Theme: Alien
Sub Theme: Recycling centre
Overview – For this assignment we were tasked with designing the environment in which my hero asset will be places into and how that feeds into the storytelling of the environment. Throughout this we will look at tools and techniques used to get us to the end final video render. As mentioned in the 3D asset design it was truly difficult to find any assets to help me within my scene. In the end, I decided on creating an old abandoned entrance to a recycling centre within the mountain-side. At the core of the entrance would be the mysterious alien looking power source. Could this still be harnessing energy from the inside? that’s where I’ll have to let the imagination go a little bit wild.
Theme/location exploration and research
In the beginning, I was researching what I thought would be the closest thing to a recycling centre which was just industrial looking places such as factories but then, the thought came that its not exactly a recycling centre. But I guess that depends on what I would define as a recycling centre. Which I would say, harnessing materials for repurpose.
With many research into available assets I chose to make the recycling centre a bit more rural. By doing this, I was able to open up such a larger idea of how I could possibly lay out the environment. With more ideas into landscape and natural lighting which is where I believe the beauty shots and render would really come into natural beauty.
As I was still trying to figure out how I could possibly connect this with my hero asset design it came to me, that the unknown is sometimes a lot more interesting than seeing everything so I used a bit of imagination myself and created something that not everyone might understand but with a bit of background maybe it was something special.
Planning and conceptualisation
During this stage I found it best to be planning on the software I was going to be using (Unreal Engine 5) as the majority of my assets wold be coming from the ‘Bridge’, Unreal Engine’s free asset store. In there I was able to find an incredible amount of free assets to utilise in different categories and genres. Certain ‘Collections’ such as an ‘Industrial Pack’ were really helpful on helping figure out a design for the environment.
As I wanted the environment to be more in the middle of nowhere and more rural, I was able to identify a really nice alien sand colour to apply to the landscape. With an almost orange/brown rock and ground I was able to create really nice effects with the lighting in UE5 and create the perfect deserted feel to the environment.
As soon as I knew I wanted to place my environment in a deserted location, I was immediately thinking of how to utilise the natural sunlight for some really nice effects. The orange glow of a distant sunset upon the orange and almost canyon like rocks creates a really nice glow around the scene. Not only that but the directional light in UE5 can make a really nice effect for making such things like my hero asset stand out in the environment it has been placed in.
Although I did play around with HDRI maps, I wasn’t really able to find anything I liked or that worked with what I was trying to achieve for the render so in the end, I’m happy to have learnt it, but it just wasn’t for this particular project.
Using what is called ‘Megascans’ from the bridge in Unreal Engine I could place huge cliff sides into the scene to get a general layout for the environment. This helps to scale the environment and lets me understand what level of detail needs to be put into the environment with such things as 3D assets and foliage.
Then I began using what I call, caving-in the environment. I wanted to be able to use actual light sources in my environment and not just rely on the natural light UE provides. By making my entrance into a almost cave light structure, it allowed me to be a bit more adventurous with my lighting inside the scene. This took multiple goes with many different rocks and shapes before I got my desired look to the scene.
Also the main thing I knew I wanted for my environment was the entrance to the abandoned recycling centre. On the bridge I was able to find these really cool tunnels which I just knew I could utilise within my scene. They have a really nice industrial look and also gives me room to play with the lighting within the mountain side.
A large amount of time was spent searching through the available assets I could use to create my environment. These are multiple assets I saved to my favourites for future download to use. The orange rocks were perfect for the colour theme I’m going for.
Certain free assets were really able to help push me in the direction I was looking for with such things as lamps, tunnels and mine carts. This really gave it an old abandoned feel I was going for.
By using all of the cliff and rock assets in a certain way I was able to create almost 4 walls to contain the light. When the sun is directly behind the environment it lights up the scene beautifully as well as if it were setting on the other side. Having the open front allows so much more natural light into the scene whilst making it sufficiently darker at the back of the environment.
One thing I really wanted to capture was having almost a natural ‘spot-light’ coming through a hole in the mountain-side. This took a while to achieve the desired look but with a but of hard work and determination I found the perfect spot to allow a bit of natural light through if the directional light (sun light) was on the rear side of the scene.
Collaboration, discussion and feedback
Throughout this environment design I took the opportunity to see how far I could push myself with handling every aspect of the design and final rendering. Although it was very challenging, I see the design area of game design is where I can really show my skills and imagination. I’m still very much new to all the software but in time I believe I will able to make some masterpieces!
I know this was a group task and unfortunately I wasn’t able to really collaborate with my other peers on this one but hopefully this is a good time to explain why this is the case.
During this task I feel like some were more focused on their own asset that the group aspect and that’s absolutely fine, but anytime there was input to get everyone together in Uni to do the work there was always a reason of why people couldn’t make it. I don’t blame anyone as its really allowed me to progress my personal skills in this field, hopefully in future group tasks we can all work a bit more in unison.
Environmental storytelling
The story behind the environment design and the hero asset placed within the environment is as follows;
‘Deep within the desert lies the Deserted Mountains, once known by the ancient civilizations as a mountain of treasure and immense power. The riches and minerals sourced were being utilised and recycled into an uncontrollable amount of energy. What we have stumbled upon the entrance seems to be a huge power source still gaining power from within. What happened here for there to be no one here anymore? Or are there still others? The tunnels seem to be the way in.’
From this what I’m trying to achieve is a lead up to wanting to know what is further within the mountain. Ancient stories and scripts tell very little of the story. As a gamer this would set me up for the need to explore more in this world and hopefully find further adventures!
The ancient civilisations part is key to the story as with many ‘conspiracy theories,’ they sometimes are often referred to as having alien technology or at least more advanced capabilities than today. This really leads nicely onto the sci-fi/alien aspect of the design, making me want to venture deeper into the tunnels to see what else I can find.
Composition, colour and lighting theory
This screenshot really highlights the colour pallet I was trying to achieve for my environment scene. With having the amazing directional light shine down upon my scene it really brings out the orange in the rocks, even the ones that are not necessarily orange in colour. For example in the correct lighting, you can see the 3 main huge rocks coming from the ground and the one in the shade on the left is actually grey. This implies that maybe these rocks are not from around this area, so how did they get there? Once again, opening up further ideas for the mind to explore into the mysteries of the deserted mountain.
I really love that I was able to create the intense emissive glow I was looking for as that has really helped me incorporate my asset, but also enough to give it the spotlight it deserves when surrounded by such beauty in the natural feel of the environment. The ‘unnatural’ lighting not so visible in this scene, as the sun gazes into the cave the immense glow from the power source still overtakes and controls all the light surrounding it, giving it a very powerful feel to the asset.
In these scenes the natural light from the sun and other surrounding areas are turned off and as you can see the scene is still visibly lit. With the use of spot-lights placed inside of assets such as lights I can create some really cool lighting effects and still keep the same vibe of the environment I created in the day-time with the natural light. With the use on point-lights placed inside of a florescent light asset I created a really nice floor light that I was able to shine in certain directions on the asset and other surroundings to make the scene stand out as intended. It is still very much following the same lighting and colour pattern as the day time but with just extra detail into the shadows and highlights of certain assets.
I also used a ‘PostProcessVolume’ to get rid of auto exposure. This helps focus the camera in when the light changes.
Asset List
- ‘Lemongrass’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in foliage
- ‘Reed Grass’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in foliage
- ‘Grass created’ by Quixel BRIDGE for use in foliage
- ‘Three Cornered Garlic’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in foliage
- ‘Myricaria’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in foliage
- ‘Flax-leaf Fleabane’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in foliage
- ‘Dry Trampled Soil’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Massive Canyon Sandstone Cliff’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Massive Canyon Sandstone Butte Ledge’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Huge Canyon Sandstone Hoodoo’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Gigantic Canyon Sandstone Cliff’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Canyon Sandstone Boulder’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Canyon Eroded Rocky Ground’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Canyon Sandstone Rocky Ground’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Canyon Sandstone Ridge’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Massive Canyon Sandstone Hoodoo’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Cement Bollard’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Modular Mine Tunnel’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in landscape
- ‘Tangled Rope’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Electrical Box’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Rusty Bulkhead Light’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Metal Pendant Light’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Fluorescent Ceiling Lamp’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Rusty Hanging Chain’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Old Stove’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Modular Wooden Sluice Kit’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Modular Railway Track’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Modular Saloon Balcony Trim’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
- ‘Mine Cart’ created by Quixel BRIDGE for use in asset placement
Using Unreal Engine 5 I had the great use of Quixel BRIDGE at my disposal to help me create any environment I required. I searched many places for assets but a lot of them cost money to get any half decent ones so I thought it was best using what I had at my disposal but I am still more than impressed with the outcome and the interface of UE5.
Reflection
Upon reflection of this project I can take away many positives from this experience but that doesn’t mean to say it hasn’t had its down sides too. At first, the team I was grouped with were communicating quite well with each other, trying to figure out where each of us could really contribute. I always offered my software and artistic skills as that is what my strengths are. From this assignment it has made me more aware than ever of my capabilities to learn software really quick and get to a more advanced level. Not to say I still don’t have much to learn but just from this experience, I can truly say, I can’t wait to see what I can achieve after another year learning these amazing software’s. Some incredible asset concept art and environment designs will be coming soon I’m sure!
In future I believe mixing with a more suited group will be more beneficial to the project, allowing for more brains and idea to come together. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses so that’s vastly important when it comes down to huge projects in the future. Hopefully something we can all work on.
However, taking this environment further is only getting me more excited for what I’m soon going to be capable of. I would just really like to continue on expanding this environment and possibly create the inside of the mountain, as that’s what we would all like to see! In other projects or this one in the future I would like to create more of my own assets for the environment as I believe asset design could also be a very strong subject for me. I think Alien/Recycling centre was a bit of a tough mixture to set upon someone new and learning but I believe I have achieved what I was going for in the planning of the project.
I would love to make an advance on the lighting and particle effects. Little things such as a small layer of fog can change the feel of a scene drastically. And possibly some modified assets with emissive glows as some sort of ‘clue’ from the ancient civilisations that used to exist there.