New Custom Map - Package Help

[pHr0sT]

Hello! I am making my own custom map for Unreal 3 and am having some problems with saving packages in the right places to start out with. I need some help figuring out what I am doing wrong.

I create a new file, make it additive and save the file as DM-MyMapName. Now I want to import my textures and static meshes into Unreal and have them internal so I don't have to save external packages.

So I open the Generic Browser window and hit Import. I make sure the package name is the same as the map so in this case it would be DM-MyMapName. For the Group, I put StaticMeshes. I import all of my static meshes into there. I then see an asterisk beside the DM-MyMapName* package. So I hit the save button twice and the asterisk goes away. Now when I go to close the editor, a window pops up asking me if I want to save StaticMeshes.upk? I thought that by importing everything into the DM-MyMapName package was the way to do it so I wouldn't need to save external packages. What am I doing wrong here?

[apophis3d]

When you make new packages don't manually name it DM-MyMapName, if you select the drop down menu, you can scroll down and find your level then create the package that way.

Also the thing to remember is you must use the custom content in the level, save it, then rebuild in that order then do another save to make sure it says.

If you just import the custom content into your level package and save it and close the editor your content will be gone because it was not in the level. Unreal does this to clean out unused content in its level packages.

[Odedge]

So I hit the save button twice and the asterisk goes away.

I presume you are pressing the save button on the editor and not selecting save from the drop down "File" menu in the generic browser? If you are adding custom content to your map file, you should never try to save it in the generic browser.

As apophis3d stated, once you import your custom content into your map file, you need to use it some where in the map. If it's a static mesh, you can just place it any where for now. If it's a texture/material, it needs to be applied to a BSP surface or as an override material in a mesh.

[Nawrot]

Never save packages, unless you really know what you are doing. Say no to editor asking if it should save package. Some epick packages (ie. NEC_Wires) get marked as modified even if you just open it for viewing, saving such package after may corrupt your ut3 install.

If you are importing into your map (to package with map name in drop down menu) you never should need to use any external package. Some more strict people here will never use your map if it has additional packages. So it is best to keep everything inside map file.

You need to use (place in map) anything you want to be saved. OR else editor will purge unused objects. For textures, make one material, then place it on unseen CSG surface.

[pHr0sT]

Thanks for all of the help guys! I got it figured out and it's working good now.

One more quick question, what's the best way to blend in mountains and stuff?
I'm making an Old West themed map thats basically in a deserted badlands. I have my skydome set up and I have pictures of the badland mountains and stuff but I don't know what the appropriate way to set it up would be? I have terrain that goes around so players can not get out of the map, but would I just use bsp with the custom material of the badlands to go around the play area, or is it better off if I manually photoshop them into the skydome picture?

[Nawrot]

Do not photoshop mountains into skydome.

Instead make masked material, ie cut off mountain in photoshop and mask everything that is not mountain. Use alpha chanel for it.

Then import that texture and make alpha masked material out of it. Apply this material to some sheet static mesh (create one self, or use one from simple meshes). You will get nice and movable shape of mountain that you can manipulate fro within editor without need of photoshop editing each time you want to move it slightly.

Also your way of putting mountains into skybox, will cause problems:

- lack of parallax effect between mountain and sky
- troubles every time you want to change color of sky or its texture.