novafarma/docs/art_guidelines/BIOME_GUIDES.md

🌍 BIOME VISUAL GUIDES - Style 32 Standards

Purpose: Ensure ALL 20 biomes maintain consistent Style 32 aesthetic while having unique environmental characteristics.

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❄️ WINTER BIOME (Zimski)

REQUIRED REFERENCE IMAGE: winter_terrain_style32.png

Visual DNA:

• Ground: White/light blue snow with Style 32 thick outlines
• Edge Details: Icicles on building edges, snow clumps on roofs
• Color Palette:
  • Snow: #F0F8FF (Alice Blue)
  • Ice: #B0E0E6 (Powder Blue)
  • Shadows: #ADD8E6 (Light Blue)
  • Outlines: #000000 (5px thick)
• Trees: Pine trees with snow on branches
• Props: Snowdrifts, ice crystals, frozen puddles
• Lighting: Cold blue tint overall

Checklist:

• Thick 5px black outlines on ALL terrain elements
• Flat cel shading (no soft gradients)
• Snow particles visible but not realistic
• Buildings have icicles/snow accumulation
• Transparent background

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🏜️ DESERT BIOME (Puščavski)

REQUIRED REFERENCE IMAGE: desert_terrain_style32.png

Visual DNA:

• Ground: Sandy yellow/orange terrain
• Edge Details: Rock outcroppings, cacti, sun-bleached bones
• Color Palette:
  • Sand: #EDC9AF (Desert Sand)
  • Rocks: #CD853F (Peru)
  • Cacti: #6B8E23 (Olive Drab)
  • Shadows: #8B4513 (Saddle Brown)
  • Outlines: #000000 (5px thick)
• Trees: Cacti, palm trees, dead trees
• Props: Sand dunes, rocks, pottery, tumbleweeds
• Lighting: Warm orange/yellow tint

Checklist:

• Thick 5px black outlines
• Flat cel shading
• Heat shimmer effect (optional VFX, not in terrain)
• Sand has texture but still Style 32
• Transparent background

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🌲 FOREST BIOME (Gozdni)

REQUIRED REFERENCE IMAGE: forest_terrain_style32.png

Visual DNA:

• Ground: Green grass with darker patches
• Edge Details: Tree roots, mushrooms, fallen logs
• Color Palette:
  • Grass: #228B22 (Forest Green)
  • Trees: #2E8B57 (Sea Green)
  • Bark: #8B4513 (Saddle Brown)
  • Shadows: #006400 (Dark Green)
  • Outlines: #000000 (5px thick)
• Trees: Oaks, pines, broad-leafed trees
• Props: Mushrooms, ferns, flowers, rocks
• Lighting: Natural green tint

Checklist:

• Thick 5px black outlines
• Flat cel shading
• Trees have visible bark texture (chibi style)
• Grass is vibrant, not muted
• Transparent background

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🌋 VOLCANIC BIOME

REQUIRED REFERENCE IMAGE: volcanic_terrain_style32.png

Visual DNA:

• Ground: Dark rock/lava cracks
• Edge Details: Lava flows, smoke vents, obsidian
• Color Palette:
  • Rock: #2F4F4F (Dark Slate Gray)
  • Lava: #FF4500 (Orange Red)
  • Glow: #FFD700 (Gold)
  • Smoke: #696969 (Dim Gray)
  • Outlines: #000000 (5px thick)
• Trees: Dead/burnt trees, heat-resistant plants
• Props: Lava pools, volcanic rocks, ash piles
• Lighting: Red/orange glow

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🧊 FROZEN WASTELAND BIOME

REQUIRED REFERENCE IMAGE: frozen_wasteland_style32.png

Visual DNA:

• Ground: Ice sheets, cracked frozen ground
• Edge Details: Ice spikes, frozen waterfalls
• Color Palette:
  • Ice: #E0FFFF (Light Cyan)
  • Cracks: #4682B4 (Steel Blue)
  • Shadows: #708090 (Slate Gray)
  • Outlines: #000000 (5px thick)

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🌴 JUNGLE BIOME

REQUIRED REFERENCE IMAGE: jungle_terrain_style32.png

Visual DNA:

• Ground: Dark green undergrowth
• Edge Details: Vines, large leaves, exotic flowers
• Color Palette:
  • Leaves: #00FF00 (Lime)
  • Dark Green: #013220 (Dark Green)
  • Flowers: #FF1493 (Deep Pink), #FFD700 (Gold)
  • Outlines: #000000 (5px thick)

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🎨 UNIVERSAL BIOME RULES (ALL 20 BIOMES)

1. 5px thick black outlines - NO exceptions
2. Flat cel shading - NO soft gradients
3. Vibrant colors - NO muted/realistic tones
4. Chibi proportions - Trees, rocks, props are cute
5. Transparent background - ALWAYS
6. Cult of the Lamb aesthetic - Match main character style

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📋 BIOME CHECKLIST (Before approval)

For EACH biome reference image:

• Viewed Kai/Ana/Gronk references first
• 5px thick black outlines on ALL elements
• Flat cel shading (no gradients)
• Colors are vibrant and match palette
• Proportions are chibi/cute
• Background is transparent
• Overall matches main character visual DNA
• Unique enough to distinguish biome
• Can be tiled/repeated seamlessly (optional)

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🚀 WHEN TO USE THIS GUIDE

Before generating ANY terrain/environment asset:

1. Check which biome it belongs to
2. Load the biome reference image
3. Extract color palette from reference
4. Match outline thickness (5px)
5. Match shading style (flat cel)
6. Generate with explicit reference to biome guide

Example prompt:

Desert terrain tile. EXACT Style 32 matching /references/biomes/desert/: 
THICK 5px BLACK OUTLINES, flat cel shading, sandy yellow (#EDC9AF), 
rocks (#CD853F), cacti visible, transparent background, 
Cult of the Lamb aesthetic.

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STATUS: Awaiting reference images for each biome PRIORITY: HIGH - needed before generating any of 27 town variants NEXT STEP: Generate master reference for at least 3 core biomes (Winter, Desert, Forest)