Author: Seiya Ito

UE5 Set up

Scene 1:

Scene 2:

When creating this background, I was conscious of guiding the eye naturally into the cave and of expressing the grandeur of the background. To that end, I duplicated and layered many assets to enhance the sense of three-dimensionality.

This method is not often used in other software, as it can cause strange surfaces and textures when rendering, and can also cause problems with light reflection. However, when I checked the sample background environment assets for this production, I found that many objects overlapped, creating a wonderful sense of three-dimensionality and working normally.

For this reason, I decided to incorporate this technique into my own work.

Scene 3:

As this background is set inside a cave, it is a dark environment with no sunlight. Therefore, we placed many point lights and spot lights to ensure brightness. Furthermore, by setting the light to blue, we emphasized the mysterious atmosphere.

We also positioned the base of the tree slightly below eye level so that the entire tree could be seen. Furthermore, by using lake assets, we were able to create a realistic and tranquil atmosphere.

Rendering Settings

What I Learned About Rendering in UE5

While working on this project, I tried different rendering settings in UE5 and noticed some important points. Here’s what I learned.

1. Save Often

Even though UE5 is stable, big scenes can sometimes crash. I realized that saving frequently is very important. I made it a habit to press save bottom regularly.

2. Lighting Matters

Adding many lights can sometimes make things look too bright or strange. I learned that adjusting intensity and radius carefully helps. Also, light color changes the feeling a lot: blue feels mysterious, while orange feels warm.

3. Reflections and Shadows

Reflections and shadows can be tricky. I noticed that using Reflection Capture and Lightmass helps make them look natural.

4. LOD (Level of Detail) Helps Performance

High-polygon objects can make the scene slow. I found that using LOD allows the polygons to decrease when objects are far away, which makes everything run smoother.

5. Object Placement

I also noticed that putting too many objects in one place can be heavy for the scene. Nanite in UE5 helps a lot, because it can handle high-polygon objects without slowing down the scene.

6. Rendering Settings

I tried different settings and learned:

• Anti-Aliasing makes edges and movement smooth. TAA works well.
• Post Process Volume helps adjust brightness, color, and contrast.
• Ray Tracing gives realistic shadows and reflections, but it can slow down the scene.

7. Preview Before Final Render

I found that it is better to preview in low resolution first. When everything looks good, then do the high-resolution render. Temporarily hiding unnecessary lights or objects also saves time.

I created the cave and corridor in Blender. First, I modeled a basic sphere and then used Sculpt Mode to sculpt the rock textures. Finally, I combined the cave and corridor assets to build the environment.

Problem and solution

References

First, I planned to use tree assets in UE5, but when I looked around, I only found normal trees and couldn’t find any large, mysterious trees. So I decided to make the tree myself.

This week, I focused on creating a large and mysterious tree inside a cave.
I am good at modeling buildings and mechanical objects, but I have had little experience with modeling organic forms like trees, which have irregular shapes and delicate wood grain details. Because of this, creating this tree was a personal challenge for me, and at the same time, it became a valuable opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills.

I wanted to create a large, powerful impression, so I designed the wood grain to be somewhat coarse and with wider spacing between the grains. Also, because trees at shrines often have decorative elements, I incorporated ornaments that symbolize the sacred tree and the act of worship. The most difficult part was creating the spirally woven rope.

Through the process of creating this tree, I was able to learn how to use sculpt mode more effectively and gain new insights. Overall, it was a very meaningful and valuable learning experience.

Making Process

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Rope

In terms of this rope, I first created it in a spiral shape. Then, my initial plan was to bend the rope along a curve and wrap it around the tree.

Specifically, I started by creating a circular object, and using a modifier, I arranged it in a spiral along the Z-axis. Next, I applied a curve modifier to shape it into a circular form. Finally, I adjusted the curve mode of the object to add sagging caused by gravity, making the rope look more natural.

Paper docoration

When creating the paper decoration, I first created a flat plane. Then, I added a grid on the plane and removed unnecessary faces and vertices to shape it according to the reference.

Next, I extruded the plane in steps to make it three-dimensional. Finally, I bent the object along a curve, which allowed me to create a paper decoration that looks like it is fluttering in the wind.

Straw decorations

Creating the straw ornaments was particularly difficult. I felt that the most challenging part was expressing the detailed texture of the straw and its complex shape.
However, I tried to create them in my own way. First, I created a sphere and deleted the bottom half. Next, I extruded the deleted part to create the shape of the straw ornament. After that, I used Sculpt mode to adjust the texture and shape. Finally, I adjusted the position of the bottom face to complete it.

References

This is a Japanese traditional shrine created using Blender. In this modeling, I focused on creating a balanced and symmetrical design, as well as emphasizing the texture of the wood to convey the shrine’s sacred atmosphere. I also aimed to combine the simplicity of a temple with the elegance of a shrine, creating a building that embodies the best of both.

Throughout this process, I realized that traditional buildings are made up of many interconnected parts. For example, even in wooden architecture, the structure relies solely on interlocking wooden components, and the roof tiles differ from ordinary tiles, giving the building unique features not found in other constructions.

I also created textures using Substance 3D Painter, which I found very useful for future projects. At the same time, I feel motivated to deepen my skills in these software tools to be able to create my own original textures.

full 360° view to display the temple assets

<Torii>

<Light>

<Temple>

Texture / Material

I used Substance 3D Painter to create the textures and materials for the temple assets. I referenced traditional Japanese shrines and temples and aimed to replicate their characteristic design elements. The main body was painted with a red base color, while the windows were painted in dark green.

Through this texturing process, I was able to understand the basic workflow of Substance 3D Painter. However, I am also eager to learn more advanced techniques, such as creating original materials to achieve more customized textures. In the future, I would like to explore Substance 3D Designer as well in order to take my material creation skills to the next level.

Reference