game-art

# Game Art Principles > Visual design thinking for games - style selection, asset pipelines, and art direction. --- ## 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 | Style | Production Speed | Skill Floor | Scalability | Best For | |-------|------------------|-------------|-------------|----------| | **Pixel Art** | Medium | Medium | Hard to hire | Indie, retro | | **Vector/Flat** | Fast | Low | Easy | Mobile, casual | | **Hand-painted** | Slow | High | Medium | Fantasy, stylized | | **PBR 3D** | Slow | High | AAA pipeline | Realistic games | | **Low-poly** | Fast | Medium | Easy | Indie 3D | | **Cel-shaded** | Medium | Medium | Medium | Anime, cartoon | --- ## 2. Asset Pipeline Decisions ### 2D Pipeline | Phase | Tool Options | Output | |-------|--------------|--------| | **Concept** | Paper, Procreate, Photoshop | Reference sheet | | **Creation** | Aseprite, Photoshop, Krita | Individual sprites | | **Atlas** | TexturePacker, Aseprite | Spritesheet | | **Animation** | Spine, DragonBones, Frame-by-frame | Anima...