Add 2b. Canvas Size, Pixel Scale, and File Formats

2b.-Canvas-Size%2C-Pixel-Scale%2C-and-File-Formats.md

@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+# Canvas Size, Pixel Scale, and File Formats
+
+This page explains how to size and export 2D assets for NETFISHING.
+
+Exact dimensions may vary by issue. When an issue specifies a size, follow that requirement rather than the general defaults below.
+
+## Pixel-art scaling
+
+Pixel-style assets should normally use nearest-neighbor scaling.
+
+Do not use:
+
+- Bilinear filtering
+- Bicubic filtering
+- Smooth image resizing
+- Automatic antialiasing
+- Fractional scaling where it causes uneven pixels
+
+Where practical, display pixel assets at integer multiples of their source size:
+
+- 1×
+- 2×
+- 3×
+- 4×
+
+An asset authored at 32 × 32 pixels can be displayed at 64 × 64 or 128 × 128 without uneven pixel sizes.
+
+## Provisional source sizes
+
+These are recommended starting points, not universal requirements.
+
+| Asset | Suggested source size |
+|---|---:|
+| Tiny HUD symbol | 16 × 16 or 24 × 24 |
+| Hotbar or item icon | 32 × 32 or 48 × 48 |
+| Shop item icon | 48 × 48 or 64 × 64 |
+| Category icon | 32 × 32 |
+| Fish grid thumbnail | 64 × 48 or 64 × 64 |
+| Larger fish journal art | 192 × 128 or 256 × 192 |
+| Clothing thumbnail | 64 × 64 or 96 × 96 |
+| Interaction prompt icon | 24 × 24 or 32 × 32 |
+| Emote | 64 × 64 or 96 × 96 |
+| UI nine-patch source | Depends on corner radius |
+| Tileable environment texture | 64 × 64, 128 × 128, or 256 × 256 |
+
+Do not create a 2048 × 2048 image for an icon displayed at 48 pixels.
+
+## Native-resolution design
+
+Draw assets at or near their intended source resolution.
+
+Do not draw a smooth 1000-pixel illustration and shrink it to 32 pixels as the primary icon workflow.
+
+Shrinking often causes:
+
+- Muddy edges
+- Inconsistent pixel sizes
+- Unreadable detail
+- Accidental antialiasing
+- Weak silhouettes
+
+Larger concept or source illustrations are acceptable, but the final pixel asset should be deliberately redrawn or cleaned at its target resolution.
+
+## Canvas padding
+
+Icons should include consistent visual padding.
+
+Unless the issue specifies otherwise:
+
+- Keep important art away from the outermost pixel
+- Center the visual mass
+- Avoid one icon touching every edge while another occupies half the tile
+- Match the perceived size of related icons, not only their bounding boxes
+
+Tall and wide objects may use different empty space while still feeling equally prominent.
+
+## Transparent backgrounds
+
+Use transparent backgrounds for:
+
+- Item icons
+- Fish sprites
+- Creature art
+- Clothing thumbnails
+- HUD symbols
+- Decorative overlays
+
+Do not leave an accidental white or cream rectangle around transparent artwork.
+
+Inspect edge pixels for:
+
+- White halos
+- Dark halos
+- Semi-transparent antialiasing
+- Stray pixels
+- Unintended color matte
+
+## PNG
+
+Use PNG for:
+
+- Pixel art
+- Icons
+- Fish art
+- Creature illustrations
+- Clothing thumbnails
+- Environment textures
+- UI raster assets
+
+PNG should normally use:
+
+- RGBA when transparency is required
+- RGB when fully opaque
+- No lossy compression
+- No embedded color profile that causes visible palette shifts where avoidable
+
+## SVG
+
+Use SVG only when the asset benefits from vector source and is not expected to preserve a strict pixel grid.
+
+Suitable uses may include:
+
+- Logo marks
+- Simple scalable symbols
+- Website graphics
+- Temporary UI icons
+- Certain clean interface shapes
+
+Do not use SVG for pixel art unless the issue explicitly requests it.
+
+SVG files should:
+
+- Use simple paths
+- Avoid embedded raster images
+- Avoid external fonts
+- Avoid external dependencies
+- Avoid unnecessary metadata
+- Render correctly in Godot
+
+## Editable source formats
+
+Include an editable source file when practical.
+
+Examples:
+
+- `.aseprite`
+- `.kra`
+- `.xcf`
+- `.svg`
+- `.afdesign`
+- `.psd`
+
+The exported PNG or SVG is still required.
+
+Do not submit only a flattened image when the issue requests editable source layers.
+
+## Color mode
+
+Use standard RGB or RGBA color.
+
+Avoid:
+
+- CMYK
+- Indexed modes that break transparency unexpectedly
+- Unusual bit depths
+- HDR formats for ordinary interface assets
+
+## File naming
+
+Use lowercase names with underscores.
+
+Good:
+
+    coffee_icon.png
+    fish_finder_icon.png
+    bluegill_journal.png
+    shirt_oversized_navy.png
+    grass_olive_tile.png
+
+Avoid:
+
+    Coffee FINAL.png
+    fish2newest.png
+    Untitled-1.png
+    image.png
+
+## Godot import expectations
+
+Pixel assets should normally be imported with:
+
+- Filtering disabled
+- Mipmaps disabled for UI icons
+- Repeat disabled for ordinary icons
+- Repeat enabled only for textures designed to tile
+- Lossless compression
+- No automatic smoothing
+
+Environment textures may require mipmaps depending on their use on 3D geometry. That should be tested in-game.
+
+## Test at actual size
+
+Always review:
+
+- Native source resolution
+- Intended integer scale
+- Actual Godot display size
+- Small-window presentation
+- Normal gameplay distance
+
+A zoomed-in editor view is not enough to judge readability.