My first real-time environment in Unreal Engine leveraging modular kits and props. All tileables and props are 1024px/meter, with exception of bells that are slightly higher.
"Arcosanti 2040, AI's rapid advance has deemed humanity unfit. A small sustainable city has proven elusive to eliminate. The bells made by artists for decades ring to the frequency when the AI's bots near, serving as an alarm for the remaining residents to hide and plan their comeback."
I learned an incredible amount working on my first real time environment during my second term at Think Tank online.
My instructor gave me critical feedback halfway through encouraging me to go beyond the initial reference and add storytelling and diversity to the environment. I wanted to tell an interesting, but subtle story due to time constraints. To do this, I leaned on my modular kit, expanded my vertex painting shader and finally added deferred and mesh decals to vary the environment. For set dressing I took the same modular approach with some of the props. Bells became pots, bowls and cups, plant leaves became debris, polaroids of fallen community members were able to be scattered around the environment to keep the storytelliing grounded and consistent.
By the end I was having so much fun creating interesting corners and details a player might find, the polaroids and bells to escape plans on the walls. My concept for the chess table was added a little late, but I wanted to have a place where the player might potentially check overall progress by the pieces on the board. A not so subtle nod to Gary Kasparov's victory over Deep Blue is on display in the scene.
I want to give a special shout-out to my instructor Sergei Panin https://www.artstation.com/leoluch who pushed me farther than I thought I could go, Arianna Mao for help with lighting details, Gal Hadari https://www.artstation.com/galhadariart and fellow students for additional critique and support, couldn't do it without em!