heros_web/docs/unit-sprite-batch2-shu-strategist-spec.md

Batch 2 Shu Strategist Production Spec

Use this only after unit-shu-infantry v3 is approved and the current queue reaches unit-shu-strategist.

Target

• Unit key: unit-shu-strategist
• Batch: Batch 2 Shu generic units
• Role: generic Shu tactician/strategist
• Style reference:
  • unit-liu-bei
  • unit-shu-infantry v3
  • approved hand-painted batch 1 readability
• Required output sheets:
  • src/assets/images/units/unit-shu-strategist.png
  • src/assets/images/units/unit-shu-strategist-actions.png

Visual Direction

• Must read as a strategist at 50px battle scale, not as a plain infantry unit.
• Fan, scroll, robe silhouette, and calm upright posture should identify the class.
• Use green/cream Shu robes with bronze belt details and a dark outline.
• Keep robes broad enough to read, with simple large folds and no wispy transparent edges.
• Strategy action frames may include contained painted effect shapes, but no detached idle/walk fragments.
• Do not solve readability with base rings, badges, glows, or UI decoration.

Source Image Prompt

Use case: stylized-concept
Asset type: production source image for a tactical RPG strategist unit sprite sheet
Primary request: Create a high-quality hand-painted raster contact sheet for ONE Shu strategist unit, in the same production style as the approved hand-painted units but clearly differentiated by fan, scroll, and robe silhouette.
Scene/backdrop: perfectly flat solid #ff00ff chroma-key background only, no shadows, no floor plane, no texture, no text.
Subject: original Three Kingdoms-inspired Shu strategist, no copyrighted game assets, no logos. Green and cream layered robes, bronze belt plate, dark boots, scholar cap or tied hair, feather fan or folded war fan, small scroll case. The character should look like an elite generic Shu tactician, not Zhuge Liang or another named hero.
Style/medium: premium hand-painted pixel-adjacent raster game art, bold dark ink outline, large readable color masses, crisp opaque body shapes, subtle painted robe folds, tactical RPG battle sprite source art.
Composition/framing: 6 columns by 2 rows contact sheet, twelve separate full-body frames, each frame centered with generous padding and the entire fan/scroll visible. No cropping. Keep each figure around 78-84% of its cell height with stable body scale and ground position across all frames.
Frames left to right, top row: front idle holding fan, front walk step, east walk side with robe and fan visible, back walk with scroll case, west walk side mirrored pose, strategy windup raising fan. Bottom row: strategy cast with contained scroll/fan gesture, second strategy pose with robe sweep, command gesture, item gesture, hurt recoil, victory pose with fan lifted.
Animation constraints: each frame should be newly drawn with natural pose differences in sleeves, robe hem, fan angle, head, and arms, but body size must remain stable. Idle should not twist sideways. Walk frames should not drift far horizontally. Action frames must stay inside their cell.
Readability constraints: at 50px game scale the fan shape, robe mass, green Shu palette, and strategist posture must read before the background. Use thick silhouette, deep shadows, strong outline, fewer tiny details, and clear class props.
Avoid: thin line art, transparent body pixels, ghostly low opacity, tiny head, overly realistic painting, chibi proportions, blurred edges, cropped fan, detached spell fragments in idle/walk, excessive glowing effects, labels, captions, watermarks, UI, grid lines, checker backgrounds, duplicated identical frames.

Expected Artifacts

• Source: docs/handpaint-batch2-shu-strategist-source-v1.png
• Contact sheet: docs/handpaint-batch2-shu-strategist-contact.png
• Animation GIF: docs/handpaint-batch2-shu-strategist-animation.gif
• Previous/new comparison: docs/handpaint-batch2-shu-strategist-before-after.png
• Battle-scale comparison: docs/handpaint-batch2-shu-strategist-scale-compare.png
• Battle map composite: docs/handpaint-batch2-shu-strategist-battle-composite.png
• Report: docs/handpaint-batch2-shu-strategist-report.md

Validation Targets

• Base partial alpha: 0
• Action partial alpha: 0
• Base frame border hits: 0
• Action frame border hits: 0
• Base sheet size: 5008x1252
• Action sheet size: 11268x1252
• unit-shu-strategist must appear as ok in docs/unit-sprite-rework-audit.json
• Fan/robe silhouette must be readable at 50px without relying on effects.
• unit-sprite-review-batch2-shu.png must show unit-shu-strategist as visually stronger than the old placeholder.