J'ai recréé POKÉMON sur UNREAL ENGINE 5 (avec ZÉRO EXPERIENCE)

What If Pokémon Never Went 3D?

The Inspiration Behind the Project

• The creator reflects on how the transition to full 3D in Pokémon may have lost some of its original charm and vibe, prompting a desire to explore this concept further.

• Initially unfamiliar with game development, the creator decided to remake Pokémon using Unreal Engine 5 after four months of dedicated work.

Learning and Challenges in 3D Development

• Acknowledging Nintendo's strict stance on fan creations, the creator emphasizes that this project is for fun and educational purposes rather than serious commercial intent.

• The journey began with an obsession over animated battlebases, which were hard to find online. This led to the realization that creating them from scratch was necessary.

• Despite having no prior experience in 3D modeling, the creator learned through trial and error, utilizing free software like Blender to create animated battlefields.

Overcoming Obstacles in Learning

• Learning Blender is compared to acquiring a new language; it requires understanding complex terminology and mastering keyboard shortcuts for efficiency.

• After several days of experimentation, the first simple battlebase was created, showcasing progress despite initial struggles with basic terrain modeling.

Progressing Through Experimentation

• Continued experimentation led to more complex designs such as lava and electric terrains. Each creation improved skills and confidence in 3D modeling.

• The most challenging project involved creating a Flying-type terrain using particle systems, marking significant growth in abilities.

Inspiration from Other Creators

• The unexpected success of "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" serves as motivation; it highlights how small teams can achieve remarkable results against odds.

• Guillaume Broche’s story illustrates that dedication and self-learning can lead to significant achievements in game development despite starting from scratch.

Key Takeaways About Creativity and Skill Development

• Emphasizing that talent is not innate but developed through hard work and passion; anyone can learn new skills if they are willing to put in the effort.

• Encouragement for viewers who wish to create or learn something new: persistence combined with passion is essential for success.

Inspiration and Ambition in Game Development

The Drive to Create

• The speaker expresses a strong desire to learn and improve, aiming to create something unique rather than settling for simple projects.

• There is an emphasis on the importance of experimentation and hard work in achieving personal goals.

Introduction to Unreal Engine

• Unreal Engine, developed by Epic Games, is highlighted as a versatile game engine used for various titles, including Fortnite and Hellblade II.

• It is noted that Unreal Engine can be downloaded and used for free, with a 5% royalty fee applicable only after earning over one million dollars in revenue.

Transitioning from Blender to Unreal Engine

Learning Curve Challenges

• The speaker reflects on the initial excitement of using Unreal Engine but quickly realizes the steep learning curve involved.

• Key differences between Blender and Unreal are discussed, particularly regarding interface and shortcut keys which lead to confusion.

Understanding Blueprints

• The concept of Blueprints is introduced as a complex system within Unreal for building logic and events, contrasting with Blender's modeling focus.

Setting Goals: Remaking Kanto Region

Defining the Project Scope

• The speaker decides on an ambitious project: remaking the entire Kanto region from Pokémon while acknowledging the need for realistic goals as a beginner.

Visual Style Considerations

• A blend of DS-era Pokémon art direction with modern influences like Octopath Traveler is desired; however, there’s a preference for more detailed character designs.

Creating Environments in Unreal Engine

Starting Small: Pallet Town

• The decision is made to begin with Pallet Town due to its foundational elements necessary for world-building.

Landscape Creation Process

• Creating landscapes involves sculpting ground shapes and painting textures; this process is described as satisfying yet complex.

Utilizing Advanced Tools: Runtime Virtual Textures

Enhancing Realism in Landscapes

• Runtime Virtual Textures (RVTs) are introduced as powerful tools that enhance landscape realism by controlling vegetation appearance based on painted textures.

Building a Living World: Foliage Challenges

Importance of Vegetation

• Emphasizes that creating diverse vegetation is crucial for making the world feel alive but also presents significant challenges due to performance considerations.

Techniques Used

• Discusses techniques such as using flat images arranged strategically to simulate 3D models while maintaining low polygon counts for efficiency.

Final Touches: Crafting Flora

Flower Creation Process

• Describes how flowers are created through sketching in Photoshop before importing into Blender or Unreal, showcasing creativity alongside technical skills.

Tree Design Struggles

• Highlights difficulties faced when designing trees that fit Pokémon aesthetics; ultimately leads to modifying existing models from previous games.

Foliage Tool and Environment Design

Introduction to the Foliage Tool

• The Foliage tool allows users to paint multiple shrubs at once, enhancing efficiency in environment design.

• It incorporates randomization of colors, thickness, and height for a more natural look.

Enhancing Visual Elements

• The default sky in Unreal Engine is improved by seeking inspiration from others' work; purchasing assets can provide valuable insights into complex systems.

• Tutorials and resources available on FAB (Unreal's marketplace) include free 3D models that can accelerate workflow.

Water Effects and Details

• A tutorial by Rimaye introduces an effective water material that reacts in real-time with objects, creating realistic ripples.

• Additional details like street lamps, benches, and animations were added to enhance the environment's liveliness.

Challenges in Game Development

Scaling and Texturing Models

• Houses were scaled up and textured to appear less smooth and more integrated into the environment.

Character Creation Process

• Creating characters involves designing pixel-by-pixel sprites for various poses including walking and running animations.

• Movement logic must be programmed manually rather than relying on automatic settings within Unreal Engine.

Complexities of Animation and Sound Design

Animation Challenges

• Each character requires unique animations for different movements which adds significant workload.

Sound Design Integration

• A sound system is created to generate footstep sounds based on the surface type being walked on.

The Pokémon Integration Dilemma

Creating Pokémon Animations

• Importing Pokémon sprites involves separating poses into flipbooks for animation, which is time-consuming.

Programming Behavior Mechanics

• Each Pokémon’s properties such as size, speed, and movement behavior must be explicitly programmed within Unreal Engine.

Finalizing Pallet Town

Overview of Final Version

• The final version includes interactive Pokémon that can wander or follow players based on user input.

NPC Integration

• NPC characters are animated similarly to Pokémon using techniques learned during development.

Creative Liberties Taken

• Certain areas have been creatively altered while maintaining a consistent atmosphere; day-night cycles are disabled for aesthetic reasons.

Saffron City Project Overview

Purpose and Experience

• The speaker expresses a fondness for Saffron City, indicating it may be their favorite aspect of the project.

• The main goal of the project was to create cinematic shots for future videos rather than building an entire map.

• The challenge of the project was enjoyable and provided significant learning opportunities over several months.

• A final announcement is made regarding the project's outcome, described as a prototype or demonstration of what has been achieved through this work.