Caleb Moore | Game Design Showcase

Subject 11

For my Demo Reel at Gnomon, I created two vertical slices of video game concepts I had, to showcase both my artist and technical skills for games. This is the first- Subject 11. It is a proof of concept sci-fi horror game, complete with lovingly crafted (but equally gross) environments for the player to get lost in, as well as in depth gameplay elements to make the world engaging and interactive to discover and explore. Walk through a secluded laboratory on the edge of our solar system, where top secret research is done on extraterrestrial life that humanity has discovered in it's expansion to space.

Responsible for all aspects, original concept- created with Unreal Engine 4, Blender, Maya, zBrush, Substance Painter & Designer, and Photoshop. Won Best of Term (Gameplay) for Gnomon's Fall 2022 Best of Term. 

Meet the environments of Hyperion, a large space station where the government contracts Artemis- a research and development company- to discover the secrets of our solar system and beyond. Many detailed environments fill the ship, ready for the player to learn more about as they progress. From the communal halls between labs, full of common areas to socialize, to the labs themselves, containing all manner of horrifying discoveries, equipment, and personal lodgings for scientists aboard the Hyperion.

Not only does Subject 11 contain the Hyperion's environments for you to explore, but they are also fully interactive. Basic things like opening doors through puzzles, locks and keys, or just simply scanning your character's handprint. Entire computers you can search through to discover documents and emails detailing the lore of this universe, health stations to heal any ailment, or every object not nailed to the floor being physics enabled for the player to pick up, move around, or throw. On the other hand, a fully custom and responsive UI that gives the player what information they need, and when they need it, concerning their inventory, health, stamina, and more. Everything was made myself in Unreal Engine 4's Blueprint System and C++ for more custom scripting.

The Forest

For my second Demo Reel project at Gnomon, I wanted to do something different. After spending months in the gritty, gross world of Subject 11, I wanted something more light-hearted and peaceful. That's where The Forest comes in. This project, instead of relying on gross realism, was based on a stylized, colorful and fun world full of nature and life. The Forest is a proof of concept vertical slice of a survival, base building game. The focus here is not only on gorgeous, stylized natural environments to explore, but also gathering resources inside of it to transform the forest into your own home. Collect wood, stone and other resources to build bases of your own design, and help NPCs who will teach you even more complex building and collection systems over time.

Responsible for all aspects, original concept- created with Unreal Engine 4, Blender, Maya, zBrush, Substance Painter & Designer, and Photoshop. Won Best of Term (Gameplay) for Gnomon's Fall 2022 Best of Term. 

For The Forest, I wanted to switch to a more stylized, painterly approach. This meant switching over from realism to a focus on color, shape, and more creative shading to accomplish what I wanted. The resulting environments hold a very different identity from Subject 11, but are equally fun to explore and discover.

The Forest isn't just a pretty place to look at though- you can find a lot to discover without. If you talk to NPCs, like Gooblin pictured below, you can progress through the skills and systems found through the game. Discover new ways to harvest materials like wood or stone, find new tools, and learn new blueprints to build whatever you want in the nature surrounding you. All scripting was done through C++ and Unreal Engine 4's Blueprint System.