Render Target Atlas
This R&D is focused on working with a Render Target Atlas in Unreal Engine.
The current setup contains 16 unique Render Target regions, with each sphere Blueprint using its own dedicated area inside the atlas.
I mainly upload these videos to show the process behind the idea and its development, from early experimentation to a playable result. The system is still not complete, but it already demonstrates the progress, workflow, and direction of the project.
The main goal of this R&D is to explore how an Atlas Render Target can support multiple objects with live material interaction at the same time, instead of relying on a separate Render Target for every object.
In this scene, there is also a deeper connection between Blueprints, Materials, Niagara, and custom VDB workflows.
My main focus has been on the logic, technical workflow, and system design rather than visual design.
This is also a fairly high-end scene containing PCG and foliage, while still maintaining smooth FPS. Optimization has been an important part of the development, especially while using multiple live Render Target interactions.
Basic concept and movement setup
Started with the core idea and basic movement using Unreal Engine’s new Input System. I also created the initial Blueprints and used placeholder assets to build the first playable prototype.
Material setup and Blueprint connection
Added a basic material setup, created the required timing functions, and connected the material logic to the Blueprints.
Pickup, bullet, attachment, and physics systems
Implemented the pickup system, bullet functionality, attachment logic, physics behavior, timing, and the main related gameplay systems.
Connecting the full gameplay system
Combined all of the systems together, including the health system, damage logic, and Widget/UI elements, to create a more complete and functional gameplay loop.
For the main environment, I used Houdini HeightFields to create the terrain, and Unreal Engine PCG to scatter grass, trees, and other environmental elements.
The main purpose was to add more visual detail to the scene, but I also wanted the environment to be relatively heavy so I could test the system under more realistic performance conditions rather than in an empty or simplified scene.
The building assets are from the Fab Marketplace and come from an older Unreal Engine environment scene.
At this stage, I focused more on shader development, adding additional transparency controls and improving the priority and layering of different visual effects.
I also fixed several bugs related to gameplay logic and physics. At this point, the different systems started to feel much more connected, and the project began to come together as a complete gameplay experience.
I continued working on the player damage system, improving how damage is calculated and connected to the rest of the gameplay logic.
The bullet system also received more development. I added additional shader effects, timing-based functionality, and improved the overall bullet behavior.
I also connected more Niagara effects to the bullet system to improve the visual feedback and make the interactions feel more dynamic and responsive.
At this stage, I used Houdini to create and simulate the pyro effects, then exported them into Unreal Engine and connected them to the Blueprint system.
There is still more work to do on the density, fading, and blending behavior, especially for the ground shockwave effect, to make the transition feel more natural and visually controlled.
When each sphere is destroyed, it triggers an explosion effect. However, when the final sphere is destroyed, it triggers an additional ground shockwave effect, creating a stronger visual impact for the final destruction event.
This stage is mainly focused on improving the connection between the Houdini pyro simulations, Blueprint logic, and the overall effects inside Unreal Engine.
At this stage, I focused on further refinement and polish across the scene and gameplay systems.
I also changed the lighting conditions multiple times to test how the shaders react in different environments, especially the materials used for the main spheres and the bullets.
This helped me evaluate the shader response under different lighting scenarios and make sure the materials remain visually consistent, readable, and effective across a wider range of conditions.
You can see more refinement and polish as the development progresses. At a certain point, however, I decided to stop pushing the project further because the core gameplay logic was already functional and playable, and I had already demonstrated several stages of the development process.
I also spent some time improving the atmosphere and overall presentation of the scene.
The main goal of this project, however, was not to create a fully finished game. It was to show how the idea evolved through different stages of development and, more importantly, to test the Render Target Atlas workflow.
The main focus was on using the Render Target Atlas to manage and control a wide range of live, real-time interactions between the player, materials, gameplay systems, and visual effects, while keeping the workflow scalable and efficient.
You can also find several work-in-progress screenshots from Houdini and the Unreal Editor, showing different stages of the development process and how the project evolved over time.
