Quick Story Summary

“A soldier is briefed about a mission concerning an escaped, dangerous “convict.” They are stationed at a lab where the convict was last spotted. Inside the Lab they find a room that tells a story about a kid test subject. Strangely, this subject appears similar to the escaped convict he is tracking. The soldier learns the truth regarding the convict and decides to abandon his station to help the mistreated kid out.”

Breakdown

My capstone focuses on the creation of an interactive environment that emphasizes storytelling through environmental design. Rather than relying heavily on dialogue or direct narrative, the project communicates its story through the space itself and the interactive objects within it.

For the start of my environment I knew I wanted to have a hallway, child’s room, and a lab. The lab area was split into three areas: Data, Testing, and Main/samples. Apart from the actual environment I also wanted to create concepts for the interactive elements that would be in each area, specifically the child’s room and Lab. I gathered some references from the web and put them into PureRef to create an image board. Then I got to work on creating concept art for the main areas and interactive elements.

Lab Layout Version 01

Lab Concept (scratched)

Child’s Room Concept

Hallway Reference

Data Area Reference

Testing Area Reference

Main/Sample Area Reference

Overall Interactive Objects Concept

The child’s door, shown in the top right, contrasts with the lab’s otherwise sterile white interior through its use of color. This visual difference is intended to guide the player’s attention toward the door while also prompting curiosity about why a child would be present in such an environment.

Inside the room, the arrangement of objects is used to suggest the passage of time and the child’s growth. Scattered items and personal belongings help communicate that the child has lived there for an extended period. The presence of a toy box further reinforces this idea, acting as a subtle indicator of a prolonged and controlled childhood within the lab.

Lamb Plushie Concept (scratched)

Kids tend to have a comfort plushie that they always drag around everywhere. I wanted to portray that by giving the kid a lamb plushie. I chose a lamb specifically because they represent innocence, purity, gentleness, and vulnerability. Children also play with their dolls/plushies based on their environment. In this case, the kid is portraying his own situation with the lamb. From the worn down lab gown to the tracker on his neck.

Book Concept (scratched)

I want to give the impression that the kid is being alienated from the world. His main source of entertainment being reading books. The player would have been able to pick up some books and see notes the kid has left behind. These would giver deeper insight to the kids’ situation.

Samples Concept (scratched)

The samples found in the lab would have given the player some insight regarding the kids’ powers.

Diary Concept

The diary was going to be the main interactive element in this game. It would have consisted of drawings, notes, and pictures depicting the kids thoughts and life. Due to time constraints the interactive element had to be ruled out. To make up for it, drawings are now scattered across their desk.

File Concept

The second main interactive element in the game is a tablet that contains a file on the child. This would give the player background information regarding the kid and the lab. Would have contained a file depicting the kid’s background and the reason he is in the lab. The reasoning behind the experiments will be revealed here.

Revisions

After pitching my ideas in class, I received feedback that the project would need to be scaled down in order to be manageable as an individual effort. The original concept was more suited to a team-based production rather than a single developer. As a result, the scope was adjusted to focus on a smaller, more achievable portion of the overall idea.

I ended up revising my concept and narrowing my layout to the hallway and the child’s room. For the interactive elements, I stuck with two main objects. Those being the diary and the tablet containing the files.

Lab Layout Version 02

Whiteboxing

Once the layout was finalized, I moved into Unreal Engine 5.7, which I selected due to my familiarity with the engine. Using my collected references and concept art, I began constructing a whitebox of the environment.

My primary focus during this stage was to establish the overall layout and ensure that the space felt cohesive and navigable. After solidifying the structure, I started experimenting with lighting and placing initial objects to explore the atmosphere and visual direction of the scene

Whitebox Version 01

Whitebox Version 02

Main Entrance Whitebox

Hallway Whitebox

Hallway Intersection Whitebox

Kids’ Room Entrance Whitebox

Kids’ Room Main Area 01 Whitebox

Kids’ Room Area 02 Whitebox

Kids’ Room Bathroom Whitebox

Modeling

My capstone professor encouraged me to create an asset list to organize the objects required for the project. I created this list using Google Sheets, grouping assets into categories based on their location within the environment, such as the hallway and the child’s room.

This organization allowed me to better manage the scope of the project and prioritize which assets needed to be created first.

Asset List

For my modeling workflow, I began by collecting a wide range of references for each asset. Once I had a clear understanding of the object, I moved into Maya to begin modeling, starting with large forms before refining into medium and smaller details.

Originally, I intended to create fully finalized models, but after meeting with my mentor, I adjusted my approach to focus on developing game-ready assets. This included learning the high-to-low poly workflow and baking maps in Substance Painter.

As a result, my process evolved to prioritize creating detailed high poly models, followed by optimized low poly versions. Afterward, I UV unwrapped the low poly mesh and exported both versions into Substance Painter. To ensure a smooth baking process, I followed proper naming conventions throughout.

high-to-low poly workflow

Another technique my mentor taught me was how to properly adjust the pivot point of a model for easier integration into Unreal Engine. By placing the pivot at the bottom left corner of an object, assets can be positioned more accurately and efficiently within the scene.

In addition, he emphasized the importance of maintaining consistent unit settings between Maya and Unreal Engine. This ensured that all assets imported at the correct scale and aligned properly within the environment.

Edit Pivot

UV Workflow

To facilitate the workflow from Maya to Substance Painter, I positioned both the high and low poly models at the world center prior to export. This ensured that both meshes aligned perfectly, allowing for accurate map baking in Substance Painter.

I also deleted construction history and froze transformations to maintain clean geometry and prevent errors during the export and baking process.

Exporting Models

My mentor also stressed the importance of proper naming conventions when working with high and low poly assets. Each model was labeled accordingly while maintaining a consistent base name for the object.

This approach allows Substance Painter to correctly identify and pair the meshes, resulting in a more efficient and accurate baking process.

Naming Convention

Surfacing

For surfacing, I started by importing the low poly model into Substance Painter. I then baked the high poly mesh onto the low poly version to transfer detailed surface information. The output resolution was set to 2048 × 2048 to ensure sufficient texture quality.

After selecting the correct high poly file, I checked the alignment of both meshes in the viewport to confirm they matched properly. If any issues were present, I corrected them in Maya or adjusted the max frontal distance settings in Substance Painter.

To further improve accuracy, I relied on consistent mesh naming conventions to properly link high and low poly assets. Once everything was verified, I proceeded with the bake.

Baking Process

Once the model was fully baked, I began the surfacing process. I worked interchangeably between creating custom materials and using pre-made materials provided within Substance Painter. My general workflow was straightforward: I created a base material, introduced surface imperfections, and then added variation through accent colors to break up uniformity.

To further enhance the sci-fi lab aesthetic, I applied decals on top of the materials to add additional detail and visual interest.

From there, the focus shifted toward making each asset feel unique by incorporating subtle storytelling elements. For example, on the child’s door, I added wall drawings not only to draw the player’s attention but also to further develop the child’s story within the environment. These drawings were intentionally designed to resemble crayon marks, reinforcing the idea that they were created by the child.

Once everything looked good, it was time to export all the textures for Unreal Engine.

Surfacing 01

Surfacing 02

Surfacing 03

Surfacing 04

Surfacing 05

Implementation

Once all models were surfaced, I began importing the assets into Unreal Engine. I started with the hallway and then progressed into the child’s room to gradually build out the environment.

The workflow was fairly straightforward. I imported the models and textures into Unreal Engine, created and assigned materials to each asset, and ensured they were properly set up within the scene. After the assets were prepared, I focused on placing them according to my whitebox layout, using it as a guide.

Create Material

Assign Material

Hallway In Unreal Engine

Hallway in Unreal 01

Hallway in Unreal 02

Hallway in Unreal 03

Kids’ Room In Unreal Engine

Kids’ Room 01

Kids’ Room 02

Kids’ Room 03

Kids’ Room 04

Kids’ Room 05

Once all assets were implemented in Unreal Engine, the final stage focused on set dressing and lighting.

I emphasized storytelling through the intentional placement of objects within the child’s room. The desk includes a diary and scattered sketches, offering insight into the child’s thoughts and mental state. The bed nook was lit with warm lighting to establish it as a safe and comforting space, supported by personal items that suggest frequent use.

Books are placed throughout the environment, while the absence of electronics reinforces the child’s isolation from the outside world and dependence on controlled information. A holographic landscape was added to represent a constructed reality, implying that the child has never experienced the outside world directly.

Additional environmental cues, such as dark branch-like shapes extending from the entrance, subtly suggest the child’s connection to shadow-based abilities. The repositioned toy box near the vent further implies that the child may have been planning an escape, reinforcing the narrative progression from containment to resistance.

Kids’ Room 01

Kids’ Room 02

Kids’ Room 03

Kids’ Room 04

For the hallway, I kept the design relatively simple while using environmental cues to guide the player. Objects such as scattered military equipment, wet floor signs, and a food cart suggest that the facility was operating normally before being abruptly interrupted.

The military presence implies that the child was considered a threat, while the abundance of surveillance cameras highlights the level of control and observation within the lab. Sections with reduced or broken lighting indicate that something has gone wrong, subtly directing the player’s attention to these areas.

The goal was to portray a sudden shift from order to chaos. Although the hallway is now empty and eerily still, the lingering alarm and abandoned objects suggest that panic recently occurred following the child’s attempt to escape.

To further support the atmosphere, I incorporated subtle sound design elements throughout the environment. These include footsteps, alarms, and ambient sounds such as flickering lights, ventilation, and general lab noise. In specific sections of the hallway, an alarm is triggered to signal evacuation, reinforcing the sense that a recent emergency has taken place.

In terms of interactivity, I implemented a small set of mechanics, including a zoom function, automatic doors, and a basic pause menu.

The project primarily focuses on environmental storytelling rather than complex gameplay systems. As a result, the experience is intentionally not mechanic-heavy, allowing the environment and its details to carry the narrative. A video walkthrough is included below to present the full experience.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my Capstone Professor, Mason Smith, and my mentor, Scott March, for their guidance and support throughout the development of this project.

The lab environment and main interactive elements were modeled and surfaced by me. Additional assets, including the books and paper sketches, were also created by me, along with modifications to select assets such as the whiteboard.

Some objects used within the environment were sourced from free-to-use assets available on Sketchfab and Fab.

Subject Zero