nouns ?? FALLBACK.station.nouns;
+    const pool = Array.isArray(all?.[kind]) && all[kind].length ? all[kind] : (FALLBACK.station.nouns[kind] ?? ['Post']);
+    const noun = rng.pick(pool) ?? 'Post';
+    return `${anchorWord ?? 'Outer'} ${noun}`;
   },
 };