Scene concepts: the realistic target look
These are AI-generated example frames (python3 tools/scene_concepts.py generate --group scene, openai/gpt-5-image-mini, 1280×720) for the realism pass. They are art direction, not assets. tools/scene_concepts.py realism pairs them with the in-game shots from src/test/capture_realism.gd (see SHOTS in the tool). New generations never overwrite a file here; they are saved as <name>-vN.png.
Real-world Hollywood block
The map-optimization references for the El Capitan Entertainment Centre block
(6840 Hollywood Blvd) are in
hollywood_boulevard/README.md. The real-site
facts and game mapping are documented in
../../hollywood-boulevard-map.md.
Concept list
Hollywood Entrance
warm low sun, long soft shadows, brick with visible mortar and wear, stone plinth, potted topiary, haze that fades the far street to beige
Hollywood Entrance Golden Hour
strong back light and rim light on people, marquee bulbs reading even in daylight
Hollywood Entrance Rain Night
dark scene lit by practical lights only (marquee, sodium lamps), wet glossy ground with reflections, fog
Boulevard Skyline
deep layered skyline with real towers and haze, palms lining the road, red curb paint, believable asphalt
Boulevard Skyline Dusk
purple/orange gradient sky, neon signs, lit windows, car light trails
The Joke Shop — Sunset Strip
The current Joke Shop map is based on The Comedy Store at 8433 Sunset Blvd.
The real-site mapping, simplifications and reference photographs are in
../../joke-shop-map.md; the frames are in
joke_shop/README.md.
Legacy Joke Shop Alley (pre-map optimization)
narrow brick alley, one warm wall lantern as key light, deep shadows, people in dark jackets
close material detail: brick, mortar, aged wood door, brass
These two frames describe the old alley layout and are retained for comparison; they are no longer the target for the Joke Shop map.
Studio Stage Door Night
granite facade, a bright bulb canopy as the main light, a glossy black car, stanchions and a barrier
Sidewalk Material Closeup
paver joints, stains, granite curb, aggregate asphalt and a tree grate at grazing light
Entrance Steps Podium
granite steps, handrails, glass doors, the check-in podium
Crowd Barrier Line
steel barriers, a red carpet, a crowd with depth-of-field haze
Responder Arrival Wide
fire engine, turnout gear, red/blue light spill on wet pavement
NPC Portrait Day
close portrait of a pedestrian: skin with visible pores and stubble, fabric weave, shallow depth of field. The bar for an avatar close-up, not for the crowd shots
The npc_portrait capture in capture_realism.gd is staged, not posed by the crowd: it freezes one NPC on an open patch of sidewalk, parks the rest of the crowd out of frame, turns the subject into the camera and stands the guard on the sunlit side. It is the only shot where a face fills the frame, so it is the one to eyeball after an avatar change (generate a local run under docs/screens/realism/).
Cross-cutting targets, for comparison with locally generated realism runs:
- Exposure. The concepts keep the ground mid-grey. The game's sidewalk is close to white, so it is overexposed.
- Night means dark. The night/dusk concepts are lit by practical lights. The game's "Evening" phase is a bright pink-orange frame.
- Depth. The concepts show a layered skyline fading into haze. The new v2 skyline strips supply this; the old box skyline did not.
- Geometry and foliage. The facades have plinths, cornices and deep window reveals, and the trees and shrubs are organic. The game uses flat walls and blob trees.
Additional previews
