Morgan: Metal Detective
MY ROLE — ART DIRECTOR / ENVIRONMENT ARTIST / LEVEL DESIGNER
Art Direction · Environment Design · Level Design · 3D Art · 2D/3D Integration · Lighting · Foliage · Materials & Shaders · UI Art · Optimisation · VO Direction
Morgan: Metal Detective is a cozy first-person exploration adventure set on the fictional Cornish island of Glasden, released in July 2025 across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.
As Co-Creator and Art Director, I led the game's visual development from its early NFTS prototype through to commercial release. I established the visual language and environment pipeline, designed and iterated the island of Glasden, directed collaborating artists, and worked hands-on across environment art, level design, 3D modelling, foliage, materials, UI and optimisation.
Platforms:
Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S
Release :
30th July 2025
Publisher:
SubSilico
Establishing the Art Direction
One of my first responsibilities on Morgan was establishing a visual language that could be consistently applied across the entire game.
A key challenge was bringing together illustrated 2D characters and UI with an explorable 3D world without either feeling disconnected. I developed an Art Direction Guide defining our approach to colour, shape language, materials, gradients, patterns, proportions and asset construction, creating a shared visual reference for everyone contributing to the project.
Alongside this, I created detailed asset breakdowns and references for our collaborators, allowing multiple artists to contribute to the world while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.
Translating 2D Ideas into a 3D World
Much of my work as Art Director involved interpreting illustrated concepts and references as functional, explorable 3D spaces.
Rather than reproducing 2D artwork literally, I identified the elements that gave the artwork its character, for example silhouette, proportion, colour, shape and pattern. Then I translated these into practical rules for modelling, texturing, materials and environment construction.
This allowed the 3D world to retain the playful, illustrated quality of the original concepts while still supporting navigation, exploration and gameplay.
Designing the Island of Glasden
I was responsible for the level design and overall environmental composition of Glasden, taking the island through more than 20 iterations throughout development.
My goal was to create an island that felt open and natural to explore while still subtly guiding the player towards important locations, quests and discoveries. I used terrain, pathways, sightlines, landmarks, vegetation and changes in elevation to help players navigate without relying heavily on explicit wayfinding.
The lighthouse, church, harbour and town were positioned as recognisable landmarks that players could use to orient themselves, while smaller environmental details rewarded curiosity and encouraged players to explore away from the main routes.
Each iteration was informed by playtesting, with the layout evolving as we learnt how players actually moved through and understood the space.
Creating Distinct Environments
Glasden is divided into several distinct areas, including the town, harbour and farmland. I wanted each location to have its own identity while still feeling part of the same island.
I used changes in architecture, vegetation, colour, prop density, terrain and composition to differentiate each area. Landmarks and environmental details also helped communicate the history and character of each location while giving players recognisable points of reference as they explored.
Environmental storytelling was particularly important to me. Props and spaces weren't placed purely for decoration; they were used to suggest who lived there, how spaces were used and what kind of community Glasden was.
Hands-On Environment Art
Alongside directing the overall visual development of Morgan, I remained hands-on throughout production as an Environment and 3D Artist.
I designed, modelled, textured and implemented many of the game's key landmarks and props, including the lighthouse, church, fishing boat, metal detector, trowel, Polaroid camera and the objects players discover while metal detecting.
Working across both Art Direction and asset production meant I could continually test our visual rules in-engine and refine them based on how they worked within the complete environment.
Building the Natural World
I created the foliage used throughout Glasden, including grass, plants, bushes and trees, developing a stylised approach that complemented the game's illustrated visual language.
I used alpha billboard techniques alongside a custom wind shader to give vegetation movement while keeping the system lightweight enough to populate the island at scale.
The foliage system went through several iterations as I balanced visual density with performance. I also created LODs and optimised assets throughout development as we prepared the game for release across PC and consoles.
Art Directing a Small Team
As the project grew beyond its original student team, I was responsible for maintaining visual consistency across work produced by multiple collaborators.
I created asset lists, references and visual specifications for other artists, reviewed work throughout production and provided feedback to ensure new assets followed the established proportions, materials, colour palette and shape language of Glasden.
I worked particularly closely with our additional 3D artist on the island's architecture, providing references and direction before integrating their work into the final environments.
Working within a small indie team meant my role wasn't simply to approve finished artwork. I worked collaboratively with artists throughout the process, helping solve visual and technical problems while keeping the wider needs of the game in mind.
Working Across Disciplines
Working on a small indie team meant that my responsibilities extended beyond environment art.
Across production I also contributed to UI art, store artwork, voice direction, optimisation and implementation, working closely with design, programming, audio and animation to ensure the visual direction supported the wider player experience.
This multidisciplinary experience has strongly influenced the way I approach Art Direction: visual decisions need to work not only as images, but as part of an interactive game.
From Student Project to Commercial Release
Morgan: Metal Detective began as our final project at the National Film and Television School before becoming the first commercial release from Studio Morgan.
I remained responsible for the game's visual direction throughout that transition, taking the project from an early student prototype through further production, playtesting, optimisation and ultimately release.
Taking one visual direction through more than two years of development taught me a huge amount about creating art systems that can survive iteration. The goal wasn't simply to make individual environments look good, but to establish a visual language that could be understood, reproduced and expanded by a team throughout production.
Final Result
Morgan: Metal Detective released in July 2025 across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.
Leading the visual development of the project from its earliest prototype through to release gave me experience across the complete environment-art pipeline. From defining a visual language and designing the world, through hands-on asset creation and directing collaborators, to optimisation and final implementation.
Most importantly, it reinforced what I enjoy most about Art Direction: creating distinctive worlds, establishing the rules that make them feel cohesive, and helping a team turn those ideas into places that players want to explore.