Are you thinking about choosing a graphics engine to create video games? If there are two game engines that stand out above the rest, they are Unity and Unreal Engine. We will tell you the main differences and advantages of each one.
When creating a video game or interactive environment, one of the essential tools is the game engine (commonly called the graphics engine). These software programs offer functionalities such as rendering graphics, simulating physics, animating elements, playing audio, etc. In short, they allow the design, creation and operation of a game in a unified environment.
And if there are two game engines that are competing for first place in the industry (both in studios of any size, as well as for students and people starting out in the industry), these are Unreal Engine and Unity.
Graphics engines
Game engines are like the backbone of the game, helping designers to focus on other elements: the story that unfolds, the elements of the world, and the design of the different characters that appear. This user report presents the two most famous game engines.
What are they for?
A graphics engine is software used by applications and programs to draw graphics on the screen of your device, whether it’s a computer, smartphone, or tablet. They provide all the tools necessary to create the physics of the game, taking into account the general movement of the character and the interaction with the elements involved. They also help create more realistic lighting effects, and some have artificial intelligence, which includes the different possible behaviors in their branches.
When it comes to game development, choosing the right game engine for yours can transform the entire experience.
Graphics engines provide game developers with the rendering that allows them to match their hand-drawn designs with 3D schematics to create complete models.
There are many factors to consider:
- What kind of game are you trying to make?
- Is your game 2D or 3D?
- What experience are you developing?
- How active is the community of the chosen engine?
- What resources are available for the engine?
It seems like a real challenge to make sure you choose the right base to work on. This is especially true nowadays, when technology is constantly evolving, meaning that new engines and updates with interesting new features appear very quickly.
When studying or working in game development, people often wonder what the best game engine is.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UNITY AND UNREAL ENGINE
This is the conclusion that many people who want to start programming video games come to. But now they have other questions. What are the main differences between Unity and Unreal Engine? What are the advantages of working with each engine? Which one should I decide to learn?
Let’s briefly look at the main differences in order to help potential new students decide which game engine is best suited to their goals and objectives.
Development platforms
One of the main differences between the two engines lies in the publishing platforms that these softwares support. Unity is the industry-leading multiplatform engine due to the versatility it offers when developing video games.
In addition, it has a much greater advantage when it comes to developing for mobile devices, both by its own virtue and by “defect” of Unreal, due to the poor optimization in mobile-oriented projects.
Therefore, if you want to work on developments for mobile devices, the recommendation is always to use Unity.
Learning curve.
Generally, someone who starts from scratch usually starts working more quickly with Unity , since it has a very easy learning curve both due to the structure of its editor and the use of a simple programming language such as C#.
In addition, Unity has a large amount of documentation available, both on its official website and in a multitude of forums and pages, as it has a very large, active and committed community of users.
Unreal, on the other hand, can have a steeper learning curve at the beginning. Partly because there isn’t as much documentation as there is for Unity, and also because of the editor itself and its programming language, which can be a bit more overwhelming for someone just starting out.
Programming languages
Unity uses C# (C Sharp), a programming language that is primarily object-oriented. On the other hand, Unreal Engine allows programming both with the C++ language and through Blueprints. Blueprints are organized between nodes, and allow programming and creating video games in a simpler and more visual way.
In this sense, we are not going to say that one language is simpler than another, but it is true that the possibility of programming with Blueprints (or at least complementing it to C++ programming) gives developers many more options.
Power and quality
Both engines offer power and quality with the highest quality standards, although it is true that Epic generally stands out for achieving an even higher level of quality.
In conclusion, we can say that a person will not make a mistake when choosing to learn one game engine or another, since they are tools that have the same mission. And that person will generally be able to achieve the same thing using one engine or the other.
The decision must be made taking into account the specific objectives that you want to achieve (types of game to develop, launch platform, type of studio you want to work in, etc., etc.).
Unity or Unreal Engine?
Answering which is better is difficult. Some will argue that Unreal is superior just because it is the best choice for AAA developments (blockbusters with absurd amounts of budgets). Others will cite the fact that Unity is more complete and, for indie developers, is often a great entry into the industry.
Unity
Developed in 2005, the Unity game engine has become a staple of the indie games industry.
The engine is not only suitable for 2D and 3D games of any kind, but is also a popular choice for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) development, thanks to many companies and developers creating convenient software development kits (SDKs) for the engine.
Beyond this, Unity also has a sizable community with a very dynamic store that includes free and paid products accessible to everyone.
Because it’s such a robust and free engine, it’s a fantastic option for beginners or developers on a budget, no matter what they want to do.
That said, if you’re looking to build a full-fledged game studio around Unity, the licenses can be expensive, though they do come with more features. Additionally, Unity can be more resource-intensive if you run some of the higher-end options to take full advantage of the engine’s capabilities.
Unreal Engine
Due to its robust graphics capabilities with lighting, shaders, and more, Unreal Engine is the very powerhouse behind many of the most popular AAA games out there today.
The engine is also open source, meaning that the community is constantly improving it, along with its visual design so that even non-programmers can develop their games. Unreal is a platform capable of almost anything, including virtual reality, and it should not be forgotten that, like Unity, it also has a marketplace where you can get free assets.
However, many developers feel that Unreal Engine is more suited to large projects and those where you intend to work as a team. Also, because the program is graphics-intensive, many people will find that it requires a more powerful computer compared to other engines, such as Unity.
Beyond this, it’s also worth mentioning that while Unreal Engine can create 2D games in addition to 3D games, the engine isn’t necessarily the best suited for the task.
If you want to be part of this industry and learn how to get the most out of these two software, you can do so thanks to the video game programming course with Unity or Unreal Engine. What are you waiting for?