Modular Building Import to UDK?

DDuckworth

Hey everyone, I searched for the answer to this on here but couldn't find it, so - new thread!

I was wondering when you build a modular set within maya and you create something - for example an apartment building, you build it with the modular pieces in maya, then you want to import it into UDK.

Do you have to rebuild the building inside of UDK since you can only import 1 piece into UDK and then must duplicate that piece? Or is there some way to import the building as a whole and yet make UDK realize which pieces are the same so that they will have individual lightmaps and not overlapping UVs?

On one last note I'm not talking about having a second lightmap channel, simply how to get each piece to be considered it's own piece out of the entire building.

Thanks!

Hamish Bode

Hi DDuckworth, I'm not the best person to answer this but it looks like there's a PERFECT tutorial for this over on 3dmotive. I was looking at buying it myself.

LMP

As I see it there are two ways of going about modular construction... you build the whole building out of modular pieces in Maya, and import it as a building.

Ok, by their very nature buildings are modular. So, when modeling a building you will break it up into it's repeating elements. However, the ground level will be more unique as it's where all the action takes place, usually.

Now, the purpose of a modular set as I see it is to allow one to rapidly build something in engine that can be used over and over again allowing a lot of stuff to be made quickly.

m4dcow

If you are talking about UDK import each instance as a separate static mesh, I would also love to know if there is a way to do that.

I just rebuild everything, but it would be really cool to do what you are asking.

darthwilson

I'm unsure about this but the .fbx exporters might do it if you exported it as a scene...not 100% but something to lookup

Mark Dygert

Here's how I've been doing it.

Block it out in UDK using simple shapes, imported boxes that are specific sizes that will be same bounds as your tile, named the same. Then once you have the size, scale, pacing, overall details correct. You go back to Max/Maya and refine those pieces into detailed meshes. Then re-import the pieces with the same names and they update.

I really wouldn't bother creating the entire thing in Maya then recreating it in UDK, unless you plan for your module to be your entire building, which sometimes is exactly what you need.

That sort of fluidity and build the scene as you flesh it out is one of the great features of UDK, so make the most of it!