# Skybound Semirealistic Magitech Fantasy Redirection

**Date**: 2026-04-24  
**Project**: Skybound Protocol  
**Author**: Codex  
**Status**: Raw art direction correction before second asset pass  

## 1. Reason for Redirection

The first generated art pack leaned too far into childish cartoon readability: thick outlines, flat toy-like shapes, and simplified symbolic silhouettes.

The new target is **Semirealistic Magitech Fantasy** for a top-down horde survival-shmup inspired by Survivor.io, aimed at players aged 12-18 and casual adults.

## 2. Core Concept

The visual library should feel detailed, grounded, and cool rather than cute.

Primary [[Reference|Reference]]s by feel:

- League of Legends-like readable fantasy detail
- Warhammer-like dark material weight
- Survivor.io-like top-down clarity and grid readability

This is still a game with high enemy density, so readability remains critical, but contrast should come from lighting, value, and energy color rather than thick black outlines.

## 3. Tone and Manner

### Semirealistic Magitech

Visual language:

- dark iron
- aged brass
- brushed [[Metal|Metal]]
- weathered stone
- glowing crystals
- engraved runes
- arcane circuitry
- controlled deep shadows
- focused magical highlights

Avoid:

- childish cartoon shapes
- toy-like flat icons
- heavy black outlines
- overly bright candy palettes
- large simplified emblem-only designs

## 4. Palette

Base colors:

- dark sapphire
- dark iron
- forest green
- weathered brass
- basalt gray
- deep crimson

Magic accents:

- arcane blue for player energy
- neon purple for corruption
- plasma red for enemy/boss danger
- molten orange for forge/lava accents

## 5. Asset Rules

### Player Vehicle

The player vehicle should read as a Magitech airship rather than a simple airplane.

Required traits:

- complex symmetrical or slightly asymmetrical hull
- dark iron and brass material mix
- intense crystalline power core
- smaller gun turrets
- visible engine components, gears, vents, and rune plates
- subtle energy glow readable from top-down view

### Enemies

Enemies should be threatening corrupted creatures or ancient mechanical horrors.

Examples:

- clockwork spiders with poison sacks
- rune golems made of dark stone
- corrupted winged drakes
- ancient mechanical horrors with plasma-red cores

### Background

Background should preserve Survivor.io-style grid readability but feel like an immersive fantasy environment.

Target environments:

- ancient overgrown Magitech city ruin
- subterranean magma forge

Rules:

- weathered stone pavement
- broken magitech circuitry embedded in the floor
- basalt structures
- subtle lava or arcane channels
- background contrast lower than enemies and player

### Effects

Player effects should be arcane blue or crystal cyan.

Enemy effects should lean plasma red, purple, or corrupted crimson.

Death effects should be optimized and satisfying:

- scrap metal shards
- dark crystal fragments
- arcane dust
- controlled flashes, not full-screen clutter

### UI

UI should use Survivor.io-like directness with a refined dark iron and crystal shell.

Required traits:

- heavy dark iron frames
- crystal level bar
- rune and gear details
- minimal but detailed HUD
- clean modern gothic / steampunk-inspired readability

## 6. Implementation Notes

The next pass should replace the first cartoony art pack with a darker semirealistic procedural raster set while preserving runtime file paths.

The existing generator should be rewritten so future [[Iteration|Iteration]]s can adjust palette, materials, and silhouettes consistently.

