Language reference

Every kind, key, preset, effect and palette name in .cel and .scene, generated from the compiler’s own tables.

Overview

You are a 3D model maker for celworld, a procedural cel-shaded world. You write .cel scripts: a compact text language that compiles into toy-like 3D models with plum ink outlines. One script is a seeded family: every seed grows a different, equally good variant.

The language

One statement per line. // starts a comment. The first statement is the asset line.

asset <name> "Title" complexity=Nname is snake_case; complexity is given in the request

let NAME = expra gene: drawn once per seed, used by later lines

<kind> <name> [xN] [flags] key=value \u2026a part (or N copies of it)

anim [state:] <part> <preset> [key=\u2026]motion on a part that has the joint flag

anim [state:] <part> <channel> <wave> key=\u2026

Values: numbers .3, vectors (x, y, z), lists [a b c], stations [t:value \u2026], words "tall", colours (palette name, #rrggbb, or a colour let).

a..b is a seeded uniform draw; red:3|teal|cobalt is a seeded weighted pick (weights after a colon). Draws happen once per seed per place, so let them in a let when several lines must agree.
Arithmetic works on numbers, vectors and colours: H*.4, (1, .9, 1)*R, coat*.85 (a darker shade), coat~ (a small hue jitter).
In a part line: i (copy index), n (count), t (i/(n-1)), parent.i, parent.<key>, <part>.<key> (a part above, e.g. color=body.color).
Logic: if=chance(.4) or if=style=="horned" includes a part conditionally; sel(k, a, b, c) picks by index so one gene can drive several choices.

Placement

on=<part> makes this part ride the parent (its frame, its bone, its copies: a child of a copied part is copied with it). Parents must be written above children.
at=(x, y, z) offsets in the parent frame, or at=<anchor>+(x, y, z) from a point of the parent: at=top, at=end+(0, .05, 0), at=front-(0, .1, 0).
surf=(azimuth, elevation) sticks the part onto the parent's surface: azimuth 0 = front (+Z), 90 = its left (+X), 180 = back, -90 = right; elevation 90 = straight up. The part's +Y points out of the surface (so a cone or a limb on surf= sticks out of it), unless decal (lies flat on it, +Z out) or upright (keeps the parent's axes, only takes the position).
rot=(x, y, z) degrees, or yaw= tilt= roll=. scale= one number or x,y,z.

Copies (the loops)

x3 or x2..4 copies. With ring they spread round the parent's Y axis (ring=8 adds \u00B18 degrees of seeded jitter; ring0= start angle). With row=(dx, dy, dz) they line up centred. With chain=(dx, dy, dz) each copy rides the last, so rot= and scale= accumulate: tails, tentacles, garlands, necks.
mirror adds a twin reflected across the parent's X = 0. Write the original on the +X side (at x > 0). Use it for every pair: eyes, ears, arms, legs, wheels, wings.
Children of copies use parent.i or i for per-copy choices: color=sel(i, cherry, cream).

Rig and motion

joint makes a part a bone at its origin; it and everything on it moves together. Only jointed parts can be animated. Put joint on the root body and on every part that moves (legs, arms, head, tail, jaw, wings, lid, wheel).
anim lines go last. Without a state they always play (idle life: breathe, sway, bob, wag). With a state (anim walk: leg gait) they play only while a game puts the model in that state.
Channels rx ry rz (degrees), px py pz (metres), s (scale swell). Waves sin, spin, bounce, keys.
keys=[0:0 .3:40 .7:40 1:0] is a keyframed cycle (t from 0 to 1, eased). once plays one cycle and holds the end (a lid opening, a bow, a death fall).
twin=.5 makes mirror twins alternate (left and right legs). stagger=.5 offsets each copy (front and back leg pairs, so a quadruped trots on diagonals; stagger=.1 along a chain makes a wave run down a tail).
Mirror twins mirror their sideways motion by themselves: anim arm rz keys=[0:0 .5:120 1:0] raises both arms outward.

Cel FX (water, splashes, puffs, smoke, sparkles) are particles drawn as toon blobs, moved by the clock

fx jet on=nozzle at=end speed=2.6 spread=6: one line is one emitter on every copy of its part (four spouts, one line). Particles launch along dir= (the part's +Y by default) inside a cone of spread degrees, fall with gravity (negative rises), and live 1/hz seconds; size grows to size \u00D7 grow.
Aim with the part: a spout tilted with rot= aims its jet. Reach: a jet rises speed\u00B2/19.6 m; a sideways arc travels about speed \u00D7 (time to fall).
Water lands in water: time the life (1/hz) to the fall so drops vanish at the surface. Smoke and puffs rise from chimneys, exhausts and nostrils.
fx lines go after the parts, before the anims. A state prefix (fx burst: jet \u2026) shows it only in that state. Each fx line is a draw call and n \u00D7 36 triangles per source.

Coordinates and sizes

Metres. Y is up, the model faces +Z, +X is the model's own left. The ground is y = 0: the lowest point must sit within 3 cm of it (unless the asset line has float). Typical sizes: a critter 0.3 to 0.8 m tall, a person 1.6 m (chibi 0.8 m), a vehicle about 3 m long, a house 5 m, a boss monster 3 to 6 m.

Where a shape sits relative to its own origin (its pivot)

lathe, cyl, cone, box: stand ON the origin, growing up +Y.
ball, puff, torus, wheel: centred on the origin.
limb: hangs DOWN from the origin (the joint is at the top): legs and arms.
rod: runs from the origin to to=(x,y,z). tube: through pts=[\u2026].
slab: an x,y outline at the origin, thickness along z.

A child's at= is in its parent's frame (and the parent's scale applies).

Header

The first statement: asset <name> "Title" complexity=N. It takes these keys.

Key	Type	Default	What it does
title	name	—	display name
complexity	integer 1–10	—	budget tier 1..10: caps shapes, triangles and draw calls (an error past them)
tris	integer 100–200000	6000	triangle budget without a complexity (a warning past it)
ref	name	—	hand-coded counterpart for the playground compare view, e.g. tree:cloud
float	flag	—	the model is meant to hover (no ground-contact warning)
scale	number	—	lab hint: how big one grid cell should be, metres

Shapes

14 kinds. A part line is <kind> <name> [xN] [flags] key=value …; every kind also takes the common keys.

lathe cyl cone ball puff box tube rod limb torus slab wheel spot face

lathe

a profile spun round Y: pots, bodies, columns, domes, bells (base at the origin)

Key	Type	Default	What it does
h	number 0.001–200	1	height, metres (grows up +Y from the origin)
r	number 0.0005–100	0.5	radius, metres (prof radii are multiples of it)
sq	number 1.2–12	2	cross-section squareness: 2 round, 4 rounded square, 8 box-like
depth	number 0.02–4	1	z radius as a fraction of x (flatten into a disc or slab)
bands	bands [t:colour …]	—	hard colour bands from height fraction t up: [.3:cream .8:cherry]
stripes	colours [a b …]	—	colours cycled round the panels: [cherry white]
panels	integer 0–64	0	angular panels with crisp edges (stripes, a pyramid with segs=panels)
phase	number	0	panel start angle, degrees
scallop	number 0–2	0	fabric sag between panel edges, metres (canopies)
noise	number 0–0.3	0	organic wobble, fraction of the radius
lean	x,y	0,0	top drifts x,z metres (quadratic, like a trunk)
bend	number -360–360	0	curve toward +Z by this many degrees over the height
flare	number 0–2	0	trunk flare at the base, fraction
open	none \| top \| bottom \| both	none	leave an end open
cap	colour	—	colour of the flat end caps
segs	integer 3–64	—	segments round (default from size)
rings	integer 1–64	—	rings up (default from the profile)
prof	profile [t:r …]	[0:1 1:1]	radius stations t:r up the height (t 0..1, r × radius); a repeated t is a crisp step: [0:1 .7:1 .7:1.2 1:1.1]
linear	flag	—	straight lines between stations (default smooth)

cyl

a cylinder (or tapered drum) with rounded edges, base at the origin

Key	Type	Default	What it does
h	number 0.001–200	1	height, metres (grows up +Y from the origin)
r	number 0.0005–100	0.5	radius, metres (prof radii are multiples of it)
sq	number 1.2–12	2	cross-section squareness: 2 round, 4 rounded square, 8 box-like
depth	number 0.02–4	1	z radius as a fraction of x (flatten into a disc or slab)
bands	bands [t:colour …]	—	hard colour bands from height fraction t up: [.3:cream .8:cherry]
stripes	colours [a b …]	—	colours cycled round the panels: [cherry white]
panels	integer 0–64	0	angular panels with crisp edges (stripes, a pyramid with segs=panels)
phase	number	0	panel start angle, degrees
scallop	number 0–2	0	fabric sag between panel edges, metres (canopies)
noise	number 0–0.3	0	organic wobble, fraction of the radius
lean	x,y	0,0	top drifts x,z metres (quadratic, like a trunk)
bend	number -360–360	0	curve toward +Z by this many degrees over the height
flare	number 0–2	0	trunk flare at the base, fraction
open	none \| top \| bottom \| both	none	leave an end open
cap	colour	—	colour of the flat end caps
segs	integer 3–64	—	segments round (default from size)
rings	integer 1–64	—	rings up (default from the profile)
r2	number	—	top radius (default r)
round	number 0–50	0	edge fillet radius, metres

cone

a cone (or frustum with r2), base at the origin

Key	Type	Default	What it does
h	number 0.001–200	1	height, metres (grows up +Y from the origin)
r	number 0.0005–100	0.5	radius, metres (prof radii are multiples of it)
sq	number 1.2–12	2	cross-section squareness: 2 round, 4 rounded square, 8 box-like
depth	number 0.02–4	1	z radius as a fraction of x (flatten into a disc or slab)
bands	bands [t:colour …]	—	hard colour bands from height fraction t up: [.3:cream .8:cherry]
stripes	colours [a b …]	—	colours cycled round the panels: [cherry white]
panels	integer 0–64	0	angular panels with crisp edges (stripes, a pyramid with segs=panels)
phase	number	0	panel start angle, degrees
scallop	number 0–2	0	fabric sag between panel edges, metres (canopies)
noise	number 0–0.3	0	organic wobble, fraction of the radius
lean	x,y	0,0	top drifts x,z metres (quadratic, like a trunk)
bend	number -360–360	0	curve toward +Z by this many degrees over the height
flare	number 0–2	0	trunk flare at the base, fraction
open	none \| top \| bottom \| both	none	leave an end open
cap	colour	—	colour of the flat end caps
segs	integer 3–64	—	segments round (default from size)
rings	integer 1–64	—	rings up (default from the profile)
r2	number 0–100	0	top radius

ball

an ellipsoid centred on the origin

Key	Type	Default	What it does
r	number or x,y,z	0.5,0.5,0.5	radius, or rx,ry,rz
under	colour	—	hard underside band below 30% down (foliage, bellies)
half	flag	—	top half only, flat bottom at the origin (domes, caps)
bands	bands [t:colour …]	—	hard colour bands from height fraction t up: [.3:cream .8:cherry]
stripes	colours [a b …]	—	colours cycled round the panels: [cherry white]
panels	integer 0–64	0	angular panels with crisp edges (stripes, a pyramid with segs=panels)
phase	number	0	panel start angle, degrees
sq	number 1.2–12	2	cross-section squareness: 2 round, 4 rounded square, 8 box-like
noise	number 0–0.3	0	organic wobble, fraction of the radius
segs	integer 3–64	—	segments round (default from size)
rings	integer 1–64	—	rings up (default from the profile)

puff

a foliage blob: ball with a darker underside band (color × .86) and wobble 0.06

Key	Type	Default	What it does
r	number or x,y,z	0.5,0.5,0.5	radius, or rx,ry,rz
under	colour	—	underside colour (default color × 0.86)
noise	number 0–0.3	0.06	wobble, fraction of rx
segs	integer 3–64	—	segments round (default from size)
rings	integer 1–64	—	rings up (default from the profile)

box

a rounded box standing on the origin (true fillets, crisp colour cuts)

Key	Type	Default	What it does
size	x,y,z	1,1,1	width (x), height (y), depth (z), metres
round	number	—	edge fillet radius, metres (default 12% of the smallest side)
bev	integer 1–3	—	fillet smoothness 1..3
bands	bands [t:colour …]	—	colour bands up the height: [.4:cream]
stripes	colours [a b …]	—	vertical stripes across x: [cherry white]
panels	integer 0–64	0	stripe count across x
axis	x \| z	x	stripes run across x or z

tube

a round tube along points (in the part frame): handles, strings, tails, pipes

Key	Type	Default	What it does
pts	points [(x,y,z) …]	—	points [0,0,0 0,1,0 .2,1.4,0]
r	number or x,y	0.03,0.03	radius, or start,end
smooth	flag	—	curve through the points (Catmull-Rom)
sides	integer 3–32	—	sides

rod

a straight bar from the origin to `to`, flat ends: poles, legs, rails, spokes

Key	Type	Default	What it does
to	x,y,z	0,1,0	end point in the part frame
r	number or x,y	0.03,0.03	radius, or start,end
sides	integer 3–32	—	sides
bands	bands [t:colour …]	—	colour bands along it (t 0..1)

limb

a capsule hanging DOWN from the origin (a joint at the top): arms, legs, necks (rot to aim)

Key	Type	Default	What it does
len	number 0.001–50	0.4	length, metres
r	number or x,y	0.06,0.05	radius, or top,bottom
bands	bands [t:colour …]	—	colour bands from the top (t 0) down (t 1): sleeves, socks
depth	number 0.1–4	1	z radius as a fraction of x
segs	integer 3–64	—	segments round

torus

a ring lying flat (round Y), centred: rims, hoops, belts, lifebuoys (rot to stand it up)

Key	Type	Default	What it does
R	number 0.001–100	0.5	ring radius, metres
r	number 0.0005–50	0.05	tube radius, metres
arc	number 1–360	360	degrees of ring, centred on +Z (360 = closed)
segs	integer 3–128	—	segments round the ring
sides	integer 3–32	—	sides of the tube

slab

a flat outline (x,y points) with thickness in z and rounded rims: signs, sails, wings, fins, leaves

Key	Type	Default	What it does
pts	points [(x,y) …]	—	outline points [-.5,0 .5,0 0,1]
t	number 0.001–20	0.05	thickness, metres
round	number	—	rim rounding, metres (≤ t/2)
edge	colour	—	rim colour (a trim band round the outline)

wheel

a chunky wheel on an X axle, centred: tyre, hub and cap

Key	Type	Default	What it does
r	number 0.01–20	0.3	radius, metres
w	number 0.005–10	0.15	width, metres
tyre	colour	—	tyre colour
hub	colour	—	hub colour
hubR	number 0.1–0.95	0.5	hub radius, fraction of r

spot

no geometry: a place a scene can use (use= says how: a carousel horse is a saddle; docks, bridges and stages are decks, tilted for a ramp). Put a seat at the seat top, a deck at the walking surface. Spots ride their part (a seat on a spinning cup spins its rider)

Key	Type	Default	What it does
use	seat \| saddle \| stand \| deck	seat	seat (sit facing +Z), saddle (sit astride facing +Z), stand (stand and ride along) or deck (people walk on it; size= sets it)
size	x,y	0.6,0.6	a deck: width (x) and depth (z), metres, centred on the spot

face

a house face (unlit, never inked) on the parent surface: eyes, mouth, blush, brows

Key	Type	Default	What it does
eyes	round \| dot \| happy \| sleepy \| none	round	eye style: round = big open eye, iris + pupil + shine; dot = a shiny bead; happy = closed ^ ^ arcs; sleepy = closed arcs
lid	number 0–1	0	round eyes: upper lid, 0 = wide open and bright, .3 = calm, .5 = sleepy or bored, .7 = grumpy, 1 = shut
mouth	smile \| grin \| fang \| open \| flat \| cat \| none	smile	mouth style: smile = closed U; grin = open D with tongue (cheerful); fang = grin with two little fangs (monsters, bats, cats); open = small o (surprise, singing); cat = ω; flat = deadpan line
size	number 0.03–0.6	0.16	eye height, fraction of the head radius
spacing	number 4–80	22	eye spacing, degrees either side of the front
eyeY	number -60–60	8	eye elevation, degrees
mouthY	number -80–40	-22	mouth elevation, degrees
mouthW	number 0.05–1.2	0.4	mouth width, fraction of the head radius
iris	colour	hairBrown	iris colour
skin	colour	—	the head colour the eye whites and blush lean toward (default the parent colour)
blush	flag	—	cheek blush (a multiply of the skin, never lighter)
brows	colour	—	brow colour (none when absent)

Common keys

Every part takes these: placement, copies, rig and look.

Key	Type	Default	What it does
on	name	—	parent part: this part rides it (its frame, bone, copies)
at	x,y,z	0,0,0	position in the parent frame; or an anchor of the parent (top, front, …) plus an offset: at=top+(0,.1,0)
surf	x,y	—	stick to the parent surface at azimuth,elevation degrees from its centre (0,0 = front, 90,0 = its left, 0,90 = top); +Y points out
lift	number	0	with surf: push out along the surface normal, metres (negative sinks in)
decal	flag	—	with surf: lie ON the surface (+Z out) instead of sticking out of it
upright	flag	—	with surf: keep the parent axes, take only the position (puffs, fruit, stones)
rot	x,y,z	0,0,0	rotation degrees x,y,z (yaw first, then pitch, then roll)
yaw	number	0	turn about Y, degrees
tilt	number	0	lean forward about X, degrees
roll	number	0	roll about Z, degrees
scale	number or x,y,z	1,1,1	scale (one number or x,y,z); children scale with it
color	colour	blossomWhite	main colour
ink	full \| thin \| none \| glow	full	outline: full, thin (half), none (no line), glow (unlit, lined)
joint	flag	—	this part is a bone: it and its children can move (see anim)
mirror	flag	—	add a twin mirrored across the parent X = 0 (ears, eyes, legs, wheels); twins share their draws
x	integer 0–64	1	copies (x3, x2..5 or x=3)
ring	number 0–180	0	copies spread round the parent Y axis; the value is a seeded jitter in degrees
ring0	number	0	start angle of a ring, degrees
row	x,y,z	—	copies in a centred row, this far apart
chain	x,y,z	—	copies in a chain: each one rides the last, this far on (with its rot): tails, garlands
if	number	1	include only when non-zero (chance(.5), form==tall)
detail	number 0.25–3	1	tessellation multiplier
fold	integer 0–64	—	papercraft: flat panels round a curved part (0 smooth)
cut	print \| straight \| deckle \| pinked	—	papercraft: card edge (deckle torn, pinked zigzag, print none)
layer	number -4–12	—	papercraft: card thicknesses proud of its surface
surface	shingles \| slate \| tiles \| thatch \| planks \| siding \| wood \| bark \| brick \| stone \| stucco \| metal \| glass \| fabric \| knit \| fur \| leather \| rubber \| plastic \| paint \| cardboard \| paper \| foliage \| rock	—	what it is made of, drawn by every look (default none): shingles slate tiles thatch planks siding wood bark brick stone stucco metal glass fabric knit fur leather rubber plastic paint cardboard paper foliage rock
surfscale	number 0.2–5	—	with surface: pattern size, × its real size (default 1)
surftone	colour	—	second surface tone: mortar, grout, a lit lip, a sheen (default from the surface)

Animation

anim [state:] <part> <preset | channel wave> [key=…] moves a part that has the joint flag. Channels: rx ry rz px py pz s. Waves: sin spin bounce keys.

Presets

Preset	Channel	Wave	Amp	Hz	Twin	Use
`gait`	rx	sin	22	0.9	0.5	legs or arms that swing in turn (mirror twins alternate)
`sway`	rz	sin	4	0.35	0	a slow side-to-side lean (trees, signs, idle bodies)
`bob`	py	sin	0.05	0.8	0	up and down (floating things, riders)
`bounce`	py	bounce	0.06	1.2	0	hops that touch down (springs, happy idles)
`wag`	ry	sin	25	2	0	a quick side-to-side (tails)
`flap`	rz	sin	35	2.5	0	wings and fins (twins mirror on their own)
`nod`	rx	sin	8	0.5	0	a head that nods
`spin`	ry	spin	0	0.25	0	turns round Y forever (wheels need rot to spin on X)
`breathe`	s	sin	0.03	0.3	0	a gentle swell (bodies, chests)

Keys

Key	Type	Default	What it does
amp	number	10	amplitude: degrees for rx/ry/rz, metres for px/py/pz, a fraction for s (scale)
hz	number -20–20	0.5	cycles per second; negative runs the motion backward (a counter-spin, a once that plays from its end)
phase	number	0	phase offset, cycles (with once: a delay, cycles)
stagger	number	0	extra phase per copy, cycles (waves along chains and rings)
twin	number	0	extra phase for the mirror twin, cycles (.5 = legs that alternate)
keys	keys [t:v …]	—	with the keys wave: values at cycle times, eased between: [0:0 .3:40 .7:40 1:0]
once	flag	—	play one cycle and hold the end (a door that opens, a bow): for named states

Effects

fx <type> on=<part> [key=…] adds an emitter of toon particles. The type gives every default; keys on the line override them.

Presets

Type	Particles	Hz	Speed	Gravity	Colours	Ink	Use
`jet`	22	0.8	3	9.8	waterLightwater	thin	a fountain jet: a steady arc of water blobs (aim dir, set speed for the height)
`splash`	10	1.4	1.3	9.8	foamwaterLight	thin	droplets bursting up and out where water lands
`puff`	5	0.45	0.45	-0.25	whitecream	thin	soft round puffs rising and swelling (chimneys, steam, breath)
`smoke`	7	0.35	0.35	-0.2	concretegreystone	thin	grey smoke billowing up (fires, exhausts, a dragon nostril)
`sparkle`	8	0.9	0	0	sunflowerwhite	glow	little stars popping in and out round a point (magic, treasure, a fairy)
`confetti`	24	0.45	2.6	1.6	cherrysunflower	thin	paper chips burst up and flutter down in four hues (a party, a win)

Keys

Key	Type	Default	What it does
on	name	—	the part it rides (required); one emitter per copy of it
at	x,y,z	0,0,0	emitter position in the parent frame, or an anchor of it plus an offset (at=top+(0,.02,0))
dir	x,y,z	0,1,0	launch direction in the parent frame
n	integer 1–64	—	particles alive at once
hz	number 0.05–20	—	lives per second (1/hz = a particle lifetime, seconds)
speed	number 0–40	—	launch speed, metres a second
spread	number 0–180	—	cone half-angle, degrees (sparkle: the radius it scatters in, metres)
gravity	number -40–40	—	fall, metres a second squared (negative rises: smoke)
size	number 0.002–5	—	particle radius at birth, metres
grow	number 0–10	—	radius at death, a multiple of size
color	colour	—	colour at birth
color2	colour	—	colour at death (eased toward over the life)
ink	full \| thin \| none \| glow	—	outline: full, thin, none, glow

Ink classes

ink= on any part. Outline: full, thin (half), none (no line), glow (unlit, lined). Each class in use costs one draw call.

full

thin

none

glow

Palette

113 named colours. Use a name wherever a colour goes (color=cherry), or a hex.

leafA#54c247
leafB#3eac54
leafC#72c23d
leafD#389f64
pineA#37956f
pineB#3c9f8b
hedge#379a45
moss#77b342
stem#4ea43d
tuftBase#60aa3c
tuftTip#8bc757
blossomPink#f1a7c2
blossomWhite#f9f2e7
blossomRose#e77e90
fruitRed#de3b35
fruitOrange#e98935
fruitYellow#ecc93c
berryBlue#3e5fcc
berryRed#d92644
flowerRed#e44454
flowerPink#e87db3
flowerYellow#f0cd42
flowerOrange#ec823c
flowerPurple#a969d3
flowerBlue#688bdf
lavender#9c79d8
flowerWhite#faf6eb
daisyEye#eeba2b
bedSoil#bf9a7d
path#d4c7af
barkA#88593a
barkB#6c4633
barkC#9d754d
rockWarm#b3aa9e
rockGrey#9c948b
rockCool#969ea6
rockSand#c4b9ab
kerb#ded5c4
cherry#e03e4e
tomato#e55843
tangerine#f28736
marigold#f4ae34
sunflower#f7cb3b
lemon#f7ea6e
lime#9cd04e
leafPaint#4eb54a
bottle#317252
mint#8bdab8
teal#33a39f
aqua#64d0d8
sky#73c1e8
cobalt#4377d0
navy#344279
lilac#b89de7
grape#8d51c2
plum#924592
pink#f093bc
bubblegum#e265ac
coral#f18474
peach#fac39e
cream#f8eed3
white#f7f4ed
iron#4c4365
steel#a8b0bd
silver#d1d5db
brass#e0af3e
copper#c96e40
tyre#484257
honey#d89d5a
oak#bf7b40
walnut#88543a
birch#e4cfaa
redwood#ab553f
driftwood#b6a89a
wicker#d4a968
sandstone#dfd1b9
warmstone#c2b4a3
greystone#a1a4af
granite#c9aca6
concrete#cbc8c2
terracotta#d26f4b
soil#8b5f41
burlap#cdad84
cardboard#cda379
water#5abbd8
waterLight#91dde8
foam#d5f0f6
glass#a0c9e4
glassDark#4a6196
glow#fce99c
leaf#4dbf40
leafDark#3a9c4e
leafLight#83c954
skin0#ffe3cf
skin1#f9d2b5
skin2#f1c09b
skin3#e6aa80
skin4#d6956a
skin5#c07f52
skin6#a66a40
skin7#8a5332
skin8#6d3f25
skin9#54301c
hairBlack#2a2228
hairBrown#5a3a28
hairAuburn#9c4a28
hairGinger#c9692f
hairBlonde#e0b25e
hairGrey#bdb7b1
hairPink#ff7eb6
hairTeal#3cc7c0
denim#3f5f9e
inkDark#2b2238

Functions

Expressions in let lines and key values can call these. Random ones draw from the seed, so a seed always grows the same thing.

min()max()clamp()lerp()abs()sqrt()floor()round()ceil()mix()shade()light()chance()int()hsl()sel()

Complexity budgets

complexity=N on the asset line picks a budget the compiler enforces. Copies and mirror twins count as shapes; each ink class in use, the face and each emitter is a draw call.

Complexity	Shapes	Triangles	Draw calls
c1	16	1,500	2
c2	30	3,200	2
c3	45	4,500	3
c4	70	6,000	4
c5	100	8,000	4
c6	140	10,000	5
c7	200	15,000	5
c8	300	22,000	6
c9	420	32,000	7
c10	640	48,000	8

Faces

face: a house face (unlit, never inked) on the parent surface: eyes, mouth, blush, brows. Faces make creatures and friendly machines read: use the face kind on heads (eyes, a small mouth). Faces read bright and alert by default: keep lid at 0 unless the brief names a mood, pick a smile or grin (fang for a cute monster), and flat only for a deadpan character. blush only on skin, fur or pale heads (on green or blue it reads as a wound).

Key	Type	Default	What it does
eyes	round \| dot \| happy \| sleepy \| none	round	eye style: round = big open eye, iris + pupil + shine; dot = a shiny bead; happy = closed ^ ^ arcs; sleepy = closed arcs
lid	number 0–1	0	round eyes: upper lid, 0 = wide open and bright, .3 = calm, .5 = sleepy or bored, .7 = grumpy, 1 = shut
mouth	smile \| grin \| fang \| open \| flat \| cat \| none	smile	mouth style: smile = closed U; grin = open D with tongue (cheerful); fang = grin with two little fangs (monsters, bats, cats); open = small o (surprise, singing); cat = ω; flat = deadpan line
size	number 0.03–0.6	0.16	eye height, fraction of the head radius
spacing	number 4–80	22	eye spacing, degrees either side of the front
eyeY	number -60–60	8	eye elevation, degrees
mouthY	number -80–40	-22	mouth elevation, degrees
mouthW	number 0.05–1.2	0.4	mouth width, fraction of the head radius
iris	colour	hairBrown	iris colour
skin	colour	—	the head colour the eye whites and blush lean toward (default the parent colour)
blush	flag	—	cheek blush (a multiply of the skin, never lighter)
brows	colour	—	brow colour (none when absent)

See every face on every skin tone

Scenes

A .scene script places library models and hand-coded generators on a template's ground, lays them out by structure and brings them to life.

1One statement per line. `//` starts a comment. Options are key=value. Units are metres. +x is right, +z is toward the default camera (south), y is up. A rotation of 0 faces +z. The ground is a disc of radius `size` centred on (0, 0) (the retro, interior and dungeon templates: a square, |x| and |z| ≤ size).
2 
3Header (first line):
4  scene <name> "<Title>" template=<town|forest|beach|arena|plaza|tabletop|retro|carnival|mountain|interior|dungeon|island> seed=<n> [size=<radius m>] [mood=day|dusk|night|dark]
5    mood: the light (default: the template's; carnival is night, dungeon is dark). Night and dark scenes need light lines.
6 
7Assets:
8  use <alias> = <ref> [seed=<n> | seeds=<a>..<b>] [scale=<k> | height=<m> | width=<m>] [float]
9    float: it sits on water (lilies, boats, ducks): scatter and place may put it in a water ground, on the surface
10    ref = a library slug (latest version), slug@<v> (pinned), or a built-in generator: nature/<kind>[:<form>], prop/<kind>[:<form>], building/<kind>[:<form>]
11    seeds=1..6 → each placement draws one of those variants (different colours / shapes). height= / width= scale the model to that size whatever size it was built at.
12    person/<kid|average|lanky|stocky|round|athletic|elder|chibi> or person/any: hand-coded townsfolk, states idle and walk; seeds= spans up to 48 for crowds
13      e.g. use folk = person/any seeds=1..40   then   scatter folk in square count=12 as crowd   and   wander crowd in square
14 
15Ground:
16  area <name> circle <x> <z> r=<r>  |  area <name> rect <x0> <z0> <x1> <z1>  |  area <name> ring <x> <z> r=<r0>..<r1>
17  plaza <name> <x> <z> r=<r> [paved|dirt|sand]      a painted round area (paved by default); also an area
18  ground <area> <grass|flowers|sand|dirt|water|paved>  paint an area
19  street <name> <x z> <x z> … [width=4]               a paved road (a polyline); buildings line it with lots
20  path <name> <x z> <x z> … [width=2] [dirt|paved|sand|none] [loop]   a footpath (dirt by default)
21 
22Layout (the compiler places; footprints come from each model's real size, so things never need hand spacing):
23  lots <street> <list> [side=left|right|both] [gap=1.5] [setback=1] [from=0..1] [to=0..1]
24      buildings along a street, each turned to face it, packed by their widths; skips crossings
25  place <alias> at <x> <z> [face <deg>|face <x> <z>]
26  row <list> from <x z> to <x z> [gap=<m>] [count=<n>] [face …]     spread evenly along a line
27  grid <list> at <x z> <cols>x<rows> [gap=1]
28  ring <list> at <x z> r=<r> [count=<n>] [face in|out|<deg>]          (faces in by default)
29  scatter <list> in <area> [count=<n>] [spacing=1]                   random, never on paths, buildings or water
30  cluster <list> at <x z> [r=3] [count=<n>] [spacing=0.3]            a tight natural group
31  along <path> <list> [every=6] [side=left|right|both] [offset=0.6]  e.g. lamps, benches, hedges by a road
32  <list> = alias, alias*3, or a mix: house*3,shop  (with count=, items are drawn by those weights)
33  Any layout line can end with: seed=<n> (one variant), `as <group>` (a name life lines can target) and lift=<m> (raise it off the floor; 0.3 or more skips the overlap check against things on the floor)
34      e.g. place sign at 4 2 lift=2.2 face 0
35 
36Life (the scene runs; target = an alias or a group):
37  do <target> <state> [speed=<k>]             hold a named state (speed= runs its clock k times as fast; negative plays it backward, e.g. speed=-1)
38  do <target> sit at <thing>                  sit on the thing's seats (a bench, a desk chair, a picnic table); each takes the nearest free seat
39  do <target> stand at <thing>                stand on the thing's stand spots (a stage, a lookout)
40  ride <target> on <thing>                    ride it: seats first, then stand spots, carried and posed as the thing animates (teacups, a carousel, a cart)
41      seats, stand spots and decks come from the model (`spot` lines in its .cel; prop/bench, prop/picnic, prop/busstop have seats)
42  cycle <target> <state>[,<state>] every <a>..<b>s [for <s>s]   play a state now and then
43  wander <target> in <area> [speed=0.8] [pause=1..4s] [moving=<state>]   walk about (plays walk/hop if it has one)
44  wander <target> on <thing> [speed=0.8] [pause=1..4s] [moving=<state>]   walk about the thing's decks (a dock, a stage, a bridge), crossing between decks that touch
45  follow <target> <path> [speed=1] [pingpong] [moving=<state>]            walk a path, looping (walkers step up onto any deck on their way: a bridge over the path)
46  face <target> <x> <z> | face <target> camera | face <target> <other target>
47  Models with an `idle` state idle by default.
48 
49Camera (optional; the template frames the whole ground):
50  camera orbit <distance> height <h> [at <x> <z>] [spin=<deg/s>] [pitch=<deg>] [fov=<deg>]   the overview: pitch = its line of sight in degrees below level (default: aimed at the target; lower it to show peaks or sky over the ground), fov = its vertical lens (default: the template's, 30..46)
51      e.g. camera orbit 72 height 27 at 0 -6 pitch=12 fov=48   (a valley floor with the snowcaps above it)
52      add hide above <n> to show storeys 0..n only (a cutaway of the ground floor: hide above 0)
53  light at <x> <z> [y=2.4] [color=<swatch|#hex>] [radius=6] [power=1] [flicker]   a point light (a pool of light on the ground)
54  light on <alias|group> [y=<m above its top>] [color=…] [radius=…] [power=…] [flicker]   one light per placement, riding movers
55      e.g. light on lamp color=#ffd28a radius=7   and   light at 4 2 y=1.2 color=#ff9a5c radius=4 flicker   (at most 16 lights in a scene, light on counts each placement; the lamp's glowing part is the model's own glow swatch)
56  view <name> at <x> <z> [y=1.6] dist=<m> height=<m> [yaw=<deg>] [hide above <n>]   a named camera for the viewer (yaw = the camera's direction from the target; 0 = from +z; hide above = storeys over n hidden)
57      e.g. view gym at 12 -8 dist=14 height=6 yaw=30   and   view lobby at 0 0 dist=18 height=14 hide above 0
58 
59Interiors (the interior and dungeon templates; walls drop away toward the camera):
60  level <n> [y=<floor top m>]   lines after it are on storey n (default y = n × 3.6 + 0.15); level 0 until the first one
61  room <name> rect <x0> <z0> <x1> <z1> [floor=plain|checker|tiles|planks|flagstone|carpet] [floorc=<c1>,<c2>] [wall=plain|panel|stone|brick|rail|none] [wallc=<c1>,<c2>] [height=<m>]
62    a room is an area: scatter … in <room>, wander … in <room>. Rooms that share an edge share one wall. Rooms must not overlap.
63  hall <name> <x> <z> <x> <z> … width=<m> [the room options]   axis-aligned segments; open at its ends where it meets a room; an area and a path (along, follow)
64  door <x> <z> [width=1.1] [height=2.2]   snaps to the nearest wall within 0.5 m; keep 1.2 m clear on both sides
65  window <x> <z> [width=1.4] [sill=0.9] [head=2.3]
66  stairs <x> <z> to <level> face <deg> [width=1.2]   climbs from (x, z) in the face direction; it must sit outside the upper level's rooms with its top at one of their edges
67  against <room> <alias> side=n|s|e|w [gap=0.05] [from=<m>] [to=<m>] [count=<n>] [seeds=<a>..<b>] [lift=<m>]   lines things up backed onto one wall, facing in (n = the z0 wall, s = z1, w = x0, e = x1), skipping doors and windows
68      e.g. level 1   room office rect 0 0 6 5 floor=carpet wall=panel   door 3 0   against office shelf side=e count=3   against office clock side=n lift=1.8 count=1

Templates

Template	Ground	Size	Mood	What it is
`town`	disc	36 m	day	open grass patch for streets, houses and a square; trees ring the edge (size 36, use about -30..30)
`forest`	disc	22 m	day	a round clearing in a thick wood (size 22, use about -18..18)
`beach`	disc	30 m	day	sand with the sea on the far (-z) side: keep things at z > -0.3*size (size 30)
`arena`	disc	24 m	day	a round sand battle floor (r = 0.7*size) inside grass, stones and trees around (size 24)
`plaza`	disc	24 m	day	a paved round square (r = 0.55*size) in a park ring (size 24)
`tabletop`	base	10 m	day	a small round toy base you orbit (size 10, use about -8..8)
`retro`	square	30 m	day	a square grass town walled in by two rows of round trees, like an old handheld game (size 30, use about -27..27 in x and z)
`carnival`	disc	34 m	night	a night fairground: a dirt circle (r = 0.62*size) in grass with trees around; light it with light lines (size 34)
`mountain`	disc	40 m	day	a grassy valley floor ringed by snowy peaks (size 40, use about -36..36)
`interior`	plinth	24 m	day	a square floor plate for rooms, halls and storeys, seen as a cutaway (size 24, use about -22..22)
`dungeon`	plinth	30 m	dark	a dark square stone plate for rooms and halls, lit only by light lines (size 30, use about -28..28)
`island`	island	22 m	day	a floating island in the sky: a square of checkered grass tiles with a rim of trees, two waterfalls off its corners and clouds round its cliff (size 22, use about -20..20)

Layout verbs

Verb	Form	Notes
`lots`	lots <street> <list> [side=left\|right\|both] [gap=1.5] [setback=1] [from=0..1] [to=0..1]	buildings along a street, each turned to face it, packed by their widths; skips crossings
`place`	place <alias> at <x> <z> [face <deg>\|face <x> <z>]
`row`	row <list> from <x z> to <x z> [gap=<m>] [count=<n>] [face …]	spread evenly along a line
`grid`	grid <list> at <x z> <cols>x<rows> [gap=1]
`ring`	ring <list> at <x z> r=<r> [count=<n>] [face in\|out\|<deg>]	(faces in by default)
`scatter`	scatter <list> in <area> [count=<n>] [spacing=1]	random, never on paths, buildings or water
`cluster`	cluster <list> at <x z> [r=3] [count=<n>] [spacing=0.3]	a tight natural group
`along`	along <path> <list> [every=6] [side=left\|right\|both] [offset=0.6] e.g. lamps, benches, hedges by a road	e.g. place sign at 4 2 lift=2.2 face 0

Surfaces

grass
flowers
sand
dirt
water
paved
tallgrass
stone
snow

Moods

daythe template's own light
duskreplaces sun, sky and fog
nightreplaces sun, sky and fog
darkreplaces sun, sky and fog

Examples

The worked examples the generator learns from, verbatim. Each one is clean on every seed.

fox-cub.cel

Open in Playground

A critter: a jointed body on mirrored legs, a face, a chain tail, idle motion and a walk state

1asset fox_cub "Fox cub" complexity=4
2// a chibi fox cub: a round body on four short legs, a big head with a pointed muzzle and tall ears,
3// a fat brush tail with a pale tip; it breathes and wags at rest, trots when a game says walk
4let S = .9..1.1
5let coat = tangerine:3|copper:2|honey|cream:.5
6let pale = cream:2|white
7let sock = walnut:2|redwood|iron
8let earS = .9..1.15
9 
10// body: the root bone, standing on four legs
11ball body at=(0, .27*S, 0) r=(.16, .15, .22)*S color=coat under=pale segs=20 rings=12 joint
12limb leg x2 on=body row=(0, 0, .25*S) at=(.085*S, -.02*S, 0) mirror len=.2*S r=(.052, .044)*S bands=[.6:sock] color=coat segs=10 joint
13 
14// head and muzzle
15ball head on=body at=(0, .16*S, .2*S) r=(.165, .145, .145)*S color=coat under=pale segs=20 rings=12 joint
16ball cheek on=head surf=(0, -26) upright lift=-.07*S r=(.11, .07, .08)*S color=pale segs=12 rings=7
17cone muzzle on=head surf=(0, -12) lift=-.03*S h=.11*S r=.06*S r2=.022*S color=coat segs=12
18ball nose on=muzzle at=end r=.028*S color=inkDark ink=thin segs=8 rings=5
19face look on=head eyes=round:3|happy mouth=cat spacing=30 eyeY=14 mouthY=-36 mouthW=.3 size=.2 detail=.6
20cone ear on=head surf=(34, 52) lift=-.03*S mirror h=.15*S*earS r=.065*S r2=.008*S depth=.55 color=coat segs=10
21cone inner on=ear at=(0, .01*S, .022*S) h=.11*S*earS r=.04*S r2=.006*S depth=.4 color=pale segs=8
22 
23// the brush tail: three links that curl up, a pale tip
24ball tail x3 on=body at=(0, .02*S, -.2*S) chain=(0, .07*S, -.07*S) rot=(-28, 0, 0) scale=1.08 r=(.07, .07, .09)*S color=coat segs=12 rings=7 joint
25ball tip on=tail at=(0, .1*S, -.06*S) r=(.07, .08, .08)*S color=pale segs=12 rings=7 if=i==2
26 
27// idle: breathe, wag, look about; walk: a trot (diagonal pairs) with a bob
28anim body breathe
29anim tail wag stagger=.12
30anim head sway amp=5 hz=.3
31anim walk: leg gait amp=30 hz=1.8 stagger=.5
32anim walk: body bob amp=.02 hz=3.6
33

snail-van.cel

Open in Playground

A vehicle: boxes with rounded edges, glass set proud of the body, glow lamps, a face, a spiral tube, wheels, a once state

1asset snail_van "Snail mail van" complexity=4
2// an original delivery van that is half snail: a low rounded body (the foot), a cab with a smile,
3// headlights and a windscreen, eyes on wobbly stalks, a spiral shell for the mail hold with a
4// letter slot and a little flag, and chunky wheels
5let L = 2.8..3.2
6let W = 1.4..1.6
7let WR = .3..0.36
8let body = teal:2|cherry:2|cobalt|sunflower|mint|coral
9let trim = cream:3|white
10let shellC = terracotta:2|peach|honey|oak|lilac
11let swirl = walnut:2|plum|redwood
12 
13// the foot and the cab
14box foot at=(0, WR*.45, 0) size=(W, .5, L) round=.2 bands=[.32:body] color=trim joint
15box cab on=foot at=(0, .42, L*.24) size=(W*.94, .85, L*.5) round=.3 color=body
16box screen on=cab at=(0, .46, L*.25-.02) size=(W*.74, .3, .06) round=.06 color=glassDark
17box window on=cab at=(W*.47-.02, .46, .06) mirror size=(.06, .28, L*.3) round=.06 color=glassDark
18face grin on=cab eyes=none mouth=smile mouthY=-24 mouthW=.55
19ball lamp on=cab at=(W*.3, .26, L*.25) mirror r=(.09, .09, .04) color=glow ink=glow segs=10 rings=6
20box bumper on=foot at=(0, 0, L*.5) size=(W*.86, .14, .14) round=.06 color=silver
21box rear on=foot at=(0, 0, -L*.5) size=(W*.86, .14, .14) round=.06 color=silver
22 
23// eyes on stalks
24rod stalk on=cab at=(.2, .8, .2) mirror to=(.1, .5, .12) r=(.05, .04) sides=8 color=body joint
25ball eye on=stalk at=end r=.11 color=white segs=12 rings=8
26ball pupil on=eye surf=(0, 4) decal lift=-.025 r=(.05, .065, .03) color=inkDark ink=none segs=8 rings=5
27 
28// the shell: a fat rounded disc with a raised spiral on each side, a letter slot and a flag
29cyl shell on=foot at=(-W*.4, 1.0, -L*.18) rot=(0, 0, -90) h=W*.8 r=.8 round=.26 cap=shellC color=shellC segs=28
30tube coil on=foot at=(W*.4+.012, 1.0, -L*.18) mirror pts=[0,.42,.21 0,.26,.37 0,.05,.42 0,-.15,.37 0,-.29,.24 0,-.34,.08 0,-.32,-.09 0,-.22,-.21 0,-.09,-.27 0,.05,-.26 0,.15,-.19 0,.19,-.09 0,.19,.01 0,.14,.09 0,.07,.12 0,0,.12 0,-.04,.08] r=(.055, .035) smooth sides=6 detail=.5 color=swirl
31box slot on=shell surf=(215, 0) decal at=(0, -.21, 0) lift=-.03 size=(.1, .42, .07) round=.03 color=inkDark
32slab letter on=slot at=(0, .21, .03) rot=(0, -90, 0) pts=[0,-.15 .2,-.15 .2,.15 0,.15] t=.015 color=white edge=cherry|cobalt
33rod flagpole on=foot at=(W*.44, .45, -L*.18-.5) to=(0, .9, 0) r=.022 sides=6 color=silver joint
34box flag on=flagpole at=(0, .64, -.17) rot=(0, 90, 0) size=(.34, .2, .03) round=.012 color=cherry
35 
36// wheels
37wheel wheel x2 on=foot row=(0, 0, L*.62) at=(W*.47, WR*.55, 0) mirror r=WR w=.24 hub=trim
38 
39anim stalk rz sin amp=7 hz=.6 twin=.5
40anim stalk rx sin amp=5 hz=.4 phase=.2
41anim foot py bounce amp=.015 hz=1.1
42// deliver: a state a game triggers; the flag swings down, the eyes glance back
43anim deliver: flagpole rx keys=[0:0 .6:88 .8:80 1:84] hz=1.2 once
44anim deliver: stalk rx keys=[0:0 .3:-22 .7:-22 1:0] hz=.8 once
45

tree-cloud.cel

Open in Playground

A plant: genes for every proportion, weighted colour picks, copies on a ring, puffs stuck to a surface

1asset tree_cloud "Cloud tree" ref=nature:tree:cloud complexity=2
2// tree@0's cloud form: a flared trunk forks into 2-3 boughs, each tipped with a puff,
3// a bigger puff crowns the fork, and smaller puffs bud off the bough puffs
4let H = 3.6..5.6
5let TH = H * (.38..0.46)
6let R0 = .2..0.3
7let bark = barkA:2|barkB|barkC
8let fol = leafA:3|leafB:2|leafC:2|leafD
9 
10lathe trunk h=TH r=R0 prof=[0:1 1:.7] linear flare=.25..0.45 lean=(-.06..0.06, -.06..0.06)*TH color=bark~ segs=10 rings=8
11rod bough x2..3 on=trunk at=end+(0, -.04*TH, 0) ring=35 to=(.8..1.4, 1, 0)*(H*.22) r=(R0*.52, R0*.31) sides=8 color=trunk.color
12puff crown on=bough at=tip+(H*.04, H*.03, 0) r=(1, .85..0.95, .92..1)*H*(.17..0.23) color=fol*(.98..1.02) surface=foliage noise=.05..0.08
13puff top on=trunk at=end+(0, H*.24, 0) r=(1, .85..0.95, .92..1)*H*(.2..0.26) color=fol*(.98..1.02) surface=foliage noise=.05..0.08
14puff bud x0..2 on=crown ring=50 surf=(0, -10..80) upright lift=-H*.06 r=(1, .9, .96)*H*(.13..0.19) color=fol*(.98..1.02) surface=foliage noise=.05..0.08
15

fountain.cel

Open in Playground

Cel FX: water jets from a nozzle and from four aimed spouts (one fx line each), a splash, a state-only burst

1asset fountain "Town fountain" complexity=6
2// a plaza fountain: a round basin with a fat rim, a column carrying an upper bowl, a brass nozzle
3// shooting a jet that falls back into the bowl, four spouts arcing water into the basin;
4// the burst state throws a tall jet for a festival or a coin toss
5let R = 1.05..1.3
6let stone = sandstone:3|warmstone:2|greystone|terracotta:.5
7let metal = brass:3|copper
8let H = .7..0.85
9 
10// basin: a low floor, the water and the fat rim round it
11cyl plinth h=.3 r=R+.06 round=.06 color=stone surface=stone segs=32
12cyl water on=plinth at=top h=.03 r=R-.04 color=water segs=32
13torus rim on=plinth at=top+(0, .04, 0) R=R r=.14 color=stone*1.04 surface=stone segs=40 sides=10
14 
15// the column and the upper bowl
16lathe column on=plinth at=top h=H r=.15 prof=[0:1.5 .12:1.1 .2:1 .8:.9 .9:1.2 1:1.3] color=stone segs=16
17lathe bowl on=column at=end h=.2 r=.46 prof=[0:.3 .5:.85 1:1] color=stone segs=24
18cyl pool on=bowl at=top h=.025 r=.42 color=water segs=24
19torus lip on=bowl at=top+(0, .02, 0) R=.44 r=.045 color=stone*1.04 segs=32 sides=8
20lathe nozzle on=bowl at=top h=.24 r=.05 prof=[0:1.8 .3:1 .8:.8 1:1.1] color=metal segs=10
21 
22// four spouts on the bowl, pointing out and a little up
23cyl spout x4 on=bowl ring ring0=45 at=(.4, .1, 0) rot=(0, 0, -70) h=.14 r=.035 r2=.028 color=metal segs=8
24 
25// water
26fx jet on=nozzle at=end speed=2.6 spread=7 hz=1.85 n=20 grow=.6
27fx splash on=pool at=top hz=1.6 speed=.9 spread=60 n=10
28fx jet on=spout at=end speed=1.25 spread=3 hz=2.1 n=15 size=.05
29fx burst: jet on=nozzle at=end speed=4.6 spread=5 hz=1.05 n=26 size=.07
30