Typings (Supertype/Subtype System)

The Typings system provides an optional, additional layer of classification for elements within their main Category. It uses two fields present in the Base Fields of every element:

  • Supertype
  • Subtype

Purpose

Typings serve multiple purposes:

  1. Organization: Allows for finer-grained grouping and filtering of elements beyond their main category. For example, within the Location category, you could have a Settlement Supertype with Subtypes like City, Town, Village.
  2. Functional Relationships: Enables more specific linking between elements. Some fields might be restricted to only link to elements with a particular Supertype or Subtype. For instance:
    • A Location’s Buildings field might only accept links to other Location elements that have the Building Supertype.
    • A Character’s Profession field might link to an Institution element with the Guild Subtype.
  3. Contextual Behavior: Tools implementing the standard could potentially use Typings to alter behavior or display based on an element’s specific type (e.g., displaying different icons for a City vs. a Village).

Implementation Details

  • Both Supertype and Subtype fields accept simple string values.
  • The specific valid Supertypes and Subtypes available may depend on the element’s Category.
  • Currently, the definition and enforcement of valid Typings are primarily handled by the tools using the standard, rather than being rigidly defined in the core schema itself.
  • This system is considered optional and is still evolving. Not all categories may have defined Typings yet.

Future Directions

Potential future developments include:

  • More formalized definition of valid Typings per category within the schema.
  • The concept of custom templates where users could define their own Typings relevant to their specific world’s genre or theme (e.g., Megalopolis, Outpost for sci-fi Locations vs. City, Fortress for fantasy).