Unreal Engine: Lunchtime Lessons

Build your Unreal Engine skills in your spare time. Tune in each week for expert tips and techniques on everything from lighting to interactivity.

Introduction

• Create games, visualizations, and VR with Unreal Engine
• Working with the exercise files

1. Lunchtime Lessons: Q3 2019

• Animated water material
• Use vertex painting for groundcover
• Set up geometry for vertex painting
• Optimize textures with channel packing
• Color grading scenes using LUTs
• Add ambient sound
• Consistent light exposure via Datasmith
• Use the Datasmith Attributes Modifier in 3ds Max
• Import real-world terrain into Unreal
• Use parameters to adjust materials
• Light linking using Lighting Channels
• Create a gobo using Light Functions

2. Lunchtime Lessons: Q4 2019

• Set up raytracing in Unreal 4.22.3
• Raytracing via post-production volumes
• Use rect lights for raytracing
• Open a door automatically
• Create blob shadows
• Use capsule shadows on large objects
• Create glass materials
• Understanding the Material Analyzer
• Create material functions
• Interact using key commands
• Create a simple main menu
• Add pop-up menus
• Switch between materials

3. Lunchtime Lessons: Q1 2020

• Speed up workflows with project templates
• Create material instances
• Using the HDRI Backdrop plugin
• Metal flake materials for automotive
• Manage auto exposure
• Export from Maya to Unreal
• Using material libraries
• Understanding foliage materials
• Organize and comment on materials
• IES lighting
• Manipulate pivots in Unreal

4. Lunchtime Lessons Q2 2020

• Using USD files in Unreal
• Physically based sun and sky
• Using Quixel Megascan assets
• Visual Dataprep in Datasmith
• Screen Space Global Illumination (SSGI)
• Layered landscape editing
• Understanding view modes
• Create viewport bookmarks
• Optimize rendering for visualization
• Photoshop blend modes in materials
• Select and replace assets
• Understanding fog in Unreal
• Create light shaft effects

5. Lunchtime Lessons Q3 2020

• Using the Variant Manager
• Interfaces using the Variant Manager
• New interface features in 4.25
• Creating material layers
• Painting layered materials
• Adjusting lights with a slider
• Using blueprint brushes for landscapes
• Creating landscape features with splines
• Brushed metal using anisotropy
• Physically based translucency
• Lidar point clouds
• Creating swatches using color themes
• Creating neutral lighting