Unreal Engine 3 takes game engine graphics to the next level with “Samaritan,” a real-time demo revealed at the 2011 Game Developers Conference.
Now supporting DirectX 11, UE3 utilizes DirectX features such as tessellation and displacement, geometry shaders, multisampled textures and Shader Model 5.
High-end rendering features include:
- Image-based reflections that allow surfaces of any shape to reflect an approximate version of scenes, with varying glossiness across surfaces, anisotropic HDR highlights and anti-aliasing;
- Subsurface scattering (SSS) that simulates the light that scatters inside semi-translucent materials, which makes character skin come alive;
- Anti-aliased masked materials that super sample the edges of masked and alpha-tested materials, resulting in highly realistic hair;
- Deferred rendering with MSAA support;
- Bokeh depth of field providing close to film-quality DOF, with artist-controllable Bokeh; and
- High-quality dynamic shadows from many lights on the environment.
Epic also worked with NVIDIA to implement APEX physics technology, which is illustrated by dynamic clothing movement in “Samaritan.” Other APEX features available now include turbulence and real-time destructibility.
All these cutting-edge features are now available in UDK.
