Night Time City Alleyway
2022
2022
This is a 3D environment that I created as part of an assignment for my undergraduate degree 'Computing in Games Development'.
The requirements for this assignment was to:
Create a city alleyway in a 'U' shape
Use an asset pack that was provided by the college.
Use Unity's HDRP setup.
Have character hold an item that will display the reflections of the scene.
Below is a quick video showcasing the environment.
The lighting is a strong aspect of this environment and this can be seen with the reflections on the glass, weapon and puddles of water on the road.
Planning:
I created a rough level layout for the environment.
I started with the basic outline of the level's shape, forming the 'U' shape.
I moved onto the detailed level layout, incorporating prop placement and the distance skyscrapers that will make up the background.
I added colour to help distinguish between the different elements of the level before adding annotations to make the elements more clear to understand.
This level layout did not change throughout the development process as I was following the requirements of the assignment.
After I had the level layout drawings complete, I started by created a very basic block out of the level. I chose to do this in Unreal Engine as I could quickly put it together as I was not proficient with Unity at this point and was trying to keep up with the amount of assignments due in my final year of the undergraduate. I used cubes to show the basic look of the level. I included the basic elements of the level and avoided some of the smaller details such as decals and foliage that wouldn't be a prominent part of the level.
Once I was happy with the block level, I used colours to help distinguish between the different elements, following the coloured level layout I made. Buildings were a dark brown, paths were a lighter brown, roads were black and props were coloured as their main colour from the asset pack.
Development:
Once I was happy with the block out I used Unity to start implementing the elements with the assets from the provided asset pack.
I started with the road and paths to get the 'U' shape formed. The buildings of the alleyway were next as this would really make the environment take shape.
I added in the two fences that block off the ends of the alley's 'U' shape. This creates a natural border for the scene to prevent the player from wandering too far.
The background skyscrapers were added once the other buildings were added. Signs and props such as boxes and bins were added to the paths to add a bit of life to the environment.
Grass was added to the corner of paths to give the illusion that the alleyway is not a well travelled route of the city.
Water puddle decals were placed onto the roads. The reflections that these puddles create make the scene look quite nice, especially when the lights from the signs are caught in these puddles.
A car and a truck's trailer was added to opposite ends of the alleyway. The car has it's lights on to make it feel alive. The trailer is positioned to block the outside parts of the alley that shouldn't be seen.
Reflection
Below is a small paragraph of the reflection I done on this project.
Positive:
Learned how to use Unity's HDRP system.
This was my first time using the HDRP system in Unity. Previously, I had only used URP.
Learned to use lighting to create an immersive environment.
Previously, I would place a point light into a scene and leave the environment lacking sufficient lighting. After completing this assignment, I learned the importance of lighting and how it can make or break a scene.
Learned basic level design principles.
I learned to create level layouts and create block out levels to help plan a project better.
Negative:
Assignment restrictions.
The tight deadlines of the assignment and the requirements caused my creativity to be stunted slightly. I wasn't a fan of the requirement to have the player hold an object in their hand but I do understand it was to display the reflections of the world.
I didn't do the block out level in Unity due to the time constraints and lack of experience. I quickly done it in Unreal Engine as I was much faster doing it this way. I future I would like to block out levels using the same engine as the final game to avoid discrepancies and gain experience with the tools.
No audio.
As this wasn't a requirement for the assignment I didn't add audio but I think this environment would benefit from some ambient and footstep sounds.
To finish:
Lighting can make or break a scene. It deserves time and effort.
Create level layout drawings (of varying detail quality) to help with the planning of a project. Building a block out level using these level layout drawings will help to create a much stronger environment.
Audio can help to give an environment life (even if it is not a requirement for an assignment).
That is my discussion of my college assignment of a 3D environment set at night.
This project was a positive experience to create and let me showcase my level design abilities.
Thank you for reading and feel free to explore some of the other projects available on my portfolio.