Interior setting research - isolation and decay

For my interior prison setting, I would like to depict horror through visual signs of decay which evoke feelings of isolation. I have always been fascinated by doors in both film and video games that promote feelings of isolation through decay. The primary source of inspiration for these concept drawings was Fallout 3 (2008). Fallout 3 is set in a post nuclear Washington D.C. called 'the capital wasteland' in which the player must fight for survival amongst the raiders and mutated creatures that inhabit it. The city has several different areas in which the player can explore, spanning from the outskirts to the centre of the city.

http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/images/1340-2-1229771084.jpg

To keep the residents of the Washington D.C area safe, the government constructed a series of underground vaults to protect the citizens from the imminent threat of nuclear blasts and fallout. Following the destruction of the capital, the vaults were supposed to remain closed however, some inhabitants of the vaults escaped and/or broke out to explore the capital wasteland, leaving their underground homes abandoned or unprotected. The doors within the vaults look just like this only without the rust and decay.

This door is an example of conditions inside an abandoned vault, exposed to air moisture, water-based moisture and other radiated substances or hosts. What I like about these doors is the simplicity in the design as well as the shape, combining three-dimensional cylindrical, rectangular and square shapes. The door uses these shape combinations to separate the patterns welded into the doors and the colours depicting rust and decay over time. The low value browns and greys absorb some of the light in order to compliment the tints of orange and yellow mixed with slightly higher valued browns thus, reflecting some light off the door, adding a touch of realism to the aesthetic. This resource is useful to my research because it reminds me of the importance of realism in one's works to promote a more effective horror-driven atmosphere.

Underneath the city lies the remains of the Washington D.C metro, infested with radiated creatures and scavengers whom have claimed certain stations for their own. The relevance of this example is to understand the functionality of doors based in a futuristic setting. When interacting with a door like this during game-play, the welded shapes on the right and left rotate forty-five degrees onto the sides of the door frame and the centre lowers into the floor. For a game based in the year 2277, props such as the doors capture the futuristic element perfectly because it maintains the aesthetic of a decayed entranceway of the past combined with the futuristic element of automated technology. Before interacting with the door, the shapes welded into the prop are completely symmetrical. Cut in three slices, the middle being the largest piece, this helps me understand the manner in which the door is designed and how it links to the door's functionality. This example is important to the development of my project because it will help me understand the relationship between shape as well as functionality when designing the doors and other props for my horror environment.

http://guides.gamepressure.com/fallout3/gfx/word/893934406.jpg

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFX2n6U8wxc

(02:03 - 02:05)

Below I have created a series of concept drawings inspired by the above works as a visual aid for the second part of this research which is to depict how feelings of isolation are evoked through signs of days. Paying close attention to the shapes of the door and the manor in which they would possibly function, I managed to keep each concept different from the last. I would like the door in my 3D test to be of a metallic substance therefore, I made sure that each concept left spacing or grooves in their shape in order to place signs of decay.

What relevance does this research provide towards the development of my project and horror?
The relevance of this research is to be able to successfully evoke feelings of isolation via signs of decay. Horror makes us feel isolated and anxious, like we are not alone causing us to look over our shoulders. Signs of decay tell us that someone or something has been here a long time which creates a sense of mystery in the atmosphere. To promote realism in my atmosphere, I must pay close attention to smaller details such as decay and ask myself what feelings these smaller details evoke and how can I use this to promote a more successful horror atmosphere in my 3D environment.