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Level Design Learning To Map 101: 3dBuzz.com

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Gamburd

Gamburd

Grizzled Veteran
Mar 14, 2007
415
22
Detroit, MI
#1
OK, I'd like to learn how to make a map for RO, but I'll probably, if I learn, first try something for the Iron Europe Mod which I'm sort of working on.

Someone suggested going to 3dbuzz.com, and I did, but it seems what you can do there is take a correspondence course through buying some DVD's with mapping lessons and maybe buy a few books.

?

O.K., what course do I need to buy, and to make a great map, maybe something in the mode of KriegStadt, with unique uniforms, which DVDs should I buy, what course is good for RO, and how much $$ in U.S. dollars will I need to spend to get the information???


In the video section there are some Unreal Technology videos; should I just start watching those??

Is everything I need to know in those videos??

I was thinking of maybe making (some day, in the distant future) a map set somewhere in Ukraine, though I might change my mind about that.



How do I get started?? I don't know anything about making maps or computer game design.



Thanks,


Gamburd.
 
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#2
Download the tutorials from 3DBuzz, and become friends with the UnrealWiki and Unreal Developer's Network. You don't need to spend a dime.

Provided you have an account there, follow this link:
http://www.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/sv_dl_list.php?c=13

You are probably going to want to get all of the "Level Editor 101" tutorials as well as "Terrain Creation."

As far as uniforms go, you need Photoshop and UnrealScript experience to get those anywhere, so just stick to Level Design.

Additionally, I want to point out that Kriegstadt took some 11 months from the creation of the Moltke Bridge to Beta 1, and this included learning the editor, custom architecture, coding assets, textures, optimization, and so on. It is not an easy undertaking.
 
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#5
The thing I really liked about the 3d Buzz tutorials is they give you a good background so you can figure out that you want a 'static mesh' here or a 'terrain' here, etc... IE: to get a good general feeling for how it all fits together.

For specifics, I defer to UDN most of the time.. I like UnrealWiki, but it's always been very hard for me to keep stuff sorted between the various versions of UT engines (ie: they could use a massive article reorganizaion, and there isn't enough contributors IMO to get the trye 'wiki' effect)..
 
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#7
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#8
The SDK manual is an excellent start. It is well written and presented in a very logical order. Of course the end map is a big box but it covers all basics except terrain and skyboxes. It will also test your paitence for mapping and provide a great "test area" for you to experiment in when you begin your own project. Some people skip this and then run into problems with moving spawns and master objective manager, etc, when its all covered there. Cant recommend this enough as a good start.

Also use the search function of this forum as most questions have already been asked. Lots of good info collected here over the past couple of years. Once you get going, Googling "unreal mapping" will bring you to even more in-depth FREE tutorials (not unreal 3 stuff) on specific things (lighting, terrain, skyboxes, etc). Good luck :).
 
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#10
It seems EvilHobo and I had a very similar experience in starting out. My first real map 'Leningrad' took about 12 months, and I too had very little prior knowledge of the whole process.

I do not recommend this route for most people though. I suggest starting small and building on small areas one at a time instead of trying to create the perfect map from the start.

To start off do what everyone else in this thread has said, search the net and those sites listed in this thread for free tutorials, you don't need to spend ANY money at this point! Once you've done a little reading make a room. Yes, just a room. Then expand upon that, make that room part of a house, then add terrain around the house. After that maybe light the house, then add doors that can open and close, maybe decorate it next. Go at your own pace and always try to learn new things! The worst thing is to keep making the same stuff over and over again because you'll never learn that way. I also find it helps to give myself small goals every day and then see how things turned out at the end of the day. Just keep at it, ask questions, and don't give up. :cool:
 
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#11
O.K., I watched some of the Unreal videos with Logan and the other guy, and downloaded most of the RO SDK Manual.

By the way, (I'm addressing the slightly older guys out there who don't know much about computers) when you download, you'll need to save the program, and then to access the program, you will unzip it because it is a .rar file not .exe. Download this free program:

www.7-Zip.org/

If you have Windows XP Home Edition, you probably have 32 Bit; it looks like the 64 Bit was made for select computers, but double check what you have because I don't want anyone to claim that I messed their computer up.

The you go to your desktop or documents, where ever you save it, right click, then open it; then I believe you wait, and then you'll see it, and need to right click a second time, Open Archive, and Realplayer will start playing the video (you should be able to figure it out).

The RO SDK Manual, which supplements these videos, can be downloaded in the Downloads section of our RO website here at the top (just look at the top).

You just need Adobe /Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free if you don't have it.





Now how do I get the Red Orchestra Level Editor program??? It doesn't seem to be on this RO website. Is it on the original software that came in the game's box when I bought it.

I don't see it in the "All Programs" section of my computer when you click on the green Start button.

Where do I download it from???


Thanks,


Gamburd
 
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#13
At the 3dBuzz.com websitse of the Unreal Technology Videos, there are a total of 10 Technology Issues each with videos under them.

I started watching the first ones listed, under Level Design.



Question, do I have to know all 10 of the separate Technology issues to make a decent map, or will I be able to make something after, for instance, watching the first two Technology Issue video series (Level Design and Creating Static Meshes).


Some of the issues seem to deal with designing soldiers and weapon creation; that seems to be at an Advance Level which wouldn't necessarily be necessary when I try creating my first map.


Which Issues are most important for making an initial map??

Also, if someone could just briefly summarize, say in 2-3 sentences what ech of the total 10 Technology Issues will roughly go over, I'd appreciate it. Some have no description.





For Instance:

Unreal Technology Issue I: Level Design: Explains all the basics about designing a map and how to go about navigating the editor.



Thanks,


Gamburd
 
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#15
I mean do I also have to make sure to watch the Karma Physics Engine Videos, and the Matinee Issue ones before I design my first decent looking playable map for RO??

I know the Level Design and the series of videos on Terrain Creation are important, but I was wondering if you have to watch the every single one those videos that are on the page??

Just curious.
 
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#18
I've been watching some of the videos at 3dBuzz.com.

Now, I just need to know a little more once you are done creating a map, how do you upload it or how do RO players access the map???

I need to make sure that I can do this without owning a server, otherwise my efforts will be in vain.



Do you have to own your own server??; does one of the videos go over this??


If you could just tell me a little more and give me the basics about this, I would appreciate it.
 
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#19
Well you could open a server with the map in the rotation with the normal Red Orchestra (if you have installed the game on a PC :rolleyes:). Then post the IP in a forum or via IM and gather the ppl you want to show that map to.

Or upload the map to
http://www.rapidshare.com/ and send the link to whomever you want. And they can look at the map with their editor or start it with normal RO if you placed spawns etc. Nothing complicated.

Keep the things in the right order go learn mapping now :D
 
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