# Refrain Garden Visual Brief Run `2026-08-mobile-originality-live-test-en-us`; concept `refrain-garden`. ## Decision Status This visual package is authorized by the bound GDD `0233cfab19c9b4b5f9aa9eae3838c9262c10d8303fc810e12732799c011f7843`, its accepted GDD audit, the passed market analysis, selected product direction, and UX flow `ce53bbee54dcc467e25ff053d5b28bf9eb8b2e30fdd84831640f0b5296421486`. Exact downstream hashes are recorded in `asset-manifest.json` so stale revisions fail closed. The locked direction is portrait mobile, 2D, fixed orthographic top-down, with shallow baked paper depth only. The package must communicate the actual cumulative-current mechanic, not merely decorative line drawing. The Chrono-Blade reference informs only the final board's dense structural layout; it is not a style, palette, typography, character, or world reference. ## Visual Pillars 1. **Every current returns.** `M-RIBBON`, `M-BREATH`, and `M-VECTOR` are represented as numbered cyan ribbons whose older paths stay visible and whose influence is readable on every later four-beat resolution. 2. **Prediction before commitment.** `M-PREVIEW` uses a four-slot timeline, projected seed positions, and dotted travel arrows. Preview and committed motion must never be confused. 3. **Botanical night clarity.** `ENV-GARDEN` and `ENV-NIGHT` use indigo paper, pale grid lines, warm blooms, coral danger, and restrained brass. Atmosphere never obscures topology. 4. **Glyphs carry meaning.** `E-SEED`, `E-FLOWER`, `E-ANCHOR`, `E-THORN`, `E-STONE`, and `E-GATE` remain distinguishable in grayscale and at phone size. 5. **Quiet premium restraint.** No coin counters, loot glows, ad language, fake 3D camera, photorealism, or generic fantasy ornament. ## Camera and Topology `SCR-GAMEPLAY` is a full, uncropped 6-column by 8-row board in portrait 360x800 logical space. The camera is fixed orthographic top-down. Border anchors occupy the perimeter; gameplay cells remain square and consistently spaced. The visual stack is: indigo paper background, grid, blocking objects, seed/flower goals, permanent committed ribbons, current preview, beat indicators, and HUD. No perspective vanishing point, camera rotation, parallax, or hidden rows is permitted. `ENV-HERBARIUM` may use layered paper cards but stays flat and touch-readable. The supported orientation is portrait only. Safe-area exclusions are 24 px at the top and 20 px at the bottom in the logical canvas. ## Palette and Contrast - Background: midnight indigo `#10162d`; surface `#19213b`; paper `#e9e2cf`; ink `#192033`; muted `#7f8aa8`. - Active current and primary action: electric cyan `#42d6e8`; danger: coral `#ef6f61`; achieved bloom/reward: warm gold `#e8bb61`. - `A-COLOR`: every semantic color has shape, symbol, line-style, label, or animation redundancy. Cyan current lines are numbered; coral threats use spikes/X marks; flowers use unique glyph centers; gates include arrows. - Text must maintain at least 4.5:1 for body copy and 3:1 for large text and non-text controls. Disabled controls keep readable labels and add a lock or disabled texture instead of opacity alone. ## Shape, Material, and Type Seeds are compact pale discs with unique dark glyphs. Flowers are larger radial silhouettes carrying the matching glyph. Anchors are pale perimeter sockets; thorns are coral spikes; stones are blunt graphite blocks; gates are framed cells with an arrow. Currents are smooth cyan ribbons with a luminous core, outer edge, and sequence number. Surfaces resemble layered archival paper and nocturnal pressed-flower cards, not parchment fantasy UI. Corners are softly rounded; outlines are crisp; texture amplitude stays below gameplay-symbol contrast. Display type may be an elegant high-contrast serif; all instructions, labels, numbers, and controls use a highly legible humanist sans. `A-TEXT` supports 100%, 120%, and 140% without truncating core instructions. ## UI and Motion `UI-TOPBAR` shows bed/board identity, committed ribbon count, and pause. `UI-TIMELINE` always exposes four beats and the current predicted or resolved position. `UI-PRIMARY` is a minimum 48x48 logical touch control with verb-first labeling. `UI-MODAL` preserves context under a darkened scrim and returns predictably. `UI-UNLOCK` appears only on the home screen as a secondary, one-time full-game option. `ST-FRESH` is quiet and ready; `ST-DRAWING` shows an in-progress line; `ST-PREVIEW` adds dotted projections; `ST-RESOLVING` advances one beat at a time; `ST-ACTIVE` shows all committed currents; `ST-PAUSED` freezes motion; `ST-SUCCESS` opens every required flower; `ST-FAILURE` freezes on the decisive cell and names the cause; `ST-ERROR` offers saved-copy recovery; `ST-LOADING` shows progress without pretending input is available; `ST-DISABLED` explains the lock; `ST-INTERRUPTED` preserves the board and offers resume/restart. `A-MOTION` replaces travel with four stepped position changes and one pulse per beat. `A-HAPTIC` provides optional light commit, beat, success, and failure patterns. No flash exceeds three events per second. ## References and Anti-References The gameplay master `ART-GAMEPLAY` is the single visual lineage source for companion generations. `BOARD-VISUAL-BLUEPRINT` locks hierarchy before companions. `BOARD-IMPLEMENTATION-OVERVIEW` is composed afterward from accepted frames and deterministic text. Do not imitate Chrono-Blade's clockwork, typography, palette, enemies, weapons, or world. Do not drift into Blek-like freeform ink minimalism, generic match-three candy polish, realistic gardening, neon cyberpunk, isometric diorama, or 3D perspective. Avoid decorative lines that do not correspond to `M-RIBBON`, invented currencies, hint buttons, energy meters, scores, timers, or additional mechanics. ## Accessibility `A-COLOR` uses redundant glyphs and line styles. `A-MOTION` exposes reduced-motion stepping. `A-TEXT` reflows labels at three text scales. `A-HAPTIC` is independently adjustable and never carries unique information. Every screen keeps the active goal, decisive state, and primary action perceivable without color or animation. Touch targets remain at least 48 logical px with 8 px separation. ## Prompt Plan `ART-GAMEPLAY` establishes the real 6x8 gameplay grammar without an image reference. `ART-GAMEPLAY-STATES`, `ART-ONBOARDING`, `ART-HOME`, `ART-BED-SELECT`, `ART-PAUSE`, `ART-SUCCESS`, `ART-FAILURE`, `ART-SETTINGS`, `ART-ACCESSIBILITY`, and `ART-LEGAL-ERROR` each reference that accepted master and their own traceable prompt. Every prompt names its applicable screen, state, mechanic, entity, environment, UI, accessibility, and VFX IDs. Complete traceability inventory: screens `SCR-ONBOARDING`, `SCR-HOME`, `SCR-BED-SELECT`, `SCR-GAMEPLAY`, `SCR-PAUSE`, `SCR-SUCCESS`, `SCR-FAILURE`, `SCR-SETTINGS`, `SCR-ACCESSIBILITY`, `SCR-LEGAL`; states `ST-FRESH`, `ST-DRAWING`, `ST-PREVIEW`, `ST-RESOLVING`, `ST-ACTIVE`, `ST-PAUSED`, `ST-SUCCESS`, `ST-FAILURE`, `ST-ERROR`, `ST-LOADING`, `ST-DISABLED`, `ST-INTERRUPTED`; mechanics `M-RIBBON`, `M-PREVIEW`, `M-BREATH`, `M-VECTOR`, `M-BLOOM`, `M-RETRY`; entities `E-SEED`, `E-FLOWER`, `E-ANCHOR`, `E-THORN`, `E-STONE`, `E-GATE`; environments `ENV-GARDEN`, `ENV-NIGHT`, `ENV-HERBARIUM`; UI `UI-TOPBAR`, `UI-TIMELINE`, `UI-PRIMARY`, `UI-MODAL`, `UI-UNLOCK`; accessibility `A-COLOR`, `A-MOTION`, `A-TEXT`, `A-HAPTIC`; VFX `V-RIBBON`, `V-PULSE`, `V-BLOOM`, `V-THORN`, `V-EDGE`, `V-COLLISION`, `V-ORDER`, `V-SUCCESS`.