What it is
Unreal Engine is a real-time 3D engine made by Epic Games. It started as the technology behind the game Unreal and is now used for games, film and television virtual production, architecture visualisation and simulation. Unreal Editor is the application where levels are built, assets are placed and lighting is set up.
Game logic is written in C++ or built visually with Blueprints, a node-based scripting system. The engine handles rendering, physics, audio, animation and networking, and targets PC, consoles, mobile and VR. Its source code is available to licensees, which lets studios change the engine itself. Large online marketplaces supply ready-made assets.
How I use it
- Trained on Unreal Editor in the Game Art and Animation masters program at the Art Institute of Vancouver, 2003 to 2005.
- The full game pipeline: character design and Maya models through to the engine.
- Part of the 3D and real-time engines in the design group on my stack.
Unreal is the right choice for high-fidelity real-time 3D: a game, an interactive walkthrough or a visualisation where the picture quality matters. I learned Unreal Editor as the last stage of the game pipeline in my masters program, so I know how art, levels and code have to meet before anything runs.
Questions
Has Shawn Mervin worked with Unreal Engine?
He trained on Unreal Editor in the Game Art and Animation masters program at the Art Institute of Vancouver, 2003 to 2005, as part of the full game production pipeline alongside Maya and ActionScript programming.
Do you build games for businesses?
Yes. I build the fun pieces too, such as a multiplayer game customers play on their phones or a prize wheel on the warehouse TV. The engine depends on the job.