Visual Storyboard - Legends of Hastinapur

Character & Environment Concept Guide for 3D Artist

Project: OSRS-style MMORPG with Indian Mythology Theme
Purpose: Visual reference for 3D asset creation
Style: Low-poly, stylized, culturally authentic
Date: 2026-01-05

📐 CHARACTER PROGRESSION

Base Character Concept (Male)

• Polygon Count: 2,000-3,000 triangles
• Style: Simple geometric forms, OSRS-inspired
• Proportions: Indian male body type (not Western)
• Base Clothing (Under-Armor):
  • Torso: Angavastra (diagonal sash) or simple cotton vest
  • Legs: Dhoti (looped traditional wrap)
  • Feet: Paduka (wooden sandals) or bare
• Skin Tone: Medium brown (#8B7355)
• Hair: Black, tied back in traditional style
• Cultural Markers: Tilak mark on forehead (U-shape or lines)

• Muscular but not exaggerated build
• Clean topology for animation
• T-pose for rigging
• Modular attachment points for armor

Base Character Concept (Female)

• Polygon Count: 2,000-3,000 triangles
• Base Clothing (Under-Armor):
  • Torso: Choli (fitted blouse) + Uttariya (shawl)
  • Legs: Antariya (lower wrap) or Lehenga (skirt) style
  • Style Note: Practical "Virangana" (Warrior Woman) draping, allowing movement.
• Hair: Braid or bun with flowers
• Jewelry: Simple bangles/anklets (baked into geometry)

• Dignified and practical for combat
• Matches the male counterpart in poly-density and style
• Shared animation rig (Humanoid) where possible, or specific feminine animations if needed.

Bronze Tier Warrior

• Helmet: Bronze with peacock feather plume (300-400 tris)
• Chest: Scale mail with lotus engravings (600-700 tris)
• Legs: Bronze greaves (400-500 tris)
• Weapon: Talwar curved sword (200-300 tris)

• Primary Bronze: #CD7F32
• Accent Gold: #DAA520
• Plume Red: #DC143C
• Cloth Cream: #F5DEB3

• Peacock feathers (Krishna association)
• Lotus patterns (purity, enlightenment)
• Asymmetrical cloth wrap
• Ornate but practical design

Gold-Plated Royal Warrior

• Helmet: Ornate with red silk plume
• Chest: Decorated breastplate with mandala patterns
• Weapon: Gada (ceremonial mace)
• Accessories: Shoulder guards, waist ornaments

• Primary Gold: #FFD700
• Deep Red: #8B0000
• Bronze Accents: #CD7F32
• Royal Purple: #4B0082 (cloth)

• Ceremonial but battle-ready
• Rich detailing without high poly count
• Mandala and sacred geometry patterns
• Kshatriya (warrior caste) aesthetic

⚔️ WEAPON SHOWCASE

Primary Weapons (Commission Priority)

• Length: ~80cm in-game
• Polygon Budget: 200-400 tris
• Materials: Bronze blade, gold hilt
• Details: Ornate guard, peacock motifs
• Cultural Note: Most iconic Indian sword

• Type: Heavy club, spherical head
• Polygon Budget: 300-500 tris
• Materials: Carved bronze/iron
• Details: Geometric patterns, weight emphasis
• Cultural Note: Bhima's weapon from Mahabharata

• Type: Recurve bow
• Polygon Budget: 200-300 tris
• Materials: Wood, decorative peacock feathers
• Details: Ornate string attachment
• Cultural Note: Arjuna's weapon

• Type: H-shaped grip dagger
• Polygon Budget: 150-250 tris
• Materials: Bronze/steel blade
• Details: Unique Indian design
• Use: Secondary/stealth weapon

🏛️ ENVIRONMENT CONCEPTS

Temple & Architecture

• Dravidian temple architecture (South Indian)
• Gopuram (pyramid tower) in background
• Carved stone pillars with lotus capitals
• Terracotta tile flooring

• Banyan tree with aerial roots
• Stone carvings, religious symbols
• Warm sunset lighting (orange/gold tones)
• Atmospheric depth

• Stone Gray: #708090
• Terracotta: #E2725B
• Vegetation Green: #556B2F
• Gold Accents: #DAA520

Skill Interaction Stations

• Design: Clay brick structure, open fire pit
• Polygon Budget: 400-600 tris
• Materials: Terracotta clay, glowing embers
• Cultural Style: Traditional Indian clay oven

• Design: Stone base, bronze anvil top
• Polygon Budget: 300-400 tris
• Materials: Carved stone, bronze
• Details: Tool marks, used appearance

• Design: Tandoor-style clay oven
• Polygon Budget: 400-500 tris
• Materials: Terracotta, fire glow
• Details: Rounded dome, opening

• Design: Wooden frame, silk canopy
• Polygon Budget: 600-800 tris
• Colors: Vibrant reds, oranges, golds
• Details: Flowing cloth, market goods

🎨 ART DIRECTION SUMMARY

Visual Style Goals

• ✅ Clean geometric low-poly forms
• ✅ Culturally authentic Indian elements
• ✅ Warm, vibrant color palette
• ✅ Clear silhouettes for gameplay
• ✅ OSRS-inspired stylization
• ✅ Respect for cultural symbols

• ❌ Generic medieval fantasy aesthetic
• ❌ High-poly realistic detail
• ❌ Western armor designs
• ❌ Cold or muted colors
• ❌ Offensive cultural appropriation
• ❌ Overly cartoonish proportions

Color Palette Reference

Bronze Metals:   #CD7F32, #B87333
Gold Accents:    #DAA520, #FFD700
Skin Tones:      #8B7355, #C68642
Fabrics:         #DC143C, #F5DEB3, #8B4513
Environment:     #708090, #556B2F, #E2725B

• Warm sunset tones (orange, gold)
• Dramatic shadows for depth
• Ambient occlusion baking recommended
• Avoid flat lighting

🔧 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Character Deliverables

• Body mesh: 2,000-3,000 tris
• Rigged with standard humanoid skeleton
• 5 animations: Idle, Walk, Run, Attack, Gather
• Format: GLTF/GLB + Blender source files
• Textures: 512x512 or 1024x1024 atlas

• Helmet: 300-500 tris
• Chest: 600-800 tris
• Legs: 400-500 tris
• Each as separate GLB file
• Attachment points documented

• Talwar: 200-400 tris
• Gada: 300-500 tris
• Dhanush: 200-300 tris

Animation Specifications

1. Idle - 1.0 second loop, subtle breathing
2. Walk - 0.8 second loop, natural gait
3. Run - 0.6 second loop, faster movement
4. Attack - 1.0 second, weapon swing
5. Gather - 1.5 second, harvesting motion

• 30 FPS bake
• Root motion baked
• First frame = last frame (seamless loop)
• Exported with GLTF animations

📋 PRIORITY DELIVERABLES

Phase 1: Core Character

• Base character body (rigged, textured)
• 5 core animations
• 3 sample armor pieces (bronze set)
• 1 weapon (Talwar sword)

Phase 2: Variations (Optional/Future)

• 2 additional weapons (Gada, Dhanush)
• Secondary armor tiers (iron, gold)
• NPC character variants
• Environment props (furnace, anvil)

💡 CULTURAL REFERENCE NOTES

Indian Warrior Aesthetics

• Dharmic warrior culture
• Late Vedic Era to Iron Age transition
• Vedic religious symbols
• Emphasis on honor, duty (Dharma)

• Tilak: Forehead marking (sacred clay/ash)
• Sacred Thread: Yajnopavita for Brahmins
• Peacock: Krishna's association, royalty
• Lotus: Purity, spiritual enlightenment
• Om/Swastika: Sacred symbols (pre-modern meaning)
• Mandala: Sacred geometry, cosmic order

• Early: Leather, padded cloth
• Mid: Bronze scale mail, lamellar
• Late: Iron plating, chain mail
• Always: Flowing cloth elements (dhoti, sashes)

🎯 GAME CONTEXT

How These Assets Are Used

1. Character Customization:
   • Player starts with base character
   • Earns armor through gameplay
   • Mix-and-match armor pieces
   • 50+ unique combinations possible
2. Skill Progression:
   • Bronze tier: Early game (Level 1-20)
   • Iron tier: Mid game (Level 21-40)
   • Gold tier: Late game (Level 41+)
3. Combat System:
   • OSRS-style click-to-attack
   • Weapon determines attack animation
   • Armor provides defense bonuses
4. World Building:
   • Set in ancient Hastinapur city
   • Temple architecture for religious areas
   • Market stalls for economy
   • Skill stations for crafting

✅ ARTIST CHECKLIST

• Low-poly constraint (2-3k tris per character)
• Modular system (armor as separate pieces)
• Cultural authenticity requirements
• GLTF export format
• Animation requirements (5 loops)
• Color palette and style reference
• Timeline and milestones
• Payment schedule

• Cultural elements and their meaning
• Technical specifications
• Visual style interpretation
• Timeline feasibility

📞 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Full commission brief with legal terms
• Technical specification document
• Payment schedule breakdown
• Revision policy details

• OSRS character screenshots: [provide links]
• Raji: An Ancient Epic (game): Visual style reference
• Maha

• Bevy engine docs: Technical integration

🚀 NEXT STEPS

1. Artist reviews this storyboard - Confirm understanding
2. Concept sketches - Artist provides 2-3 rough concepts
3. Approve direction - Choose preferred approach
4. 3D block-out - Artist creates low-poly prototype
5. Refinement - Add details, textures, rigging
6. Final delivery - Receive assets + source files