Unreal Engine 4* is a powerful game engine created by Epic Games*, the minds behind blockbuster titles like Fortnite*, Gears of War*, and Infinity Blade*. This engine isn’t just for the big studios; it has powered some of the most visually stunning PC games in recent years, including Ace Combat 7*: Skies Unknown*, Tropico 6*, and Crackdown 3*. Since 2015, Unreal Engine 4* has been available for free download, democratizing game development, although Epic* does request a 5% royalty on gross revenue for games and applications shipped after the first $3,000 per quarter.
Unreal Engine* is widely recognized as a leading platform for achieving AAA-quality graphics in games. A feature showcase at GDC 2018 truly highlighted its capabilities. From incredibly realistic facial animations to complex and physically accurate rendering, the engine is capable of producing breathtaking visuals.
Getting Started with PC Game Coding in Unreal Engine 4
Unreal Engine* boasts a user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate. It also provides several useful project templates that can serve as starting points for developing your own games or simply exploring the platform’s features. Similar to Unity*, Unreal Engine* comes fully equipped with the essential tools needed to build and ship complete games for PC and other platforms.
You don’t have to be a coding expert to begin creating with it. Unreal Engine* features a beginner-friendly system called “Blueprint Visual Scripting*,” which allows for rapid prototyping and visualization without writing a single line of traditional code. This system is particularly powerful because these types of tools were historically only accessible to experienced programmers. Blueprint Visual Scripting* empowers designers from diverse backgrounds to bring their game ideas to life within Unreal Engine*.
This visual system enables users to link “nodes” together to construct game logic and elements. Each node contains a function, event, or variable that can be interconnected. For those new to game development and coding, this system is an excellent way to learn game design concepts without needing to immediately dive into complex code.
However, when you are ready to delve deeper into coding your own game scripts, Unreal Engine* is built upon C++, a robust and widely-supported programming language with vast educational resources available. Like Unity*, Unreal also has a marketplace offering a wealth of assets, plugins, and other tools to enhance your game development workflow.
Furthermore, in 2018, Intel partnered with Unreal* to ensure the engine is optimized for PC gaming. Previously, game development often prioritized console game flow, potentially leaving the power of the PC platform underutilized. With Intel’s collaboration, Unreal Engine* is now better equipped to develop games that leverage the processing capabilities of PCs. This impacts areas such as physics simulations, artificial intelligence, lighting, audio, and more, enhancing the overall PC gaming experience.
Unreal* has the potential to push the boundaries of graphical fidelity, CPU optimization for gaming, and overall PC performance. Exploring whether visual scripting through the Blueprint system aligns with your design process is a worthwhile endeavor for anyone interested in PC game coding.
Learn more about Intel’s partnership with Unreal Engine 4* ›
