We tried making our own game in UEFN - Here's what happened!
With the release of Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Epic Games has unlocked a treasure trove of creative potential within the Fortnite universe. Game developers in the Fortnite Creative community now have the power to harness Unreal Engine's formidable capabilities to craft games and experiences that can thrill millions of Fortnite players worldwide.
The UEFN Creator Portal is a bustling hub where teams of developers and creators gather to bring their digital dreams into existence. It's all about collaboration, and with UEFN, creators now wield robust tools for working seamlessly together on shared projects. Naturally, we couldn't resist giving UEFN a spin. We decided to embark on a creative journey and craft our own game within this exciting platform. Buckle up as we take you through our findings, what we loved, and our thoughts on areas that need more consideration.
Things we found amazing:
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UEFN Teams are a game-changer for collaboration. They enable efficient coordination and real-time teamwork, resulting in enhanced productivity and boundless creativity.
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The optimization is unreal - no pun intended; assets glide like a breeze, making the creative process a joy. Another great feature is the ability to bring in assets from other providers like Sketchfab.
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Assigning specific roles is like setting the stage for a well-orchestrated play. You've got the Owner, the Administrator, the Publisher, and the Collaborator. It ensures that everyone knows their part and plays it to perfection.
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According to us, the best part is the incredible ability for different team members to work on separate features simultaneously which accelerates progress and adds layers of depth to the project.
The slightly challenging stuff:
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While team members can have their share of control, the owner (sometimes the client for the project) holds the ultimate scepter of authority over the team and its projects. To maintain full ownership of your project, you must also be the owner of the team created in the Creator Portal. It's a slight catch in this otherwise vibrant adventure.
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Publishing and editing is not for everyone in UEFN. Only certain roles, namely Owners, Administrators, and Publishers, have the privilege of publishing and editing islands or project metadata.
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Coordinating efforts among team members can sometimes feel like hopping across time zones. Some roles may require you to be in a session to make changes, and for globe-trotting team members, this can be a coordination conundrum.
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UEFN Teams come with a cap of 30 members, which, in grand collaborations, might feel like having to invite just a fraction of your creative army to the party.
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downloadable projects need to be less than 400 MB, something to keep in mind for larger-than-life projects.
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Perhaps the most notable caveat: your creations are bound to the Fortnite universe. They can't venture out into other platforms.
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For those who adore Blueprints, UEFN has a different language – Verse. It's not as pleasing to those who prefer the visual delights of Blueprints.
UEFN Game Development
Creative Collaboration in Game Dev
Fortnite Creative Community
Technology Innovation in Gaming
UEFN Features and Benefits
Challenges in UEFN Game Development
Unreal Engine for Fortnite
Metaverse Game Development
Epic Games UEFN Update
Algoryte Game Dev Blog
Here are a few things Epic wants you to consider before trying out UEFN
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Most updates to UEFN necessitate updates to Fortnite, including both Fortnite servers and clients. Additionally, UEFN itself may require periodic updates, as well as plugins for VS Code, such as the Verse extension. These updates may also involve modifications to assets used in the process.
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Emphasizing the importance of security and privacy, it's crucial to note that enhancements or new features in these domains undergo rigorous scrutiny and are subject to thorough legal oversight.
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Many of the systems and assets within Fortnite were initially designed to be constantly active and resident in memory. Transitioning them to optional or dynamic states is a complex process, often entailing performance trade-offs.
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UEFN projects serve as a foundational element within a broader ecosystem of experiences in a metaverse. In this interconnected realm, various projects coexist, sharing users, features, and content. This introduces unique considerations that are not typically encountered in a standalone Unreal project.
So there you have it, this was our adventure trying out the UEFN. To be fair, the possibilities are truly endless and we are merely scratching the surface at this moment. With each passing day, Unreal Engine continues to bring significant updates to UEFN that are changing the way we look at gaming. As for us, stay tuned because we’ll continue to play around and share brand new adventures as more updates come in!
Algoryte is a leading web3 game and metaverse development company with a strong track record in unreal engine development. We have a diverse experience ranging from sandbox to shooter to VR and metaspaces in Unreal Engine 4 and 5, For inquiries and collaborations, please feel free to reach out to us here or email us at hello@algoryte.com