aether-shards/specs/Biomes.spec.md

1. Biome Visual & Tactical Reference

This section details the atmospheric and gameplay characteristics for each biome to guide asset generation (textures, scatter cover) and level design.

A. Fungal Caves (Magic / Organic)

• Look & Feel: Claustrophobic, damp, and bioluminescent. Walls are dark grey stone slick with moisture, cracked by pulsing purple and cyan fungal veins (Aether). The air is hazy with drifting green spores.
• Scattered Cover:
  • Soft Cover: Large, rubbery blue/purple mushroom caps.
  • Hard Cover: Petrified roots and jagged stalagmites.
• Tactical Geometry: Tight, twisting corridors with frequent chokepoints. Low ceiling clearance. Uneven floors.

B. Rusting Wastes (Tech / Industrial)

• Look & Feel: Vast, abandoned factory floors and scrapyards. The primary palette is oxidized orange rust, oily black puddles, and dull brass machinery. Smog hangs low in the air.
• Scattered Cover:
  • Destructible Cover: Stacks of rusty crates, barrels of sludge, old server racks.
  • Hard Cover: Heavy machinery blocks, dormant conveyor belts.
• Tactical Geometry: Wide open arenas with long sightlines favored by snipers. Grid-based layouts with artificial cover placed in rows.

C. Crystal Spires (Mixed / Vertical)

• Look & Feel: Floating islands of white marble and raw blue Aether crystal suspended in a bright, infinite sky. Clean, sharp lines and magical aesthetics. Light bridges connect disconnected platforms.
• Scattered Cover:
  • Cover: Clusters of jagged Aether crystals (translucent blue/white).
  • Hazards: The edges of the map drop into the infinite void (Instant Death).
• Tactical Geometry: Extreme verticality. Multiple layers of elevation requiring climbing or teleportation.

D. Void-Seep Depths (Horror / Corruption)

• Look & Feel: Reality breaking down. Obsidian black stone dripping with neon violet corruption. Glitchy visual effects, floating debris, and an oppressive, dark alien atmosphere.
• Scattered Cover:
  • Cover: Pulsing organic tumors, crystallized void matter.
  • Unstable: Some cover objects may explode or vanish when damaged.
• Tactical Geometry: Arena-style circular maps with few obstacles but dangerous hazard zones (void rifts).

E. Contested Frontier (Surface / War)

• Look & Feel: A scarred battlefield under a twilight sky. Muddy trenches, green grass torn up by troop movements, and hastily erected fortifications. This is the only biome with "natural" outdoor lighting.
• Scattered Cover:
  • Fortifications: Sandbag walls, wooden cheval de frise, abandoned supply tents.
  • Nature: Tree stumps and large rocks.
• Tactical Geometry: Linear "Lane" based maps mimicking trench warfare. High cover density.