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Epic Games has released version 4.6 of its high-end and hugely popular Unreal Engine.
The latest iteration of the tech introduces a number of improvements and new features that assist studios making titles for PC, console, mobile and virtual reality platforms.
For example, devs can now add 3D user interfaces via a new widget, play multiple animation montages on a skeletal mesh at ones, and introduce a widget that lets players browse web pages within games.
UE4.6 also adds Network Replay Capture, a system that lets devs save an ‘instant replay’ of gameplay that can be edited, streamed and shared. Devs can also host Steam and LAN online sessions using the Blueprint system rather than coding.
Support has been added for larger game worlds – up to 20km across – while the revamped lighting system now means emmisive materials will directly illuminate surrounding objects. Material complexity can now support up to 128 unique textures per material, a massive rise from the previous 13, and a new Mobile Preview shows exactly how scenes will look on smart devices without the need to quit the Unreal Editor.
You can find out more about Unreal Engine 4.6 at the tech’s official blog.
Unreal Engine 4 was released back in March at the new price of $19 per month. It’s free to students and schools.
