Prompt Rules

Use this file when writing sprite prompts by hand.

Do not delegate prompt writing to a script unless you specifically need parity with an older generated prompt.

Global Rules

Always keep these constraints:

• background is 100% solid flat magenta #FF00FF
• no gradients in the background
• no text
• no labels
• no UI
• no speech bubbles
• exact grid count only
• no borders or frames between cells
• same asset identity across frames
• same bounding box and same pixel scale across frames
• raw sprite art must come from built-in image_gen, not Three.js, Canvas, SVG, HTML/CSS drawing, PIL shape drawing, procedural geometry, placeholder primitives, or code-rendered screenshots

Style Rules

Choose the art style from the user request, project context, map context, or reference:

• pixel_art: general sprite default for classic 2D game actors and animation sheets.
• clean_hd: clean hand-painted HD 2D game asset style, crisp silhouettes, smooth surfaces, low texture noise, controlled lighting, no chunky pixels.
• pixel_inspired: clean modern pixel-art-inspired style without 16-bit wording, heavy dithering, or noisy microtexture.
• retro_pixel: 16-bit pixel art or retro JRPG pixel art, only when explicitly requested.
• map_style or project-native: match the visible reference, existing game, or $generate2dmap selected art style.

Do not write 16-bit, retro JRPG, or chunky pixel-art unless the user asks for that look. For clean HD map props, explicitly say Do not make pixel art.

Reference Rules

Use these rules when the user attaches a reference, points to a local image, asks for consistency with an earlier generated image, or asks for an evolution/variant of an existing sprite:

• Make the reference image visible to built-in image_gen before generation. If the reference is a local file, call read_file first; do not assume a path string is a visual input.
• In the prompt, say use the image just shown as the visual reference.
• State what must stay fixed: silhouette family, palette, face/eyes, costume or markings, accessories, material language, and art style.
• State what may change: pose, animation phase, action energy, size progression, evolution traits, or FX intensity.
• For animation sheets, preserve the same character identity in every cell and only change the animation pose or effect state.
• For evolution lines, keep visible lineage markers while allowing larger silhouette, added details, or stronger colors per form.
• Keep the normal magenta-background and containment rules even when using a reference.

Layout Guide Rules

Use a layout guide when the sheet needs stronger geometric control than text alone can provide:

• good fit: 3x3 and 4x4 prop packs, tileset-like atlases, fixed atlas rows, and non-directional 16-frame sequences such as casting, summoning, charging, death, or transformation
• possible fit: 3x3 large idles or showcase loops when earlier generations drift in scale, spacing, or edge safety
• risky fit: four-direction walk sheets, because guide pressure can make directional poses too centered and reduce locomotion clarity

When using a layout guide, make the guide image visible first and write:

Use the layout guide image just shown as a layout-only reference. Use it only to understand the rows, columns, equal invisible frame slots, centering, spacing, and safe padding. Do not reproduce the guide: no visible boxes, no safe-area rectangles, no center marks, no labels, no borders, no guide background.

Keep the creative prompt agent-written. The layout guide only provides geometry; it must not replace the action plan, art style, identity lock, or containment rules.

Containment Rules

For any sheet mode, say this explicitly when consistency matters:

• the entire subject must fit fully inside each cell
• no body part, effect, weapon, tail, wing tip, orb, spark, or smoke trail may cross a cell edge
• leave magenta margin on all four sides
• use the same silhouette scale in every frame

If detached FX are undesirable, say:

• no floating detached effects outside the main silhouette

If detached FX are required, say:

• detached effects must remain tightly grouped near the main subject and still fit inside the cell

View Rules

• topdown: for overworld actors and player / NPC sheets
• side: for projectiles, side-view units, impact FX
• 3/4: for creature battle sprites, bosses, showcase idles, side-view spellcasters

Character Style

For player and npc when the request does not specify another style:

• top-down 2D pixel art for a 16-bit RPG overworld
• 3/4 view from slightly above
• full body visible
• chunky readable pixel-art with crisp dark outlines
• enough margin for clean engine rendering

Map Prop Style

For prop assets requested by $generate2dmap, match the selected map art style:

• clean_hd: clean hand-painted HD 2D game asset style, crisp silhouettes, smooth painted surfaces, low texture noise, controlled accent lighting, no chunky pixels.
• pixel_inspired: clean modern pixel-art-inspired prop, crisp readable shape, no 16-bit wording, no heavy dithering.
• retro_pixel: 16-bit or retro JRPG pixel-art prop, only when the map is explicitly retro pixel.

For clean HD props, use mostly front-facing top-down RPG object view: upright objects are vertical and centered, with only a small visible top face. Avoid strong isometric diagonal rotation unless requested.

Creature and FX Style

For creature, spell, projectile, impact, summon, and fx:

• strong silhouette
• readable body colors or effect shape
• battle-ready or gameplay-readable pose
• avoid painterly composition drift between frames
• if humanoid, keep it clearly non-player unless the user explicitly wants a player-like unit

Action Rules

idle

Use:

• neutral stance
• subtle motion
• weight shift or aura pulse
• strongest idle accent before looping

Prefer:

• 2x2 for standard actors
• 3x3 for large creatures and showcase idles

cast

A 2x3 cast is often the best default:

• readiness
• energy gather
• stronger gather
• release start
• release peak
• settle or hold

attack

For a compact attack-only sheet, describe:

• wind-up
• strike
• follow-through
• recovery

For controllable heroes, main characters, and fixed-cell game sprites, write attack body prompts as body-only:

• no detached slash arc
• no wide weapon trail
• no muzzle flash
• no projectile
• no impact burst
• no detached dust cloud
• weapon remains close enough that the body bbox stays near idle/run size
• body height and feet/bottom anchor match the accepted idle/run sheet

If the attack needs a large slash arc, sword trail, muzzle flash, or hit spark, generate it as a separate fx, projectile, or impact sheet and layer it in the runtime.

hurt

For a hurt-only sheet, describe:

• impact
• recoil
• stagger
• recovery

combat

For a compact combined sheet:

• top-left: attack wind-up
• top-right: attack strike
• bottom-left: hurt impact
• bottom-right: hurt recovery

projectile

Usually prefer 1x4 or 2x2.

Describe:

• same projectile identity in all frames
• travel direction stays consistent
• shape changes are small and loopable
• glow or trail stays inside the frame

impact / explode

Usually prefer 2x2.

Describe:

• ignition or contact
• expansion
• peak burst
• fade or collapse

walk / run / hover

State the travel behavior clearly:

• grounded stride
• hover bob
• crawl
• slither
• mechanical glide

Sheet-Specific Rules

Mixed-action atlas guardrail

Do not use a single raw generated sheet to pack unrelated actions just because the target engine wants a 4x4, 5x5, or custom atlas.

Avoid prompts like:

• row 1 idle, row 2 run, row 3 shoot, row 4 jump
• first row walk, second row attack, third row hurt, fourth row death
• one big atlas containing every hero action

For controllable heroes, main characters, and high-value player assets:

1. Generate each action as its own multi-row grid sheet, usually 2x2 for 4-frame actions, 2x3 for 6-frame actions, and 2x4, 3x3, 3x4, or 4x4 for longer actions.
2. Keep attack/shoot/cast body animation separate from projectile, muzzle flash, slash arc, weapon trail, impact, and dust unless the runtime explicitly supports wider per-action cells plus explicit origins.
3. Process and visually QC each action independently for feet line, body center, scale, silhouette, and edge safety.
4. Reject a body action when the body appears more than about 10-15% smaller than idle/run because a wide FX bbox forced it to shrink.
5. Assemble a 4x4, 5x5, or custom engine atlas only after the separate action sheets pass QC.

Allowed raw multi-row sheets:

• canonical four-direction locomotion sheets where every row is the same walk/run action in a different direction
• one continuous non-directional long action sequence, read left-to-right across rows
• prop packs or tileset-like atlases where each cell is intentionally a separate object
• compact low-stakes enemy combat sheets, but not controllable hero production assets

4x4 player sheet

Use:

• row 1: down
• row 2: left
• row 3: right
• row 4: up
• column 1: neutral
• column 2: left foot forward
• column 3: neutral again
• column 4: right foot forward

Do not use a layout guide by default for this sheet. Try an unguided prompt first unless the previous result crossed cell edges or failed the grid shape.

3x3 large idle

Say:

• exactly 9 equal cells in a 3x3 grid
• same bounding box in all 9 cells
• subject fills only about 55% to 65% of each cell
• no edge crossing anywhere

Use a layout guide when a previous 3x3 result has uneven spacing, inconsistent scale, or edge-touching frames.

4x4 non-directional action sequence

Use for casting, summoning, charging, transformation, death, and other single-action loops:

• exactly 16 equal cells in a 4x4 grid
• read frames left-to-right across each row, then continue on the next row
• describe each phase in order, from anticipation through peak action to settle or loop return
• keep the subject identity stable while allowing pose, energy, and compact attached effects to change
• use a layout guide when the action includes VFX, portals, circles, summons, or other elements that might cross cell boundaries

Do not use this format as a shortcut for four unrelated hero actions. If the requested rows are different actions, treat it as a hero_action_bundle or engine_atlas delivery problem instead.

5x5 and custom grids

Use raw 5x5 or custom-grid generation only when the entire sheet is one coherent action family, a prop pack, a tileset-like atlas, or a single long sequence.

For mixed action requirements, generate each action separately and assemble the final grid after QC. The assembled atlas is a delivery artifact, not the raw image-generation target.

1x4 projectile

Say:

• exactly 4 equal cells in one row
• same projectile size in every frame
• only the internal energy or shape pulse changes

Bundle Prompting

When generating a bundle, write each asset prompt independently.

Good default decomposition:

• caster unit
• projectile
• impact

or:

• idle
• combat
• walk

Do not try to force unrelated assets into one giant sheet.

Quick Prompt Pattern

1. state the asset type and sheet shape
2. describe the subject identity
3. if applicable, state the reference role and invariants
4. describe frame-by-frame motion
5. restate same-scale and containment rules
6. restate magenta background and no-text rules