Summary
Project Reneis the next phase ofThe Sims, one of the most successful life simulation game series ever released. While there is some trepidation aboutProject Renethanks to promises of live services, and while its launch, which will be alongsideThe Sims 4,is a long way off, there are a few signs thatProject Renewill be successful. One such sign came whenProject Rene’s PC pre-release build was leaked a few days ago. One of the details included in the leak is thatProject Renewill be moving from EA’s in-house engine, Frostbite, to Unreal Engine.
What is Frostbite and Why Would Project Rene Have Used It?
The Problem With Frostbite
Frostbite is a bit notorious as a game engine. As EA’s in-house game engine, the developer insists all the studios it owns use Frostbite to develop their games. This has messed up the development of games in the past, as studios have had to scrap entire systems and tools on previous engines they used and develop new ones from scratch in Frostbite. Additionally, Frostbite was also developed for EA’s own games, such as sports games and specifically also first-person shooters. Implementing Frostbite for other genres of games, such as RPGs, or anything dialogue-heavy or character-centric, became a problem.
Why Was Frostbite Problematic?
This was because Frostbite was designed with the needs of FPS in mind, rather than human expression and physics. While Frostbite is excellent for the games it was built for, it struggles outside the scope of its design. This problem was especially noticeable in the use ofFrostbite for BioWare’sDragon Age: Inquisition, which had a notorious crunch partially thanks to the issues that arose with Frostbite, andMass Effect: Andromeda, which struggled with animation, particularly facial expressions.
EA’s Allowance for Project Rene
Frostbite just couldn’t meet the needs of entire genres of games, and EA’s insistence on making it work was possibly hurting the studios it owned. So, the move to Unreal Engine forProject Reneis an unexpected but welcome development that is a very positive indicator ofProject Rene’s success.
What Unreal Engine Means For Project Rene
Why Unreal Engine?
It’s unknown at this time ifProject Renewill use Unreal Engine 4 or if the studio will implement Unreal Engine 5. The change from Frostbite to Unreal Engine won’t change the art style ofProject Renebut, as Unreal Engine isn’t exclusive to EA, it’s far more flexible as a developer tool than Frostbite and should be able to deal with any ofProject Rene’s needs.
The Story Behind Unreal Engine
ThatUnreal Engine is being used forProject Reneis incredibly excitingand is set to be one of the most positive aspects of the game since its announcement in 2022. Unreal Engine has been used by developers since 1998, and it was developed by Epic Games for the FPS game Unreal. Since then, the Unreal Engine has gone through several updates over the decades, with the latest version of the Unreal Engine being Unreal Engine 5, released in 2022.
Leaving Behind The Sims 4’s Engine
The move to Unreal Engineis also significant as it’s a move away fromThe Sims 4, which uses SmartSim. Like Frostbite, SmartSim is an in-house engine that was built to create specific types of games. Changing from SmartSim to Unreal Engine indicates a major change betweenThe Sims 4andProject Rene, with Unreal Engine givingProject Renemany more options than either Frostbite or SmartSim could offer.
The Sims 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Unleash your imagination and create a unique world of Sims that’s an expression of you. Download for free, and customize every detail from Sims to homes and much more. Choose how Sims look, act, and dress, then decide how they’ll live out each day. Design and build incredible homes for every family, then decorate with your favorite furnishings and décor. Travel to different neighborhoods where you can meet other Sims and learn about their lives. Discover beautiful locations with distinctive environments and go on spontaneous adventures. Manage the ups and downs of Sims’ everyday lives, and see what happens when you play out scenarios from your own real life. Tell your stories your way while developing relationships, pursuing careers and life aspirations, and immersing yourself in this extraordinary game, where the possibilities are endless
