Unreal Engine 4 now FREE for everyone!

[AceMastermind]

https://www.unrealengine.com/what-is-unreal-engine-4

"If you love something, set it free"



http://www.gamespot.com/articles/unreal ... 0-6425627/



"The free version of Unreal Engine 4 now available to developers is not a trial or sample edition, Sweeney stressed. It's the full version."

[Maveritchell]

Dangit, Epic, that was my last good excuse not to learn the engine. I don't wanna work with visual scripting.

[Teancum]

... I don't wanna work with visual scripting.

Amen to that. It's really cool in concept (the Xbox LIVE Arcade game Trials Evolution has it) but I find it takes more time doing visual scripting than writing lines of code. That being said it's neat that it's free, but I have zero interest in it. Engines now take way too much work to produce quality content. Circa 2005 is about as new as I get since I don't have to deal with all the 360/PS3-level technology (and above). I like the old days of just texture and bumpmaps, no ultra high-poly model having to be made before the in-game model can, etc.

[GAB]

Yeeeessss!!! I can't believe they really made it free. I've always wanted to put my hands on this! I remember watching some video tutorials for this engine while Kothlis would munge and wishing I had access to this technology.

Thanks for sharing this, Ace!

[AceMastermind]

Yep it's awesome indeed, and apparently Unity has an announcement scheduled for today as well!

http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/unity- ... am.305907/



Could it be free Unity Pro for all?

EDIT:
No, but a free full featured royalty-free personal version of Unity 5 is available.

[ANDEWEGET]

It's not necessary to use visual scripting except for the material node graph and the animation graph. And from my experience, it definitely has its place. I don't use it for anything complex but it's straight up better for the visual/effect side of things in most cases (like spawning particle systems, playing sounds, changing models after a CP is captured) and of course prototyping.
Even if writing the code was a bit faster, adding the 60+ seconds of compile-and-reload time makes it like 5 times faster for small iterations (which, in the end, is all what Blueprint is about for people who can use both).

[The Nasal Abyss]

... I don't wanna work with visual scripting.

Amen to that. It's really cool in concept (the Xbox LIVE Arcade game Trials Evolution has it) but I find it takes more time doing visual scripting than writing lines of code. That being said it's neat that it's free, but I have zero interest in it. Engines now take way too much work to produce quality content. Circa 2005 is about as new as I get since I don't have to deal with all the 360/PS3-level technology (and above). I like the old days of just texture and bumpmaps, no ultra high-poly model having to be made before the in-game model can, etc.

Stuff like that is becoming more and more automated, though. Sure, high poly sources are still needed, but plug in some cavity and ambient occlusion bakes into tools like QUIXEL Suite and Substance Designer and you can get some insanely good looking stuff instantly. It's more about the modelling ability now than the texturing.

But yeah, this is incredible. Once I get my new PC built by the end of the week (when my parts finally make it through the snow and ice in the midwest) I'll definitely have to set up UE4, if only just to mess around with.

[Marth8880]

Heho, the only catch is the increase from 5% to I think like 25% in royalty payments...

Dangit, Epic, that was my last good excuse not to learn the engine. I don't wanna work with visual scripting.

But Kismet is the beeeeeeest!

[ANDEWEGET]

It's still 5% after 3k per product per quarter.

[Marth8880]

Oops. Yeah, you're right.