Fortnite Trailer Developing a real-time pipeline for a faster workflow Fortnite Trailer: Developing a Next Gen pipeline for a faster workflow Contents PAGE PAGE — Animation Tests 25 1. Pipeline Development 4 — Model Resolution 26 — Linear vs. Real-Time Pipeline 5 — Modeling 26 — Real-Time Pipeline: A Closer Look 6 — Character Models 26 — Environment Models 26 — Rendering Method 7 — Materials and Textures 27 — Primary Creative Tool 7 — Dealing with Real-Time Considerations 28 — Workflow 7 — Rigging and Animation 28 — Data Organization 8 — Body Rigs 28 — Developmental Model 8 — Body Animation 28 — Versioning vs. Source Control 9 — Animation & Rigging Toolset (ART) 29 — Output Target 10 — Body Picker 29 — Production Concepts 10 — Last view and Rig Settings 30 — Sequence Breakdown 11 — Pose Editor 30 — Pre-Production Steps 12 — Facial Rigs and Animation 30 — Linear vs. Real-Time Pre-production 12 — Exporting to FBX and Alembic 32 — Fortnite Pipeline 13 — FBX Export from Maya 32 — FBX Export from ART 33 — Alembic Export from Maya 34 2. Pre-production 15 — Custom Alembic/FBX Export Tool 35 — Story Development 16 — Importing to Unreal Engine 36 — Sequence Breakdown 17 — FBX Import to Unreal Engine 36 — Alembic Import to Unreal Engine 37 — Rough Layout 17 — PCA Compression 38 — First Unit Previs 17 — Lighting 39 — Sequencer Steps 18 — Priority Overrides 40 — Rough Layout Cleanup 19 — Light Rigs vs. Spawnables 40 — Defining Levels 19 — Distance Field Ambient Occlusion 40 — Level Sequences 20 — Fortnite Level Sequences 20 — File and Folder Organisation 22 4. Effects and Post Processing 41 — Naming Conventions 22 — Enemy Deaths 42 — Level Visibility 22 — Storms 43 — Level Management 23 — Volumetric Fog 44 — Final Output 44 3. Production 24 — Production 24 5. Project Data & Information 45 — Scene Assembly 24 — About this Document 47 — Improvements to In-Game Assets 25 Fortnite Trailer: Developing a Next Gen pipeline for a faster workflow Fortnite Trailer Developing a real-time pipeline for a faster workflow In July 2017, Epic released Fortnite, a video game where players save survivors of a worldwide cataclysmic storm. Players build fortifications and construct weapons from scavenged materials while fighting off monsters and other enemies. As of August 2017, the game had over a million players. In late 2016, in preparation for the game’s release, Epic Games began production on a three-minute cinematic trailer for Fortnite. Epic’s goal was to create a real-time animated short with the same quality as a pre-rendered sequence, but which would allow real-time navigation and interaction with the set during the production process. The purpose of Fortnite’s trailer was to showcase its fun and unique art style, and introduce the story’s goal as well as gameplay elements such as scavenging, building, and defending. Figure 1: Scene from Fortnite trailer This document outlines the process of creating the Fortnite trailer using Unreal Engine, with a pipeline designed to minimize production time while allowing maximum collaboration and creativity. While Unreal Engine was originally designed as a game development tool, its integration of many animation pipeline tasks—versioning, rigging, animation, editing, editorial review, changelist distribution, and others—make it an ideal tool for animation work as well. Its real-time rendering capabilities contribute to the mix, giving instant feedback for faster work and better results. 3 Fortnite Trailer: Developing a Next Gen pipeline for a faster workflow Pipeline Development 4 Fortnite Trailer: Developing a Next Gen pipeline for a faster workflow Pipeline Development To develop the pipeline for the Fortnite trailer, the Epic team The way these tasks are arranged into a workflow, and the first considered the trailer’s goals and the tasks involved. choice of tools to perform these tasks, can have a major impact on man-hours spent, quality of the result, and even The trailer contains six sequences comprised of 130 whether the project is finished at all. individual shots. Specific goals included: Epic’s goal with the Fortnite trailer was to streamline the • Final trailer can be played back in workflow to create a high-quality animation in minimal real time in Unreal Engine production time (and with minimal stress). To achieve this • Frame rate of 24 fps goal, the team utilized Unreal Engine 4 as the centerpiece of • Length approximately three minutes its pipeline. • Visual quality of real-time animation at least as high as pre-rendered. Linear vs. Real-Time Pipeline The major tasks required to create a pre-rendered trailer are similar to those for a real-time sequence: In the early stages of developing the Fortnite trailer, the Epic team considered the best way to improve on • Environment and character design traditional pipelines. • Storyboard • Determination of tools to use (software, hardware) Traditional linear animation pipelines take an assembly line approach to production, where tasks are performed • Sequence breakdown sequentially. Newer and more holistic pipelines opt for non- • Assets such as sets, characters, linear and parallel methods to process and distribute data. and rigs created or collected • Rough layout of motion While a linear pipeline can produce results, it has • Sound and dialogue created or acquired certain drawbacks: • Actions/motions created or collected • Limitations to changes. In any production, • Asset editing by multiple team members animation needs to be broken down into distinct requirements, each of which is critical to the • Scene building with multiple assets nuances of performance. An improvement for • Animation based on rough layout a specific requirement might require a subtle • Lighting change to an asset’s motion, a set’s lighting, etc. • Rendering In a linear workflow, if such a change is required while later steps are underway, the changes • Post processing can be difficult or time-consuming to propagate • Testing output at desired resolution, throughout the project. Such a limitation can lead to playback speed, etc. a reluctance to make changes and improvements, • Review of work by senior production team members which ultimately affects the artistic quality of the • Final output production. Since the entire point of the production is to create the best animation possible, such a limitation can defeat the purpose of the project. • Post processing required. Traditional linear animation 5 Fortnite Trailer: Developing a Next Gen pipeline for a faster workflow studios commonly produce output as layers and • Deploy priority overrides so lighting and objects mattes to be composited at the end of the project. in each shot could be adjusted individually. While this approach does allow for a high degree of control over the result, it adds a great deal to the overall budget and schedule. Post processing is often done outside the creating studio, which further Real-Time Pipeline: A Closer Look divorces this step from the rest of the production. The real-time pipeline utilizing Unreal Engine was developed To minimize these limitations, Epic needed a new type of to address the various and minute issues of animation pipeline for the Fortnite trailer. With the tools available in production, each of them vital to artistic quality, technical Unreal Engine, Epic was able to develop a real-time pipeline considerations, and conversation of artists’ time. that eliminated the problems of a linear pipeline, smoothing the production process while maximizing artistic quality: To illustrate the components of this new type of pipeline, the following table shows the traditional linear animation • Interactive creative process. The entire production workflow and compares it with a real-time pipeline centered pipeline is represented within Unreal Engine from around Unreal Engine. asset ingestion to animation, effects, lighting, editing, and post production. Reviews can be performed on each part individually or on the Linear Animation Real-Time project as a whole to determine whether changes Pipeline Pipeline are needed. Artists can make iterative changes Rendering Method Linear rendering Real-time easily within Sequencer, the cinematic tool within rendering Unreal Engine. The time between making a change Primary Creative Tool DCC Unreal Engine and seeing it reflected on-screen is instantaneous, Workflow Less Parallel More Parallel facilitating an interactive and creative process. Data Organization Decentralized Centralized • Ease of editing. Sequencer can create, modify, reorder, or even delete shots in real time. Developmental Model Pull Fetch & Push Sequencer acts as a production hub, combining Naming Convention Strict More Relaxed aspects of the editorial department with layout Versioning vs Source Manual w/ Atomic and animation in a non-linear timeline editor. Control Symbolic Linking Transactions • Faster output. The entire process of post effects can Output Target Layered Final Pixel Output be dealt with inside Unreal Engine, thus reducing Asset Considerations Unlimited Topology Optimized for RT the need for external compositing requirements. Table 1: Comparison of linear and real-time pipeline Using Unreal Engine as an integral part of a real-time pipeline made additional methods available for improving visual quality and saving time. The team made the decision to utilize several of these options for the Fortnite trailer: • Leverage existing game assets. • Deploy an improved facial animation solution through Alembic caching. • Implement dynamic lighting over baked lighting to maximize