FIEA - Stranger Things Environment Level

 

About it:

This project was created as a portfolio review submission for FIEA (UCF). I chose a Stranger Things–inspired theme to focus on atmosphere, environmental storytelling, and player guidance within a short, linear experience.

The level is divided into three main areas:

• Hawkins Lab (starting area)
• The Upside Down forest (mid-section)
• The Byers’ living room (end point)

Level Design Process

• I began by collecting references from the show and creating a blockout to define player flow, pacing, and key moments.

In the lab, I designed:

• Clear paths using debris and locked doors
• Trigger volumes for Demogorgon spawns and falling debris
• Lighting to guide player movement and attention
• Once the layout was solid, I moved into a basic art pass and lighting to support readability and mood.

Upside Down Environment

• For the forest section, I prioritized lighting and atmosphere before adding assets. I set up dynamic lighting, weather effects, lightning, and particles using Unreal Engine and a dynamic weather plugin.

To reinforce immersion:

• I used Quixel assets and custom Blender props
• Added environmental landmarks (highway, abandoned car)
• Placed a large Mind Flayer silhouette in the background to suggest constant threat
• A trigger under the bridge spawns a Demogorgon to maintain tension and pacing.
• Player Guidance & Immersion

Player movement is guided through environmental design rather than UI:

• Debris, fallen trees, and obstacles control navigation
• The layout encourages jumping, crouching, and spatial awareness
• Lighting is used to signal the correct path (flashlights in the lab, flickering lights in the forest)
• Sound effects (alarms, debris, creatures) were added to support atmosphere and player feedback.

Final Scene & Scale

• The experience ends in the Byers’ living room, using flickering Christmas lights and a locked door to clearly communicate completion.
• The player character is intentionally scaled as a child, making environments feel larger and more intimidating, reinforcing immersion and tension.

Tools

• Unreal Engine · Blender · Quixel Bridge · Niagara · Blueprints · Dynamic Weather Plugin