Grave of the Skybound Ship

Welcome to a glimpse of a bygone era, an ancient pirate tomb lost to time, where the realms of men and giants converge. This project invites you to explore the once thriving harmony between two species, vastly different in nature yet united in spirit. It's a testament to the balance and coexistence achieved in an age.

This project not only represents a significant personal milestone in my journey into digital environments but also stands as a testament to the immersive possibilities that Unreal Engine can unlock, even for beginners.

01_Reference

This concept, originally conceived by Andrew Porter, was assigned to me by the staff at Skyup Academy. My mission was to breathe life into his vision, transforming it into a more realistic interpretation.

To kick things off, I gathered as many references as I could for every detail of the concept. This meant searching for images of damaged wooden boats, understanding the design of galleons, figuring out the kind of natural setting it would be in, and exploring the colors and lighting that make the environment unique

02_Blocking

Next, I tackled the room's layout and the major shapes, a step I found particularly challenging due to the large scale of the human-environment aspects. This phase required careful consideration to ensure everything was proportionately accurate and visually coherent

The module's aim wasn't just about crafting assets but more so about strategically placing them within the environment to forge a believable and realistic setting. This involved a focused effort on enhancing various elements, including lighting, object placement, foliage, and terrain, to breathe life into the scene

Finding no suitable ships in Megascan or free resources to match my concept, I took on the challenge myself. I crafted the ships from scratch using Megascan planks and the lasso tool, ensuring they precisely fit my vision

03_Lighting

Once all assets were placed, my primary focus shifted to lighting, aiming to infuse the scene with life and movement. Beyond establishing light points to mirror my concept's illumination, I also developed two materials to simulate water caustics and cloud shadows, further enhancing the scene's dynamism and realism

04_Color Correction

After refining the lighting, I adjusted it to closely match the cooler tones of my reference, imbuing the scene with a more fantastical and magical ambiance. Additionally, through Unreal's real-time post-production capabilities, I altered the tonality of the foliage, terrain, water, and clouds, all to achieve the exact mood and effect I envisioned

In conclusion, the creation of this project was supported by the following packages and plugins: AnimalVarietyPack and RuralAustralia for bird animations, Megascan for decals and various assets, and easyfog for generating clouds and fog effects. These tools were instrumental in bringing the envisioned scene to life. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it!