We're checking out Unreal Engine 5.4 and some of it's virtual production centric features. From Apple Vision Pro integration to the introduction of Avalanche for motion design, there's a lot to unpack. Plugins like the SVG importer and advanced renamer tool add versatility, while the material designer simplifies texture creation with a Photoshop-like interface. Remote control capabilities and transition logic offer powerful tools for graphic design and animation. The Live Link hub streamlines tracking data management, and Movie Render Queue gets a node-based upgrade. UI improvements enhance navigation, making this update promising despite its early stage.

This was complied straight from Epics github of an in development version so things can and will change between now and release.

Auto-generated summary

In this video, I explore the latest features introduced in Unreal Engine 5.4, which is still in active development and not yet production-ready. I focus primarily on tools relevant to virtual production and motion design rather than every new system in the update. You’ll see a walkthrough of various new plugins, including support for Apple Vision Pro and OpenXR for visionOS, as well as native SVG image importing and a powerful new mass renaming tool. One highlight is the introduction of Project Avalanche—a motion design toolkit that brings Cinema 4D-style cloners, effectors, and broadcast graphics tools directly into Unreal, making it easier to create 2D and 3D live graphics like lower thirds.

I dive deep into the Avalanche workflow, showcasing how it transforms the UI with new panels, grids, and snapping behaviors tailored for motion design work. You can draw shapes directly on a grid in screen space, apply modifiers like bevel or plane cuts through an intuitive operator stack, and create smooth animations with built-in effects. A standout feature is the new material designer, which simplifies Unreal’s complex node-based system by letting you build layered materials with an interface similar to Photoshop. This makes material creation accessible for designers who prefer a visual, layer-based approach without diving into the technical details of node graphs.

Finally, I cover the broadcast panel, including a new playout manager and render server designed for real-time graphics rather than traditional offline rendering workflows. This makes managing live graphics and animations more streamlined within Unreal. While I just scratch the surface here, this preview gives you a taste of how Unreal 5.4 aims to expand its virtual production capabilities and bring powerful motion design tools directly into the editor, opening exciting new possibilities for interactive and live broadcast content creation.