Devlog #1 Researching and Conceptualizing

The Process

During this week I researched many different themes and possible games that I could pull from to create my own idea for a diorama.

I used Pinterest to search for images related to what I'm looking for, which is a great website because it shows you pictures related to what you are browsing. I would definitely recommend this way for image inspiration to my colleagues and I'll continue using it for my future projects.

My process consisted of creating a PowerPoint slide which I then pasted pictures from Pinterest into my slides to create mood boards. I thought this would help me get a better idea of what I want to create, but ultimately I wasn't entirely sold on any of the things I have found. 

I decided to change my approach and I looked on YouTube for tutorials on how to create a diorama. I thought maybe seeing the process would help me figure something interesting out, seeing someone make it and thinking of ways I could do it myself. Eventually I stumbled onto the 3D artist Polygon Runway, and his series on 3D dioramas in blender, which led me to his video of a Half-Life inspired diorama.

Immediately as I saw this I wanted to make a Half-Life inspired diorama as well. However, as I researched more, I noticed that not many people created one for Valve's other popular franchise, Portal. Portal 2 is now going to be my theme for this diorama going forward.

After getting my theme locked in, I created a few sketches to get an idea of the placement of things. Everything is subject to change as I progress with my models, and even during the final steps I might decide to change the configuration if I see fit.

I created a few sketches of the possible models I would make and the possible placement of them.

I had a few ideas for the models, and in my mind I ranked them based on their complexity and visual interest. After careful thinking, these are the models I chose to create during this project:

1. Companion Cube

2. Weighted Button

3. Pedestal Button

4. Radio

5. Cake

The final look and configuration hasn't been decided on as I thought that perhaps it would be best to try and test things live when I get to crafting the scene. That way I could quickly iterate and look for the best result.

The Evaluation

Looking back on this research phase, I can see what I did well and areas that need a bit of work. While using Pinterest helped me collect a ton of visuals quickly, it sometimes felt a bit like blindly going through piles of images without a clear plan. I ended up with mood boards that were pretty varied but lacked a tight, cohesive idea.

Switching to YouTube tutorials, on the other hand, really helped me understand the creative process. Discovering Polygon Runway’s Half-Life diorama was very insightful to the process, and sparked the idea to create a Portal 2 themed scene

Looking back, I should have made my search criteria more precise from the start and focused on making art style specific mood boards or environment based, rather than just letting my curiosity run wild. Also, my initial sketches were a good starting point, but they were a bit rough around the edges. I didn't really explore the room configurations as much as I wanted. Doing more detailed sketches of the rooms could have given me a clearer picture of what I want to achieve before diving into the modelling.

The Reflection

Despite some initial uncertainty,  I’m pleased with how this stage shaped the project’s direction. Settling on a Portal 2 theme feels exciting and right. It’s got that unique mix of quirky sci-fi and recognisable game aesthetics that excites me to work on this project.

The whole process taught me the importance of balancing image inspiration with more visual, video-based learning. Seeing someone else work through a project made the idea of building a diorama feel much more accessible and inspiring. In future projects, I’ll make a more conscious effort to do both of these approaches during the research phase.

Moving forward, I intend to be more deliberate with my planning, I plan to spend a bit more time refining my sketches and I want to really nail down the visual hierarchy of the scene. This way, I’ll have a clearer roadmap for the next stages, even though I’ll stay flexible and open to change as I progress.

Next week I'll focus on creating my first model, the companion cube!