

And lastly, on-demand shader compilation compiles only the shaders needed to render what is seen on screen while working in the Unreal Editor, which can result in significant time savings and increased interactivity.įor developers building massive open worlds, this release also delivers additional functionality and improved workflows.

The new automated Pipeline State Object (PSO) caching for DX12 simplifies the process needed to prepare a game for shipping in DX12. For instance, Virtual Assets decouple the metadata from the object data, enabling developers to sync only what they need from source control systems such as Perforce-resulting in smaller workspaces and faster syncs for developers who don’t need access to the full object data. UE 5.1 also adds several features to improve efficiency for developers of games and other large-scale interactive projects, helping teams be more productive. This exciting development paves the way for artists to use Nanite to program specific objects’ behavior, for example Nanite-based foliage with leaves blowing in the wind. These improvements will enable fast-paced competition and detailed simulations without latency.Īdditionally, Nanite has also added a Programmable Rasterizer to allow for material-driven animations and deformations via World Position Offset, as well as opacity masks.


A range of stress-tested new features and improvements in 5.1 make Unreal even more robust, efficient, and versatile for creators across all industries.Īs over half of all announced next-gen games are being created with Unreal Engine, developers can now take advantage of updates to the Lumen dynamic global illumination and reflections system, the Nanite virtualized micropolygon geometry system, and Virtual Shadow Maps (VSM) that lay the groundwork for games and experiences running at 60 frames per second (fps) on next-gen consoles and capable PCs. Unreal Engine 5.1 is available today, building upon the groundbreaking feature set introduced in UE5 to enable even easier and faster 3D content creation.
