1. Apply advanced lighting, composition and visual storytelling principles to design and realise 3D scenes using appropriate digital tools and workflows, demonstrating depth, visual clarity and coherent narrative intent appropriate to a chosen specialism. Digital Literacy

2. Critically evaluate contemporary research, methodologies and professional lighting and visual storytelling practices, and integrate these insights into your own creative workflows. Knowledge & Understanding

3. Analyse and respond to creative and technical challenges through evidence-informed reasoning, producing innovative solutions that enhance the mood, readability and narrative quality of 3D scenes within collaborative digital production pipelines. Critical Reasoning & Collaboration

4. Communicate creative, aesthetic and technical decisions clearly and professionally through visual artefacts, presentation and supporting documentation, and critically reflect on gaps and biases in personal knowledge, skills and decision-making in order to improve professional practice in unpredictable creative contexts. Communication Research Skills

Assessment 1: 3D Asset Creation - Hero Asset & Embedded Breakdown [Learning Outcomes 1,3] Weighting: 50%

Description
Students will produce a custom real-time 3D asset that demonstrates advanced technical and creative practice appropriate to contemporary games or adjacent creative industries. The asset should evidence professional-level modelling, material development, optimisation and problem-solving within an appropriate production pipeline.

The submission must include an embedded Asset Breakdown, presented as a clearly identified section within the same submission. This breakdown will critically evaluate relevant professional practices, methodologies and workflows, and articulate how these have informed the student’s creative and technical decisions. Students should analyse creative and technical challenges encountered during development and justify the solutions adopted using evidence-informed reasoning.

Assessment 2: 3D Scene Creation - Fully Realised Scene & Embedded Breakdown [Learning Outcomes 4, 2]
Weighting: 50%

Description
Students will produce a fully realised 3D scene that applies advanced lighting, composition and visual storytelling principles to communicate depth, clarity and narrative intent appropriate to a chosen specialism. The scene should demonstrate professional-level scene assembly, lighting strategy, compositional control and visual coherence suitable for contemporary games or related industries.

The submission must include an embedded Scene Breakdown, presented as a clearly identified section within the same submission. This breakdown will communicate creative, aesthetic and technical decisions clearly and professionally, and include critical reflection on gaps and biases in personal knowledge, skills and decision-making. Students should evaluate how their choices support narrative intent, mood and readability, and reflect on how this process informs their ongoing professional practice in unpredictable creative contexts.

The Scene Breakdown across both components should be presented as a concise, structured visual breakdown embedded within the submission (for example, annotated renders, lighting and composition diagrams, workflow screenshots or brief written commentary), clearly linking creative and technical decisions to the final scene outcome.

Students will develop a comprehensive understanding and practical skill set across visual storytelling, lighting, materials, and technical 3D production, with content designed to underpin all assessments.

Visual storytelling principles to create depth, narrative clarity, and consistency
Colour theory, visual hierarchy, iconography, signposting, and managing visual noise
Scene and prop narrative within a game world context
Realtime and advanced lighting techniques, including dynamic, baked, hybrid workflows, and lighting for physical units using photography principles
Post-processing, colour grading, and photography-inspired techniques for digital environments
PBR material workflows, advanced shader techniques (emission, transmission, subsurface scattering), and narrative-driven surface design
UI creation and interactive element design within Unreal Engine 5
Research-informed practice and application of advanced technical and artistic methodologies
Planning, workflow documentation, and reflection on personal development

Refine your 3D artistry and bring game art to life. This module hones your skills in creating high-quality 3D assets, letting you focus on realistic or stylised art. You’ll master industry-standard workflows, tools, techniques used across games and digital visualisation. Through research, experimentation, and professional practice, you’ll develop a creative identity and a polished portfolio that showcases your technical and artistic expertise. With a focus on real-time game production and contemporary pipelines, this module equips you with the adaptable, in-demand skills needed to thrive in the dynamic world of 3D games artistry.

This module focuses on the principles and practice of lighting and visual storytelling within 3D digital environments. Students will explore how composition, colour, visual hierarchy, and narrative cues can be applied to guide the viewer and enhance the mood of a scene.

You will work with pre-made assets as well as a custom asset of your own creation, applying advanced lighting techniques, post-processing, and material workflows to produce visually compelling results. Topics include dynamic and baked lighting, physically based rendering (PBR), shader effects, and photography-inspired methods for creating believable and immersive visuals.

Through structured assessments, you will develop your ability to craft narrative-driven scenes, communicate creative and technical decisions effectively, and reflect on your professional growth. Emphasis is placed on applying research-informed industry practices and demonstrating both technical proficiency and creative storytelling skills.

By the end of the module, students will be able to produce high-quality assets and scenes that showcase advanced lighting strategies and strong visual storytelling, forming a portfolio-ready body of work suitable for the games and digital media industries.

Bradbury, R. (2021). Mastering lighting & flash photography: A definitive guide for photographers. Ammonite Press.
William Faucher (2022). Lighting in Unreal Engine 5 for Beginners. [Online Video].
Birn, J. (2014). Digital Lighting & Rendering (3rd ed.). New Riders.
Humpries, M. (2023). Visual Storytelling with Color and Light. CRC Press.
Harris, D. & Wiltshire, A. (2022). Making videogames: The art of creating digital worlds. London: Thames & Hudson.

Study Guidance and Support:
Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment § Lecturer Content and Supporting content
University of Staffordshire Library – full access to physical and digital resources.
Module Reading List

On-Site Software Resources:
Students will have access to the following software packages and platforms in our provided Labs:
Digital Academy Forum
Digital Academy Uploads
Adobe Photoshop
Maxon Zbrush
Marvellous Designer
Autodesk 3DS Max
Autodesk Maya
Blender
Autodesk Fusion 360
3D Coat
Adobe Substance Designer
Adobe Substance Painter
Unreal Engine 5
RecapPhoto
Reality Capture
Houdini
(specific version number listed in module assessment)

Hardware and Facilities
Students will also have access to relevant hardware via our games development Labs open 24/7 (except national holidays)

Scanning Equipment (available via the Visualisation and Simulation Studio):
HandySCAN Black Elite
MechScan Macro 3D Scanner
Faro FOCUS S70

Photography Equipment (available from CISO – Henrion Media Store):
Access to professional photography equipment for texture and reference capture.