Overlays are the transient, contextual, and often subconscious elements of the Subjective Interface. They are the screen effects, the intrusive thoughts, and the sensory highlights that form the constant, moment-to-moment feedback loop between the Incarnation and the world.

If the dedicated Interfaces are the rooms of the mind, the Overlays are the light, shadow, and ambient sound that fill those rooms. They are the primary tools for making the player feel their character’s state of being, rather than just read it.

The Three Streams of Feedback

The overlays are organized into three streams, mirroring the layers of subjective rendering. They represent the feedback from the body, the mind, and the world itself.

1. The Vessel’s State (Physical & Sensory Feedback)

This stream communicates the physical condition of the Incarnation’s Vessel. It avoids numerical bars in favor of visceral, intuitive feedback.

• Health / Integrity:

  • Presentation: Instead of a health bar, the screen itself shows the effects of damage. Taking a hit might cause a directional blood spatter on the screen, a temporary desaturation of color, or the sound of a pained grunt.
  • State Indication: Sustained damage is represented by a persistent screen vignette that grows darker and more pronounced as health decreases. Critical health might be accompanied by a muffled heartbeat sound and the character’s labored breathing.
  • Descriptive Text: A simple, visceral text descriptor ([Wounded], [Bleeding], [System Integrity Critical]) replaces a numerical percentage.

• Need Status:

  • Highlighting: A critical Need biases perception. An agent with a SustenanceNeed will see edible plants or food items in the world highlighted with a soft, alluring glow.
  • Text & Audio: Critical needs are communicated through simple text ([Starving], [Exhausted], [Power Levels Low]) and diegetic audio cues, like a stomach growling or the hiss of a failing power conduit.

• Status Effects & Anatomical Flaws:

  • Presentation: Negative status effects or flaws from Vessel-weaving manifest as persistent, tangible annoyances.
  • Examples: A [Concussion] might cause intermittent screen blurring. A [Psychic Scar] could manifest as faint, hairline cracks overlaid on the screen. A [Haywire Limb] might cause the player’s aiming reticle or mouse cursor to occasionally twitch uncontrollably.

2. The Psyche’s Voice (Cognitive & Emotional Feedback)

This stream is the direct output of the Cognition systems, rendering the internal world of the Psyche as a visible and audible part of the game.

• Psychic Interjections:

  • Presentation: A successful interjection appears as a colored ‘blip’ or aura over the triggering object or character, accompanied by a line of intrusive, italicized text in the event log (e.g., “[Nature’s Whisper: This plant feels… familiar. Its leaves could be a potent balm.]”). The color and tone are dictated by the Valence of the triggering component.

• The Internal Debate:

  • Presentation: When hovering over a significant choice, the arguments of the Psyche’s components fade in and out of view around the option. A zealous argument might appear in a glowing, confident font, while a fearful one might flicker like static. This gives the player a real-time, visual sense of their character’s internal conflict and conviction.

• Belief Distortions:

  • Color Grading & Audio Filters: A core Faith can apply a persistent filter to the entire world. A technophobe might see a gleaming city through a cold, sterile blue filter, with the ambient sound subtly mixed with an oppressive, industrial hum.
  • Visual Artifacts: A deeply held, irrational, or fractured Belief can create more direct visual distortions. An agent who believes they are being “watched” might see fleeting, shadowy figures in their peripheral vision.

3. The World’s Resonance (Interactive & Environmental Feedback)

This stream communicates how the Incarnation’s mind interprets the potential for interaction with the world around it.

• Subjective Interaction Prompts:

  • Presentation: The text for an interaction prompt is not objective. It reflects the character’s belief about the object or action.
  • Examples: A standard rifle might have the prompt [Equip Mark IV Rifle] for a soldier, but [Equip Tool of Violence] for a pacifist. A strange device might be [Examine Alien Artifact] for a scientist, but [Examine Heretical Contraption] for a zealot.

• Insight & Perception Highlighting:

  • Presentation: A high Perception Attribute or a relevant Insight Skill is rewarded with subtle, diegetic cues. The interface doesn’t pop up a text box saying “You found a secret.” Instead, a loose brick might shimmer faintly for a moment, or the player might hear the faint, specific sound of a draft coming from a hidden passage.

• Social & Factional Aura:

  • Presentation: An agent’s innate social perception, driven by its Psyche, can cause other characters to be rendered with a subtle aura. A trusted ally might have a warm, welcoming glow, while a member of a hated rival Faction might be tinged with a hostile, aggressive red. This provides an immediate, intuitive ‘vibe check’ in social situations.