Shangri-La Temple

It’s often difficult for me to begin with a ‘blank canvas’, but after spending a lot of time with Midjourney last year, I wondered if I could use it to create something new. Why stop at creating pretty images with AI, when I could use them as inspiration for an environment? One particular image I generated resonated deeply with me, igniting a spark of inspiration that led me to embark on a challenge: I resolved to recreate the depicted scene using Unreal Engine 5. This undertaking proved to be a remarkable journey of learning and growth. Immersed in the intricacies of Unreal Engine 5, I familiarized myself with its cutting-edge features, such as Lumen and Nanite. My primary objective was to craft a scene that faithfully mirrored the concept art, while also ingeniously adapting certain elements to seamlessly integrate within a tangible environment. To realize my vision, I leveraged the Megascans library, created particles and modified selected assets and textures to align with my creative vision. In addition, I incorporated a Paragon character with some animations, contributing an added layer of depth to the project. The project as a whole has not only expanded my skills but also granted me invaluable insights into the potential of Unreal Engine 5 and its innovative capabilities. By far the most challenging aspect of this environment has been to incorporate the look and feel of the concept while maintaining a realistic environment that would still feel believable. Certain elements like the foliage shaders had to be exaggerated in order to achieve the result I was aiming for.