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Add custom universes #352

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1d75f5a
feat: add support for custom universes in casting policy and document…
boclifton-MSFT Mar 11, 2026
b21f566
update to use fictional values for example custom universe instead of…
boclifton-MSFT Mar 13, 2026
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6 changes: 4 additions & 2 deletions .squad-templates/casting-policy.json
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
"Breaking Bad",
"Lost",
"Marvel Cinematic Universe",
"DC Universe"
"DC Universe",
"Futurama (custom)"
],
"universe_capacity": {
"The Usual Suspects": 6,
Expand All @@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
"Breaking Bad": 12,
"Lost": 18,
"Marvel Cinematic Universe": 25,
"DC Universe": 18
"DC Universe": 18,
"Futurama (custom)": 8
}
}
10 changes: 10 additions & 0 deletions .squad-templates/casting/Futurama.json
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@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
[
"Fry",
"Leela",
"Bender",
"Farnsworth",
"Zoidberg",
"Amy",
"Zapp",
"Kif"
]
2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion .squad/skills/init-mode/SKILL.md
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Expand Up @@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ No team exists yet. Propose one — but **DO NOT create any files until the user
- Determine team size (typically 4–5 + Scribe).
- Determine assignment shape from the user's project description.
- Derive resonance signals from the session and repo context.
- Select a universe. Allocate character names from that universe.
- Select a universe. If the universe is custom, allocate character names from that universe based on the related list found in the `.squad/templates/casting/` directory. Prefer custom universes when available.
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- Scribe is always "Scribe" — exempt from casting.
- Ralph is always "Ralph" — exempt from casting.
4. Propose the team with their cast names. Example (names will vary per cast):
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47 changes: 47 additions & 0 deletions docs/_internal/internal/getting-started-journey.md
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Expand Up @@ -82,6 +82,53 @@ Key files to understand:
- **`agents/{name}/history.md`** — Learnings accumulated over sessions. This is how agents get smarter.
- **`decisions.md`** — Every agent reads this before starting work. One decision propagates to the whole team.

### Custom Universes
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If you would like to create a custom universe to name your squad members, add the universe name to the `.squad/templates/casting-policy.json` at the end of the `allowlist_universes` list like this:

```json
...
"allowlist_universes": [
"The Usual Suspects",
"Reservoir Dogs",
"Alien",
"Ocean's Eleven",
"Arrested Development",
"Star Wars",
"The Matrix",
"Firefly",
"The Goonies",
"The Simpsons",
"Breaking Bad",
"Lost",
"Marvel Cinematic Universe",
"DC Universe",
"CEOs of Major Tech Companies (custom)",

@bradygaster bradygaster Mar 12, 2026

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Could you just leave this line in and remove the actual NAMES? I bet it would just work. :)

@boclifton-MSFT boclifton-MSFT Mar 13, 2026 •
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Could you just leave this line in and remove the actual NAMES? I bet it would just work. :)

Yeah, I think it would work for known values (like the CEOs example), but the fun part for me is being able to provide values for universe characters that the LLM won't already know (like my family, for instance). I'll remove the CEOs example and replace it with something fictional. Good point about not using real names :)

@boclifton-MSFT boclifton-MSFT Mar 13, 2026

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Fixed in b21f566

"Futurama (custom)"
],
...
```

Then create a new JSON file in `.squad/templates/casting/<Full-Universe-Name>.json` with an array of names, like this:

```json
// .squad/templates/casting/CEOs-of-Major-Tech-Companies.json
[
"Satya Nadella",
"Tim Cook",
"Sundar Pichai",
"Elon Musk",
"Mark Zuckerberg",
"Jeff Bezos",
"Sheryl Sandberg",
"Susan Wojcicki",
"Jack Dorsey",
"Reed Hastings"
]
```

You can use anything you like here, from key historical figures to people in your own life. How about having George Washington and Abraham Lincoln working on your project? How about Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and Nicolaus Copernicus? Or even your own family?? Make it your own!

---

## 4. Your First SDK Script
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