Closer/ClaudeBrandingReview.md

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Closer — Branding & Artwork Review (Pass H)

Living status document for Closer's brand artwork pass. It records which illustrations/glyphs are live, which surfaces should reuse existing assets, and which brand issues belong in implementation or QA rather than image generation.

Asset ownership: Codex is responsible for making all needed images, dark variants, and custom glyphs. Do not leave image work as user-generated prompt handoff; backlog items here are Codex-owned assets to generate, add to the repo, and verify.

Current state (2026-06-27 audit): the This-or-That redesign (C-DARK-UI-001) + Premium-unlock modal (A13) are done. But two large brand backlogs are now OPEN (found by the 2026-06-27 asset audit): (1) most illustrations are light-only — only 12 of ~25 have a dark variant, and all 10 pack_art_* banners + all illustration_couple_* heroes are light-only, so they show light/pink art on a dark screen; (2) ~60 distinct generic Material icons are used across ~201 call sites (generic hearts, Person, Lock, Star…) — brand rule: every icon must be a custom Closer glyph. See Brand standards + the two backlog tables below.

Branding defects (off-brand color, clipped/low-contrast art, a light image on a dark screen, a generic Material icon) → ClaudeReport.md. Pure "could be warmer / feature" ideas → Future.md ## QA. New art/glyphs to create (dark variants, custom glyphs) → logged HERE as Codex-owned assets to make and verify.


Brand standards — MUST hold every QA round (Pass C visual + Pass H branding own these)

Two non-negotiable brand rules. A violation of either is a bug (ClaudeReport.md) and the asset to create is logged here as Codex-owned image/glyph work:

  1. Every image has a LIGHT and a DARK variant that matches the IN-APP theme. No light/pink art on a dark screen, no dark art on a light screen. drawable-nodpi/ = light, drawable-night-nodpi/ = dark (auto-selected by BrandIllustration via the in-app-theme config override). Transparent/celebration art that genuinely reads on both themes is the only exemption — verify it, don't assume. A surface missing its variant = bug + add the asset below.
  2. Every icon/glyph is a custom Closer glyph — NO generic Material icons, no generic hearts. Material Icons.* (ArrowBack, Favorite, Person, Lock, Star, PlayArrow, …) are placeholders, not brand. Each in use is replaced by a bespoke glyph in the Closer house style, logged in the icon backlog below for Codex to make + add (glyph_*).

Image style lock: all generated imagery must match the existing shipped flat 2D vector assets, especially illustration_couple_paywall, illustration_couple_subscription, illustration_couple_onboarding, illustration_daily_question, and the pack_art_* banners. Keep shapes simple and graphic, with pastel fills, minimal facial/detail rendering, clean vector-like edges, and gentle gradients only. Reject painterly/storybook rendering, 3D-ish lighting, realistic texture, detailed hair/skin shading, dramatic cinematic glow, hard rectangular backdrops, or anything that looks materially richer than the existing asset family. For any new batch, generate and review one sample first against the existing contact sheet before saving more assets.

Image theme-variant coverage (light + dark per surface) — backlog: make the missing DARK variants

Goal: every image row has BOTH a light and a dark asset. Audited 2026-06-27.

Illustration Light Dark Action
account_deletion_goodbye · answer_history_empty · bucket_list_empty · connection_challenges_header · date_match_empty · date_match_success · memory_lane_capsule · messages_empty · pairing_success · past_games_empty · privacy_recovery · quiet_hours none — both exist
illustration_couple_paywall (Paywall) MAKE DARK (drawable-night-nodpi/)
illustration_couple_subscription (Subscription) MAKE DARK
illustration_couple_onboarding (Onboarding) MAKE DARK
illustration_couple_invite (Pairing/invite) MAKE DARK
illustration_couple_history MAKE DARK (or confirm unused)
illustration_daily_question (Today hero) MAKE DARK
illustration_partner_activation (Home) MAKE DARK
illustration_tonight_partner_prompt (Home) MAKE DARK
illustration_together_empty (Activity) MAKE DARK
pack_art_* ×10 (communication, deep_reflection, desire, family_commitment, fun_date, future_goals, home_life, intimacy, money_values, trust_repair) MAKE DARK for each pack banner (or prove the banner reads correctly on dark)
reveal_celebration · streak_milestone · premium_unlock · spin_wheel (transparent) n/a transparent/celebration — verify reads on both themes; add dark only if it doesn't

Prompt for the missing dark variants: regenerate each light asset above in the dark/aubergine house palette (deep aubergine #24122F ground, lavender #B98AF4 / soft-pink #F7C8E4 accents, blush highlights) so it reads on a dark surface, same composition + flat 2D vector style + transparent/feathered edges as the light version, exported to drawable-night-nodpi/ with the identical filename. Re-run Pass C's decoupled-theme check after adding each.

CLAUDE — also run scripts/theme-scan.sh Tier 1E every round: any direct painterResource(R.drawable.illustration_* or painterResource(R.drawable.pack_art_*) not routed through BrandIllustration will fail to follow the decoupled in-app theme and should either be converted to BrandIllustration or added to this table as a missing-variant candidate. The scanner is allowed to be improved; document any new patterns in its header.

Icon/glyph audit — generic Material icons to replace with custom Closer glyphs (backlog: make these)

Audited 2026-06-27: ~60 distinct Material icons across ~201 call sites. Brand rule #2 — each becomes a bespoke glyph_* in the house style. Existing custom glyphs (reuse/extend, don't regress): the G/G2 set (glyph_paired_cards, glyph_how_well, glyph_sealed_answer, glyph_connection_challenge, glyph_memory_capsule, glyph_date_card_heart, glyph_question_packs, glyph_bucket_list, glyph_past_games, glyph_spin_wheel, glyph_couple_premium, glyph_privacy_lock, glyph_delete_account, glyph_how_well, + closer_mark/daily_card/ quiet_hours_moon/export_data). To make (high-traffic first):

Generic icon (≈uses) Used for Make custom glyph
ArrowBack (31) every top-bar back glyph_back (brand chevron)
Favorite / FavoriteBorder (17/5) generic hearts — likes, love, daily glyph_heart (the Closer two-equal-halves heart, filled + outline)
Lock / LockOpen (18/2) premium-locked, security glyph_lock / glyph_lock_open (keyhole motif from the mark)
Person / People (16/1) avatars/partner fallback glyph_person / glyph_couple
Check / Done / CheckCircle (11/1/1) confirm/selected/sent glyph_check
ArrowForward / ArrowForwardIos (10/4) row chevrons, next glyph_forward
PlayArrow (8) Play tab / start glyph_play
Close (7) dismiss/close glyph_close
Star (6) premium/★ ideas glyph_star (brand sparkle)
Visibility / VisibilityOff (5/2) password reveal glyph_eye / glyph_eye_off
ContentCopy (4) copy invite code glyph_copy
Sync (3) · Image/PhotoLibrary/PhotoCamera/AddAPhoto (3/2/2/2) · Send (3) · Chat (3) · Delete (3) retry · media pickers · send · messages · delete glyph_sync · glyph_photo/glyph_camera · glyph_send · glyph_chat · glyph_trash
Home (2) · Settings (1) · Notifications/NotificationsNone (2) bottom nav + settings glyph_home · glyph_settings · glyph_bell
LocalFireDepartment (2) streak flame (generic) glyph_streak (brand flame/spark)
Mic/Pause · Timeline/TrendingUp/Psychology · Fingerprint/Key/Shield · Edit/Add/Share/Refresh/Warning/CalendarToday/Cake/CardGiftcard/AttachMoney/HourglassEmpty/QuestionAnswer/Palette/OpenInNew (1 each) voice · progress · security · misc one bespoke glyph_* each, in house style

Replace each Icons.* call site with ImageVector.vectorResource(R.drawable.glyph_*) + Icon(tint=…) (the existing wiring pattern). Until a glyph exists, the Material icon is a placeholder = a logged brand defect, not acceptable for ship.


R10 brand walk (2026-06-26) — existing art integration clean, 0 defects

R10 visual sweep doubled as the Pass-H existing-art integration check: Today (paired-books daily-question art), Paywall (couple illustration), Security (padlock), Memory Lane / Date / Bucket-List empties, Home cards — all render on-brand, in-context, both themes, no clipping/placeholder/off-brand issues (any defect would be a ClaudeReport.md bug; none found). The new game-alert surfaces (GamePromptBanner, GameWaitingHeroCard) use the brand purple gradient

  • PlayArrow glyph and read as intentional action banners, so no illustration is warranted there.

This or That gameplay brand plan (Codex QA, 2026-06-27) — IMPLEMENTED + verified live R13 (2026-06-27)

Done (R13, working tree). ThisOrThatScreen.kt ChoicePromptBackdrop replaced: the two-circle + diagonal-line "diagram" is gone — now a soft theme-aware glow + two faint paired-card silhouettes low in the frame, never crossing the prompt. OptionCard A/B map to colorScheme.primary/secondary with high-contrast onSurface body text, visible accent borders, and a rich filled selected state (onPrimary/onSecondary). VersusBadge, progress bar, the N/total + "This or That" pills, the mood number-circle, and TotLengthChips are all theme-aware (no fixed CloserPalette darks). Light/dark previews added. Verified live both themes (5554 dark / 5556 light), 0 FATAL — closes C-DARK-UI-001. Results screen left as-is (verified clean in R12 dark). The plan below is retained for history.

Live review used a dedicated QA launcher/device (CloserCodexQA) with a fresh admin-created test couple (codex-this-or-that-* / codex-partner-*). Screenshots checked the mood picker and active gameplay in light and dark mode. The visual issue is real: light-mode option buttons are directionally good, but dark mode makes the current prompt backdrop feel like an accidental placeholder.

Verdict: The current ChoicePromptBackdrop two-circle + diagonal-line drawing should be treated as a branding defect for active gameplay. In dark mode the diagonal line cuts through the question, the circles turn muddy, and the whole motif reads like a technical diagram instead of a warm private ritual for two.

Plan

  • Replace the two circles + line with a Closer-native "private choice" motif: two soft sealed answer cards, paired-card silhouettes, or a subtle C-heart/keyhole accent. Keep it decorative and low-contrast behind the prompt; no line should cross the question text.
  • Keep the light-mode option card shape, spacing, and button feel. Make the colors theme-aware rather than reusing fixed purple/pink values in both themes.
  • Dark-mode option cards need stronger contrast: readable body text, visible borders, and selected states that feel rich instead of dim. Disabled/other-selected states should still be legible.
  • Keep closerBackgroundBrush() as the foundation, but consider one very subtle game-local glow or paired-card vignette in brand colors. The background should support focus, not compete with the question or options.
  • Re-check the mood picker after gameplay is fixed. The numbered mood circles are acceptable, but paired-card glyphs or warmer step badges would feel more branded than plain numbered bubbles.
  • Results can reuse illustration_reveal_celebration and existing heart/petal particles for high-match moments; the game surface itself should stay code-native rather than needing a full raster illustration.

Implementation map

  • Update app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/thisorthat/ThisOrThatScreen.kt, especially ChoicePromptBackdrop, OptionCard, and VersusBadge.
  • Add local theme-aware helpers for This-or-That option A/B colors, selected colors, disabled colors, border colors, and prompt-backdrop alphas. Validate against both MaterialTheme.colorScheme.background and surface.
  • Prefer Compose Canvas/shape drawing for the prompt motif. Generate raster art only if the code-native motif cannot carry the brand; if generated, use transparent PNG art with no readable text.
  • Add or update light/dark Compose previews for mood selection, active prompt, selected answer, waiting/disabled, and results.

Acceptance checks

  • Light and dark screenshots show no decorative element crossing or competing with the prompt text.
  • Long prompts, long options, selected, unselected, and disabled states stay readable.
  • The light-mode cards retain the current friendly button feel.
  • Dark mode feels intentionally Closer-branded: aubergine/lavender/pink, soft and private, not a placeholder diagram.
  • Logs are checked after opening a game from notification/deep link before assuming the route worked.

Generated Art Live

The generated art (source in gitignored docs/brand/generated-art/, copied full-res to app/src/main/res/drawable-nodpi/) is now wired into the app via the shared EmptyState (rounded-tile, theme-safe) and a new ui/components/BrandIllustration.kt helper:

Art Screen wired Verified
A1 pairing_success (transparent) PairingSuccessScreen hero (replaced the keyhole chip; pulse/spring kept) gallery (transparent floats)
A2 answer_history_empty AnswerHistoryScreen empty (replaced generic couple_history) shared EmptyState (Run-2 both-theme)
A3 connection_challenges_header (banner) ConnectionChallengesScreen series-list header gallery (16:9 banner)
A4 memory_lane_capsule MemoryLaneScreen empty (replaced 📦 emoji) shared tile
A5 date_match_empty / date_match_success DateMatchesScreen empty / "It is a match!" modal shared tile / gallery
A6 bucket_list_empty BucketListScreen empty live dark + light
A8 messages_empty MessagesInboxScreen (new empty state added) shared EmptyState
A9 quiet_hours NotificationSettings quiet-hours section live dark
A10 past_games_empty WheelHistoryScreen ("Past Games") empty shared tile
A11 privacy_recovery SecurityScreen header live dark
A12 account_deletion_goodbye DeleteAccountScreen header live dark
A13 premium_unlock (transparent) Wired R13 — one-time Premium unlock modal (PremiumUnlockOverlay) live both themes

All 12 also live in the debug Art preview gallery (Settings → Art preview) for both-theme verification. A7 pack art is N/A because all 10 question packs already have pack_art_*.

A1-A12 prompts are complete and should not be regenerated. Empty/match/pairing states that need empty-or-new data were not all reachable on the baseline couple, but their render path is proven through the shared tile + gallery.

Premium unlock modal — IMPLEMENTED + verified live R13 (2026-06-27). ui/components/PremiumUnlockOverlay.kt (PremiumUnlockViewModel + PremiumUnlockOverlay), hosted at the AppNavigation root next to MessageBubbleOverlay, so it surfaces over any screen. It's driven off CouplePremiumChecker.isPremium() (which already OR-combines both partners) — so it fires for both the purchaser (own entitlement active) and the partner (couple-shared Premium turns on), without depending on the push route. One-time per activation via a new persisted premiumUnlockCelebrated flag on SettingsRepository/SettingsDataStore (set on dismiss; auto-reset when Premium lapses so a re-activation celebrates again — mirrors lastCelebratedStreakMilestone). The modal shows illustration_premium_unlock (transparent, floats via BrandIllustration(tile=false)) + "Premium unlocked " + "Start exploring". Verified live: admin toggle QA premium ON → modal on BOTH 5554 (dark) and 5556 (light); dismiss → relaunch → no re-show (gate holds); 0 FATAL.

Glyph Status

The original G-set plus G2 set are copied into app/src/main/res/drawable-nodpi/glyph_*.xml. Source SVGs live in docs/brand/generated-art/glyphs/source-svg/; Android handoff vectors live in docs/brand/generated-art/glyphs/android-vector/.

Wired + verified live (13 of 17):

  • Play hub cards: paired_cards, how_well, sealed_answer, connection_challenge, memory_capsule, date_card_heart, question_packs, bucket_list, past_games.
  • WaitingForPartner per-game glyphs: spin_wheel, paired_cards, how_well, sealed_answer.
  • Settings rows: couple_premium, privacy_lock, delete_account.

Generated but intentionally unused for now (4 of 17):

  • closer_mark — notifications already use ic_notification_closer.
  • daily_card — Today uses its hero illustration.
  • quiet_hours_moon — Quiet hours uses illustration_quiet_hours.
  • export_data — no export-data row exists yet.

White monochrome vectors are re-tinted by Icon(tint = ...) and loaded via ImageVector.vectorResource(...). glyph_paired_cards is also the preferred motif for the This-or-That backdrop redesign tracked as C-DARK-UI-001.


Prompt Style Reference

Use this only when a future pass creates a new prompt. Existing completed art should not be regenerated.

Flat 2D pastel vector illustration in the "Closer" couples-app style: soft rounded shapes, no harsh outlines, gentle smooth gradients, calm and intimate. Palette only: aubergine #24122F, deep purple #56306F, lavender #B98AF4, soft pink #F7C8E4, soft lavender #D9B8FF, blush white #FFF8FC. Mood: warm, quiet, equal, intentional — a private ritual for two. Recurring motifs available: paired/sealed cards, floating hearts and petals, a small wooden table with mugs + a lit candle + a lavender sprig, moon/window for quiet hours, a calendar/date-card, a sealed capsule/box. If people appear: two balanced, inclusive figures, simple friendly faces, no dominant partner. Soft abstract floral/heart shapes in the background. Do NOT include: any readable text, answer/prompt/message content, invite codes, emails, app UI/buttons, generic dating-app clichés, stock-photo realism, other brands' logos/wordmarks/app-store badges, alarm/urgency/surveillance/fire imagery.

The Closer brand mark (use ONLY where a prompt explicitly calls for it — otherwise keep art mark-free): a pink-to-lavender "C" whose upper arc is soft pink and lower sweep is lavender, curving around a heart-shaped negative space with a small dark aubergine keyhole at its center (the keyhole = trust/privacy; the heart = the couple). Keep it faithful — do not redraw it as a plain C, turn the keyhole into a heart, add a key/lock shackle, add faces or text. On dark/aubergine surfaces use a white keyhole; on light/blush use the aubergine keyhole.

Aspect/format conventions

  • Hero/onboarding/paywall: portrait 4:5 (matches illustration_couple_*).
  • Empty states: roughly square 1:1, generous padding, sits centered above text.
  • Celebration: 1:1, transparent or blush-white background.
  • Glyphs: single-color simple vector, square, legible at 2032 dp.
  • Pack/category art: landscape ~16:9 banner, object-led (no people), like pack_art_*.
  • Always readable on both blush-white (light) and aubergine (dark) surfaces — keep a soft self-contained vignette rather than a hard rectangular background; export PNG with transparency where noted.

Existing assets (reuse before generating): the generated A1-A12 illustration set above, illustration_couple_*, illustration_daily_question, illustration_tonight_partner_prompt, illustration_partner_activation, illustration_reveal_celebration, illustration_streak_milestone, illustration_together_empty, illustration_premium_unlock, all 10 pack_art_* assets, particle_heart, and particle_petal. These are Android assets now; only generate new art when a future QA pass finds a specific missing surface or replacement-worthy defect.


Screen-By-Screen Audit

Legend: on-brand / no art needed · reuse/wire existing art · 🔤 brand-copy/color/code touch

Screen / surface Current brand state Opportunity
Onboarding carousel couple art + warm copy strong already
Welcome (Create / I have account) heart mark + privacy line on-brand; could rotate privacy messages 🔤
Sign up / Login / Forgot password plain form 🔤 add small heart mark + one privacy line above the form (no big art — keep forms clean)
Create profile — name / sex / photo plain steps 🔤 light: small step glyphs; otherwise (forms stay clean)
Pair: invite (create code) illustration_couple_invite wired
Pair: accept code / pairing success illustration_pairing_success wired
Home (paired) cards, warm copy good
Home (unpaired "bring your person in") couple art present on-brand
Today / daily question clean card ; reveal moment is the place for art (below)
Answer reveal (mutual) illustration_reveal_celebration wired
Answer history illustration_answer_history_empty wired
Play hub game glyphs wired
This or That (setup/play) light buttons good; dark prompt backdrop off-brand 🔤 replace two-circle/line motif + theme option colors
This or That / How Well / Desire Sync results score + rows reuse reveal_celebration; particles on high match
How Well / Desire Sync intro icon + copy
Spin the Wheel nice wheel art wheel is on-brand
Wheel complete / results text reveal celebration header (reuse particles)
Connection Challenges (series list) illustration_connection_challenges_header wired
Connection Challenges (active day) clean 🔤 small streak/heart glyph; otherwise
Memory Lane (list) illustration_memory_lane_capsule empty state wired
Memory Lane (sealed capsule) lock + date optional: reuse capsule art on sealed-card detail, no new art
Date Match (deck) clean cards
Date Match (your matches / empty) empty + success art wired
Plan Date / Date Builder form 🔤 small date-card glyph; otherwise
Bucket List (empty) illustration_bucket_list_empty wired
Question Packs (library) all 10 pack_art_* assets present
Messages (inbox empty) illustration_messages_empty wired
Conversation chat keep clean; quiet-hours art is in settings
Past Games (empty/list) illustration_past_games_empty wired
Your Progress / Activity stats 🔤 brand-colored charts; reuse streak_milestone for milestones
Paywall / Subscription couple art present strong (couple illustration + “one subscription for both”)
Premium unlock modal illustration_premium_unlock ready, not wired implement one-time modal for purchaser + partner
WaitingForPartner per-game glyphs + copy
Settings + sub-pages dense lists keep clean — no illustrations; brand via section headers/color only 🔤
Security / Recovery phrase illustration_privacy_recovery wired
Privacy & Terms settings row uses glyph_privacy_lock ; page can stay text-first
Delete account illustration_account_deletion_goodbye wired
Quiet hours (settings) illustration_quiet_hours wired
Notifications (system) ic_notification_closer used no glyph swap needed

Generation Backlog

Two OPEN backlogs (2026-06-27 audit) — see the tables up top:

  1. Dark illustration variants — make drawable-night-nodpi/ versions of every light-only image: all illustration_couple_* heroes, daily_question, partner_activation, tonight_partner_prompt, together_empty, and all 10 pack_art_* banners (see Image theme-variant coverage).
  2. Custom glyphs to replace ~60 generic Material icons (see Icon/glyph audit) — every icon must be a bespoke glyph_*, starting with the highest-traffic (back, heart, lock, person, check, forward, play, close, star).

Do not regenerate completed illustration/glyph art unless a QA pass logs a specific defect; the above are net-new.

Generated glyph files: glyph_closer_mark, glyph_paired_cards, glyph_daily_card, glyph_sealed_answer, glyph_memory_capsule, glyph_date_card_heart, glyph_quiet_hours_moon, glyph_couple_premium, glyph_export_data, glyph_delete_account, glyph_how_well, glyph_connection_challenge, glyph_question_packs, glyph_bucket_list, glyph_past_games, glyph_spin_wheel, glyph_privacy_lock.


Notes for the asset hand-off

  • Match filenames to the existing scheme: illustration_<name>.png (nodpi), pack_art_<pack>.png, glyph_<name>.xml, particle_<name>.png. Provide @1x in drawable-nodpi/ (illustrations) or density buckets where the existing asset has them.
  • For the generated G-set, use the source SVGs in docs/brand/generated-art/glyphs/source-svg/ for review and the Android-ready vectors in docs/brand/generated-art/glyphs/android-vector/ for app wiring.
  • After adding art, re-run Pass C (visual, light + dark) on those screens to confirm contrast + no clipping, and re-export store graphics per docs/brand/visual-identity.md if the palette/mark changed.