{"id":51364,"date":"2019-05-23T08:45:34","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T12:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/?p=51364"},"modified":"2019-05-22T10:31:12","modified_gmt":"2019-05-22T14:31:12","slug":"unreal-engine-4-tutorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.arc.ht\/blog\/practice\/tools\/unreal-engine-4-tutorial\/","title":{"rendered":"The Art of Rendering: How to Create Amazing Visualizations With Unreal Engine"},"content":{"rendered":"

VIATechnik<\/a>\u00a0specializes in technology for the architecture, engineering and construction industries and works with clients in the realm of virtual reality, BIM services and artificial intelligence. Architizer is glad to present a selection of the firm\u2019s blog posts on all things AEC.\u00a0check out their website for more<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re using Unreal Engine 4<\/a> to improve your scenes, you know the program can feel a bit like a maze. Fortunately, it doesn\u2019t have to be this way. Thanks to its powerful and multifaceted functions, this tool stands out as one of the best for improving your materials and creating the outcome you want. Today, we\u2019re going to offer a brief tutorial on how to use Unreal Engine 4 to its full potential.<\/p>\n

Engine Settings and Lighting<\/h2>\n

Many factors make a scene look good inside Unreal Engine 4. One of the most critical factors is lighting. Lighting creates the mood of a scene. More importantly, though, it lends a sense of realism, especially when it\u2019s done right.<\/p>\n

The Lightmass settings under UE4\u2019s World Settings have a massive impact on how realistic your scene could look. Be aware that adjusting the values may impact build times. Here\u2019s an example of the ideal lightmass setting we typically use:<\/p>\n

\"unreal<\/p>\n

The Static Lighting Level Scale has a default value of one. A higher number means a lower graphic quality for your scene. A lower number, meanwhile, means the opposite. Our static lighting level scale is set to 0.1, which is the lowest number you could use to make your lights and shadows sharper. This will take the most time during light builds. Usually, we set this to .35 or .3, especially if you need to produce something quickly. Indirect Light Bounces are also very important, especially if you have interior scenes, since it allows light to bounce naturally from any light sources.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to take note to add Lightmass Portals in any window\/opening you have from an interior scene. Doing this creates natural light in your interior scene from an exterior light source.<\/p>\n

\"unreal<\/p>\n

Lighting and the reflection values for each material play a significant role in creating realism. It\u2019s also important to use the right roughness and specular values for each object to compliment your light set-up. Additionally, you must be careful to avoid overlooking the reflection value inside the project settings. Under the rendering tab inside UE4\u2019s project settings, always check the reflection value. Default is \u201c128.\u201d If you choose, you can adjust this to a maximum of \u201c1024,\u201d which provides sharper reflections and an overall better result. The drawback is that it consumes more resources from your machine \u2013 especially if you\u2019re dealing with a larger scene, it could take a significant hit in your performance if not managed carefully.<\/p>\n

Textures<\/h2>\n

Textures are critical as you set up a material. Use smaller values, such as a 256 or a 512 map for smaller objects. For larger, more noticeable objects, like walls and focus pieces, use 2048 and 4096 maps. If you\u2019re aiming for photorealism, use 4k maps. Sometimes, you can ramp it up to an 8k map, especially if your computer can process this without problems. This would be ideal if you\u2019re planning to output video showcasing your scene. For mass production or in executable packages, max out with 4k texture maps, instead.<\/p>\n

Lightmap texture sizes are also important in building your scene. The same goes for textures in each material. You must use smaller resolutions (such as 64, 128, and 256) for smaller objects. Apply larger lightmap resolutions for objects between 512 and 1024. It\u2019s important to apply bigger values on objects where shadows are casting, as this provides a more realistic result. This is very essential when your lights are set to static. This will result in better shadows and better overall performance inside the engine.<\/p>\n