Unit Five
In this unit, students learn the fundamentals of environment and level design inside Unreal Engine. They will block out a simple space, apply set dressing, and add lighting to create atmosphere. Their goal is to place their own character and props into a playable environment and produce a portfolio-ready render.
Topics Covered
- Blocking out environments with geometry tools
- Scale and proportion in level design
- Set dressing with props and simple assets
- Lighting types (directional, point, spot, skylight)
- Post-processing basics for mood and polish
- Camera placement and scene composition
Assignments
Learning Report
Objectives
- Block out a simple, playable environment in Unreal
- Demonstrate scale, proportion, and composition in scene design
- Apply props, materials, and textures to set dress the environment
- Use lighting and post-processing to create atmosphere
- Render and publish a polished environment showcase to portfolio
Materials
- Unreal Engine with starter content enabled
- Completed rigged character (Unit 3)
- Props modeled in Blender or from Unreal starter assets
- Digital notes/journals
Assessment
Students are evaluated on the quality and clarity of their environment design. Environments must include proper scale, lighting, and set dressing. Characters and props must be placed in the scene, and a final render or short flythrough video must be uploaded to their portfolio.
Activities
Students block out levels using greyboxing techniques, decorate their space with props, and experiment with lighting for atmosphere. They place their character inside the environment, set up a cinematic camera, and render a final scene or video.
Education Standards
The following standards are drawn from the 2024 AME Industry Skills Framework:
- 1.4 — Apply principles of art, design, and composition to creative works
- 4.3 — Use job-specific software for workflows and content delivery
- 10.3 — Visualize ideas through sketches and digital mockups
- 17.3 — Apply principles of world and level design to creative projects
- 18.7 — Demonstrate understanding of video game design (scale, flow, immersion)