Why start an article with a negative? Let's say that in this case it turns out to be the most appropriate. Computer-generated graphics have reached an impressive level of realism, but a trained eye can always find a detail or two that expose the artificial nature of a scene. Even so, this French apartment made us doubt a couple of times, demonstrating the enormous potential of the Unreal Engine.
The pursuit of realism
In general, graphics are considered the main culprits for the loss of substance in the latest generations of video games. For some developers the temptation is very great, and they decide to cover up flaws in story or gameplay with an excess of visual elements. If we think about it for a moment, this also happens in movies. CGI is a tool, but there are projects that use it as if it were a magic wand, delivering lamentable results. Now, the idea is not to banish graphical evolution either. If the context is up to par, increasing the detail of a scene is definitely welcome. When I speak of details, I really mean irregularities, defects. A perfect texture is false by definition, and when we take on the role of judges, our eyes are relentless. With that in mind, we find Unreal Paris, a creation by Benoît Dereau.
We've spent years in front of a computer, and we need much more than a video to be amazed. In other words, our eyes already know what to look for. The camera movement leaves much to be desired, the reflection of light doesn't respond as well on certain surfaces, and in the bathroom scene we discover a pattern of towels that repeats several times, however, there are moments when just a pause is needed for the apartment (read apartment or flat) to seem as real as any other. The rendering uses the fourth version of the Unreal Engine, but this isn't a work sponsored by Epic Games, but rather a simple (if it can truly be called that) personal project by the artist.
Virtual reality and architecture
Needless to say, Unreal Paris must be driving architects and engineers around the world crazy. Houses under construction and buildings that haven't yet come off the plans could come to life and help eliminate any design problem before discovering it the hard way. Of course, we're obliged to incorporate virtual reality into the equation. Unreal Engine 4 has official support for the Oculus Rift through a plugin, so it's only a matter of time before someone develops a similar experience, aimed at the owners of the virtual headset.
