Category: Unreal Engine

Project Idea / Purpose & Aims

I plan to create a work using Unreal Engine 5 that focuses on realistic environments and a simple narrative structure.

Basically, I will make a model assets by myself in Blender and then set them up in UE5. In order to concentrate on acquiring fundamental knowledge of UE5, I intend to keep the animation itself relatively simple rather than overly complex.

Based on the foundational skills I have acquired in this course, I would like to challenge myself with more complex and expressive animation projects in the future.

The main character will be a small creature or a non-human being. In addition, I would like to combine an animation motion that I studied using Maya in the 3D Computer Animation Fundamental course.

Animation Production Timeline Planning

Step 1: Planning & Research

• Thinking story ideas and deciding on the concept
• Creating a mind map
• Researching reference works (backgrounds, worldbuilding, visual tone)
• Making a simple story structure
• Reviewing Unreal Engine 5 and previous student projects

Goal & Purpose:
Establish a clear direction before starting production.

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Step 2: Pre-production

• Character design (rough sketches)
• Background and worldbuilding concept sketches
• Creating a storyboard
• Searching required assets

Goal & Purpose:
Clearly define what will be created and how far the project will go.

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Step 3: Modeling (Blender)

• Character modeling
• Modeling props and architectural elements
• Adjusting scale for Unreal Engine 5

Goal & Purpose:
Prepare all models and try to export the data from Blender into UE5.

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Step 4: Texturing & Materials

• Creating textures in Substance 3D Painter
• Adjusting base colors and surface details
• Exporting textures for UE5 (Base Color, Normal, Roughness, ORM, etc.)

Goal & Purpose:
To make material and texture.

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Step 5: UE5 Setup & World Building

• Importing models and assets into UE5
• Using assets from Bridge and Fab
• Blocking out the environment and camera positions
• Testing lighting setups
• Building the main scene

Goal & Purpose:
Create a world where the final result can be clearly visualized.

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Step 6: Animation & Camera

• Creating character animations in Maya or Blender
• Importing animations into UE5
• Refining camera movements
• Adding simple motions and visual direction

Goal & Purpose:
Creating motion by using Maya or Blender.

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Step 7: Polish & Rendering

• Final lighting adjustments
• Refining camera composition
• Rendering using Movie Render Queue
• Final checks and submission

Goal & Purpose:
Polish the project to as a final project.

I explored UE5 and reviewed previous students’ works. Then, I tried building a world in UE5 by myself and noticed its unique advantages over other 3D software like Maya, Blender, and Cinema 4D. The large library of assets through Quixel Bridge and Fab, along with fast rendering, makes UE5 especially powerful. I hope to use these features to create beautiful and realistic worlds in the future.

I realised each Points (Strength / Weakness)

Strengths (Good Points)

1. Fast rendering – UE5 allows real-time rendering, which makes the workflow very efficient.
2. Extensive asset library – High-quality assets can be easily imported from Quixel Bridge and Fab.
3. High-quality real-time graphics – Lighting and environment realism are excellent.
4. Blueprints for visual scripting – Interactive behaviors and mechanics can be created without coding.
5. Large community and tutorials – There are many learning resources, making it easier to find help when needed.

Weaknesses (Challenges / Limitations)

1. High system requirements – Using detailed assets and high-quality rendering requires a powerful PC.
2. Complex interface – The UI and many functions can be overwhelming for beginners and different compared to other software like Maya, Blender etc.
3. Necessary to make material in UE5 – The material has to make in using UE5 because the system is different between UE5 and Blender and Maya and so on. So, I am not able to use Blender node and complex texture details in Blender. However, it might be possible to transfer the data in Substance 3D Painter. Therefore, basically, making original materials requires additional knowledge.
4. Difficult to transfer data or change save location – Basically, I need to save the data in One Drive or same laptop when I do something.

What to expect from UE5

Through my works, I hope to create artworks that allow many viewers enjoy and at the same time, provide new insights and learning new experiences. To achieve this goal, I would like to produce a variety of animations, primary for children. For example, I get inspiration from Disney, Pixar, Illumination, and Tonko house. In particular, Tonko house has received Annie award in recent years is so fascinated for me because this artwork is so warmly and story is also impressive.

Additionally, I believe that one of the most effective way to reduce waste of time like rendering by using UE5. And this is the point I’m most looking forward to. However, I have limited experience with UE5 and my knowledge and skills are still developing. Through this class, I hope to gain a solid understanding of UE5 and, through further practice, improve my ability to use it effectively in future projects.

Tonko House

Disney / Pixar

The first class is to share our information each other. And we drawn the portrait by using left hand. Furthermore, I could understand about the Unreal Engine and what I should create this unit.

In the first class, we watched works made by previous students using UE5, and we also learned what UE5 is. At the end of the class, we introduced ourselves to the person sitting next to us. There was a task to draw their portrait with our left hand. It was difficult to draw, but it helped us start a conversation and made the self-introduction better. I was a little nervous, so next time I want to speak more actively and not only focus on studying but also grow by interacting with my classmates.