Middleware technology and videogame development company, Silicon Studio Corporation, has today released the newest version of global illumination technology Enlighten for Epic Games, Inc.’s Unreal Engine 4. The release of new version, Enlighten 17, is the latest in Silicon Studio’s tradition of releasing timely updates for new Unreal Engine 4 versions, including the recently released Unreal Engine 4.17.
One of the main features of this version update is development capability for Nintendo Switch on Unreal 4 allowing for real-time Global Illumination. For all versions and platforms, including virtual reality (VR) development, Enlighten is looking to the future with many plans for development and advances in both technology and usability. New Enlighten SDK documentation instructing on how to quickly build an effective real-time GI workflow, and new Unreal Engine 4 Enlighten tutorials on how to configure level to achieve the best results, have been provided by Silicon Studio.
These new features are ‘a small glimpse’ into the improvements planned for Enlighten, according to Silicon Studio, with many more to come throughout 2018. Also with version Unreal Engine 4.18 set to release soon, a new version of Enlighten will go into development immediately upon release.
In addition to bringing Enlighten to Unreal Engine 4, Silicon Studio is also developing its own engine known as Xenko. VRFocus has previously spoken with Silicon Studio about Xenko, which features native VR support, with dedicated features like binaural audio and single pass rendering.
Silicon Studio is a Japan-based engine and middleware company, and is also known for developing Bravely Default, a hugely popular Nintendo 3DS videogame released in 2012, followed by Bravely Second: End Layer in 2015, before deciding to build its own engine. Xenko is the result of that decision. Other middleware technologies developed by Silicon Studio include YEBIS, a post-processing visual effects library, and Mizuchi, a physically based rendering engine.
Enlighten Unreal version 4.17 is available for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Android and Microsoft Windows PCs. The new Enlighten SDK documentation can be found here, and VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest middleware designed to aid VR production.