Achieving Visual Diversity : A Study within a Modular 3D environment

Abstract: The digital game industry is evolving fast and games are increasing in scale, both regarding the size of the development teams, as well as the size of the digital worlds provided for the players. Much time and effort is put on creating these worlds, and there are multiple techniques in use with the purpose of the creation of visually appealing games. One of the issues that follows the design of these vast fictional landscapes, is the risk of the world looking repetitive, thus unappealing for the player that spends several hours in that world.   This thesis covers the approach in the creation of a 3D environment by using different techniques with the goal of avoiding visual repetition within a game environment created as a practice based fundament for testing, and comparing the different approaches that a 3D artist can take when constructing a game environment. In the thesis, examination is made of how the different techniques contribute to visual diversity, trying to draw a conclusion on what role they play within a modular 3D environment.  The 3D environment was used to conduct a comparative case study. The environment was displayed for the participants where their opinion on how the different visual elements helped to avoid visual repetition was analyzed. The results from the survey proved that the different techniques applied to the elements, was perceived according to the theory applied to the construction of the 3D scene.