UDK environment: The Tower

[Badshot]

Hi!,

My first project inside UDK.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_ikPbdMBN4

Remember to watch it in HD.

[FimmFingur]

Good job, it looks great.

[stevelois]

Well done, it look so natural & beautiful. Immersion is awesome. Excellent thesis project, CG

[Private Tux]

Absolutely stunning on winter and everything (i.e.: flyby, custom music, effects.) look decent. Great job! 5 Stars!

[Badshot]

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far, I really appreciate it.

[mooror]

This cannot be your first project.... you are some kinda pro right because this is amazing . So if this was your first than making these environments in UDK is not too to hard right?
I have never used UDK but if this is your first than I am thinking I might be able to do this to.

[mooror]

How long did this take you? And was it very hard ? I am thinking I may be able to do this too. Any tips you might give me if I where to start using UDK?

[Badshot]

Hi mooror and thanks for your comment.

This took me roughly 4 months to make as I worked on it only in my freetime. To create environments you should know at least the basics of 3d modelling if you want to create a totally new environment with new 3d objects etc. Also learn to use the UDK as efficiently as you can. There are a lot of different editors to play around with, for example material editor, cascade particle editor, matinee, kismet and so on. These tools will help you in creating a visually believable environment. It will take some time to get used to the interface and all the tricks that the UDK offers, but luckily there can be found a lot of tutorials and I'm sure the forumers here will want to help you also. I suggest that you play around with the UDK first to get the feel for it and try to create a small level with the game assets that comes with it. For me, the hardest part was to figure out how I can make things work like I have planned once I had all my created assets inside UDK. I remember that I had issues with getting animation to play, but with a little help from a tutorial it was easy.

- Some tips that come to my mind are: Learn as much as you can about the UDK, the more you know helps you to achieve the vision that you have in your mind. I suggest reading UDK game development By Alan Thorn. He tells about the UDK in a nice understandable way.

- Start small and add new things as you learn them (particles, new materials) and always finish the current environment. Stick with the intial idea that you have and improve it over time, but try to avoid changing too much of the concept that would require too big changes and force you to basicly restart. This has been one of my biggest challenges, because I always have a tons of new ideas that I want to implement and if I watch a movie I might want to change things the next day. One good thing is you might end up with a totally new type of an environment with desert, snow, sci-fi mixed together . jokes aside, In short, stick with the initial concept.

- Learn 3d modelling if you have not done so already or it can be possible to focus more on the gameplay side of levels also.

- Some basic knowledge about art, composition, colors etc will also enhance your work.

I hope this helps.

Here are links to some sites that I found useful.
http://www.3dmotive.com/
http://eat3d.com/training_videos

[seenooh]

I really liked the lighting, atmosphere and shader work. However, I hoped that you could introduce more polys in those rocks/mountains because in alot of instances they look flat. Apart from that, I think it's amazing. Keep it up!

[mooror]

Thanks so much for the help. I will try to do the things you said, sounds like it will be lots of fun too.

P.S. I may have further questions a little later on hope you won't mind answering some more!

[mooror]

Wow just browsed those sites you gave me. Wow that is all I have to say very helpful. And videos on it as well nice!
Thanks agian

[RaPtOr_v9600]

Great work on environment like it very much, thumbs up

[evilmrfrank]

Really nice work!

[leviatan1001]

Good job! Didnt you prefer to make a sunny environment?, since you already live in the perpetual snow. Joking
I like the atmosphere, maybe too homogeneous. You could try to play with some kind of cloud particles, fast gusts of frozen wind



Dunno, just ideas

Well done!

[mooror]

dude i am impressed and I have begun work on my own project using udk and blender. So thanks for the tips you gave me.

Cheers