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Unreal Engine has dropped the 5.4 update at GDC 24, and the presentation showcases stunning visuals, optimized workflows, and powerful features. This new update focuses on three key areas: supercharged performance, streamlined animation workflows, and significant Nanite real-time rendering tool enhancements.
Now, with the release of Unreal Engine 5.4, developers have even more tools at their disposal to create immersive and engaging game development.
Nanite gets even more powerful with Unreal Engine 5.4
Nanite, the virtualized geometry system in Unreal Engine 5, employs a newer mesh format and rendering approach to display detailed visuals and manage large numbers of objects efficiently. It smartly processes only the details that are visible to the viewer, ensuring optimal performance.
An experimental tessellation feature feature now allows creators to add intricate details like cracks and bumps directly during rendering. This eliminates the need for pre-processed meshes, saving disk space and streamlining workflows.
Additionally, software variable rate shading (VRS) through Nanite compute materials unlocks substantial performance gains, allowing developers to achieve stunning visuals without sacrificing frame rates.
Effortless character animation with motion-matching
For animators, UE 5.4 is an absolute godsend. The built-in animation toolset has received a significant upgrade, enabling faster and more intuitive character rigging and animation creation directly within the engine. This eliminates the cumbersome process of switching between external applications.
A new feature called Motion Matching simplifies the animation process by allowing creators to apply pre-recorded animations to different character rigs. This streamlines animation workflows and ensures consistency across various character models.
Supercharge performance with multi-process cook and VRS
UE 5.4 prioritizes smooth performance across the board. Multi-Process Cook tackles lengthy cook times, which is the process of preparing your project to run on the engine. By leveraging multiple cores on your machine, cook times are significantly reduced, allowing you to spend less time waiting and more time iterating on your project.
Additionally, 5.4 integrates Variable Rate Shading (VRS) with Nanite materials. VRS intelligently allocates rendering resources based on what's most visible on screen. This ensures that areas requiring the most detail receive the most processing power, while less detailed areas are rendered more efficiently. The result is a smoother overall experience, especially when targeting specific frame rates for optimal gameplay.
A suite of animation workflow improvements
On top of the motion-matching system, UE 5.4 introduces a range of animation workflow updates. These include a new "Modular Control Rig" system for building more flexible and reusable character rigs, a revamped Sequencer for a more intuitive editing experience, and a reorganized animation details panel for better organization and control.
UE 5.4 is a major update for game developers. With its supercharged performance optimizations, streamlined animation workflows, and the incredible power of Nanite Tessellation, developers now have even more tools to create truly next-generation games.
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