The Presentation Layer

The emotional tone of a CSG game world—as evoked through sounds, art, and animation—should befit its theme of creativity and growth. A pure CSG set in a grim, decaying world wouldn’t be very popular. (As in several other respects, Dungeon Keeper is an exception, but it is also a hybrid, not a pure CSG.) The player will also want a clear, unobstructed view of things; fog, darkness, and shadows won’t help. The artwork of CSGs is often reminiscent of the ligne claire style pioneered by the Belgian author Hergé for his Tintin books: clean, strong lines, flat shading, and uniform lighting.