Chapter 2: Interaction & Crafting Loops — Clarity Beats

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Interaction & crafting loops — clarity beats for prop concept artists

Why “clarity beats” matter

In moment‑to‑moment play, props do not exist in isolation—they choreograph a series of legible steps the player can predict and trust. “Clarity beats” are the timed, visual‑audible cues that tell the player what’s possible now, what will happen next, and when the action is complete. For concept artists and production artists alike, designing those beats up front prevents costly late fixes (glows, outlines, tooltip spam) and keeps the look cohesive with Level Design (LD), Systems, UI, VFX, and Audio.

Shared language (align this with your team)

  • Loop: a repeatable sequence (e.g., gather → refine → craft → upgrade/repair) with states and gates.
  • Beat: a short, time‑boxed cue (visual, sound, motion) that advances the loop or confirms a state change.
  • Affordance: what an object suggests you can do (readable from shape, color, motion).
  • Gate: requirement to progress (resource, tool, proximity, timing window).
  • Feedback: multisensory confirmation (visual + sound + haptics) that a step succeeded/failed.
  • Diegetic vs HUD: in‑world graphics vs screen‑space overlays.

Map the loop first (player‑centric storyboard)

Before detail, sketch the interaction storyboard from the player’s perspective:

  1. Discover (noticing): silhouette, color, idle VFX/audio.
  2. Approach (intent): pick‑up radius/cone, prompt zone, occlusion.
  3. Prepare (gate): resources/tools present? display cost/requirements.
  4. Act (input): tap/hold/aim; timing window length.
  5. Resolve (result): success/fail feedback; drop/spawn; state change.
  6. Persist (memory): decals, emissive states, UI log, cooldowns. Design beats for each step with timing and metrics; use the same skeleton for loot pickup, crafting benches, repair stations, and puzzle props.

Clarity beats by distance (long/mid/close)

  • Long read (15–30 m): class identity and lure. Use one bold color block or motion motif per prop family. Idle VFX amplitude is minimal—enough to catch peripheral vision without noise.
  • Mid read (5–10 m): interaction readiness. Status lights and decals shift from neutral to “ready” when the player enters the cone; Audio adds a soft cue (2–3 notes, < 0.5 s).
  • Close read (0–2 m): control surface detail, tooltip/prompt anchoring, hand/handle orientation, and micro‑VFX like pixel bloom on screens. Always preview in gameplay FOV; concept renders can hide mid‑read problems.

Metrics that drive beats (defaults to adapt)

  • Prompt cone: 60° ±20°; radius 0.6–1.2 m depending on prop class.
  • Hold actions: 0.8–1.2 s to complete; early release yields partial or fail.
  • Cooldown telegraph: 0.5–1.0 s ramp‑down with dimming emissive and falling audio pitch.
  • Crafting cycle: 2.5–4.0 s baseline per tier; workstation upgrades can shorten. Declare these in the callout sheet so Systems, UI, and Audio tune against the same expectations.

Motion design: the clearest communicator

Micro‑animations communicate state without reading. At concept stage, block:

  • Idle: 4–8 bpm (beats per minute) sway or LED chase; implies “alive but neutral.”
  • Armed/Ready: brief (0.2–0.3 s) settle pose plus brighter edge rim; haptics tick (if applicable).
  • Working: looping 0.8–1.2 s cycle with rhythmic light and mechanical motion.
  • Complete: snap to rest and flash, 0.15–0.3 s; Audio “arrival” chord; VFX sparkle decay < 0.6 s. Keep motion on primary shapes—not greebles—so it reads at mid distance.

VFX language: minimal, directional, purposeful

  • Use directional effects to indicate flow (resources moving into a hopper, energy toward the toolhead).
  • Reserve bright particles for resolve beats only; idle is dim and sparse.
  • Occluders: provide simple shells for VFX to clip correctly inside housings.
  • Author mask atlases so families share the same glow/beam textures; consistent language scales across props.

Audio scaffolding (paired with beats)

  • Discover: faint loop (−24 dBFS) with material identity (glass tinkle, servo hum).
  • Ready: short UI‑like ping (0.2 s), pitch‑matched across tiers.
  • Working: rhythmic layer (tool rhythm), adjustable with crafting tier.
  • Complete/Fail: distinct interval jumps (+/− 3 semitones) to separate outcomes. List contact materials on the callout so Foley matches surface logic.

UI: diegetic first, HUD as backup

  • Reserve screen planes and label rails on the model; angle 10–20° toward typical approach.
  • Use shape‑coded prompts in‑world (ring = hold, chevron = tap, bracket = aim) and let HUD show the same in miniature for accessibility.
  • Keep color budgets consistent (e.g., cyan = interact, amber = busy, green = complete). Avoid conflicts with faction palettes.
  • Provide Material IDs for UI surfaces so lookdev isolates bloom and noise without touching body materials.

Crafting stations & benches: design for loops

A good bench reads recipe flow:

  • Inputs: trays, clips, feeder tubes—left side.
  • Process: toolhead motion/heat core—center (guarded, readable).
  • Outputs: chute/bed—right side with latch/ready lamp. Add tier slots for upgrades (bigger heater, precision nozzle) with clear mechanical reads; these slots drive the “progression beat” when improved. Include safety affordances (shields, interlocks) that lock during process cycles—useful for fail feedback and narrative credibility.

Inventory: props that feed loops

Design pickable resources with stacking and rarity in mind:

  • Silhouette families: shape language per resource (ingot vs vial vs fiber spool).
  • Stack logic: variants for 1×, 5×, 10× stacks with consistent footprint so LD can scatter without overlap.
  • Rarity glints: small hue/particle changes that don’t fight the faction color system. Include pickup radii and quick‑view UI planes so players read quantities without opening menus.

Timing windows & skill expression

If Systems wants skill in the loop, visualize timing:

  • Heat/cool bars on the device body with a sweet‑spot color zone.
  • Auditory cues (accelerando, pitch bend) that peak in the sweet spot.
  • Motion ease: toolhead settles briefly when timing is optimal. Concept art should show both neutral and sweet‑spot looks so UI/VFX/Audio can align.

Accessibility & comfort

  • Provide shape‑based prompts and icon redundancies for color‑vision diversity.
  • Keep flashing below comfort thresholds; avoid rapid white‑on‑black strobes.
  • Ensure approach planes are broad; controller magnetism shouldn’t snap players into geometry.
  • Add audio subtitle tags (“Bench ready”, “Crafting started”, “Crafting complete”) for players who rely on text.

Partnering with LD and Systems

  • Share socket names (FX_IN, FX_OUT, UI_PLANE, AUDIO_SRC) and their transforms.
  • Provide spawn bounds (proxy volumes) for benches and harvest nodes.
  • Document cone/radius defaults and slope tolerances for placement.
  • Offer state machines diagrams (IDLE→READY→WORKING→COMPLETE/FAIL) with triggers.

Production notes: id stability and packaging

  • Keep Material IDs consistent across variant upgrades; Cryptomatte seeds should not change between versions.
  • Version textures with state suffixes (e.g., _S0_idle, _S1_ready).
  • Package USD VariantSets or structured FBX names for states and upgrades.
  • Include a one‑page Beat Bible: timing table, color keys, audio notes, and VFX mask references.

Photobash & scan ethics in loops

  • Don’t photobash brand logos or proprietary UI without permission; gameplay loops often ship to marketing.
  • Avoid using disaster/medical imagery for fail states; synthesize neutral lab references instead.
  • Keep a source sheet per concept with author/licensing info to protect the team.

Callout sheet essentials (per prop class)

  • Orthos with pickup radius & cone overlays.
  • Beat timeline: 0–3 s strip for Idle → Ready → Working → Complete/Fail with thumbnails.
  • UI/VFX planes labeled; audio source icon.
  • Sockets (FX_IN, FX_OUT, UI_PLANE, AUDIO_SRC, ITEM_SPAWN) and pivots.
  • State machine box with transitions and triggers.

Common pitfalls checklist

  • Beautiful prop, unclear loop—no storyboard or beats.
  • Idle VFX too loud; exhausts attention and hides “Ready” transition.
  • Prompt anchored to curved glass; UI warps and floats.
  • Material IDs shuffled between variants; masks break.
  • Pickup radius tuned for photo angles, not gameplay FOV.
  • Audio cues identical for success/fail; players misread outcome.
  • Photobashed UI implies real brand or restricted symbology.

A 60‑minute drill

  1. 0–10 min: Pick a Tier‑1 crafting bench; sketch the loop storyboard (6 panels).
  2. 10–20 min: Block the bench with input/process/output zones; add sockets and pivots.
  3. 20–30 min: Define metrics (0.8 s hold, 3.0 s craft, 60° cone, 1.0 m radius); overlay on orthos.
  4. 30–45 min: Paint a beat timeline (Idle→Ready→Working→Complete/Fail) with VFX/Audio notes.
  5. 45–60 min: Export a handoff sheet with IDs, state machine diagram, and a brief “Beat Bible.”

Closing

Clarity beats transform props from set dressing into trustworthy gameplay instruments. By storyboarding the loop, tying visuals to metrics, and coordinating motion, UI, VFX, and Audio from blockout onward, you’ll create interaction systems that feel intuitive, fair, and satisfying—while staying on‑style and production‑ready. Make beats the backbone of your prop design, and every loop will play like music.