Art Bible

Phase 0: Parse Arguments and Context Check

Resolve the review mode (once, store for all gate spawns this run): 1. If --review [full|lean|solo] was passed → use that 2. Else read production/review-mode.txt → use that value 3. Else → default to lean

See .claude/docs/director-gates.md for the full check pattern.

Read design/gdd/game-concept.md. If it does not exist, fail with:

"No game concept found. Run /brainstorm first — the art bible is authored after the game concept is approved."

Extract from game-concept.md: - Game title (working title) - Core fantasy and elevator pitch - Game pillars (all of them) - Visual Identity Anchor section if present (from brainstorm Phase 4 art-director output) - Target platform (if noted)

Retrofit mode detection: Glob design/art/art-bible.md. If the file exists: - Read it in full - For each of the 9 sections, check whether the body contains real content (more than a [To be designed] placeholder or similar) vs. is empty/placeholder - Build a section status table:

Section | Status
--------|--------
1. Visual Identity Statement | [Complete / Empty / Placeholder]
2. Color Palette | ...
3. Lighting & Atmosphere | ...
4. Character Art Direction | ...
5. Environment & Level Art | ...
6. UI Visual Language | ...
7. VFX & Particle Style | ...
8. Asset Standards | ...
9. Style Prohibitions | ...

• Present this table to the user:

  "Found existing art bible at design/art/art-bible.md. [N] sections are complete, [M] need content. I'll work on the incomplete sections only — existing content will not be touched."

• Only work on sections with Status: Empty or Placeholder. Do not re-author sections that are already complete.

If the file does not exist, this is a fresh authoring session — proceed normally.

Read .claude/docs/technical-preferences.md if it exists — extract performance budgets and engine for asset standard constraints.

Phase 1: Framing

Present the session context and ask two questions before authoring anything:

Use AskUserQuestion with two tabs: - Tab "Scope" — "Which sections need to be authored today?" Options: Full bible — all 9 sections / Visual identity core (sections 1–4 only) / Asset standards only (section 8) / Resume — fill in missing sections - Tab "References" — "Do you have reference games, films, or art that define the visual direction?" (Free text — let the user type specific titles. Do NOT preset options here.)

If the game-concept.md has a Visual Identity Anchor section, note it:

"Found a visual identity anchor from brainstorm: '[anchor name] — [one-line rule]'. I'll use this as the foundation for the art bible."

Phase 2: Visual Identity Foundation (Sections 1–4)

These four sections define the core visual language. All other sections flow from them. Author and write each to file before moving to the next.

Section 1: Visual Identity Statement

Goal: A one-line visual rule plus 2–3 supporting principles that resolve visual ambiguity.

If a visual anchor exists from game-concept.md: present it and ask: - "Build directly from this anchor?" - "Revise it before expanding?" - "Start fresh with new options?"

Agent delegation (MANDATORY): Spawn art-director via Task: - Provide: game concept (elevator pitch, core fantasy), full pillar set, platform target, any reference games/art from Phase 1 framing, the visual anchor if it exists - Ask: "Draft a Visual Identity Statement for this game. Provide: (1) a one-line visual rule that could resolve any visual decision ambiguity, (2) 2–3 supporting visual principles, each with a one-sentence design test ('when X is ambiguous, this principle says choose Y'). Anchor all principles directly in the stated pillars — each principle must serve a specific pillar."

Present the art-director's draft to the user. Use AskUserQuestion: - Options: [A] Lock this in / [B] Revise the one-liner / [C] Revise a supporting principle / [D] Describe my own direction

Write the approved section to file immediately.

Section 2: Mood & Atmosphere

Goal: Emotional targets by game state — specific enough for a lighting artist to work from.

For each major game state (e.g., exploration, combat, victory, defeat, menus — adapt to this game's states), define: - Primary emotion/mood target - Lighting character (time of day, color temperature, contrast level) - Atmospheric descriptors (3–5 adjectives) - Energy level (frenetic / measured / contemplative / etc.)

Agent delegation: Spawn art-director via Task with the Visual Identity Statement and pillar set. Ask: "Define mood and atmosphere targets for each major game state in this game. Be specific — 'dark and foreboding' is not enough. Name the exact emotional target, the lighting character (warm/cool, high/low contrast, time of day direction), and at least one visual element that carries the mood. Each game state must feel visually distinct from the others."

Write the appr