Dear Carants,
Since the beginning, when GreedFall: The Dying World launched in early access in 2024, the game has come a long way. At the time, the foundations were there, but the journey was only just starting.
Over time, through updates and constant work, the game has evolved tremendously. This evolution has been shaped by countless iterations from the team, technical improvements, and the invaluable feedback we have received from you.
In this blog, we want to take a step back and focus on one specific aspect of that evolution: the game’s graphics and visuals, through the lens of environment and lighting work.
This is a behind-the-scenes look at how the game’s visual identity has grown to become what it is now. From early experiments to more refined artistic choices, every decision has aimed to make the world of GreedFall more immersive and visually striking.
Let's get into it!
Create the world…
The environment in the game is composed of multiple elements working together, such as objects (buildings and structures, props and items, vegetation) and textures that can be found on ground surfaces and objects.
The role of our environment artists is to assemble these elements into a coherent composition on the screen, but also to make sure that you can understand it and immerse yourself in it.
Our approach to environment
In GreedFall: The Dying World, every location has a role to play, and the environment must make that role immediately clear to you, while remaining technically sound and loyal to the artistic direction.
Telling the story through the world
Environments are paramount to the storytelling in a narrative game like GreedFall: The Dying World. As they are often the first contact you have while navigating the world, they need to carry narrative weight, without relying solely on dialogue or exposition. For instance, in the city of Peren, you will find signs of wear and decrepit props hint at past events and conflicts, like the Malichor plague.
Supporting the gameplay
The levels are also built around how they are played and what the location brings in terms of gameplay experience for you – combat areas need room and clear sightlines, points of interest are either hidden or distinct, etc.
Technical aspect and performance
Of course, behind the scenes, every environment must also respect technical imperatives, such as view distance, asset loading and performance. All which shape how spaces are ultimately designed. This requires constant collaboration and iteration between artists and programmers to balance visual ambition with technical constraints – so that navigating a location feels visually pleasant and smooth in the gameplay for you.
The different stages to build our environments
Creating a zone in GreedFall: The Dying World happens in three main phases, each building on the last.
1. Establishing the blueprint of a level
The first step is to block out the overall shape of a zone. At this stage, environments are very rough - simple shapes show where villages, combat areas, paths, and points of interest will be. The goal is not visuals yet, but scale and structure, and how players move through the space.
2. Refining the structure and visual identity
Once the layout feels right, it is refined. Landmarks, buildings, and terrain are shaped into their final forms to guide navigation and draw the eye through composition. The world may still look plain at first, but this is where the environment’s proportions and identity are locked in before textures and materials bring it to life.
3. Adding the detail and polishing
Finally, we add the details that make the world feel lived in. Props, small objects, and environmental storytelling give the locations in the game history and purpose. This phase sets the stage for lighting and final visual polish.
… and there shall be lights!
Lighting plays a central role across the entire game, from environments and gameplay to cinematics and visual effects. More than a technical layer, it’s a key part of the game’s visual identity and the main element that ties everything together into a cohesive world.
Our approach to lighting
When it comes specifically to environmental lighting, its role goes beyond simply illuminating a space to provide more visibility.
Ensuring readability for the player
In GreedFall: The Dying World, lighting is carefully balanced to keep environments clear and playable without breaking immersion. In darker spaces like caves or sewers, it highlights paths, obstacles, and points of interest. We make sure that it never feels too artificial. The goal is not to flood these spaces with light, but to strike a balance between realism and playability.
Shaping the atmosphere
Our lighting team is the one that brings the final touch to define the mood of each location. It applies changes in sky, weather, contrast and color tones so a space can feel calm and open, tense and dangerous, or mysterious and unsettling. These choices give every area its own emotional identity and help support the story being told.
Acting as a natural beacon
Lighting also acts as a subtle navigation tool in the game. It gives visual cues to draw attention to important areas such as routes forward or interactive elements, while keeping secondary spaces more subdued. This allows you to move intuitively through the world without intrusive markers or explicit instructions.
Reaffirming the artistic direction
The way we approach lighting in GreedFall: The Dying World can fundamentally reshape the perception of a space. Color grading and post-processing effects must also align with the game’s artistic direction. For instance, in places like Olima, the lighting was deliberately pushed toward warmer, orange hues to better align with the intended artistic vision.
An iterative and collaborative process
Because lighting is often one of the final layers applied in the game, it must react correctly to materials, work across all environments and structures, and align with the game’s artistic direction. It requires constant iteration and close participation with the other teams at Spiders.
Ultimately, lighting is a foundational pillar of the game’s visuals. Through its careful use, the world gains depth, atmosphere, and intention, allowing you to experience GreedFall’s universe in a way that feels both immersive and cohesive.
What appears effortless in play is the result of careful planning, steady collaboration and regular adjustment behind the scenes.
Throughout GreedFall: The Dying World development, one goal remained constant for us. We wanted to deliver beautiful and believable locations that evolve alongside the game and consistently give you that “wow” moment when you step into a new location, encouraging you to discover it.
From the lush forests of Teer Fradee, to the Byzantine-inspired designs of Olima, to the luxurious city of Peren and its dark catacombs, when the game releases, you will be able to explore those various regions, each as unique as the next.
We are excited for you to finally discover the immensity of GreedFall's world and what it has in store for you!
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