Building Quote by Tim Sweeney
“For the third generation Unreal Engine, we are building two versions of every model in our game. We are building a source model with several million polygons, between 2 and 6 million polygons. We use that model for all the lighting detail on the mesh. Then we go to the in-game version, which is usually about 10,000 polygons.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: GDC 2023, Tim Sweeney on Unreal Engine 5
Developers create high‑poly source models for lighting and low‑poly game models for performance, balancing visual fidelity and real‑time constraints.
In simple terms: High‑poly for lighting, low‑poly for gameplay.
Key Takeaway
Use two model versions to optimize both quality and speed.
Themes
graphics
performance
workflow
optimization
technology
Mood
technical
strategic
Type
instructional
practical
When to use this quote
- game development
- film V
- virtual production
- architectural visualization
Key Concepts
polycount management
real‑time rendering
asset pipeline
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide the polygon budget for a character?
- What techniques can enhance low‑poly detail without raising counts?
A Different Perspective
Low‑poly models may lack detail in close‑up shots, requiring additional tricks.
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