Reflective Post 1 – Creative Decision-Making in Sector M17
From the beginning, one of my central creative goals for Sector M17 was to design an environment that communicates mystery, isolation and the tension between nature and technology. Every decision I made was shaped by this intent, balancing artistic vision with practical production choices.
The facility design was my first major decision point. Instead of creating a purely futuristic base, I chose to draw heavily from brutalist architecture as seen in Control. The sharp silhouettes and modular block structures gave the facility an imposing presence that immediately conveys authority and secrecy. I refined this by adding a vertical tower as a focal point, ensuring the environment felt cinematic when viewed from multiple angles. This decision was influenced not only by aesthetics but also by my plan to create a flythrough sequence — the tower helped provide strong visual compositions.
Another significant creative choice was how to texture the environment. I didn’t want the facility to look pristine, nor did I want it to appear abandoned. Instead, I aimed for a balanced weathered look that suggested active use but with signs of age and exposure. By layering edge wear, dirt and rust selectively, I was able to make the structure believable without overwhelming the sci-fi identity. Similarly, emissive trims became a core part of the design. Adding glowing strips of light to the tower and doors was a deliberate decision to suggest functionality and energy, echoing modern sci-fi design in Apex Legends and Cyberpunk 2077.
Foliage presented another key decision. My original plan was to build custom trees in SpeedTree, but time management forced me to adapt. I chose to use Black Alder foliage from the Unreal Marketplace, which fit my mood and color palette. This decision, while practical, became an artistic one too: the dark leaves contrasted well with the facility’s emissives, enhancing the overall mood. The compromise demonstrated how creative choices are often influenced by production realities.
Later in the project, I decided to incorporate weather effects using the Ultra Dynamic Sky plugin. Initially, I hadn’t planned rain, but after testing it, I realised how much it amplified the theme of isolation. The rainfall and wet surfaces made the facility feel even more remote and cinematic, aligning perfectly with my narrative of nature versus technology. This addition was inspired by Death Stranding, where weather heightens mood and storytelling.
In retrospect, my creative decision-making process was a balance of planned intent and adaptive choices. Some ideas, like the brutalist-inspired structure, were deliberate from the start. Others, like the rain and emissives, emerged as the project developed. What tied everything together was my consistent focus on mood and narrative. Whether it was modular panels, emissive strips or atmospheric rain, each decision served the goal of making Sector M17 a place that feels alive, cinematic and loaded with implied story.
