MetaHumans is the next frontier in the creation of digital characters, bringing in realism and customizability to this day—levels unprecedented in Unreal Engine. Epic Games had designed MetaHumans to increase the speed at which it is possible to develop extremely intricate models of human-like characters for use in a number of media formats like video games, movies, or virtual reality.
The uniqueness at the root of MetaHuman technology is a synthesis of advanced modeling techniques with cutting-edge texture mapping and dynamic animation systems for photorealistic digital humans at a very fine degree of detail. The web-based tool MetaHuman Creator can be used to sculpt characters flexibly and with high precision. One can create huge variations in human appearance by changing a long list of parameters, from facial features and skin tones to hairstyles.
One of the most striking characteristics of MetaHumans is that it comes equipped with next-generation rendering from Unreal Engine. All characters that come out of MetaHuman Creator work with Unreal Engine’s real-time rendering, allowing sleek visuals of high quality with realistic animations in real-time environments. This will be particularly useful to game developers and filmmakers who want to create lifelike characters but do not want to spend hundreds of hours on manual rigging or animation work.
Another million-dollar advantage of MetaHumans is that it comes preloaded with high-fidelity motion capture data. At the base framework level, MetaHuman has a very sophisticated system to capture and animate subtle facial expressions and body movements. This provides natural and credible animations, which can produce realistic interactions in interactive media.
More than that, MetaHumans have been optimized for scalability and performance; the characters work well on everything from high-performance PCs down to mobile devices without losing their visuals. In turn, this enables creators to apply MetaHumans to a collection of projects—from triple-A games to independents—without losing consistency.
More than mere technical capability, metahumans actually democratize character creation. Access to tools that allow small studios and independent creators to build professional-grade, high-quality digital humans reduces the barrier to entry. This kind of access helps a lot of voices and stories come across through digital media, thus fueling creativity and innovation.
Metahumans in Unreal Engine represent a quantum leap in the creation of digital characters: advanced realism combined with ease of use and high performance. They will empower creators to produce believable, living characters that enhance a sense of immersion in digital experiences—democratizing high-end character design and extending creative reach in interactive and cinematic storytelling.
Arnold