Meshing or BSP and unwrapping (Beginner)

Hey there,

I’m exploring the possibilities of UE4 for archviz on behalf of the company i work for, and so far i like what i see (Examples and videos). Now it is time to get my hands dirty and try some stuff, now i have 3 questions to begin with:

  • Would you advice to use static meshes to build walls, floors and ceilings OR is using BSP brushes easier?
  • (In case static meshes need to be used) Currently we draw our models in AutoCAD (for accuracy) and link them in 3DSMax. In this case all layers are seperated by materials, so in 3DS we click one object that needs a brick material, and everything else that is brick automatically updates to. Is it possible to use this layering of the model in UE4, or do we need to split up the model (front wall, left wall, floors etc)? I can image that seperating the model is better for collision detection, because it will see single walls and floors, instead of these huge chunks we work with now.
  • (Again in case of static meshes) I’ve read some stuff about unwrapping UVs. Currently we use the UVW map modifier in 3DS if we want to position materials on a model/layer. Will this suffice also in UE4, or do we really need to unwrap our models for them to work properly in UE4?

These questions might seem a bit ‘noobish,’ but we’re really new to UE, and i’m trying to figure out what the impact and/or changes will be on our current workflow if we decide to work with UE in the future.

Thanks!

Hi Chiel B.

I’m fairly new as well but I remember reading that BSP brushes take a lot more resources than static meshes. I’m not sure if that’s the only reason why most people don’t use them, but every tutorial or advice I’ve seen points towards using static meshes.

The walls, floors, ceilings, etc. should all be imported separately. This is mainly for good lightmaps on the second UV channel, where your lighting will be baked. Unwrapping the model is essential on the second UV channel only as far as I know, again for the purpose of your lightmaps. It seems daunting at first but once you get a good rhythm going it’s not too bad. There is also some really good tools like TS_Tools that will mass export and position all your FBX files to save you a lot of time.

I hope I helped a bit, like I said I’m pretty new as well. I’m sure more experienced people could explain it a lot more clearly.

  • you cant create any complex meshes with advanced uv maps :slight_smile:

Thanks for these pointers, should push me in the right direction :slight_smile: I’ve also found some interesting videos on YT on UVWs and lightmaps. Links are on my workstation in the office, if i remember to do it i’ll post them here tomorrow.

I really struggled with unwrapping UVWs until I saw this tutorial.

://cgi.tutsplus/tutorials/an-introduction-to-uvmapping-in-3d-studio–using-the-unwrap-uvw-modifier-part-2–cg-13877

I recommend any new people needing help with the concept to check it out!

Ah nice, thanks for the link :slight_smile:

Here are 2 links i found which might prove usefull for beginners like me:v=joKnmShAdJEhttps?v=BY-nKxyHKRc

Another useful link about lightmaps: :// :slight_smile: