# Lowpoly Style

Low-poly art direction for Blender inspired by PS1/PS2, Lethal Company, Mouthwashing...

- Repository: https://github.com/arjun988/blender-skills (1650 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-07-10
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill lowpoly-style -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill lowpoly-style -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill lowpoly-style -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill lowpoly-style -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add arjun988/blender-skills`

## Description

Low-poly art direction for Blender inspired by PS1/PS2, Lethal Company, Mouthwashing, and Fear to Fathom. Use for readable silhouettes, minimal polygons, simple materials, and strong atmosphere.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Low Poly Style Specialist

Readable silhouettes. Large shapes. Minimal polygons. Atmosphere over detail.

## When to Use

- Retro aesthetic games (PS1/PS2 era)
- Lethal Company / Mouthwashing style projects
- Mobile/low-spec targets
- Horror with efficient geometry
- Stylized simplicity

## Core Rules

1. **Readable silhouettes**, Shape reads at distance without detail
2. **Minimal polygons**, Every face must earn its place
3. **Large shapes**, Primary forms dominate; micro-detail forbidden
4. **Simple materials**, Flat or lightly textured; 512px default
5. **Limited texture sizes**, 256, 512px most assets; 1024 hero only
6. **Strong atmosphere**, Lighting and fog carry visual weight

## Polygon Guidelines

| Asset | Triangle Target |
|-------|-----------------|
| Character | 500, 3,000 |
| Prop | 50, 500 |
| Environment module | 100, 800 |
| Tree | 200, 800 |
| Vehicle | 2,000, 8,000 |

See `../references/polycount-budgets.md`, apply 50, 90% reduction.

## Modeling Approach

- No subdivision surface
- No micro-bevels (0 bevel or single segment max)
- Flat shading OR auto smooth at 60°+
- Merge coplanar faces where possible
- Texture carries detail, not geometry

## PS1 Authenticity (Optional)

| Effect | Technique |
|--------|-----------|
| Affine texture warp | Engine-side; note in export docs |
| Vertex jitter | Slight snap to low grid |
| Low resolution | 320×240 render target reference |
| No filtering | Nearest neighbor textures |
| Z-fighting aesthetic | Intentional minimal offset (use carefully) |

## PS2 Era

- Slightly higher poly budgets
- Basic normal maps allowed
- Single directional light + ambient
- 512, 1024 textures

## Material Approach

- Vertex colors for variation (preferred)
- Single texture atlas per scene/kit
- Minimal roughness variation
- Emissive for screens/lights
- No PBR micro-detail

## Silhouette Test

The rest: https://github.com/arjun988/blender-skills/blob/HEAD/.claude/skills/lowpoly-style/SKILL.md