Fallout is a video game series set in a retro-future America. In a world where nukes wiped out the majority of the Earth’s population and leaving the Earth’s landscape, a wasteland. The amount of narrative construction within the aesthetics and props in the series is incredible. Through the items we learn that there are multiple factions, we also learn of how the alternate version of Earth’s technology progressed at a delayed rate until they harnessed nuclear energy. We also learn that aliens have visited the Earth even though this is not a major plot point. The games play as though they were episodes of the Twilight Zone with big characters and interesting plot points of deceit and disgrace. A lot of the characters have reverted to primal ways leading tribes rather than communities. The vehicles, weapons, buildings and landscapes all show signs of energy sources enhancing old technology and the creative use of limited resources in order to survive.

A big influence on the Fallout look is the 1950’s science fiction stereotype. With very over-the-top visuals in order to communicate how alien and shocking the technology is. A lot of round shapes and metals being used to convey futuristic technology rather than the contemporary ideals of the future which is a blend of curves and sharp edges to create a sleek look.

The Last of Us was a hugely critically acclaimed video game that introduces the audiences to a man losing his daughter amongst the chaos the world has been thrown into. A parasite has turned humans into zombie-like creatures that thrive in forest-like environments. This has lead to the to vegetation reclaiming urban environments as the fungus spread in a parasitic fashion.

Like the other bits of inspiration, the need to survive is what pushes the characters to adapt to their environments. Considering this reaffirms what the other pieces have told me in storytelling through prop design. That everything has to be there for a reason and that putting useless things in detracts from the overall look of the asset. Every part of the assets have to show how the owner has adapted to the situations they’ve been through.

A major part of the Last of Us is the set dressing with the nature tearing its way through the urban, concrete landscapes. Because of this a lot of the assets have been distorted and ruined, if I can be able to show this level of distressing in my assets then I’ll have been able to communicate what I want to, to the audience.

Crysis is a game set in the near future where Aliens have overrun Earth and left major urban environments such as New York abandoned. This has lead to nature reclaiming the cities. Plant life and vegetation has run rampant and rust has taken it’s toll on the metals of abandoned cars. This is near enough the exact look I want to accomplish in my final pieces. This reclaimed look brings a nice hybrid of worlds to audiences as it looks almost alien in nature. I find this also fascinating as it brings the idea that alien technology is surviving in the world and influencing how the world operates. However, this is different to mine in the sense that the aliens are hostile whereas the aliens in my narrative were peaceful and helpful to the existence of mankind.

I also like how the game took a setting that people are familiar with and added a distorted view to it with it being overrun by technology and vegetation. It makes the world look a lot more dismal and really expresses the world as being post-apocalyptic. I’m also a fan of the weaponry of the game as it’s almost like a cybernetically enhanced version of what we have on Earth now. It displays the true influence of the alien technology and the human need to evolve and push past the current limitations in order to survive. I want that in my assets, I want to display the sense of desperation felt by humans to survive and if I can convey that in my props then I will have reached that goal.