Back to the Forest
Reviving Nature in Low Poly — A Unity-made 3D World
Category
Duration
Belongs
Tools
Project Summary
Project overview
Back to the Forest is an interactive 3D project exploring the fragile relationship between humans and nature. Designed in a low-poly art style, the environment contrasts polluted, damaged spaces with vibrant, restored landscapes. By interacting with human remnants such as garbage and campsites, players gradually revive the scene, restoring color and vitality to the island. The project reflects on environmental protection and the resilience of nature.
Extending my previous explorations of human–nature relationships, this project moves from earlier simulations into an interactive natural landscape. Designed in a low-poly art style, it uses simplified geometry and color to symbolize ecological restoration. Players enter a hybrid forest-and-sea world populated with polygonal trees, islands, and remnants of human activity: matchstick piles, houses, and abandoned ships that embody both environmental harm and the potential for recovery.
Through simple interactions such as clicking these objects, players initiate regenerative processes that transform gray areas into vibrant tones, symbolizing renewal and the return of life. The low-poly aesthetic serves not only as a stylistic choice for clarity and unity but also as a conceptual strategy: by stripping away detail, it highlights the essence of the human–nature connection. Bold forms and clear contrasts make the cycle of destruction and repair immediately legible. In this way, Back to the Forest embeds technology within a natural simulation, creating small but meaningful interactions that connect players emotionally to the idea of restoration.
"I think it’s a strong result for this concept, and the general flow of removing elements to restore the natural environment is clear and compelling. The interactive design is engaging, and there’s a genuine pleasure in seeing the space transform through our actions."
Dr. Liam Gibbons
Course Coordinator, Virtual Environments
Inspiration
The idea originated from Remember The Fallen, a war memorial walking simulator where players discover hidden poppies, place them on graves, and honour the fallen. I was inspired by how simple interactions—placing flowers—could carry deep symbolic meaning. I translated this into an environmental context: instead of commemorating the dead, my project asks players to restore life to a damaged landscape by interacting with human traces.
Concept
I mapped the island into two contrasting zones. The lake sketch defined water as the symbolic center of renewal, while other drawings explored pathways and spatial contrasts. At first, I added a train station as an industrial entry point, but its presence raised the question of necessity.
Building in Unity
I used low-poly assets such as trees, houses, a matchstick pile, a fireplace, and an abandoned boat. These objects were placed into Unity to form a navigable island.
Interaction & C# Scripting
With guidance from my lecturer, I implemented interaction features using C#: click detection, gradual color transitions, and tree regeneration. Clicking on objects like the fireplace triggered restoration, turning nearby land from gray to green.
To make the experience immersive, I designed the project in first-person view so players could explore the environment directly rather than as external observers. This perspective reinforced the sense of responsibility in repairing the world.
I also added natural ambient sounds, including wind, water flow, and rustling leaves that shifted in tone as restoration progressed, enhancing the theme of revival. I addressed technical challenges such as avoiding repeated triggers using state flags and fine-tuning restoration timing to feel both natural and rewarding.
Refinement
After testing, I removed the station as it distracted from the theme of restoration and overpowered the forest. Replacing it with a simpler shoreline path allowed the narrative to focus on ecological repair rather than human infrastructure.
I refined lighting and color palettes to emphasize contrast between destruction and renewal: desaturated grays for damaged areas and warm greens for restored ones. These adjustments strengthened both the atmosphere and symbolic rhythm of the work.
Reflections
Through this project, I learned how to translate conceptual ideas into interactive digital experiences. From Remember The Fallen I understood how symbolic interaction can carry deep meaning, and I adapted this into an ecological context. Technically, I advanced my skills in Unity scene assembly, low-poly modeling, and especially C# scripting for interaction. Challenges—such as deciding whether to keep the train station, balancing restoration timing, and refining lighting—taught me the importance of iteration and critical design choices.
More importantly, the project gave me insight into how interaction can serve as metaphor. Each click in the environment becomes an act of repair, symbolizing human responsibility for nature. This reflection on destruction and restoration will inform my future work, especially in creating meaningful interactions that connect players with larger social and environmental issues.
