Isica's Blog

Rendering in Unreal Engine

After completing the environment and camera animation, I used Movie Render Queue to render the final sequence. The output resolution was set to 1920×960, and the sequence was exported as an image sequence to ensure stable image quality and allow for post-production adjustments.

Editing in After Effects

The rendered image sequence was imported into Adobe After Effects for editing. I assembled the final video, adjusted the timing, added sound effects and background audio, and exported the final MP4 version. This stage helped improve the overall pacing and atmosphere of the project.

Anxiety Cube

Converting Clock Assets into Interactive Blueprints

To create the floating clock effect, I first replaced the original clock static mesh instances in the scene with my custom floating object Blueprint. Instead of using individual static meshes, I used a Blueprint actor that already contained the floating animation logic.

After placing the Blueprint into the scene, I assigned the clock mesh to the Static Mesh component inside the Blueprint. This allowed the clock to keep its original appearance while gaining the interactive floating behaviour.

I then added Actor Tags to the Blueprint instances so they could be identified and controlled by the Trigger Box system. When the player enters the trigger area, all clock Blueprints with the same tag receive the StartFloating event and begin to move. When the player leaves the area, the StopFloating event is triggered, causing the clocks to return to their original positions.

This workflow made it possible to reuse the same Blueprint logic across multiple clock objects without having to build separate animations for each one.

Create sequence

To create the cinematic presentation of the project, I first created a Level Sequence in Unreal Engine and added a Cine Camera Actor to the scene. I then positioned the camera and used keyframes to animate its movement through the environment. By adjusting the camera’s location and rotation over time, I was able to guide the viewer through each room and highlight the interactive elements of the project. This process helped create a more immersive and controlled visual experience.

Splatter in Unreal Engine

This week focused on creating splatter effects in Unreal Engine. We explored different methods for generating dynamic visual effects such as paint splashes, liquid impacts, and particle-based splatter using Unreal Engine’s visual effects tools.

During the workshop, we learned how to create and control particle systems, adjust particle behaviour, and customise parameters such as size, velocity, lifetime, and collision. We experimented with different materials and textures to achieve more convincing splatter effects and explored how particle systems can interact with the environment.

The session also introduced techniques for adding randomness and variation to effects, helping them appear more natural and less repetitive. By adjusting particle emission rates, directions, and material properties, we were able to create a range of different splatter styles.

I found this workflow particularly useful for environmental storytelling and visual atmosphere. Effects such as splashes, dust, debris, and other particle-based details can significantly improve the realism and visual impact of a scene.

The creation of the clock mechanism blueprint

Mistake attempt

Correct connection

Blueprint Creation Process

For the interaction system, I created Blueprint actors to control the floating objects in the scene. I first made a Blueprint based on an Actor class and added a Static Mesh component inside it, so different models could share the same floating behaviour.

Inside the Blueprint, I created a variable called StartLocation to record the original position of the object when the game begins. I then used a Timeline to control the object’s vertical movement, making it move up and down repeatedly after being triggered.

I also created two custom events: StartFloating and StopFloating. StartFloating plays the floating Timeline when the player enters the trigger area, while StopFloating stops the Timeline and returns the object to its original position.

In the Level Blueprint, I placed Trigger Boxes in the room and connected them to the floating object Blueprints. When the player enters the trigger area, the objects begin to float; when the player leaves, they stop and reset. To control multiple objects more efficiently, I used Actor Tags, so all objects with the same tag could be activated together.

This Blueprint system allowed me to create an interactive environment where anxiety is visualised through movement and spatial reaction.

Note: Change to movable

Introduction to 360° Video

This week focused on the creation and presentation of 360° video content. We explored how immersive media can provide audiences with a different viewing experience compared to traditional film and animation by allowing them to freely look around the environment.

During the session, we learned the basic workflow for creating a 360° video in Unreal Engine. This included setting up a 360° camera, understanding equirectangular output, and preparing scenes for immersive viewing. We also discussed how camera placement becomes more important in a 360° environment because viewers can look in any direction rather than being guided by a fixed frame.

Another important topic was audience experience. Traditional cinematography uses framing and editing to direct attention, whereas 360° video relies more on environmental design, lighting, sound, and movement to guide the viewer through the scene.

We also looked at different ways of viewing and sharing 360° content, including VR headsets and platforms such as YouTube, which support interactive 360° video playback.

This session helped me understand the differences between conventional animation and immersive media, as well as the creative challenges involved in designing experiences where the audience has greater control over what they see.

First-person creation and Reflection

I chose a first-person perspective because I wanted the audience to experience the environment directly rather than observe it from the outside. Since Anxiety Cube explores personal feelings of anxiety, the first-person view helps create a stronger sense of immersion and allows the player to feel as if they are moving through their own thoughts and emotions.

To enhance this experience, I created trigger boxes in each room. In the first room, when the player approaches the centre of the space, the trigger activates and the clocks begin to float. This interaction represents how awareness of time pressure can suddenly become overwhelming. Instead of presenting anxiety immediately, the environment reacts to the player’s presence, making the experience feel more personal and interactive.

Using triggers also allowed me to control when sounds and visual effects appear, helping to gradually build tension as the player moves through the different spaces.

Reality Capture Processing and Export

This week we continued working with Reality Capture and focused more on processing the scan result. After generating the model, we learned how to inspect the mesh and remove unnecessary parts. Sometimes the scan includes the ground, background, or broken fragments, so cleaning the model is an important step before using it in Unreal Engine.

We also learned that scanned models can have very high polygon counts. If the mesh is too heavy, it may not run well in real-time software. Because of this, we need to simplify or reduce the model before exporting. This makes the asset easier to use in Unreal Engine while still keeping enough detail.

Another important step was creating textures. Reality Capture can generate textures from the original photographs and project them onto the model. This helps preserve the real surface colour and detail of the scanned object. I learned that good photo quality is important because the texture result depends heavily on the original images.

Finally, we looked at exporting the scan. The model can be exported in formats such as OBJ or FBX, and the texture maps need to be exported together with the mesh. When importing the asset into Unreal Engine, the material may need to be checked and the texture reconnected if it does not appear correctly.

This week helped me understand the full workflow from scan processing to export: clean the mesh, reduce the polygon count, generate textures, export the model and textures, and then prepare the asset for use in Unreal Engine.

Set-up of the scene

Room 1 – Time Anxiety

Theme: Time Pressure and the Fear of Falling Behind

This room is filled with clocks and symbols of passing time. As the player enters, the clocks begin to float, amplifying the feeling of being chased by time and constantly trying to catch up.

Room 2 – Information Anxiety

Theme: Information Overload

This room is filled with messages, notifications, and streams of information. Although the objects remain static, the overwhelming amount of visual information creates a sense of mental pressure and distraction.

Room 3 – Urban Anxiety

Theme: Environmental Noise and Daily Pressure

This room focuses on sound as the source of anxiety. Traffic noise, construction sounds, broadcasts, and other urban sounds gradually build up, creating an overwhelming and stressful atmosphere.

Room 4 – Inner Reflection

Theme: Calmness and Repetition

The final room provides a moment of silence and relief from external pressures. It encourages the player to pause and reflect. However, the ending suggests that the cycle may begin again, reminding us that anxiety is often recurring rather than permanent.