rimlike/docs/art.md
megaproxy 128294c14f Phase 0 scaffold + asset audit findings
Project scaffold:
- project.godot at repo root, GL Compatibility renderer (max mobile reach),
  pixel-snap on, texture filter nearest, sensor_landscape orientation
- 7 autoloads: World, Sim, GameState, EventBus, Strings, Audit, SaveSystem
- scenes/main/main.{tscn,gd} smoke-test scene with autoload assertions
- Folder layout matches tavernkeep idiom: autoload/ at root, scripts
  co-located with scenes/ (not the scripts/autoloads/ mirror originally
  sketched in implementation.md)
- Input map: pause, speed_cycle, speed_normal/fast/ultra, confirm, cancel.
  Mobile gestures (pinch/drag/long-press) handled at script level via
  Godot's InputEventScreenTouch/Drag/MagnifyGesture.
- SaveSystem skeleton: SAVE_VERSION=1, JSON to user://save_slot.json,
  version-mismatch warning. Phase 3 expands to real entity state.
- icon.svg placeholder (cabin silhouette on dark green field)
- README.md points at memory.md / implementation.md / docs/

Headless verification: 'godot --headless --path . --quit' exits 0,
'[main] Phase 0 smoke test online.' prints, no errors. Editor-side
green-dot check still pending — needs human launch of editor.

Asset audit (researcher Haiku, 2026-05-10):
- FG_Houses.png NOT autotile-solvable — pre-built decorative house
  compositions, 4 distinct roof palettes, no modular wall family.
  ~½–1 day per material to author terrain bits on top.
- FG_Fortress.png IS autotile-solvable — ~20–30 modular tan-stone
  pieces. Wang-style Godot 4 terrain works with minimal extra art.
  Iconic Homestead $19.99 fallback not needed.
- No wolf sprite anywhere in the bundle. EvoMonster packs all
  cute/fantasy. Need commission, CC0 source, or Ventilatore check.
- Retro Graveyard 16x16 [Kingdom Explorer] confirmed in Tier 3 with
  full graveyard suite — direct use in Phase 14.

New open questions surfaced in memory.md:
- Player-built wall material strategy (3 options laid out)
- Wolf sprite acquisition path (Phase 10 blocker)

Project move:
- Repo physical location moved from ~/claude/projects/rimlike to
  /mnt/d/godot/rimlike (D: drive, fast for Windows-side editor).
- Symlink at the original WSL path preserves the home-CLAUDE.md
  layout convention. Mirrors tavernkeep's pattern.
- Set core.filemode=false to silence DrvFs's everything-is-0777
  false-positive on git diff.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-05-10 20:09:11 +01:00

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# rimlike — art / tileset strategy
> Companion to [`memory.md`](../memory.md). This file is the **art strategy**: owned tilesets (now substantial), aesthetic anchor, gaps, license notes, autotile gotchas.
## Aesthetic anchor
**Primary: ElvGames "Ultimate Farming RPG" bundle (Humble) — cute-farming-RPG palette.**
The aesthetic shifted on 2026-05-10 when the bundle was found. Previously locked as "vibrant medieval-fantasy" via Ventilatore + planned Mana Seed; now the spine is ElvGames' bright, cheerful, Stardew-adjacent farming-RPG style. Project tone: **"Going Medieval × Stardew × Rimworld" — cozier than Rimworld, deeper than Stardew, mobile-first.**
Ventilatore Fantasy Tileset Bundle (already owned) stays as a **secondary** layer for biome variety, decorative props, and medieval-flavor accents. Mana Seed series is **dropped** from the buy plan entirely (the bundle covers what we'd planned to purchase).
## Owned art foundation
### Primary — ElvGames "Ultimate Farming RPG" Humble Bundle
Local path: `/mnt/d/godot/assets/humble set new/`. Three tiers, ~70 packs, ~2.8 GB. All 16×16 pixel art (matches our locked spec). License: commercial use OK with credit ("ElvGames"), no NFT/crypto, no resale of pack itself, modification permitted.
**MVP-essential packs (the working art set):**
| Need | Pack | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Default biome (forest) | Forest Tileset 4 Seasons | T3 |
| Alt biome (open ground) | Farm Game Grasslands 4 Seasons | T1 |
| Mining + caves + ores + crystals + minerals | Mines Tileset 16x16 | T3 |
| Crops with growth stages (16+ crops) | Crops with Stages 01 / 02 / 03 | T2/T3 |
| Pawn sprites (15 characters with anim) | Farming Characters Pack | T1 |
| Animals / livestock (chicken, cow, duck, goat, pig) | Animal Sprites Pixelart | T2 |
| Item icons | Item Icons 16x16 | T2 |
| Workbench / decoration | House Interior Tileset | T3 |
| House exteriors (2 seasons) | Houses Tileset 2 Seasons | T3 |
| Castle / fortress / keep | Fortress Tileset 2 Seasons | T3 |
| Defensive structures (sandbags, towers) | Pixel Tower Defense 1 | T2 |
| Music — cozy ambient | Cozy Melodies Pack 1, Retro Farming Music 1 | T1 |
| SFX — combat / crafting / mining / monsters / UI / sword | Multiple SFX packs | T3 |
**Bonus / post-MVP packs:**
| Use | Pack |
|---|---|
| Monster variety (15 species) for v2 threat events | EvoMonster Pack 0115 |
| RPG-style enemies for combat polish | Turn-Based RPG Monsters Pack 716 |
| Modular building components | Modular Pixel Houses Pack 0105 |
| Alt aesthetic option | Retro Kingdom Explorer 16x16 series (Castle/Forest/Graveyard/Grotto/Plains/Town) |
| Additional biomes | Mountains 2 Seasons / Marketplace / Village / Frozen Caves / Magma Caves / Dark Castle |
| Effects / spells | Magic and Spells SFX 5/6 |
### Secondary — Ventilatore Fantasy Tileset Complete Bundle
Owner: us. Bundle URL: <https://itch.io/s/117124/the-fantasy-tileset-complete-bundle>. Six packs, 16×16, vibrant medieval-fantasy.
**Use as:** decorative flourish — animated water, encampment props, medieval fences, foliage variety, bridges. Where ElvGames' farming-RPG palette feels too cute, slot in a Ventilatore prop.
**Skip:** prefab houses (wrong paradigm), most exterior buildings (ElvGames covers them).
## Pack file structure
ElvGames packs are consistently structured:
```
<Pack Name>/
├── Characters/ # NPC sprite variants per pack
├── Item Icons/ # category-relevant icons
├── Objects/ # decorative / interactive objects
├── Tilesets/ # main tilesheet PNGs
├── RPG Maker/ # RPG-Maker import format (ignore)
├── License.txt
├── Read Me.txt
├── *.unitypackage # Unity import (ignore)
└── *.yymps # GameMaker import (ignore)
```
For Godot: import the **Tilesets/`*.png`** directly as TileSet sources. Objects + Item Icons are individual sprite assets.
## Gaps still uncovered
Even with the bundle, these need authoring or sourcing:
1. **Autotile-ready buildable wall sets** — UNKNOWN. The bundle's house and fortress sheets need an autotile audit (count corners / T-junctions / cap pieces). If insufficient, options are:
- Custom-author terrain bits onto bundle wall tiles (~half-day per material)
- Source a dedicated construction tileset (Mana Seed Iconic Homestead remains available as fallback at $19.99)
2. **Designation overlays** — blueprint ghosts, chop-this-tree marks, mine-this marks. ~48 tiles, custom (~2 hrs).
3. **Indoor tint shader** — a subtle blue-grey overlay on Layer 0/1 tiles when Roof flag set. Not asset, just shader work.
4. **Lighting shader** — for visual lighting at night (we locked this in mood/lighting). Not asset.
5. **Cleaning visualization** — dirty-tile decals. Some bundle packs (Mines? grass spring etc.) may have grunge tiles we can repurpose.
6. **Wolf sprite** — bundle's Animal Sprites pack does NOT include wolves. Options:
- Reskin a different animal (a darker dog?)
- Pick a suitable wild creature from EvoMonster Pack series
- Custom wolf sprite (a few hours of pixel art) or external pack
7. **Cremation pyre furniture** — may be in House Interior or Marketplace; otherwise custom.
8. **Grave marker tile** — likely needs custom or graveyard-themed pack (Retro Graveyard 16×16 in Tier 3 *might* have it).
## Audit list (action items before any release build)
**Audit results, 2026-05-10** — three of five closed via visual inspection (researcher Haiku subagent + verification).
- [x] **`FG_Houses.png` autotile coverage** — **NOT autotile-solvable.** Pieces are pre-built decorative house compositions across 4 distinct roof palettes (blue-roof timber, red-brick, dark-slate, plus accent details). No corner / T-junction / cap modular family. Estimated cost to author terrain bits on top: ~½1 day per material.
- [x] **`FG_Fortress.png` autotile coverage** — **autotile-solvable.** ~2030 modular tan-stone pieces (straight, corners, battlement caps) with dark-grid mortar lines. Wang-style Godot 4 terrain works with minimal extra art. Iconic Homestead fallback not needed.
- [ ] **Aesthetic harmony test** — still open. Needs your eye on a Forest tile + a Ventilatore tile side-by-side. ~15 min.
- [x] **Wolf sprite source****none in the bundle.** Scanned EvoMonster Packs 03/04/06/09/10 (cute fantasy creatures, no canines), broader Tier 13 sweep (farm animals + humanoid monsters only). Action items in `memory.md` Open questions: commission, find CC0, or check Ventilatore.
- [x] **Grave marker****`Retro Graveyard 16x16 Tileset [Kingdom Explorer]` confirmed in Tier 3.** Path: `Ultimate Farming RPG Tier 3/Retro Graveyard 16x16 Tileset [Kingdom Explorer]/Tilesets/KE_Graveyard.png`. Contents: tombstones (varied), wooden crosses, grave mounds, crypt entries, skeletal markers, ground-transition tiles. Direct use in Phase 14.
- [ ] **License attribution credits document** — kick off the list now; add to it as packs come in. Include Kingdom Explorer (likely separate license from ElvGames — check `License.txt`).
## Wall-material decision (consequence of the audit)
The `FG_Houses` non-autotile finding is the biggest live blocker. `architecture.md` and `implementation.md` Phase 5 assume the player paints walls and they auto-junction. Options now under consideration (in `memory.md` Open questions):
1. **Fortress-stone-only** — player walls use `FG_Fortress` exclusively. `FG_Houses` becomes static prebuilt-shelter art (no construction verb for cabins). Aesthetic shifts toward Going Medieval; loses some of the cute-cabin Stardew warmth.
2. **Custom-author wood walls** on top of `FG_Houses` (~½1 day per material). Preserves aesthetic; delays Phase 5 by ~3 days.
3. **Mix**: `FG_Houses` static = starter shelter (drop-in, can't deconstruct), `FG_Fortress` autotile = player-built upgrade walls. Two materials, no custom art investment, but loses the "build your own first cabin" beat.
Decision needed before Phase 1 wall-tileset import (Phase 1 needs at least one wall material to render).
## Tileset prep (the gotcha)
ElvGames packs are RPG-style — designed primarily for RPG Maker / GameMaker hand-painted maps, not tile-by-tile colony construction. Same caveat as Mana Seed: walls and floors may not have full 47-tile autotile coverage. Plan for ~half-day per buildable material to author Godot terrain bits onto the existing tiles.
Designation overlays still custom. Estimated 48 tiles, ~2 hours of pixel art.
## License notes
**ElvGames terms (most packs in the bundle):**
> You can: use in personal or commercial projects. Edit/modify to fit your game. Credits to ElvGames.
> You cannot: use in NFT/crypto projects. Sell this asset pack (even modified). Claim it as your own.
Source: `License.txt` in each pack. Full terms: <https://elv-games.itch.io/terms>
**Some packs may be by other authors** (e.g. Retro Kingdom Explorer series). License for each is in the pack's own `License.txt`. **Audit and honor each.**
**Ventilatore terms:** confirmed commercial-friendly during prior owner-of-bundle research; verify before any commercial release build.
**Credits screen requirement:** maintain a list of pack names + creator names; display in game's credits UI.
## What was dropped from the plan
- **Mana Seed series purchases** — Smithing Gear, Crops #1, Iconic Homestead. Bundle's coverage replaces them. Free Mana Seed forest packs and Character Base remain optional fallbacks if Bundle palettes mismatch a specific need.
- **Gold Rush / Pixel Farm RPG / LimeZu / Cute Fantasy / Mars Colony** — all dropped from active consideration; bundle covers their roles.
## Comprehensive survey (kept for reference)
Earlier-session survey of itch.io / OpenGameArt candidates (now superseded). Maintained so future sessions don't redo the search.
- **Mana Seed by Seliel the Shaper** ([itch profile](https://seliel-the-shaper.itch.io/)) — only tileset family explicitly authored for tile-by-tile player construction. Free seasonal forest + Farmer Base remain optional fallbacks.
- **[Iconic Homestead](https://seliel-the-shaper.itch.io/iconic-homestead)** ($19.99) — fallback if bundle's wall autotile coverage is insufficient. Stone/wood/plaster wall variants explicitly construction-authored.
- **[Modern Interiors / Exteriors](https://limezu.itch.io/moderninteriors)** by LimeZu — modern aesthetic, wrong direction.
- **[Cute Fantasy RPG](https://kenmi-art.itch.io/cute-fantasy-rpg)** by Kenmi — Stardew-adjacent (similar to bundle's tone, could supplement).
- **[Base Building Tileset](https://elihaun.itch.io/base-building-tileset)** by Eli Haun — Rimworld-genre match but small.
- **[Colony Sim Assets](https://opengameart.org/content/colony-sim-assets)** by Buch — CC0 fallback.
## Reading list (TBD)
- ElvGames license fine-print on each pack used.
- Godot 4 docs: TileMap, TileSet terrains, AStarGrid2D.
- Rimworld design talks (Tynan Sylvester) — storyteller / drama / interest curve.
## What lives elsewhere
- **Game design / mechanics** — see [`design.md`](./design.md).
- **Engine architecture and TileMap layer plan** — see [`architecture.md`](./architecture.md).
- **Touch UI** — see [`ui.md`](./ui.md).
- **Pillars and vertical slice** — see [`memory.md`](../memory.md).