Open-issues sweep: tags, formats, filters, shortlist, maintenance, categories, re-verification, new sources

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/request-asset.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+name: Request an asset / report a gap
+description: You need something the catalog does not cover and have no source in mind
+title: "[gap] "
+labels: ["gap"]
+body:
+  - type: markdown
+    attributes:
+      value: |
+        Use this when you searched the [catalog](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/) and came up empty. If you already know a source, use **New source** instead. Gaps feed the research queue and the Gaps sections of the [stacks](https://github.com/TMHSDigital/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/tree/main/stacks).
+  - type: textarea
+    id: need
+    attributes:
+      label: What you need
+      description: Be concrete about the asset, not the game. "Straight-down character sprites that turn in four directions, 16x16" beats "RPG art".
+    validations:
+      required: true
+  - type: dropdown
+    id: category
+    attributes:
+      label: Category
+      options:
+        - 3d
+        - 2d
+        - characters
+        - audio
+        - animation
+        - video
+        - environment
+        - shaders-vfx
+        - fonts
+        - tools
+        - not sure
+    validations:
+      required: true
+  - type: dropdown
+    id: licence
+    attributes:
+      label: Licence constraint
+      description: The most restrictive terms you can accept.
+      options:
+        - No credit at all (CC0 / public domain)
+        - Credit is fine (CC-BY)
+        - Any licence that allows commercial game use
+        - Copyleft is fine (GPL, CC-BY-SA)
+    validations:
+      required: true
+  - type: input
+    id: format
+    attributes:
+      label: Formats or engine
+      placeholder: glTF for Godot 4, PNG sprite sheets, OGG loops, …
+  - type: textarea
+    id: tried
+    attributes:
+      label: What you already tried
+      description: Catalog entries or outside sources you looked at, and why they did not fit (wrong perspective, licence, style, quality).

.github/workflows/links.yml

@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Check links
         id: check
+        env:
+          # Read-only use of the GitHub API for the archived / inactive check.
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: node site/check-links.mjs --report link-report.md
 
       - name: Open or update the report issue

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -43,9 +43,11 @@ To add a starter stack (one pick per need for a kind of game), follow [`stacks/R
 - `attribution_string`: the copy-paste credit line. Required when `attribution_required` is `true`; optional otherwise.
 - `publisher`: optional. Name the **rights-holding publisher**, never the host. Set it whenever that publisher has more than one catalog entry, so the entries group; setting it on a publisher that currently has only one entry is also fine and saves a backfill later. Do not set it to a generic host or distributor (GitHub, Hugging Face, itch.io, OpenGameArt, the Internet Archive, Google Fonts) or to a distributor that does not hold the rights. Distinguish sibling organisations that are genuinely different rights holders: `blender.md` (the application, Blender Foundation) carries no `publisher`, while the asset bundles under `studio.blender.org` carry `Blender Studio`. Kenney, Quaternius, KayKit, LuizMelo, 0x72, Blender Studio, Material Maker, Alif Type, GGBotNet and 3dmodelscc0 are the largest groups in use today; treat that as illustrative, not as the permitted set.
 - `subcategories`: lower-case kebab-case (`base-meshes`, `field-recordings`). Reuse a value already in the catalog before inventing one, and do not add a variant of an existing value that differs only in plural or spelling. Where both forms were in use, the more common one was kept (`characters`, `environment`, `interior`, `tileset`, `vectors`, `pixel`, `impulse-responses`, `base-meshes`). Retired spellings are listed in [`site/value-aliases.json`](site/value-aliases.json), which the validator enforces (V19); add a line there when you merge two values.
-- `formats`: what you actually get, in one of four kinds. **File formats**, as commonly written: usually upper case (`PNG`, `FBX`, `JSON`, `VOX`), tool-specific ones as the tool writes them (`gdshader`, `tmx`, `ktx2`). **Engine or language targets**, as the product writes them (`glTF`, `Godot`, `Unity`, `Python`, `React`). **Delivery types** for software with no file format of its own, lower-case kebab-case (`godot-addon`, `blender-extension`, `npm`, `cli`, `library`, `desktop-app`, `mobile-app`, `middleware`, `model`). And `various` for an aggregator whose files come in too many formats to list. Platforms (`windows`, `macos`, `ios`) and descriptions (`heightfield`, `examples`) are `tags`, not formats. Reuse the spelling already in the catalog.
+- `formats`: what you actually get, in one of four kinds. **File formats**, as commonly written: usually upper case (`PNG`, `FBX`, `JSON`, `VOX`), tool-specific ones as the tool writes them (`gdshader`, `tmx`, `ktx2`). **Engine or language targets**, as the product writes them (`glTF`, `Godot`, `Unity`, `Python`, `React`). **Delivery types** for software with no file format of its own, lower-case kebab-case (`godot-addon`, `blender-extension`, `npm`, `cli`, `library`, `desktop-app`, `mobile-app`, `middleware`, `model`). And `various` for an aggregator whose files come in too many formats to list. Platforms (`windows`, `macos`, `ios`) and descriptions (`heightfield`, `examples`) are `tags`, not formats. The allowed values are the closed list in [`site/format-vocabulary.json`](site/format-vocabulary.json), which the validator enforces (V20): reuse a listed spelling, and add a genuinely new format there in the same change that first uses it. Its `groups` drive the site's Format filter, so a new format that belongs to a group (another glTF or font container) goes into that group too.
+- `tags`: lower-case kebab-case words describing the content (`low-poly`, `modular`, `platformer`). Do not restate another field: the licence (`cc0`, `mit`, `ofl`, `open-source`, `royalty-free`), the credit requirement (`no-attribution`) or the entry's own `publisher` (`kenney`) are rejected (V19 via `site/value-aliases.json`, V21), because search and the filters read those fields directly and a copied tag drifts. A `varies` entry lists its licence mix in the body, not in tags.
 - Frontmatter is one `key: value` per line; lists are `[a, b]` or indented `- item` lines. A key given twice is an error. Entry files may not contain emoji.
 - `grid_dimensions` / `camera_perspective` / `hardware_tags`: optional metadata for 2D and UI entries. `3d` and `characters` entries leave `camera_perspective` out: it describes a 2D camera, and those entries have none.
+- `maintenance`: optional, `archived` | `inactive` (V22). Set `archived` when the source repository is archived, and `inactive` when it has had no push for over three years, with a dated `- Maintenance:` line in Notes saying what you read. Leave it out otherwise. The weekly link check reports a GitHub source whose state no longer matches.
 - `url`: an `https://` address (`http://` only where the source has no https). Other schemes are rejected.
 - `verified`: ISO date (`YYYY-MM-DD`) of your last license check. It must be a real date, no later than tomorrow in UTC, and no newer than the newest date in `## Evidence` (V8): a new `verified` date needs a new dated Evidence line from the same check. Dates inside URLs do not count as Evidence dates.
 - `status`: `active` | `needs-review` | `deprecated`. A `deprecated` entry needs a `- Deprecated:` line in its body giving the reason (V9). `active` means the licence, the commercial stance and the credit requirement are all settled: an `unknown` in `license`, `commercial` or `attribution_required` keeps an entry at `needs-review`. The validator enforces this (V14), and rejects `formats`, `subcategories` or `tags` values that differ only by case, punctuation or a trailing "s" from one already in use (V13).

README.md

@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@
 [![Website](https://img.shields.io/website?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftmhsdigital.github.io%2FFree-Game-Dev-Assets%2F&up_message=live&down_message=down&label=website)](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/)
 [![Pages](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/TMHSDigital/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/pages.yml?label=pages)](https://github.com/TMHSDigital/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/actions/workflows/pages.yml)
 [![License: CC0-1.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-CC0--1.0-lightgrey.svg)](LICENSE)
-[![Sources](https://img.shields.io/badge/sources-319-informational)](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/)
+[![Sources](https://img.shields.io/badge/sources-334-informational)](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/)
 [![GitHub stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/TMHSDigital/Free-Game-Dev-Assets)](https://github.com/TMHSDigital/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/stargazers)
 [![PRs welcome](https://img.shields.io/badge/PRs-welcome-brightgreen.svg)](CONTRIBUTING.md)
 
 Free assets and tools for commercial games. Each entry records the licence as its source
 states it and the date someone read it there; active entries quote the source's own words.
 The catalog indexes sources and never rehosts them: check the source before you ship.
 
-- **[Browse 319 sources](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/)** on the site, filtered by licence, credit and review status.
+- **[Browse 334 sources](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/)** on the site, filtered by licence, credit and review status.
 - **Starter stacks**, one pick per need and what the whole set owes:
   [2D pixel platformer](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/stack/2d-pixel-platformer/) ·
   [2D top-down pixel game](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/stack/2d-top-down-pixel/) ·
@@ -100,23 +100,23 @@ a credit.
 
 ## Browse the catalog
 
-The [website](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/) searches all 319 entries
+The [website](https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Free-Game-Dev-Assets/) searches all 334 entries
 and filters them by category, commercial use, attribution, review status and 2D camera
 view. Press `/` to search. Filtered views and individual entries have their own URLs, so you can send
 someone exactly what you are looking at.
 
 | Category | Entries | Focus | Index |
 | --- | ---: | --- | --- |
-| **3D** | 69 | Models, scans, PBR textures and materials | [`catalog/3d/`](catalog/3d/) |
-| **Tools** | 66 | Editors, pipeline, TTS, Godot add-ons | [`catalog/tools/`](catalog/tools/) |
+| **3D** | 70 | Models, scans, PBR textures and materials | [`catalog/3d/`](catalog/3d/) |
+| **Tools** | 77 | Editors, pipeline, TTS, Godot add-ons | [`catalog/tools/`](catalog/tools/) |
 | **2D** | 54 | Sprites, tilesets, UI and HUD, icons, palettes | [`catalog/2d/`](catalog/2d/) |
 | **Audio** | 30 | SFX, music, foley, impulse responses | [`catalog/audio/`](catalog/audio/) |
-| **Characters** | 27 | Rigged packs, generators, modular humanoids | [`catalog/characters/`](catalog/characters/) |
-| **Fonts** | 23 | OFL and commercial-ok typefaces, CJK | [`catalog/fonts/`](catalog/fonts/) |
-| **Environment** | 15 | HDRI, terrain DEMs, geodata | [`catalog/environment/`](catalog/environment/) |
+| **Characters** | 28 | Rigged packs, generators, modular humanoids | [`catalog/characters/`](catalog/characters/) |
+| **Fonts** | 25 | OFL and commercial-ok typefaces, CJK | [`catalog/fonts/`](catalog/fonts/) |
+| **Environment** | 13 | HDRI, terrain DEMs, geodata | [`catalog/environment/`](catalog/environment/) |
 | **Shaders & VFX** | 17 | Shaders, particle and FX resources | [`catalog/shaders-vfx/`](catalog/shaders-vfx/) |
 | **Animation** | 12 | Motion capture and character clips | [`catalog/animation/`](catalog/animation/) |
-| **Video** | 6 | Stock footage, archival clips | [`catalog/video/`](catalog/video/) |
+| **Video** | 8 | Stock footage, archival clips | [`catalog/video/`](catalog/video/) |
 
 ## Reading an entry
 

catalog/2d/README.md

@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ two carry obligations the rest do not.
 | [universal-lpc-generator](universal-lpc-generator.md) | Universal LPC Generator | varies (SA) | varies† | active |
 | [lpc-revised-basics](lpc-revised-basics.md) | LPC Revised Basics | varies (OGA-BY for every item) | yes | active |
 | [openclipart](openclipart.md) | Openclipart | CC0 | yes | active |
-| [opengameart](opengameart.md) | OpenGameArt | varies | unknown | needs-review |
+| [opengameart](opengameart.md) | OpenGameArt | varies | yes | needs-review |
 | [lospec](lospec.md) | Lospec | varies | unknown | needs-review |
 | [dcss-tiles](dcss-tiles.md) | Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup Tiles | varies | unknown | needs-review |
 

catalog/2d/ansimuz-industrial-parallax.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG, PSD]
-tags: [cc0, parallax, background, layers, pixel, industrial, night, platformer, side-scroller]
+tags: [parallax, background, layers, pixel, industrial, night, platformer, side-scroller]
 camera_perspective: side_scroller
 verified: 2026-09-23
 status: active

catalog/2d/ansimuz-sunnyland.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG, WAV]
-tags: [cc0, pixel, platformer, itch, 16-bit]
+tags: [pixel, platformer, itch, 16-bit]
 camera_perspective: side_scroller
 verified: 2026-08-24
 status: active

catalog/2d/armm1998-zelda-like.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, 16x16, overworld, cave, indoors, opengameart, 4-directional]
+tags: [16x16, overworld, cave, indoors, opengameart, 4-directional]
 grid_dimensions: 16x16
 camera_perspective: isometric_3_4
 verified: 2026-09-22

catalog/2d/bit-bonanza.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, 1-bit, 10x10, rpg, icons, itch]
+tags: [1-bit, 10x10, rpg, icons, itch]
 grid_dimensions: 10x10
 camera_perspective: 2d_flat
 verified: 2026-08-15

catalog/2d/bondoki-rotating-gems.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [GIF, PNG]
-tags: [cc0, match-3, gems, jewels, animated, puzzle, casual, mobile]
+tags: [match-3, gems, jewels, animated, puzzle, casual, mobile]
 grid_dimensions: 52x52
 verified: 2026-09-23
 status: active

catalog/2d/bootstrap-icons.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ license_spdx: MIT
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [SVG, WOFF, WOFF2]
-tags: [icons, mit, svg, ui, bootstrap]
+tags: [icons, svg, ui, bootstrap]
 camera_perspective: 2d_flat
 verified: 2026-08-24
 status: active

catalog/2d/dcss-tiles.md

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ formats: [PNG]
 tags: [roguelike, tileset, dungeon, monsters, items, mixed-license]
 verified: 2026-08-24
 status: needs-review
+maintenance: inactive
 grid_dimensions: 32x32
 camera_perspective: top_down
 ---
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ Thousands of 32x32 top-down tiles covering monsters, items, dungeon features, an
 
 ## Notes
 
+- Maintenance: no push to the GitHub repository crawl/tiles since 2020-09-05, per the GitHub API on 2026-09-26.
 - The project publishes `TILES_UNDER_UNKNOWN_LICENSE.md` and `ARTISTS.md` alongside the art; read both before using anything, and treat the unknown-license list as unusable
 - The upstream statement is that the majority is CC0 and new submissions are CC0 unless specified otherwise, with older pieces being the problem
 - Derived from rltiles, which is where much of the older and less traceable provenance comes from

catalog/2d/gameart2d-freebies.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, platformer, gui, side-scroller]
+tags: [platformer, gui, side-scroller]
 camera_perspective: side_scroller
 verified: 2026-08-29
 status: active

catalog/2d/glitch-archive.md

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ formats: [PNG, SVG, FLA]
 tags: [hand-drawn, vector, large-pack]
 verified: 2026-08-29
 status: active
+maintenance: archived
 ---
 
 # Glitch archive
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ status: active
 
 ## Notes
 
+- Maintenance: the GitHub repository tinyspeck/glitch-items is archived (read-only), per the GitHub API on 2026-09-26; last push 2013-12-16.
 - Logo and trademark are excluded. Only files in the repo tree are covered.
 - Original announcement: glitchthegame.com/public-domain-game-art/ (not re-fetched on 2026-08-29). Community PNG/SVG conversions are usually easier than Adobe FLA.
 - FLA packages need Flash-era tools or community rips; do not treat FLA as engine-ready.

catalog/2d/gustavo-saraiva-city-parallax.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, parallax, background, layers, pixel, city, platformer, side-scroller]
+tags: [parallax, background, layers, pixel, city, platformer, side-scroller]
 camera_perspective: side_scroller
 verified: 2026-09-23
 status: active

catalog/2d/heroicons.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ license_spdx: MIT
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [SVG, React, Vue]
-tags: [mit, icons, tailwind, ui]
+tags: [icons, tailwind, ui]
 camera_perspective: 2d_flat
 verified: 2026-07-19
 status: active

catalog/2d/kenney-1-bit-pack.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, 1-bit, roguelike, rpg, pixel, kenney, multi-perspective]
+tags: [1-bit, roguelike, rpg, pixel, multi-perspective]
 grid_dimensions: 16x16
 verified: 2026-07-19
 status: active

catalog/2d/kenney-boardgame-pack.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG, SVG, XML, OGG]
-tags: [cc0, board-game, cards, dice, chips, tokens, mobile]
+tags: [board-game, cards, dice, chips, tokens, mobile]
 verified: 2026-09-23
 status: active
 ---

catalog/2d/kenney-cursor-pack.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, cursor, pointer, ui, kenney]
+tags: [cursor, pointer, ui]
 camera_perspective: 2d_flat
 verified: 2026-07-19
 status: active

catalog/2d/kenney-input-prompts.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG, SVG]
-tags: [cc0, gamepad, keyboard, hud, steam-deck, switch-2, quest]
+tags: [gamepad, keyboard, hud, steam-deck, switch-2, quest]
 grid_dimensions: 64x64
 camera_perspective: 2d_flat
 hardware_tags: [steam_deck, steam_controller, steam_frame, valve_index, switch, switch_2, xbox, playstation, meta_quest, playdate, wii, gamecube]

catalog/2d/kenney-micro-roguelike.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, 1-bit, 8x8, roguelike, rpg, top-down]
+tags: [1-bit, 8x8, roguelike, rpg, top-down]
 grid_dimensions: 8x8
 camera_perspective: top_down
 verified: 2026-09-22

catalog/2d/kenney-pixel-platformer.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, pixel, platformer, tiles, kenney]
+tags: [pixel, platformer, tiles]
 grid_dimensions: 18x18
 camera_perspective: side_scroller
 verified: 2026-07-19

catalog/2d/kenney-pixel-vehicle-pack.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, vehicles, cars, pixel, kenney]
+tags: [vehicles, cars, pixel]
 verified: 2026-07-19
 status: active
 ---

catalog/2d/kenney-playing-cards-pack.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG, CSV]
-tags: [cc0, cards, playing-cards, solitaire, poker, pixel, board-game, mobile]
+tags: [cards, playing-cards, solitaire, poker, pixel, board-game, mobile]
 verified: 2026-09-23
 status: active
 ---

catalog/2d/kenney-puzzle-pack-2.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG, SVG, XML]
-tags: [cc0, puzzle, casual, breakout, brick, pipes, coins, particles, mobile]
+tags: [puzzle, casual, breakout, brick, pipes, coins, particles, mobile]
 verified: 2026-09-23
 status: active
 ---

catalog/2d/kenney-roguelike-characters.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, rpg, characters, roguelike, overworld, front-facing]
+tags: [rpg, characters, roguelike, overworld, front-facing]
 camera_perspective: isometric_3_4
 verified: 2026-09-22
 status: active

catalog/2d/kenney-roguelike-rpg-pack.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, 16x16, rpg, roguelike, ui, overworld]
+tags: [16x16, rpg, roguelike, ui, overworld]
 grid_dimensions: 16x16
 camera_perspective: isometric_3_4
 verified: 2026-09-22

catalog/2d/kenney-tiny-battle.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ license_spdx: CC0-1.0
 commercial: true
 attribution_required: false
 formats: [PNG]
-tags: [cc0, 16x16, strategy, wargame, units, top-down]
+tags: [16x16, strategy, wargame, units, top-down]
 grid_dimensions: 16x16
 camera_perspective: top_down
 verified: 2026-09-22