2024 Unreal Fall Class

This project is from a DMAE grad student in our fall Unreal class. He heavily leaned on acquired content and learned a lot about the Chaos physics system for vehicles and using procedural landscape tools.

This project delivers a dynamic time trial racing experience set against a procedurally generated landscape with natural elements like trees and a lake. The track is sculpted using landscape splines, producing a mountainous road with carefully banked turns designed to improve handling and maintain traction. Under the hood, the system leverages Unreal Engine’s Chaos Vehicle physics, tuned for arcade-style controls and featuring a lowered, forward-shifted center of gravity to minimize oversteer.

On the audio side, engine sound design employs FMOD to reflect changes in engine load, wind noise, and RPM variations, creating a more immersive driving atmosphere. A unique AI driver system records the player’s best laps and improves over time, ensuring each new record is challenged by a more competitive opponent. This combination of procedural environments, refined vehicle physics, adaptive AI, and reactive audio design delivers a captivating and evolving time trial racing experience. - Kourosh