# Battle Map Art Direction: First Battle Sample

## Goal

Raise the first battle map from flat placeholder-like terrain to an original hand-painted tactical RPG battlefield while keeping the existing 20x18 tactical grid, unit positions, movement rules, and battle data unchanged.

## Readability Priority

- Unit sprites must read before the map.
- Terrain contrast stays one step below characters, combat UI, and hover/selection feedback.
- Texture detail should add depth without turning into visual noise at PC browser 100% scale.
- Terrain identity must remain clear: road, forest, hill, river, village, camp, fort.

## Terrain Palette

- Plain: muted olive grass with subtle yellow-green and brown brush flecks.
- Road: warm dusty tan with irregular edges, wheel marks, and compacted earth strokes.
- Forest: dark desaturated green canopy clusters with soft shadows, not black outlines.
- Hill: ochre stone and dry earth mounds, low-profile shapes that do not compete with units.
- Cliff: darker rock planes with sharper facets, used sparingly as impassable-looking terrain.
- River: subdued blue-green water with horizontal ripple highlights and darker bank shadows.
- Village: small ochre-roof huts, fences, and packed dirt clearings.
- Camp: simple canvas tents and banners, warm tan but low contrast.
- Fort: dark wood palisade and watch platforms with muted yellow flags.

## Grid And Tactical Form

- The map art itself should not contain heavy grid lines.
- Tile positions are preserved by rendering each terrain cell at 224px inside the existing 4480x4032 map.
- Organic edges may cross tile boundaries visually, but tactical meaning must still match the terrain array.
- Roads should visually connect from tile center to tile center so route planning is obvious.

## Sample Evaluation

- First battle lower-left camp and starting road should guide the eye toward the central route.
- Central village and river should be readable without stealing focus.
- Enemy fort area in the upper-right must imply an enemy line without becoming a large UI-like block.
- At 100% PC browser scale, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and enemy units must remain the strongest silhouettes.