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

Time for action – your first terrain


Before you add a terrain to a level, be sure to have saved the level at least once, as the terrain will attempt to save itself within the level, for which the level has to exist in the first place.

  1. Open the generic browser. If it isn't already open, go to the Actors tab, expand the Uncategorized section and select the actor Terrain, as shown in the following screenshot:

  2. In the viewport, hold down a on your keyboard, and click a surface in your level to add the Terrain actor at that location. Your terrain should show up as shown in the following screenshot; tiny, and with a default texture applied.

  3. Let's expand it. New for Unreal Engine 3 is the ability to expand a terrain whenever you want. You are no longer restricted to the original size as you were in Unreal Engine 2. Double-click the terrain in the viewport to have its properties pop up. You should preferably also set the viewport to wireframe to get a better view on what's going on:

    NumPatches X and...