Epic Games has just released Unreal Engine 5.6 to all developers and creators, and detailed its major new features. So, let’s see what this new version of UE5 brings to the table.
According to Epic Games, Unreal Engine 5.6 brings big improvements to how it handles Hardware Ray Tracing (HWRT). These changes help make Lumen Global Illumination run faster and smoother. Thanks to these upgrades, the engine removes certain CPU problems that used to slow things down. This means game developers can now create more detailed and complex scenes while still keeping a smooth 60FPS. In simple terms, games can look better and run better at the same time.
Moreover, the team made the engine work better while playing games, especially when loading or removing parts of the game world. They added a new tool, the Fast Geometry Streaming Plugin. This helps devs put more objects into the game that don’t change, like buildings or trees. These objects now load faster and help the game keep a smooth frame rate. Also, all games made with Unreal Engine will now stream content more smoothly. This means the game will handle things like physics better, such as when items appear or disappear, so everything feels quicker and runs more smoothly.
Epic Games has also enhanced the PCG framework. As such, devs will now be able to create worlds and manage complex scenes efficiently, and with better GPU-driven performance.
Epic Games has made some cool updates to the Node Graph UX (Beta) to make things easier for game developers. Now, devs can use inline constants, which means they can create, move, and change things like numbers or settings faster and more easily right inside the graph.
Epic also added a brand-new 3D viewpoint. This lets devs see how points, textures, and 3D models look right away while working. Plus, there are now custom templates and tools that help organize nodes better. All of this helps developers work faster and test changes quickly, saving time and effort.
It’s also worth noting that Epic Games has brought big GPU improvements. These changes help the system run better and more smoothly, especially when handling lots of objects in busy and detailed scenes. Thanks to these updates, the CPU doesn’t have to work as hard. This means the GPU can now create or “spawn” objects during gameplay in a faster and more stable way. These changes will give devs more control, speed, and accuracy when building large and complex worlds.
The PCG system has also gotten a big upgrade. It now uses multithreading, which means it can split up tasks and run them on different parts of the computer at the same time. This makes everything work faster and smoother, especially when building or playing in large or complex worlds. Thanks to this, you can expect better performance and quicker responses while working or playing in the engine.
And that’s not all. In Unreal Engine 5.6, Virtual Shadow Maps have been improved. They now run better and use less memory. Shadows also look nicer, and artists have more control over how they appear in a scene. Unreal Engine 5.6 also adds a new Petzval Bokeh setting. This changes how the background looks when it’s out of focus, making it look more like what you see in real cameras. This works both in real-time and in high-quality Path Tracer renders.
These appear to be the features that will interest most gamers. There are also numerous other features, which Epic Games detailed here. These features are mostly for developers, so most of you won’t find them interesting.
The most important features, in my opinion, are the Lumen and Ray Tracing optimizations. Plus, with the streaming improvements, we might get UE5 games that do not suffer from traversal stutters. So, I’m pretty excited for the future UE5 games.
Enjoy and stay tuned for more!
