Xenex Environment Art Progress Update

Dev Blog Post: Expanding the World of Xenex

While making the environment models for Xenex, we had the explicit goal of crafting environments that are both simplistic and evocative, drawing strong references from iconic movies like Alien and majorly influential games such as Fallout 1 & 2. These sources provided the atmospheric tension and aesthetic that we wanted to emulate, helping us create a sense of unease but playfulness as players navigate through the world.

Creating Proto Levels for the Alpha Build

In preparation for the alpha build that is set to be ready in the coming days, we've employed a variety of assets to construct the proto levels. We've designed the assets to include vents, warning signs, and various types of environmental damage to add depth and believability to our levels. One of the primary design philosophies was to use color strategically within the game environment, red is a color that naturally catches the eye and can quickly inform the player of the perimeter of a room, ensuring they always have the correct spatial information.

Textures and Variants

We've created alternative textures for our assets, each texture variant has been meticulously hand-painted in Substance Painter, providing a unique and polished look. The approach that we have taken has allowed for greater flexibility in level design, enabling us to create more engaging and visually appealing environments. All these efforts were aimed at ensuring that by the time the alpha build is complete, all models will be fully textured and ready for players to explore. This attention to detail is part of our commitment to delivering a high-quality experience from the very first moments players begin their shift at Xenex.

Behind the Scenes:

The creation of these levels wouldn't have been possible without the incredible work from our Level Designer, Seth Bagley. Seth's work ensures that each level is visually well put together but also thoughtfully constructed to enhance the gameplay and narrative. Seth is a great designer and it's amazing to have him on our team for this project.

Let us know in the comments what assets you think we should have in the levels that will make the environments feel more lived-in and personal!

Thank you all for checking out the update, see you guys next week for the following update.