Behind the Scenes of Cyberpunk Neon Dystopia 3D Pack

When we started designing Neon Dystopia, we knew we didn’t want to create just another cyberpunk kit. The market is full of generic neon-lit skyscrapers, so our mission was clear from the beginning: build a retro-cyberpunk world with heritage. Something futuristic, yet grounded in believable architecture and storytelling.

Bespoke Designs as the Foundation

The first step was concept art. Every single building in Neon Dystopia began with a bespoke design by Ahmed Khan, our pack designer. Instead of relying on repeating motifs, Ahmed treated each structure as if it belonged to a living, breathing city.

His designs blended futuristic technology with a strong architectural lineage, creating that "heritage within the future" look we wanted. These concepts set the tone for the entire pack, giving modelers and texture artists a clear vision to bring to life.

Building It Twice

In fact, we built Neon Dystopia twice. The first version was completed in March 2025, and while it looked fine, it had one major flaw: the main scene took 12 minutes to load. That was unacceptable for artists who would use this pack in real workflows.

We faced a tough decision, either release the pack as it was or take the time to rebuild it with a new shader and optimization workflow. After some hard conversations, the choice became obvious. We went back into R&D for a month, pushing ourselves to find solutions that improved both realism and performance.

A Robust Shader Workflow

The result was a new shader system that combined:

• Second UV masks for efficient detail placement

• Detailed trim sheets for consistent yet flexible surface variety

• Consistent texel density across all models

Alongside the shaders, we obsessed over optimization in every corner:

• Balanced polycounts for each asset

• Image formats and resolutions tuned to their specific purpose

• Greyscale or RGB modes chosen intelligently depending on the map type

• A strict and consistent naming convention across all files and materials

The Results

The rebuild paid off. We went from 12-minute load times to just 30 seconds in Blender. With the full pack loaded, Blender’s viewport can run in real time with Cycles enabled—something we’re incredibly proud of.

A Collaborative Effort

Of course, this wasn’t a solo journey. Neon Dystopia is the product of a passionate and talented team:

• 3D Modelers: XiangJun Zeng, Hyejin Jo, Eddie Hussein, Howie Muzika

• Texture Artists: Allen Tseng, Mert Yazici, XiangJun Zeng

• Art Visualization: Guillem Rovira Vigas

• Look Development: Guillem Rovira Vigas, Allen Tseng

• 3D Pack Designer: Ahmed Khan

• Graphic Design: MA Cherry Studio

• Cover Artwork: Genís Salvador (GSD)

Each person brought their own vision and pushed the boundaries of what a 3D pack could be.

Looking Ahead

At the heart of Neon Dystopia is the belief that artists deserve more than generic kits. We wanted to give you tools to build worlds that feel fresh, unique, and deeply atmospheric. We believe Neon Dystopia delivers exactly that and we can’t wait to see the dystopian cities you’ll create.