Real-Time Crowd Of 18,000 Characters With VAT For UE5 Gladiator Game

As Game Developer known as Animatolog mentioned, 18,000 characters here are rendered in a fully static-lit scene with one stationary Directional Light. The audience is positioned using the Foliage tool for optimization. It doesn't cast any dynamic lighting in the game arenas, relying only on contact shadows and a precomputed AO mask. This setup results in a minimal performance impact, causing about a 1-2 FPS drop on an RTX 2060 system.

There are also 3 LODs involved, each with its own Vertex Animation Textures. The crowd is used in Trakonius, an action-roguelike combat title set in gladiator arenas.

In a world ruled by god-kings, the gladiator Trakonius battles for his freedom. With the favor of the gods, players can gain both permanent and temporary powers, spend gold earned from battles at the blacksmith, and fight using a variety of weapons and skills throughout their journey. Each weapon features a unique combat style, and upgrades allow the development of diverse strategies. Watch the trailer below:

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