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Killzone Shadowfall DLC - The Hangar

The Hangar was the first KZ:SF DLC level we made at the studio. It was based on a single player level and had a full set of vis supplied to us from Amsterdam. I massively enjoyed lighting this level, I always felt the level had a very strong atmosphere to it with lighting being a key part of that.
The main elements we pushed for in lighting this level was to add a lot of volumetric effects all around the edges of the gameplay area so that all foreground elements really popped in front of the backdrop. It was also fun to blend the fiery furnace feel of the HGH spawn into icy cold feel of the VSA spawn while still having an interesting crossover in the middle. We decided to add a large dropship craft to the dead centre of the map which was periodically having it's engines test fired, this created a great centrepiece to light.
I also liked working with some fairly strong colour correction settings for each end that smoothly transition in the middle.

This was a key view of the red HGH spawn. We wanted a strong atmosphere of a furnace of activity. Strong use of volumetrics helps bring out the silhouettes of dark objects.

This was a key view of the red HGH spawn. We wanted a strong atmosphere of a furnace of activity. Strong use of volumetrics helps bring out the silhouettes of dark objects.

I needed to add lots of light fittings to the gameplay level. These were primarily for creating interesting screen space reflections on the glossy floor. Any direct illumination they provided was secondary.

I needed to add lots of light fittings to the gameplay level. These were primarily for creating interesting screen space reflections on the glossy floor. Any direct illumination they provided was secondary.

Here is a panoramic view of the level. You are technically slightly into the blue side of the level here so all colour correction will be tending towards blue.

Here is a panoramic view of the level. You are technically slightly into the blue side of the level here so all colour correction will be tending towards blue.

Lighting up this craft centrepiece was critical for the level. It also animated periodically so it needed to catch the light in interesting ways as it moved.

Lighting up this craft centrepiece was critical for the level. It also animated periodically so it needed to catch the light in interesting ways as it moved.

The actual materials of the craft were pretty dark, this meant the lights had to be boosted up to be very bright and you mostly just picked up their specularity. This was quite dramatic.

The actual materials of the craft were pretty dark, this meant the lights had to be boosted up to be very bright and you mostly just picked up their specularity. This was quite dramatic.

Light cones and lens flares were a key part of this environment, the level would feel a lot emptier without them.

Light cones and lens flares were a key part of this environment, the level would feel a lot emptier without them.

The basecamps had orange forcefields on exits that were quite fun to light with. They were particularly useful to contrast with all the blues of the VSA spawn.

The basecamps had orange forcefields on exits that were quite fun to light with. They were particularly useful to contrast with all the blues of the VSA spawn.

The VSA end needed some very bright pale blue fogging to reinfore the scale of the environment past the gameplay arena.

The VSA end needed some very bright pale blue fogging to reinfore the scale of the environment past the gameplay arena.

This was an area where I did the classic killzone trick of uplighting through stairs. This doesn't make much practical sense but always looks dramatic, particularly with volumetrics.

This was an area where I did the classic killzone trick of uplighting through stairs. This doesn't make much practical sense but always looks dramatic, particularly with volumetrics.

Killzone Shadow Fall - Hangar DLC Map

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