This week, we learned how to use a 360 degree camera in Unreal Engine. The tutor introduced the difference between a normal camera and a 360 degree camera. A normal camera usually captures one fixed direction, while a 360 degree camera can capture the whole space around it. This can give the audience a more open and immersive way to view a 3D scene.
In the class, we looked at the plugin settings in Unreal Engine and learned about some plugins related to 360 capture, media production, and panoramic rendering. Through this session, I started to understand that Unreal Engine is not only used for traditional cinematic animation, but can also be used for VR, panoramic video, and immersive spatial experiences. This connects to the idea of Expanded Animation, because it made me think that the way the audience views the work can also become part of the animation experience.
OWL 360 Degree Camera and Component
A 180 and 360 Degree Stereoscopic Camera and Component for Unreal Engine with precise Viewport color matching, output to a Render Target, Alpha Channel support, Movie Render Queue integration and various other features.
How to use
To use the OWL 360 Degree Camera:
- Go to Place Actors and in the Off World Live section find the OWL 360 Camera Actor and drag and drop it into your level
- You can now use the Camera Actor in Unreal like you would any standard camera
Learning introduction links ：
Unreal Engine Community. 360 Panoramic Captures and Sequencer.
https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/knowledge-base/2JkM/unreal-engine-360-panoramic-captures-and-sequencer
Off World Live Documentation. OWL 360 Degree Camera and Component.
https://knowledge.offworld.live/articles/6031298-owl-360-degree-camera-and-component