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Whether you admit it or not, we all loved Legos as a kid and some still do. What is it like designing a world around these stackable blocks? Lead World Artist Nathan Storm returns in part 4 of this series that gives an in depth look at the technology and design behind the Lego world. Unfamiliar terms like Ambient Occulation and Light Baking are just two of the discussion points in this interesting piece.

Nathan says the lighting in typical digital gameworlds is pretty unflattering for our favorite bricks. For example, if you were building a LEGO model outside on a sunny afternoon, every brick, tube and stud would stand out.

If a cloud rolled in front of the sun, though, you would be looking at your creation in “ambient” light that would make it look less detailed. Electronic game engines mostly mimic dim ambient light, which can leave models like this one looking downright flat.

Source: Lego Universe Official Site