Player System & Role-Based Access

The PadawanForge player system implements a comprehensive role-based access control system that affects how players interact with the platform and what features they can access.

Player Roles Overview

From a Player Perspective

Players in PadawanForge are assigned roles that determine their access level and capabilities within the system. These roles use game-themed terminology to create an immersive experience while providing clear access controls.

Role Progression Path

Guest → Padawan → Game Master → System Admin
  ↓         ↓           ↓           ↓
Demo     Browse    Create      Configure
Access    Only     Content      System

Detailed Role Descriptions

🎭 Guest (Level 0)

Duration: 24-hour temporary access
Purpose: Allow new users to explore the platform without commitment

What Guests Can Do:

Access the demo system to try core gameplay
Browse public documentation
View system information and getting started guides
Experience limited functionality to evaluate the platform

What Guests Cannot Do:

Create persistent game progress
Access player management features
Interact with NPCs beyond demo scope
Join multiplayer sessions
Access admin features (except demo/docs)

Admin Interface Access:

/admin/demo - Interactive demo system
/admin/docs - Documentation browser

🎓 Padawan (Level 1)

Default Role: Assigned to all new registered users
Purpose: Standard player experience with browse access to community features

What Padawans Can Do:

Full gameplay access and progression tracking
Browse other players’ public profiles
View available NPCs and their configurations
See active game sessions and lobbies
Read-only access to admin interfaces for learning
Participate in multiplayer sessions

What Padawans Cannot Do:

Create or modify NPCs
Create or manage game sessions
Access system configuration
Modify other players’ data
Access audit logs or administrative tools

Admin Interface Access:

/admin - Main dashboard (read-only view)
/admin/players - Player directory (browse only)
/admin/npcs - NPC gallery (view configurations)
/admin/games - Game browser (view active sessions)

Typical Use Cases:

Regular players enjoying the cognitive training games
Community members exploring available content
New users learning about platform features
Players researching NPCs before game sessions

🎮 Game Master (Level 2)

Assignment: Manual promotion by System Admins
Purpose: Content creators who design NPCs and game experiences

What Game Masters Can Do:

Create, configure, and delete NPCs
Set up new game sessions and lobbies
Manage their own created content
Test and iterate on game experiences
Access content creation tools

What Game Masters Cannot Do:

Manage player accounts or profiles
Access system configuration settings
Modify roles or permissions
View audit logs or system monitoring
Edit other Game Masters’ content without permission

Admin Interface Access:

/admin - Full dashboard access
/admin/npcs - Complete NPC management tools
/admin/games - Full game session management

Responsibilities:

Create engaging NPCs with appropriate personalities
Design balanced and educational game sessions
Test content before making it available to players
Follow content guidelines and community standards
Collaborate with other Game Masters on complex projects

Typical Workflow:

Plan NPC personality and role
Configure AI settings and behavior
Test NPC interactions in controlled environment
Create or join game sessions featuring the NPC
Monitor player feedback and iterate on design

🏛️ Guild Leader (Level 3)

Status: Reserved for future development
Purpose: Community management and advanced moderation (not currently implemented)

Future Capabilities (Planned):

Advanced player management tools
Community moderation features
Event organization and management
Advanced reporting and analytics
Cross-game session coordination

⚙️ System Admin (Level 4)

Assignment: Technical staff only
Purpose: Platform maintenance and configuration management

What System Admins Can Do:

Configure system settings and parameters
Manage roles and permissions for all users
Access audit logs and system monitoring
Troubleshoot technical issues
Maintain database and infrastructure settings

What System Admins Cannot Do:

Directly create or modify game content (NPCs/games)
Play regular player sessions while in admin mode
Access player private data without proper authorization
Make changes without following change management procedures

Admin Interface Access:

/admin - Full dashboard with system focus
/admin/config - System configuration tools
/admin/roles - Role and permission management
/admin/logs - Audit logs and monitoring

Key Principle: System Admins focus on technical infrastructure while Game Masters handle content creation, maintaining separation of concerns.

Role-Based Feature Access

Gameplay Features

Feature	Guest	Padawan	Game Master	System Admin
Demo Sessions	✅	✅	✅	✅
Full Gameplay	❌	✅	✅	✅
Progress Tracking	❌	✅	✅	✅
Multiplayer Lobbies	❌	✅	✅	✅
NPC Interactions	Limited	✅	✅	✅

Community Features

Feature	Guest	Padawan	Game Master	System Admin
View Player Profiles	❌	✅	✅	✅
View NPC Gallery	❌	✅	✅	✅
View Game Sessions	❌	✅	✅	✅
Create NPCs	❌	❌	✅	❌
Create Game Sessions	❌	❌	✅	❌

Administrative Features

Feature	Guest	Padawan	Game Master	System Admin
Admin Dashboard	Demo Only	View Only	Content Only	Full Access
System Config	❌	❌	❌	✅
Role Management	❌	❌	❌	✅
Audit Logs	❌	❌	❌	✅

Role Assignment Process

Automatic Assignment

New Registrations: Automatically assigned Padawan role (primary_role_id = 2)
Demo Sessions: Automatically assigned Guest role with expiration
Default Behavior: Safe, minimal access by default

Manual Promotion

Game Master: Requires System Admin approval and assessment
System Admin: Requires technical team authorization
Criteria-Based: Evaluates contribution, experience, and trustworthiness

Promotion Criteria

To Game Master

Demonstrated understanding of platform gameplay
Creative ability and content creation interest
Community involvement and positive engagement
Technical competency with NPC and game configuration
Commitment to content quality and community guidelines

To System Admin

Technical expertise in system administration
Security awareness and best practices knowledge
Understanding of platform architecture and operations
Trusted team member with operational responsibilities
Separation from content creation roles (conflict of interest)

Player Data Architecture

Segmented Data Design

PadawanForge uses a segmented player data architecture that separates different types of player information into focused tables for better performance, privacy, and maintainability:

Core Identity (`players` table)

Purpose: Core authentication and identity information
Data: UUID, email, default provider, username, avatar, level, experience
Access: All authenticated users can see basic identity data

Display Information (`player_profiles` table)

Purpose: Public profile information and display settings
Data: Username, avatar, bio, display name, visibility settings
Access: Controlled by visibility_level (public/friends/private)

Settings & Preferences (`player_preferences` table)

Purpose: User settings, UI preferences, and onboarding status
Data: Theme, language, notifications, accessibility settings, UI customizations
Access: Private to the player, not shared with others

Game Progression (`player_game_data` table)

Purpose: Game progression, experience, and achievements
Data: Level, experience, achievements, statistics, progress data
Access: Public game data visible to all players

Personal Information (`player_personal_info` table)

Purpose: Sensitive personal data with privacy controls
Data: Birthday, location, gender, privacy settings
Access: Private by default, controlled by granular privacy settings

Benefits of Segmented Architecture

Better Performance: Smaller tables with targeted indexes
Enhanced Privacy: Granular control over data visibility
Improved Maintainability: Clear separation of concerns
Scalability: Optimized data access patterns

Privacy and Security

Data Access by Role

Guest: No persistent data, anonymous sessions
Padawan: Own data + public information from others
Game Master: Own data + content they created + public information
System Admin: System configuration data + audit logs (not player private data)

Session Management

Guest: 24-hour session expiration, automatic cleanup
Registered: 7-day session duration with renewal
Admin: Enhanced session security with activity monitoring

Privacy Controls

All roles respect player privacy settings:

Profile visibility (public/friends/private)
Activity tracking preferences
Data sharing consent levels
Communication preferences

Best Practices for Players

For Padawans

Explore available NPCs and game sessions before jumping in
Use the admin browse features to learn about platform capabilities
Engage positively with the community
Consider applying for Game Master if interested in content creation

For Game Masters

Start with simple NPC designs and gradually increase complexity
Test all content thoroughly before releasing to players
Gather feedback from Padawans and iterate on designs
Collaborate with other Game Masters for cross-content experiences
Follow content guidelines and maintain appropriate themes

Security Recommendations

Use strong, unique passwords for accounts
Log out from shared devices
Report suspicious activity or content
Respect other players’ privacy settings
Follow community guidelines and terms of service

Getting Help

Check the Admin Tools Documentation for detailed permission information
Contact System Admins for role assignment requests
Use in-game help features for gameplay questions

Technical Support

System issues: Contact System Admins
Content problems: Report to Game Masters
Account issues: Use official support channels
Community issues: Report to appropriate moderators

Admin Tools & RBAC - Detailed administrative perspective
Authentication System - Login and session management
Database Schema - Technical role implementation
API Documentation - Developer integration guides

← Permissions System Demo System →

Player System & Role-Based Access

Player Roles Overview

From a Player Perspective

Role Progression Path

Detailed Role Descriptions

🎭 Guest (Level 0)

🎓 Padawan (Level 1)

🎮 Game Master (Level 2)

🏛️ Guild Leader (Level 3)

⚙️ System Admin (Level 4)

Role-Based Feature Access

Gameplay Features

Community Features

Administrative Features

Role Assignment Process

Automatic Assignment

Manual Promotion

Promotion Criteria

To Game Master

To System Admin

Player Data Architecture

Segmented Data Design

Core Identity (players table)

Display Information (player_profiles table)

Settings & Preferences (player_preferences table)

Game Progression (player_game_data table)

Personal Information (player_personal_info table)

Benefits of Segmented Architecture

Privacy and Security

Data Access by Role

Session Management

Privacy Controls

Best Practices for Players

For Padawans

For Game Masters

Security Recommendations

Getting Help

Role-Related Questions

Technical Support

Related Documentation

Core Identity (`players` table)

Display Information (`player_profiles` table)

Settings & Preferences (`player_preferences` table)

Game Progression (`player_game_data` table)

Personal Information (`player_personal_info` table)