Mastering Unreal Technology

Jason "Buzz" Busby is the president/CEO of 3D Buzz, Inc., a company dedicated to teaching the world the arts and skills behind today's hottest 3D industries, including gaming, film, and visualization. Through his website, http://www.3DBuzz.com, Buzz distributes his signature Video Training Modules (VTMs), which contain hours of training content that is professional, informative, and entertaining. Buzz is also the Director of Animation at The Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tennessee, where he offers his students a unique insight into the world of Alias Maya and Discreet 3ds max. Zak Parrish is currently an animation instructor at The Renaissance Center, where he teaches both Alias Maya and Discreet 3ds max. For the past two years, he has worked with Jason Busby and 3D Buzz, Inc. to help provide top-quality education to students across the world. His work can be seen on many of the 3D Buzz VTMs as well as in the UT2004 Special Edition training video series. In what little spare time he manages, he is also seeking his bachelor of fine arts degree at Austin Peay State University. Joel Van Eenwyk grew up in China, where his parents both work as teachers. He attendedpublic school in China for four years and was then homeschooled by his mother. Joel developed an interest in computer programming and was soon writing programs to help with his homework. At 17, Joel traveled to the United States to further his education at a community college in Kansas. During that time, he attended an intensive four-week training program on Alias Maya, instructed by Jason Busby. After completing a one-year internship with 3D Buzz, Joel is currently seeking his computer science degree at the University of Kansas.

Introduction.

I. THE UNREAL UNIVERSE.

1. Unreal Technology: The Big Picture.

    Unreal and Its History

    The Unreal Engine

      Introduction to the Unreal Engine

      The Components

      Overview of Component Interaction

    Engineering New Worlds with the Unreal Engine

      Game Assets

      The Tools

    Summary

2. The Process of Game Development.

    Building Your Foundation: Before Production

      Developing Your Idea

      The Player's Perspective

      Gathering the Team

      Refining Your Ideas with the Team

      Creating a Production Schedule

    Beginning Construction: During Production

      Maintaining the Schedule

      Dealing with Delays

      Bringing It Together

    Testing and Acquiring Feedback

      Internal Testing: Alpha

      External Testing: Beta

    Remodeling and Closing: Ending Production

      What to Do with Beta Test Info

      When to Stop Beta Testing

      Finalizing and Releasing

    Summary

3. Creating Your First Level with UnrealEd.

    What Is UnrealEd?

      The Subtractive Method of Level Creation

      Rebuilding

    The Anatomy of an Unreal Level

      World Geometry

      Actors

      Some Assembly Required

    A Quick Tour Around the User Interface

      The Main Menu Bar

      The Toolbar

      The Toolbox

      The Viewports

      The Console Bar

      The Browsers

      Property Windows

    Working in 3D Space

      2D Versus 3D

      Positive and Negative Directions

    Creating Your First Room

      Subtracting Out Space: How Tall?

      Brushes in Depth

      Navigation in UnrealEd

      Moving Actors

    Creating Your First Map

      Subtracting the First Room

      Adding Textures

      Texture Fitting

      Making the Level Functional

    Expanding the Level: Creating Objects and Adding Lights

      The Window and Hangar

    Adding Detail: Static Meshes

      The Static Mesh Browser

      Placing Static Meshes

      Decorating with Static Meshes

    Summary

4. Advanced Brush Techniques.

    BSP Theory

      Polygons

      BSP Trees

    Brushes from Other Brushes

      The Intersect Tool

      The De-Intersect Tool

    Brush Manipulation

      Vertex Editing

      Face Dragging

      Brush Clipping (2D and 3D)

    Freehand Polygon Drawing

    The 2D Shape Editor

      User Interface Overview

      Shape Editing

      Using the 2D Shape Editor to Create a Simple Level

    Brush Solidity

      Solid Brushes

      Semi-Solid Brushes

      Non-Solid Brushes

    Saving Brushes (u3d Files)

    Importing/Exporting Brushes

    Summary

5. Terrain.

    What Is Terrain?

    The Components of Terrain

      Terrain Zoning with the ZoneInfo Actor

      Using the TerrainInfo Actor

      Controlling Terrain with the Height Map

    Layers

      DecoLayers

    Altering Terrain with the Terrain Editing Dialog

    Lighting Terrains with Sunlight

    The Skybox

      What Are Skyboxes?

      How Does a Skybox Work?

    A Closer Look at Terrain Editing

      Terrain Editing User Interface

      Height Map Editing Tools

      The Select Tool

      Applying the Terrain Editing Tools

    TerrainInfo Properties

    Texture Layer Editing Tools

      Painting

      Smoothing

      Noise

      Tex Pan

      Tex Rotate

      Tex Scale

    Editing Terrain Texture

    DecoLayers

    Summary

6. Working with Volumes.

    Concept of Volumes

    Basic Volume

      Volume Properties

      DecoList

      BlockingVolume

    PhysicsVolume

      WaterVolume

      LavaVolume

      XfallingVolume

      LadderVolume

    Summary

7. Lighting in Unreal.

    Light Concepts

      Light Maps

      Light Placement

    Light Classification

      Static Lights

      Dynamic Lights

    Light Properties

      Light Color

      Light Radius

      Light Type and Light Effects

      Directional Lights

    Lighting Workflow

      Light Creation

      Viewing Lights

      Working with Light Effects

      Rebuilding Lights

      Light Map Size

    Lighting Surfaces

      World Geometry

      Static Meshes, Meshes, and Movers

      Terrain

      Particles

    Advanced Lighting Effects

      Scaling Lights

      Using SpecialLit

      Ambient Lighting

      Emitting Light from Other Actors

      Coronas

      Using a TriggerLight

    Projectors

      Using Projectors

    Common Lighting Pitfalls

    Summary

8. Creating Materials in Unreal.

    Textures

      Creating a Texture

      Importing a Texture

      The Texture Properties Window

      Texture Properties

    Shaders

      Diffuse and Specularity Maps

      Opacity Maps

      Self-Illumination Maps

      Other Properties

    Modifiers

      The Color Modifier

      The TexOscillator Modifier

      The TexPanner Modifier

      The TexRotator Modifier

      The TexScaler Modifier

      The Combiner Modifier

    Creating Reflective Surfaces with Cubemaps and TexEnvMaps

    Final Blend Material

    Using a ScriptedTexture

    Summary

9. Interactive Elements.

    Movers

      Creating the First Door

    Introduction to Triggers

      Creating a MessageTrigger

    Elevators

      A Simple Elevator: UseTrigger

      Complex Elevator Overview

    Jump Pads

    Teleporters

    Summary

II. ADVANCED DESIGN TECHNIQUES.

10. Creating Particle Effects.

    Particle Theory

      Emitter Types

    SpriteEmitter

    SparkEmitter

    MeshEmitter

    BeamEmitter

    TrailEmitter

    Summary

11. The Karma Physics Engine.

    Karma Theory

      General Karma Properties

      Karma Collision Primitives

    Constraints

      KBSJoint

      KconeLimit

      Khinge

    Ragdolls

    The Karma Authoring Tool (KAT)

      The KAT Interface

      Workspaces

      Viewports

    Summary

12. Advanced Bot/AI Navigation.

    Basics of Bot Navigation

      Design Considerations

    Tools for Debugging

      Diagnosing Problems with the Map Check Dialog Box

      Console Commands

    Pathing

      Jump Pads and Teleporters

      Jump Spots

      Doors

      Lifts

      Ladders

    Advanced Pathing

      AssaultPaths

      Defense Points and Sniping Points

      Vehicle Navigation

    Summary

13. Matinee: Creating Custom Cinematics.

    Introduction to the World of Machinima

    Overview of the Matinee System

    The Matinee Interface

      The Scenes Tab

      The Actions Tab

      The Sub Actions Tab

      The Tools Tab

    Creating a Simple Matinee Sequence

    Working with the Scene Manager

    Triggering the Matinee Sequence

    Controlling the Camera Path

    Creating Camera Pauses and Camera Cuts

    A Closer Look at Sub Actions

      Setting Camera Orientation

      Introducing Fades

    Using Matinee to Control Actors

    Adding Text to Your Cutscenes

    Adding a More Cinematic Feel

    Automatically Launching the Movie

    Changing Levels with Matinee

    Summary

14. Creating Scripted Sequences.

    Using an Actions List

      Using Latent and Non-latent Actions

      Controlling xPawns

    Logical Conditions

    Summary

15. Level Optimization (Zoning) and Distribution.

    Introduction to Level Optimization

    Zoning

    Antiportals

    Distance Fog

    Terrain Optimization

    Profiling and Debugging

      Viewport Display Modes

      Console Commands

    Summary

16. Gametypes.

    Setting Level Properties

    Deathmatch-Style Gametypes

      Adding Weapons

      Deathmatch Design Considerations

    Capture the Flag (CTF)

      CTF Design Considerations

    Double Domination

      Design Considerations for Double Domination

    Bombing Run

      Design Considerations for Bombing Run

    Onslaught

      Design Considerations for Onslaught

    Assault

    Summary

III. EXTERNAL DESIGN.

17. Overview of Maya.

    Y-Up Versus Z-Up

    Maya Theory

      Nodes and Connections

      Construction History

    Overview of the User Interface

      The Viewports

      The Main Menu Bar and Menu Sets

      The Status Line

      The Shelf

      The Channel Box and Layer Editor

      The Attribute Editor

      The Time and Range Sliders

      The Toolbox and Layout Selection

      The Hotbox

    The Hypershade

    The Hypergraph

    Object Manipulation

      Object Mode

      Component Mode

    Summary

18. Polygonal Modeling Tools.

    Modeling Terminology

    Modeling Methods

      Box Modeling

      Polygon Creation

    Understanding the Tool Options and Display Settings in Maya

    Polygon Modeling in Maya

      Creating Polygons

      Adding to Existing Polygons

      Combining Objects

      Using Booleans

      Mirroring

      Smoothing Versus Averaging Vertices

      Triangulation

      Cleaning Up Your Polygons

    Editing Polygons

      Subdividing Polygons

      Splitting Polygons

      Extrusions

      Chamfering Vertices and Beveling Edges

      Cutting Faces

      Wedging Faces

      Merging Vertices

      Flipping Triangle Edges

      Adjusting Surfaces and Hard Edges

    Summary

19. The Art of Texturing in Maya.

    UVs and the UV Coordinate System

    The UV Texture Editor

      The Menu Bar

      The Toolbar

      The Viewport

    Mapping Uvs

      Mapping Methods

    Creating UV Layouts

    Creating Textures from UV Layouts

    UV Layouts for Characters

    Considerations for UV Layouts

    Summary

20. Static Meshes.

    The Importance of Static Meshes

    Preparing to Model

      Adjusting the Grid

      Creating a Project

    Modeling the Catwalks

      Creating the Base Catwalk

      Constructing the Straight Catwalk

      Making a Ramp

      Making a Turn

      Building a T-Intersection

      Building a Four-Way Intersection

    Collision Models

    Exporting Models to UnrealEd

      Texturing Your Static Meshes in UnrealEd

    Summary

21. Character Modeling.

    Preparation

      Concept Art

      Image Planes

    The Modeling Process

      Modeling and Animation

    The Character

      Modeling the Torso

      Modeling the Legs

      Modeling the Arms

      Modeling the Feet

      Modeling the Hand

      Modeling the Head

    Summary

22. Importing Characters into UnrealEd.

    What Are Skeletons?

    Introduction to Maya Joints

      Parenting

      Joints and Parenting

      Joints and Rotation

      Using the Joint Tool

      Joints and Local Rotation Axes

      Manipulating Joints

    Binding a Character to a Skeleton: Skinning

      Introduction to Smooth Bind

      Adjusting Joint Influence

    Importing a Character Without Custom Animation

      Importing a Skeleton

      Skinning a Character

      Adjusting the Skin Weights

      Exporting the Character

      Getting the Character Ready for Gameplay

      Creating the Character's Portrait

      The UPL File and Testing the Character In-game

    Summary

23. Character Animation.

    Introduction to Animation

    Popular Animation Methods in Maya

      Keyframes

      Reactive Animation

    Animation Choices-FK Versus IK

    IK Solvers

      Single Chain IK Solvers

      Rotate Plane IK Solvers

      IK Spline Solvers

    Constraints

    Selection Handles

    Character Rigs: What They Are and Why We Need Them

      Creating the Character Rig

      Skinning the Character

    Animating the Character

      Pose-to-Pose Animation

      Creating Custom Animation Cycles

    Exporting Custom Animations into UnrealEd

    Summary

APPENDIX A. The UnrealEd Manual.

    The Main Menu Bar

    The Toolbar

      File Options

      Undo and Redo

      Search for Actor

      Browsers

      Editors

      Properties

      Building

      Play Level

      Help

    The Toolbox

      Camera and Utilities Area

      Brush Clipping Area

      Brush Primitives Area

      CSG Operations Area

      Selections and Movement Area

      Mirroring and Miscellaneous Area

    The Viewports

      Viewport Controls

      Viewport Control Bar

      Viewport Control Bar Context Menu

    The Console Bar

      The Text Field

      The Log Window

      Lock Selections

      Vertex Snap

      Drag Grid

      Rotation Grid

      Maximize Viewport

      DrawScale3D

    Browsers

      The Actor Class Browser

      The Group Browser

      The Music Browser

      The Sound Browser

      The Textures Browser

      The Mesh Browser

      The Prefab Browser

      The Static Mesh Browser

      The Animation Browser

    Editor Windows

      Search for Actors

      The 2D Shape Editor

      The UnrealScript Editor

    Property Windows

      Actor Properties

      Surface Properties

INDEX.