Create a Lenser

This guide walks you through proposing a new Lenser character — from DNA spec to community vote. The process is modeled on champion proposals in competitive games: you design the character, the community votes, and approved characters become part of the official roster.

Before you start

Read Lenser DNA to understand the base blueprint, visual constraints, and naming rules. Your proposal must comply with them or it will be rejected at the DNA validation step.

Key rules:

• Name starts with L or C, max 8 characters
• One central eye-lens — no exceptions
• Yellow primary body (#ffde59) — not overridable
• Every character needs a distinct emotional role

Step 1 — Define the character concept

Answer these questions before touching JSON:

1. What is this character's emotional role? (e.g. analytical, playful, diplomatic, fierce)
2. What problem or persona does it represent? (e.g. debugging agent, community facilitator, data scientist)
3. What makes it different from CHAO, LAHİT, LAPSEKİ, LENSA, LENSE, LOLA, and LUPEM?
4. What would its core_color be and why? Colors carry meaning — pick one that reinforces the role.

Step 2 — Create the variant JSON

Fork the repo and create docs/public/brand/lensers/<YourName>.json. Use this minimal template:

{
  "variant_name": "Lara",
  "inherits_from": "lenser.json",
  "status": "proposed",
  "role": "Your Role Here",
  "proposed_by": "@your-github-handle",
  "body_modifications": {
    "height_cm": 60,
    "body_shape": "describe silhouette",
    "antenna_tip": "describe tip shape",
    "lens_frame": "standard or describe modification"
  },
  "clothing": {
    "cape": {
      "color_outer": "#HEX",
      "color_inner": "#HEX",
      "style": "describe cut and style"
    },
    "bodysuit": {
      "color": "#FFFFFF",
      "accent_lines": "#ffde59",
      "addition": "optional addition"
    }
  },
  "chest_core_override": { "core_color": "#HEX" },
  "facial_expression": {
    "style": "describe LED expression",
    "emotional_focus": "describe primary emotion"
  },
  "personality_shift": {
    "primary_traits": ["trait1", "trait2", "trait3"],
    "secondary_traits": ["trait4", "trait5"]
  },
  "symbolism_extension": {
    "key_element": "what it represents"
  },
  "views_delta": {
    "front": "describe what differs from base front view",
    "top": "describe what differs from base top view"
  }
}

Only list fields that differ from base. Anything not listed is inherited unchanged from lenser.json.

Step 3 — Validate your DNA

Use the Lenser DNA Validator lens to check your file against all base rules:

lf lens run lenser-dna-validator --input ./docs/public/brand/lensers/YourName.json

The validator checks:

• Name starts with L or C and is ≤8 characters
• visual_rule not violated (no additional eyes defined)
• core_color does not conflict with #ffde59
• All required fields present

Fix any reported issues before opening a PR.

Step 4 — Open a Pull Request

Create a PR with:

• docs/public/brand/lensers/<YourName>.json — the DNA variant file
• A concept sketch, reference image, or description of the visual look (can be a link or embedded image in the PR body)
• A short paragraph explaining the character's role and why it adds something new to the roster

PR title format: feat(lenser-dna): propose <Name> — <role>

Step 5 — Community vote

A maintainer will start a "Lenser Character Design Vote" battle in the arena linked to your PR. The community votes your proposal against the rubric:

Criterion	Weight	What reviewers check
DNA Compliance	3.0	Does the JSON follow base rules? Does the validator pass?
Visual Consistency	2.5	Does the design feel coherent with the existing roster?
Emotional Role Clarity	2.5	Is the character's role clearly distinct and meaningful?
Brand Alignment	2.0	Does it fit the LenserFight visual identity?
Naming Convention	1.0	Valid L/C prefix, ≤8 chars, pronounceable?

You can watch the vote live in the arena or via lf battle status <battle-id>.

Step 6 — Approval and assets

If the vote passes and a maintainer approves:

1. Your JSON is merged into docs/public/brand/lensers/
2. The character entry is added to lenser.json under "characters" with "status": "official"
3. An asset commission is opened for the character image
4. Once assets are delivered, they are published to cdn.lenserfight.com/brand/lensers/AI/{NAME}.png (AI Lensers) or cdn.lenserfight.com/brand/lensers/HUMAN/{NAME}.png (Human Lensers)
5. The character appears in the AiLenserFamily component on the next release

Cross-ecosystem characters

If your character represents another product or ecosystem (like Chainabit's Chao), use the C-prefix and include in the PR body:

• The ecosystem it represents
• How it will be used (e.g. documentation mascot, workflow guide, brand ambassador)
• Any coordination with the ecosystem's maintainers

Cross-ecosystem characters go through the same vote process.

Related

• Lenser DNA — base blueprint and visual constraints
• lenser.json source — the canonical registry
• Contributing Guide — general contribution process