Playbook · Survival / Open World / Crafting
Survival / Open World / Crafting Steam capsule art: four directions from your own assets
Survival, crafting, exploration, open world, sandbox.
Make my survival / open world / crafting sheet
First sheet free. Paste a Steam link on the home page instead.
The four directions every survival / open world / crafting sheet gets
One panel each, in this order, so the four are built to disagree: commercial, atmospheric, poster, and one swing.
Direction 1
Explorer Facing the World
Back or three-quarter view of the player looking into the unknown.
- ·Character from behind or profile, gear readable
- ·Vast environment ahead with one landmark
- ·Campfire, torch, or dawn as key light
- ·Logo large in sky
Direction 2
Threat Encounter
The world bites back.
- ·Creature, storm, or hostile faction as the focal threat
- ·Tension in scale and distance
- ·Cinematic weather
- ·Title restrained
Direction 3
Rugged Poster
Field-guide or expedition-poster design.
- ·Textured print feel, stamps, badges, or maps
- ·Strong condensed type
- ·Subject as bold graphic
- ·Feels handmade and worn
Direction 4
Concept-Driven Angle
The wildcard.
- ·Pick ONE: a hand holding a crafted tool, a map with a torn edge, a storm seen through a tent, footprints in snow, a lone fire on a dark map, a broken compass close-up
What the art director is told
The playbook below is the actual guidance the model receives for survival / open world / crafting games, minus your brief and assets.
Compositions that work
- Figure back-to-camera left, logo right
- Low horizon vast sky
- Threat looming over small figure
- Object hero
Lighting
- Campfire warm vs cold night
- Dawn haze
- Storm light
- Harsh noon
Palettes, one per panel
- Wild Dusk: deep green, amber fire, night blue
- Wasteland: dust, rust, faded blue, bone
- Frost: white, ice blue, charcoal, orange accent
- Jungle: saturated greens, mud, red accent
Typography
- Condensed rugged sans
- Stamped or stenciled type
- Expedition-style caps
- Clean grotesque
Typography to avoid
- Chrome
- Glow
- Generic distressed fonts everywhere
Texture that helps
- Grain
- Dust
- Worn paper on poster concept
- Rain
Texture that hurts
- Grunge overlays
- Debris clutter
Never
- Brown-gray mud grading
- Clutter of crafting items
- Generic zombie poses
- Cheap fog overlays
Your survival / open world / crafting game, four ways, in about a minute.
Built from your own screenshots and logo. Sizes Steam actually uses. No key, no account for the first sheet.