When sports graphics meet real-time
Epic Games, in collaboration with Capacity Studios, presents Sports Broadcast | Motion Design Sample—a complete package of fully rigged sports graphics ready for production. 🎬🏈 This free project serves as a practical introduction to Unreal Engine 5.6.1's Motion Design tools, demonstrating how to create visually stunning sports broadcasts with efficient and accessible workflows, even for users without advanced programming experience.
Technical architecture and main components
The package is meticulously designed to maximize the potential of Unreal Engine's Motion Design system while minimizing reliance on complex Blueprints. ⚙️ It includes over 40 animated assets covering all essential sports broadcast elements: scoreboards, player statistics, dynamic transitions, informative overlays, and analysis graphics. Each component uses native Motion Design tools to ensure compatibility and ease of modification.
This sample project represents a crucial bridge between Unreal Engine's technical power and the practical needs of the broadcast industry, democratizing access to professional-quality graphics for creators of all levels.
Motion Design tools implemented
The project extensively leverages the Motion Design toolset introduced in UE5: 🛠️ Transition Logic for dynamic changes between graphics, Rundown for broadcast sequence management, Cloners/Effectors for duplicating and mass-controlling elements, and Remote Control for real-time adjustments during broadcasts. Material Designer and Masking allow visual customization without leaving the engine.
Optimized workflows for production
- Dynamic transitions: Configurable system for seamless changes between graphics.
- Sequence management: Rundown tools to coordinate elements during live broadcasts.
- Remote control: Real-time property adjustments for broadcast directors.
- Hierarchical organization: Custom Outliner for managing complex Motion Design networks.
Accessibility and practical applications
Epic Games has optimized this package specifically to address a common barrier in broadcast: the need for high-quality graphics that can be quickly adapted during live productions. 📺 The minimal reliance on Blueprints means that technical artists and designers with limited programming experience can modify and extend the graphics using intuitive visual tools. This is particularly valuable for smaller broadcasters or independent producers.
Future and project evolution
A version for Unreal Engine 5.7 is already in development, incorporating lessons learned during the creation of this sample and leveraging the latest improvements in the Motion Design system. 🚀 Epic Games positions this project as the foundation for a growing ecosystem of broadcast tools within Unreal Engine, potentially transforming how graphics are produced for sports and live events.
Thus, as sports broadcasts evolve toward more immersive experiences, Unreal Engine provides the tools to make it accessible… even if it still can't improve referee decisions. Because in modern broadcast, the only thing that should be virtual are the graphics, not the excitement of the game. 😉