I dont get it

[ellement]

Hi all. Before i started with Udk, i asked how powerful this "free" engine is? I was told , i will be able to create next gen gears of war or another great game. So i cant understand , why they making some beta engine for us? if it has the same power as UE3 , why dont they give us UE3? I cant understand.


Some people says UDK is the UE3. But wrong , Intel and Epic says Udk is the free version of UE3 , what does it mean. They made another UE3 , but free for download with the same Powerful tools? Why would they do it? Two same engines but Different name?

[Snufkin]

Why would EPIC give us the full Engine for free?

[Brexer]

This is the most powerful free engine (and most pay engine) you can get.

Even in "beta".

[Mightylink]

I say its pretty dam good, way more powerful then just plain unreal ed and comes with lots of default resources you can use for free.

No its not the actual Unreal Engine 3 but its very close, its definetly capeable of making full games with all the functionality of UE3..

My only quirks is you are stuck with bink video icon unless you buy it and speed tree wont export without buying it but still exports directly to udk for use in game, just not to other modelers.

[ThePriest909]

I really don't see any point in this kind of questions.
You've been given one of the best game engines in the market for free. By using it you can do just about anything you can imagine. What's the deal with what it is or what it isn't...The difference actually between UDK and UE3 is the that with UDK you can't access the source code.

[ellement]

I really don't see any point in this kind of questions.
You've been given one of the best game engines in the market for free. By using it you can do just about anything you can imagine. What's the deal with what it is or what it isn't...The difference actually between UDK and UE3 is the that with UDK you can't access the source code.

Dont get me wrong , but we havent been given anything for free. Only free is to learn it. Nothing else. And you say the only difference is we havent got the source code? , wow why is it beta than?

[ThePriest909]

Dont get me wrong , but we havent been given anything for free. Only free is to learn it. Nothing else. And you say the only difference is we havent got the source code? , wow why is it beta than?

Ok... how much have you paid for using it, or DLing it?
And about beta... I don't think that it has anything to do with the previous UT3 editor. Does it?

[musilowski]

This is the same UE3 engine Epic Games uses for Gears of War and such. You just don't get access to the C++ source code. You can even sell your games if you pay a bit to Epic. I'd say a pretty **** good deal there.

[Forsaken]

@ellement: you are mistaking something.
I assume that you never seen a real engine.

UDK is mostly a GUI restricted engine with permission to use unrealscript because if they would let us get into the sourcecode, every publisher in this world would do the same. Copy&Paste the code and just changes some little things and are telling that they have done it and didn't had to pay the licence cost of the unreal engine 3.
That is the simple reason behind it. (because some guys which are not living in usa would do that.. believe me).

Also is not the engine in beta.. more like the hud you are using the editor. You still have the same graphic power, shader, lightning and so on power which were given to several developers.
For example, I assume that "unreal frontend" was developed for UDK and still has some things to fix. Also I have a feeling that kismet and matinee were also developed just for UDK(but I don't know.. because I'm new to the scene).


Don't think you get some new programmed mini thing just to produce more game-designers which will certainly found a company and will buy the unreal engine.
You couldn't use the unreal engine.. even if they would grant you the permission for the full one. They gave you a chance to understand the howl thing trough a selfdesigned Platform for a easier progress. For everyone who wants to create games and doesn't have a degree in programming.

[GRoss]

I am just very grateful for this opportunity to learn industry-grade standard tools and use them for whatever you want

[Denny]

I'd say it's called beta because they released the toolset to a huge crowd, having builds for licensees are easier to support because licensees usually have high end computers made for the task. In the case of UDK it's spread to end users, which mean a vast majority of different computer setups which is support hell. Not only do they need feedback on how the new features work, they also need to fight bugs that's related to specific hardware like the Fog bug with nVidia 7xxx cards.

A huge Beta stamp is also less prone for criticism and the amount of user feedback given tends to increase.

[saymoo]

We do have given it for free. You can learn, OR publish your game (as long as it's free for endusers, you do not pay anything to Epic Games). I advise you to read the EULA/License to understand the usage model completely.

UDK, is a binary version of the UE3, with some thrid party integrator tools added (speedtree, bink, facefx, physX).
Main difference between UDK and UE3 is:

UE3:

• High level of support (even onsite)
• Sourcecode Access
• Introductionary (but complete) training for your staff to get familiar with the engine tools, sourcecode, either onsite, or at Epic, for a week (and meet the Epic staff, and ask them anything)
• Source to all assets (including source!), used in the supplied full game, along with the UE3 code.
• no thirdparty intergrator tools provided (meaning no speedtree and the likes), licensor needs to buy those from the respective integrators.
• Option to target another platform along the PC, (e.g. PS3, XBox260) for the endproduct, at a rate of 50.000 USD per additional platform per title.
• UE3 is arround 350.000 USD per title, with a royalty bearing license, and arround 750.000 USD with a non royalty bearing license per title.
• All UDN pages accessible.
• CAN build standalone game(s) and distribute them.

UDK:

• Limited support (forum, opened UDN pages only)
• No sourcecode access
• No training in human whatsoever. (see limited support)
• No source to assets, except unrealscript code, used in the supplied showcase game, along with the UDK version.
• some tools from third party integrators included, and alowed to use in the distribution of the game you created! (speedtree, bink, physX, faceFX, those 4 alone is worth more as USD $ 10.000 USD per title, with UDK free*)
• no (as of yet) option to target another platform than PC for the endproduct.
• UDK is 0,00 USD for noncomercial usage, and 99,00 USD for commercial usage with a 24% royalty bearing license on revenues (first 5.000 USD revenue is free of royalties), OR 2.500 USD for a non game product used for inhouse business usage (e.g. architecture walkthroughs etc etc) with no royalty bearing. All per title.
• limited UDN pages accessible.
• CAN build standalone game(s) and distribute them.

you might notice the many red text parts (as in non possible, non existent, not included, not allowed etc), inside the UDK list, don't be misled by it. UDK is a fantastic piece of "free" software, to generate (if you have the skills) AAA class (next gen) games with it. The limitations are not really limitations in the general point of view, most teams won't even be hindered by the limitations at all. It's a good point to start your game career, and or game business. For commercial usage, the pricing is cheap, compared to others and UE3 itself!
UDK is UE3 plus more (third party tools included), only without sourcecode to the technology underneath it.
However Unrealscript is for most (even current commercial games published) enough to do gameplay logics etc etc.
And the tools provided do the rest.

Even Gears of War, is basically Unrealscript and Kismet only. (except some minor things, like thirdparty integration into the sourcecode)

*non commercial and commercial

[Xendance]

Dont get me wrong , but we havent been given anything for free. Only free is to learn it. Nothing else. And you say the only difference is we havent got the source code? , wow why is it beta than?

...beta? You do realize that developing an engine is an ongoing process? They're constantly adding new stuff into it. For example, lightmass wasn't usable until some time last summer/autumn.

[ThePriest909]

...beta? You do realize that developing an engine is an ongoing process? They're constantly adding new stuff into it. For example, lightmass wasn't usable until some time last summer/autumn.

Exactly. And we should be happy about that. That way we get new stuff and fixes every single month. I don't think that anyone could have asked for anything more if he has really realised what he hold with UDK in his hands.

[ShadeMistress]

$350 USD for a title? Stop whining and start saving... in the meantime, build a project, write a design document, make some assets...

UDK is plenty powerful enough by itself, but if it's not good enough for you, then just don't ***** about it. There are far more devs here that are quite content and very happy (myself included) to have such powerful tools FREE to use to develop their first commercial titles.

Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth, I think he sucker punched it.