Set Dressing
Story through placement. Controlled clutter. Readable clusters.
When to Use
- Interior/exterior dressing passes
- Narrative prop clusters
- Avoiding empty or overstuffed spaces
- After modular layout is locked
Workflow
Layout locked → Hero narrative props → Secondary clusters
→ Background filler → Decals/wear → Lighting check → QA
Density Rules
| Zone |
Density |
| Hero interact zone |
High intent, low noise |
| Midground |
Supporting story clusters |
| Background |
Sparse; silhouette only |
| Traversal path |
Clearance for player/camera |
Cluster Method
- Pick a story beat (meal abandoned, workbench used, escape rushed)
- Place 3–7 props that sell the beat
- Add 1–2 wear/decal cues
- Stop — do not fill every surface
Prop Sources
prop-artist for unique pieces- Kitbash / modular libraries for filler
- Instance repeats; vary rotation/scale slightly
Horror / Sparse Styles
- Fewer props, more meaning
- Negative space intentional
- Coordinate with
horror-style / psx-horror-style
Constraints
MUST DO
- Dress after greybox navigation works
- Keep player/camera paths clear
- Instance repeated meshes
MUST NOT DO
- Uniform clutter wallpaper
- Block doors/windows without story reason
Reference Guide
| Topic |
Reference |
Load When |
| Story Clusters |
references/story-clusters.md |
When needed |
| Density Map |
references/density-map.md |
When needed |
