In the ever-changing realm of esports, I had the privilege of playing a role in the coverage of one of the year's most prestigious events.
For the first time in the industry, our team took on the challenge of designing, animating, and broadcasting a major Esports event fully using real-time technology with Unreal Engine 5 and the innovative tool "Unreal Motion Design".
Due to strict non-disclosure agreements, sharing visuals from the project was off-limits. However, the skills acquired along the way inspired me to embark on a personal project, where I've incorporated some of these newfound abilities.
Due to strict non-disclosure agreements, sharing visuals from the project was off-limits. However, the skills acquired along the way inspired me to embark on a personal project, where I've incorporated some of these newfound abilities.
We designed over 100 visuals tailored to elevate the viewing experience. From dynamic player stats and leaderboards to captivating transitions, each element played a role in ensuring a seamless and engaging broadcast.
Maintaining a consistent art direction and visual coherence was essential throughout the project. Every graphic seamlessly integrated into the overall broadcast package, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality.
Here are several key ways in which real-time technology facilitated the seamless execution of our project:
1/ Real-Time Editing
Coming from the Motion Design industry (Adobe tools), the switch to real-time created some challenges. I found myself exploring innovative workarounds to streamline the design process and achieve seamless camera cuts while remaining within the same UE5 level.
2/ Procedural Modeling
UE5 Motion Design offers an intuitive solution for modeling and animation. No longer bound by repetitive importing from third party 3D apps, we were able to customize models directly within UE5, with instant feedback through real-time rendering.
Taking cues from C4D's Mograph tools, the keyframing capability within these new tools allowed us to design and animate transitions and cutaways. This seamless integration of modeling, animation, and keyframing within Unreal Engine 5 is a real game changer!
Taking cues from C4D's Mograph tools, the keyframing capability within these new tools allowed us to design and animate transitions and cutaways. This seamless integration of modeling, animation, and keyframing within Unreal Engine 5 is a real game changer!
3/ Procedural Shaders
For this project, we developed a sophisticated procedural texturing rig to introduce nuanced variations across our 3D meshes.
Through the utilization of a single seamless 2D texture, generated via fractal noise algorithms and integrating a 'time' node, the texture rotation underwent continual evolution, imbuing our designs with dynamic variation.
Through the utilization of a single seamless 2D texture, generated via fractal noise algorithms and integrating a 'time' node, the texture rotation underwent continual evolution, imbuing our designs with dynamic variation.
4/ Dynamic Content
In the fast-paced world of competitive events, where competitors swiftly evolve, our broadcast package stands ready to adapt in real-time to meet the dynamic needs of the competition.
Through innovative tool design, we have established seamless connections with third-party applications, facilitating on-the-fly content replacement. This integration extends to bracket sheets, enabling automatic and instantaneous updates to visuals while adhering meticulously to brand guidelines.
Through innovative tool design, we have established seamless connections with third-party applications, facilitating on-the-fly content replacement. This integration extends to bracket sheets, enabling automatic and instantaneous updates to visuals while adhering meticulously to brand guidelines.
5/ Live Texturing
The latest tools introduced in UE5 Motion Design mark a significant convergence of 2D and 3D capabilities. As a designer fluent in both worlds, these tools represent an exhilarating frontier for innovation.
In my exploration, I've leveraged these tools to craft dynamic transitions for broadcast, harnessing the power of a 2D layering system reminiscent of Photoshop alongside the versatility of standard UV mapping on 3D meshes. The result? Visuals that blend the best of both worlds.
Moreover, the ability to animate these elements over time adds an additional layer of dynamism and depth to the design.
I firmly believe that the true potential of these tools is yet to be fully realized. The future holds even greater promise for pushing the boundaries of Motion Design in UE5. If you want to exchange about these new technologies or collaborate together, feel free to shoot me a message on LinkedIn. Thanks for watching 🤘
