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From console to mobile—all games require a game engine. At the moment, Unity and Unreal have taken over the market and are at the top. It’s almost every gaming developer’s tool to use, thanks to the wealth of options they provide and their accessibility.
But how do you know which engine to use? And before anything else, what is a game engine? And why is it essential when developing games?
Let’s find out.
What Is a Game Engine?
A gaming engine is a software or development environment. It consists of various settings and configurations that optimize and simplify the process of creating video games for developers across multiple programming languages.
A gaming engine is sometimes called a “game architecture” or “game framework.” It may include a 2D or 3D graphics rendering engine compatible with different import formats, a physics engine to simulate real-world activities, a sound engine, artificial intelligence (AI), etc.
Simply put, game engines provide the framework so developers can work on game content. If you’re an aspiring game developer, knowing the most suitable game engine to use is paramount. After all, the one you choose will determine the development process of your project from beginning to end.
Here’s what you need to know about the two popular game engines, Unreal and Unity, so you can make an informed decision.
What Is Unreal Game Engine?
Most Fortnite gamers know very well what an Unreal gaming engine is. Those new to gaming or game development should know that Unreal is one of the most popular 3D computer graphics game engines and creation tools.
Unreal Engine, or UE, is a video game development tool from Epic Games, a well-regarded software development company. It allows developers to create simulations, edit videos or sound, and render animations for their projects.
Today, this software has been used to create some of the most popular games in the world, such as The Witcher, Quantum Error, and Off The Grid.
History of Unreal Game Engine
At 21 years old, Tim Sweeney created ZZT, the first official game from Epic Mega Games. The puzzle game had fairly simple graphics—after all, it was launched in 1991. Although the game wasn’t the most modern by any means, the way it was programmed was revolutionary.
Sweeney’s use of programming language in ZZT paved a path in all gaming code languages, but with modifications, of course. It went above and beyond what was established during that area, in that it conceptualized a framework for a gaming engine.
This then birthed Unreal, a game where players controlled a marooned prisoner on an alien world. This shooter game was one of the best in its time, with highly detailed indoor and outdoor venues for players. Soon, other games moved to Unreal’s engine, setting cutting-edge technological standards.
Epic’s first version of the Unreal engine focused on creating cohesive tools and streamlining technical hurdles for creativity. In the decades since, the engine has become an all-encompassing development tool.
Today, Unreal game engines are compatible with all game types, imports and exports, renderings, and devices, including mobile phones. Recently, Epic announced that the Unreal Engine 3 will be available to iPhone users as well. The future is bright for mobile gaming, as it is expected to boom right along with consoles.
What Is Unity Game Engine?
Unity, a multi-platform game engine, allows developers to create 2D and 3D content. This gaming engine is another popular choice among developers, especially those from large organizations. Because of its functionality, high-quality content, and flexibility to be used for any game, developers have flocked to Unity.
This all-in-one editor is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Switch, Xbox—the list goes on. Naturally, its user-friendliness makes development more accessible and minimizes training time. Additionally, the Unity Asset Store has a vast curation of tools that make creation even more straightforward.
Unity Game Engine has created some critically acclaimed games, including Pokemon Go, Among Us, Wasteland 2, and Angry Birds.
History of Unity Game Engine
In 2004, Nicholas Francis, Joachim Ante, and David Helgason designed the Unity game engine in a small apartment in Copenhagen.
Although the platform is fairly new, it has already been used to create more than half of the world’s games. Developers can design, buy, or import digital assets like landscapes and sound effects to create the logic that guides how all of these elements interact with players.
What started as a passion project for the creators soon turned into something larger than life. The three were simply trying to complete their individual projects and failing to do so, but working together and merging their codebases for their engines helped them succeed.
This made them realize the project’s potential, so they recruited a rotating cast to help prototype a wide range of ideas.
The diversity of ideas has resulted in an engine that could handle a broad range of use cases. Soon, commercialization was the goal, and the rest is history.
Features of Unreal vs. Unity Game Engines
Both game engines are platforms for game development, but they differ in many ways. We’ll get to those in a bit. But before that, let’s take a look at some of the main features that developers love.
Unreal Game Engine
Pipeline Integration
Unreal’s game engine makes it easy to connect with media production pipelines through FBX, USD, and Alembic. This allows for a streamlined, uninterrupted collaboration anywhere and anytime you need to complete tasks.
Unreal can read files without waiting for imports, displaying play load almost instantly.
Besides that, you can also automate Python scripting and data preparation workflows, procedurally lay out content on each level, and create custom UIs to control the Unreal Editor.
Through Datasmith, you can easily convert animation and metadata from 3D, Max, Revit, SketchUp Pro, and other DCC, CAD, and BIM formats at high fidelity. You can also use VisualDataprep, ShotGrid Integration, and LiDAR paint cloud support.
World Building
With Unreal Engine, you get the Unreal Editor, which is compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows for content authoring and game-level development. The integrated environment allows for multi-user editing, so team members can collaborate in real-time safely and reliably.
Moreover, with landscape and terrain tools, scalable foliage, world partition, and asset optimization, you can create realistic landscapes like mountains, forests, skies, and water bodies. You can also create multiple layers within the same space.
Characters and Animation
You can also create character blueprints, character animation authoring, character retargeting, and more. The highly developed tool can reuse existing animations or characters with different skeletons and proportions.
In fact, the opportunity for creativity has never been this accessible. You can define and modify lighting, camera blocking, characters, and even details in the set dressing. Contributors can work on an entire sequence together without getting in each other’s way.
Rendering, Lighting, and Materials
Create video games with film-quality art assets without hindering real-time frames. With the help of virtual texturing, you can also improve rendering performance for procedural and layered materials by adjusting tiles.
Use Lumen dynamic global illumination to show reflections, get Hollywood-esque quality visuals with the physically based hybrid ray tracer, and sophisticated lighting to mimic accurate indoor and outdoor illumination. You can also use advanced shading tools to produce realistic coloring for a wide range of objects and surfaces.
Simulation and Effects
With Unreal’s VFX integration, you can create film-quality special effects for smoke, fire, water, dust, etc. Aside from visual effects in the background or for settings, you can also simulate clothing, fabrics, hair strands, and fur.
Gameplay and Interactivity Authoring
Unreal provides robust multiplayer support and advanced AI. You can also get a blueprint of the entire scripting and gameplay frameworks.
With the help of Graphics Motion Designer, you can construct interfaces from editable Blueprint Widgets for functions like buttons, checkboxes, sliders, and progress bars.
Integrated Media Support
Get professional video and audio support with various AJA Video Systems and Blackmagic cards. Unreal’s audio engine has a wide range of rich and dynamic audio features for a truly immersive experience. With MetaSounds, you can generate audio sources. Audio simply cannot be more customizable than this.
Virtual Production
The In-camera VFX Editor intuitively and efficiently lets you create, move, and edit light cards and save templates. You can then color correct. There is also an option to render real-time content at any resolution and display it on multiple physical or projected screens.
Virtual production cinematographers can drive cameras in Unreal Engine using an iPad Pro. And you can use the virtual scouting tool to explore the world through VR and screengrab certain scenes to place them in your world.
Content
Get your hands on industry-specific templates to get started and achieve the desired results without starting from scratch. You can browse through sample projects to adapt and learn different styles, ranges, and speeds.
Additionally, the Unreal Engine Marketplace contains many high-quality assets and plugins to ease production and bring new functionality to your workflows. You can access content freely.
Developer Tools
As a developer, you’ll have full access to C++ source codes and C++ APIs. Unreal is also compatible with Perforce, so you can create new control commands directly.
Unity Game Engine
Intuitive Tools
Unity has a robust scripting API that is quick and accessible, and you can adjust UI elements from the engine itself. The scripting API exposes such elements or features so you can work on them via code. The Unity Inspector makes everything accessible, including position, rotation, materials, and even audio playback.
Unity also offers many analytical tools to track performance issues and observe how players interact with your game. You can use them to debug problematic codes and understand every aspect of your game.
VR and AR Capabilities
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) have become key features of Unity. You can choose between numerous packages that support almost all VR headsets. Moreover, Unity is keeping up with updates, so as technology evolves, so do your options.
You can also take advantage of numerous packages for ARCore and ARKit to create AR games for Android and iOS simultaneously.
Rendering Pipelines
Graphics make or break games, and how they are made dictates their overall performance. Unity has many built-in options for render pipelines to streamline development. This means you won’t have trouble using the graphical needs that suit your project best.
The game engine also offers Scriptable Render Pipeline API, so you can make your own pipeline and be as creative as you want.
Animation Tools
Unity also offers specialized tools for 2D and 3D graphics. You can animate your projects within the engine itself or import elements from other programs if needed. You can adjust position, rotate objects, and manipulate elements when creating animations.
The animator tool can also be used as an animation state machine, making transitions between actions incredibly smooth.
Versatility
While Unity game engine was created to develop games, its robust animation and pipeline tools make it versatile enough to handle other big projects, like CGI films. Independent filmmakers who are on a tight budget can use this software to achieve top-notch visuals for their projects and connect them with other editing software.
Needless to say, Unity is a fantastic engine and can be used far beyond what it was made for.
Comprehensible Architecture
Unity ensures a straightforward method for composing game architecture. Every project in Unity is divided into scenes, which contain objects—the background, player character, or enemy, and other elements essential for every scene.
You can create multiple objects and set a specific hierarchy for each, such as outfits and accessories. You can easily access all of your object’s properties, so you can adjust them according to your needs without having to go back to the coding language.
Support Across Multiple Platforms
As a developer, you may need to work across multiple platforms, and Unity is perfect for that. It supports Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, and more.
If you have downloaded the appropriate kit, you can export games regardless of the platform. You can also export HTML5 games; however, you must apply certain tweaks for different versions, as each platform functions differently.
2D and 3D Graphics
Unity supports 2D and 3D graphics, so you can choose your preferred art style for your project. Each graphic type comes with a robust set of tools and different physics options that are suitable to its style. For example, you can use sprite sheet cutting for 2D graphics.
Similarly, if you prefer to work with 3D graphics, you can access tools to create custom materials, build shaders, customize lighting, utilize post-processing effects, and so much more.
The best part? You can create various 3D terrains or 2D maps. Simply put, you are assured of a well-rounded set of tools to use regardless of the graphics you choose. You will have no trouble creating the graphics you want.
Content
You can save time in the developmental stages by using existing elements available in Unity’s Asset Store. Graphics, game genre templates, audio, particle effects—you can find them all, and more. The asset store has paid and free options, so you can choose what you like depending on your needs and budget.
While Unity does develop these assets, many community members also upload their own work to share. You can add assets to your collection and integrate them into your project with the package manager. Files can be adjusted manually.
Unreal vs Unity Game Engine: What Makes Them Different?
Graphics
Hardcore coders may find Unity to be a more practical option. The game engine has a wide range of free assets that can be downloaded separately. Developers can easily access templates and assets that others have created, so you can achieve your desired results quickly.
But while Unity has many intuitive tools, they are not as polished.
Meanwhile, artists may refer Unreal for many reasons. It can achieve better visuals and offers plenty of graphics that are unlike any other game engine. Unreal’s impressive selection of tools, like Material Editor and Landscape and Terrain, are great for creating and polishing cutting-edge 3D projects.
As for final rendering, you can speed up post-processing time with Unreal. Unity, in this instance, has comparable functionality.
It’s safe to say that Unreal is the better option if you wish to prioritize professional, film-like graphics. Although Unity doesn’t offer quite as impressive functionality when it comes to graphics, it can deliver similar results with a little extra time and effort.
VFX Quality
While both game engines render high-end visual effects, Unreal’s quality is a notch above Unity’s. You can get hyper-realistic visuals that are incredibly detailed and impressively immersive.
In contrast, Unity’s 2D and 3D renderings are not as detailed. Because they are created mainly for smaller screens, the quality is not silver screen level. However, it can still deliver exceptional results if you put a lot of work into it.
Animation
Both Unity and Unreal enable the creation of impressive animations. The main difference between the two is that Unity’s tools are very efficient, especially for experienced game developers in a professional workspace. They are significantly more sophisticated.
In contrast, Unreal’s tools are aimed at beginners who don’t know coding languages and tools very well.
Language
Unity uses C#, which is faster to compile and iterate—it’s a simpler language. If you’re familiar with HTML, you’ll find it much easier to comprehend. But don’t worry; the game engine also has an in-built code checker that highlights errors so you can immediately correct them.
Meanwhile, Unreal uses C++, a significantly more complex and challenging coding language. Novice coders may find it difficult to learn, especially if they’re already using C#, a more widely used language.
Asset Store
Naturally, you want an asset store that has it all. Both Unreal and Unity allow users to download and access many different templates and tools. When comparing the two, the Unity asset store comes out ahead—you can download as many free or paid assets as you like.
Pricing
Unreal is free for all developers. It charges 5% royalties for revenues if you earn over $1 million for a project.
Unity is a free platform, too. The paid version, Unity Pro, charges $2,040 per year per seat (billed annually) and has many advanced features. Unity Industry costs $4,950 per year per seat (billed annually). Custom enterprise options fetch custom prices.
Conclusion
Now that you know what the Unity and Unreal game engines are, their features, and comparisons between the two, the question is: which one is better? There is no straightforward answer simply because it all comes down to what you know and prefer.
As a beginner, you might enjoy Unreal; it’s simple, and easy to use, with plenty of automated options. Professionals may prefer Unity because of its sophisticated results and extensive time input.
Ultimately, as a game developer, you should go for what you’re comfortable with and what your project requires. Both are excellent options and are sure to deliver impressive results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Unreal harder than Unity?
While both have their learning curves, many prefer Unity over Unreal. Unity has a wide range of tools within the interface and an asset store that can help developers with the basics of game development. Moreover, it uses C#, which is a coding language almost every developer is already familiar with.
Should I switch from Unity to Unreal?
You need not switch from Unity to Unreal if you’re an established developer. The Unity game engine caters to professionals who want polished results; its tools and features may be complicated for beginners. Unreal is better for projects centered on artistry, so if your changes are minuscule, stick to the game engine you’re already using.
Is Unreal or Unity better for beginners?
Beginners will likely prefer Unity over Unreal for many reasons. One of them is the wide range of tools that help developers learn the basics of game development. At the same time, they can build complex and immersive games with ease.
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