DX11 features in UDK

A little behind on this one but as I am just learning how to implement these, no difference!

summary here

Free bokeh  textures here

original thread

Great tip from the UDK forums on normal mapping: use TextureSampleParameterNormal node, not default texture node for normal maps.

original thread

edit: very comprehensive overview of backing normal maps and their functionality here

also: "Remember to select 'TV_NormalMap' under “Compression Settings” when importing the normal maps otherwise they will not work."


tutorial on importing normal maps for an animated texture escalator here

Another painting test...

Not enough energy to work on my light this evening, so i did a quick trumpet vine study to continue my texturing techniques:

Things I learned:

1. work BIG!

2. check perspective!

3. organize layers!

Normal, AO, and Emissive maps, Oh My!

Next on the UDK to do list - making a light! (Hopefully this post will get me motivated!)

First - baking my high to low poly normal map (exhaustive normal map article HERE), texturing (and baking AO), and creating the glow map.

After the light is done I plan to tackle THIS, but I have to get the light done first!

Quick preview of what I plan to make:

Painting practice

OK - been a bit slow as I've been recovering from a gnarly staph infection. If you've never had one before, my suggestion is that you keep it that way.

Anyhoo, a bit of a different update this week. I'm brushing up on my PS skills :) as I'm preparing to begin some texture work on my scene. This little guy is the result of random doodling and trying various techniques:

his name is Sumthin, and he kept me laughing the whole process...

QuakeCon 2011 - John Carmack Keynote

Great new 3D engine technology coming our way from id. Always the inovator, this time the company does away with traditional texture mapping (no complaints here).

Hear about it all in this youbube vid.

First comment sums it all up:

(about JC) Dude taught himself aerospace engineering for fun. AMD, NVIDIA, INTEL design drivers and hardware to suit his code. Wrote a game engine on his honeymoon.

UDK - Transparent Materials

Got my first transparencies working today thanks to this excellent video tutorial:

Creating transparent materials and fractured meshes.

Just remember to make objects with transparency selectable!

And a great article on various Transparency Maps.

and here's the result:

Next I'll be tackling something I ran across today - Soft Shadows.

Edit: or triggerable animated meshes - sounds more fun :)

FBX - no edge direction support

When exporting FBX from 3DS Max I kept getting a warning message (which I chose to ignore):

I decided it was worth investingating and came upon the following article on the AREA forums:

FBX doesn't support edge directions

FBX has always been my preferred exporting format but isn't always the best for low poly meshes where edge direction is a concern.

UDK Level - Begin!

Quick update on my UDK level as I test importing geometry and getting the hang of proper lighting in a scene. My goal is to get the basics down and then import a portion of our BIM projects for some real time snazziness!!

(i know it's basic right now...)

UDK work

The past week and a half or so my interest has returned to realtime environments, namely the UDK engine. I'm currently brushing up my skills and working (slowly) on a small environment to test some lighting ideas I've come up with. It's been slow going but images will be posted shortly!

Beginning a new UDK environment after a long hiatus. many thanks to these guys helping refresh my memory:

non-square texture maps & here

and of course the UDK King Hourences :)

and the ever inspiring Polycount forums for when I need some direction

3ds Max 2012 Generic Units change

after installing 3ds max 2012 and spending all day wrestling with it to export properly scaled geometry to the UDK, it would appear that generic units are now approximately .5 times their original size. write-up to come (primarily for my own benefit :)

setting up my twitter feed!

follow my updates on twitter: 3Deezle

ElumTools - Lighting Analysis Plugin for Revit

Well, before I even had a chance to delve into lighting analysis in 3ds Max Design, the makers of AGi32 lighting analysis software made my life a lot easier.

Currently in beta testing, ElumTools is an integrated solution to lighting analysis in Revit. That's right, no more exporting!

Check it out and sign up for the closed beta now so you'll be first in line for selection to test personally:

ElumTools

Lighting Analysis using Revit MEP & 3DS Max Design

Recently I've been researching lighting/daylighting analysis in 3ds max design and revit mep. I'll be posting my findings here.

First, a whitepaper describing the acuracy of daylighting/lighting analysis as determined by a comparison between Daysim 3.0 and 3ds max design by Christoph Reinhart and Pierre-Felix Breton.

original post.

whitepaper. (PDF)

also a brief Tutorial & Here

more to come!

-edit: putting this effort on hold for the time being. See ElumTools lighting analysis software for Revit MEP.

New Revit tools for 2012

Check out the NEW Revit 2012 tools over at CADDaddy.com including a mass hide in view plugin, renumbering, and batch export families.

There's a 30 day free trial so plenty of time to test various uses.

Welcome!

Finally settled on a name that I think can encompass all that will be posted here! Enjoy!