/higgsfield-troubleshoot

name: higgsfield-troubleshoot
description: >
  Use when a Higgsfield generation fails, produces poor quality, looks wrong,
  doesn't match the prompt, or the user needs to fix or improve an output.
user-invocable: true
metadata:
  tags: [higgsfield, troubleshoot, fix, quality, failure, improve]
  version: 3.2.0
  updated: 2026-08-09
  parent: higgsfield

Higgsfield Troubleshooting Guide

QUICK FACTS

*Generated-checked block (scripts/build_index.py verifies anchors). Read the linked sections for full context — these lines are routing aids, not the rules themselves.*

• Face inconsistency, dead camera moves, ignored prompts, static i2v, blocked dark content — the per-problem fix list [→](#common-problems-fixes)
• Kling 3.0 Motion Control failures are almost always upstream of the prompt: reference clip, character image, or orientation/scene-source settings [→](#motion-control-failures-kling-30)
• Pre-generation checklist: subject, action, named camera preset, style, grade, aspect, <200 words (short-form regime) [→](#pre-generation-checklist)
• Seedance/Cinema Studio symptom table + diagnostic flowchart: blurry = overspecified; chaotic camera = One-Move Rule violated; wrong character = prompt re-describes the reference [→](#cinema-studio-30-seedance-20-diagnostic-tree)
• Every delivered take gets ONE of five verdicts before anything re-fires: keep / fix-in-post / edit / re-roll / rewrite [→](#take-triage-five-verdicts-for-a-delivered-take)
• Two takes with the same flaw = rewrite, by rule; different flaws per roll = stochastic → batch-and-cull, not rewrite [→](#take-triage-five-verdicts-for-a-delivered-take)
• Re-roll = same prompt again, unchanged — no seed parameter on this surface; every roll is a fresh sample [→](#take-triage-five-verdicts-for-a-delivered-take)
• Change exactly one variable between takes so causality stays readable [→](#one-variable-per-retake)
• Declare the take budget AND a written "good enough" bar before take one; half-budget with no progress forces a strategy change [→](#attempt-budget-declared-before-take-one-heuristic)
• The shot log is the ledger row — one line per take, changed variable in `notes` [→](#the-shot-log-is-the-ledger-row)
• Continuation/extension defects: 12-row symptom → cause → single-repair-variable atlas (planned-vs-observed opening, motion-vector drop, prop contradictions, chain-depth drift…) [→](#sequence-continuation-failure-atlas)
• Retry Ladder: 4 terminating rungs — re-run once verbatim → treat 2nd failure as over-packing → switch model for that shot → stop after 3 paid attempts with named options [→](#retry-ladder-a-failed-take-edits-the-plan-not-just-the-dice)
• Log EVERY confirmed fix to learning memory, and check memory first before troubleshooting [→](#log-the-outcome-always)
• Vision-grounded diagnosis (stills only): vision proposes the `reject_reason`, the human confirms — advisory until a class clears the agreement gate [→](#vision-grounded-diagnosis-classify-the-rejected-still-dont-guess)

Common Problems & Fixes

Problem: Character face is inconsistent or morphing

**Cause:** No Soul ID reference; prompt has conflicting appearance descriptions **Fix:**

• Create a Soul ID reference and use it in subsequent generations
• Remove any appearance descriptions that contradict each other
• For image-to-video: don't re-describe the face — let the input image carry it
• Use Kling 3.0 for best character consistency (or Kling 2.6 if no audio needed)

---

Problem: Camera movement isn't working / is generic

**Cause:** Camera described vaguely, not using exact preset names **Fix:**

• Replace generic descriptions with exact preset names: "Dolly In", "FPV Drone", "360 Orbit"
• Put the camera instruction on its own line or clearly labeled: "Camera: [name]"
• Don't describe what the camera is doing in prose — name the control directly

---

Problem: Prompt is ignored / output doesn't match

**Cause:** Prompt too long, conflicting instructions, over-specified **Fix:**

• Cut prompt to under 200 words — trim the least essential details (short-form prompts only; block-scaffold production briefs are a different regime — root `SKILL.md` HARD RULE 8)
• Remove any contradictory elements (don't say both "moving fast" and "frozen in place")
• Lead with the most important element: Subject → Action → Camera → Style
• Split complex scenes into multiple separate generations

---

Problem: Visual style looks wrong / generic

**Cause:** No style specified, or style description too vague **Fix:**

• Add one of the named styles: Cinematic / VHS / Super 8MM / Anamorphic / Abstract
• Add a specific color grade description: "cold teal and orange", "warm golden amber"
• Specify aspect ratio: 16:9 / 9:16 / 2.35:1
• Add lighting: "golden hour", "neon", "practical only", "overcast"

---

Problem: Motion preset effect isn't visible

**Cause:** Preset not explicitly named, or scene context doesn't support the effect **Fix:**

• Name the preset exactly as it appears in the library: "Apply Explosion preset"
• Place the preset instruction at the end of the prompt, clearly labeled
• Make sure the scene context supports the preset — e.g., Animalization needs a subject

who can logically transform

---

Problem: Image-to-video barely moves / is static

**Cause:** Prompt re-describes the static elements instead of what should animate **Fix:**

• Only describe what **changes or moves** — not what is already visible in the image
• Add an explicit camera movement: "Camera: Dolly In" or "Camera: slow Arc"
• Specify the motion type: "hair gently lifts", "eyes blink", "she turns slowly left"
• Add atmospheric motion: "dust floats upward", "light flickers", "steam rises"

---

Problem: VFX preset looks too artificial / cartoonish

**Cause:** Wrong model for the preset, or prompt style conflicts with effect **Fix:**

• For grounded presets (Explosion, Freezing): use Kling 3.0 or 2.6 for realism
• For stylized presets (Animalization, Multiverse): use Wan 2