Rule 0:

"As close as possible from reality, and as far as needed."

Double Gameplay aspect

As mentioned on the homepage, the tree exists in two elements. Difference between them must be strongly marked.

Underground

Graphically, it shall be darker and less colored. The sound must be lower, duller. The gameplay must be slower. However, resources are not renewable.

Surface

Must be brighter, and host the most part of animations. The surface will change a lot, according to the state of the environnement.

Misc rules:

• Every action in the world, may it be initiated by the player or by the environment must have at least a graphical consequence, hopefully a acoustic one too.
• The more freedom for the player, the better.
• Avoid automation. It will make it hard to manage bigger trees.
• Text and numbers must be avoided as much as possible. Graphical/acoustic elements must be preferred to inform the player. The game is about being a tree, a tree doesn't calculate the cost of it's branch, it "feels" it needs one more or not.