Tips for a new UDK user?

JordanN

I'm traditionally a 3DS Max user and my aim is to produce some real time environment artist pieces.

I've seldomly used UDK, with the only thing I know right now is how to switch the renderer from DirectX9 to DirectX11 and navigating a map.

Apart from that, I'm completely lost as to how to import my 3DS Max files and make them presentable.

Any advice that can get me learning this thing fast would be appreciated. What was your first time like with the engine and how would you have done things differently?

I'm reading through the UDK doc right now and will check out some videos.

IskatuMesk

3ds max files can be exported to FBX which is the format the UDK generally works with - just drag and drop the FBX's into the content manager and go from there. Doesn't matter if they are editable poly or mesh from my limited experience, I built my test scenes as poly and left them as poly and they seem to be fine in the UDK.

As for making them presentable, that depends on a lot of things of course... lighting and materials are the two big ones to start with I'd think.

I'm still just starting with the UDK myself and I really don't know how to do anything artistic like texture or UV, so I'm just building all of my detail onto the meshes and going from there with textures generated from Filter Forge. I mean, it would be cool if I had technical skills or were an artist, but I don't have any of those things, and even I can still get some basic scenes into the UDK with just drag-dropping FBX's and getting some basic lights/materials going.

zombiexm

Well if you are just learning I suggest maybe looking into learning the Unreal Engine 4 development kit. Costs money for one month now, but you will be learning a new easier engine.

JordanN

Yeah, I just saw the news. Now if only I can convince them to buy it for me.

"Can I have money for a next generation game engine? I swear it's educational!"

On one hand, they bought me textbooks that cost a hell of a lot more and they ended up collecting dust so this should be a no brainer but....

Edit: Nevermind, you can just pay $20 and keep the engine after you stop subscribing.

Fogbrain

Is Unreal Engine 4 any different from the free UDK? As in, would you have to learn the whole thing and be treated as a new program or is it just an upgrade from the current UDK?