Core-Concepts

Core Concepts

Overview

Zens Framework is built around several key concepts that work together to create realistic agent-based city simulations. This document explains these core concepts and how they interact. In the following sections you will find even deeper explanations on Citizens and Interactions types and structures, here we do an overview

Stable Features

1. Citizens (Agents)

Citizens are the fundamental units of the simulation. Each citizen has:

• Identity

  • Unique ID

  • Name

  • Age

  • Occupation

  • Personality traits

  • Personal values

• Memory System

  • Records of interactions

  • Important events

  • Relationships

  • Personal history

• Relationships

  • Family connections

  • Friendships

  • Professional networks

  • Social dynamics

2. Interactions

Interactions are the dynamic exchanges between citizens that drive the simulation:

• Types

  • Casual conversations

  • Family gatherings

  • Professional meetings

  • Social events

• Components

  • Participants

  • Context

  • Duration

  • Impact on relationships

  • Memory formation

3. Memory Management

The memory system determines how citizens remember and process experiences:

• Characteristics

  • Importance rating

  • Emotional impact

  • Related citizens

  • Context preservation

  • Time decay

4. Relationship Dynamics

Relationships evolve based on:

• Interaction frequency

• Interaction quality

• Shared experiences

• Compatible values

• Social context

Experimental Features

Note: The following features are under development and not fully integrated into the core framework.

Multi-City System

• City networks

• Inter-city relationships

• Citizen migration

• Cultural exchange

Economic System

• Virtual currencies

• Markets and trade

• Economic relationships

• Resource management

Internet Connectivity

• Web interactions

• Information access

• Online relationships

• Digital footprint

Cultural Events

• Festivals and celebrations

• Community gatherings

• Cultural traditions

• Social impact

Education System

• Skill development

• Knowledge transfer

• Learning institutions

• Educational progression

Architecture

The framework follows a modular architecture:

src/
├── core/           # Stable core functionality
│   ├── agents/     # Citizen management
│   ├── memory/     # Memory system
│   └── social/     # Relationship handling
│
└── extensions/     # Experimental features
    ├── multi-city/
    ├── economy/
    ├── internet/
    ├── culture/
    └── education/

Best Practices

1. Citizen Management

   • Start with a small population (10-20 citizens)

   • Build relationships gradually

   • Monitor interaction frequency

2. Interaction Design

   • Keep interactions contextually appropriate

   • Balance random and planned interactions

   • Consider relationship history

3. Memory Handling

   • Prioritize significant events

   • Maintain reasonable memory limits

   • Consider temporal relevance

4. Relationship Building

   • Allow organic relationship growth

   • Consider personality compatibility

   • Balance positive and negative interactions