Unreal Engine is one of the most widely-used 3D computer graphics game engines in the world, powering titles such as Fortnite, Gears of War, and Final Fantasy VII. But people have also used this 3D engine for creating virtual sets in movies and TV shows, with shows like The Mandalorian and Westworld taking advantage of the Unreal Engine’s capabilities.
Interestingly enough, Rivian uses the Unreal Engine to render life-like animations of the 3D vehicle presented in its models’ infotainment systems, so the collaboration between the two companies isn’t something new.
And in this latest video, embedded above, the folks over at Epic Games, who are the developers of the Unreal Engine, used a Rivian R1T to showcase the capabilities of the latest version, 5.2. And I’ll just say it out front: it looks amazing!
Gallery: 2022 Rivian R1T: First Drive Review
Epic Games says that it worked together with Rivian to model the virtual pickup in the presentation, with the EV maker providing the software developer with a model comprising around 71 million polygons.
Additionally, the sound of the electric motors was captured and then reproduced with something called Meta Sound, which also allows game creators to mix in the sound of the foliage, birds, and so on, creating a realistic soundscape.
Unreal Engine 5.2 can render in real-time rocks that tumble as the car drives over them, leaves that bend out of the way, and flowing water, but it can also be set up to realistically show how the Rivian’s air suspension flexes, how each electric motor drives the wheels, and even how the tires flex when going over rough terrain.
It’s a really impressive demonstration that shows what we can expect from the next generation of video games that will come out in the following years. Even if you’re not a gaming enthusiast, the latest version of Unreal Engine can be used to create virtual worlds for several scenarios, like YouTube videos, or even if you just want to make a cool wallpaper with your favorite car.
