An illustrated guide to using hand-crafted assets, lighting, scripts, blueprints, and other modern practices utilizing AI to help bring every corner of your Unreal environment to life Key Features Know what it takes to stand out in the gaming and entertainment space Gain in-depth information on lighting, animation, nodes, material editors, blueprints and Blender’s compositing process Learn the ins and outs of scripting in C++ and Python to create plugins and fix intricate issues Book DescriptionThe second edition of 3D Game Design with Unreal and Blender will take an unbiased deep-dive into what it takes to make a strong impression in the gaming and general entertainment industry, regardless of your age or experience. You will learn how to improve your pipelines through speed, productivity, and quality by using situational and issue-specific techniques for problem solving. This book will provide tips on how to avoid burnout and develop a healthy work-life-balance. The book will start by explaining how to install Unreal Engine and Blender, and how to set up a simple scene in Unreal using either an empty project or starter content provided by Epic Games. After the initial steps, we’ll provide a detailed explanation of the user interface in Blender and Unreal. You will then learn how to add a single mesh to the scene followed by modeling, texturing, rigging, and animating your model. You will understand the differences and advantages of utilizing a workflow that uses all available viewports to improve organization and fully take advantage of the diverse variety of tools. By the end of this book, you will gain an advanced understanding and a new perspective on the world of game design and development, all the while learning not to be afraid to use any and all tools at your disposal, in creative and “unorthodox” ways.What you will learn Utilize and build upon all the tools offered by Unreal and Blender Improve your media-oriented pipelines and create realistic and stylized assets Explore the editing, compositing, rigging, and retargeting tools Experiment with different types of volumetric lights and post processing effects Quickly switch between model editing modes and rendering modes in the Blender and UE viewports using the user interface and hotkeys Apply techniques and solutions to build a strong workflow and healthy work-life balance Who this book is forThis book is for designers who want to expand their knowledge in utilizing various artistic 3D mediums and techniques in conjunction with programming, and/or quality assurance. If you are a designer who has basic knowledge of installing Unreal Engine and Blender and setting up a simple scene, this book will make your time with the process easier. This book will also benefit you if you are looking to build expertise from a blank slate, which means from the initial installation to the final rendered scenes.