This section shows my process for creating the Crime Scene in Unreal Engine 5.
Gathering reference is always an essential first step in my process. I gathered a gazillion different images to find the right mood I was searching for, but eventually filtered them down to the reference board shown below.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/2e1d28d1-77ad-4579-9846-6efd937ee084_rw_3840.jpg?h=86c23439a7988f948c13d4cb2a098881)
Starting with a blockout pass to establish scale, composition and lighting, all of the scene elements slowly evolved from here...
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/482775b9-ff71-4202-96b4-69fe7dd85dd0_rw_1920.png?h=329decc37147b58573df5556230374b5)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/7aa4d408-0591-4c4b-a6dc-99d078916747_rw_1920.png?h=a9e1ae9425b1f225539d71c23759cf7c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/b915cc56-bc7a-4447-89dd-be7dab2a4cd4_rw_1920.png?h=80d22f11f1c3f37d26a4c0f156410dca)
Once the blockout scene felt balanced, I started creating all the modular assets to construct the final scene.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/87f702f3-4590-4d8b-9135-4a0534702a0b_rw_1920.jpg?h=15a21c69d073d652f4e8564627286e03)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/4084fb34-f3d5-4558-a9bc-d0b9a6998d82_rw_1920.jpg?h=34e4e0938aca9be7035cf633be5cd26c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/787d0bf3-5f01-424b-b411-724d92da3454_rw_1920.jpg?h=d828c9384ae1c6b3d6a6d1a07a9fcb8f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/6a913f3b-4f72-4935-86de-c9cf185a6b15_rw_1920.jpg?h=fbf6f829297e1b453513260de8fa8073)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/17c709bc-3fee-4f81-8fa6-9a2658e396f2_rw_1920.jpg?h=988c7813537f2e1b297d4fbf28b2b7c1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/a110dfc2-ab3d-4053-88f1-f8af6fb6ecae_rw_1920.jpg?h=69a57e5b0734b11b37feef651559ffce)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/c9e44710-2653-4c28-8db1-1161ac0af4ed_rw_1920.jpg?h=781d339d8743b31386a5d2b23bf0684c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/d646cd2f-1cf5-41d1-ba3e-103c6deed20c_rw_1920.jpg?h=d3552e54d08ae4eab1a0f1bfb74c96b5)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/b304a272-36fa-4d5e-a965-8d34af9dc66f_rw_1920.jpg?h=a25cc5a0d094626406f4bd5448833890)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/57025057-ba3a-4cec-b81e-407234bdce6a_rw_1920.jpg?h=e10453081abd9f961fe5c0248cf3f6da)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/ecdce414-9b7b-4147-9b3c-637127b4b882_rw_1920.jpg?h=20fac4b5649547300e63fb4873329545)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/891f22d8-dee3-457c-8a1a-f95b4837a97e_rw_1920.jpg?h=5571336e9a05a602b262a38641f3daf2)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/d40f58d0-786e-4cb5-9e37-82a30e117183_rw_1920.jpg?h=d443ff8f62a2fe6eec53e61c0850c6d8)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/63d3f8cb-9866-4fe6-9cee-d680d453f9f1_rw_1920.jpg?h=15a48fc3e5766dc85bf71d054a014e33)
Once all the modular assets were integrated, I created a master material for vertex painting between three different textures each with separate parameters for grunge, damage and water puddles. Then I scattered a ton of decals around the scene for storytelling, visual landmarks and breaking up texture tiling. Foliage and debris were painted using Megascans assets.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/a7d63b83-378c-43ab-92ba-2e00b862866e_rw_3840.jpg?h=68d71c058be36eae6f340af8cc8edf63)
I'm constantly watching my lighting values to ensure all surfaces have proper contrast.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/6282a317-0c74-4dfc-b2f6-beaf9fd94894_rw_1920.png?h=5fff59d6b6465cb275cf02c348c5530d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/011149a9-9c3b-4143-819e-c7412d0c223b_rw_1920.png?h=10cdba198e1dd5cf5763426c906616bf)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/3af319e6-f97e-48bb-987a-26e51baa16d2_rw_1920.png?h=a314ca72befb806be66a8fa0b04555c6)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/20048d5d-eac8-4ce3-b13c-eb35851f68ed_rw_1920.png?h=b7c6d527368999bfd2ac91397136393e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/6a57d5ac-6cc1-463d-89f1-31948b9898fc_rw_1920.png?h=f6794a481d3a7120732bc748f8d2d2b4)
For my victim, I created a sleazy looking MetaHuman and imported him into Unreal. I then exported the character meshes out to Maya for mesh tweaks, cleanup, retexturing, and final posing. Then imported everything back into Unreal for final placement and materials.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/554f0cbb-1da5-4d6b-9ed8-888990539340_rw_1920.jpg?h=29815dcd503074115f767666467f92e9)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/901c4bfd-71a0-452c-9cd0-cbaa1e72f9d1_rw_1920.jpg?h=ebb0df47f693beca8b367f5933d3625a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/da89f903-3b65-4c4e-bd66-3dcd71157e42_rw_3840.jpg?h=db336ac75e6616e8cfcc10a2d6d7f0e0)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/272dec45-48b5-4aac-ae57-218f080a7703_rw_3840.jpg?h=b680eb167f7948701c077e5ca1c2c6b4)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/d5c7d633-201c-4a46-a271-b1e96bae44ec_rw_3840.jpg?h=97888b5ba4c63d0d6720c4a3e6916803)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/449ba36f-9b84-4bb9-8ebe-559cd3223451_rw_3840.jpg?h=8f9ce047e68742a7957c23a674239961)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/19eeb396-a1d3-45a1-bc52-86fcae1e8533_rw_3840.jpg?h=9fde8e210853a213c0ff7de1eb76be77)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/54f312b9-e69b-47e0-a67d-0b65a10db489/664827c9-4f09-49be-93ce-fa3c18daf834_rw_3840.jpg?h=c205bc4250df4310cc17ae5e52408112)
Fitting my porkpie hat and glasses on the victim's head. What a sleazebag... He probably deserved the crime.