I’m looking for someone that might help with a little UE4 animation……
Background: I am building a kids Space capsule for my granddaughters, it features a cockpit you sit in with lots of educational space related screens/games plus many buttons, flashing lights and sound effects (DFPlayer based). This spaceship has three cut-out windows that look onto a 60” LCD TV.
The problem I have is finding suitable visuals to display on the LCD TV. I’m currently just looping some video clips. What I ideally would like is an animation that can be controlled via a joystick as a little spaceship/spaceperson travels around in space between planets and stars. PC based would be good but can deal with any platform.
I have started to learn UE4 and have made some mesh’s for a couple of planets. But for a one-off project the learning curve is a big task. I do not need anything that is “solar system correct” or in any way overcomplicated. No shooting or destroying anything…. And running in an open loop with enough content to make the visual interesting.
I’ve included a photo of the rough template and visual concept I’m playing with….
This little clip (from norikimami – sketchfab.com) is the sort of thing I’m hunting for (but with traveling around the planets). But could be a spacecraft rather then a character….
It occurred to me that someone might have something very close to my needs. Or something that could easily be modified to suit??
Happy to pay a nominal amount and happy for a more experienced UE4 user to own the animation! I’m just interested in something to use for this one-off job. Doesn’t seem to be anything out there that suits, apart for the more full on gaming market.
Thanks very much, I actually have those three and plan to use them on the screens inside the capsule along with some learning material for kids from ESA and NASA. For the simple view out the windows, they are far to complex… As mentioned, I’m after a very basic space background in an endless loop that has a spaceship or character that can move around in that space. Suitable for age 4 to 8 ish.
Stupid question! Can Unity templates be used in UE4? I thought they were basically competing products?? You can tell I haven’t played with Unity! I have seen some material available on Unity that looked interesting…
This is a fantastic project, Bruce_i_white! Building a space simulator for your granddaughters sounds both educational and incredibly fun. While Unreal Engine 4 is a powerful tool, it can have a steeper learning curve for beginners.
Alternative Approach with Unity:
An alternative you might consider is using Unity. It offers a user-friendly interface and a large asset store where you might find pre-made space environments or even complete space simulation templates that you can customize to fit your needs. This could significantly reduce development time and allow you to focus on the educational aspects of your project.
Here at Next Level Gaming Store, we offer a variety of Unity templates, including some space-themed ones. While they might not be an exact match for your needs, they could provide a solid foundation to build upon and potentially inspire your design.
Key Considerations for a Kid-Friendly Space Sim:
Simple Controls: Joystick control for movement is a great idea! Keep the controls simple and intuitive for young players.
Visually Appealing: Utilize bright colors, friendly character designs (if applicable), and engaging animations to capture their attention.
Educational Content: Integrate space facts, information about planets, or even mini-games to make the experience educational as well as entertaining.
Additional Resources:
Unity Learn Resources: Unity offers a vast library of tutorials and documentation to get you started: [Link to Unity Learn Resources]
Unity Asset Store: Explore the Unity Asset Store for pre-made space environments, characters, and other assets: [Link to Unity Asset Store]
By leveraging a game engine like Unity and potentially pre-made assets, you can create a captivating and educational space simulation experience for your granddaughters without needing to become a full-fledged game developer yourself.
I hope this helps! Feel free to ask if you have any questions about Unity or game development in general.
