# Steam gradient

Gradients derived from Steam's published colour tokens (nominative use; no brand assets). Deterministic: the same values are served as `--brand-gradient*` in the brand's brand.css.

- Page: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/brands/steampowered-com
- Brand colors: https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/steampowered-com · Brand page: https://brandsweets.com/b/steampowered-com
- Palette: primary #c6d4df, secondary #b3daff, accents #a1cd44
- Source: https://steampowered.com (extracted 2026-09-05)

## Brand gradient

ΔE_OK 0.046 < 0.15 between #c6d4df and #b3daff — a 2-stop would read as a flat fill, so this is a tonal ramp of #c6d4df.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #ecfbff 0%, #c6d4df 50%, #8e9ba5 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklch from-[#ecfbff] via-[#c6d4df] to-[#8e9ba5]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 1.06:1 fail · black 7.38:1 AA · banding high
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.ecfbff-c6d4df-8e9ba5?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter

## Hero background

Chroma ×0.35 so it can carry text; ink black (inkFor at the midpoint). Passes AA for that ink at the worst point (7.39:1) without adjusting L.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #f4f9fa 0%, #ced2d6 50%, #959a9d 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklch from-[#f4f9fa] via-[#ced2d6] to-[#959a9d]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 1.06:1 fail · black 7.39:1 AA · banding high · ink #000000
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.f4f9fa-ced2d6-959a9d?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter

## Button / CTA

ΔL 0.08 top→bottom in the primary's hue (a lit surface, not a rainbow); hover L +0.03, active L −0.03. Black ink passes AA on the surface and both states (worst 10.96:1).

- CSS: `linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #d3e1ec 0%, #b9c7d2 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-b/oklch from-[#d3e1ec] to-[#b9c7d2]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 1.33:1 fail · black 12.16:1 AA · banding high · ink #000000
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.d3e1ec-b9c7d2?a=180&in=oklch&hue=shorter
- Hover: `linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #ddebf6 0%, #c3d1dc 100%)`
- Active: `linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #c9d7e2 0%, #b0bdc8 100%)`

## Tonal ramp

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #ecfbff 0%, #c6d4df 50%, #8e9ba5 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklch from-[#ecfbff] via-[#c6d4df] to-[#8e9ba5]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 1.06:1 fail · black 7.38:1 AA · banding high
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.ecfbff-c6d4df-8e9ba5?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter

## Analogous

Partner hue from the analogous rule at the source colour's lightness.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #c6d4df 0%, #b9d8df 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklab from-[#c6d4df] to-[#b9d8df]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 1.50:1 fail · black 13.83:1 AA · banding high
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.c6d4df-b9d8df?a=135

## Complementary

Partner hue from the complementary rule at the source colour's lightness. ΔH 179° > 140° — interpolating in oklch (shorter hue) keeps the midpoint saturated.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #c6d4df 0%, #dfcec0 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklch from-[#c6d4df] to-[#dfcec0]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 1.50:1 fail · black 13.69:1 AA · banding high
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.c6d4df-dfcec0?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter

## Triadic

Partner hue from the triadic rule at the source colour's lightness.

- CSS: `linear-gradient(135deg in oklab, #c6d4df 0%, #e0ccd1 100%)`
- Tailwind: `bg-linear-to-br/oklab from-[#c6d4df] to-[#e0ccd1]`
- Contrast (worst point): white 1.51:1 fail · black 13.70:1 AA · banding high
- Maker: https://brandsweets.com/gradients/new/v1.c6d4df-e0ccd1?a=135

## CSS custom properties (brand.css)

```css
:root {
  /* Brand gradient (derived) */
  /* worst-case contrast: white 1.06:1, black 7.38:1 AA */
  --brand-gradient: linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #ecfbff 0%, #c6d4df 50%, #8e9ba5 100%);
  /* hero — worst-case contrast: white 1.06:1, black 7.39:1 AA; ink passes AA at the worst point */
  --brand-gradient-hero: linear-gradient(135deg in oklch shorter hue, #f4f9fa 0%, #ced2d6 50%, #959a9d 100%);
  --brand-gradient-hero-ink: #000000;
  /* button — worst-case contrast: white 1.33:1, black 12.16:1 AA */
  --brand-gradient-button: linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #d3e1ec 0%, #b9c7d2 100%);
  --brand-gradient-button-hover: linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #ddebf6 0%, #c3d1dc 100%);
  --brand-gradient-button-active: linear-gradient(180deg in oklch shorter hue, #c9d7e2 0%, #b0bdc8 100%);
  --brand-gradient-button-ink: #000000;
}
```

## Gradient maker

Every maker URL is the gradient's state: `/gradients/new/v1.<hex>-<hex>[_pos]?a=135&in=oklch&hue=shorter&e=soft&g=8`. Hand one to a human, let them refine, and read the link they return.

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets gradients endpoint for the same engine and corpus:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/gradients/mcp
- Tools: `make_gradient` (2–5 colours → CSS with the interpolation space, Tailwind v4, SVG, PNG URL, DTCG token + the contrast/banding/gamut report), `brand_gradients` (brand slug or palette → brand gradient, hero, button, variants).
- Resource: `gradients://corpus` — the whole bundled corpus as JSON.