Fundamentals of real-time rendering

Before starting the process that will allow us to export a high-definition video of the shot we have created inside Unreal Engine 5, we need to understand how the rendering process works inside the Engine.

First, we need to define what real-time rendering is and what are the differences with offline rendering.

Real-time rendering is a process in computer graphics where images or animations are generated and displayed in real time, meaning the rendering happens quickly enough to provide an interactive experience. For this reason, it is commonly used in video games. We have tasted what we have just said during the entire book: everything we perform inside the Engine’s Level Viewport is rendered in real time to show us what we are doing; everything happens in a quality that can be considered equal to the final one.

On the other side, offline rendering refers to the generation of images or animations over a longer period, often requiring...