The constant improvement of computer technology ensures the creation of games that attract more and more users every year. Computer technology has reached such a level of development that allows programmers to create very realistic games with good graphics and sound design.
What Is Game Engine Technology?
Game engine technology is the most productive in the development of modern computer games. It is designed to simplify the development process by unifying and systematizing the internal game structure. The engine is a complex of software components that are responsible for the implementation of the main functionality of the game:
- Visualization of the game scene (rendering engine);
- Simulation of the physical laws of the real world in the virtual world (physical engine);
- Sound reproduction (sound engine);
- Creating the illusion of intelligence in the behavior of game characters (game artificial intelligence), etc.
The concept of a game engine appeared in the mid-1990s together with first-person shooters (FPS). Their design was clearly divided into two parts: the software components (such as the audio system) along with the game part that explained the rules and the mechanism of the player’s game experience.
The difference between the two parts was due to the fact that the authors began to license their products. After that, new games were created with the addition of new tools (textures, heroes, weapons, rules, etc.) and other minimal changes.
Unreal Engine as One of the Most Popular Game Engines at The Modern Stage
Unreal Engine by Epic Games is rightfully called one of the best and most widely used game engines today. This determines the high demand for quality unreal game development services. Designed for businesses of all sizes, Unreal Engine helps use real-time technology to transform ideas into compelling visual content.
This high-end engine is not just for million-dollar studios. Game designers of all skill levels can turn their ideas into own epic games. The main advantage of Unreal Engine is that it can be modified enough to create a unique gaming experience. However, this requires skilled developers with extensive experience.
What Are the Strengths of Unreal Engine 5?
Unreal Engine 5 strengths include scalability, multiple features, extensive customization, 2D and 3D. It empowers developers to build large-scale projects. Creators from different industries collaborate in real-time in order to deliver remarkable visual effects and capabilities to end users.
Unreal Engine 5 is more detailed. Its unique Nanite geometry system saves significant time when designing large numbers of parts. This eliminates the tedious task of loading levels of detail (LOD) and allows to import cinematic quality graphics.
The realization of a realistic scene often depends on the lighting. Lumen makes changes quickly by modifying the lighting according to the time, the light source (for example, a flashlight), etc. It regulates the lighting of both open scenes and the smallest details.
Unreal Engine 4 is well-known for its ability to generate open worlds. However, Unreal Engine 5 takes this to a whole new level. It speeds up creation and simplifies work. The World Partition applies a grid to display the sub-levels of the entire universe. It is possible to manage challenging levels that are loaded and unloaded as the player progresses through the landscape.
Unreal Engine 5 enlarges the animation toolbox with a great number of useful tools (for example, Control Ride). Customizations can be created and shared between users. The Full-Body IK extension is used to develop natural poses and movements. MetaSounds provides full control and increased flexibility in sound management.
Features of Unreal Games Development
The development of an Unreal Game project is a time-consuming process that requires original ideas and the professional skills of a whole team of developers, including specialists in game script writing, game graphic design, QA specialists, etc.
The work begins with the search for a strategy, a preliminary analysis of the market, and the search for specialists. The detailed development of a game concept can take a significant amount of time. At the same time, it is necessary to determine whether this idea is feasible since several factors influence its creation:
- The first factor is whether there is enough knowledge about the main development tools;
- The second factor is creating and discussing an implementation plan with the team.
Pre-production is usually the documentation stage (a concept, feature list, art-style doc, budget, business plan, project plan, scheduled tasks for each development team member, etc.). The most indispensable document is the concept, which later becomes the game design document. It is allowed to proceed to the development stage of the visual part of the game only after its arrangement.
Strategy designers define the style of graphic visualization together with the entire development team. It is common to develop strategies using vector graphics implemented through mathematical primitives. Adobe Illustrator is popular software used in creating vector images due to its user-friendly interface and ease of learning. In addition, the Paint Tool Sai program is often used to implement vector graphics. It is not inferior in popularity in the use of AI.
After the implementation of the graphic part, it is necessary to create a sound accompaniment to the game. Ready-made sounds can be found on various online sources or created using specialized sound editors.
Conclusion
Unreal Engine is the most powerful game engine, which is the basis of a professional environment for creating computer games. It implements advanced technologies of image processing and rendering of 3D scenes, realistic physics of object interaction, facial animation, and artificial intelligence to describe the behavior of game characters.
One of Unreal Engine’s key principles is high operation speed. Everything is aimed at this, including the functionality of real-time debugging, a quick restart of the program, remote viewing, and hundreds of assets and systems based on artificial intelligence algorithms. Get professional Unreal Game development services and enjoy original solutions!
