| Author |
Message
|
| ALicu |
 Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:30 pm Post subject: UDK Exporter Download |
 |
|
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 1330
|
Hi Everybody,
Here you can download the first version of Unreal Development Kit exporter:
Grome 3.11:
http://www.quadsoftware.com/storage/udk/ExpUDK_Grome311.zip
Grome 3.10:
http://www.quadsoftware.com/storage/udk/ExpUDK_Grome3.zip
Grome 2:
http://www.quadsoftware.com/storage/udk/ExpUDK_Alpha.zip
This is an beta version. It was not tested inside UnrealED but it seems to produce the correct results.
More information about how this plugin was started on this thread:
http://www.quadsoftware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=550
INSTALLATION:
==========
Unpack the archive and copy the content of Plugins folder into the Plugins folder inside Grome installation directory. The UDK exporter should now appear under Save as list in File -> Export dialog. Use the proper plugin version based on your Grome version.
UDK/Source contains the plugin source code which can be compiled with Grome SDK.
HELP:
====
The help is not yet present but the exporter U.I. is pretty much self explanatory:
Export only selected zones = export only the terrain zones that are selected inside Grome scene.
Don't export swapped zones = zones that are sent to swapped are skipped (even if they are selected). Otherwise swapped zones are first unswapped and after that exported.
Export heightmaps = export terrain heightmaps as 16bit bmp files to be used directly in UnrealEd. The resolution of the heightmaps are left unchanged so if you work with zones of power-of-two tiles inside Grome (most common case), the exported heightmap will be of power-of-two + 1 in size, exactly how UDK wants them.
Min and Max range for heightmaps: 16 bit bmp contain integral values between 0 and 65535 so the Grome heightmaps needs to be normalized to this range. By default this entire range is used so upon export minimum of Grome height becomes 0 and maximum becomes 65535. Use a different (smaller) range if you want to scale the heightmap.
Export layer masks = masks are saved as 16 bit bmp files (as UDK wants then) of the same size as the heightmaps.
Export tile textures = tiled textures are saved in export folder in the format as they are used inside Grome scene (tga, dds etc).
Help and tutorials to come in the next period.
Best Regards,
Adrian Licu
Quad Software
Last edited by ALicu on Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:30 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
| joskj |
| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Joined: 16 Oct 2007
Posts: 11
|
Realy realy nice...
I have only had a few moments to test it but it seems to (mostly) work realy well, as far as i can see right now. Nice to get perfect alignment between zones witouth having to use the text exporter.
However, i tried to scale the heightmap to 32k-64k instead of 0-64k, and got a heigthmap that was sett to all white, which may not be excatly what was intended  You might want to take a closer look at that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| ALicu |
| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 1330
|
| Quote: |
| However, i tried to scale the heightmap to 32k-64k instead of 0-64k, and got a heigthmap that was sett to all white, which may not be excatly what was intended Smile You might want to take a closer look at that. |
Oh, I see I will have a look. Also, how do you use this 16bit scaling in UnrealEd (sorry if this was already dealt with in your tutorial, I tend to forget quite easily ) ? I mean, does UDK wants the scaling to be in the entire range (0..64k)? Is there an advantage to have a smaller range (to be noted that precision can be lost that way)?
Also, I want to ask about the mask layer, how they supposed to be stored in the 16bit bmp files? All I did is to take the 0..255 greyscale files (as Grome works with them) and multiply by 255 and put result in 16bit. I remember seeing that this is what UDK expects from them. Anyway silly decision from them to use 16bit images for masks (but I guess this is done only in production, for import).
Regards,
Adrian L. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| joskj |
| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
Joined: 16 Oct 2007
Posts: 11
|
Hi Adrian,
The heightmap should always be 16 bit. However, if you have a relative flat terrain, you can use less the the full range to "simplify" (if you have a twisted mind) the re-scaling along z in UDK. However, i see now that this is bad hack and shouldnt realy be done. So, scratch this functionallity for now (silly people like me that wants to do stuff like this will more then likely be able to add in such functionallity themself, 99.99% wont need it or shouldnt do stuff like this, including me:) ). I think its more important to get another texture format then dds.
Well, the udk manual states "black is 100% transparent, white is 100% opaque", and more important: "The 8-bits of data must be simply multiplied to 16-bits (*256 or <<8 ). The 16-bit data in the G16 alphamap is automatically converted back down to 8-bits when it is imported into UnrealEd". So yes, you did it right, and the 16bit stuff seems to be just for code re-use for the import by the guys that made the udk editor. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| ALicu |
| Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 1330
|
Hi Jo,
Yes, using full range is always the way to go. That's why I've put the entire range as default.
About 16bit masks, I think I've read the docs myself and somehow this multiply with 256 got stuck in my mind but I wasn't sure.
I will add now more options for the tile textures.
I hope that in few weeks we will complete our other projects here and start to do some tutorials ourselves. In the mean time it would be great if you guys can test the exporter and maybe update the tutorial with the simpler steps. If the exporter is stable I want to make the UDK page on our site with direct links to downloads and tutorials.
Regards,
Adrian |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| joskj |
| Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
Joined: 16 Oct 2007
Posts: 11
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| ALicu |
| Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 7:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 1330
|
Hi Jo,
Thank you for the update. I also want to update the exporter this days (to add tile texture output format options, rotation to masks etc). I will let you know when I have a new version.
Regards,
Adrian L. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
