game-art

name: game-artdescription: "Game art principles. Visual style selection, asset pipeline, animation workflow."risk: nonesource: communitydate_added: "2026-02-27"

Game Art Principles

Visual design thinking for games - style selection, asset pipelines, and art direction.

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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

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2. Asset Pipeline Decisions

2D Pipeline

3D Pipeline

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3. Color Theory Decisions

Palette Selection

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

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4. Animation Principles

Selected Animation Principles (Applied to Games)

Frame Count Guidelines

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5. Resolution & Scale Decisions

2D Resolution by Platform

Consistency Rule

Choose a base unit and stick to it:

• Pixel art: Work at 1x, scale up (never down)
• HD screen art: define pixel dimensions, intended display scale and aspect ratio; DPI metadata alone does not determine on-screen size
• 3D: record and convert the tool/engine unit convention (some use centimeters); validate imported scale against a known physical dimension

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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/

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7. Anti-Patterns

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Remember: Art serves gameplay. If it doesn't help the player, it's decoration.

When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.