So Unreal 4 doesn’t really have very good in-built tools for level design so most will use third party tools for it. I came across this some time ago and it looks cool (it basically allows you to use Quake style BSP editors for level design): https://forums.unrealengine.com/unre…-unreal-engine
But there are a few reservations I have about it which is why I want to know a few things first.
Is this tool still being maintained? I don’t want to make my project dependent on a tool that some random dude made if it could just stop working 1 or 2 years from now never to get fixed.
As somebody who already knows how to use 3D apps like Modo, what are the benefits of using something like HammEUr instead of just making the level in modo and importing it into Unreal?
Anybody here have experience using this tool? And if so what are your thoughts on it?
You’re never going to get as advanced of modeling tools like you would in an actual 3D modeling software like Modo/3ds Max, but some projects don’t necessarily require it and it’s more convenient to be able to create that stuff in the editor than to have to export things between programs. Most developers though are used to the workflow of doing the detailed models in a separate program and simply blocking things out in the game editor though.
Yea but it just seems slower and less flexible than old school bsp editing.
I also somewhat agree with this guy’s opinion on the topic:
Basically he says mesh based level design is more limiting and annoying than brush based design, and I am inclined to agree with him. Then again maybe I am biased since I spent a lot of time in bsp editors before moving on to unreal.
Yes I know but it gives the flexibility of bsp editing.
There is nothing wrong with the white box tools inside of UE4, because that is all a level editor/designer needs: whiteboxing tools.
It is not there to fully spec out an entire level - the tools are there to white-box your design before you pass it over to an environment artist, in the basement.
CSG is faster than BSP anyway. The quantity of vertices, edges and faces is less, making and meaning less geometry to contend with, and less work when you want to make a change.
Level editors/designers and not modellers; and modellers are not level editors/designers
Modellers need extensive toolsets for modelling, level editors/designers do not; but they do need fast tools - and CSG makes that possible.
The environment artist does not get their hands on the geometry of a level until it has been finalised from extensive playtesting…because let’s be honest, why would they? Their skillset is modelling - that is why they were hired, just as, the level editor/designer was hired to design levels at the speed of thought.
