How to Take a Preview Image That Implies Production Value
The Steam Workshop preview image is the first communication a subscriber receives from the authoring studio. It appears before the description is read, before the title is registered, and before the subscriber has any information about the asset beyond what is visible in a 512×512-pixel square. The preview image is rendered at that size in search results, at larger sizes on the entry page, and as a card image when the Workshop URL is shared on external platforms.
An Unturned™ mod that is authored with precision, documented with care, and published to the correct tags will attract zero subscribers if the preview image signals casual production. Subscribers make click-through decisions in approximately 300 milliseconds of visual processing. The preview image either earns that click or it does not. There is no middle outcome.
This article documents the 57 Studios™ preview image production standard — the Steam image specification, the Unity lighting setup, the composition and framing conventions, the color grading pipeline, the background staging approach, the watermark and decal policy, and the thumbnail layout templates that the 57 Studios™ authoring team applies to every Workshop entry. The standard was developed across multiple publication cycles and calibrated against click-through rate data from the cohort survey.
The article assumes access to Unity Editor (the primary staging environment for Unturned™ asset preview production) and a raster image editor capable of working in 16-bit color (Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or equivalent). Blender Cycles is documented as an alternative capture environment for static prop renders.
Steam Workshop image specifications
Before addressing production methodology, the specification constraints must be understood. A preview image that exceeds the file size limit or uses an unsupported format will be rejected by the Workshop upload tool before any subscriber sees it. The specifications documented below are the authoritative constraints for Unturned™ Workshop entries, validated against the Steam Workshop partner documentation at https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/workshop.
Dimension and format specifications
| Property | Minimum | Recommended | Maximum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 512 px | 1024 px | No hard limit | Workshop upscales below-1024 images on entry page |
| Height | 512 px | 1024 px | No hard limit | Must match width for 1:1 aspect ratio |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1 (square) | 1:1 (square) | — | Non-square images are letterboxed or cropped |
| File format | PNG or JPG | PNG | — | GIF and WebP are not accepted |
| File size | — | Under 500 KB | 1 MB | Files over 1 MB are rejected |
| Color depth | 24-bit | 24-bit | 32-bit (PNG with alpha) | Alpha composited over Workshop dark background |
| Color space | sRGB | sRGB | — | Non-sRGB color spaces produce shifted colors in the Workshop UI |
Format enforcement
The 57 Studios™ authoring team exports all preview images as PNG at 1024×1024 pixels with sRGB color profile. This export configuration satisfies every Workshop constraint with margin, renders at full quality on every Workshop UI surface, and produces consistent color appearance across subscriber displays. JPEG is not used in the 57 Studios™ standard despite being a permitted format; JPEG compression artifacts are visible on low-polygon Unturned™ assets at Workshop card render sizes.
Workshop UI render sizes
The preview image is rendered at different sizes across the Workshop UI. Understanding these sizes informs composition decisions: content that is visible at 1024×1024 may become illegible at the card size used in search results.
| Workshop UI surface | Approximate render size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Search result card | ~196×196 px | The smallest render; must read clearly at this size |
| Browse grid card | ~256×256 px | Used in tag-filtered browse views |
| Entry page header | ~800×800 px | The largest standard render; used on the entry page |
| Related items strip | ~138×138 px | Small strip at the bottom of other entries |
| Subscriber list tile | ~96×96 px | Used in the subscriber's installed-mods list |
| Social share card | Varies (~600×315 px letterboxed) | Used when the Workshop URL is shared on Steam and external platforms |
The smallest render size — the search result card at approximately 196×196 pixels — is the composition target. If the preview image's primary subject reads clearly at 196×196, it will read clearly at every other render size. If the primary subject is detailed but small, it will be unrecognisable at card size.
Cohort observation
The 57 Studios™ cohort survey identified "unrecognisable at card size" as the single most common failure mode for preview images produced by modders who were satisfied with how their preview image looked at full size. The cohort recommendation is to produce the image at 1024×1024 and then resize a copy to 196×196 as a legibility check before submission. If the primary subject is not immediately recognisable in the 196×196 copy, the composition requires adjustment.
Unity lighting setup: the 57 Studios™ three-light configuration
Unturned™ assets are authored in Unity Editor. The Unity Editor scene is the primary staging environment for preview image production because it renders the asset exactly as it will appear in-game, with the Unturned™ shader set applied.
The 57 Studios™ preview production standard uses a three-light rig: key light, fill light, and rim light. This configuration, adapted from production photography practice, produces consistent, controllable, and repeatable renders across all asset categories.
Light rig components
| Light | Role | Recommended settings |
|---|---|---|
| Key light | Primary illumination; establishes the light direction and casts the primary shadow | Directional light, intensity 1.2–1.8, color temperature 5500K–6000K (daylight neutral), positioned at 45° elevation and 45° azimuth from the front of the subject |
| Fill light | Reduces shadow depth on the opposite side of the key; prevents the asset from reading as half-lit | Directional or area light, intensity 0.4–0.6, color temperature 6000K–6500K (slightly cool), positioned 135° opposite the key light, same elevation |
| Rim light | Separates the asset from the background by illuminating the asset's back edge | Directional light, intensity 0.6–0.9, color temperature 4500K–5000K (warm to contrast with cool fill), positioned directly behind and above the subject at 60°–75° elevation |
Key light positioning
The 45°/45° key light position (45° elevation, 45° azimuth from the camera axis) is the 57 Studios™ default because it produces a visible highlight on the primary face of the asset, a shadow that falls away from the camera, and a catch light on reflective surfaces. Positions that place the key light directly above or directly in front of the subject produce flat or harsh renders that reduce the perceived volume of low-polygon Unturned™ geometry.
Skybox and ambient settings
The skybox is the environment light source that fills the entire scene. The 57 Studios™ preview standard uses a neutral skybox configuration to prevent the skybox color from tinting the asset in a way that conflicts with the asset's material design.
| Setting | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skybox type | Solid color or procedural sky with low ambient intensity | Gradient and HDRI skyboxes introduce environment-specific color casts |
| Ambient intensity | 0.15–0.25 | Low ambient preserves shadow depth created by the key/fill/rim rig |
| Ambient color | Neutral grey (R: 128, G: 128, B: 128) or very slightly cool (R: 120, G: 125, B: 135) | Warm ambient tints neutrally-authored textures yellow at render; cool ambient is preferable |
| Fog | Disabled | Fog introduces atmospheric haze that reduces color accuracy at preview distances |
| Auto-generate lighting | Disabled for preview renders | Baked GI introduces color bleeding from the background onto the asset |
Lighting bake
Preview images for Workshop submissions are captured from real-time Unity renders, not from baked lighting scenes. Baked lighting is designed for game-scene performance; real-time render mode gives the authoring team direct control over light positions and intensities without requiring a re-bake after every adjustment. Configure the scene to use real-time lighting exclusively for the preview capture session.
Post-processing configuration
Unturned™'s in-game post-processing stack (bloom, ambient occlusion, color grading, anti-aliasing) is available in Unity Editor via the Post Processing Stack package. The 57 Studios™ standard applies a minimal post-processing configuration for preview renders.
| Effect | Setting | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ambient Occlusion | Enabled, intensity 0.3–0.5, radius 0.25–0.4 | Low-intensity AO reinforces contact shadows without introducing banding on low-polygon geometry |
| Bloom | Enabled, intensity 0.05–0.1, threshold 0.85 | Very low bloom prevents halos on sharp edges; threshold above 0.85 limits bloom to near-white emissive surfaces only |
| Anti-aliasing | SMAA (preferred) or FXAA | TAA introduces blur on static subjects; SMAA produces cleaner edges on low-polygon geometry |
| Color Grading | Mode: LDR; applied via LUT from the 57 Studios™ LUT library | See Color grading section below |
| Depth of Field | Disabled for product renders | DoF reduces legibility of secondary subject elements |
| Vignette | Optional, intensity 0.15–0.20 maximum | Light vignette draws the eye toward the subject; heavier vignette reads as a filter effect |
Composition and framing
Composition determines what the subscriber's eye reads first, what reads second, and what is present in the peripheral field. For a Workshop preview image rendered at card size, composition is the difference between a subject that is immediately legible and a subject that requires the subscriber to lean in — which they will not do.
The primary subject rule
Every 57 Studios™ preview image has one primary subject. The primary subject is the asset being published. It occupies a dominant position in the frame and is rendered at sufficient size to read clearly at 196×196 pixels. Secondary elements (background staging, atmospheric props, environment context) occupy the remaining frame area without competing with the primary subject for visual attention.
Multi-piece packs present the entire pack as a composed group, arranged so that the most distinctive asset in the pack occupies the dominant position.
Rule of thirds application
The 57 Studios™ standard applies the rule of thirds as a baseline composition guide, adapted for the 1:1 aspect ratio of the Workshop preview format.
In a 1024×1024 image divided into a three-by-three grid, the four intersection points (at 341, 341 and 341, 683 and 683, 341 and 683, 683) are the high-attention positions. The primary subject's visual center is positioned at or near one of these intersection points, not at the geometric center of the frame.
Center-framing exception
Assets with strong vertical or radial symmetry — vehicle front views, character portraits, symmetric weapon renders — are positioned at the geometric center of the frame. The rule-of-thirds positioning guideline applies to objects with a clear directionality (facing left, right, or at an angle) where off-center positioning reinforces the directional energy of the subject.
| Subject type | Recommended position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Static prop (e.g., barrel, crate, fence) | Upper-left or upper-right intersection | Lower positions leave negative space below the subject |
| Directed prop (e.g., vehicle facing right) | Left-center intersection, subject facing right | Gives the subject visual room to "move into" |
| Symmetric prop or icon | Geometric center | Symmetry benefits from centered framing |
| Multi-piece pack | Arranged group centered in frame | Treat the group boundary as the single subject |
| Character or NPC | Upper-center, head near upper third line | Compositional convention for portraiture |
Leading lines
Leading lines are visual elements in the frame that direct the subscriber's eye toward the primary subject. In a 57 Studios™ staged preview scene, leading lines are created by:
- Perspective receding into the background, with the subject at the vanishing point
- Staging elements (pipes, walkways, roads, floor markings) that angle toward the subject
- Light falloff gradients that transition from the lit subject toward a darker background
- Shadow lines cast by the three-light rig that converge near the subject
Staging for leading lines
The 57 Studios™ stage-assembly process begins with the leading-line structure. Before placing the primary subject, the authoring team positions background staging elements that create directional energy toward the frame position where the subject will be placed. This approach produces compositions where the leading lines are integral to the scene rather than retrofitted after the subject is positioned.
Camera distance and field of view
Camera distance and field of view (FOV) interact to determine how much of the scene is visible and how much perspective distortion is applied to the subject.
| Asset size class | Recommended FOV | Camera distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small prop (< 0.5m) | 35° – 45° | 0.8m – 1.5m | Tighter FOV reduces perspective distortion on small subjects |
| Medium prop (0.5m – 2m) | 40° – 55° | 2m – 4m | Default range for most environment props and items |
| Large prop (2m – 6m) | 50° – 60° | 5m – 8m | Wider FOV needed to frame large subjects at usable distance |
| Vehicle | 45° – 55° | 6m – 12m | Distance varies with vehicle length; 3/4 perspective preferred |
| Character / NPC | 35° – 45° | 2m – 3m | Portrait framing; lower FOV flatters character proportions |
The 57 Studios™ standard avoids FOV values above 65°. Wide FOV introduces barrel distortion on straight-edged assets (boxes, crates, walls, architectural elements) that reads as a rendering artifact rather than a stylistic choice.
Color grading
Color grading is the process of applying a tonal and color transformation to the captured render. In the 57 Studios™ standard, color grading serves two functions: it aligns the preview image's visual identity with the asset's material design, and it aligns the preview image with the 57 Studios™ studio color system so that entries from the same studio read as a family.
The 57 Studios™ LUT library
The 57 Studios™ authoring team maintains a library of Look-Up Tables (LUTs) for preview image color grading. Each LUT applies a calibrated tonal transformation to the Unity render export. LUTs are applied in the image editor's color-grading adjustment layer — not baked into the render — so the base render can be re-graded for different applications.
| LUT name | Application | Tonal character |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Neutral | Default for all new assets | Slight contrast lift, +0.1 saturation, neutral hue rotation |
| Studio Cold | Winter map environments, arctic assets, institutional props | Desaturated blue-green cast; reduced warm tones |
| Studio Industrial | Factory assets, mechanical props, military equipment | Desaturated mid-tones, lifted shadows, reduced saturation overall |
| Studio Warm | Desert map environments, civilian props, wood assets | Slight warm shift in highlights (+5° hue), no saturation change |
| Studio Dark | Night-themed assets, horror props, tactical equipment | Compressed highlights, lifted blacks, high contrast |
LUT application note
LUTs are applied as soft-light blend layers at 60%–80% opacity, not at full opacity. Full-opacity LUT application destroys the color accuracy of the underlying render. The 57 Studios™ standard applies LUTs at partial opacity to influence the render's tonal character while preserving the asset's material color relationships.
Color grading targets
Regardless of LUT selection, the final graded image should meet the following measurable targets before export.
| Metric | Target | Measurement method |
|---|---|---|
| Black point | 5–15 RGB | Eyedropper on the darkest shadow in the background; values below 5 clip to black in some displays |
| White point | 235–250 RGB | Eyedropper on the brightest specular highlight; values at 255 clip to white |
| Mid-tone contrast | +10–+20 vs. flat render | Compare mid-tone histogram position before and after grading |
| Saturation delta | +5–+15% vs. flat render | Avoid heavy saturation increases on low-polygon assets; color banding becomes visible |
| Color temperature | Neutral to slightly cool (no warmer than +500K equivalent) | The Workshop's dark UI background makes warm-toned images appear more orange than intended |
Color consistency across pack entries
When publishing a multi-piece pack, all assets in the pack receive the same LUT from the same library. Color inconsistency across pack entries signals that the assets were authored in separate sessions without a cohesive visual standard. The 57 Studios™ authoring team establishes the LUT selection for a pack at the start of production and applies it uniformly across all preview image captures for that pack.
Background staging
The background visible behind the primary subject is not empty space. It is a composition element that provides depth, context, and visual interest without competing with the primary subject for subscriber attention.
Background staging approaches
| Approach | Description | Best application |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral gradient | A smooth gradient from a mid-value to a slightly lighter or darker value | All-purpose; safe default |
| Environmental context | A low-detail environment scene that places the asset in a plausible use context | Appropriate when the asset's use context aids subscriber understanding (e.g., a dock barrel in a port scene) |
| Studio floor | A flat reflective floor surface under the asset with no additional background elements | Mechanical assets, vehicles; the floor reflection reinforces the asset's geometry |
| Abstract geometry | Simple geometric forms (planes, cylinders) arranged to suggest depth without specific environmental meaning | When no specific use context is appropriate |
| Solid dark | A near-black solid background | When the asset has strong silhouette value and no environmental context is needed |
Background competition
The background is a supporting element, not a subject. 57 Studios™ review has identified several recurring background choices that compete with the primary subject for visual attention: background scenes with multiple recognisable objects of similar scale to the primary subject, background lighting that creates a point of high contrast separate from the primary subject, and background color choices that create visual conflict with the primary subject's material colors. When reviewing a candidate preview image, identify where the eye goes first. If the answer is anything other than the primary subject, the background requires adjustment.
Neutral gradient background: construction
The neutral gradient background is the 57 Studios™ default. It is constructed in the image editor after the Unity render export.
- Create a new layer below the render layer.
- Apply a linear gradient from the top of the frame to the bottom.
- Top color: R: 45, G: 48, B: 52 (dark cool grey).
- Bottom color: R: 25, G: 27, B: 30 (near-black).
- Apply a very low noise layer (3–5%) over the gradient to prevent the gradient from reading as a solid fill.
- Adjust gradient opacity to 100%.
The gradient direction and color values produce a background that reads as professional without communicating a specific environment. The cool grey tone is compatible with the Workshop's dark UI chrome.
Environmental context staging: principles
When an environmental context background is appropriate, the staging scene is constructed using a small set of low-detail props from the 57 Studios™ staging asset library. The staging scene:
- Uses no more than five distinct prop types.
- Is lit by the same three-light rig as the primary subject, with the key light power reduced by 30–40% relative to the primary subject to ensure the background reads as subordinate.
- Does not include text, logos, or any competing focal points.
- Is rendered at the same 1024×1024 resolution as the primary subject capture, then composited in the image editor.
Watermarks and decals
The 57 Studios™ studio watermark is applied to every preview image published by the studio. The watermark policy and placement specification are documented below.
Watermark policy
| Element | Policy |
|---|---|
| Studio wordmark ("57 Studios™") | Applied to every preview image in the lower-right corner |
| Studio icon (the 57 badge) | Optional; used when space permits and the wordmark alone is insufficient for recognition at card size |
| Asset name text overlay | Not applied to preview images in the 57 Studios™ standard; the asset name appears in the Workshop entry title, which is displayed adjacently to the preview image in all Workshop UI surfaces |
| Version number overlay | Not applied; version is documented in the Workshop entry description |
| Asset ID overlay | Not applied; IDs are documented in the Workshop entry description |
Watermark rationale
The 57 Studios™ watermark is positioned in the lower-right corner at a size that is visible at the entry page render size (approximately 800×800) and legible — but not dominant — at the card render size (approximately 196×196). The wordmark serves as studio attribution without occupying the visual space needed for the primary subject. Watermarks positioned in the center, or at a scale that occupies more than 8–10% of the frame area, reduce the perceived quality of the preview image.
Watermark specification
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Text content | "57 Studios™" |
| Font | Studio wordmark font (the 57 Studios™ brand typeface) |
| Font weight | Regular or Medium (not Bold) |
| Size | 3.5–4% of frame width (at 1024×1024: approximately 36–41 px cap height) |
| Color | White, 75% opacity |
| Position | 24 px from right edge, 24 px from bottom edge |
| Blend mode | Normal at 75% opacity |
| Background | No background bar, pill, or drop shadow behind the watermark |
A drop shadow is not applied to the watermark. Drop shadows on text overlays read as a graphic treatment from amateur-tier image editing. If the watermark is not legible against the background without a drop shadow, adjust the background value in the lower-right quadrant during the background construction step rather than adding a drop shadow.
External watermarks and third-party logos
The 57 Studios™ standard does not include Smartly Dressed Games' Unturned™ logo, Valve's Steam logo, or any third-party intellectual property in preview images. Attribution to the host game (Unturned™) is handled in the Workshop entry description, not in the preview image.
The 57 Studios™ preview convention: documented thumbnail layouts
The thumbnail layout is the arrangement of the primary subject, background, lighting, and studio watermark that defines the visual signature of a 57 Studios™ preview image. Four layout templates are documented below. Each template is produced from the same three-light rig and neutral skybox configuration, with variations in camera angle and background approach.
Layout 1: Elevated 3/4 view (default for static props)
The primary subject is positioned slightly below the frame center, rotated 45° clockwise from the camera axis. The camera is positioned at 20° elevation from the subject's visual center. The key light is positioned at 45°/45°. The background is a neutral gradient.
This layout produces a view of the subject's top face, front face, and right face simultaneously, communicating three-dimensional volume clearly at card size. It is the 57 Studios™ default for static environment props.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Subject rotation | 45° clockwise from camera axis |
| Camera elevation | 20° above subject center |
| Camera FOV | 45° |
| Subject frame position | Upper-left rule-of-thirds intersection |
| Background | Neutral gradient |
Layout 2: Front 3/4 view (default for vehicles)
The primary subject faces toward the camera at 30° from the camera axis (driver's side forward). The camera is positioned at 12° elevation. The background is a studio floor with a faint reflection of the vehicle underside.
This layout communicates the vehicle's silhouette, front detail, and side detail. The low camera elevation places the vehicle's ground plane close to the bottom of the frame, which reinforces the vehicle's scale.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Subject rotation | 30° from camera axis, driver's side toward camera |
| Camera elevation | 12° above ground plane |
| Camera FOV | 50° |
| Subject frame position | Centered horizontally, lower third |
| Background | Studio floor with low-intensity reflection |
Layout 3: Environmental context view (for map assets and large props)
The primary subject is positioned in a constructed environment context scene. The camera is positioned at 25°–35° elevation, enough to show the subject in environmental context. The background scene uses the subordinate lighting approach documented in the Background staging section.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Subject rotation | Facing toward the scene's depth, aligned with environmental geometry |
| Camera elevation | 25°–35° |
| Camera FOV | 55° |
| Subject frame position | Right-center rule-of-thirds intersection, with scene extending left |
| Background | Environmental context scene with subordinate lighting |
Layout 4: Portrait view (for characters and NPCs)
The primary subject (character or NPC model) faces the camera at 10°–15° from the camera axis. The camera is positioned at eye-level relative to the character. Depth of field is applied lightly (background blur, not foreground blur) to separate the character from the background.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Subject rotation | 10°–15° from camera axis |
| Camera elevation | Eye level |
| Camera FOV | 40° |
| Subject frame position | Upper-center, head near upper third line |
| Background | Neutral gradient or very low-detail environmental suggestion |
End-to-end production procedure
The complete procedure for producing a 57 Studios™ preview image, from a loaded asset in Unity Editor to a submitted Workshop PNG, is documented below.
- Open Unity Editor with the mod project loaded. Confirm the asset is in its final published state — do not capture the preview against a work-in-progress model or texture.
- Configure the scene for preview capture: a. Disable all baked lighting; switch to real-time only. b. Set the skybox to the neutral solid-color configuration. c. Set ambient intensity to 0.20. d. Disable fog.
- Build the three-light rig: a. Add a Directional Light (key). Set intensity 1.5, color temperature 5700K, rotation 45° elevation / 45° azimuth. b. Add a Directional Light (fill). Set intensity 0.5, color temperature 6200K, rotation positioned 135° opposite the key at same elevation. c. Add a Directional Light (rim). Set intensity 0.75, color temperature 4700K, positioned behind and above the subject at 70° elevation.
- Configure post-processing: enable Ambient Occlusion (intensity 0.4), Bloom (intensity 0.08, threshold 0.85), SMAA anti-aliasing.
- Place the primary subject at the scene origin. Apply appropriate material variant (default variant for standard renders; if all variants are present, capture one preview per variant for pack entries).
- Select the appropriate thumbnail layout from the four documented layouts based on the asset type.
- Position the background staging appropriate for the layout. For neutral gradient: disable all environmental objects; the gradient will be added in post. For environmental context: position subordinate staging props with reduced key-light intensity.
- Position the camera at the FOV and elevation documented for the selected layout. Frame the subject at the appropriate rule-of-thirds position.
- Perform the legibility check: in the Game View, temporarily resize the view to approximately 196×196 pixels and confirm the primary subject reads clearly.
- Capture the render: set the Game View to 1024×1024 and use the screenshot tool or screen capture to extract the render at native resolution.
- Open in image editor (Adobe Photoshop or GIMP): a. Import the Unity render export. b. If using neutral gradient background: add gradient layer below render layer using the documented values. c. Apply LUT from the 57 Studios™ library at 70% opacity on a soft-light blend layer. d. Verify black point (minimum 5 RGB), white point (maximum 250 RGB), and saturation targets. e. Add the studio watermark at the documented position and opacity. f. Flatten all layers.
- Export as PNG: sRGB color profile, no interlacing, maximum compression compatible with under-1 MB file size.
- Final legibility check: resize the exported PNG to 196×196 in the image editor and confirm the primary subject remains legible.
- Submit the PNG as the Workshop entry preview image via the Workshop submission tool.
Production time benchmark
The 57 Studios™ authoring team benchmarks preview image production at 45–75 minutes per asset for an experienced producer working with a pre-configured Unity scene template. The first setup of the three-light rig, post-processing configuration, and scene template takes an additional 30–60 minutes and is done once per production session, not once per asset.
Preview image quality review checklist
Before submitting a preview image to the Steam Workshop, the 57 Studios™ authoring team runs every image against the following checklist.
| Item | Pass criterion |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 1024×1024 px |
| Format | PNG |
| File size | Under 500 KB |
| Color space | sRGB embedded |
| Primary subject legibility at 196×196 | Yes — subject identifiable without context |
| Rule-of-thirds or appropriate exception applied | Yes |
| Background does not compete with primary subject | Yes |
| Key/fill/rim rig produces visible volume on subject | Yes — three faces readable |
| Post-processing: AO visible but not heavy | Yes |
| Post-processing: Bloom not halos on edges | Yes |
| Color grading LUT applied at partial opacity | Yes — 60%–80% |
| Black point minimum | 5 RGB or above |
| White point maximum | 250 RGB or below |
| Studio watermark present | Lower-right, correct size and opacity |
| No third-party logos in frame | Yes |
| No asset name text overlay | Yes — title handled by Workshop entry metadata |
| Layout template matches asset type | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Does the Workshop compress or modify the preview image after upload?
The Workshop may apply JPEG compression to uploaded images for serving purposes, depending on the image file size and format. Uploading as PNG at under 500 KB minimises the compression that the Workshop applies during serving. The 57 Studios™ standard targets under-500 KB PNG specifically to avoid serving-side compression artifacts.
Can I use a screenshot from inside the game instead of a Unity Editor render?
A game screenshot is permissible but is not the 57 Studios™ standard for primary asset previews. In-game screenshots include HUD elements, the game's ambient weather and post-processing state, and the game's default lighting — none of which are under the modder's control. The Unity Editor render gives full control over lighting, camera position, post-processing, and background. For map preview images, in-game screenshots of the level are appropriate; for asset previews, Unity Editor renders are the documented standard.
What is the correct aspect ratio for the Workshop preview? I've seen non-square images on some Workshop entries.
The documented correct aspect ratio for Unturned™ Workshop preview images is 1:1 (square). Non-square images are accepted by the upload tool but are letterboxed (padded with black bars) or cropped on some Workshop UI surfaces. The 57 Studios™ standard uses 1:1 exclusively because it is the format that renders consistently across all Workshop surfaces without modification.
My asset is very dark — a matte black tactical object. The three-light rig isn't creating visible contrast on it. How do I handle this?
Increase the rim light intensity above the standard range (0.9–1.2 instead of 0.6–0.9) and shift the rim light color slightly warmer (4000K–4200K). This creates a visible warm edge trace on the dark subject that defines the silhouette against the background. Additionally, consider shifting the background from neutral grey to a slightly lighter value in the area behind the darkest face of the subject — the contrast between the dark asset face and the lighter background creates readable shape even without surface illumination.
Should I use depth of field in my preview renders?
Depth of field (DoF) is applied only in the Portrait layout for characters and NPCs. It is not applied in the static prop, vehicle, or environmental context layouts. DoF reduces the legibility of secondary elements within the frame (multiple items in a pack, staging props, background context) and introduces focus-plane ambiguity that can make the primary subject appear soft if the focal plane is not precisely set. The 57 Studios™ standard avoids DoF in all non-portrait contexts.
The 57 Studios™ LUT library — where do I access it?
The LUT library is distributed to cohort members through the 57 Studios™ internal asset repository. The Studio Neutral LUT is the default and is the starting point for all new preview image production. If you are producing preview images for a 57 Studios™ published asset and do not have access to the LUT library, contact the authoring team lead to request access.
Can I use Blender instead of Unity Editor for the render capture?
Blender Cycles is documented as an alternative capture environment for static prop preview renders. The three-light rig (key/fill/rim) is replicated in Blender using Area lights or Spot lights with equivalent color temperatures and intensities. The Cycles render produces higher-fidelity shading than the Unity real-time render, which is appropriate for marketing preview images intended for external use (social media, press kit) but may over-represent the in-game appearance of a low-polygon Unturned™ asset. The 57 Studios™ standard uses Unity Editor renders for Workshop submissions specifically because they represent the in-game appearance accurately.
How should I handle a preview image for an asset that has dramatically different appearances across its material variants?
Produce one primary preview image that shows the default (first) material variant in the standard layout. If the variant differences are significant enough to warrant individual previews, the 57 Studios™ approach is to include additional screenshots (not the preview image, but the supplementary screenshots available in the Workshop entry's image gallery) that show each variant. The Workshop image gallery can hold multiple screenshots; use this feature to document all variants without compromising the primary preview image's single-subject focus.
My export PNG is coming out over 1 MB even at 1024×1024. How do I reduce the file size?
The most common cause of over-1 MB PNG files is the compression level setting in the export dialog. PNG supports compression levels from 0 (no compression, maximum file size) to 9 (maximum compression). Set the compression level to 6 or higher. Additionally, if the image has an alpha channel that is not needed (the Workshop composites alpha over its dark background), flatten the image to RGB before export to remove the alpha channel, which reduces file size by approximately 25%. Finally, applying PNG optimisation tools (e.g., PNGcrush, TinyPNG) can reduce file size by an additional 10–30% without quality loss.
Is there a recommended tool for the 196×196 legibility check?
Any image viewer that supports free resizing is sufficient. In Photoshop, use Image → Image Size → set to 196×196, observe the canvas, then undo. In GIMP, use Image → Scale Image. The check should be performed on the flattened, exported PNG — not on the layered working file — to confirm the final submission file reads correctly.
Can I include the Workshop URL or QR code on the preview image?
No. The Workshop URL appears in the subscriber's browser address bar when viewing the entry; including it on the preview image duplicates information and occupies frame space that should be reserved for the primary subject. QR codes at card render size (approximately 196×196 pixels) are not scannable and read as visual noise. Neither element is used in the 57 Studios™ preview standard.
What is the minimum content for a preview image that the Workshop accepts?
The Workshop accepts any PNG or JPG file at minimum 512×512 pixels and under 1 MB. The 57 Studios™ standard sets a considerably higher bar than the Workshop's minimum because the minimum requirements describe what the system will accept, not what a professionally authored entry looks like. An entry that meets only the minimum requirements will appear alongside entries produced to the 57 Studios™ standard in search results, and the contrast is immediately visible to subscribers.
Should I produce different preview images for different platforms (Steam client vs. browser)?
No. The same PNG is served across all platforms by the Workshop CDN. Platform-specific optimization is not available at the modder level. The 1024×1024 PNG at under 500 KB performs well across all Workshop delivery surfaces.
Appendix A: Unity scene template — full configuration reference
The following configuration reference documents every Unity Editor scene setting used in the 57 Studios™ preview image production setup. This reference is used when establishing a new production scene or auditing an existing scene against the studio standard.
Lighting panel settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Scene lighting mode | Real-time only |
| Realtime Global Illumination | Disabled |
| Baked Global Illumination | Disabled |
| Environment lighting source | Color |
| Environment ambient color | R: 120, G: 125, B: 135 |
| Ambient mode | Flat |
| Ambient intensity | 0.20 |
| Realtime shadows | Hard shadows |
| Shadow distance | 20 |
| Shadow cascades | 2 |
Post Processing Stack v2 (or URP post-processing) settings
| Effect | Enabled | Key settings |
|---|---|---|
| Ambient Occlusion | Yes | Intensity: 0.4, Radius: 0.35, Quality: Medium |
| Bloom | Yes | Intensity: 0.08, Threshold: 0.85, Diffusion: 5 |
| Anti-aliasing | Yes | Mode: SMAA, Quality: High |
| Color Grading | Yes | Mode: LDR, LUT applied externally in image editor |
| Depth of Field | No | — |
| Vignette | Optional | Intensity: 0.18, Roundness: 0.8, Feather: 0.5 |
| Motion Blur | No | — |
| Chromatic Aberration | No | — |
| Grain | No | — |
| Lens Distortion | No | — |
Camera settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Render texture resolution | 1024×1024 |
| Projection | Perspective |
| FOV (default) | 45° (adjusted per layout template) |
| Near clip plane | 0.1 |
| Far clip plane | 100 |
| HDR | Enabled |
| MSAA | Disabled (handled by post-processing SMAA) |
| Allow dynamic resolution | Disabled |
Appendix B: Image editor workflow — Photoshop layer structure
The following layer structure is the documented 57 Studios™ image editor working file format for preview image production. The structure is applied consistently across all preview images to support revision and re-grading without starting from the base render.
| Layer name | Layer type | Blend mode | Opacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watermark | Type or Smart Object | Normal | 75% | Studio wordmark, lower-right position |
| LUT Grade | Adjustment layer (Color Lookup) | Soft Light | 70% | Studio LUT from the 57 Studios™ library |
| Contrast Micro | Adjustment layer (Curves) | Normal | 100% | Minor S-curve for contrast; not always required |
| Saturation | Adjustment layer (Hue/Saturation) | Normal | 100% | +5 to +10 saturation maximum |
| Unity Render | Smart Object | Normal | 100% | The base render export from Unity; non-destructive |
| Background | Solid Color or Gradient Fill | Normal | 100% | Neutral gradient or environmental context composite |
Layers are ordered top-to-bottom as listed. The Unity Render layer is kept as a Smart Object to allow re-render updates without rebuilding the layer structure. The watermark layer is positioned above all adjustment layers to ensure it is not affected by color grading adjustments.
Appendix C: Reference dimensions table — all Workshop UI surfaces
This appendix consolidates the display dimensions documented in the Workshop UI render sizes section into a single reference table, extended with production guidance for each surface.
| Surface | Display size | Composition priority | Production note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search result card | ~196×196 px | Highest — primary legibility target | Check at this size before every submission |
| Browse grid card | ~256×256 px | High — 30% more resolution than card | Text elements become marginally more legible |
| Entry page header | ~800×800 px | Medium — subject quality visible at this size | LOD and texture quality visible to subscribers |
| Related items strip | ~138×138 px | Lower — incidental render | Subject silhouette is the only legible element at this size |
| Subscriber list tile | ~96×96 px | Lower — incidental render | Color and rough shape only; detail not visible |
| Social share card | ~600×315 px letterboxed | Medium — external platform impression | Upper and lower ~100 px of the 1:1 image are cropped by letterbox |
For the social share card, the 57 Studios™ standard positions all primary content in the central 600×600 area of the 1024×1024 frame, leaving the top and bottom margins as background only. This ensures that the letterboxed social card view does not crop any primary subject content.
Preview image version management
The 57 Studios™ authoring team maintains preview images as versioned files aligned to the asset version they document. When an asset receives a significant update — a new material variant, a remeshed geometry, a retextured set — the preview image is updated in the same publication event. The versioned preview management process is documented below.
When to update the preview image
| Event | Preview image action |
|---|---|
| Initial publication | Produce preview image to full standard; publish alongside the asset |
| Minor asset update (bug fix, LOD adjustment) | No preview image update required unless the visible silhouette changed |
| New material variant added | Produce a supplementary screenshot for the Workshop image gallery; update the primary preview only if the new variant is designated the new default |
| Geometry remesh (significant visible change) | Update the primary preview image; document the change in the changelog |
| Texture rework | Update the primary preview image; document in the changelog |
| Pack expansion (new assets added) | Update the primary preview image to represent the expanded pack; update the pack contents screenshot gallery |
Preview image archive
The 57 Studios™ authoring team archives all previous preview images in the project folder alongside the working file. Previous preview images are named with a version suffix (e.g., preview_v1.0.0.png, preview_v1.2.0.png) so that a specific version's preview can be recovered if needed. The working file (preview.png) always holds the current version.
Preview image update procedure
When a preview image update is required, the authoring team follows the same production procedure as the initial capture — three-light rig, post-processing configuration, composition and color grading — rather than modifying the previous version's image file. Modifying an existing image introduces color-grading inconsistencies (the previous grade remains under the new subject), geometry artifacts from the previous version's render, and composition mismatches if the asset's proportions changed between versions.
The archive copy of the previous version's preview is saved before the new render is started. The new render proceeds from a clean Unity scene using the scene template documented in Appendix A.
Common production errors and their resolutions
The 57 Studios™ authoring team has documented the following recurring production errors across multiple cohort review sessions. Each error is identified by its observable symptom in the final image, with the root cause and the documented resolution.
| Symptom | Root cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Subject appears flat; no visible volume | Key/fill lighting angles too close together; key elevation too low | Separate key and fill to 135° apart; raise key elevation to 45° minimum |
| Specular highlights are overblown (pure white areas) | Bloom threshold too low or intensity too high; HDR range exceeded | Raise bloom threshold to 0.90; reduce key light intensity until specular clips are eliminated |
| Subject edges are jagged or aliased | Anti-aliasing disabled or set to FXAA at low quality | Switch to SMAA at High quality; confirm the Game View is set to 1024×1024 exactly |
| Color cast across the entire image | Skybox ambient color is non-neutral; warm-tinted ambient | Set ambient to neutral grey R:120, G:125, B:135; reduce ambient intensity to 0.20 |
| Subject is illegible at card size (196×196) | Primary subject is too small in the frame; insufficient contrast against background | Bring subject closer to camera; reduce FOV by 5°–10°; increase background value contrast |
| LUT grade makes the image look oversaturated | LUT applied at full opacity; base saturation was already elevated | Apply LUT at 60%–70% opacity; reduce base saturation adjustment layer to +5 maximum |
| Watermark is not visible against a dark background | Watermark opacity too low; background in lower-right quadrant too dark | Increase watermark opacity to 80%–85%; lighten lower-right background by +10 RGB |
| PNG export exceeds 1 MB | Compression level set to 0; alpha channel retained unnecessarily | Set compression to level 7; flatten to RGB before export |
| Background competes visually with subject | Background staging props are similar in scale or value to the primary subject | Reduce background prop scale by 40%–50%; reduce subordinate lighting intensity below 60% of key |
| Rim light creates halo effect on subject edges | Rim light intensity too high; rim angle too close to key angle | Reduce rim intensity to 0.6; increase rim elevation to 75° to tighten the rim trace |
Review pass discipline
The 57 Studios™ authoring team applies a structured review pass to every preview image before submission. The review pass is conducted by a team member who was not the image producer, working from the quality checklist documented in the previous section. Self-review of preview images has been documented to miss visible-only errors — color casts, illegibility at card size, and watermark positioning errors — at a higher rate than peer review.
Preview image integration with the Workshop entry
The preview image does not exist in isolation. It is one element of the Workshop entry's metadata, and its effectiveness is partly determined by how it relates to the other metadata elements visible on the entry card.
Card-level metadata integration
The Workshop search card displays three metadata elements alongside the preview image: the entry title, the author's Workshop handle, and the total subscriber count. The preview image should be composed to create a coherent visual unit with these elements.
| Relationship | 57 Studios™ guidance |
|---|---|
| Preview image and entry title | The title and preview image should not duplicate each other's content. The preview image shows the asset visually; the title names it textually. Do not include the asset name as a text overlay on the preview image. |
| Preview image and subscriber count | Subscriber count is displayed below the card and is not under the modder's control. Ensure the preview image establishes a professional first impression regardless of subscriber count, so that new entries do not appear low-quality relative to established entries. |
| Preview image and author handle | The 57 Studios™ Workshop handle is the studio's consistent identity across all entries. The studio watermark on the preview image reinforces the handle-to-brand association. |
Entry-level metadata integration
On the Workshop entry page (after the subscriber clicks through from the search card), the preview image is rendered at approximately 800×800 pixels and is displayed alongside the entry title, description, tags, and subscription button. At this render size, the preview image's full detail is visible.
The 57 Studios™ standard produces preview images that improve in quality as the subscriber inspects them more closely: the 196×196 card render communicates the subject identity clearly; the 800×800 entry-page render reveals the texture quality, lighting precision, and color grading that signal professional authorship. An entry-page render that shows blurring, compression artifacts, or color inconsistencies at 800×800 communicates to the subscriber that the authoring team did not invest in production quality beyond the minimum required for submission.
The production standard is designed to perform at every render size in the chain. The discipline of the 196×196 legibility check, the 1024×1024 render resolution, and the PNG export under 500 KB ensures that the preview image performs at card size, entry-page size, social card size, and subscriber-list size without separate optimization per surface.
Closing note
The preview image production standard documented in this article represents the accumulated methodology of the 57 Studios™ authoring team across multiple publication cycles. Every specification — the 1024×1024 export resolution, the three-light rig configuration, the neutral skybox, the conservative post-processing settings, the LUT applied at partial opacity, the watermark at 75% opacity in the lower right — was arrived at through production observation, cohort review, and click-through rate measurement. No element of the standard is arbitrary.
A modder who applies this standard to their first Workshop publication will produce a preview image that performs comparably to entries from studios with years of production history. The standard does not require specialist equipment, advanced rendering skills, or proprietary tools beyond Unity Editor and a standard image editor. It requires methodical execution of a documented process.
The 57 Studios™ preview image standard is the public, documented version of the process the studio applies internally. It is published in this wiki so that every Unturned™ modder who reaches this article has access to the same production methodology. The quality floor for the Unturned™ Workshop community rises when more entries are produced to a documented standard rather than an undocumented one.
The next step after producing a preview image that meets this standard is pairing it with a Workshop description written to the 57 Studios™ description standard. Continue to How to Write a Workshop Description That Sounds Authoritative if you have not already completed that article.
Cross-references
- How to Write a Workshop Description That Sounds Authoritative — the preceding article, which documents the Workshop description standard that pairs with the preview image standard.
- Steam Workshop Submission — the Workshop submission workflow, including the full preview image specification and submission checklist.
- Workshop Tag Taxonomy and Governance — the next article in the series, documenting the tag selection standard for Workshop entries.
Cohort review cadence and preview image audit
The 57 Studios™ cohort conducts a periodic audit of published Workshop entry preview images across the studio's catalogue. The audit identifies entries whose preview images no longer reflect the current asset state (because the asset received updates without a corresponding preview image update), entries whose preview images were produced before the current standard was established, and entries where subscriber feedback indicates the preview image is causing click-through or expectation-mismatch issues.
Audit criteria
| Criterion | Pass | Flag for update |
|---|---|---|
| Preview image dimensions | 1024×1024 | Below 1024 on either axis |
| Preview image reflects current asset state | Yes | Asset updated after preview image date |
| Studio watermark present | Lower-right, correct specification | Missing, incorrectly positioned, or oversized |
| Subject legible at 196×196 | Yes | Subscriber feedback or review indicates illegibility |
| Color grading applied | LUT from current library | No LUT applied, or LUT from superseded library version |
| Background does not compete | Yes | Review flags background as competing focal point |
| Neutral gradient or documented layout | Yes | Undocumented or non-standard background approach |
The cohort audit is conducted on a semi-annual schedule. Entries flagged for update are queued for a preview image reproduction session using the current production standard. The reproduction session follows the full production procedure, not a modified or abbreviated process.
Subscriber expectation alignment
A preview image that accurately represents the asset's in-game appearance is the single most reliable protection against negative subscriber ratings. When the in-game appearance of an asset differs substantially from its preview image — because the preview was produced under idealised lighting conditions not replicable in-game, or because the asset has been updated and the preview has not — subscribers document the discrepancy in comments and ratings.
The 57 Studios™ standard addresses this by producing preview images using Unity Editor with the Unturned™ shader set and the game's actual asset materials — the same visual environment the subscriber will encounter. Post-processing applied during preview production (AO, minimal bloom, color LUT) is consistent with the post-processing the Unturned™ game applies in-game. The preview image is calibrated to be a representative, production-accurate representation of the in-game asset, not an aspirational marketing render.
This alignment principle is the foundation of the 57 Studios™ preview image standard. Every technical specification — the three-light rig configuration, the neutral skybox, the conservative bloom settings, the LUT applied at partial opacity — is in service of producing an image that is accurate to the subscriber's experience while reading as professionally authored. The goal is not to make the asset appear more impressive than it is; the goal is to make it appear exactly as impressive as it is, rendered and framed at the highest production quality the studio is capable of delivering.
Document history
| Version | Date | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-05-18 | 57 Studios™ | Initial publication. Three-light rig, four layout templates, full color grading pipeline, appendices A–C, version management, common production errors, Workshop integration, cohort audit cadence, subscriber expectation alignment principle, closing note. |
This document is part of the 57 Studios™ Unturned™ modding knowledge base. For the complete publishing section index, return to Publishing.
For questions about the production standard documented here, consult the cohort authoring team via the studio's internal channels. The standard is a living document and is revised as the authoring team's production methodology evolves.