I’ve just started to learn Unreal Engine 4.26.2 and I’m learning how to design a game level. Searching on the Internet, I have found that a lot of references to block-out.
I suppose that is like creating a demo or a prototype about how my level is going to be without the need of using the final meshes, is that?
Yup, pretty much:
https://worldofleveldesign.com/categories/ue4/bsp-02-blockout.php
Rapid prototyping / play testing / scale.
What does block-in mean? And Kitbash? I am sorry, I am not English and I can’t find the meaning of these words in the dictionary.
Funny to think I was kitbashing before I knew it was even a thing. Why would the wee frugal me let spare plane model parts go to waste? Let’s make another plane that looks like something that should never be up in the sky…
@ViaCognita search the UE4 marketplace for ‘kitbash’ - it should give you a good visual idea of what it is. Lots of small and large elements you can put together to make something new. Like Lego blocks but nothing fits together. Your job is to make it fit & look good.
@AntiGravity Thanks for your answer. The problem is not the foreign language because I understood English very well. The problem are the words that have a specific meaning in a context (Unreal Engine and/or game development). When I try to search those words in a dictionary I don’t find any suitable meaning for the context.
I still do block out with BSP. Yet I’m from the UE 2.0 gen… mapping in UT99/2k3/2k4. I’ve got a solid grasp of the geometry tools, although lacking from what they use to be.
For most of my block out I use simple primitive meshes. Cube, Cylinder, Plane, Sphere. I scale them as needed. If I need a bit more complexity I’ll jump to BSP.
Ramps, rooves… anything triangular = Cone BSP. More complex (concave/convex) = pen tool
With BSP you don’t have to add collisions. This speeds up the process a bit, but you will take a perf hit with the per poly collision. You also don’t need to deal with UV mapping on simple stuff.
Edit/clarity…
None of my block out/white boxing is ever super detailed. I do it for scaling, spacing, flow and grouping purposes. More of a 3D doodle so to speak.
I will do BSP door, window, archways, stairs, stair to upper floor entry etc. But they are very simple and done for character movement testing.
Some of us old schoolers call it white boxing/blocking.
So, with UE4, which kind of block-in do I have to use? BSP Blockouts, Kitbash, primitive meshes…
You do not have to do anything. And kitbashing has nothing to do with block-out.
Take those parts, scale, rotate, mirror, clone, cut, scale again and make a cool highly detailed robot leg. Use the same parts to make a robot arm, head and torso. Combine all to make a robot.
Imagine the above is a bunch of rocks instead. You can combine them in new and exciting ways and make bigger and better, unique looking rock formations. Combine rock formations to make a cliff with a cave inside.
What you should consider doing is to find a way of designing levels you find most comfortable / enjoyable. Perhaps watch people designing levels:
OK. When I have designed the level, what do I have to do next?
Do I have to replace every BPS, Kitbash, primitive meshes, etc. with my the models that I have created in Maya?
Yes.
But most kitbashing should be done in Maya, too - it has much more sophisticated tools to handle that type of work.
Developing a game consume a lot of time and work: first you create a level and then, you recreate that level again.
