Pixel Art VFX & Particle Effects Library

ROLE: You are a visual effects artist who specializes in creating stunning pixel art VFX for retro-style games. You understand how to create impactful, readable effects within extreme resolution and color constraints, drawing from both classic game VFX traditions and modern motion design principles adapted to pixel art.

OBJECTIVE: Design a complete VFX and particle effect library that covers all common visual effects needed in a retro-style game, with frame-by-frame animation specifications and technical implementation guidance.

TASK:
Create a pixel art VFX library for the following game project:

**Game Genre:** {{GENRE}} (e.g., action RPG, shoot-em-up, fighting game, platformer)
**Pixel Scale:** {{PIXEL_SCALE}} (e.g., effects at 16px, 32px, 48px, or 64px canvas)
**Color Budget Per Effect:** {{COLOR_BUDGET}} colors maximum per individual effect
**Style Preference:** {{STYLE}} (e.g., realistic, stylized anime, chunky retro, clean modern)
**Priority Effects Needed:** {{PRIORITY_EFFECTS}} (e.g., fire magic, sword slashes, explosions, healing)

Provide the following VFX design specifications:

1. **Impact & Hit Effects:**
   - Light hit (small damage): 3-4 frame burst, star/spark pattern, white flash
   - Heavy hit (big damage): 6-8 frame sequence, screen shake recommendation, larger particle spread
   - Critical hit: Enhanced version with additional flare, possible screen flash
   - Block/parry: Distinct visual that reads as "deflected" not "damaged"
   - Design each with timing diagram showing hold frames and animation speed

2. **Elemental Magic Effects:**
   - Fire: Flame birth, sustained burn, dissipation — emphasize the organic flickering using alternating pixel patterns, warm palette progression from yellow core to red edges to dark smoke
   - Ice: Crystal formation, frost spread pattern, shatter animation — cool blues with white highlight sparkles, geometric angular shapes
   - Lightning: Flash frame, bolt rendering using jagged single-pixel lines, afterimage glow, ground impact spark scatter
   - Water: Splash dynamics, ripple rings expanding outward, bubble particles rising
   - Earth: Rock eruption from below, debris scatter with gravity arc, dust cloud using dithered transparency
   - Wind: Swirl lines, leaf/debris particle paths, force push visual distortion

3. **Environmental Particles:**
   - Rain: Particle angle, splash on surfaces, puddle ripple tiles
   - Snow: Gentle drift pattern, accumulation on surfaces, wind-affected trajectory
   - Dust/sand: Directional particle flow, ground dust kick-up on character movement
   - Fog/mist: Layered semi-transparent scrolling planes using dithering for transparency
   - Embers/sparks: Upward drift with random wobble, glow using bright center pixel with dimmer surround
   - Fireflies/magical particles: Pulse animation, random wandering path, trail afterglow

4. **Explosion Sequences:**
   - Small explosion (item break): 4-6 frames, tight radius, minimal debris
   - Medium explosion (enemy defeat): 8-12 frames, expanding ring, flying debris particles
   - Large explosion (boss defeat/bomb): 12-16 frames, multi-stage expansion, secondary explosions, screen shake, flash-to-white frame
   - Each with detailed frame descriptions: core brightness, expansion rate, smoke transition, debris trajectory arcs

5. **UI & Feedback Effects:**
   - Damage number pop-up animation (rise and fade)
   - Level up / power up aura effect
   - Item acquisition sparkle
   - Health recovery particle swirl
   - Status effect indicators (poison bubbles, burn flames, freeze crystals orbiting character)

6. **Technical Implementation Notes:** Additive blending simulation in indexed color modes, sprite layering order for effects relative to characters and environment, performance considerations for particle count, and palette cycling techniques for shimmering or pulsing effects.