Station Development Rules

When working on files in js/stations/, follow these established patterns to maintain consistency across all stations.

File Organization

Each station must have its own file. Do not combine multiple stations in a single file. Create a new file following the naming convention below.

Naming Conventions

1. •File name: Use lowercase, single word (e.g., helm.js, comms.js, navigation.js, tactical.js)
2. •Class name: PascalCase with "Station" suffix (e.g., HelmStation, CommsStation, NavigationStation)
3. •Export name: camelCase with "Station" suffix (e.g., helmStation, commsStation, navigationStation)

Required Structure

Every station class must implement the following pattern:

/**
 * [Station Name] Station
 * [Brief description of station purpose]
 */

import { gameState } from '../core/state.js';
import { renderer } from '../core/renderer.js';  // Only if using canvas
import { audio } from '../core/audio.js';

class [StationName]Station {
    constructor() {
        this.container = null;
        // Add station-specific properties here
    }

    init(container) {
        this.container = container;
        this.render();
        this.setupEventListeners();
    }

    render() {
        // Generate HTML structure
        this.container.innerHTML = `...`;
    }

    setupEventListeners() {
        // Attach all event listeners
    }

    update(timestamp) {
        // Called every frame for game loop updates
    }

    destroy() {
        // Cleanup when station is switched away
    }
}

export const [stationname]Station = new [StationName]Station();

Required Methods

1. •init(container): Initialize the station with a DOM container. Must call render() and setupEventListeners().
2. •render(): Generate and insert the station's HTML structure into this.container.
3. •setupEventListeners(): Attach all DOM event listeners. Called once during initialization.
4. •update(timestamp): Called every frame by the simulation loop. Update displays, animations, and game state.
5. •destroy(): Cleanup method called when switching stations. Remove listeners, clear intervals, etc.

Layout Structure

All stations should use the station-layout class with a station-specific layout class:

<div class="station-layout [stationname]-layout">
    <!-- Station content -->
</div>

Examples: helm-layout, comms-layout, tactical-layout, etc.

Registration

After creating a new station file, register it in js/main.js:

1. •Add import: import { [stationname]Station } from './stations/[stationname].js';
2. •Add to stations registry: [stationname]: [stationname]Station,
3. •Add corresponding tab in index.html if needed

Common Patterns

• •Canvas usage: If the station uses a canvas, store it as this.canvas and initialize with renderer.init(this.canvas)
• •State listeners: Use gameState.on('eventName', callback) for reactive updates
• •Audio feedback: Use audio.playClick(), audio.playBeep(), audio.playError(), etc. for user interactions
• •Update frequency: In update(), use timestamp-based checks to avoid excessive updates (e.g., if (Math.floor(timestamp / 500) % 2 === 0))

Best Practices

• •Keep station logic self-contained within the class
• •Use descriptive method names that indicate purpose
• •Handle edge cases (null checks, disabled states, etc.)
• •Follow the existing visual style and UI patterns
• •Ensure proper cleanup in destroy() to prevent memory leaks