2024

Moonstruck

Moonstruck is an experimental exploration game built in Unity that investigates the creative possibilities of real-world 3D scans. Players freely wander through a surreal landscape composed of scanned objects and environments, exploring how imperfect digital reconstructions can become expressive spaces of their own.

Role

Game Designer, Environment Artist & Technical Artist

Tools

Unity, C#, Luma AI

Moonstruck began as an experiment to explore the creative potential of photogrammetry and real-world 3D scanning. Rather than treating the scans as technical assets, the project embraces their imperfections—distorted geometry, missing surfaces, and unusual textures—to create an uncanny, dreamlike environment.

There are no objectives or traditional gameplay systems. Instead, players are invited to wander freely through an interconnected landscape, observing the scanned environments at their own pace. The experience functions as both an interactive art piece and a technical exploration of what early consumer 3D scanning technology could achieve.

The project focused on pushing the limitations of accessible 3D scanning technology. Everyday objects and environments were captured through photogrammetry before being cleaned, optimized, and integrated into Unity.

Rather than hiding scanning artifacts, I intentionally preserved many of them. Incomplete geometry, stretched textures, and imperfect reconstructions became part of the visual language, giving the world a distinctive aesthetic that balances realism with abstraction.

The environment was designed as a continuous space for open exploration rather than structured progression. Players can freely move throughout the landscape, discovering unusual structures, scanned objects, and unexpected viewpoints without objectives directing their path.

Environmental composition and pacing became the primary design tools. The arrangement of scanned assets encourages curiosity, rewarding observation and movement while allowing each player to construct their own experience through exploration alone.

Moonstruck was an opportunity to explore emerging 3D scanning workflows and experiment with how imperfect digital reconstructions could become compelling interactive spaces. Rather than focusing on traditional gameplay mechanics, the project emphasized atmosphere, experimentation, and technical exploration.

Developing the project strengthened my understanding of photogrammetry pipelines, environment construction, asset optimization, and Unity-based world building. It also reinforced my interest in using technology not simply as a production tool, but as a creative medium capable of producing entirely new visual experiences.

Moonstruck

Moonstruck (1)

Moonstruck (2)

Moonstruck (3)

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