Preface
Chapter 1: Understanding Physically Based Rendering
Chapter 2: Customizing Opaque Materials and Using Textures
Chapter 3: Making Translucent Objects
Chapter 4: Playing with Nanite, Lumen, and Other UE5 Goodies
Chapter 5: Working with Advanced Material Techniques
Chapter 6: Optimizing Materials for Mobile Platforms
Chapter 7: Exploring Some More Useful Nodes
Chapter 8: Going Beyond Traditional Materials
Chapter 9: Adding Post-Processing Effects
Index
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 Unreal Engine is here to stay! Since the launch of the first edition of this book, based on the Unreal Engine 5 technology, real-time rendering has only grown in popularity. The demand for expertise in this area has grown exponentially across various fields over the last few years, and Unreal Engine 5 builds upon that foundation and continues to push the boundaries of what is achievable in an interactive format.

 Against this backdrop, the second edition of this book takes a leap forward and explores the new opportunities offered by the latest version of the engine, including Lumen, ray tracing, and Nanite. The book also revisits previously covered techniques and updates them to current standards, shining new light on topics such as the PBR workflow and the different lighting solutions that were present in the first edition. Throughout the chapters, you’ll be able to focus on two key principles that you need to consider when dealing with real-time graphics: optimization and efficiency.

 By the end of this book, you’ll have explored the many rendering possibilities that Unreal Engine 5 has to offer to become the master of your own creations!

What you will learn

• Leverage the capabilities of Lumen and Nanite to create breathtaking experiences

• Attain proficiency in the rendering pipeline of Unreal Engine to develop real-time graphics

• Utilize the physically based rendering pipeline to achieve photorealistic rendering across multiple scenes

• Explore the Material Editor to build complex materials and textures and achieve a high level of detail

• Optimize your materials to run seamlessly on multiple platforms

• Understand the various nodes and functions required to create impressive visual effects

Who this book is for

 This comprehensive guide is designed for anyone who is passionate about rendering, real-time graphics, and creating visually stunning experiences with Unreal Engine. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, this book offers a gentle learning curve that takes you from the fundamentals of the rendering pipeline to the most advanced techniques in the field. With a wealth of information and expert guidance, you'll quickly become proficient in the art of material creation, regardless of your background knowledge.