UE1 - UT Couple of n00b questions...

[16MentalTempest]

Today I decided to try mapping again. How hard can it be?

...Oh

Could someone help me on a few things before I start my next map? Thanks ahead of time.

1. I have Unreal Tournament Game of the year edition and it comes with I think UeD 2.0 but everyone says UeD only comes with UT 2kx. I only own UT99 GOTYE. Is there a difference when referred to in the UnrealWiki or on the forums?

2. I've always had a problem with Skyboxes. Specifically, I have a hard time with maps that have a landscape to them such as a large field with mountains in the background or a hillside. I've checked the Wiki but they only talk about how to add one, not make it look right. How do I pull off a 'landscape' Skybox?

3. Whenever I adjust vertices on, say, a cube brush to make it look different, I almost always get an error after an immediate crash. I think this has something to do with the location of the vertices and I've tried moving them to different locations with sporadic success. Any reason why this happens.

4. Semi-Solids seem like a great way to reduce BSP holes, but when are they really necessary?

I know its a lot to ask, but help is very much appreciated. I've got some ideas for a my next level and this will get me back on track.

 

[Surion]

Hey,
I'm very new to the UED to,
but i think i got the answer on question number 3.
I have the same problem in UED3, like: first i subtract a rectangular brush, but i want to change it to a triangle, so i move the vertices, then the program crashes. so try to change your vertices as much as possible with the red builder brush, and then subtract. could save a lot of frustration.
Normally when changing the heigth, width and length, of an already subtracted brush, you shouldn't get an error.

Hope this helped

 

[PsyXandeR]

1) UT99 comes with UnrealEd2.0 , UT2004 with Ued3.0 and UT3 comes with Ued4.0. There is Ued1.0 also but it was used for making Unreal1 levels and it was rather laggy, noone uses this version nowadays except maybe insane fanatics.^^ So if you are mapping for UT99 (aka UT GOTY) then you should use Ued2.0
2) Could you be more specific about 'landscape skyboxes'? As far as I understand you want to implement real terrain in a skybox? Or something else?
3) Well, you should not try placing on vertex atop of another one, otherwise editor will crash, use 2dShapeEd instead for complex rooms/curves. ( search on Wiki ) Notice : really weird vertex positions can produce a fair ammount of BSP holes, like Endless texture or something else.
4) Well, personally I use semisolids for decorative stuff like curves/columns etc. BUT, if used incorrectly, they can produce BSP holes too , never ever make semisolid intercept a solid brush, otherwise it might result in BSP errors.

Hope it helps.

 

[IronMonkey]

4. Semi-Solids seem like a great way to reduce BSP holes, but when are they really necessary?

You might find this useful:
http://www.hourences.com/book/tutorialssemi.htm

 

[16MentalTempest]

Thanks for the help.
What I mean by 'landscape skybox' is, for example, if I have the level floating above the ground (e.g. DM-Pyramid or DM-Barricade) then I would have a large expanse of land as far as the eye can see. Or a better example would be the 2nd level of Halo 1. When you look over the cliffs you see a river running below you into an ocean in the distance. I've tried making skyboxes before, but the only ones I can do are outer space ones because all I know how to do is place sheets with space textures on them.

 

[PsyXandeR]

Well, you could use Terragen for that purposes , you create terrain, color it etc etc and then take pics of them and import in game... that's cheater's method .

 

[16MentalTempest]

Well that's definitely something a n00b like me can do. I'll give it a shot.
Thanks!

 

[PsyXandeR]

Not really a n00b way I must say. Some pro mappers use this technique as well.

 

[16MentalTempest]

I did not feel like making a new thread for this. I want to make a map with an engine room of sorts that is not accessible to the competitors. However you can see inside through a window to a few non-competiting bots that are walking around and 'making sure the engine works'. I would have looked up the Wiki, but it got revamped on me so I can't find a thing. How do I accomplish this?

 

[PsyXandeR]

Well, you could place regular monsters ( scripted pawns, from Unreal1 ) and some patrol points in order to make it work. If you really wanna change their skin to human, you have to change its mesh, it can be found in Decorations - Carcass (IIRC)