Peep

> "In bygone times, humanity descended into bunkers to escape a galactic disaster. Only centuries later, when the cause of the calamity was forgotten, did humanity emerge. Having lost all but remnants of their past history and knowledge, they begin once again on a planet born anew..." - *Loading Screen Tips*
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**Peeps** are the inhabitants of the islands and planets in Before We Leave. When given a place to live they will work, doing things like constructing new buildings and transporting resources, amongst other various tasks. Peeps have motives to fulfill, like food, drink, and happiness. The more Peeps that are working, the faster the island as a whole will be able to complete tasks assigned to it.

## Origins

Before the disaster that forced the Peeps into their underground Shelters, they populated a number of Planets and had advanced technology such as Spaceships. However, this was all lost and only a few parts of their previous civilisation remains.

Each Peep has their own name and a comedic backstory displayed when players select them. Those can be edited by the player. Once born, the default Peep's story won't be translated if the player change the in-game language.

### Leaving the Shelter

Fifty Peeps populate the initial Shelter, and will only leave once there is housing to accommodate them.

### Child Peeps

Once all 50 Peeps have left the starting Shelter, the player must build Schools to expand the population. These will allow housing to generate and raise small child Peeps, with a special icon as residents of housing. Children still have needs and can fetch supplies for their household storage, but are "always happy!". A Child will become an adult after one work cycle when they return home, despawning the child and creating an identically named adult Peep.

## Mechanics

* Peeps will normally need housing to live in, in the form of a hut or a similar building.
* Peeps have four needs in the form of resource types that they can consume: Food, Drink, Clothing, and Luxuries.
	+ A Peep will go to their home to eat a meal of 1 food and 1 drink roughly every 2 minutes. If they can't find any, they won't work. Better food and drink will make them happier.
	+ If they have to walk in Desert or Snow biomes, Peeps will develop Fatigue, unless they wear proper clothing.
	+ Luxuries simply make the Peeps happier.
	+ There are "Good" variants of each of the four types of consumable that will make the Peeps happier.
* Peeps will work at buildings to produce and deliver resources, or carry out other building functions. If they can't find any valid work, such as if building storage is full, they'll return to their home to rest. If they don't have housing, they can't work.
* Peeps travel at full speed on roads, and generally travel at 25% speed elsewhere, unless they are part of a building that usually works outdoors in the wilds (the Woodcutter or Explorers Hut). Peeps travel faster on stone roads.
* Peeps can crew Vehicles, and also can be loaded into transport vehicles that are at a Port or other equivalent loading building, just like any of the resources.
* Peeps have an Happiness level, which accounts for several factors like the food and drink they eat; the environmental decoration, Gloom, or pollution on the ground; and their working conditions.
* Peeps will work and walk at different speed depending on their happiness. Peeps will also move faster on roads.
* Peeps work for 2 minutes per “shift”, including the time it takes to walk to work. Players can increase the shift duration with Smoothies, obtained by researching the Cooking technology, or using the Repeatable Technology "Motivational Posters".
* During a disaster Peeps will seek out a Shelter to take cover until things have calmed down.

### Jobs

The interface of the game has several statistics to help the player. These can help compare the number Peeps available to the number of jobs or work "posts" available, and let the player know if the buildings are being assigned enough workers to function properly. These include "Idle Workers" and "Empty Posts".

Idle Workers counts Peeps that aren't currently assigned to a building for work. This could be because there's nothing available, or it could just be that they are waiting to get a new assignment. Idle Workers still become hungry and thirsty, but are able to do tasks to fetch resources like food and drink for the house.

Empty Posts usually indicates there are too many buildings, but not enough Peeps. It means that buildings can't find enough workers to fully operate and produce as fast as possible. Only buildings that are able to operate are included in this number; for example buildings might have "No Peeps" assigned to them if their output storage is too full.

## Gallery

There are two varieties of peep clothing and peeps can have a varied skin tone. They may also have a head model with a haircut and accessories, including four options: a hat and moustache, small hat and glasses, a red hairbun with glasses, or a brown fringe. They can change their clothing to a "hazmat suit" style when they have passed through an airlock (Protective Airlock or Protective Elevator). Peeps with the dark jacket will tend to get a grey suit, while peeps with the green jacket will tend to get the yellow type, although this is also quite random.

Peeps will also carry tools related to their current workplace. Explorers will have a hat, Farmers will carry a pitchfork, Cleaners will carry a bucket of water, anyone carrying resources will have a wheelbarrow or cargo pallet. Musicians may carry an instrument such as a flute.