Ok im looking at this from a hobby standpoint i have the unreal kit, VS 13 express…anymore tools i need im studying all the info now and will be until winter 2015 before i try to make anything…
Blender and GIMP are good free tools to get you started on art assets if you’re interested in doing your own
Also take a look at world machine (for realistic landscapes), the photoshop nvidia normal map generator plugin and this thread (there you can find many useful tools): https://forums.unrealengine/showthread.php?57471-Free-Software-Tools-amp-Resources-List
Don’t get VS Express! They have recently released Visual Studio Community, which has all the functionality of the Pro version and is completely free for individuals (or up to 5 users in a team).
Ok thanks guys will get on it…