Creating Everything in 3DS Max rather than using BSP's?

[BlinkDev]

Hey guys,
Just wondering how things would work if I created for example all the houses in my level in Max, and then imported them, rather than creating each wall as a bsp etc, and then adding meshes to it.

Thanks!

[Max Power]

This would be considered normal UE workflow. BSP is used mostly for blockout, but has benefits used sparingly.

[BlinkDev]

This would be considered normal UE workflow. BSP is used mostly for blockout, but has benefits used sparingly.

Okay thanks. I'm not used to UDK, actually just started two days ago. The tutorials I followed used BSP's for all the walls etc., and then applied materials and all that. Anyways I really appreciate the answer, Max is going to make my life so much easier.

[quytin1992]

It's good to make all of stuffs in 3ds max, especially when you make modular models. However, If you need a very large surface like a floor, bsp is better. Because you can use seamless textures in low res in stead of blowing out of memory for high res textures.

[darthviper107]

That's not true, BSP can't automatically use a seamless low-res texture.

If you've got a large surface like a floor you can do the exact same thing as you would with BSP, you create a tileable texture that would repeat across the surface.

And to the original poster---3ds Max has much better modeling tools and texturing capabilities. You model assets in 3ds Max, and then export them as FBX to UDK, you can then place them in your level.

[JessieG]

Okay thanks. I'm not used to UDK, actually just started two days ago. The tutorials I followed used BSP's for all the walls etc., and then applied materials and all that. Anyways I really appreciate the answer, Max is going to make my life so much easier.

Those tutorials are to get people going with Just UDK. It's preferred to have as little BSP as you possibly can so you're on the right track.

[joebrammer]

I'd make the faces of the house modular! all the same length/width/height then make a few different textures for them! But yeh, thats normal workflow ! BSP's are fps taxing and generally crappy.

Joe

[Logithx]

It's good to make all of stuffs in 3ds max, especially when you make modular models. However, If you need a very large surface like a floor, bsp is better. Because you can use seamless textures in low res in stead of blowing out of memory for high res textures.

You can easily tile textures on 3d models just like you can with BSP, just up-scale the UV's outside of the 1x1 UV area. Once you apply the texture, it will automatically tile on the model depending on the size of your UV's for that model. Scaling UV's outside of the 1x1 area means you can't use baked maps though (baked normal maps, ambient occlusion etc.) so I generally only use it for larger flat surfaces like floors and walls. As far as using BSP goes, I've pretty much completely removed it from my workflow. I prefer doing everything with models, even blocking out levels is faster with 3ds Max.

[nabiul]

BSP's don't get along with udk very well, they're prone to strange errors if you misuse them and can suck performance right out of your pc, try building a spiral staircase a couple of floors high, your fps will drop by about 20 just looking at it. You can however build a bsp the way you want it and then convert it to a static mesh within udk, then export that to a modeling program to do a proper UV unwrap. Really useful for getting your dimensions right ingame and then adding detail in your modeling program.

[darthviper107]

You can easily tile textures on 3d models just like you can with BSP, just up-scale the UV's outside of the 1x1 UV area. Once you apply the texture, it will automatically tile on the model depending on the size of your UV's for that model. Scaling UV's outside of the 1x1 area means you can't use baked maps though (baked normal maps, ambient occlusion etc.) so I generally only use it for larger flat surfaces like floors and walls. As far as using BSP goes, I've pretty much completely removed it from my workflow. I prefer doing everything with models, even blocking out levels is faster with 3ds Max.

You can tile any texture map as long as it's been created to be tiled.