Want to learn Unreal modding/editing as a career?

[theiggsta]

Hey everyone,

If you are interested at all in Unreal technology (or have no clue what its about) I would highly suggest you give it a try. You may have heard many (probably bad) opinions about Unreal, but you should check it out before deciding.

Many of the reasons why its got a bad wrap is because of its modification layout and editing design(many say its too easy, which is its advantage). Things are scripted (UnrealScript, compiled as well) and carved (u2 Mapping) versus being coded (DLL Modification) and compiled (BSP making). So for many that are used to Half-Life and Worldcraft, it will be a big shocker to you when your told to carve out of a box instead of making many boxes and connecting them together.

A place you could start from and a course I am taking currently in my spare time is at Mastering Unreal (See link below). They are now doing online classes complete with Video training, tests, assignments and questions to instructors. Its as if you stepped into a virtual classroom and the quality fo the training is incredible, im still shocked that its absolutely free.

If Unreal is'nt your bag then you might want to check out their 3d courses on Maya and 3D Studio MAX which are just incredible as well. I know it sounds like I am some used car salesman for them, but the price is right and the training has lured me of all people into 3d level editing. If I can pick it up, I am sure you can too.

Relevant Links:

Mastering Unreal @ 3dBuzz Online Class List

Enjoy folks

[FrieChamp]

I can handle UnrealEd, it's Maya/3dsmax that I can't and that makes mapping for the Unreal engine unattractive to me since you are screwed if you want to be inventive and can't create own static meshes. I think it will come the time when all mappers need to have skills in modeling progs, I just refuse to believe that this is already now

Oh and concerning the other topic:

http://www.planetunreal.com/architectonic

http://www.leveldesigner.com

Both good sites for tutorials and the forums are great for getting answers on UnrealEd related questions.

[Mazy]

the stuff frie said goes for me too, the unreal engine is in one way extremely sexy, and in another way fucking annoying/lame/disapointing, but the last thing is more of a personal thing since im too lazy to learn max/maya well enough to do my own statics. But if you can make your own then ut2003 is quite amazing~

Anyway, good boy igggl~~, at last something useful in the unreal forums ~

[TomWithTheWeather]

The days of BSP mapping are quickly coming to an end. As games become more complex visually, programs like Maya or max become a nesscessity. Most new game engines will rely heavily on smeshes. It's currently the only decent way to improve visuals based on poly count. :wink:

[FrieChamp]

I agree basically, but DOOM3 will use BSP I believe...

[TomWithTheWeather]

I may be wrong or misinformed, but Doom3 is going to be fairly low poly compared to HL2 and current Unreal tech. It'll still look decent because the shadowy per pixel lighting and semi-realistic settings don't need as many polys. If you're just going to make a flat wall you don't need that many polys. Then when that wall is mainly hidden in a dark shadow because of per pixel lighting, you don't need the extra detail to make it interesting. There's no point in having huge amounts of poly detail in a game that's mostly hidden in the shadows.

[mikezilla]

d3 uses a shit ton of static meshes. not as many as hl2 (which uses way more than any other game) but more than most unreal levels...

if you saw what was bsp in d3 you'd be a sad monkey... its ALL models... pipes and things... even certain types of walls are just a 3d texture essentially... its a tilable model.

[FrieChamp]

Interesting, how do you know though?

[mikezilla]

carmack told me.

[KidDynamite]

mikey h4x0r3d carmack's brain. I dunno i'm looking forward to D3 whether it sucks or not.

[TomWithTheWeather]

d3 uses a shit ton of static meshes. not as many as hl2 (which uses way more than any other game) but more than most unreal levels...

if you saw what was bsp in d3 you'd be a sad monkey... its ALL models... pipes and things... even certain types of walls are just a 3d texture essentially... its a tilable model.

Ah nice. I wasn't so sure.

[zaphod]

mm, hl2 dosen't really use tons more models than any of the next gen stuff.

[Tequila]

mm, hl2 dosen't really use tons more models than any of the next gen stuff.

It certainly seems to use less than UT2k3/4, at least in the geometry and not eye-candy detail sense.

[Marcos]

HL2 uses bsp mapping so I guess it will last abit longer

[Taylor]

Unreal 3 has script.

GG.