How to Reduce the Unreal Engine 4 File Size to Optimize Performance

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As games become more complex, the Unreal Engine 4 file size can quickly become bloated, leading to slower load times, decreased performance, and difficulty distributing the game.

Therefore, reducing the UE4 file size is essential to optimize performance and ensure a smooth and seamless gaming experience for players.

This topic will explore various techniques and best practices for reducing the UE4 file size to optimize performance. Let’s discover!

Overview of Unreal Engine 4 & Its File Size

Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) is a powerful game development engine that has been used to create many popular games, including Fortnite, Gears of War, and Batman: Arkham Knight.

It offers a wide range of features, such as high-quality graphics, advanced physics simulations, and a flexible visual scripting system. Hence, it allows developers to create complex game logic without writing code.

One important aspect of using UE4 is understanding the Unreal Engine file size. The size of a UE4 project can vary depending on the content of the game and the number of assets included.

For example, a simple game with a few levels and minimal graphics may have a file size of several hundred megabytes. Meanwhile, a complex game with high-resolution textures and detailed 3D models can easily exceed several gigabytes.

Tips to Reduce UE4 File Size Before Publishing

Here are some tips to help reduce the Unreal Engine 4 file size before publishing and achieve a UE4 small file size:

Use asset compression: UE4 offers various compression options for textures, meshes, and audio files that can help reduce their size without compromising quality. Experiment with different compression settings to find the balance between file size and quality that works best for your game.
Remove unused assets: If your game includes assets that are not being used, such as unused textures, audio files, or 3D models, remove them from your project to reduce the file size.
Merge assets: If your game includes multiple assets that are similar, such as textures or meshes, consider merging them into a single asset to reduce the overall file size.
Optimize asset LODs: UE4 offers a Level of Detail (LOD) system that allows you to create simplified versions of assets at different distances from the player. Optimizing LODs can help reduce the number of polygons in your game and improve performance, resulting in a smaller file size.
Use texture atlases: Texture atlases allow you to combine multiple textures into a single image, which can reduce the number of textures in your game and help achieve a smaller file size.

By following these tips to reduce UE4 file size and compress UE4 games, you can create a more streamlined and efficient game that is easier to distribute and play.

Why Minimize the Size of Your UE4 Projects?

Minimizing the size of your UE4 projects is essential to ensure better performance and improve the overall gaming experience.

The larger the size of a game, the longer it takes to load, which can lead to frustrated players and increased bounce rates.

Smaller game sizes mean better performance, as the game can load faster, run smoother, and consume fewer resources. Hence, they will improve the frame rates, shorter load times, and reduce the risk of crashes or freezes.

Moreover, smaller game sizes are easier to distribute and download, making it more accessible for players with limited bandwidth or storage space.

How to Manage and Store Assets for Optimal Performance

Managing and storing assets for optimal performance is crucial in game development to ensure that the game runs smoothly and efficiently. Here are some tips to help manage and store assets for optimal performance:

Use a structured folder system: Organize your assets into a structured folder system that makes it easy to find and manage them. This can help avoid confusion and errors when working with assets.
Optimize texture streaming: UE4 offers a texture streaming system that allows textures to be loaded on-demand as needed, reducing the memory footprint of the game. Optimize texture streaming by adjusting the texture streaming pool size and setting the proper texture compression settings for mobile.
Use asset streaming optimization: UE4 offers an asset streaming system that allows assets to be loaded on-demand, reducing the initial load time and memory usage of the game. Optimize asset streaming by carefully selecting the assets that need to be streamed and adjusting the streaming distance. It is to ensure a smooth transition between streamed and non-streamed assets.
Reduce asset duplication: Avoid duplicating assets unnecessarily, as this can lead to increased memory usage and slower performance. Instead, use references or instances to reuse assets whenever possible.
Optimize asset file formats: Consider using optimized file formats for assets, such as .fbx for 3D models or .ogg for audio files. Optimized file formats can help reduce the file size of assets, improving performance and load times.

FAQs

How much GB is Unreal Engine 4.27 2?

The target download size is 19.7 GB.

How much GB is Unreal Engine 4?

During the engine download, it will utilize 10.46 GB of hard disk space, whereas downloading the engine along with everything else will require 29 GB of hard disk space.

Can Unreal Engine 4 run on 2 GB ram?

Unfortunately, Unreal requires a minimum of 8GB of memory, and both the CPU and GPU specified are insufficiently slow to provide an enjoyable experience.

How big is Unreal Engine 5?

The folder for Unreal Engine 5 version 5.02 requires almost 115 GB of storage.

Can GTX 1650 run Unreal Engine 5?

Certainly, it is possible to use it. However, it’s worth noting that you may not have access to ray tracing, and overusing powerful features like Lumen may cause performance issues. Nonetheless, if you are not developing a AAA game, a GTX 1660 Super should suffice.

Conclusion

Reducing the Unreal Engine 4 file size of your project is crucial to optimize performance, improve load times, and create a better gaming experience for players.

These methods not only reduce the size of the project but also ensure the game runs smoother, loads faster, and consumes fewer resources. By following the best practices for minimizing the UE4 file size, developers can provide a more efficient, enjoyable, and accessible game for players.

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