21 Visual Development
Status: Sprint 1.7 pack
Source pipeline: [Visual Development Pipeline](../../035_VisualDevelopment/00_PipelineOverview.md)
Machine definition: assets/definitions/concepts/CHR001/visual_development.yaml
1. Silhouette Exploration
| ID | Description | Strong Points | Weak Points | Gameplay Score | Originality | Production Risk | Hero Score |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| NS-SIL-01 | Forward-leaning sprinter with compact torso and active right glove | instant speed read, good attack direction | narrow torso may feel fragile | 90 | 88 | medium | 89 |
| NS-SIL-02 | Wide glove arcs with small head and long legs | strong melee focus | hands can overpower expression | 84 | 82 | medium | 83 |
| NS-SIL-03 | Sharp mask crest and angular shoulders | recognizable head profile | head draws too much focus | 83 | 86 | low | 84 |
| NS-SIL-04 | Diagonal energy core cutting across torso | strong motion line | torso detail may clutter | 87 | 89 | medium | 88 |
| NS-SIL-05 | Long-legged runner with small shoulder mass | fast read at distance | lower impact weight | 82 | 80 | low | 81 |
| NS-SIL-06 | Twin boot fins and low sprint posture | readable run identity | lower body can get noisy | 84 | 87 | medium | 85 |
| NS-SIL-07 | Cropped street jacket shape over suit | urban hero tone | less iconic in tiny scale | 80 | 88 | low | 82 |
| NS-SIL-08 | Raised gauntlet and open off-hand | excellent attack silhouette | asymmetry needs animation control | 91 | 89 | medium | 90 |
| NS-SIL-09 | Narrow waist with oversized combat gloves | readable brawler | risks cartoon proportions | 81 | 78 | high | 80 |
| NS-SIL-10 | Angular scarf trail behind shoulder | motion and direction read | overlaps cape language | 86 | 88 | medium | 87 |
Top 3 Selection
| Rank | ID | Reason |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | NS-SIL-08 | Best blend of attack readability, hero confidence, and animation potential. |
| 2 | NS-SIL-01 | Cleanest agile striker read and lowest ambiguity in gameplay scale. |
| 3 | NS-SIL-04 | Strong energy identity, useful as secondary torso language. |
2. Shape Studies
| ID | Dominant Forms | Negative Space | Balance | Readability |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| NS-SIL-08 | triangles in gauntlet, mask, elbows; circular energy core | open gap between raised glove and head | asymmetrical but stable through planted feet | active hand and attack direction read first |
| NS-SIL-01 | diagonal triangles through torso and legs; small circular joints | leg gap and forward arm gap create speed | balanced by rear shoulder and forward knee | sprinting hero reads at 25% |
| NS-SIL-04 | diagonal core stripe, triangular chest angles, circular glow | torso cut creates focal break | central core anchors fast limbs | energy striker role reads before color |
3. Value Studies
| Study | Light | Midtone | Shadow | Rim Light | Contrast |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| NS-VAL-01 | face, gloves, chest core | suit mass | boots, underarms, inner legs | right shoulder and calf | high focal contrast |
| NS-VAL-02 | gloves and boot tips | mask and torso | back leg and jacket underside | left outline only | medium contrast, safer for animation |
| NS-VAL-03 | chest core and visor | suit and gloves | lower body | full energy-side rim | high energy read, risk of glow noise |
No color is used in value approval. The chosen value model is NS-VAL-01.
4. Color Studies
| Variant | Direction | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Variant A | cyan primary, navy shadow, ivory highlight | strongest match for agile energy gameplay and existing hero palette tokens |
| Variant B | cyan primary, steel secondary, amber accent | warmer focal point but risks UI warning confusion |
| Variant C | blue-violet primary, cyan glow | dramatic but too close to shadow palette at 50% scale |
| Variant D | white suit accents, cyan glow, dark blue base | strong readability, higher material QA cost |
| Variant E | teal energy, graphite suit, ivory visor | readable and grounded, less heroic than A |
Selected direction: Variant A.
5. Material Studies
| Part | Material Direction | Test |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mask | painted metal with clean visor cut | highlight must not merge with eyes |
| Suit | reinforced suit fabric | broad clusters, no noisy texture |
| Armor | painted metal plates on shoulders and forearms | hard edge highlights at 50% scale |
| Gloves | leather and energy-channel seams | glove mass must stay readable during punches |
| Boots | rubber soles and painted metal toe guards | foot contact must read in run cycle |
| Energy | cyan core and trail glow | source, direction, and impact point must remain clear |
6. Pose Studies
| Pose | Review Criteria |
| --- | --- |
| Idle | compact bounce, active hands, light weight |
| Walk | clear contact foot, stable head, relaxed guard |
| Run | forward lean, leg separation, glove counter-swing |
| Jump | compressed takeoff, clear airborne tuck |
| Fall | readable downward motion, arms ready |
| Landing | weight transfer, dust placement, knee bend |
| Punch | active glove separated from torso |
| Kick | boot silhouette clear against suit |
| Heavy | larger anticipation and recovery |
| Special | energy core, trail, and hand shape align |
| Victory | confident but not static |
| Taunt | readable attitude without tiny facial detail |
7. Expression Studies
| Expression | Mask and Body Read |
| --- | --- |
| Neutral | level visor, relaxed shoulders |
| Focused | narrowed visor, forward head tilt |
| Aggressive | sharper brow angle, raised glove |
| Damaged | cracked visor glow and collapsed shoulder |
| Victory | lifted chin, open hand, bright core |
8. Animation Planning
| Animation | Frames | Events | Timing |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Idle | 6 | breathing_peak, energy_pulse | slow loop with two-frame hold |
| Walk | 8 | footstep_l, footstep_r | even arcade cadence |
| Run | 8 | footstep_l, footstep_r, dust_spawn | faster spacing with forward lean |
| Jump | 6 | takeoff_dust, jump_sfx | two-frame anticipation |
| Fall | 4 | air_loop | held fall silhouette |
| Attack01 | 5 | hitbox_enable, spawn_fx, hitbox_disable | snappy jab, one impact hold |
| Attack02 | 5 | hitbox_enable, spawn_fx, hitbox_disable | cross punch, short recovery |
| Heavy | 7 | charge_sfx, hitbox_enable, camera_shake | larger anticipation |
| Special | 10 | energy_charge, projectile_spawn, camera_shake | strong charge, bright release |
| Hit | 3 | hit_sfx, flash | immediate recoil |
| Death | 8 | ko_sfx, dust_spawn | readable fall and settle |
9. Concept Review
| Variant | Readability | Originality | Animation Potential | Material Quality | Silhouette | Production Complexity |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| NS-SIL-08 | 91 | 89 | 92 | 86 | 90 | 68 |
| NS-SIL-01 | 90 | 88 | 89 | 84 | 89 | 74 |
| NS-SIL-04 | 87 | 89 | 86 | 88 | 88 | 70 |
Approved concept: NS-SIL-08 with NS-SIL-01 as movement reference and NS-SIL-04 as torso energy reference.