Graphic identity sight (system from pixels)
Deep load for Family ID (+ COLOR/ICON bridge) in taste-receptors.md (rollup V8). Cohesion is what makes simple assets feel premium. Identity failure = one frame looks like a different game.
Map every fail to an
ID-*/COLOR-*/ICON-*receptor ID in the zero list.
Do not reward purple-indigo mesh gradients, iridescent blobs, or Lucide-in-rounded-squares as identity unless clearly owned by world rules and repeated with discipline.
Anti-patterns
| Tell | Screenshot evidence | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Default gradient identity | Purple/indigo/pink or holographic mesh as only “brand” | Interchangeable AI web template |
| Palette infinity | Unrelated saturated hues with equal authority | No learnable danger/reward language |
| Shape language drift | Soft rounded UI + razor hard-surface world (no reason) | Kitbash product |
| Line-weight lottery | Outlines thick on characters, absent on props, sketchy on UI | No style guide |
| Render technique clash | Flat cel + PBR prop + painterly BG | Asset-pack collage |
| Lighting direction chaos | Each sprite private light rig | World not singular |
| Typeface tourism | Pixel HUD + script title + grotesque body + blackletter captions | No typographic identity |
| Icon metaphor chaos | Mixed skeuomorphism levels/grids | Chrome not a system |
| UI divorced from world | Menu stylesheet ≠ game palette/edges | Menus = other product |
| Marketing vs gameplay split | Store key art ≠ in-engine HUD/world | Brand breaks at screenshot seam |
| Second-wave slop identity | Cream + terracotta + italic serif, no world link | New AI median, still generic |
| Equal accent screaming | Every panel uses accent | Accent stops meaning emphasis |
False positive: Dark UI + one glow is common in human tools. Fail only when many defaults stack and no distinctive motif/shape/type appears.
Positive criteria
Palette as a system
- Limited family dominates (~8–16 color family feel in stylized 2D is a common production target).
- Roles readable: neutral world, danger, reward/loot, interactable, UI emphasis.
- UI colors from same family as world — not detached SaaS kit.
Shape language & motifs
- Edge vocabulary repeats (rounded / chamfered / ornate / chunky / geometric).
- Recurring motifs as a controlled set — not one-off stickers.
- Logo/mark shares shape language with UI frames/icons.
Typography identity (pairs with V3)
- Heading vs body pairing stable across menu and HUD crops.
- Type genre matches world while staying legible.
- Hierarchy steps consistent screen-to-screen — no snowflake titles every time.
Icon & chrome system
- Shared grid, stroke, corner radius, fill/line policy.
- Black-silhouette test would still distinguish key icons.
- Buttons/panels share radius, border, shadow, state language.
Lighting, material, render continuity
- Light direction/softness/ambient tint consistent in-shot.
- One realism dial for roughness/specular/texture density.
- Outline presence/absence matches declared technique globally.
Cross-surface identity
- HUD, pause menu, store/key art share palette + shape + type DNA.
- VFX accents obey accent rules — no unbound second brand.
- Genre tone coherent without collapsing into generic AI template.
Side-by-side drift (multiple shots)
- Adjacent screenshots match value range, edge treatment, UI spacing, accent discipline.
- Hero assets obey the same rules as the cast.
Sub-scores → V8
| Sub-ID | 2 | 0 |
|---|---|---|
| ID-PAL | Limited family + roles | Infinite unrelated hues |
| ID-SHAPE | Repeated edge/motif grammar | Per-asset silhouette lottery |
| ID-TYPE | Stable pairing + hierarchy | Font tourism |
| ID-ICON | Shared grid/stroke/radius/states | Mixed packs |
| ID-LIGHT | One light/material policy | Private rigs / technique clash |
| ID-BRIDGE | HUD↔menu↔key art DNA | Marketing≠gameplay split |
| ID-SPEC | Owned non-default choices | AI-median template identity |
Gates: ID-SPEC = 0 → identity FAIL even if pretty. ID-BRIDGE = 0 when marketing+gameplay both visible → FAIL cohesion. Purple/cream/neon defaults PASS ID-SPEC only with unique shape/type/motif ownership — never gradient alone.
Sources
- Console Creatures — style guide / art bible contents
- Sense Central / IndieOps — cohesion, palette roles, anti-references
- WANDR — interface carries tone; tone ≠ illegibility excuse
- Signs of AI design / AHD SLOP_TAXONOMY — default identity centroids