Building custom tools for UDK

[Diegoale2000]

Is it possible to create custom plug ins or tools for the engine?
we would like to work with this engine but we would need to create custom workflows and tools to speed up our development.

is anything of the sort possible?

[Denny]

What type of tools exactly?

[Diegoale2000]

I have a hired group of programmers who will be building an RPG Creation toolset to simulate the program RPG maker XP but in a next gen, 3d environment.
we have pondered which engine to use, and UDK seems fitting, we have also looked at the Unity Engine. we know we can do it in the unity engine but we arent too sure if it's possible to create Menu-Based tools that would work in-engine to:

Easily Create NPCs with behaviors, Enemies, items and Spells, etc.
all in an easy to use GUI based set of tools. (no coding needed)

[Denny]

Instead of making completely new tools for the editor I think it would be more feasible to extend existing functionality. For example Kismet and the AnimTree can be extended with new nodes that adds specific behavior. You can also create new actors which can be placed in the world.

It all depends on how much you want to modify the existing editor, it's pretty powerful as it is already.

[LennardF1989]

I believe the EULA states you can't make such a thing with it, none the less it's a fun idea.

Edit: Found it.



You may not:
use the UDK to develop applications that compete with or could compete with the UDK or any other middleware or game development software produced by Epic;

If you would, however, make it a sandbox game like Garry's mod, it is allowed. But making a tool around UDK to make a RPG Maker like (development) program, the EULA has that covered unfortunately.

A note to everyone, READ the EULA! You won't stand for surprises then: http://www.udk.com/eula.html

[Solid Snake]

The wording is really 'fuzzy' but I think what they mean specifically is that you can't make a UDK++ or something like that. It would be good if someone from Epic could clarify this as I had planned to make a bunch of extensions to UDK but people would require UDK itself to use them.

[Diegoale2000]

It's not meant to be a stand alone tool. I mean a PLUG IN to UDK. in order to use it youd need to run UDK and it would only facilitate the USE of UDK.
it wouldnt be a standalone program nor compete with it, it would just extend udk to have such menus and tools.

@SolidSnake:

yeah that was exactly what I had in mind. it would be good to know if it's possible to do so.

[LennardF1989]

Yea, and perhaps write a less cryptic EULA especially for noobs. I know it's all checked by laywers and such, but a bit more "childish" EULA would be nice to have.