Developing high graphics games with a real-life image, and 3D experience along with VR is a challenging task. For this, you will require the best available technology. Unreal Engine 4 allows you to choose from the variety of templates available. It includes a collaborative multi-user design on the desktop. Along with that, highly realistic sun, and sky environment for architectural visualization and also, VR. Likewise, the user can create and control complex animation behavior as well
Developers who are just in their starting phase in the industry might feel difficult to choose the right game engine. This article provides you with lots of information regarding the most popular game engine, Unreal Engine 4. You will understand the system requirement for this game engine, hardware, and software requirement along with the advantages and disadvantages as well.
Launched in 1998, Unreal Engine has many iterations. Here we discuss its fourth iteration, Unreal Engine 4 (UE4). UE4 was released in 2014. It dropped its forme in-house scripting language in favor of C++ and replaced its visual scripting system for Blueprints.
Introduction To Unreal Engine 4
Unreal Engine 4 is a professional suite of technology that designs and builds high-quality games and applications across a various range of platforms. Developed by Epic Games, this is considered one of the most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tools.
Photorealism is the word that strikes the mind when thinking about Unreal Engines. If you ever come to see a cut-scene and wonder if it’s a real-life image or a created one from scratch, then you might probably be playing a game built from Epic Games’ technology.
Photorealism is one of the major reasons why Unreal has been used outside of the games too. They are in use in sectors such as architecture, product design, and even in filmmaking as well. For instance, Unreal Engine 4 has been used for the pre-visualization and production flows on the Stars Wars TV series The Mandalorian. Likewise, UE4 was also used in the blockbuster Disney remake of The Lion King as well.
Unreal Engine 4 System Requirement
Unreal Engine 4 supports a wide variety of platforms such as Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac OS, iOS, Android, AR, VR, Linux, streams, and many more. The latest Unreal Engine 4 system requirement is as under:
- OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit or Mac OSX Sierra
- CPU: Quad-core Intel or AMD processor, 2.5 GHz or faster
- RAM: 8 GB, Recommended to have at least 32 GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 470 GTX /AMD Radeon 6870 HD series
- Video Card/DirectX Version: DirectX 11/DirectX 12 compatible graphics card
- For storage: Fast SSDs are good
Hardware Requirement For Unreal Engine 4
Similar to many other software developers, Unreal Engine also requires high-quality hardware resources.
Processor(CPU)
The processor or CPU is one of the most important elements of UE4. It’s a core hardware resource that is part of everything and anything you do. For most users, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Twelve Core is a good option. This CPU features 12 cores and 24 threads that provide excellent performance. Likewise, if you have a good budget, you can have Ryzen 5950X Sixteen Core as well.
Similarly, AMD Threadripper 3960X gives you around 25% percent faster than Ryzen 5950X for tasks like baking and compiling while Threadripper 3970X and 3990X will be even faster.
Motherboard
To check your Windows 10 motherboard, you need to go to the search bar and then type “System Information” and hit enter. Now, choose the “System Summary” on the left side and check if your motherboard supports a CPU that can run Unreal Engine 4.
Video Card(GPU)
Video Card is another necessary hardware resource for better quality. A faster video card will give you a higher FPS in the viewpoint or a stand-alone game. Here is the list of three video cards on the Unreal Engine workstations depending on the budget.
- 10GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- 24GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 24GB NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000
Memory(RAM)
The amount of RAM you need is going to depend upon the specific projects and whether you do RAM-intensive tasks such as building lighting. However, we recommend 32GB of RAM for most users. Also, 64GB+ of RAM if you build lighting that takes more than a few hours.
However, even if you have further RAM, you will be benefitted from it.
Storage(Hard drive)
Generally, three different types of storage drives depending on the specific needs and requirements are recommended:
- Standard SSD (Samsung 860 EVO/Pro)
- PCI-E x4 M.2 NVMe SSD (Samsung 970 EVO/Pro)
- Traditional Platter Drive (WD Red/ Gold)
Official Recommendation For Unreal Engine 4
To use Unreal Engine 4 (UE4), I would recommend a PC with Windows 7 64-bit at least or a Mac with Mac Operating System(OS) X 10.9.2 or later. 8 GB RAM and a quad-core Intel or AMD processor are required. Also, a DX11 compatible video card. Unreal Engine 4 will run on desktops and laptops below this recommendation as well but performance shall be limited to some extent.
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD, 2.5 GHz or faster.
RAM: 8 GB RAM
Video Card/ DirectX Version: DirectX 11/DirectX 12 compatible graphics card.
10 Best Games That Use Unreal 4 Game Engine
Many successful and high-quality games have used the Unreal Engine 4 game suite. Here is a list of some of them.
Fortnite
The game with 25 gaming awards along with Game of the Year and Best Multiplayer awards, this game is one of many great games developed from Unreal Engine 4. It used a least of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7870 or equivalent Video card with 8GB RAM at least.
Yoshi’s Crafted World
Another great game developed from UE4 is Yoshi’s Crafted World. With elements like being able to delay falling after a jump, eating enemies to lay eggs, and the ability to use those eggs are projectiles are some great feature.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
This game shows-off what the small development studio is capable of using Unreal Engine 4. The graphics of this game is highly praiseworthy. Moreover, it’s even close to photo-realism at times. The player gets surprised to discover that:illusion: is often real.
Tales Of Arise
The Tales of Arise are a series of role-playing video games developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix. The game is set in the world of Dormin where two nations are engaged in a never-ending conflict. The protagonist, a young man named Alphen, is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit and discovers that he has the power to summon forth ancient beings known as Daemons. Alphen sets out on a journey to discover the truth behind his power and the war raging between the two nations.
Robo Recall
Made from UR4, this is a VR game created for use with the Oculus Rift and Quest. Here, the player is a robot service specialist and the game is the fast speed with nice touch like being able to draw quick pistols.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
The game is a tag-team fighting game from Arc System and Bandai. Likewise, it features characters from the popular Dragon Ball Z anime series. The game’s colorful graphics, precise control, and well-balanced roster of characters have earned many gaming awards as well.
Lost Ark
Lost Ark is an action-based MMORPG with beautiful graphics and fluid gameplay. The app is a puzzle game that will take players on an adventure through different worlds. The objective of the game is to find and collect all of the pieces of art that have been scattered throughout the world.
Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy is a legendary video game that was first released in 1997. The story of Final Fantasy 7 is about the characters Cloud Strife and Sephiroth. The two are fighting against the evil Shinra Corporation which is trying to control the world. The characters must travel to different locations and battle powerful creatures along the way in order to save the world from destruction.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead game is an episodic adventure game based on the comic book series of the same name. This game is a point-and-click adventure game that takes place in the same world as the comics. The Walking Dead game features many of the same characters from the comics, including Rick Grimes, Glenn, and Daryl Dixon.
The Walking Dead game follows the same plot as the comics, with players making choices that affect the outcome of the story.
Rouge Company
Rouge Company is a new tactical-RPG game for the PlayStation 4 and PC. The premise of the game is that you are a member of a secret organization known as Rouge Company, and you are tasked with completing dangerous missions in order to protect the world from evil. The gameplay is similar to games like Fire Emblem and Tactics Ogre, where you must strategically move your units around the battlefield in order to defeat your enemies.
Unreal Engine 4 Performance For Different Projects
UE4 can be a great choice for game development projects of all sizes, but the performance you get out of it will vary depending on the project. For smaller projects with tighter budgets and fewer assets, UE4 may not be the best option. But for larger projects with more complex assets and higher performance demands, UE4 can easily handle them without breaking the bank.
UE4 Performance For Gameplay
UE4 is a powerful game engine that can be used to create games for many different platforms. It offers great performance and stability, as well as a wealth of features and tools that make development easy and fun.
UE4 Performance For Cinematic
UE4 offers great performance for cinematic scenes with high-quality graphics. Unreal Engine 4 is a powerful game engine that can be used to create games for many different platforms with great cinematic factors. It offers great performance and stability.
What Are The Advantages Of Unreal Engine 4?
There are multiple advantages for the Unreal Engine 4 users. Few among them are highlighted below:
Unreal Engine 4 Can Handle A Wide Variety Of Projects
The flexibility of UE4 is one of the major reasons why people choose this engine. Whatever be the projects, it can handle the task efficiently.
Unreal Engine4 Excels At Shooters
Many developers have considered UE4 as technically excellent. If you are working on a shooter at projects, then you will love this platform. Its toolset and codebase are geared towards that kind of experience.
Gives You Access To Source Code
Unreal Engine 4 has the access to C++ source code that makes them flexible. This has made the developers modify as per their needs and fix the engine issue themselves when it’s critical.
Unreal Engine 4 Is Made Simple For Non-Technical Staff By Blueprint
Blueprint, UE4’s visual scripting system, is the main reason an engine is a great tool for prototyping and iteration. You can drag ad drop nodes and add wires to connect them and add logic as well. Thus, this allows designers without technical backgrounds to explore their ideas without needing to know how to code.
Unreal Engine 4 Is Excellent For Large Scale Games
UE4 scales well to larger teams and games with varieties of content in it. This engine is the market-leading engine in this respect. Also, it can deal with large scenes and a lot of actors. Unreal Engine 4 is better at the scope.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Unreal Engine 4?
Despite being the best, it does have a few drawbacks and flaws.
Unreal Engine 4 Is Too Much Engine For Small Scale Games
UE4 is targeted for large-scale games. So, better think properly when aiming for small projects. Likewise, it’s the engine is for large projects supporting tons of features of all kinds of advanced systems.
Unreal Engine Is Difficult To Harness Without Technical Expertise
Though UE4 is suitable for nontechnical experts due to Blueprints, however, still some aspects of it remain difficult to grasp without technical expertise. Likewise, some kind of programmer will help, but even with that, this engine has a steep learning curve.
Unreal Engine 4 Can Struggle With A Lot Of Data
Despite being an excellent engine for large-scale project development, you can quickly reach its limit if you try to go too big. So, this affects various aspects of developments. Moreover, at a certain size, the ability to edit them well in the editor will start to suffer. Along with that, some performance issues will be difficult to address.
Advice For Unreal Engine 4 Users
If you are an expert on this engine. Then you might probably know many areas where you must focus on. Here is some advice that I have listed for the user.
Start Building Blueprints
The best thing you can do is trying yourself when considering your engine options. This is made easier with the help of Unreal Engine 4’s Blueprint system. Similarly, experiment with smaller ideas and then move on to bigger projects once you are familiar with the system. For this, you can start with templates, make little tweaks, understand how that system works, and then expand out of it.
Keep The Modification Separate From The Engine
You should be careful about the way you make modifications with the help of the source code. So, better for you to keep the modification separate from the engine.
Leon On Unreal Engine’s Community And Marketplace
If you are not sure how to use the interface for a particular editor feature, then do look for the handful of solutions out there via various communities or tutorials. Also, another aspect of the Unreal Engine 4 community is its Marketplace and even experienced studies use it to save time.
Be ready To Adapt Unreal Engine 4
UE4 is a versatile platform that has access to lots of tools. However, you should check your game’s design against the engine’s possibilities as well. Though they can solve the problems via several tools, do not assume that it will solve all of the problems. Furthermore, take the time needed to learn about various tools and the general architecture of the engine as well. The earlier you learn, the better off you will be.
What to Look For While Getting Laptops for Gaming
Gaming laptops have become increasingly popular in recent years as technology has advanced. While there are many different models on the market, not all of them are created equal. Here are a few things to look for when purchasing a gaming laptop:
Graphics Card
First, you’ll want to consider the graphics card. The better the graphics card, the better the gaming experience. Many gaming laptops come with two graphics cards so that you can switch back and forth between dedicated and integrated graphics depending on what you’re doing.
Processor
Second, you’ll want to think about the processor. A fast processor is important for gaming, especially if you plan on playing newer games that require more power.
Cooling System
Third, you’ll want to make sure that the laptop has a good cooling system. Gaming can make your laptop or computer very hot which can decrease the performance of the device. Therefore, make sure you have a good cooling system.
What Are The Best Laptop For Unreal Engine 4?
There are many laptops on the market that are suitable for Unreal Engine 4 development. The best laptops for Unreal Engine 4 will have a high-end graphics card and plenty of RAM. In addition, it is important to find a laptop that is powerful enough to handle the demands of UE4. Some of the best laptops for Unreal Engine 4 include the
- Razer Blade Studio
- The Dell XPS 15
- Acer Nitro 5
- Asus Zenbook Pro Duo UX581
- Hp Omen
- Acer Predator
- Hp Pavillion Gaming 15.6-Inch
- Lenevo Ideapad Gaming 3
- MSI Stealth 15m
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Run Unreal Engine 4 In 4GB RAM?
Yes, you can. UE4 can be run on 4 GB RAM. However, this might slow if many other applications are running in the background. So, I would recommend using 8GB RAM at least If available, you can use higher than 8GB which makes your system more efficient and fast.
Is Unreal Engine 4 Good For Beginners?
Unreal Engine 4 is good for the beginner. As compared with its previous version, they are easy to set up and learn.
What Specification Do You Need To Run Unreal Engine 4?
You will need Windows 7 or above, Quad-core Intel or AMD processor, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 470 GTX, or AMD Radeon 6870 HD card or higher.
When Did Unreal Engine 5 Release?
The newest version of Unreal Engine is out and it is called Unreal Engine 5. It was released in April 2022.
Final Words
Unreal Engine 4 provides one of the most photo-realistic experiences to the content across all the platforms. It allows the users to use thousands of high-quality assets and plugins as well. Furthermore, this tool also provides access to the user for the entire kit, which comprises of environment, characters, animations, sound, etc. Choosing the best game engine for the development of games is quite a difficult task for the beginner. UE4 is one of the most advanced real-time 3D creation tools.
Likewise, it not only serves its original purpose, but also gives creators across industries the freedom and control to deliver exceptional great content, interactive experience, and immersive virtual worlds as well.
