ZDT's team of gaming, animation, and VFX veterans discuss how they used Unreal Engine 5 to build Darwin's Paradox!, a cinematic 2.5D platformer starring a stealthy octopus. Key topics include using Blueprint visual scripting for rapid prototyping, UE's material system and render targets to simulate octopus camouflage, combining Maya animations with real-world dynamics for organic character movement, and designing a UI-free experience to maintain cinematic immersion. The 15-person team leveraged Blueprint for gameplay mechanics, narrative scripting, and UI, transitioning to C++ only when performance demanded it.

7m read timeFrom unrealengine.com
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Which games and/or films would you say most influenced the visuals and gameplay in Darwin’s Paradox!?Many people are commenting that it looks like you’re playing through an animated movie in Darwin’s Paradox!. Was this one of the team’s goals from the onset?

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