Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This video is all about making the visuals in Unreal Engine 5 look as photorealistic as possible. It's not quite a tutorial but it does cover the workflow I used to get the foliage and lighting to look incredibly realistic as quickly as possible.
PATREON
Want to support my work and become a Game Dev Academy governor? Then check out the Patreon page & come and join us! ►► patreon.com/shanewhittington
DISCORD
♥ Join the Game Dev Academy Discord & get sorted into your Game Dev Academy house! - bit.ly/GDAdiscord ♥
RESOURCES USED
Height Maps: youtube.com/watch?v=QUayz48Gg2Q
Megascans: quixel.com/megascans
Barn: sketchfab.com/3d-models/the-free-cars-barn-cd0efbd358304d82962c505c3c1d917e
Trees: unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/city-park-environment-collection
unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/open-world-demo-collection
Sky HDRI: polyhaven.com/a/industrial_sunset_02_puresky
MORE TUTORIALS FROM ME
Unreal Engine 4 for Beginners: youtu.be/a0qNO6_xPx0
Creating Your First Game in Unreal Engine 4: youtu.be/icR_EgXrS6o
Maya Tutorial for Beginners 2021 | 2022: youtu.be/tZieJcA5vf0
MY PC SPECS (Affiliate links)
CPU: amzn.to/30PEy7E
GPU: amzn.to/2PPbnve
Motherboard: amzn.to/30RfX21
RAM: amzn.to/3fPxLz7
PSU: amzn.to/2PN6bYL
Case: amzn.to/3fSh0TT
Keyboard: amzn.to/30PLfGM
Monitor: amzn.to/2PQyl4S
VIDEO CHAPTERS
Introduction 00:00
Landscape Mood Board 00:34
Creating the project 01:02
New level 01:13
Creating a landscape using a height map 01:21
Finding a nice view 01:38
Adding a material to the landscape 02:00
Adding grass foliage 02:30
Using path tracing 03:26
Fixing grass culling distance 04:13
Tweaking material colours in the material instance 04:40
Using a HDRI image for the sky 04:49
Adding the cobblestone wall 05:50
Adding trees 06:38
Adding the barn 07:45
Adding the hedges 08:09
Landscape layer blend for field materials 08:40
Finishing touches 09:23
Finalise lighting 09:35
Final render 10:20
Conclusion 10:35
This video is all about making the visuals in Unreal Engine 5 look as photorealistic as possible. It's not quite a tutorial but it does cover the workflow I used to get the foliage and lighting to look incredibly realistic as quickly as possible.
PATREON
Want to support my work and become a Game Dev Academy governor? Then check out the Patreon page & come and join us! ►► patreon.com/shanewhittington
DISCORD
♥ Join the Game Dev Academy Discord & get sorted into your Game Dev Academy house! - bit.ly/GDAdiscord ♥
RESOURCES USED
Height Maps: youtube.com/watch?v=QUayz48Gg2Q
Megascans: quixel.com/megascans
Barn: sketchfab.com/3d-models/the-free-cars-barn-cd0efbd358304d82962c505c3c1d917e
Trees: unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/city-park-environment-collection
unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/open-world-demo-collection
Sky HDRI: polyhaven.com/a/industrial_sunset_02_puresky
MORE TUTORIALS FROM ME
Unreal Engine 4 for Beginners: youtu.be/a0qNO6_xPx0
Creating Your First Game in Unreal Engine 4: youtu.be/icR_EgXrS6o
Maya Tutorial for Beginners 2021 | 2022: youtu.be/tZieJcA5vf0
MY PC SPECS (Affiliate links)
CPU: amzn.to/30PEy7E
GPU: amzn.to/2PPbnve
Motherboard: amzn.to/30RfX21
RAM: amzn.to/3fPxLz7
PSU: amzn.to/2PN6bYL
Case: amzn.to/3fSh0TT
Keyboard: amzn.to/30PLfGM
Monitor: amzn.to/2PQyl4S
VIDEO CHAPTERS
Introduction 00:00
Landscape Mood Board 00:34
Creating the project 01:02
New level 01:13
Creating a landscape using a height map 01:21
Finding a nice view 01:38
Adding a material to the landscape 02:00
Adding grass foliage 02:30
Using path tracing 03:26
Fixing grass culling distance 04:13
Tweaking material colours in the material instance 04:40
Using a HDRI image for the sky 04:49
Adding the cobblestone wall 05:50
Adding trees 06:38
Adding the barn 07:45
Adding the hedges 08:09
Landscape layer blend for field materials 08:40
Finishing touches 09:23
Finalise lighting 09:35
Final render 10:20
Conclusion 10:35
