Unreal Engine 5 Powers Small Team to Create Stunning Visuals in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Unreal Engine Enables Small Teams to More
Sandfall Interactive has been working on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for a number of years, and the team leapt at the chance to upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 in 2022. "It was a game changer for us," says Tom Guillermin, CTO and co-founder of Sandfall, and lead programmer on the game. The engine provided powerful lighting and geometry tech in the form of Lumen and Nanite, as well as easing a lot of pain points around things like character creation.
From UE4 to UE5: A Smooth Transition?
The team had been working with Unreal Engine 4 before the release of Unreal Engine 5, and the switch was not entirely smooth. "It was a bit of a struggle at first," recalls Art Director Nicholas Maxson-Francombe. Many of the plugins they had been using in UE4 didn’t work in UE5, requiring many hacks and workarounds. Tom adds that Lumen’s initial switch completely ruined all of the carefully calibrated lighting the team had already implemented. "We had some locations that had a very specific look to them, and we had to retune everything to get back that look."
Taking Advantage of Free Assets
One thing that has been a big help is all the 3D assets that Epic regularly gives away. "When we started off with Unreal, we used a lot of the free packs that came in monthly," says Nicholas. "We sometimes reuse some of the stuff and retexture it, remodel it to make it fit our mood and our world. So that really helped in terms of our pipeline. Especially with rocks: you’ll find those everywhere." He notes that the team does create some assets from scratch, but many others are freebies that have been carefully remixed and repurposed.
Focusing on ‘Hero Assets’
Tom suggests that it makes sense for the team to focus most of their time on what he calls ‘hero assets’ rather than, say, stones. "That’s what makes the level stand out, in the end, more than having, like, super rocks." Nicholas adds, "It’s really thinking of those unique shapes that will be the landmark of your level. It’s about putting effort into the things that stand out, and spending less time on the things that ‘no one’s going to ever look at’."
Conclusion
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a testament to the power of Unreal Engine 5 in the hands of a small team. With its stunning visuals and engaging gameplay, it’s a game that’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How did the team transition from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5?
A: The transition was not entirely smooth, with many plugins not working and requiring hacks and workarounds.
Q: What tools did the team use to create the game’s visuals?
A: The team used Lumen, Nanite, and other tools provided by Unreal Engine 5, as well as free assets from Epic Games.
Q: How did the team approach asset creation?
A: The team created some assets from scratch, but also repurposed and reworked free assets to fit their needs.
Q: What is the focus of the game’s development?
A: The team focused on creating "hero assets" that stand out, rather than spending too much time on minor details.
