Learning UnrealED in like no time!

[marque_pierre]

Hi gang,

For my masters course we'll be using the Unreal engine for a games development project. Last year I think they used Renderware. Anyway, I am happy to finally get a task to push me in that direction, since there are a lot of interesting companies (Bioware among others) who use it.

I am not so much the dive in without manual kinda learner, I like working through a few tutorials, and learning the basics through that, and then start fiddling around.

I was thinking of getting this book, I believe it is published by the 3D Buzz guys...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0672326922/qid=1125488628/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-5326722-1614460?v=glance&s=books

Anybody have any experience with it? Are there tutorial videos out there? Anybody have any experience with Unreal editing at all? This will be my first FPS level editor to tamper with, so it is both daunting and exciting.

[Kosmo]

You should have bought the Collectors Edition UT2k4 it came with all the 3d buzz Unreal Edit videos.

I have briefly been in a mod team making some models to be used in Unreal, but I know jack shit about the Unreal Edit

[marque_pierre]

Okay, I have heard of that super deluxe edition. But you are saying those videos are just the Buzz videos?

[Kosmo]

Yeah all the videos there are provided by 3d Buzz. And yup, you can get them from the 3D Buzz site but the starsystem is an ass.

I'm just waiting for Gnomon to release something similar.

[Hourences]

The book is overrated imo but can be helpful

terrible title they picked

The videos on the ECE and on UT2004 gold/collectors/whatever edition are the buzz videos + some extra ones you cant download, all made by buzz crew

The freely downloable ones should help just fine already imo, no need to spend money

When we started we had just 1 txt with just 3 pages of explanation

[marque_pierre]

I'm just waiting for Gnomon to release something similar.

That would be nice. It just seems that Gnomon is first and foremost highend film/TV stuff, and then perhaps a distant second - games.

[Kosmo]

I'm just waiting for Gnomon to release something similar.

That would be nice. It just seems that Gnomon is first and foremost highend film/TV stuff, and then perhaps a distant second - games.

That is true, but as our luck is changing, making games these days is resembling more and more like making movies. So the gap is narrowing

And Gnomon released a set for game modelling, and some fine Zbrush videos and ofcourse the texture videos that are good for everyone from games to movies.

[sensee]

gnomon dvds are quite expensive. 3d buzz is for free. only the download system is a bit annoying.

[zeOx]

you know the starsystem was taken down several months ago, right?

there's alot of VTMs you can't download that comes with ECE.

the full list of VTMs is located here

[Kosmo]

Hmh.. they took the starsystem down? Oh.. didn't notice since I haven't had any use for the site since I have seen all the VTMs from the UT2k4 dvd, but the Buzz VTMs are easily the best source for all UE stuff you ever want to know, I learned some scripting from them.

[TomWithTheWeather]

Yeah, I recommend the 3DBuzz videos. Go out and buy UT2k4 ECE edition. I have that book and it seems like it would be a decent, but basic, reference for some one who knows nothing about UnrealEd. I personally have never needed to open it.

Also try sites like:

http://udn.epicgames.com/Main/WebHome - Epic's own tutorial website

http://wiki.beyondunreal.com/wiki/ - BU's wiki, some good stuff here but it's sort of a mix of UE1 and UE2 stuff.

http://chimeric.beyondunreal.com/ - Decent Unreal Scripting tutorials

There are many more helpful sites, but those few come of the top of my head at the moment.

[Skjalg]

Yeah, I wouldnt purchase a book, when i can just search google for the same stuff... (tutorials that is). Now, if the book comes with a CD packed with vtm's I might consider it^^

[Kosmo]

Learning 3d modelling or texturing or any other skill for this trade from a book just seems odd, I have never in my life seen a good book about 3d studio max and I have gone through dozens of books. Now programming, there is no way you can get better info by googling than you can get from a good book, but that is the difference, programming is mostly text, and books present text better than how to animate with still pictures, so if you want to learn something visual, I suggest that you do it visually.

[marque_pierre]

Well, learning styles differ immensely. I have always had a close relationship with books, and have had the good fortune to know a fair amount of excellent Max books, for different levels of competence I can recommend 3ds Max Fundamentals (absolute beginners), Modelling a Character with 3ds Max (intermediate), 3ds Max Killer Tips (intermediate) and The 3ds Max Bible (good for reference). There are more still. Anyway, I guess I just like better sitting with a book, instead of reading from a screen...

[sensee]

IMO video tutorials are the fastest way to learn modeling or mapping. Way faster than text tutorials or books.