Episode 117 - Unreal 5.5.1 Upgrade

In episode 117 of COPI Cafe, Rob and Josh delve into the vast sky realm of " Cornucopias ," an advanced MMO where players create avatars to explore floating islands and engage in activities such as crafting and racing.

They discuss the significant upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.5.1, addressing its challenges, including the lack of a DLSS driver, while celebrating improvements like memory leak resolutions and the introduction of a motion matching feature for more realistic character animations.

The conversation also covers the integration of AI for NPC interactions, ongoing server infrastructure enhancements, and new onboarding features aimed at attracting a broader player base. As the development progresses, the team highlights their commitment to creating an immersive gaming experience that surpasses existing titles, while looking forward to engaging the community through upcoming esports events and conventions.

• 00:00:00 In this section, the hosts Rob and Josh, celebrate the new year and outline plans for the episode, including discussions about the Unreal Engine 5.5.1 upgrade, which is seen as a significant enhancement for the game. They also share some light-hearted personal anecdotes, including Rob's challenges with a new bike and his pursuit of recovery after the holiday season.

• 00:05:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on the team's transition to Unreal Engine version 5.5.1, highlighting that they are committed to this upgrade despite some limitations. Notably, there is currently no DLSS driver for this version, necessitating a temporary halt on leveraging that technology, although TSR (Temporal Super Resolution) remains available. The team is also awaiting updates on Mega Lights due to their significant performance impact. Despite these challenges, there are improvements such as the resolution of memory leaks from an earlier version and enhancements to control rig issues, particularly regarding the attachment of static meshes to skeletons. Moreover, the team expresses excitement about the new motion matching feature, which promises to facilitate more natural and varied character movements, including procedural animation powered by AI algorithms to enhance realism on the fly.

• 00:10:00 In this section, the discussion highlights the advancements in motion AI systems within Unreal Engine, particularly their potential to enhance non-player character (NPC) animations without relying on pre-animated sequences. This allows for more realistic NPC behaviour, such as walking and reacting to the environment, thanks to AI-generated animations and motion matching technologies. The speaker explains how these developments will enable small studios to automate the creation of animations, speeding up production while increasing detail and fluidity in movements. Additionally, the incorporation of a vast database of pre-recorded motions is emphasized, which contributes to a more natural feel in character animations. As Unreal Engine continues to evolve, the ability to leverage AI for animation promises significant benefits for both game development and the cinematic experiences that studios can create.

• 00:15:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the integration and potential of AI in gaming, particularly through Unreal Engine. The speakers highlight their ongoing projects involving AI-powered NPCs (non-player characters) that utilize large language models trained on the game's lore. They emphasize the exciting prospects of dynamic conversations with NPCs, which could enhance gameplay by enabling ownership and trading of NFT versions of these characters. The main challenge currently noted is the performance of these AI interactions, as delay in responses may hinder user experience. Additionally, there’s talk about improvements to their game launcher, which now allows for switching between staging and live versions more efficiently, addressing previous issues with downloads.

• 00:20:00 In this section, the focus is on the upcoming changes to the game's infrastructure, particularly regarding file nodes and server scaling. The team is working on transitioning from AWS to a decentralized file node system for downloading the game, which will allow for more efficient data storage by using partial game data to accommodate users with limited storage capacities. Additionally, they are addressing server scaling concerns, aiming to ensure robust performance even during significant traffic spikes, such as those generated by esports events. While there are minor bugs to resolve, the team is optimistic about moving forward with a custom solution that meets the specific demands of different gaming scenarios, thereby enhancing user experience significantly.

• 00:25:00 In this section, the team discusses various updates related to their game development, particularly in collaboration with Epic Games on new features categorized as experimental. They highlight the ongoing work on a new bodysuit and a character creator that aims to simplify options and address existing animation issues caused by extreme character heights. Plans for integrating features like a tattoo shop within the game instead of through the character creator are mentioned, along with the introduction of tree-chopping mechanics and research into AI-driven quests and dialogues for future builds. Additionally, they share a quick teaser of character movement that showcases advancements in natural motion for both hair and clothing, encouraging viewers to check out the full video on Twitter.

• 00:30:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the exciting updates and advancements in Unreal Engine 5.5.1, particularly focusing on features like nanite hair and cloth movement that are expected to enhance character performance significantly. As the team explores ways to optimize character rendering by drawing only essential elements, they anticipate the potential for high-performance gameplay incorporating AI characters, mining, and fishing mechanics. This evolution underscores the game's growing complexity and interactivity, making it appealing and engaging for players. Additionally, the conversation touches on player choice regarding land plots in and out of town areas, emphasizing subjective advantages based on personal preferences. Lastly, there’s mention of an upcoming South American Esports tournament, indicating ongoing engagement with the gaming community and influencers.

• 00:35:00 In this section, the team discusses new onboarding features that will simplify the entry process for players, eliminating barriers such as costs associated with NFTs. This change is seen as crucial for marketing, especially in attracting larger partnerships to bring new communities into the game. They also mention planning for an upcoming meeting to finalize the integration steps for these features. While they express excitement about these developments, they acknowledge the challenges of balancing conference appearances with their commitment to delivering game features. The team intends to attend Rare Evo and possibly other events but emphasizes the need to prioritize game development over distractions from conferences.

• 00:40:00 In this section, the speakers discuss the expansive and immersive world they are developing. They express a commitment to enhancing the game's liveliness and fun while considering potential visits to gaming conventions in New York and/or Europe, emphasizing the need for value without distracting from their current project deliverables.