Prefrential dynamics between Unreal Engine and Maya: a comparative analysis of CGI production processes

Year 2025, Volume: 6 Issue: 3, 239 - 249, 30.09.2025

Murat Fırat , Mehmet Emin Kahraman

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16948102

Abstract

Computer technology has had an impact on the animation industry, just as it has on many other fields throughout history. The development of computer technologies has led to the development of specialised software that enables production in creative processes such as three-dimensional modelling and design, digital game development. Hand-crafted animation processes have gradually begun to give way to digital animated production. The cinema industry has also been affected by technological change. Although animation is historically older than cinema, there are many areas in which the two industries have an influence on each other. With the beginnings of the use of computer-based visual effects in the cinema industry, a great transformation has begun in this field. Experimental projects for the 3D production of cartoons and animations were produced at the same time. The evolution of 3D technologies has also affected digital games. Digital games have been able to reach a very large number of people through computers and game consoles. Over time, this has led to more and more game companies producing many games in different genres in the digital game industry. Game engines that enable digital game production to have emerged, and a major transformation has begun. Game engines have begun to reach small and medium-sized game producers other than large game companies. Unreal Engine and Unity game engines have become the most widely used game engines in the industry. Unreal Engine offers more production tools for realistic and high-quality game production. Unreal Engine has developed its production tools to be used in digital animation production. Unreal Engine has begun to provide solutions for virtual production and three-dimensional animation production in the film industry. In 2025, when the Unreal Engine game engine becomes the standard for 3D animation production, this study will examine the use of new software and hardware production methods in computer animation production

Keywords

Game Engines , Animation , Unreal Engine , Three-Dimensional Animation , Computer Generated Graphics

Ethical Statement

This article is based on first author doctoral thesis titled “The transformation of animation on the axis of new media technologies: an example of thematic animation produced with the Unreal Engine Game Engin”.

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