Unreal Engine 5 turns out to be an impressive game engine.
Not for the incredibly realistic character models, or even the weird environment renderings. Of course, the next grave robber and the Witcher games will be made in Unreal Engine 5, but that gives a shit. None of this represents even an ounce of what you are about to see.
Dan DeEntremont, also known as QuiteDan, is a VFX artist and “casual game developer“. He is currently working on a game involving a squirrel using Unreal Engine 5 and Houdini, a 3D animation software developed by SideFX of Toronto. In the tweet below, he shows a short video of his work, which is (to me) the future of video games.
Try the grooms #UnrealEngine5! 🔫🐿️ Squirrel is still a Blender edit, but Houdini takes care of the fur. It was extremely difficult, but very fun to explore!#indiedev #Game development #UnrealEngine #blender3d #Houdini #screenshotsSaturday pic.twitter.com/dyLfZGkH0W
— Dan DeEntremont (@QuiteDan) May 15, 2022
In the first 20 seconds of the 47-second clip, we see a beautifully detailed squirrel. A handsome little guy. When the squirrel moves, we see the natural movement of a squirrel that we would see in real life, which is just beautiful.
So it happens. The squirrel has a piece of MFin on it.
Very few things have brought me as much joy as watching a squirrel carry a proportionally identical firearm. Not only that, but the squirrel knows exactly what it’s doing. I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw this exact image while walking down the street. I would nod my head, talk about the nearest tree to harvest acorns, and go on my merry way.
The animations of the squirrel with a submachine gun? Magical. Ethereal. I hear John Denver Fly away playing in the distance as the long rat soars through the air. I feel calm. I feel at peace. I feel my ankles giving out when I realize the squirrel just shot me in both Achilles heels.
I fall to the ground and a single tear rolls down my cheek. Not because I’m in pain, but because I know in my heart that was how it was meant to be. Rodents were meant to carry guns in video games, and that’s what Unreal Engine 5 was made for.