# Skybound Final Stylized Casual Magitech Redirection

**Date**: 2026-04-24  
**Project**: Skybound Protocol  
**Author**: Codex  
**Status**: Raw art direction correction after final concept change  

## 1. Reason for Redirection

The previous pass moved Skybound toward **Semirealistic Magitech Fantasy**, but the latest direction returns the project to a clearer and more immediately readable mobile-survival style.

The new target is **Stylized Casual Magitech** for a top-down survival shooter inspired by Survivor.io.

This direction prioritizes:

- maximum in-game visibility
- bold silhouettes
- thick readable outlines
- flat lighting
- vivid magical accents
- consistent UI language from intro to mission result

## 2. Core Concept

Skybound should feel like a polished casual magitech action game rather than a dark semirealistic fantasy title.

Primary gameplay readability goals:

- player vehicle must be instantly identifiable
- enemies must remain readable in dense hordes
- pickups and weapon icons must be recognizable at small sizes
- background grid must [[Support|Support]] movement clarity without competing with combat
- every exposed screen should share the same playful magitech frame language

## 3. Tone and Manner

### Stylized Casual Magitech

Visual language:

- bold navy outlines
- clean top-down silhouettes
- flat color blocks
- minimal material [[Noise|Noise]]
- bright arcane cyan
- gold/orange mechanical accents
- purple and pink enemy/corruption accents
- chunky UI frames
- high contrast buttons and progress bars

Avoid:

- [[Grit|Grit]]ty brushed [[Metal|Metal]]
- heavy realistic shadows
- low-contrast dark UI
- thin semireal linework
- noisy texture detail
- external non-project image dependencies

## 4. Palette

Base colors:

- deep navy outline
- saturated royal blue panels
- readable sapphire floor tiles
- bright brass and gold trim

Magic accents:

- arcane cyan for player and positive energy
- crystal white-blue for highlights
- vivid purple for advanced magic
- hot pink for danger and enemy cores
- mint green for healing and positive pickups
- orange/gold for calls to action

## 5. Screen Coverage

The exposed user-facing screens were reviewed and targeted by the final theme pass:

- Intro title screen
- Airframe select screen
- Hangar / upgrade overlay
- In-game HUD
- Quick start overlay
- Tutorial overlay
- Comms overlay
- Level up modal
- Mission success / failed / complete result screen

## 6. Asset Coverage

The procedural asset generator now outputs the final Stylized Casual Magitech library while preserving runtime file paths.

Generated categories:

- Magitech player airframes
- normal enemies
- elite enemies
- bosses
- modular stage tiles
- title and result local backdrops
- item drop sprite sheet
- turret sheet
- weapon and skill icons
- projectiles
- shield and currency icons
- muzzle flash, impact, explosion, and laser VFX
- commander and pilot portraits
- contact sheet preview

## 7. Implementation Notes

The generator was redirected away from semirealistic material rendering and toward flat, readable shapes.

Main implementation choices:

- palette updated to bright casual magitech colors
- default shape helpers now draw bold navy outlines
- material texture strength reduced to keep assets flat
- background tiles use readable grid blocks and low-competition arcane circuitry
- local title and result background images were generated
- title and result screens no longer depend on external Google image URLs
- global magitech CSS override was rewritten for the final casual tone

## 8. Changed Runtime Paths

Important changed or generated paths:

- `/Volumes/Data/project/Antigravity/Skybound/[[Scripts|Scripts]]/generate_magitech_assets.py`
- `/Volumes/Data/project/Antigravity/Skybound/src/features/game/styles/magitechArt.css`
- `/Volumes/Data/project/Antigravity/Skybound/src/features/game/ui/TitleScreen.tsx`
- `/Volumes/Data/project/Antigravity/Skybound/src/features/game/ui/ResultCard.tsx`
- `/Volumes/Data/project/Antigravity/Skybound/public/sprites/magitech_art_contact_sheet.png`
- `/Volumes/Data/project/Antigravity/Skybound/public/sprites/background/title_magitech.png`
- `/Volumes/Data/project/Antigravity/Skybound/public/sprites/background/result_magitech.png`

## 9. Verification

Asset generation completed successfully.

Production build completed successfully with:

```bash
npm run build
```

The build still [[Reports|Reports]] that `/sprites/player.png` is left unresolved at build time, which is a Vite static asset warning and was already non-[[Blocking|Blocking]]. The production bundle was generated successfully.
