Help with UDK ArchViz

[JParkerRendering]

Hello everyone! I'm looking to find a mentor in UDK architectural modeling and I'm willing to pay for some quality help. I'm currently an Architectural Drafting and Design student and I'll be graduating this December. I'm very knowledged in modeling with AutoCad and google sketchup (I'll be studying solid works, revit, and 3ds max this fall). I have taken tutorials in 3ds max online and practiced with it some but coming from AutoCad the interface is completely different. If you would be willing to assist me with completing just one simple UDK archviz project from start to finish I'd be happy to pay for your time. I'm looking to do something that will basically show me the ropes. For example, a walled in yard with a 2 story rectangle house, light switches, operating doors, windows, grass, trees, audio. By the way the models used in the tutorial can be free 3d models we can download unless you wouldn't mind showing me the process in 3ds max.

Thanks,

I hope to hear from you soon.
Jameson

[Icemopper]

Really with the wealth of knowledge already on these forums and out on the internet in tutorials, you can easily do it yourself. I created my first arch-viz presentation in 3 months starting with absolutely 0 knowledge using UDK. It might help your studies if you do it yourself instead of paying someone to do it for you.

[JParkerRendering]

Thanks for the reply, I've been trying to get started for probably atleast that long now. I can model a home in detail using AutoCAD, but from what I've been reading the best way to get those models into UDK is from 3dsMax or Maya, neither of which I'm very knowledgeable about. Could you shed a little light on the basic process? I have read this forum up down and back and forth but I haven't really found that (noobish I admit) answer about where to start. For example, most tutorials I've found show the houses being built strictly out of BSP additive blocks. Is that the way I HAVE to start or can I import my drawings from AutoCAD some how? Not directly but can I export them to 3DS and then just export them to ase or something like that?

So far, EVERY time I try to import my ase files I get an error in UDK saying "ASE Importer Error : Did you forget to include geometry AND materials in the export?" I know for fact I did export both of those in the export options within 3dsMax.

I'm not too lazy to try and figure it out but I figured I'm not the only who's had or is having this problem of getting started. Any advice or help would be truly appreciated.

Thanks.

[JParkerRendering]

After a little more looking around on the web I found this website that describes how to import AutoCad drawings into 3ds and UV map them. It's a little old but I'm going to try this method shortly and see if it helps any. The link is here: http://www.caddigest.com/subjects/autocad/tutorials/select/081803_parsai_import_max.htm

I hope I'm on the right track.

[Jacky]

Use fbx instead of ase while exporting from 3ds, and these videos might help you configure your lightmap channels:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbdOpuKqGaQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiGmbH8nl_A

(yeah, the second one is exporting as ase but its an old video, fbx is much better now.)

[Icemopper]

If you have access to it, use Revit to get your 3d models started. It works really well with 3ds max and then UDK.

[JParkerRendering]

Thanks both of you. I checked out your links Jacky. I exported FBX fine but after that I run into a few problems. I created a video last night of me doing the whole process from A to Z. I think this will be a great learning tool for many others as well. For this example, I used sketchup to place a simple model into 3ds max, and then from 3ds max to udk. Please take a look at the video and leave any feedback about what I may need to do better.

This is a link to my complete floor plan walk-through.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx2VNkoHG5c&feature=watch_response

This is a link to my attempt to take just the floor, walls, and ceiling and place them into UDK. Please comment and shed some light on what I'm doing wrong. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJb6eSLmUJo

[JParkerRendering]

If you have access to it, use Revit to get your 3d models started. It works really well with 3ds max and then UDK.

Icemopper: I'm going to be learning Revit this upcoming fall semester in August. As an architectural Drafting and Design student I spent the majority of my time getting deep into AutoCAD. I've spent this summer trying my darnest to learn 3ds Max but no matter how many tutorials I go through it doesn't quite stick like text books and exercises. I look forward to being trained in Revit though and hopefully that will get me closer to my goal of creating interactive walkthroughs of my models.

[Jacky]

Ok, try exporting as fbx from 3ds Max too. You'll see some adjustments in the export options window that'll pop up. And for the collision:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRPS811G8t8

One more thing, it will be better for you to import every part seperately into the UDK if you want to get better lightmap resolutions. However, if you still want to import it as one single mesh there is a merge meshes option in the pop up window as you import the fbx file into the UDK, you can click that.

Oh, and while tossing every piece into the map...they wont be placed where they should be but no worries. Their pivot points get reset to 0. So all you need to do is drag the part into the map, right click on Translation Mode button and type 0,0,0 for all 3 axis.

Hope these help!

[JParkerRendering]

Thanks for your help Jacky. I'm going to record another video of my progress today and share my results.

[JParkerRendering]

Jacky, I did what you said and exported from 3ds max as FBX. IT WORKED! Thank you. I'm still going to upload a video of my progress step by step because i still have a long way to go. My next challenge will be exporting my building piece by piece separately (Each individual wall, Each window, each door, the ceiling, furniture, etc.)

My final goal is to create an enviornment in udk similar to the one I created in Lumion here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx2VN...watch_response . I'm still happily accepting advice and my next video will be uploaded soon. Thanks!

[jak_carver]

@ JParkerRendering
I used to work in the archviz and design visualization fields doing photo-realistic animations and renders for commercials, products, the military, etc. I'm working in the AAA games industry now, but if you're still interested in finding someone with the knowledge and experience you're looking for, let me know through a PM.
Would be more than happy to touch base with you.

[JParkerRendering]

Thanks, PM sent.

[Fi5h1fishy]

Yeah, a few people have mention this but i think that it is easier if you learn to do it yourself, because otherwise, when you come to do somthing in UDK, and you have got someone else to do it, then you are not really going to know what you have to do, which is why it is much easier to just learn yourself, by watching tutorials, and making your own levels in UDK, and then you cant go wrong!, i have a few tutorials, but they dont really cover the basics of UDK, there mostly just me building stuff in UDK, that you can follow along with, but i dotn think that any of my videos suit your needs at the moment, but i will be glad to help you if you do need some help anytime, if you want to contact me then please email me at: charliefishersUDKstuff@hotmail.co.uk and i can help you out with whatever you need, UDK wise, i hope that this helps!

[DGlow]

You can catch me on skype if you'd like to chat real time about using udk. :)