Hackster Niko

Professional production workspace for the children's book franchise Hackster Niko, beginning with:

Hackster Niko and the Password Dragon

Hackster Niko is a small friendly learning robot, model HN-01, 2'6" tall, age equivalent 7, he/him, and a Junior Hackster.

Catchphrase: "Every problem has a clever fix!"

Franchise Mission

Inspire kids to solve problems with kindness, curiosity, creativity, teamwork, and responsible technology.

Directory Map

• 00_BrandBible/ - mission, values, story rules, art direction, color, type, and publishing specs.
• 01_Characters/ - character reference, model sheets, turnarounds, expressions, poses, gadgets, and visual continuity.
• 02_World/ - recurring locations, environment references, maps, props, and worldbuilding notes.
• 03_Books/ - book-specific production folders, starting with Book01_PasswordDragon.
• 04_Assets/ - reusable franchise assets such as logos, icons, hidden objects, props, textures, and gadgets.
• 05_Print/ - printer/platform-specific exports, proofs, and submission notes.
• 06_Marketing/ - website, social, press kit, and merchandise materials.
• movies/ - shot-based movie packages, prompts, audio cues, edit lists, and rendered clips.
• 99_Archive/ - retired drafts, superseded exports, and historical materials that should not be active production sources.

Recommended Asset Naming Convention

Use clear, sortable names:

HN_[Category]_[Subject]_[Descriptor]_[Version].[ext]

Examples:

• HN_Character_Niko_Turnaround_v001.png
• HN_Character_Niko_HappyExpression_v002.afdesign
• HN_HiddenObject_GoldenGear_Final_v001.png
• HN_Book01_Page07_Illustration_Color_v003.afdesign
• HN_Book01_Cover_FullWrap_Lulu_v001.afpub
• HN_Book01_PrintInterior_Lulu_8p5x8p5_v001.pdf

Guidelines:

• Use two-digit page numbers: Page01, Page02, Page32.
• Use platform names in print exports: Lulu, KDP, IngramSpark.
• Use version numbers instead of overwriting: v001, v002, v003.
• Add FINAL only after approval, and keep the version number: HN_Book01_Interior_Lulu_FINAL_v003.pdf.
• Avoid spaces and special characters in production filenames.

Production Workflow

1. Story

   • Draft manuscript in 03_Books/Book01_PasswordDragon/Manuscript/.
   • Track page count, read-aloud rhythm, vocabulary, and story-rule compliance.

2. Storyboard

   • Create page-by-page thumbnails in Storyboard/.
   • Confirm page turns, hidden object placement, emotional beats, and pacing.

3. Page Layout

   • Build rough page compositions in PageLayouts/.
   • Check safe margins, bleed, text placement, and room for illustration.

4. Illustration

   • Produce final art in Illustrations/.
   • Keep source files versioned and export review images separately when needed.

5. Affinity Publisher

   • Assemble the book in Affinity/.
   • Link or place approved illustration exports.
   • Confirm page size, bleed, margins, typography, and embedded/outlined fonts as needed.

6. Lulu PDF

   • Export print-ready PDFs to Exports/.
   • Copy Lulu-ready deliverables and submission notes to 05_Print/Lulu/.
   • Order proof copies and record findings in 05_Print/Proofs/.

Movie Workflow

Build the starter film package with:

.venv/bin/python -m hackster_studio.cli build-movie-package movies/password_dragon_teaser/movie.yaml

See docs/MOVIE_PIPELINE.md for the DGX/ComfyUI, video, dialogue, lip-sync, audio, and editing workflow.

Hidden Objects

Recurring hidden objects to include on pages:

• Golden Gear
• Tiny Bug
• Blue Crystal
• Mini Robot

TODO: Create canonical visual references for each hidden object in 04_Assets/HiddenObjects/.

Git Notes

• Keep source files, Markdown notes, and approved exports versioned.
• Avoid committing temporary app files, duplicate exports, or unmanaged downloads.
• Do not add placeholder binary/image files.
• Use 99_Archive/ for old work that must be preserved but should not drive current production.