For months I’ve been trying to make games and level design was always the thing that stopped me. Right now I’m starting from simple - filling a bedroom. After a basic block out I placed the models, but the room still looks empty (probably details).
The most obvious solution would be checking references, but all I can get from google are stock images of some posh designs (which look pretty unnatural even irl). My own house is in minimalistic style without much objects and yet it looks natural (obviously). Archviz videos aren’t helping much too, they’re mainly about lighting, not design
Are there any key elements in designing interiors I might be missing.
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Whose bedroom is it?
You lack details so got to ask more detailed questions.
Finding the right references is a valuable skill. Google often isn’t the answer. Learn to search for things like communities instead, there’s a subreddit for almost anything:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ICleanedMyRoom/
They post photos of messy rooms before and after cleaning up.
There’s also https://www.reddit.com/r/NeckbeardNests/ but it seems too extreme to me.
By the way, making a believable bedroom that doesn’t look empty/wrong/inconsistent is actually very hard imho. So, you’re really not starting simple here.
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Hey bud, how about some pictures of what you did?
Seems like it would help us point you to what’s missing a lot more than a short and vague description.
What has the world come to, haha
My first thought was furniture catalogs. They often have setup rooms. You may end up toning down the total number of objects as they sometimes over-decorate so that it looks like only a professional interior decorator would live there.
Also, while watching TV or a movie, pause when you get to an interior scene and take a few screenshots. Those are rooms which are designed to look lived in, yet still have room for the actors, crew, and equipment to move around in. (Though they do generally take out at least one wall.) You might want to do some Google searches for set images for further inspiration.
For example, I just did a Google image search for “Big Bang set tour”. The booshelves and some of the desk stuff are probably too busy, but the general layout and blocking are nice.
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Some set designer go way over the top, every time I see a kid’s bedroom in a hollywood production it’s so over the top with “kid” stuff.
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It’s supposed to be teenage boy’s room. But currently I’m trying to achieve at least empty guest room appearance. Though I’ve never had my own room so I don’t know how to “personalize” it either
Thanks! I don’t use reddit so I didn’t know such subs exist
I can’t imagine anything easier than room design imo. I mean archviz is a huge thing, we have references everywhere and it’s small-sized. Outdoor and other interiors seem like require more effort to get things right
Sure! I’ll post it as soon as I have some free time with my pc
Teenage boys room is still generic.
What are their interest? Sports? Games? Music? Prep? Nerd? Poor? Rich? What country do they live in?
You just got to build a story then it will be a lot easier to figure out what details are necessary to tell the story. Or, even if you have no clue what sort of paraphernalia a rich preppy teenager from downtown Chicago might have in their room, you at least have a lot more to google from.
In short, you have to spend some time studying the thing you want to create - if you don’t know what right looks like you might actually achieve it and think you were wrong.
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Start by making it messy.
Then continue by making it more messy.
With model limits in a video game, it’s probably not messy enough yet. 
This is why ‘compound garbage’ is a thing. 
Also, mesh combiner is a great tool for these occasions.
BTW, there is this asset I have to mention, it is very good at creating a messy scene, because you want physically based garbage!
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/grabbit-editor-physics-transforms-182328
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So here’s wha I currently have
It’s supposed to be a bit moody and dark-ish. As I said, I’m trying to make it to be at least natural as an empty guest room. I guess after this I’ll try to make it messier and add some props
I think what’s mostly missing are objects that would denote real use. Take a look at this photo, it’s a very similar shot but it has a few key differences:
This bedroom is not overly filled with stuff but is immediately obvious that people live there. What mostly gives it away is the small details, like the cosmetics on the right, the heater, and the sheets of paper over the desktop. All these denote real use. You can even guess that the room belongs to a woman.
The other things that stand out to me from your photo are the lack of windows, and no cables going from the PC to the peripherals.
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Thanks! I guess I need to fill the room with logical props
Oh, the window is in the wall on the right, it’s out of view. What peripherals do you mean? There are cables going from the keyboard, mouse and the monitor
Oh you’re right. I missed those
Just looking around my room, but most of the stuff in my room are personal so they won’t fit in a guest room.
maybe a notebook and writing supplies
the computer could have speakers (because it’s a guest room maybe a simple sub-box and 2 small speakers, but you can go as far as an amp and two+ serious speakers)
you can put an AC vent in the wall, or a small AC unit in the room
maybe a couple wall lights
I don’t see any electrical plugs, maybe they’re just hidden
and what’s on the other side of the room? we’re only seeing half.
If you wanna take ques from set designers they always put a rubik’s cube in bedrooms and studies for some reason, haha
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DECALS!!!
Decals! Decals! Decals!
I know decals are used for grunge, cracks and such things. But for what can I use it in a room?
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YaeW9d
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8lnNYE
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If it’s a teens room, Posters on the walls and laundry on the floor make a bedroom look lived in. Also a messy bed.
If its more sophisticated, have some books lying around.
This asset did a good job creating a lived in interior
HQ Retro Farmhouse (Modular) | 3D Urban | Unity Asset Store
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