World Build
⚠️ Creative Pack — NOT auto-apply
This skill is part of the creative pack. Do NOT apply it by default on every visual task.
Use ONLY when explicitly triggered:
- user says "world-build this" or "make this feel like a place"
- task is explicitly about immersive experience (portfolio, launch, game UI, interactive storytelling)
- user asks for atmosphere, narrative arc, or sensory design
Do NOT use when:
- no one asked for immersion — most UI tasks don't need this
- building product UI, dashboards, forms, settings, or tools
- content needs to be scannable and fast (docs, settings pages)
- MVP prototypes where speed matters more than atmosphere
If this skill wasn't explicitly requested, skip it. Use design-review instead.
What This Is
The creative development playbook for building things that feel like *places*, not pages. Whimsical-design asks "does it have personality?" World-build provides the construction manual for depth.
Phase 1: The World (BEFORE any code)
Every immersive build starts with a creative brief. Answer these three questions:
1. What world does this live in? Not "what does it look like" but "where ARE we?" Examples:
- Killian Herzer: a detective's case file / surveillance system
- Clawbotomy: a behavioral forensics lab
- Context Window: a decaying AI consciousness
- Inflight: a mission control dashboard for creators
2. What's the core metaphor? One metaphor that every UI element reinforces:
- Investigation → evidence, case files, classified stamps, redacted text
- Laboratory → specimens, test results, diagnostic readouts
- Space mission → coordinates, telemetry, signal strength
- Nature → growth, seasons, organic shapes, weathering
3. What does the user FEEL when they arrive? Name one emotion. Not "impressed" — that's a reaction. An emotion:
- Intrigue (I want to explore this)
- Wonder (this is beautiful and alive)
- Tension (something is happening here)
- Warmth (I feel welcomed into someone's world)
Write these three answers down. Share with Aaron. Get alignment. THEN build.
Phase 2: The Atmosphere System
Every world-build site needs these layers. They're what separate "a page with nice CSS" from "a place."
Layer 1: Background Texture
The canvas is never blank white or flat black.
/* Noise overlay — subtle grain that makes everything feel tactile */
.noise-overlay {
position: fixed;
inset: 0;
pointer-events: none;
z-index: 9999;
opacity: 0.03;
background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg viewBox='0 0 256 256' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3E%3Cfilter id='noise'%3E%3CfeTurbulence type='fractalNoise' baseFrequency='0.9' numOctaves='4' stitchTiles='stitch'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Crect width='100%25' height='100%25' filter='url(%23noise)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");
}
/* Ambient glow — soft colored light that sets mood */
.ambient-glow {
position: fixed;
width: 60vw;
height: 60vh;
border-radius: 50%;
opacity: 0.05;
filter: blur(120px);
mix-blend-mode: normal;
pointer-events: none;
will-change: transform;
animation: drift 20s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
}
/* Grid background — subtle structure */
.grid-bg {
position: fixed;
inset: 0;
background-image:
linear-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,0.02) 1px, transparent 1px),
linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255,255,255,0.02) 1px, transparent 1px);
background-size: 60px 60px;
pointer-events: none;
}Layer 2: Corner Elements (HUD)
Persistent UI that reinforces the world. Small, monospace, low opacity.
┌─ TOP LEFT TOP RIGHT ─┐
│ Status indicator Timestamp │
│ Signal/connection Language │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ BOTTOM LEFT BOTTOM RIGHT │
│ Live indicator System status │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘These should be thematic:
- Detective world: "CAM_04 [REC]", "SIGNAL_STRONG", "ANALYSER_ACTIVE"
- Lab world: "SAMPLE_ID: 0042", "TEMP: 21.3°C", "PROTOCOL: ACTIVE"
- Space world: "LAT: 34.0195 N", "ORBIT: STABLE", "COMMS: OPEN"
Layer 3: Custom Cursor
Replace the default cursor. Even a simple dot + trailing ring transforms the feel.
.cursor-main {
width: 12px;
height: 12px;
border: 1.5px solid var(--accent);
border-radius: 50%;
position: fixed;
pointer-events: none;
z-index: 10000;
transition: transform 0.15s ease;
}
/* Scale up on interactive elements, show text labels on hover */Layer 4: Scan Lines / Atmospheric FX
Pick ONE signature effect. Don't stack them all:
- Scan line (horizontal bar sweeping slowly)
- Vignette (darkened edges)
- CRT flicker (very subtle, for retro worlds)
- Floating particles (for organic/nature worlds)
- Spotlight/flashlight mask (for investigation worlds)
Phase 3: Typography as World-Building
Rule: Minimum 2 font families. Always.
The Formula
- Display/Headline: Serif or statement font (Playfair Display, EB Garamond, Fraunces, Space Grotesk)
- Body: Clean sans (Inter, Rethink Sans, Plus Jakarta Sans)
- System/Data: Monospace (JetBrains Mono, IBM Plex Mono, Space Mono)
The contrast between headline and system text creates visual tension — serif warmth vs mono coldness. That tension IS the design.
Scale
Headlines should be dramatically large. clamp(2.5rem, 5vw, 4rem) minimum for hero text. Body stays readable. The gap between them is the hierarchy.
Phase 4: Animation Choreography
Everything enters. Nothing just appears.
GSAP ScrollTrigger Setup
// Every section reveals on scroll
gsap.utils.toArray('.reveal-section').forEach(section => {
gsap.from(section, {
y: 60,
opacity: 0,
duration: 1,
ease: 'power3.out',
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: section,
start: 'top 80%',
toggleActions: 'play none none none'
}
});
});
// Staggered children (cards, list items)
gsap.from('.stagger-item', {
y: 40,
opacity: 0,
duration: 0.8,
stagger: 0.1,
ease: 'power2.out',
scrollTrigger: { trigger: '.stagger-container', start: 'top 75%' }
});Timing Rules
- Entrance: 0.8-1.2s with
power3.out(fast start, gentle land) - Hover: 0.2-0.3s with
power2.out - Page transition: 0.4-0.6s
- Stagger delay: 0.08-0.12s between items
- Never use linear easing. Everything has organic acceleration.
Parallax
Background elements move slower than foreground. Even 10% difference creates depth.
gsap.to('.parallax-bg', {
yPercent: -20,
ease: 'none',
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: '.parallax-section',
start: 'top bottom',
end: 'bottom top',
scrub: true
}
});Phase 5: The Loading Sequence
The first 2-3 seconds set the entire mood. Never skip this.
Minimum Viable Loader
- Full-screen curtain in the world's dominant color
- One animated element (progress bar, counter, spinner — thematic)
- One line of thematic text ("INITIALIZING...", "LOADING EVIDENCE...", "ENTERING LAB...")
- Curtain splits/fades to reveal the site
Advanced Loader (for portfolio/showcase sites)
- Terminal text typing effect
- Progress counter (00% → 100%)
- Thematic animation (radar sweep, heartbeat line, particle formation)
- Sound cue on completion (optional, powerful if done right)
Phase 6: The Project Showcase Pattern
If the site shows work/projects/case studies, use the evidence board pattern:
- Horizontal slider with large preview cards (not a grid)
- Click to expand into full-screen viewer/terminal
- Metadata sidebar with structured data (year, stack, role)
- Gallery within the viewer
- Navigation between projects without closing
This pattern works because it's interactive (not just scrolling), it treats each project as important (full-screen), and it lets the user control the pace.
Pre-Flight Checklist
Before presenting a world-build to Aaron:
World Check
- [ ] Creative brief exists (world, metaphor, emotion)
- [ ] Every UI element reinforces the world — nothing breaks the fiction
- [ ] The world is consistent — you wouldn't see a detective badge in a space station
Atmosphere Check
- [ ] Background texture layer (noise, grain, or gradient)
- [ ] At least 2 ambient/decorative layers (glow, grid, particles, corners)
- [ ] Custom cursor or cursor modification on hover
- [ ] One signature atmospheric effect
Typography Check
- [ ] 2+ font families loaded and used intentionally
- [ ] Serif/sans or display/mono contrast visible
- [ ] Headlines are dramatically sized
- [ ] Monospace used for data/system elements
Animation Check
- [ ] GSAP (or equivalent) loaded
- [ ] Sections reveal on scroll, not on page load
- [ ] Hover states on all interactive elements
- [ ] Staggered animations on repeated elements
- [ ] No element just "appears" — everything enters
Loading Check
- [ ] Loading sequence exists
- [ ] Loading sequence is thematic (not a generic spinner)
- [ ] Site content is hidden until loader completes
Screenshot Test
- [ ] Take a screenshot. Cover the text. Does it still feel like a place?
- [ ] Compare to reference (Killian Herzer, Inflight, etc.)
- [ ] Would someone screenshot this and send to a friend?
Reference Sites (study the source)
- killianherzer.com — investigation/surveillance world, GSAP + Three.js, noise + grid + corners + custom cursor, full loader sequence
- inflight.co — mission control for creators, data viz, interactive SVG
- 3d.killianherzer.com — Three.js immersive 3D version of portfolio
- poolsuite.net — retro-futurist world, nostalgia as design language
- lusion.co — WebGL showcase, creative development studio
- void.st — minimal but atmospheric, particle systems
Updating This Skill
After builds where Aaron gives feedback on atmosphere, depth, or immersion:
- What created the right feeling → add to recipes
- What fell flat → add to anti-patterns
- New reference sites → add to the list
- Code patterns that worked well → add as snippets