Workflows for Level Blockouts?
polycounter lvl 6
I plan on becoming a level designer, and I want to learn and focus on Unreal Engine 4 and Unity. I also want to learn various workflows and standard practices that are used in the industry. But I don't know which way(s) to approach blocking out/prototyping levels for level design.
I've heard people say to use 3d modeling apps like Maya or 3ds Max, and others say to use BSP in Unreal Engine 4. But I've also heard that BSP should be avoided. I also plan on making different types of levels/genres (in UE4/ Unity): Singleplayer, Multiplayer, FPS, Puzzle, Open World, etc. So I feel that there would be different workflows to consider for the different types of levels/genres.
Questions:
1) Is there a standard or widely used workflow for prototyping/blocking out levels in the industry? Does the process completely vary from company to company?
2) How do you decide which workflow/process of prototyping/ blocking out the level to use for the project/level that you are working on? (Are you told how to go about doing it?)
3) What process/workflow would you use for prototyping/blocking out different types of levels/genres?
4) For Unity: Is ProBuilder worth using/learning? I want to learn workflows and standard practices that are used in the industry. (So if this is never used, then I don't want to use this tool)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjqx6cKUepc
I've heard people say to use 3d modeling apps like Maya or 3ds Max, and others say to use BSP in Unreal Engine 4. But I've also heard that BSP should be avoided. I also plan on making different types of levels/genres (in UE4/ Unity): Singleplayer, Multiplayer, FPS, Puzzle, Open World, etc. So I feel that there would be different workflows to consider for the different types of levels/genres.
Questions:
1) Is there a standard or widely used workflow for prototyping/blocking out levels in the industry? Does the process completely vary from company to company?
2) How do you decide which workflow/process of prototyping/ blocking out the level to use for the project/level that you are working on? (Are you told how to go about doing it?)
3) What process/workflow would you use for prototyping/blocking out different types of levels/genres?
4) For Unity: Is ProBuilder worth using/learning? I want to learn workflows and standard practices that are used in the industry. (So if this is never used, then I don't want to use this tool)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjqx6cKUepcOther threads of interest:
https://www.epicgames.com/unrealtournament/forums/showthread.php?18571-So-Epic-Lets-talk-about-BSP
Thank you.
Replies
I was an environment artist for a good portion of my career, the majority of the time I was making pieces that would be placed by the level designer but on occasions where I built an entire map I was just given a layout sketched on a grid. So like I said before, it can vary.
Just a few years ago, not all studios were using fancy game engines such as Unreal Engine 4. So, level designers weren't creating level layouts in BSP/Brushes. They were using 3DS Max, Maya, Modo or Blender. Whatever the game company was using.
If you were to use 3DS Max, Maya, Modo, or Blender, how would you go about blocking out levels? How would you iterate them?
What you want there is to create prefabs for key areas so that you can move things around more easily later on as you modify the map for gameplay.
What do you mean exactly? Are you talking about building/working on separate partial chunks of the level (key areas), and then figuring out where to place them in relation to one another? (to work on individual pieces before having a layout?)
I think that in the new MODO you can create entire levels and export it directly into Unreal/Unity. I haven't tried this yet but I am going to once I figure out the fastest way to get collisions/lightmaps to export into UE4 from MODO.
Regarding level design I have seen 2 popular methods: 1 is using the grid almost exclusively. All the assets are made on the grid for modularity and even the level itself is completely build with grid snapping in mind. The 2nd is a much more free approach in where you still use modular textures and objects but where the level itself is not build on the grid. Usually most games use a combination of the two but the more free approach seems common for big open world type games (non indoors).
I am very curious to see a keynote on the environments in Overwatch. They seem mostly modular but some of the levels feel and look very "free".