Unreal Engine

Games have been getting increasingly complex over the years, and so have the tools used to make them. Game engines vary wildly from one game to another, but most are proprietary and thus, unusable by the public.

Unreal Engine is well-known. That much can be said about it. Most probably, some of your favorite games were built through this tool. Ever since it was freely released to the masses, possibilities for everyone to create their games — among other things — suddenly arose.

There is a lot to take in here. This tool offers a lot of possibilities for 3D creation, and the options to help you create your content are plenty. Especially in the case of games, the available templates can be of great aid: first and third-person games can be made through this, as well as top-down, AR, VR, and other such types.

Before you create a new project, you have the freedom to choose for which platform you're developing, as well as pick between the available performance characteristics. When you're in the project, a lot can be done and changed as you see fit.

You can place lights, cinematic and visual effects, as well as add in geometry and other objects, designated as "Actors". You can move them around and have them operate however you desire, changing the ambiance and visuals of your work. When it comes to gameplay, Blueprints can be used to create new gameplay behavior through scripting, and, as with anything UE-related, there's a high skill ceiling.

It's not just games that this creation engine does well. Upon prompting to create a new project, there are various other categories that each serve their own purpose.

For instance, you can make an animated movie, as well as dabble in virtual production work, for televisions and live events. There's also the possibility to do architectural design and related renderings. Categories for product design and manufacturing (including automotive) also exist.

Unreal Engine is a behemoth of a tool. The possibilities it offers for 3D creation are staggering, and the fact that this is a program one can freely use is incredible.