Chapter 1: Design Logic & References Per Genre

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Design Logic & References per Genre — Genre Toolkits for Prop Concept Artists

Genres are contracts with the audience. They promise certain materials, manufacturing methods, silhouettes, and symbols—and they punish props that ignore those contracts. This article distills design logic and reference lanes for six common genres—Fantasy, Hard Sci‑Fi, Soft Sci‑Fi, Cyberpunk, Historical, Post‑Apocalyptic, and Whimsical—so both concept and production teams can work faster without fracturing tone. Each section covers: core verbs (what props do in that world), shape grammar, material & edge language, palette & value rules, iconography/typography, wear & provenance cues, motion/FX logic, and production notes for physical and digital builds.

Fantasy

Core verbs. Channel, protect, bless, bind, reveal. Fantasy props are extensions of ritual and craft. Function is often spiritual first, mechanical second.

Shape grammar. Archetypal primitives (circles for unity, triangles for power, squares for stability) arranged in sacred ratios. Profiles favor tapering spires, guarded cores, and negative space “windows” that imply energy flow. Asymmetry is common but balanced, like hand‑made instruments.

Material & edge language. Natural materials with storied finishes: steel/iron with hand‑forged facets, bronze/brass with chased edges, carved woods with tool chatter, bone/horn/stone inlays. Edges are chamfered by hand—irregular but purposeful; fillets read as worn by touch rather than machined. Joinery is visible (tenons, rivets, wraps), and glues are organic (hide glue, resin).

Palette & values. Earth neutrals punctuated by metal warmth and gem accents. Values cluster in three tiers: body mid (wood/leather), accent light (polished metal/gem), and dark anchors (iron, shadows inside carvings). Saturation is localized; patina greens and oxblood lacquers signal age and care.

Iconography & type. Crests, heraldry, runes, knotwork. Typography is carved, stamped, embroidered—no modern alignment; baseline undulates slightly. Symbols map to lineage or schools of magic.

Wear & provenance. Polish halos where hands bless surfaces; micro‑nicks on edges; maintenance oils darken grain; repairs are stitches, brazed patches, or wire bindings. Provenance reads through maker’s marks, guild seals, and talismans added later by owners.

Motion & FX. Slow reveals, mechanical‑ritual motions (locks with rotating rings, unfolding arms). Light leaks through inlays; particulate motes rather than LED pixels.

Production notes. Embrace tool marks; avoid perfect symmetry unless “royal.” Metals: mix cold‑blue and warm‑brass for hierarchy. Soft goods: linen, wool, leather with hand‑stitch SPM variations. In engine/shader: restrained roughness bands; specular broad and soft; add subsurface to bone and horn.

Hard Sci‑Fi

Core verbs. Survive physics: measure, regulate, propel, contain. Readability, standards, and serviceability beat ornament.

Shape grammar. Clean primitives with engineering hierarchy: primary mass (pressure vessel, chassis), secondary service bays, tertiary fasteners/ports. Proportions obey constraints; access panels and redundancy are visible. Silhouettes minimize noise.

Material & edge language. Anodized aluminum, titanium, carbon composites, machined plastics, ceramic insulators. Edges follow manufacturability: tight chamfers on machined parts, continuous radii on pressure paths, safety rounds at touchpoints. Fastener logic is consistent (socket heads, safety wire, torque‑paint).

Palette & values. Neutral base (grays, off‑whites) with constrained safety accents (yellow/black hazard, orange for rescue, blue for data). Value grouping: body mid, interface high, hardware dark. Labels follow standards with clear hierarchies.

Iconography & type. Standards‑driven symbology, alphanumerics, barcodes/Datamatrix, SI units, serials. Typography is sans‑serif, condensed, all‑caps, grid‑aligned.

Wear & provenance. Maintenance‑driven: witness marks, calibration stickers, UV fade on labels, sealant squeeze‑out, dust saddles at fillets. Repairs are documented plates or swapped modules; mixed plating betrays later replacements.

Motion & FX. Linear slides, detent‑indexed knobs, guarded switches, sequenced interlocks. FX are constrained: vented steam, plasma kept behind optics, believable LED indicators.

Production notes. Bevel ladder disciplined, no random fillets. Decal packs with ISO‑style marks. In shaders, “toon PBR” with posterized roughness bands; in physical builds, satin/gloss ladders and neat fastener arrays.

Soft Sci‑Fi

Core verbs. Imagine adjacent future: communicate, heal, augment, assist. Human‑friendly technology with narrative flair.

Shape grammar. Rounded rectangles, pebble forms, flowing blends. Interfaces are large and inviting; seams are hidden or celebrated as ribbons.

Material & edge language. Painted alloys, soft‑touch polymers, fabric composites. Macro‑rounds for friendliness; micro detail minimized. Magnetic or snap fasteners over exposed screws.

Palette & values. Clean, optimistic palettes (soft whites, cool grays) with gentle pastels or energetic neons as accents. Values are grouped to avoid visual clutter; high‑key defaults with darker bases for grounding.

Iconography & type. Icon‑forward UI, thin‑weight sans fonts, dots and lines. Minimalist labels; QR‑like codes are decorative and de‑scannified.

Wear & provenance. Smudge and polish at touch zones; micro‑scratches on glossy plastics; fabric pilling; sticker halos if personalized. Repairs are module swaps with clean new parts.

Motion & FX. Magnetic docks, silent slides, soft haptics, translucent indicators. Light is diffused rather than point‑source; glows with bloom.

Production notes. Prioritize continuous surfaces; avoid panel noise. In paint, prioritize even satin with micro‑gloss accents. For shaders, wider specular lobes, clamped fresnel, and ambient tints that keep pastels alive.

Cyberpunk

Core verbs. Hack, graft, monetize, surveil. Corporate polish smashed against street bricolage.

Shape grammar. Layered kits: OEM cores with aftermarket cages, rails, and heatsinks. Silhouettes combine slabs with spiky attachments and cable loops. Visual density ramps toward interfaces.

Material & edge language. Brushed metals, gunmetal coatings, injection‑molded plastics, chromed trims, rubberized grips, exposed PCBs. Edge mix is deliberate: crisp chamfers on corp parts; dinged rounds and rough welds on street mods.

Palette & values. High‑contrast neons (magenta, cyan, acid green) against polluted neutrals. Values swing bold: deep blacks, punchy highlights. Color coding aligns to gangs/corps.

Iconography & type. Corporate logos, alphanumeric tags, sticker stacks, warning triangles, glitch graphics. Typography mixes brutalist condensed sans with bitmap fonts. Legalese micro‑text as texture.

Wear & provenance. Heat tint on metal, sticker palimpsests, cable abrasion, greasy fingerprints, grime in fans. Repairs are visible: hose clamps, zip ties, solder blobs, 3D‑printed brackets.

Motion & FX. Snappy slides, racked rails, coil hums, LED chases, holographic scrims with scanlines. Sparks, smoke, and cheap laser pointers are fair game.

Production notes. Build in layers for removability; stock a sticker library with eras and subcultures. Mix satin and gloss aggressively. Shaders can add scanline/rim cheats; physicals benefit from heat‑blue and oil‑stain techniques.

Historical (Grounded Period Work)

Core verbs. Serve daily life, wage war, measure, store, travel—exactly as in the chosen period.

Shape grammar. Period‑correct proportions and manufacturing limits. Research primary sources: catalogs, museums, manuals. Avoid anachronistic radii and screw types.

Material & edge language. Whatever the era affords: wrought iron, brass, cast iron, early steels; hardwoods with hand planes; glass with bubbles; fabrics in period weaves. Edges reflect tools: casting flash filed off, hand‑planed facets, forge scale.

Palette & values. Pigments of the time (earths, indigos, vermilion, early anilines). Faded, sun‑kissed values, varnish ambering. No modern neons unless historically grounded.

Iconography & type. Period labels, maker’s plates, stamps, hallmark systems; scripts or serifs appropriate to date/culture; measurement units from the period.

Wear & provenance. Honest use: polish at grips, soot near flames, lime scale at kettles, sweat stains in leather. Repairs reflect tools available: peened rivets, patches, darning.

Motion & FX. Springs, cams, pulleys, clockwork; no hidden magnets unless justified. Sound is tactile: clacks, creaks, bell rings.

Production notes. Partner with historians; fabricate using period‑adjacent methods or simulate them (hand tool textures). For shaders, subdued roughness variance, subtle SSS in woods and horn; period‑accurate glass IOR and scatter.

Post‑Apocalyptic

Core verbs. Scavenge, survive, repurpose, defend. Function first, then narrative swagger.

Shape grammar. Collage of found parts with visible logic: fuel cans turned packs, stop signs as shields, piping as frames. Asymmetry driven by availability. Weight low for stability; harnesses and straps everywhere.

Material & edge language. Rusted steel, sun‑crazed plastics, patched fabrics, duct tape, rope, mismatched fasteners, welded plates. Edges are battered; radii are accidental; burrs get taped.

Palette & values. Sun‑bleached neutrals, oxidized reds/browns, mold greens, smoke blacks; occasional high‑chroma trophies (stickers, ribbons) for character. Values are dusty and matte; gloss appears only on fresh oil or rain.

Iconography & type. Hand‑painted warnings, scavenged corporate decals, road signage fragments, tally marks. Typography is inconsistent, often improvised.

Wear & provenance. Layered: original manufacturer ghosts, institutional tags half‑scraped, personal marks, then field repairs (plates, stitches, wire ties). Drip logic follows gravity and patch seams. Provenance is cumulative and chaotic.

Motion & FX. Clattery, exposed mechanisms; ratchet straps, padlocks, makeshift hinges; sparks and smoke from leaks; torn fabric motion.

Production notes. Build with real salvage logic; ensure safe edges. Weather in passes: manufacturer → institution → personal → grime → repairs → re‑grime. Shaders favor matte with localized wet.

Whimsical

Core verbs. Delight, surprise, anthropomorphize, play. Function is readable but subservient to charm.

Shape grammar. Exaggerated primitives, strong silhouettes, friendly masses. Faces emerge from negative space (two screws + a slot read as a smile). Proportion caricature is the rule.

Material & edge language. Candy‑coated paints, lacquered woods, felt/fabric trims, big trims and stitches. Edges are soft; sharpness is rare and narratively handled.

Palette & values. Compressed palettes with harmonious pastels or bold trios. Values are simple—two or three steps with deliberate rim lights. High‑key defaults; shadows are colored and soft.

Iconography & type. Chunky icons, playful serifs/sans, hand‑lettered signs. Symbols are large and readable.

Wear & provenance. Clean by default; scuffs are graphic stickers rather than photoreal scratches. Repairs are big, neat patches with visible threads or bandages. Provenance reads as ownership labels and charms.

Motion & FX. Springy, elastic motions; squeaks and boings; stylized steam puffs, sparkles.

Production notes. Favor simple geometry and large fillets. Paint masks for edge highlights. Shaders use “toon PBR” with rim terms; avoid noisy normals. Physicals get gloss/matte contrasts and safe, oversized stitches.

Cross‑Genre Blends (and How Not to Break Them)

When genres mix, choose a primary grammar and a secondary accent. A fantasy‑cyberpunk relic could be forged metal with ritual inlays (primary) wrapped in neon coil overlays (secondary). Keep edge language consistent with the primary; allow palette accents from the secondary. Provenance systems must reconcile: a corporate serial plate can sit next to a talisman tag if their eras and materials are justified. Use bridge elements—standard screw sizes, label font heights, stitch spacing—to maintain scale across lanes.

Research & Reference Strategy

Build reference banks per genre: primary sources (museum catalogs, industrial manuals, real salvage), secondary art books, and material swatches. Label folders by function (locks, vessels, tools) and manufacture (cast, forged, machined, printed). Keep a “don’t” folder per genre—common clichés and misreads—to avoid trope soup. For historical and hard‑sci‑fi, verify standards (units, safety marks). For cyberpunk/post‑apoc, collect sticker eras, ad fragments, and repair typologies. For whimsical, gather color keys and silhouette boards.

Callouts & Production Translation

For every hero prop, include genre‑specific callouts: silhouette archetype, bevel ladder, material surrogates, value stack, palette chips, iconography placement, wear order, and motion beats. Add fabrication notes: thread SPM, decal sizes, safety edges, sheen ladders. Provide three views: pristine, lived‑in, and repaired—so provenance reads over time. For digital, attach shader presets (realistic PBR vs. toon PBR) tuned to the genre’s roughness bands and rim behavior.

Quick Genre Audit Before Ship

  • Fantasy: Tool marks visible? Sacred ratios present? Touch polish and patina layered?
  • Hard Sci‑Fi: Bevel tiers legal? Labels standard? Service logic believable?
  • Soft Sci‑Fi: Friendly rounds consistent? Pastel accents disciplined? Hidden interfaces readable?
  • Cyberpunk: Layered OEM + street mods? Neon vs. grime balance? Sticker logic & heat wear present?
  • Historical: No anachronisms? Period pigments/typography correct? Honest use/wear?
  • Post‑Apocalyptic: Salvage logic true? Repair sequencing layered? Gravity‑true grime?
  • Whimsical: Simplified values? Safe edges? Graphic wear over photo noise?

Final Thought

Good genre work isn’t imitation; it’s fluency. By internalizing each genre’s verbs, shape grammar, edge and material logic, palette discipline, and provenance cues—and by translating those into explicit callouts and finish plans—you build props that feel inevitable in their worlds. The audience recognizes the contract, and your team ships faster with fewer revisions.