The Realm
Solo Project
Tools: Unreal Engine 5, Adobe CC
Dates: Feb 2024 - April 2024
Overview
You take the place of a paranormal detective in a fantasy realm much unlike our own. You have been summoned to this town to investigate a house that has been causing a plethora of problems, as anyone who has lived in the house mysteriously disappeared without a trace. So much superstition has led to everyone on the block to move away, and your job is to find the source of all of these problems. The Realm was a solo project and is a short one-minute game experience using basic WASD controls and the only additional option the player has is that of jump, by using the space button.
Design Goals:
Develop a level that guides the player using light sources.
The environment around the player should give the player a sense of dread and free as they progress.
The landscape found in the Realm itself. Very spooky.
The In between, the location found between the normal world and the REALM
The City itself, its where you find yourself at the begging on each playthrough.
Lots of dirty dishes, population is fun!
Insights Gained
I set out to learn how to set dress and how to properly light different settings, but I surprisingly learned a lot about how blueprints work in Unreal engine 5 and I got to use a lot of the knowledge I gained from this project to use on the next project. I also got to understand how to properly use Unreal Assets in effective ways.
Semi Population Walkthrough
Development Screenshots
One of the first houses made using a modular kit found on the unreal store. This was around step 1 when I began population
The city exterior far more complete. It was really fun to find all the angles where the player could see the void and building the city around that.
The interior cave area before proper lighting.
One of the houses made using a modular kit before entering full population.
The in between without that great line of sight lighting.
Started population with the church asset and began developing lighting coming from the interior.
Another shot of the developing Realm
More thoroughly populated
Starting's of the house interior
Level Design Overview
Overview
Level Theme:
Investigating a small town in where you are quickly transported to a eldritch horror dimension
Design Goal:
Guide the player through the level with only set dressed props and lighting. To get a horror atmosphere without audio, I must maximize my use of lighting and props to establish the tone of the environment.
Section 2: The House
Progression Details:
Upon entering the house, the door slams shut behind the player, trapping them inside. After exploring the house for a bit, a door to the back opens up with a red light shooting out of it. The player enters this way to enter The Crossway.
Section 1: The Center
Progression Details:
The player starts in The Center. At the end of the town center they see an open door. The player continues through the open door to enter the house.
Section 3: The Crossway
Progression Details:
The player steps through the doorway and enters a cave. Before the player can react, the doorway disappears. Red light radiates from the cave walls, casting the only illumination.
Section 4: The Realm In Between
Progression Details:
The player ventures deeper into the cave and discovers the source of the light—a small statue in a praying stance. The light quickly fades from the statue. When the player turns around, the surroundings shift instantly. Walking back through the entrance now leads into a completely different place: The Realm.
Section 5: The Cathedral
Progression Details:
The player ascends an eerie staircase, surrounded by a world unlike anything seen before. At the end of the path stands a cathedral, constructed from the same statues encountered earlier. As the player approaches the towering figure at its center, the screen fades to black. The game ends.
Level Documentation
Download the PDF HERE
