Breakdown: How to Create a New Disctrict That Could Exist Within the Dishonored World

Introduction

Hola everyone! My name is Mario, and I'm a Senior Environment Artist from Madrid, Spain. I started learning 3D in 2017 when I realized that real people were working behind the video games I loved so much, and I became curious. At first, I was mostly self-taught, using YouTube tutorials and a few free courses. Within a few months, I knew I wanted this to be my future career, so I started studying at a school in my city. Since then, I haven't stopped studying and learning on my own.

After a year of studying, I landed my first collaborative project, which eventually became a full production called Crisol: Theater of Idols, a game that was released this past February by Vermila Studios (where I am currently working), and I'm very proud to have worked on it as an Environment Artist.

The Grimward District Project

I've always played a lot of video games, but if I had to pick just one, it would be Dishonored. From the moment I first booted up the game, I fell in love with its world and its streets, and I told myself that one day I'd create something inspired by it. To me, the artists at Arkane Studios are the standard-bearers for what I'd like to achieve one day.

What I wanted to achieve with this project was to create a district inspired by the world of Dishonored, one that could somehow exist within Karnaca (the city where Dishonored II takes place), and to craft a short story (which I'll talk about later) about this part of the city that's hidden from society: the Grimward District.

The main thing for me was to improve my environments, and as a personal goal, I wanted to create everything from scratch, from the modules, props, textures, shaders, tools, effects, etc. I also wanted to better understand Blueprint generation to speed up the project's creation (and that's exactly what happened).

When I start a new project, the first step is always to gather reference material. It's one of the most important parts of the process, in my opinion. In this case, many of these were taken directly from the game and its concept art. On the other hand, for props that didn't exist in the game but that I wanted to include, I searched for different images of objects and modified them so they would have their own personality while maintaining a sense of cohesion with the original game.

One example of this is the gramophone I've named the "SewingPhone" because I've combined an old sewing machine with a gramophone (sorry for the bad joke).

All of these references served as the foundation for creating an environmental narrative that would fit the district I wanted to build. Once I have my references, I usually make a short list of the assets I'll need (this list eventually grows as needed). For this project, I wanted to try out Monday, and it was very convenient for organizing all the tasks.

Composition and Blockout

The composition was probably one of the most important aspects of the project. I wanted to create a navigable environment where everything worked seamlessly, no matter where you look. From the very beginning, I had the idea of creating a main building that would serve as the centerpiece of the entire district, in this case, an underground boxing club: The Leviathan.

I started with a very simple blockout to define proportions, sizes, and silhouettes. The blockout changed many times in the early stages of the project, as this is the ideal time to test different compositions and ideas without straying from the initial concept.

At first, I used Unreal Engine's primitives, and once I felt the initial blocking worked, I exported them to convert them into modules with the correct dimensions. With these, I created the modular kits I would use to build a slightly more precise blocking. Then I sent it back to Unreal Engine to verify that everything was working correctly.

First, I built the basic modules, such as windows, walls, and reusable elements. Next, I created variations of these to break up the visual repetition. Then I modeled the large props to add visual interest and depth to the scene. For the prop modeling, I divided them into two types: storytelling props and area-filling props.

To save time and maintain good results on large assets, I created an RGB material that allowed me to generate texture variations in minimal time using masks. I'll use the dumpster as an example since I used the same process for most large props, but this one seems the most visual for demonstrating the material in detail.

I started by modeling the dumpster in low-poly and then in high-poly so I could use the Normal map baked in Substance 3D Painter as a detail normal later on. Then I created two UV channels: the first one ensures that all tileable materials share the same texel, and I use the second channel for baking the normal map and the RGB mask separately.

Once the RGB mask is created, I assign a texture or color to each mask in Unreal Engine: Red, Green, and Blue. I could also use the alpha channel of the RGBA, but in this case, I didn't find it necessary.

For the hero props and other key objects, I used unique textures. First, I modeled the props in mid/low-poly, then generated the high-poly models to bake the necessary maps in Substance 3D Painter so I could begin the texturing process. The maps I used were 2048x2048 pixels with a texel density of 10.24 px/cm.

For the environment modules, I created a procedural material so that, using a single Master Material, you can modify the colors, patterns, and size of the procedural masks.

I created the masks in Substance 3D Designer, and for some of them, I used Substance 3D Painter's Grunge Maps as a base and then modified them to my liking. In the Master Material, I set them up as parameters so I could switch between different procedural textures, create variations between walls, and thus avoid repetition. I also added parameters to control various aspects of the masks and textures, such as Contrast, Color Overlay, and Roughness.

I also used trimsheets to speed up the texturing process for repetitive elements such as railings, fences, and stone friezes. I created them using Maya and Substance 3D Painter.

One of the things that has taught me a lot and helped me with the scene setup and optimization process has been the use of Blueprints. This includes both simple Blueprints to speed up the placement and modification of props, as well as tools that helped me automate certain manual processes.

For example, this cable tool lets me select anchor points A and B and create a cable whose segments and slack I can adjust.

Or there's also this chain tool that, using a single static mesh and a spline as a guide, lets me generate complete chains in any shape I need using just a single link.

Retopology

When it comes to retopology, I always try to use the low-poly model as a base or even as the final mesh, which saves me a lot of time. In cases like the boxing gloves, since the high-poly mesh was created in ZBrush, I did the retopology in Maya, trying to maintain the right density so it would look good in first-person view without generating too many polygons.

For UVs, I used Rizom UV because I'm familiar with the program and I think it's a great choice given the range of tools it offers. Usually, if it's a quick task like making adjustments to a few UVs, I do it directly in Maya so I don't have to switch programs.

Texturing

My texturing process usually follows the same basic approach when it comes to props. The first thing I do is create Fill Layers with colors so I can generate selections and then use them more quickly when I don't have an ID map in the high-poly model.

Next, I apply the base colors for each material and work in layers based on how they behave in real life. For example, on wood, I'd start with the grain, then add some embedded grime, moisture, surface dirt, and finally moss or recent stains. I always work from the larger details down to the finer ones.

For the Mines, Leviathan, and Liquor Store signs, I first created a mesh in the shape of the sign, and once the UVs were set up, I imported it into Photoshop, where I painted and drew the textures. I then imported it into Substance 3D Painter to add wear and tear and roughness.

If the prop was large and would be repeated frequently, I used the same process as for the wall materials and added a procedural mask that shifts based on the object's position in the world. For the landscape, I created three textures in Substance 3D Designer: cobblestone, sand, and sand with stones.

For the cobblestones, I made sure the gaps between the stones had a similar color to the other textures to help the materials blend together more smoothly. I also created a material in Unreal Engine that, using the cobblestone heightmap, allowed me to control the contrast so that the materials would blend more seamlessly. Finally, I set various parameters to control the Colors and Roughness, and added texture bombing so that the repetition of the stones in the sand wouldn't be too noticeable.

The Final Scene

Once the buildings were assembled and the layout was complete, I set about adding the set dressing. I wanted to create small areas where I could tell part of Grimward's story. 

I created a makeshift bar out of a liquor store, work areas, spots where the workers played cards, and most importantly to me, the entrance to The Leviathan and the violinist's secret area. The vegetation, effects, and decals were the last things I added.

I absolutely love storytelling, and I think it's something you really need to keep in mind when you want to convey a message that goes beyond just another setting. The Veiled Violinist is one of the main characters in this story, which is why there are elements related to her, such as wanted posters and newspaper articles detailing her crimes. Of course, her violin couldn't be left out. It's tucked away in a hidden corner of the district.

Another important consideration was determining when this scene takes place. I envisioned it as a tense moment between the mine workers and the Empire. I designed everything from protest signs, propaganda, work schedules, and epidemic notices to press releases from the mining company, The Black Vein Union. I also created merchandise invoices and ledgers that can be found on the district's desks.

As I mentioned earlier, the main building in this district is The Leviathan, an underground boxing club run by and for Grimward's workers, hidden from the Empire's gaze. I created betting ledgers, money, and loaner gloves for the fighters, as well as posters for boxing matches, to bring this lore to life.

Lighting

One of the most challenging aspects for me was the lighting. Dishonored features incredible lighting that makes you feel like you're right inside its world, with exceptional quality, and replicating that was quite a challenge.

I started by creating a base with an HDRI and a skylight to avoid shadows that were too dark, followed by adding a directional light. I didn't want to overuse exponential fog so as not to create an image that was too washed out, so I used it to generate a bit of volumetric fog subtly.

Finally, I added lights to key areas to create contrast between the blue of the exterior and the orange of the interior. I also added some point lights to areas that had become too dark. It's always important to maintain the right level of light complexity and only place lights where they're truly necessary.

Conclusion

The project took me about 8 months of my free time (about 1 to 2 hours per day), which I estimate would be about 2 months of actual work time, including exploration, production, and iteration. The main challenges during production were time management (since I have a full-time job, I only had a few hours a day left for the project) and optimizing the environment.

This project has been a really fun experience with many things that forced me to step out of my comfort zone. I've noticed that I've improved my approach to lighting, but I'm still dedicating time to studying this topic further because I still have a lot to learn and improve upon. Something that made a real difference was the feedback I received from my fiancée, Martha (she's an incredible Concept Artist and 3D Artist), as it allowed me to refine details, see the project from a different perspective, and improve the final result.

To wrap up, and as a reflection for other artists, it's important to find something that truly hooks you and excites you within what you're creating. It is art, after all, and while it's not always an easy task, when you manage to connect with your own project, the process becomes much simpler, and staying motivated during moments of creative block becomes much more manageable.

Sometimes it's normal to feel overwhelmed when you see other artists' incredible work (it happens to me too), but progress comes from studying, working hard, and finishing projects. So, to you, the artist reading this: keep creating your art, and you'll go far. I believe in you.

I'd also like to thank the 80 Level team for allowing me to share my work and the process behind my project. Building an open community that shares its technical secrets is the foundation for becoming better professionals. Thank you all so much for reading this article, and I hope you found it helpful. If I can help you with anything or if you have any questions, feel free to message me on my ArtStation. I'd be happy to assist you with whatever you need

Mario Fernández, Senior 3D Environment Artist

Interview conducted by Gloria Levine