The latest update to Unreal Engine, Unreal Engine 5 was announced in May 2021, and there are a lot of expectations riding on the release. The engine promises to give developers advanced tools for crafting geometry, animation, and lighting. The demo of the game designed on the engine could create realistic reflections and shadows.
Why Should Developers Use Unreal Engine 5?
UE5 has made teams capable of developing big games.
Nanite
UE5 is based on granular design. It is a virtualized geometry system, making it easy to design large details. Nanite makes it easy to load film quality art, without having to load the level of details. So, the process has become easy without compromising on quality.
Lumen
Lumen comes from illumination. Good graphics and visuals are not complete without proper lighting. Lumen makes it easier to alter the lighting of the scene. According to the time of the day, source, or any other external factor, lighting can be adjusted to make the scene look realistic. Lumen helps adjust lights from the scene to the tiniest part of the scene.
Expansive Worlds
Building on the ability of Unreal Engine 4 to create open worlds, UE5 goes a step forward. The engine makes it easier to collaborate and create. In World Partition, designers can map different levels of the entire universe. With Expansive Worlds, different levels can load as the player moves across the World. UE5 makes it easier for different developers to work simultaneously through its One File per Actor system. As developers create their files and folders, the document is saved on the system instead of the engine.
Animations
Animation is made easier in UE5. Tools like Control Ride, have been added making it easier to create and share rigs. For postures and movements, a Full-Body IK solver can be used. The tool makes it easier to save a design and apply it across characters.
MetaSounds
Editing and adjusting sounds were never so easy. MetaSounds give designers increased flexibility to control every aspect of the sound. That is not it, enhanced workflows and editors make the MetaSounds the go-to tool for designers.
File Size
In UE5 developers can easily manage large file sizes and different file textures, that is, a single file can have 4K, 8K, and 12K. In Unreal Engine 5, a gamer could be viewing a distant object rendered in 4K, and as the gamer gets closer, the same object could be rendered in 12K. As we discussed earlier, with VR and AR, there is demand for heavy games and large file sizes. If the machine is ready, then there has to be a program to run on it. Unreal Engine 5 gives developers the freedom to develop large files with realistic details.
Develop for All Platforms
The details, tools, and the ability to handle large files size, mean you achieve picture quality scenes. But does that mean that games developed with UE5 could only be played in advanced gaming machines? UE5 can adapt the graphics and motions of the game for any device. A game that runs successfully with laser-sharp details on PS 5 can also run on an Android device.
Enhanced Developer Experience
Going with the trend of dark themes, the UE5 interface comes with a dark-themed panel. And if that was not enough, there is a new content pop-up browser. Like its predecessors, Unreal Engine 5 has movable windows for developers to customize the screen according to their preference. Epic has made the UI user-friendly. The stow-and-go content browser and selection of windows bring the focus on the scene, making it easier for the developer to design the scene. Jumping from Marketplace to creating characters can be done without much of a hassle.
An enhanced and easy to control user interface is not only beneficial for the end-user but is an avatar for the developer too. If all can be done with a few clicks without moving away from the editing scene, then the creativity flow can be maintained.
VR Template
OpenXR is the standard tool for the development of Virtual Reality videos. UE5 will have a template designed using the OpenXR framework. So developers can also use the UE5 engine to develop VR, without the need to learn a new platform. UE5 combines the familiarity of OpenXR and Unreal Engine.
UE5 was announced through a demo game designed using the platform. From the demo, some big developers have already announced their projects using the UE5 engine. 2K is bringing Bioshock4, Epic is coming up with Gears 5, and Square Enix will launch Dragon Quest XII. The demo of UE5 by Epic has surely made these games worth waiting for.
Epic has only announced the release of the beta version of UE5, and the world is excited. Some of the big guns in the industry have already bet on the engine. This creates a lot of room for the developers. Those that are experienced will need to revise their skills on Unreal, and those that are experienced will need to learn some new skills. For people looking to develop their career in game development and design, there are a lot of art foundation courses. In the new age, it is not difficult to find courses based on the online as well as the offline model of teaching. With engines like Unreal Engine 5, developers will need to sharpen their skills in 3D game development too.
