Sunset Lotus Outpost

I based my work on the concept illustrated by QY. What captivates me about this concept is that it feels like much more than just a hallway or a room – it’s an entire world captured in a single frame. My aim was to create an immersive environment, and this concept was perfect for that. So, I began gathering various references for buildings, props, and foliage, and got started!

Blockout

After gathering references, the next step is to begin blocking out the scene and setting up the cameras. The hero camera focuses on the platform where the vehicles land. The story I want to convey with this setup is that the platform serves as a landing spot where vehicles can make a pit stop and restock before the pilots set off to their next destination. The proportions and camera angles changed frequently as I worked to determine the most logical flow and arrangement of props.

Asset Creation

Next comes asset creation. Mountains and landscaping is done in Quadspinner Gaea. I generated masks for the different material layering and used triplanar projection on them. This is an example of the mountain and the masks on them.

Modeling was relatively straightforward, but optimizing the environment was challenging due to its large scale and the potential for textures to become too much. To manage this, I created my modules shader in Unreal Engine 5 using three different UV sets for tilables, baked textures, and trims. This method offers the flexibility to reuse tilables and trims within my baked textures by arranging a separate UV sheet for them and reapplying the textures. I can activate the maps through switches at the end of the node network, ensuring efficient use of resources.

I also implemented a vertex-based material layering too in the material so I can get effects like wet wood planks by vertex painting on them.

I experimented with two different methods for texturing the props. Noticing that I had many crates, I saw an opportunity to learn how to create texture kits instead of using unique textures for each one. The other props were textured using a standard unique prop workflow.

Up on the list is the textures! I created the base textures using Substance Designer. This was my first time learning and using the software, and I really enjoyed making different materials!

Moving on to creating the foliage. I used Quixel's atlas to make different variations of the vines, tailored to their placement. Bringing the meshes into Unreal Engine 5, I wanted the leaves to be animated rather than static, to add more dynamism. To achieve this, I used a SimpleGrassWind node and vertex painting to drive the movements.

Procedural Content Generation

I wanted to try Unreal Engine's PCG (Procedural Content Generation), So for the background rocks, I went with the Nanite workflow because I need the vertex to drive the population of the trees. The textures on them were Triplanar Projections with Substance Painter Masks and I used Quixel's trees set to the lowest LOD.

Blueprint Spline System

For the bridges, I'm using a spline blueprint system that accommodates three different meshes: the beginning, middle, and end sections. The blueprint uses the bounding box of each mesh, clipping the mesh if the spline stops before the next bounding box ends. It also employs the Set Start and End node to correctly position the first and last parts of the bridge.

Lighting

Finally, I adjusted the lighting to match the sunset mood depicted in the original concept. I used a SkyBox and a directional light to establish the primary lighting, then added a few spotlights to highlight key accents and guide the viewer's eye. Below is the before and after the lighting has been fully implemented.