Add 1c. Icons and Inventory Art

1c.-Icons-and-Inventory-Art.md

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+# Icons and Inventory Art
+
+This page covers item icons, hotbar art, category icons, status symbols, and other small gameplay graphics.
+
+## Primary goal
+
+An icon should communicate its meaning quickly without requiring text.
+
+At a glance, players should be able to distinguish:
+
+- Fishing rod
+- Coffee
+- Energy drink
+- Snack
+- Fish finder
+- Cooler upgrade
+- Currency
+- Fish
+- Clothing
+- Tools
+- Consumables
+
+## Style
+
+Icons should use:
+
+- Strong silhouettes
+- Limited colors
+- Large recognizable features
+- Simple shadow shapes
+- Consistent visual weight
+- Transparent backgrounds
+- Minimal interior detail
+
+Avoid:
+
+- Realistic rendering
+- Tiny labels
+- Fine linework
+- Complex backgrounds
+- Excessive perspective
+- Very thin handles or cords
+- Details visible only when zoomed in
+
+## Suggested size
+
+Typical source sizes:
+
+- 32 × 32
+- 48 × 48
+- 64 × 64
+
+The issue should specify the exact target where possible.
+
+Design at the smallest intended source size rather than relying on reduction from a large illustration.
+
+## Silhouette test
+
+Temporarily fill the icon with one solid color.
+
+If it becomes difficult to identify, the silhouette probably needs improvement.
+
+Important features may be exaggerated.
+
+Examples:
+
+- Fishing rod: thick rod angle, visible reel, simple hook or line
+- Coffee: cup body, large handle, steam marks
+- Energy drink: narrow can, bold stripe or lightning shape
+- Snack: clear wrapper or food silhouette
+- Fish finder: screen, sonar arc, fish mark
+- Cooler expansion: cooler box with a clear plus symbol
+
+## Color use
+
+Use one dominant color and a small number of supporting colors.
+
+Suggested structure:
+
+- Main object color
+- Shadow color
+- Highlight color
+- Optional accent
+- Optional dark edge
+
+Do not make every icon equally bright.
+
+Consumables and important tools may use stronger accents than ordinary materials.
+
+## Outline use
+
+Small icons may use selective outlines to remain readable on warm cream tiles.
+
+Use:
+
+- Dark brown
+- Navy
+- Deep teal
+- Dark purple
+
+Avoid pure black unless it is clearly the best fit.
+
+Outline thickness should remain visually consistent among related icons.
+
+## Tile preview
+
+Every icon submission should include a preview on:
+
+- Warm cream
+- Tan
+- Dark green
+- Transparent checkerboard
+
+An icon may be used in several interface contexts.
+
+## Quantity and text safety
+
+Do not place important visual details in the bottom-right corner when the UI may display quantity text there.
+
+Leave space for:
+
+- Stack count
+- Hotbar slot number
+- Favorite indicator
+- Selection border
+- Cooldown overlay
+
+The issue should state known overlays where applicable.
+
+## Variants
+
+Do not create many color variants unless requested.
+
+For reusable icons, separate color variants may be appropriate when they represent genuinely different items.
+
+Avoid recoloring one object into many meaningless duplicates.
+
+## Source files
+
+Keep layers organized where practical.
+
+Suggested layer names:
+
+- outline
+- highlight
+- object
+- shadow
+- accent
+- reference
+
+Do not include reference images in the exported file.
+
+## Godot requirements
+
+Icons should be tested with:
+
+- Texture filtering disabled
+- Actual hotbar or inventory dimensions
+- Selection borders
+- Quantity overlays
+- Hover states
+- Disabled states where applicable
+
+The icon should not become muddy or unevenly scaled.
+
+## Deliverables
+
+Include:
+
+- Editable source
+- Exported PNG
+- Native dimensions
+- Palette
+- Tile previews
+- In-game screenshot
+- Related issue number