Junktion_09

- Junktion_09 -

is a real-time, modular environment built in Unreal Engine 5.7, deeply inspired by the Cyberpunk universe.
What started as a bootcamp exercise, quickly evolved into a full scale project in world building, modular workflow, and architectural storytelling.

Concept & Inspirations:

The visual direction of this project is heavily rooted in sci-fi classics and modern masterpieces that defined the genre, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, and Johnny Mnemonic. To conceptualize the layout and mood of the alley, I began with a pre production phase in Photoshop, developing a custom concept piece through freehand drawing and photobashing to map out the architectural scale and lighting guidelines before hitting the 3D pipeline.

Key Features & Workflow:

- Modular Architectural Kit & Texel Density: Designed and modelled a versatile set of structural assets in Maya (walls, roads, piping, bridges, cables, trim, etc.), ensuring perfect snapping, grid alignment, and efficient texture reusability. Strict attention was paid to maintaining a consistent texel density across all assets for visual cohesion.
- Environmental Storytelling & Ambiguity: Focused heavily on creating a lived in, seedy atmosphere centered around "Junktion_09", a shop that buys and sells cyberware components.
While it looks like an ordinary junkshop by day, it hides a darker, more ambiguous reality in its garage at night. Through an animated shadow play sequence and custom flickering lights, the scene hints at back alley dealings: whether the mechanic is performing a desperate human to cybernetic upgrade, harvesting parts from a helpless victim for a few credits, or prepping stolen chrome for the next day's shop shelves is left entirely to the player's imagination.
- Lighting & Atmosphere: Explored both daytime and cinematic night lighting setups using Ultra Dynamic Sky and Unreal Engine's Lumen. The night scene heavily relies on emissive signage, volumetric fog, and precise roughness adjustments to capture the aesthetic of a metropolis.
Optimization & Budgets: Although Nanite is enabled in engine, all models were fully optimized with a game ready mindset. Polycount ranges from low poly budgets for modular structural pieces (with extra geometry dedicated to vertex painting) to higher budgets for detailed hero assets.
- Asset Creation & Decal Dressing: Sculpted custom detail hero props and blended vertex materials with decals (graffiti, posters, urban wear) to break tiling textures and add authentic grunge to the scene.

Software Used:

- Unreal Engine 5.7: Scene composition, Lighting, Materials, Blueprints, VFX and Technical Setup.
- Autodesk Maya: Low-poly modelling, modular modelling, UV unwrapping, Animations and Retopology.
- ZBrush: High-poly modelling and hero prop sculpting.
- Substance 3D Painter: PBR Texturing.
- Photoshop: Custom alpha masks and Initial Concept Art (Photobashing/Drawing).

Credits & Acknowledgments:

A special thanks to my lecturer Najim Filali and my mentor Jordan Thorpe for their invaluable guidance, technical insights, and continuous feedback throughout the development of this project at SnappyGurus. Also, huge thanks to all the other academy mentors who, despite teaching different classes, always made time to help me out with great feedback and advice, and my peers for the constant support and critiques in the chat!