Scaleform UI to be included with UDK! (UPDATED)

[Steve Polge]

http://www.develop-online.net/news/3...e-free-for-UDK

We're currently working hard on polishing the Scaleform GFx integration in UE3. Our plan is to use this UI system in the future for all our games. The May UDK build contains a preliminary version of the Scaleform GFx integration, which is still in development. You can start working on your user interface design using Flash editors, as Scaleform GFx is an in-game system for rendering Flash. This is the full version of the Scaleform GFx SDK, but does not include Scaleform Video, is not included in the UE3/UDK bundle, but it is available as a separate add-on for UE3 Source licensees that want integrated Flash Video support. UE3 Source licensees that are interested in Scaleform Video should contact Scaleform directly at: sales@scaleform.com.

Once this integration is fully functional and tested, we will be phasing out our old UI system. This means at some point this year, UDK will no longer have support for the current UE3 UI system. UDK developers who wish to use an interface based on the current UI system will no longer be able to upgrade to newer UDK builds.

As mentioned in the press release, the Scaleform GFx UI system will be useable by UDK developers at no additional cost. That means it is free for non-commercial use, and included in the UDK commercial license terms for commercial use. To clarify: UDK users do not pay any additional fees to use Scaleform for commercial or non-commercial projects. The Scaleform GFx license is included at ZERO cost for all UE3 and UDK based applications on all platforms supported by Epic.

The only additional cost is for Adobe Flash studio, which most professional or even semi-professional users should have as part of the Adobe Creative Suite, which also includes popular tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and Premier. Adobe offers discounted academic versions and there are many other discounted resellers online.

There are alternative less expensive Flash authoring tools, such as Sothink SWF Quicker at roughly $85:
http://www.sothink.com/product/swfquicker

However, Scaleform only provides official support for content produced by the Adobe Flash toolset. That's not to say tools like Sothink won't work, but they are not officially supported.


Here's an update from the Scaleform development team:

The latest version of Scaleform GFx 3.2 supports most Flash 8 AS2 functionality. The Unreal docs will outline all the details soon.

Later this year (Q4 2010), Scaleform GFx 4.0 will be officially released with initial Flash 10 AS3 support. It will have its limitations in terms of the latest Flash 10 and AS3 features, but each new release will continue to be more complete, similar to the way GFx v1.0 - v3.2 continued to support more Flash 8 AS2.

Scaleform will have alpha and beta versions of GFx 4.0 (AS3) available earlier, but it's Epic's decision on when and which version to integrate into UE3 and UDK. We normally recommend only using beta or final versions for shipping product.

Scaleform provides a separate integration compatible with UE3 source SDK (not UDK, because it's binary only), which is updated monthly to be compatible to the latest Scaleform GFx beta and final releases. The Scaleform integration supports additional components that are optional and not required for console game developers, but that some may be interested in. Again, it will be outlined in the Unreal docs soon.

So for now, everyone can use the latest Flash CS3, CS4, or CS5 tools to publish to Flash 8 AS2 format to create stunning front end menus, high performance HUDs, even animated Flash textures on 3D surfaces.
Video: https://developer.scaleform.com/gdc?lang=en&v=hud

Scaleform has also added 3Di (3D interface) rendering, which allows you to tilt and rotate any element in 3D using a simple set of ActionScript extensions. The current 3Di rendering via ActionScript is the same as Flash 10's native 3D, which will be supported in GFx 4.0.
Video: https://developer.scaleform.com/gdc?lang=en&v=3di

There's even a new Scaleform AMP performance tool that can be used to profile Flash content running inside your Unreal game. Please keep in mind the tool is new and limited in functionality (and may have an issue or two), but we're working hard to make it as useful and powerful as possible. We're eager to hear your feedback on how to make it even better.
Video: https://developer.scaleform.com/gdc?lang=en&v=amp

You can visit www.scaleform.com for more information and videos.

UE3 Source licensees and evaluators should register at www.scaleform.com/register to receive additional Flash/Scaleform support. We have many C++ and Flash experts on staff to help.

UDK developers will be supported through the UDN community.

We look forward to working with everyone!

-- Brendan
www.scaleform.com

[Angel_Mapper]

Very very nice. Thank you!

[silver619]

when you say UE3 UI system you mean the HUD as well as the UIScene?

[Steve Polge]

Yes, you can use Scaleform to implement your HUD. We'll continue to support the use of Canvas (like UTHUD) for in-game HUDs, but our tests show that the latest version of Scaleform GFx has quite good performance. We'll provide example HUD implementations in UTGame both using the Canvas approach (the current UTHUD) and a new HUD using Flash.

[Steve Polge]

To be clear, the Canvas and HUD classes are not going away. UIScene and all those associated classes will be going away.

[HEGI]

This sounds great. Is the UI datastore system still used with scaleform or is it getting replaced aswell ?

[darthviper107]

Will there be any limitations to GFX in UDK since it's free?

[_h2o_]

When will we have UDK version with Scaleform GFx integrated? in April? in May? or Later?

Scaleform GFx will soon be free to use on UDK for non-commercial use

Later this year, users downloading the UDK will also get Scaleform GFx thrown in.

This can be much later...
so, What month? How long will we be waiting for it?

[stevenchau]

I think , UI is most most hard part in game design
UI/ HUD is very important , if , your game UI / HUD is perfect ,your game certain good sales ! but previous , create perfect UI & HUD , your programmer skill must strong !
my programmer skill is weakness , so UI / HUD is my weakness , I trouble ... how to design beautiful UI / HUD , how to do ???
I stop design my game , how to create my hud ? I don't want spend so long time to create HUD.
Now , I find scaleform GFx !!

Scaleform GFx
https://developer.scaleform.com/gdc?lang=en

Oh , I aware my design way is very very wrong !!! !!!
all game designer is use Scaleform GFx to design HUD , not only UE3 , I am so stupid !!
why Epic no any Scaleform GFx info ?
today , I find Scaleform GFx , now , I only use Scaleform GFx !!

[westclif]

mhm and how can we download a free version to design the ui ?

[silver619]

sorry but one more thing, as you said that we can begin designing out UIs, is there possibly any guidelines that we can get for make the flash part?

[Steve Polge]

The datastore system can be used with the GFx integration, but this certainly isn't required.

At the earliest, we may have the initial Scaleform GFx integration included in the May version of the UDK. We certainly won't have completed all the sample UI implementation we are planning to build for UTGame by that point.

The GFx implementation in the UDK will be the exact same as what we will be using ourselves and providing to our licensees.

[Allar]

The datastore system can be used with the GFx integration, but this certainly isn't required.

At the earliest, we may have the initial Scaleform GFx integration included in the May version of the UDK. We certainly won't have completed all the sample UI implementation we are planning to build for UTGame by that point.

The GFx implementation in the UDK will be the exact same as what we will be using ourselves and providing to our licensees.

/hug___________

[Blade[UG]]

so, it will actually be possible to create something dynamically, that does not depend on that giant mess of DataStore/DataProvider/etc as well as native code?

[Steve Polge]

so, it will actually be possible to create something dynamically, that does not depend on that giant mess of DataStore/DataProvider/etc as well as native code?

Yes, that's the plan .