Q: Unit setup in 3dsMax for UE3?

rybeck

Hello,

I am about modeling a character assuming is about 6 ft tall.
According to reference (Mastering Unreal Technology), regular character height is 96 units (Unreal unit), and it tells 16 units (Unreal Unit) is equal to 1 ft (real-world unit).
So I guess that I need to use "1 Unit=1 feet" Is that right? Or should I set for 1 inch instead of 1 feet?
Current Display Unit Scale is set to 'Generic' and looks alight but I am afraid if I am doing something wrong..


Any suggestion would be apreciated!~

sprunghunt

I always just use generic units. It's irrelevant to me how big an object is in 'real' units. I compare all the level objects to the size of a character and vice versa.

The size of characters are usually something that's worked out by the designers and programmers. Making your character too big or small in Unreal units can affect the accuracy of pathfinding. Changing the characters size also will affect the way it interacts with the envirionment such as the doors or cover. Of course we always try to make the characters the right size first then adjust the environment to fit them.

I would just make my character the same size as marcus fenix.

rybeck

Thanks for reply..
AFAIK, 'Units setup' is not quite matter when you export the finished model. The matter is how you set your 'system unit.'
For other modeling, I used to use centimeter (not knowing if this is advantage over other units), but this case, I've given unit (6 ft) for the character. My hunch was stick with 'inch' as system unit until I checked out some UT3 model (available at the bottom of this site: http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/UT3Mods.html#Custom%20Content)
They are used in centimeter as system unit.
If I followed this system unit (cm), with generic display unit (1 inch per unit), I guess I am mixing two different unit system which I don't see any convenience behind of it.
Just to show how inconvenient it can be,

(1) Real-world unit 1 ft = 12 inch = 30.48 centimeter
(2) So if need build 6 ft tall character, I need work with 182.88 centimeter that will awkwardly fitting on centimeter gird (if I use cm as system unit)

Am I doing something wrong, or it is just how everyone do?

sprunghunt

[ QUOTE ]
...and it tells 16 units (Unreal Unit) is equal to 1 ft (real-world unit).

[/ QUOTE ]

There's your answer. Change your units setup so that 16 generic units = 1ft.

rybeck

[ QUOTE ]

There's your answer. Change your units setup so that 16 generic units = 1ft.

[/ QUOTE ]

That makes sense, finally..
So I am 'considering' to switch my 'system unit'(with 'Generic Unit' for display unit) as .0625 ft (which is equivalent for "16 unreal units to 1 real-world unit(=i generic unit in 3ds max) ratio")
Since I'm going to use tiny scale in 3ds max, I am guessing there will be certain clipping plane problem along the way. (1 ft vs. 0.0625 ft) Also, interacting with Photoshop for blueprint prep will be another hill to overcome.

East

Couldn't you work in an un-tiny scale in 3ds max, and then scale it accordingly before exporting to UE3?

rybeck

[ QUOTE ]
Couldn't you work in an un-tiny scale in 3ds max, and then scale it accordingly before exporting to UE3?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I'd go with '1 (system) unit = 1 inch' with generic unit for display unit. Since there are no max user in my current MOD team, I wanted to hear from max user who had experienced with same scenario.
As I mentioned above, considering integration with PS unit, I'd like to unify all unit as 'inch' in order to converting measure constantly.

Thanks everyone~

Sage

I think there is a tutorial on 3d buzz that shows you how to set the grid in max so it matches the one in unreal ed. All the setting units do is set grid spacing to the best of my knowledge. So if your grid matches unreal all you have to do is assume that 6 units will be 96 unreal units as long as the grid in max matches unreal.

Alex

rybeck

[ QUOTE ]
I think there is a tutorial on 3d buzz that shows you how to set the grid in max so it matches the one in unreal ed. All the setting units do is set grid spacing to the best of my knowledge. So if your grid matches unreal all you have to do is assume that 6 units will be 96 unreal units as long as the grid in max matches unreal.

Alex

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah~
Indeed it was one I was looking for awhile...
To summarize, as long as UE has 16 basic unit, Max system unit (1 unit=1 inch with 'Generic' for GUI) will match the UE unit. In order to match the Display grid, '16' for Grid Spacing and '8' for Major lines every Nth Grid line.

Again, thanks for Information, Alex!



Rybeck