Visual identity specification for games. Defines style guides, color palettes, reference boards, technical art constraints, and pipeline requirements. Ensures visual consistency across the project.
Game Dev Art Bible — Visual Identity Specification
🎯 Purpose
Define the visual identity of a game so all artists (and AI tools) produce
consistent, on-brand assets. Covers style references, color theory, material
specs, and technical constraints per engine.
🤖 Multi-Platform Notes
Platform
Notes
OpenClaw
Best for writing structured documents. Can create separate files for each section and link them.
Claude Code
Can write markdown files. Share color codes, hex values, and rules.
Cursor/Windsurf
Good for editing alongside project assets.
GitHub Copilot
Chat can help define style rules. Good for fill-in templates.
Generic LLM Chat
Output sections as code blocks. User pastes into their project docs.
Any AI
All can generate color palettes, style descriptions, and reference lists. Image-capable AIs can analyze reference images.
📂 Document Structure
Create in game-dev-studio/art-bible/:
text
art-bible/
├── index.md ← Master document
├── 01-style-guide.md ← Overall art direction
├── 02-color-palette.md ← Color systems + hex codes
├── 03-characters.md ← Character design rules
├── 04-environments.md ← Environment/world art
├── 05-ui.md ← UI art style
├── 06-technical.md ← Technical constraints
├── 07-reference-board.md ← Visual references
└── 08-pipeline.md ← Asset pipeline + tools
🎨 Section 1: Art Direction
Step 1.1 — Style Definition
Ask:
"What's the visual style?"
text
1) Pixel art — retro, constrained resolution
2) Low-poly 3D — faceted, stylized, performs well
3) Hand-painted 3D — painterly textures on 3D models
4) Realistic 3D — PBR, photoreal, heavy
5) Cel-shaded / Toon — like anime or comic (e.g. Jet Set Radio, Borderlands)
6) Vector / Flat — clean lines, flat colors
7) Hand-drawn — 2D animation frames, sketchy
8) Mixed media — combine styles intentionally
9) Procedural / Generative — algorithm-driven visuals
10) Abstract — non-representational
1) Limited palette — NES-style, 16-64 colors total
2) Moody palette — one dominant hue, limited range
3) Full color — no artificial limit
4) Procedural — generated or data-driven
Step 2.2 — Define Palette
For each color:
markdown
## [Color Name]
**Role:** [primary / secondary / accent / background / UI]
**Hex:** `#RRGGBB`
**RGB:** (R, G, B)
**HSL:** (H°, S%, L%)
**Usage:**
- [Where this color is used]
- [What it communicates]
**Avoid:**
- [Where NOT to use this color]
Step 2.3 — Palette Rules
markdown
## Palette Rules
### Primary Colors (70% of screen)
- [Color A] — backgrounds, large surfaces
- [Color B] — secondary surfaces, shadows
### Secondary Colors (25% of screen)
- [Color C] — characters, interactive elements
- [Color D] — environment details
### Accent Colors (5% of screen)
- [Color E] — UI highlights, important items
- [Color F] — warnings, danger indicators
### Readability Rules
- Text on background must have 4.5:1 contrast ratio (WCAG AA)
- Interactive elements must contrast with background
👤 Section 3: Character Design
markdown
# Character Design Guidelines
## Silhouette Rules
- Each character must have a unique, readable silhouette
- Use the "silhouette test": fill character in black, it should still be identifiable
## Proportion Rules
- [E.g., "All characters are 4 heads tall, cartoon proportion"]
- [E.g., "Human characters use realistic 7.5 head proportion"]
## Material Palette
| Material | PBR Values | Visual Goal |
|----------|-----------|-------------|
| Skin | Roughness 0.5, Metal 0 | Soft, matte |
| Armor | Roughness 0.3, Metal 0.8 | Shiny, metallic |
| Cloth | Roughness 0.8, Metal 0 | Soft, matte, slightly fuzzy |
## Expression Range
- [How many expressions needed per character]
- [Style of expressions: subtle, exaggerated, etc.]
## Animation Style
- **Walk cycle:** [bouncy / realistic / minimal]
- **Idle:** [breathing only / fidgets / still]
- **Attack:** [telegraphed / snappy / heavy]
🌍 Section 4: Environment Art
markdown
# Environment Art Guidelines
## Grid & Scale
- **Unit scale:** [1 unit = 1 meter / 1 unit = 0.5 meters]
- **Player height:** [X units]
- **Tile size:** [X units]
- **Module grid:** [X x Y for modular pieces]
## Lighting
- **Primary light:** [warm/cool, direction, intensity]
- **Ambient:** [color, intensity]
- **Shadow:** [hard/soft, resolution]
- **Fog:** [color, density, distance]
## Level Art Rules
- [Rule about visual clarity / readability]
- [Rule about contrast / leading the eye]
- [Rule about performance (draw calls, poly count)]
## Material Library
| Material | Texture Size | Tiling | PBR Values | Notes |
|----------|-------------|--------|-----------|-------|
| Stone Wall | 1024x1024 | 2x2 | R:0.8, M:0 | Keep neutral |
| Metal Floor | 2048x2048 | 1x1 | R:0.3, M:0.9 | Add scratches |
| Wood Planks | 512x512 | 4x2 | R:0.7, M:0 | Vary color |
