Hairston Cemetery Visual Notes
Working to put quality into Hairston Cemetery's visuals wasn't just about making an appealing environment, it also immersed players into the world and complimented the level theme.
Prop Placement
Hairston Cemetery's props served to communicate information about the environment to players. Looking at the light brown
leaves littering the ground communicates that the level takes place
during the Autumn season.
The placement of a mausoleum, sarcophagi and gravestones allows players to easily immerse themselves in a believable cemetery environment. Certain props, like the large eagle statue, were placed to give a more ominous appearance to the level. Even the effectiveness of Hairston Cemetery's cover network and level flow was dependent on where and how props were placed. (See details on Theme/Mood Notes)
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Lighting Effects
Another major element that helped create the level's horror theme was the night time lighting and post processing effects. It was the lighting that truly established the uneasy mood of Hairston Cemetery. (See Lighting Notes for more details)
Particle Placement
Seeing leaves gently falling to the ground or a fog slowly creeping across the cemetery brought a certain believability to the level. The placement of particles created the illusion that the environment has wind and gravity thereby appearing more realistic.
The fog particles also enhanced the level's horror theme by giving the environment an uncertain mysteriousness. Just by obscuring the player's line of sight enough makes them wonder what dangers are lurking in the darkness.
(See details on Theme/Mood Notes)
(See details on Theme/Mood Notes)