Whenever I am assigned an environment, no matter what the project may be, the first question I ask is: What emotion is the player supposed to feel? Is this a high or low moment for the player or the characters? Is it a time of rest after a challenge, or am I leading the player into danger? These 3 simple questions propel your design forward and immediately set you on a course that can inspire the look and feel of an environment.

1. Shape

What shapes, when designing my plants, rocks, trees and layout, can I use to convey the nature of the space? Is it safe or dangerous?