- ISBN13: 9780672329913
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Mastering Unreal Technology, Volume I: Introduction to Level Design with Unreal Engine 3 is your start-to-finish guide to modding and level design with the world’s hottest new gaming engine: Unreal Engine 3. Here’s everything you need to know to jumpstart your skills and create stunning new content and games for consoles and PCs alike! Your authors aren’t just the world’s #1 Unreal game development trainers: They’ve even built the training modules that sh… More >>
Mastering Unreal Technology, Volume I: Introduction to Level Design with Unreal Engine 3
Tags: computer, consoles, Design, Engine, game development, games, gaming engine, Introduction, Level, Mastering, modding, new gaming, technology, Unreal, unreal engine 3, unreal game, unreal technology, Volume
#1 by Quaal on January 27, 2010 - 11:44 am
This introduction is one of the best and most detailed introductions I’ve read before. It covers near everything you need to make a complete, working, fun level. It covers all the basics and doesn’t waste your time with modeling in maya or creating custom animations.
If you want to get started with the Unreal Engine, this book is for you. If you already know the Unreal Engine, this book will likely teach you some tricks you didn’t know.
Amazing buy.
Rating: 5 / 5
#2 by Rob on January 27, 2010 - 12:31 pm
I’ve evaluated several 3D game engines, including XNA Game Studio 3 (ok for home enthusiasts), Torque 3D (not ready for prime time as of this writing), Unity (nice), Blender3D (ok for home enthusiasts), and Unreal Engine 3. The Unreal Engine UDK blows them away, although the Unity 3D Platformer is really quite good. You can’t beat what you get with the Unreal Engine UDK, especially considering that its free. Some licensing rules apply if you actually create and sell a game.
I purchased this book in order to get a “head start” on developing applications with the Unreal Game Engine. I was very pleased with its contents. The examples in each chapter really drive home the benefits of using the Unreal Game Engine. I especially enjoyed the introductory chapter, the static meshes chapter, the material creation chapter, the terrain chapter, the Kismet chapter and the Matinee considerations chapter.
I downloaded the November and December Betas of the Unreal Development Kit (UDK). So if you do the same, be aware of the following differences.
1. When you copy a chapter’s map to your Content directory, change its extension from ut3 to udk.
2. You will have some problems in Chapter 4: A Universe of Brushes. Some of the UT3 features (geometry modifiers for BSP extrusion, etc) are not in the UDK. You will not be able to extrude the capital and entablature on the columns in the temple. Don’t waste time trying to figure out where they are, like I did. Unreal recommends using static meshes rather than BSP brushes to build your levels. So they’ve removed some of the modifiers from the UDK.
3. The property names in the book use Hungarian notation, but the UDK does not. Just remove the first character and you will find your property.
4. Every map needs a Killz setting. When you build your map you will get an error that the Killz setting is not initialized (something like that). So go to View/World Properties and expand Zone Info. You will see Kill Z as the first property. Set its value to something like -10000.
5. I had some issues with the Swarm, and ended up turning it off. I don’t need to build my levels on multiple machines, and I didn’t want to spend the time setting it up. So I disabled it.
That’s it! Most of the examples in the book work as described. I’m very impressed with Kismet and Matinee. I think Autodesk could learn something here.
I can’t wait to buy Volume 2: Advanced Level Design Concepts with Unreal Engine 3.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by Robert A. Morin on January 27, 2010 - 1:54 pm
I own both Volumes 1 and 2 of this series, and it is completely up to date, and has very accurate results in how to map for Unreal Tournament 3, and other Unreal Engine 3-based games that include the editor. Notice I said that these are “companion” books, since I mainly use this to follow along with the video tutorials, which are also done by these same authors (you can download the VTMs from FilePlanet). I have Volume 3 on preorder, but who knows what’s gonna come of that? Anyway, if you have the video tutorials on top of this, more power to you. I believe that the VTMS can be played in the same order as the book. Always good to read the step-by-step first, then go back and watch it in action. Jeff Busby thought of everything with this. I liked him back when he was doing UT2003/4 tutorials and books, and I especially like that he did UT3 material now, so I can update my learning experience with mapping/modding in the new version of Unreal Tech.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Uhtred on January 27, 2010 - 1:57 pm
For anyone who seeks to be a good game level designer using Unreal 3 Editor or even the new UDK, this book (along with the other two) will be your greatest reference about all the tools of these programs.. UDK may be some different from Unreal 3 Editor but the base is the same.. the book is very easy to understand (english is not my first language and I’m having no problems at all reading it) and has a lot of cool tips and info.. as a game development student using Unreal Engine 3, I couldn’t be more satisfied… this book really helps a lot when you’re stuck in that hour were you think “well.. I really wanna do something like this but how could I get it to work?”.. then you grab the book, and there is how.. I’m going to buy the other two now too, and for anyone who is thinking about it, I say: it’s worth it.. (:
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by T. Lohrenz on January 27, 2010 - 2:16 pm
This book is an excellent resource on Unreal Engine 3. It launches you straight into the engine and gives you a basic overview before devoting individual chapters to specific topics, such as Lighting, Materials, and the Kismet script editor. Everything you need to start building your own levels is included here.
Probably my favorite feature are the in-depth walkthroughs for every lesson. I never felt lost or overwhelmed. If you’re just starting out in level design or are transitioning from another engine, this is a wonderful book to get your feet wet. Also take note that you get a free copy of Unreal Tournament 3 with this book, which is a excellent deal considering the price of the book.
Rating: 5 / 5