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Is UDK a good fit for my project?

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    #1

    Is UDK a good fit for my project?

    Hey guys, I've been looking into a few different frameworks and APIs for a game I've been drafting. Right now UDK looks like it might be the best fit, but it would help if a few people with more experience could answer a few questions for me.

    The game
    • Top down or Isometric view
    • player controls multiple bots vs an AI or human opponent with a similar number of bots(a bit like an RTS, but also similar to battlefield/natural selection "commander" views)
    • players need to be able to create waypoints and areas of interest for the bots ahead of the game (think of Rainbow 6, or a football playbook)
    • bots will have to attack each other, and take objectives on the map
    • on top of waypoints, I'd like to add some trigger points so the bots can camp a corner or setup as a sniper. And provide the user with some interface to put together event triggers, so that bots can co-ordinate with each other and hold positions then move up/fall back etc.
    • similar to point-based triggers, I'd like to develop bot-specific tactics (think dragon age). The bots could be setup by the player to be aggressive, defensive, treat certain objectives with high priority etc.
    • I'd like parts of these controls to be available real-time in game, as well as in the pre-game setup
    • I'd like the ability to maintain information on each bot, and retain that every time it respawns(ie: set tactics for and name a bot, and it'll stay that way even after death)
    • Later I'd like to go into some more advanced UIs for management of your bot roster out of game, and create a single player "campaign" mode.


    Do you think UDK would be a good fit for this project? If so, do you have any advice for best practices in how I may achieve some of these goals?

    Now I'm fairly aware of the mechanics of games, and I've been working as a developer in the financial IT world for about 5 years. I have a strong Object Oriented development background, but I don't have much hands on experience with modern game engines. The last time I was doing anything similar was working with the Source engine, and Hammer. I'm able to map, not able to model or animate (but that doesn't matter in this prototype phase).

    I'm confident I could put together a reasonably small scope project to accomplish this, but I'm afraid of the complexities of working in an unknown environment. Will I have to write an advanced pathfinding/waypoint API because I want the players to have direct control of the bots?

    Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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    #2
    I'd say it sounds perfectly achievable using UDK, and won't be strictly any more difficult to achieve than on another comparable engine. You will need to make some fairly heavy modifications to the existing AI, but nothing too drastic in order to get it functioning on a considerably more dynamic basis, as the current navigation system relies upon information built into the map. Ideally, you'd probably be using a combination of the existing waypoint system and adding additional information from the player to influence which paths those bots take.

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      #3
      Yeah, I may just get my hands dirty then. I'll start with static waypoints, and focus on getting the bots to start an uncontrolled team deathmatch scenario.

      If anybody has tips especially about the dynamic waypointing, it'd really help.

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        #4
        Sounds perfect, I'd say using Unreal (which has been used to make many awesome FPSs) is ideal for an RTS that will feature simulated combat. Fortunately Unreal holds many possibilities for developers. I'm actually working on something very similar.

        I'm thinking of using CityEngine to generate low poly urban areas to use in the editor (since the developers have hyped the program as something which can easily do so with Unreal).

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          #5
          CityEngine is awfully expensive for all you're going to get out of it.

          Comment

            #6
            Yeah, the price tags on it are ridiculous. Its even more stupid how they're charging almost $2000 for a subscription, just to get upgrades and support for a WHOLE YEAR.

            You would think that would come by default for a longer period of time, considering you're forking out almost $4000 for either license they offer.

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              #7
              sorry if my english is bad.

              Comment

                #8
                campaing

                Is it posible to create a campaing mode in udk.
                If so then what books do you recomend for a noob scripter like me.
                Plz help.

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