Computational Research Center

News and updates from the CRC

Native Dancer: Unreal Engine and Udraper

Author: Ariann Rousu – Native Dancer Digital Artist

What Is Unreal Engine? 

I have mentioned how we will be using Unreal Engine to develop and create the Native Dancer game demo in past posts, however, have not talked about it extensively. In today’s blog post I will discuss how we are using an Unreal Engine plug-in Called Udraper to simulate the Native Dancer Clothing in real time in the game.

Unreal engine is a tool gaming developers and game creators can use to generate 3D content such as “worlds” for players. It can create realistic and interactive experiences for your characters. Unreal has options to use other plug-ins that create the desired gaming outcomes of the creator. Unreal engine is compatible with many other gaming software’s and creators can access tools for rigging, retargeting motion, and visually manipulating assets brought into the gaming environment. This is useful as it can cut down on time by not forcing creators to go back into previous programs to make changes to the game assets.

Native Dancer Project- Character Standing in Unreal Engine

What is Udraper?  

UDraper is a real time cloth simulator plug-in that was created by TriMirror that enables easier transfers of clothing into Unreal. TriMirror has experience with 3D garment design, 3D materials, and cloth simulation. They created the tool to make it easier for others to create realistic cloth physics in gaming. Udraper was designed to have clothing look as real as the characters and other scenery while playing.

Udraper fits right in with how we have been designing our clothing for the Native Dancer Characters so far as it uses the same simulator properties and aspects used in Marvelous Designer. Focusing on soft cloth physics and processing the clothing to fall more realistically on our 3D characters, we have been able to use Udraper to transfer the clothing we made over to unreal engine.  

Udraper is cool to watch in action as once you set up the clothing to be transferred into unreal, it’s almost as simple as clicking the mouse and just sitting there. The program then takes control of your workspace and automatically finishes the exporting process. This brings the clothing from an open Marvelous Designer window into Unreal Engine. We have experienced a few roadblocks getting Udraper to fully work for us, but overall are having a great time with it. So far, we have been able to simulate a male character in most of the regalia in Udraper.

Native Dancer Project- Character in Regalia Utilizing Udraper