Meta configuration data schema

meta

Defining vector and raster data layers that should be shown in the appropriate left-hand side menu and might be referred to elsewhere in the configuration file.

More information about what data layers to use can be found here and here.

We also note that all editions require a layer which name starts with '_PLAYAREA', depicting basically the 'bounding box' of all data (literally the play area of the players). More information about that can be found here.

"meta": [
      {
        "layer_name": "_PLAYAREA_NS",
        "layer_geotype": "polygon",
        "layer_entity_value_max": null,
        "layer_short": "",
        "layer_category": "management",
        "layer_subcategory": "governance",
        "layer_download_from_geoserver": 1,
        "layer_width": 1024,
        "layer_height": 1024,
        "layer_raster_material": "RasterMELNew",
        "layer_raster_filter_mode": 1,
        "layer_raster_color_interpolation": 0,
        "layer_raster_pattern": "Default",
        "layer_raster_minimum_value_cutoff": 0.05,
        "layer_active": 1,
        "layer_selectable": 1,
        "layer_editable": 0,
        "layer_toggleable": 1,
        "layer_active_on_start": 0,
        "layer_green": 0,
        "layer_tooltip": "",
        "layer_information": "",
        "layer_media": null,
        "layer_text_info": null,
        "layer_states": [
          {
            "state": "ASSEMBLY",
            "time": 0
          },
          {
            "state": "ACTIVE",
            "time": 10
          },
          {
            "state": "DISMANTLE",
            "time": 2
          }
        ],
        "layer_editing_type": "",
        "layer_special_entity_type": "Default",
        "layer_depth": 1,
        "layer_property_as_type": null,
        "layer_type": {
          "0": {
            "displayName": "default",
            "approval": "EEZ",
            "value": 0,
            "map_type": null,
            "displayPolygon": 1,
            "polygonColor": "#6CFF1C80",
            "polygonPatternName": "0",
            "innerGlowEnabled": 0,
            "innerGlowRadius": 0,
            "innerGlowIterations": 0,
            "innerGlowMultiplier": 0.0,
            "innerGlowPixelSize": 3.0,
            "displayLines": 1,
            "lineColor": "#7AC943FF",
            "lineWidth": 0.0,
            "lineIcon": null,
            "linePatternType": "Solid",
            "displayPoints": 0,
            "pointColor": "#7AC943FF",
            "pointSize": 0.0,
            "pointSpriteName": "None",
            "description": "",
            "capacity": 0,
            "investmentCost": 0.0,
            "availability": -12,
            "media": ""
          }
        },
        "layer_info_properties": [
          {
            "property_name": "id",
            "enabled": 1,
            "editable": 0,
            "display_name": "",
            "sprite_name": null,
            "update_visuals": false,
            "update_text": false,
            "update_calculation": false,
            "content_type": 0,
            "content_validation": 0,
            "unit": null,
            "default_value": null
          }
        ],
        "layer_tags": [
          "Polygon"
        ]
      }
]

Field	Type	Description
layer_name	string	Name of the data layer. Not the display name, but the actual geodata name. If the layer data should be downloaded from GeoServer (see layer_download_from_geoserver), then this value will be used in the GeoServer API call. So make sure a layer exists on GeoServer with the name you enter here. Another reference to the value entered here is datamodel > countries.
layer_geotype	string	Type of geometry. Possible values: "polygon", "point", "line", "raster"
layer_entity_value_max	float	Optional, representing the highest greyscale (black to white) value of a raster cell. Default is 1000.0, also when set to null. Other logical value is 255.0.
layer_short	string	What is the in-game name of the layer
layer_category	string	What category is this layer part of
layer_subcategory	string	What subcategory is this layer part of
layer_download_from_geoserver	int	Should GeoServer be called to attempt to obtain the layer data (regardless of the type)? 0 for no, 1 for yes (so the int functions as a boolean)
layer_width	int	width of the raster (Not sure if still used)
layer_height	int	Height of the raster (Not sure if still used)
layer_raster_material	string	Name of the shader used for this raster. For more information, check this raster shader index page.
layer_raster_filter_mode	int	0 or 1, so int functions as a boolean.
layer_raster_color_interpolation	int	Used to setup the gradient for raster layers. Two options: 1, meaning Point, for a stepped gradient (left side of the image) 0, meaning Linear, for a regular gradual gradient (right side of the image)
layer_raster_pattern	string	The pattern used by the raster file, this can remain on Default most of the time. Other values presumably supported, but seemingly unused at the moment: MEL_pattern, MEL_pattern_dense, MEL_pattern_dense2
layer_raster_minimum_value_cutoff	float	The value where the raster drawing starts, this can be handy if the first part of the raster file should be transparent
layer_active	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. If inactive, then the layer wont be loaded by the server
layer_selectable	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. Can the layer be selected by the player (properties window)
layer_editable	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. Can the layer be edited by the player
layer_toggleable	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. Can the layer be toggled by the player (on/off)
layer_active_on_start	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. Is the Layer on by default when the game starts? (Countries, Bathymetry, EEZ)
layer_green	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. Used by the CEL energy simulation. If the layer has a CEL energy simulation specific value under layer_editing_type (see below), then this variable defines whether it is part of the green / renewable or grey / non-renewable energy simulation.
layer_tooltip	string	Additional information shown when hovering over a layer in the client windows.
layer_information	string	Unsure, likely unused in favour of layer_media (see next row).
layer_media	string	link to the wiki page of this layer. The base URL is set in datamodel > wiki_base_url. The string must always be: "wiki://"+PageName e.g. "wiki://NS_EEZ"
layer_text_info	object	Can be null. Otherwise the below are required, with which the text to be shown at the geometry on the map when a sufficient zoom level has been reached in the client by the player/user (see zoom_cutoff. Typically used with CEL energy simulation specific layers (e.g. wind farm areas) to show the capacity or usage in Watt, ports to show their names, or cities to show their names.
→ property_per_state	object	Allows you to specify which fixed or geometry data property/variable available to the client should be shown on the map during different viewing states in the client. More specifically: MaxCapacity, UsedCapacity, Length, Area are particular fixed properties that can be available to the client when it concerns geometry during the states listed below. In any of the states listed below, if you reference a property other than those fixes ones as explained above, the geometry data set (properties/variables attached to the geometry) is checked for its existence. For the ports and cities, the 'name' property/variable is available and thus used in configurations such as the North Sea and Baltic Sea basic ones. Of course this can also be used for any other layer that has a 'name' property/variable, or for any other property/variable that layer contains.
→→ Current	string	When viewing the sea basin in its current state (i.e., the current simulated month, so not looking back or ahead), which fixed or geometry data property/variable's value should be shown on the map. E.g. 'name'.
→→ View	string	When viewing a plan (i.e., looking ahead at the plan's implementation date), which fixed or geometry data property/variable's value should be shown on the map. E.g. 'name'.
→→ Edit	string	When editing a plan by means of creating/changing/removing geometry (so plan edit mode, still looking ahead at the plan's implementation date), which fixed or geometry data property/variable's value should be shown on the map. E.g. 'name'.
→ text_color	string	Hexadecimal colour code (last two digits representing transparency) of the text as defined above to be shown next to the geometry.
→ text_size	string	Size of the text to be shown Can be: XS , for extra small S , for small M , for medium L , for large XL , for extra large
→ zoom_cutoff	float	At which zoom level should the text as defined above no longer be shown next to the geometry.
→ x	float	Horizontal position of the text as defined above to be shown next to the geometry.
→ y	float	Vertical position of the text as defined above to be shown next to the geometry.
→ z	float	Height/depth position of the text as defined above to be shown next to the geometry.
layer_states	object[]	How long the geometry remains in a specific state
→ state	string	State reference: ASSEMBLY , representing construction time, show to players in the game client and taken into account when MEL calculates pressures to be fed into the EwE model at hand. See the MEL ecosystem simulation configuration page. ACTIVE , originally proposed for different ideas. But as yet not implemented. DISMANTLE , originally meant to represent the demolishing/removal time for geometry set for deletion. But as yet not implemented.
→ time	int	Time in months the state should last
layer_editing_type	string	Type definition for particularly the CEL energy simulation. CEL specific values (self-explanatory, but see also the CEL energy simulation documentation): cable, transformer, socket, sourcepoint, sourcepolygon Other values: multitype , to allow the user to select multiple types for this layer's geometry when in plan editing mode protection , automatically making the layer editing multitype and adding its geometry to a list of protected areas, used in the ecology KPIs calculation
layer_special_entity_type	string	At one time, setting this to ShippingLine had an effect on the SEL shipping simulation. This is most likely no longer the case, because the SEL configuration has its own shipping_lane_layers definition to cover this. At the moment, the only remaining option is Default, which has no consequence. This variable might be deprecated.
layer_depth	int	Layering position, the higher the number the further on top (2 = in front of 1)
layer_property_as_type	string	Optional string of the layer geometry feature property that should be read when determining the type, as further defined under layer_type below. Null if irrelevant. For example, let's say the geodata layer in question provides points of all the cities around the sea area in question, and each point has a data property called 'country' indicating the country the city belongs to. By setting this layer_property_as_type variable to 'name', you can then map the country names to types using layer_type > map_type (see further below).
layer_type	object[] (with keys)	Defining which types this particular layer should have (minimum one, first key should always be 0). The keys of this list are referenced elsewhere in the configuration file, notably in MEL > pressures > name and in restrictions > starttype or endtype.
→ displayName	string	The name of the type being defined here that the user will actually see. These are also referenced elsewhere in the configuration file, notably in SEL > restriction_layer_exceptions > layer_type and also > layer_type_ship_type_mapping > layer_type.
→ approval	string	does this layer need to be approved by: EEZ, Region Manager/Admin, All Countries (IMO Routes), or not at all: EEZ, AreaManager, AllCountries, NotDependent
→ value	int	Used in two ways: The highest value of a raster cell. Minimum 0, maximum 255 (requiring layer_entity_value_max to be set to 255.0) or 1000 (default, no layer_entity_value_max setting required). If the layer at hand is defined as the countries layer (see datamodel > countries), then this value is used as the country identifier, and the minimum value has to be 3 (because values 1 and 2 are reserved for the administrator and region manager 'countries'/teams).
→ map_type	string	Optional, but required when layer_property_as_type is not null, representing the value of the layer's geometry feature property defined under layer_property_as_type that should be mapped to this type. Null if irrelevant. Can be 'other' indicating a 'catch-all' type if none of the other types can be mapped to. Can also be an integer or float/decimal range, without spaces, and using - (dash) as a separator. E.g. 10-20. Returning to the city points example explained above under layer_property_as_type: you could now map all cities of specific countries to this type by setting map_type to the country string at hand. So, for example, by setting map_type to 'UK', all city points in the original geodata with the 'country' data property set to 'UK' would become this type.
→ displayPolygon	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. is the polygon fill displayed (only possible for polygon geometry)
→ polygonColor	string	Hexadecimal colour code (last two digits representing transparency) of the polygon. Has to start with hash #.
→ polygonPatternName	string (of int)	Pattern used (if the name does not exist, or string is empty, then the default pattern is used). This is a string representation of an integer. A full list of values and the patterns they represent is available.
→ innerGlowEnabled	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. is there an inner glow on the polygon. This is currently used for EEZs, for example, to make it easier for users to see the EEZ polygons, representing their country's/team's planning area.
→ innerGlowRadius	int	Size of the glow as it radiates out.
→ innerGlowIterations	int	One of the ways to set up the strength of the glow.
→ innerGlowMultiplier	float	One of the ways to set up the strength of the glow.
→ innerGlowPixelSize	float	One of the ways to set up the strength of the glow.
→ displayLines	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. Are the lines displayed (possible for Poly and Line data)
→ lineColor	string	Hexadecimal colour code (last two digits representing transparency) of the line. Has to start with hash #.
→ lineWidth	int	width of the line
→ lineIcon	string	Currently always null. Not implemented.
→ linePatternType	string	Pattern used (if the name does not exist, or string is empty, then the default pattern is used). Known values: Solid, ShortDash, LongDash
→ displayPoints	int	0 or 1, functioning as a boolean. Are the points displayed (possible for Point, Poly and Line data).
→ pointColor	string	Hexadecimal colour code (last two digits representing transparency) of the point. Has to start with hash #.
→ pointSize	int	determines the point size, should always be >1, even for Poly and Line data, since this determines the size for the editable points.
→ pointSpriteName	string	sprite used (nothing = regular dot)
→ description	string	short description of the layer type, can be displayed when hovering over the type in the active layer window
→ capacity	int	Used for calculations by the CEL energy simulation. The value here determines the maximum energy passthrough or production capacity in Watt.
→ investmentCost	int	costs for planning this type (currently unused, planned to uses for assigning planning points)
→ availability	int	In what year will the type should become available for use in plans, based on the start year of the game (see metadata > start). Set to 0 is irrelevant (i.e., the type should always be available). Always make sure that (for editable layers) the first type of the layer is available before the game's starting date (so best to set to 0 for type 0). Otherwise players will be able to edit non-available types, since the system auto-selects the first type for editing.
→ media	string	link to the wiki page of this layer type. The base URL is set in datamodel > wiki_base_url. The string must always be: "wiki://"+PageName e.g. "wiki://Ferry"
layer_info_properties	object[]	Defining what and how feature property data should be shown to the user when clicking on the feature on the map.
→ property_name	string	The feature property present in the data table of this layer's source data.
→ enabled	int	0 or 1 (so integer representation of a boolean) representing whether this feature property should be shown to the user at all.
→ editable	int	0 or 1 (so integer representation of a boolean) representing whether the user should be able to change feature property value. NOT IMPLEMENTED.
→ display_name	string	The name that should replace the original property_name when showing it to the user (requires enabled to be 1).
→ sprite_name	null	NOT IMPLEMENTED
→ update_visuals	bool	Always false, NOT IMPLEMENTED
→ update_text	bool	Always false, NOT IMPLEMENTED
→ update_calculation	bool	Always false, NOT IMPLEMENTED
→ content_type	int	Always 0, NOT IMPLEMENTED
→ content_validation	int	Always 0, NOT IMPLEMENTED
→ unit	null	NOT IMPLEMENTED
→ default_value	string	representing what to show in case the source feature property data's value is null.
layer_tags	string[]	Tags used by Procedural Ocean to determine how to show this layer data and what to enable on it. Documented separately on this layer tag definition page.

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