Julia Nazar Fialho

I never had experience creating a 3d world. When thinking about creating it, the first idea that usually comes to mind is a physical, tangible space, full of objects and things that can be touched, explored, and interacted with. However, I decided to take a different approach. I didn’t want to build something that could be easily compared or seen in real life. Instead, I aimed to create more of a visual experience than a traditional, physical world. Something ethereal.

My goal was to give the player a transcendental experience, one filled with pure energy. Since such an experience isn’t possible on Earth, I created an alternative planet, a place with entirely different physics and a unique biosphere. A metallic and rocky planet, yet it bursts with explosions of color: vibrant reds, yellows, and blues. Using Unity’s particle systems, I generated vast, flowing clusters of color and points of light not only in the sky but also surrounding the player. These lights close to the players, create an ethereal atmosphere, impossible to recreate in reality, as they simulate energies. To enhance this dreamlike feeling I  adjusted the lighting and post-processing settings and by using a contrasting dark skybox.

The abundance of color and light can feel overwhelming, but that is intentional. Although my initial idea was to create something purely ethereal, something too perfect to exist, I chose instead to embrace a more chaotic and disorienting beauty. The result is an experience that is intentionally uncomfortable, due to the amount of intense  visual sensations, confusing the user's vision. There is little to do or explore. So the user is simply trapped in a storm of colors and lights, surrounded by sets of mountains, unable to escape. There’s nothing and no one to interact with, only the raw experience itself to be enjoyed.