Book Image

Unreal Development Kit Beginner's Guide

By : Richard Moore
Book Image

Unreal Development Kit Beginner's Guide

By: Richard Moore

Overview of this book

Unreal Development Kit (UDK) is the free version of the award-winning Unreal Engine 3. It is used to create a wide variety of games ranging from amateur to professional standard next generation AAA titles. This book will show you exactly how to create an enjoyable and immersive game environment using the UDK. You will learn how to implement, level design, lighting, environmental effects, movement, terrain, map creation, item placement, kismet, materials and complex event sequences. You will work through the level design process from navigating round the editor to learning how to develop a fully playable environment. You will quickly master all of the engine’s key tools that are accessible through Unreal Engine 3. You will then start putting together your first level using step-by-step instructions. Next we will implement real world features such as dynamic lighting and shadows, particle effects, physics, terrain, item placement and advanced AI/bot pathing. Finally you will learn how to use UDK’s cutting edge high level scripting. By the end of this book you will be equipped with the skills to create an entertaining and imaginative game world.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
Unreal Development Kit 3
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Pop Quiz Answers
Index

Directional lights


As I mentioned earlier, a directional light is like the sun. So what's going to happen if I place one in this room? After all, there are no windows.

  1. Place a directional light now in the same way you paced a spot light—select it under the Actor Classes browser.

    It doesn't really seem to be affecting the scene, except for a weird shimmering effect on the walls. And if you bake lighting or rotate the light, the shimmering goes away.

  2. Even though the icon for the light is inside the room, the light is only affecting the outside of the level. Much like the sun, the walls of the rooms are casting a shadow on the interior of the rooms. So a directional light is really only useful in an outdoor scene. And even then, you have to turn off Cast Shadows on any SkyDome object you've placed. Rotate the light slightly so that it's not facing straight down.

  3. Rotating a directional light works the same way as rotating a spot light, but instead of having a light cone to indicate the direction...