# Step Away

Deploy-ready flat-file PHP build for the Step Away web-assisted card game.

## Quick start

1. Upload the full `step_away_final` folder to a PHP-capable host, or run locally with:

```bash
php -S localhost:8000
```

2. Open `http://localhost:8000/index.php`
3. Change the default admin key in `data/config.json`
4. Visit `admin.php` directly to access hidden admin tools

## What this build contains

- free one-shot case play
- player profile and recovery code
- Clinic / Afterlight progression
- seven-day world condition rhythm with four daily time blocks
- optional Risk Event Mode using Fracture and Resilience Jokers
- global case progress / case locking
- campaign module with the free pilot `The Anniversary File`
- story-shaped campaign deck preparation
- Threadlight campaign resource
- character boards and persistent campaign outcomes
- admin prompts and operating rhythm docs

## Core components

The core game uses:

- the website
- the official Step Away deck, or a normal 52-card deck as proxy
- optional Jokers for Risk Event Mode

## Campaign mode

Campaigns are not just extra case files. A campaign defines which cards are removed because of the story, which cards can return, and how character states change across chapters.

Campaign chapters are balanced around Standard 10-minute play.

## Key docs

- `docs/FINAL-CAMPAIGN-MODULE-FREEZE.md`
- `docs/ADMIN-OPERATING-RHYTHM.md`
- `docs/CONTENT-EXPANSION-PROMPTS.md`
- `docs/FINAL-PRODUCT-FREEZE.md`
- `docs/FACE-CARD-POWER-RULES.md`

## Afterlight economy update

This build uses Afterlight for more than Clinic unlocks. Open one-shot results stake 1 Afterlight into the global outcome when eligible. A profile can influence each case once, so replays save personally without repeatedly pushing the community result. Deeper archive cases can also be unlocked with Afterlight.

Cases lock by community influence rather than raw play count. Locked cases remain playable as history, but no longer change the public outcome.
