Master Illustration Style Guide
This document establishes the visual language for all MOONSTALKERS: ONLINE illustrations. Reference this guide when creating or commissioning artwork to ensure consistency across all visual content.
Visual Tone
Primary Aesthetic
Sci-Fi Dystopian Corporate Horror meets Survival Desperation
- Industrial decay and corporate sterility in uneasy coexistence
- Vast, oppressive environments that dwarf human figures
- Technology that feels utilitarian, worn, and barely functional
- Nature reclaiming civilization — but twisted, dangerous
- Isolation and vulnerability as constant visual themes
Color Palette
Primary Colors
| Color | Hex Code | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Void | #0a0a0f |
Primary backgrounds, deep shadows, space |
| Station Dark | #12141c |
Interior surfaces, secondary backgrounds |
| Selenite Teal | #00d4aa |
Corporate branding, UI elements, technology highlights, hope |
| Warning Orange | #ff6b35 |
Hazards, alerts, danger indicators, fire, urgency |
| Danger Red | #ff3b3b |
Critical failures, death, blood, extreme hazards |
| Off-White | #e8e8e8 |
Text, clean surfaces, light sources |
| Steel Gray | #8a8a9a |
Metal surfaces, fog, atmospheric haze |
Environmental Palettes
- Surface (Day/Low Tide)
- Muted earth tones, rust browns, concrete grays, patches of sickly green vegetation. Sky has permanent haze from moon debris.
- Surface (Night/Flood)
- Deep blues and blacks, bioluminescent hints in rising water, reflected moonlight fragments scattered across the sky.
- Underground Hatches
- Warm artificial lighting (yellows, ambers) contrasting with cold concrete and metal. Emergency lighting in red/orange.
- Vessel Interior
- Selenite Teal UI elements against dark panels. Lived-in warmth fighting sterile corporate design.
- Selenite Facilities
- Clinical white and teal, too bright, too clean — unsettling in its perfection.
Art Style Direction
Reference Games
- Alien: Isolation — Industrial sci-fi aesthetic, lo-fi technology, oppressive atmosphere
- Dead Space — Horror in space, body horror elements, mining/industrial settings
- SOMA — Underwater isolation, existential dread, decaying facilities
- Prey (2017) — Corporate sci-fi, Art Deco meets brutalism, retrofuturism
- The Long Dark — Survival isolation, environmental storytelling, quiet desperation
Rendering Style
- Realism with stylized lighting — Photorealistic textures, but dramatic, cinematic lighting
- Heavy use of shadow — What you can't see is as important as what you can
- Atmospheric depth — Fog, haze, particles in the air to create layers
- Contrast is key — Dark environments punctuated by harsh light sources
- Texture and wear — Nothing is new; everything shows its history
Visual Contrasts to Emphasize
| Element A | vs. | Element B |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate sterility | vs. | Organic decay |
| Vast environments | vs. | Tiny human figures |
| Advanced technology | vs. | Primitive survival |
| Artificial light | vs. | Natural darkness |
| Safety of vessel | vs. | Danger of surface |
Technical Specifications
File Formats
- Preferred
- WebP — Superior compression, excellent quality
- Fallback
- PNG — For transparency needs or maximum compatibility
- Source Files
- PSD/TIFF — Keep high-resolution source files archived
Resolution Requirements
| Use Case | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Hero Images | 1920 x 1080 px | 16:9 |
| Section Headers | 1200 x 400 px | 3:1 |
| Inline Illustrations | 800 x 600 px | 4:3 |
| Sidebar/Thumbnail | 400 x 400 px | 1:1 |
| Icon/Small | 200 x 200 px | 1:1 |
Terminology Consistency
Always use consistent terminology in all illustrations and accompanying text:
- Moonstalker — Never "player" or "character"
- Vessel — Never "ship," "station," or "base"
- Clone Bay — Never "respawn point" or "save room"
- Selenite Corp — Always capitalized, never abbreviated
- Drop Pod — Two words, both capitalized
- Teleportation Pad — Full name, or "telepad" informally
- The Network — Always capitalized with "The"
Illustration Types
Categories
- Concept Art
- Establishing shots, environment designs, vehicle/equipment concepts. Focus on mood and scale.
- Environmental
- Specific locations — hatches, surface zones, vessel interiors. Emphasize atmosphere and detail.
- First-Person POV
- What the Moonstalker sees. Hands visible, HUD elements suggested. Creates immersion.
- Character Portrait
- Moonstalkers in gear, NPCs, the vessel AI interface. Focus on personality and wear.
- Diagram
- Technical illustrations — systems, mechanics, UI concepts. Clean and readable.
- UI Mockup
- Interface designs — vessel terminals, HUD elements, contract boards.
Prompt Template
Each document's _prompt.txt file follows this structure:
ILLUSTRATION PROMPT: [Document Title]
=====================================
ILLUSTRATION TYPE: [concept art / diagram / UI mockup / environmental / first-person POV / character portrait]
SUBJECT: [Specific subject to illustrate]
SCENE DESCRIPTION:
[Detailed description of what the illustration should depict]
KEY VISUAL ELEMENTS:
- [Element 1]
- [Element 2]
- [Element 3]
MOOD/ATMOSPHERE:
[Emotional tone and lighting]
STYLE REFERENCE: See promptguide.html for master style guidelines
RECOMMENDED DIMENSIONS: [e.g., 1920x1080 for hero, 800x600 for inline, 400x400 for icon]
PLACEMENT: [Hero image / inline illustration / sidebar / background]