Deciding how the game looks.
WHAT ART DIRECTION IS
A consistent set of decisions about appearance, applied throughout.
WHY CONSISTENCY MATTERS MORE THAN QUALITY
Consistent simple art looks intentional; inconsistent good art looks broken.
WHAT TO DECIDE
Level of realism Colour palette Proportion and silhouette conventions Line and shape language Lighting approach
WHY PALETTE MATTERS MOST PRACTICALLY
A limited palette unifies work by different people and hides weaknesses.
WHAT TO PRODUCE
Reference images A style guide Example assets at final quality
WHY EXAMPLES RATHER THAN DESCRIPTION
Written descriptions are interpreted differently by everyone.
WHAT TO CHOOSE FOR A SMALL TEAM
A style you can execute consistently at volume.
WHAT STYLES ARE FORGIVING
Flat and stylised approaches Limited palettes Low-detail geometry with strong silhouettes
WHAT STYLES ARE UNFORGIVING
Realism, where any flaw is visible Highly detailed work, which is slow
WHAT TO TEST
Assets together, in the game, under real lighting.
WHY
Assets look different in isolation than in context.
