Modular Environment in Unreal Engine - Part Two

 

Refining

For the next part of the modular environment project in Unreal Engine, we are focusing on refining the scene by adding more details to our meshes, creating new lights, and developing new materials. We are also utilizing the UE Blueprints to create a custom character controller, as well as a level and a universal game controller blueprint to easily pause and exit mode and create nodes to quickly execute commands (high-resolution screenshots). 

Using Boolean and multicuts to add 'wear and tear" to the meshes also added more meshes:

Created an emissive material for my torch:

Adding Simple Rotation Blueprint:

RotationMovement Node:

Timeline Node (to rotate multiple objects at once, in different axes/speeds):

Creating a Level Blueprint:

Creating a Universal Blueprint:

Setting Character Movement (Walk Speed and Jump Height):

Setting Lighting and Environment:

Taking True Full-Screen Screenshots:

Use of Basic Shapes

 

Jonathan 3D Block Out

I wanted to capture both Jonathan’s approachable nature and the seriousness of his work by combining square and spherical shapes. Since Arcane’s art style emphasizes sharp lines and defined edges, I tried to reflect that in my proxy blockout. I also created a few props that Jonathan might carry; a lantern, cigarettes, and a notebook. Later, I plan to refine the look further with sharper wrinkles and planar edges to better match Arcane’s distinct style.

I first modeled his body shape, but it felt too soft and lacked the rectangular, sharper lines I wanted for his figure. So to better capture the look and feeling I envisioned for Jonathan, I added the outfit to emphasize those qualities. 

Reference board I used!

Modular Environment in Unreal Engine - Part One

Proxy Blockout

Our assignment was to create a modular, stone-carved block for the environment in Unreal Engine. To begin, we needed to establish the correct scale relative to the Unreal Engine mannequin. I exported the mannequin into Maya and modeled a simple cube with dimensions of 100 x 100 x 100 to compare its proportions with those of the mannequin. Once the scale was confirmed, I proceeded to build the proxy meshes in Maya.

In Unreal Engine, I used the proxy meshes to block out a doorway structure and applied a material that could be instanced across the meshes. This setup will make it easy to replace the placeholder material with another, more polished one later in the process.

Once I was satisfied with the blockout, I made a prefab by creating a blueprint for the structure. This serves as the reusable element of the modular environment, allowing me to make adjustments within the blueprint that automatically update all components tied to that template. I also created a separate blueprint for the pillars I planned to use to connect the doorways.

After finalizing the proxy version, I returned to Maya to bevel the edges of the geometry. When I re-imported the meshes into Unreal, the consistent naming conventions allowed the assets in the level to automatically update and replace with the beveled versions.

Finally, after making minor adjustments to the structure with the updated model, I refined the scene with some light adjustments. 

Below are the final proxy blockouts of my structure, presented in high-quality screenshots:

Concept Art

Playable Character Silhouette - Jonathan

Our group chose “Dracula” as our theme, with Arcane serving as our stylistic inspiration. We looked to Jonathan Harker from the original novel, who introduces the book through his journal entries. Although he is not a detective, he assumes an investigative role in the story. 

Building on this, we reimagined Jonathan as our playable character, now a junior detective investigating a string of serial killings in an otherwise peaceful town. This concept draws from the Jack the Ripper case, blending gothic horror with historical mystery.

In our world, Dracula takes the role of an influential mogul, respected by the townspeople yet entangled in the investigation. As such, he is our interactive character and antagonist. As the game’s antagonist, he manipulates events from the shadows, while the player must gather evidence and persuade others that Dracula himself is behind the murders.

Jonathan Silhouettes:

My role in the team is to explore Jonathan’s character and design through silhouettes. I drew inspiration from the late 18th to early 19th century for his clothing, placing him in the time period. I envisioned Jonathan as a young, scrawny figure with a body type reminiscent of Viktor or Silco from Arcane; thin, elongated limbs that suggest a frame still growing, shaped by a modest and possibly malnourished upbringing.

In contrast to Dracula, Jonathan is not wealthy. His attire avoids the extravagant accessories and refined tailoring typical of gentlemen of the era (long mantles, fur coats, gold gauntlet buttons). Instead, he is sometimes depicted with oversized trousers and a simple pair of glasses, reflecting his more humble background. To bring variety to his design, I incorporated props: a lantern in place of a flashlight to fit the setting, a pocket watch or pistol to tie into his profession, and a cigarette rather than a pipe—pipes being a luxury for the rich, emphasizing both his lower status and the stress that fuels his smoking habit.

I also imagined Jonathan as somewhat clumsy, reflecting his inexperience within the task force. This trait supports the idea that he isn’t fully respected by his peers, which explains why the investigation of this serial murder case, one that no one else wanted to take on, ultimately fell to him. In shaping his character, I was also inspired by R.F. Kuang’s Babel, where a half-Chinese, half-British boy struggles to find his place in Western society while holding onto his own heritage. Similarly, I envisioned Jonathan as someone marginalized by both class and race, which contributes to his lack of recognition from his seniors. This lens also opens up the possibility of tying Dracula’s wealth to colonial exploitation, deepening the social and historical themes within the narrative.

Reference Board:

Perforce Submission:

Head Model

Beauty Shots

It's been a while since I opened ZBrush, so I struggled to get back into my usual workflow. However, once I got the hang of it, I was able to sculpt a head smoothly. My goal here was to achieve really sharp edges for the facial features, inspired by Arcane. I initially had a human reference and wanted to stylize the model, but it ended up looking more realistic than I had liked. Working off a drawn concept in the style I was trying to achieve would help next time. I found the "hPolish" brush worked really nicely in chiseling out the sharp features I wanted.

I'd like to learn more about the render settings in ZBrush because I've been having trouble getting the render to look nice and not stray too much from its preview appearance. I adjusted some of the shadow properties to my liking by applying a slight blur filter using BPR filters, which reduced some unwanted shadows. 

Overall, I am pretty happy with the sculpt and would like to challenge myself next time by creating a more stylized character.

Final Render

Update (08/26/2025):

Added some hand-painted textures!

Color Render

I started with a sphere shape and only appended extra shapes for the ears, neck, eyes, and hair. Using the inflate brush to quickly create the curves of the face, such as the nose and mouth. I used the "Damian Standard" brush for deep creases, which was easier to achieve when working on a higher-poly model.

It was simpler to achieve my desired look on large surface areas, such as the nose and cheekbones, so I spent most of my time in my first pass getting those features right. For the mouth and eyes, I focused on getting the general proportions and shapes right before going to high poly and adding some details like his creases (my reference had really deep eyelid folds, and it proved to be challenging to obtain that feeling with my model). Below is my low-poly model before I merged the subtools together.

First Pass

Start of FIEA Portfolio

Character Rigging & Unreal Engine Set Up

Tian Hai—Chaos Cloth System 

Undergraduate portfolio work.

Tundra Shark Hunter—Overwatch Inspired Rig 

Undergraduate portfolio work.

Game Maker's Tool Kit 2024 

"Under 1 GB"

Credited for 2d/3D asset creation, character modeling, rigging, and UI elements

Research First Post