Optimization of 3D Game Models : A qualitative research study in Unreal Development Kit

Abstract: Our goal with this study is to examine how much optimization of 3D game models can affect the overall performance of a game. After a previous pilot study we decided on use a method where we worked with a 3D scene which was made earlier unconnected to this study. We created two versions of the scene in Unreal Development Kit, one with none of the meshes optimized and the second scene where the meshes are optimized. From these two scenes we wrote down the different stats: the draw calls, frame rate, millisecond per frame and visible static mesh elements as well as the memory usage. Comparing these stats from the two scenes, we found that there was a change in the stats. Draw calls and frame rate had dropped in the second scene, as well as the memory usage which made the game run more smoothly without losing much of its aesthetic quality.