Unreal Engine: Global Illumination for Architectural Visualization
1h 31mIntermediate2019-06-13
Authors
Brian Bradley
3D Artist, Business Owner
Course details
Anyone who uses Unreal Engine for real-time visualization knows how important good lighting is to your presentation. Global Illumination is the best way to simulate how light behaves in the real world. In this course, Brian Bradley shows key settings and best practices for architects, designers, and artists looking to incorporate the Lightmass Global Illumination (GI) solver into their visualization process. Learn how to create lightmaps for a level, focus Lightmass GI calculations to put your computing resources to best use, understand how materials affect lighting, and set up light portals that are quick, clean, and production ready. Plus, discover how to work with area shadows and high-dynamic-range images (HDRIs), and see how adjustments to static lighting scale affects quality. Brian also introduces advanced topics, such as lighting animated objects with GI and controlling color bleed.
Learning objectives
Working with the Lightmass GI engine
Focusing GI calculations
Generating light map UVs
Light baking
Controlling light bounce
Using Ambient Occlusion
Animation and GI
Exposure
Saving out high-resolution images
Learning objectives
Working with the Lightmass GI engine
Focusing GI calculations
Generating light map UVs
Light baking
Controlling light bounce
Using Ambient Occlusion
Animation and GI
Exposure
Saving out high-resolution images
Skills covered
3D LightingUnreal EngineEpicAugmented RealityRenderingMotion Graphics and VFX3D ModelingVisualization and Real-TimeAECProduct and ManufacturingAnimation and IllustrationDeep Dive (X:Y)
Concepts
0. Introduction
- 01 - Global illumination (GI) in Unreal
- 02 - Setting up the Unreal Engine 4 project
1. The Lightmass GI Engine
- 03 - Level setup
- 04 - How the Lightmass engine works
- 05 - Lightmass UI elements
- 06 - Focusing Lightmass calculations in a scene
2. Light Baking
- 07 - Understanding light baking
- 08 - How UV mapping affects GI
- 09 - Generating light map UVs
- 10 - How materials affect light baking
- 11 - Suggested light bake checklist
3. Controlling the GI
- 12 - Controlling secondary light bounces
- 13 - Using HDRIs
- 14 - Lightmass portals for interior spaces
- 15 - Area shadows
- 16 - Quality and smoothness settings
- 17 - Using Ambient Occlusion
- 18 - Lighting scale for accuracy
4. Taking It Further
- 19 - Animation and GI
- 20 - Exposure in post-process volumes
- 21 - In-camera exposure
- 22 - Color bleed
- 23 - Saving out high-resolution images
Conclusion
- 24 - Next steps