---
title: "Sprint 12 — Visual Briefing"
description: "Visual grammar document, placeholder art spec, spatial layouts (Hub, Bar, corridors)"
type: sprint
status: archived
sprint: 12
team: "visual"
---

# Sprint 12: Build — Visual Tasks

**Goal:** Lay the production-layer foundations — simulation tier system, sound event pipeline, visual grammar, and knowledge boundary enforcement — and complete all v0.1 copy authoring so content packs, opening hooks, and world-building docs are done.

**Branch:** `visual`
**Agents:** Araminta (art direction)

## Carry-over from Sprint 11

None. Sprint 11 was 7/7 done.

## New Tickets

| # | Title | Blocked by |
|---|-------|------------|
| #303 | v0.1 Visual Grammar Document | — |
| #252 | Placeholder art specification | — |
| #311 | Spatial layout: Logistics Hub (The Terminal) | #303 |
| #312 | Spatial layout: Bar (The Last Shift) | #303 |
| #313 | Spatial layout: Smuggling spaces and transition corridors | #303 |

Use `db/connectors/ticket show <id>` for full details.

## Key Decisions

- `decisions/perception.md` — D-043 (art direction — "functional warmth"), D-044 (visual hierarchy: entity > object > structure), D-045 (environmental neutrality — strict zero shift), D-046 (lighting — three-reference model), D-047 (two-tier animation system), D-048 (neural insert overlay visual design), D-049 (z-level rendering stack — 8 layers)
- `decisions/scope.md` — D-036 (Sova Transit District as v0.1 setting)
- `decisions/architecture.md` — D-066 (dual-scale grid: 0.5m simulation, 1m visual)
- `decisions/content.md` — D-052 (character favorite colors — object-layer identification)

## Notes

**#303 — v0.1 Visual Grammar Document**
- This is the sprint's single highest-leverage deliverable. It directly unblocks 11 downstream tickets: #304, #311, #312, #313, #314, #315, #316, #317, #318, #333, #334.
- One document, approximately 4–6 pages. Contents:
  1. **Color palette** — three zone palettes (logistics hub: cool industrial, bar: warm amber, corridors: neutral) with explicit hex values. Cross-reference D-043 "functional warmth" and D-045 environmental neutrality (environment NEVER shifts to signal danger/safety — only entities carry emotional color).
  2. **Entity sizing and proportions** — NPC rectangle dimensions at 1m visual grid. Player indicator. Static object sizing.
  3. **Entity color system** — relationship states (D-033, D-052): unknown=teal `#4a9ebb`, known/friendly=green `#6bc9a6`, person-of-interest=amber `#e8c547`, hostile=red `#d45d5d`, static objects=grey `#8899aa`. This IS #304 content — write it as a section of #303, then close #304 as covered.
  4. **Z-level layer assignments** — per D-049: 8 layers from floor (0) to UI overlay (7). Which layer gets tiles, NPCs, player, fog, UI elements.
  5. **Typography baseline** — font (Michroma, introduced Sprint 10), sizes, weights for dialogue, monologue, environmental text, HUD.
  6. **Animation tier baseline** — per D-047: Tier 1 (8-frame idle/walk loop for Active NPCs) vs Tier 2 (static sprite for Background NPCs).
  7. **Neural insert overlay** — per D-048: the insert HUD aesthetic. Smuggler vs detective visual variants.
- Deliver as `docs/design/visual-grammar-v01.md` (or equivalent path in the visual branch).
- **Write this first.** Everything else in this sprint is blocked on it.

**#252 — Placeholder art specification**
- Define: tile size in pixels (at 1m visual grid per D-066), NPC sprite dimensions, animation frame count requirements, color palette constraints, file format.
- This is a short spec document (1–2 pages). Unblocks #133 (placeholder art pipeline implementation).
- Can be written in parallel with #303 — it feeds from the same decisions (D-043, D-044, D-066) but doesn't need #303 to be complete first.

**#311 — Spatial layout: Logistics Hub (The Terminal)**
- Tile-level floor plan for the logistics hub. Blocked by #303 (need the visual grammar before doing tile-level design).
- Contents: scanner bays, main corridor (chokepoint — key player observation position), manifest processing area, break room, supervisor office (window overlooking floor), restricted storage entrance.
- Include sightline analysis: which positions have LOS to which areas. This feeds #190 (Mellanie's workplace content pack) and is critical for investigation design.
- D-066 dual-scale grid: draw at 1m visual grid, note that simulation runs at 0.5m internally.
- Deliver as a diagram or annotated tilemap sketch in `docs/design/` with accompanying notes.

**#312 — Spatial layout: Bar (The Last Shift)**
- Converted maintenance staging area. Irregular layout is intentional — organic feel per D-043 "functional warmth."
- Key elements: long bar counter (high visibility from most positions), corner booth (key observation position — can see both entrance and bar), bathroom corridor (secondary exit, NPC private conversations), back room (staff only).
- Same sightline analysis as #311. Feeds #191 (bar content pack).

**#313 — Spatial layout: Smuggling spaces and transition corridors**
- The smuggling ring does NOT have a separate building. Operations run through:
  1. Restricted storage within the logistics hub
  2. Maintenance corridors (off main paths)
  3. Dead-drop locations (3 specific spots)
  4. Transition corridors between hub and bar district (~40m)
- Mark the corridors with expected NPC traffic density (sparse/moderate/busy affects how conspicuous player movement is).
- Feeds #192 (smuggling ring content pack).

**Cross-team note:** #311, #312, #313 are blockers for copy team's content packs (#190, #191, #192). Deliver these as early as possible after #303 is done. If full tile maps can't be finalized before content packs start, provide wireframe versions so Mellanie can proceed with draft content.

## Dependency Chain

```
#303 (visual grammar) → #311, #312, #313 (spatial layouts)
#252 (placeholder spec) — parallel, standalone
#311 → unblocks copy #190
#312 → unblocks copy #191
#313 → unblocks copy #192
```

## PR Workflow

When ready to submit, create a PR with `tea` CLI. **All flags are required** to avoid TTY prompts (see CLAUDE.md "Gitea access" section):

```bash
tea pr create --repo jpmschweitzer/settled-reach --login schweitz --title "feat(visual): Sprint 12 — visual grammar, placeholder spec, spatial layouts" --description "body" --base main --head visual
```