Epic Games has Unreal Studio. A new real-time visualization product to create 3D configurators based on the Unreal Engine and its Datasmith toolkit, released as a free open beta version.
The primary purpose of the toolset is to provide architects and designers with a more user-friendly way to produce photorealistic content as shown in the above size role by rendering it within UE4.
It can also appeal to anyone who needs to convert high-resolution offline assets into a form they can use in games or VR projects, especially when working mainly in 3ds Max.
Import 3ds Max scenes or CAD data into the Unreal Engine via Datasmith.
At the heart of Unreal Studio is Datasmith, the CAD data conversion toolkit originally developed by Motiva and launched in closed beta last year following Epic’s acquisition.
Datasmith streamlines the process of importing 3ds Max scenes and CAD data into Unreal Engine, with Epic “claiming productivity gains of 113% over the old workflow of converting assets to FBX format.
It supports “more than 20 CAD and DCC sources,” including native file formats from Rhino, SolidWorks, Inventor, Catia, NX, and Creo, as well as 3ds Max scenes with V-Ray, Corona, and Mental Ray materials.
Missing texture UVs are automatically generated during import.
After import, assets can be batch-processed using either the Unreal Engine’s Blueprint visual programming system or Python scripts to automate common tasks.
Recommended use cases include merging individual source objects into one, decimating high-resolution source meshes, mapping materials to their UE4 equivalents, resizing images, or converting between file formats.
Supporting materials, project templates and training.
Apart from Datasmith – and of course the significant strengths of the Unreal Engine itself – Unreal Studio consists mainly of supporting resources.
Users receive a library of 100 pre-built substances that mimic a variety of real architecture and design materials, plus another 25 for games and entertainment work.
There are also a number of introductory video tutorials designed to update new UE4 users with the engine, as well as a paid support page.
Prices and Availability.
Unreal Studio is available as a free Open Beta version. Since it is based on the Unreal Engine, you must run Windows 7+, macOS 10.12.6+ or an appropriate Linux distribution.
The beta version is expected to run until November 1, 2018, after which Unreal Studio will be available as a subscription service with a price of 49€ / month, which will be billed as an annual subscription.
Unlike the Unreal Engine itself, the EULA does not require you to give Epic a portion of the revenue from commercial products you create with it, provided they are not interactive, such as rendered animations.
If you do not sign up for a subscription, you can continue to use all versions of the software that will be available to you even though you cannot use the supporting assets or receive technical support.