game-art

# Game Art Principles > Visual design thinking for games - style selection, asset pipelines, and art direction. --- ## 1. Art Style Selection ### Decision Tree ``` What feeling should the game evoke? │ ├── Nostalgic / Retro │ ├── Limited palette? → Pixel Art │ └── Hand-drawn feel? → Vector / Flash style │ ├── Realistic / Immersive │ ├── High budget? → PBR 3D │ └── Stylized realism? → Hand-painted textures │ ├── Approachable / Casual │ ├── Clean shapes? → Flat / Minimalist │ └── Soft feel? → Gradient / Soft shadows │ └── Unique / Experimental └── Define custom style guide ``` ### Style Comparison Matrix | Style | Production Speed | Skill Floor | Scalability | Best For | |-------|------------------|-------------|-------------|----------| | **Pixel Art** | Medium | Medium | Hard to hire | Indie, retro | | **Vector/Flat** | Fast | Low | Easy | Mobile, casual | | **Hand-painted** | Slow | High | Medium | Fantasy, stylized | | **PBR 3D** | Slow | High | AAA pipeline | Realistic games | | **Low-poly** | Fast | Medium | Easy | Indie 3D | | **Cel-shaded** | Medium | Medium | Medium | Anime, cartoon | --- ## 2. Asset Pipeline Decisions ### 2D Pipeline | Phase | Tool Options | Output | |-------|--------------|--------| | **Concept** | Paper, Procreate, Photoshop | Reference sheet | | **Creation** | Aseprite, Photoshop, Krita | Individual sprites | | **Atlas** | TexturePacker, Aseprite | Spritesheet | | **Animation** | Spine, DragonBones, Frame-by-frame | Animation data | | **Integration** | Engine import | Game-ready assets | ### 3D Pipeline | Phase | Tool Options | Output | |-------|--------------|--------| | **Concept** | 2D art, Blockout | Reference | | **Modeling** | Blender, Maya, 3ds Max | High-poly mesh | | **Retopology** | Blender, ZBrush | Game-ready mesh | | **UV/Texturing** | Substance Painter, Blender | Texture maps | | **Rigging** | Blender, Maya | Skeletal rig | | **Animation** | Blender, Maya, Mixamo | Animation clips | | **Export** | FBX, glTF | Engine-ready | --- ## 3. Color Theory Decisions ### Palette Selection | Goal | Strategy | Example | |------|----------|---------| | **Harmony** | Complementary or analogous | Nature games | | **Contrast** | High saturation differences | Action games | | **Mood** | Warm/cool temperature | Horror, cozy | | **Readability** | Value contrast over hue | Gameplay clarity | ### Color Principles - **Hierarchy:** Important elements should pop - **Consistency:** Same object = same color family - **Context:** Colors read differently on backgrounds - **Accessibility:** Don't rely only on color --- ## 4. Animation Principles ### The 12 Principles (Applied to Games) | Principle | Game Application | |-----------|------------------| | **Squash & Stretch** | Jump arcs, impacts | | **Anticipation** | Wind-up before attack | | **Staging** | Clear silhouettes | | **Follow-through** | Hair, capes after movement | | **Slow in/out** | Easing on transitions | | **Arcs** | Natural movement paths | | **Secondary Action** | Breathing, blinking | | **Timing** | Frame count = weight/speed | | **Exaggeration** | Readable from distance | | **Appeal** | Memorable design | ### Frame Count Guidelines | Action Type | Typical Frames | Feel | |-------------|----------------|------| | Idle breathing | 4-8 | Subtle | | Walk cycle | 6-12 | Smooth | | Run cycle | 4-8 | Energetic | | Attack | 3-6 | Snappy | | Death | 8-16 | Dramatic | --- ## 5. Resolution & Scale Decisions ### 2D Resolution by Platform | Platform | Base Resolution | Sprite Scale | |----------|-----------------|--------------| | Mobile | 1080p | 64-128px characters | | Desktop | 1080p-4K | 128-256px characters | | Pixel art | 320x180 to 640x360 | 16-32px characters | ### Consistency Rule Choose a base unit and stick to it: - Pixel art: Work at 1x, scale up (never down) - HD art: Define DPI, maintain ratio - 3D: 1 unit = 1 meter (industry standard) --- ## 6. Asset Organization ### Naming Convention ``` [type]_[object]_[variant]_[state].[ext] Examples: spr_player_idle_01.png tex_stone_wall_normal.png mesh_tree_oak_lod2.fbx ``` ### Folder Structure Principle ``` assets/ ├── characters/ │ ├── player/ │ └── enemies/ ├── environment/ │ ├── props/ │ └── tiles/ ├── ui/ ├── effects/ └── audio/ ``` --- ## 7. Anti-Patterns | Don't | Do | |-------|-----| | Mix art styles randomly | Define and follow style guide | | Work at final resolution only | Create at source resolution | | Ignore silhouette readability | Test at gameplay distance | | Over-detail background | Focus detail on player area | | Skip color testing | Test on target display | --- > **Remember:** Art serves gameplay. If it doesn't help the player, it's decoration.