Environment Design: Project 1 Exterior & Landscape Design

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Gabriella Grace Christyanti / 0371915
Environment Design/ Creative Media / School of Design 
Task 2 Exterior and Landscape Design

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. Instructions
2. Lectures
3. Process Work
4. Final Outcome
5. Feedback
 6. Reflection

1. INSTRUCTIONS

2. LECTURES

UNIQUE SELLING POINT

Defining the Anchor: Every environment design needs a core focal feature or "hook" that distinguishes it from generic levels.

Application: Identify what makes the location memorable—such as dramatic storytelling elements, unique lighting setups, environmental contrasts (e.g., overgrown tech), or key hero props—before modeling.

SHORTCUTS - PHOTOSHOP

Shortcut & Menu Path: Go to Filter > Vanishing Point (or hit Ctrl + Alt + V). Holding Ctrl allows you to pull connected perpendicular planes out from an existing perspective grid.

Use Case: Allows you to map textures, posters, graphics, or painted details flat onto defined perspective planes so they automatically scale, skew, and compress along the correct perspective lines.

ASSET BREAKDOWN STRATEGY

Modular Production List: Deconstruct the environment sketch or concept art into individual buildable parts before starting 3D modeling.

Categorization Pipeline: 

  • Architecture/Kitbash: Walls, floors, pillars, door frames (tileable, snap-to-grid pieces). 
  • Hero Props: Unique, detailed assets placed in focal areas. 
  • Scatter/Foliage Props: Repeating detail items like rocks, crates, debris, or vegetation.

COLORING

Color Contrast: Keep key props and character asset colors distinct from background/environment values so they don't blend in or get lost.

3. PROCESS WORK

Game Research 
....

MoodBoard

Before starting this project, I began by transforming the initial concept into a visual direction through research and ideation. Inspired by Battle Chasers, I decided to create a temple environment that captures a sense of mystery and adventure. 

To support this vision, I gathered a series of mood boards, drawing inspiration from the architecture, forms, and atmosphere of ancient Maya temples. This research established a strong visual foundation and guided the overall artistic direction throughout the design process.

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Thumbnail Sketches 

For the sketching stage, I first established the overall structure using reference images as a guide. During this process, I explored different compositions and experimented with scale to determine what best suited the environment. I also paid close attention to the environmental mechanics and storytelling, ensuring that the layout would naturally support the player's progression while creating a clear narrative buildup throughout the scene.


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Composition Studies

For the composition stage, I explored several composition variations to determine the strongest visual direction for the environment. Throughout this process, I received feedback and revisions from Sir Kannan, which helped refine the overall design. I experimented with different camera angles, perspectives, and scale to create a more dynamic composition while ensuring the environment conveyed a strong sense of depth, focus, and visual storytelling.

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Value Studies

For the value studies, I focused on understanding how light behaves across different distances by observing both the nearest and furthest objects within the scene. This exercise allowed me to analyze how lighting affects form, depth, and scale while improving the readability of the environment. By studying value relationships, I gained a better understanding of how light and shadow interact with different objects, helping me create a stronger sense of depth and visual hierarchy in the final environment.

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Ambience Studies

For the final exterior, I selected Environment Design No. 1 as the strongest direction for the project. At this stage, I refined the overall ambience by experimenting with different color palettes, contrast, and lighting conditions. I carefully evaluated how environmental lighting and color influenced the mood and atmosphere of the scene. This process helped me achieve a more cohesive visual style while improving the overall lighting quality and enhancing the environment's sense of depth and realism.

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Exterior Improvement 

4. FINAL OUTCOME

5. FEEDBACK

Sir Kannan taught me to establish a unique selling point for the environment before modelling, making sure there was a strong focal feature that could distinguish the temple from a generic environment. He also introduced an asset breakdown strategy, where the environment is separated into architecture, hero props, and smaller scatter or foliage assets to make the 3D production process more organized. During the composition and ambience stages, I received feedback on camera angles, scale, lighting, and colour contrast to improve the visual hierarchy and make sure important elements would not blend into the environment.

6. REFLECTIONS

EXPERIENCE

This stage helped me move from basic environment studies into more focused environment development. I learned how to use research, mood boards, thumbnails, composition, value, and ambience studies to gradually build the Snake Temple. Breaking the environment into different assets also made the modelling process feel more manageable.

OBSERVATION

I observed that having a strong visual direction early on makes the later stages much easier. The composition, lighting, and unique features of the temple all needed to work together so the environment could feel interesting while still guiding the player's attention.

FINDINGS

I found that environment design requires careful planning before moving into 3D production. Identifying the environment's unique selling point and breaking the design into smaller assets helped me work more efficiently and gave the temple a clearer identity.

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