Set dressing study - Old industrial quarter
An overgrown industrial quarter near the railway — a detailed environment study in Unreal Engine exploring urban decay and environmental storytelling.
Overview
A piece of an old industrial quarter near the railway — the kind of biome I’ve spent more time in than any other. The result is an overgrown factory yard where every building, shed, and fence tells a story about the passage of time and changing use.
Details
The largest building is still actively used — intact glass, working doors and gates, probably housing small workshops or offices. The two sheds in the center of the yard were clearly built and renovated at different times: one from wood, another from sheet metal, the newest addition from concrete blocks. A stack of pallets has been sitting untouched for a while. There used to be large old trees here, but construction and time have changed the face of the place. On one side, modern buildings are going up. Right next to them stands a structure that has almost completely collapsed — still there, but barely.
Process
Built in Unreal Engine using Quixel Megascans assets, starting from UE’s base level rather than a blank canvas. A key design challenge was creating convincing boundary logic for the space — each edge of the yard needed a natural, believable reason to stop the player, while still feeling like a real place that continues beyond the frame.