I've been searching around MODSONLINE for info on Unreal Tournament 3, Unreal Editor 3, UT3, Unreal Engine 3, or it's other name: Gears of War. I'm sad to say it looks like there is basically NOTHING on modsonline for this engine!! Why is this?

This engine is still one of the best around, and it has some of most user friendly tools like Kismet (Visual Script maker which doesn't require you to know anything about code), Cascade (it's partical editor), and it's over all editor is pretty stable and works great with 3DS Max, Maya, and other tools.

This game was released in 2007, and it looks like it doesn't exist in this forum. Granted, I just found this game at Gamestop a few weeks ago for $13, but it comes with the editor and tools built in. In 2007, I kept looking for Unreal Tournament 2007 to be released, and I never saw it. I thought it was cancelled or something. Recently, I looked it up online and discovered it was called Unreal Tournament 3 instead because it is a brand new engine, and not part of the other older engines.

Anyway, I think you guys should add two new sections to this forum, one for UT3, the other for GoW, because their are some differences in it's editor's, and the file systems.

http://www.ut3modding.com/
http://www.makesomethingunreal.com/
http://www.moddb.com/games/unreal-tournament-3
http://www.avld.org/pages/tuts/KismetAreas/IntroKismet.htm

The problem with this is almost every game that uses this engine has similar looking tools, leading users to believe they are the same.

Unlike Call Of Duty where older tutorials still apply to newer versions of the modified quake engine. UT3 Games all have their little differences which require vastly different tutorials.

The other thing is support by Games developers, take Brothers In Arms Hell Highway which uses the Kismet system, I myself picked it apart and learnt how to use AI but dropped the game completely after a few weeks simply because there were no explanations of some of the more advanced functions. I also had to hunt high and low for some of the most basic tutorials, their forums offered some help but there was an extremely small community base ( UT3 Forums - as you can see even here, no posts since 2008).

I have to disagree with them being user friendly, making a level in UT is much more time consuming than making a level in Radiant, putting new comers off very quickly.

I would love to see more support and different communities here but from my experience with Brothers in Arms, Swat4, Darkest Hour and some others it would have to focus on just ONE game and that decision would be extremely difficult.


edited on Sep. 25, 2009 05:37 pm by techno2sl

The other problem is that in order for a community to grow, it needs to be supported by the community. You cannot just wave a magic wand and suddenly have a wealth of information and knowledge that people will gravitate to.
Our CoD forums and community was built up from nothing (what seems a long time ago)by myself and other past and current members of the community that you see around you here. It is that support that creates a community here for that game, not the fact that we had a forum headed by that topic.
I am sure that I speak for foyle and the other owners of the site in saying that we would welcome a new forum category, however, that doesn't mean that any of us can step up to fill the request for knowledge that would come with the associated questions.
Or are you volunteering?

Stryder hit the point. I have no problem creating additional forums. I just need someone to say they can help to support it. It's awful to be someone coming here looking for help, posting their request and never getting a response.
Whether the the UT engines are better, worse or equal to others is not the point here. We all have our own opinions and reasons. If we can support it, we will.

Thanks for the suggestion. If you know someone who can dedicate some time to support the games have them contact me.

I see your point. Maybe after two years there might be enough info out there for people to start making a second glance at UE3. There are now three huge volumes for the UE3 engine. Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Unreal-Technology-Introduction-Design/dp/0672329913

I found a book for Unreal at the half-priced book store. This book is almost 4 inches thick! I'm currently reading it. It is for the Unreal 2k4 engine, or Unreal 2.5 Engine. This book includes a DVD with the engine, tutorials, and Maya 5 Personal Learning Edition. (Which I installed and it's working fine.) I paid 10$ for this book, but I looked on amazon and there are also two additional volumes that supplement it. Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Unreal-Technology-Level-Design/dp/0672326922
I know the Editor's/Engines are different, but I'm sure alot of the concepts, vocabulary, and basics are very similar. The Screen shots of the 2K4 looks almost identical to the UT3 Editor I have been using.

I also was able to buy the Unreal Anthology at Gamestop for $1.99!!! This DVD includes the first 4 unreal games (originally you could only get this if you pre-ordered Unreal Tournament 3). Now that it has been out for 2 years they are just trying to get rid of the remaining Anthology DVD's. So, I got the book mentioned above, and all 4 previous versions of the game for about $13.

Also, the half-priced book store had a GMAX Bible for $10 with a DVD included to install it. I already have a newer version I think, but I don't think it would hurt to get that book too.


edited on Sep. 26, 2009 07:57 pm by Sickill

The tools for Unreal have certainly become much more easy to work with. Prior to UT3, mapping for the engine meant thinking in opposite to most other games because it was a subtractive environment.
That has changed with UT3 and as a result, more modders should expectedly start focusing more on it then they previously have.

We made UT3 mods in my Mod Workshop class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkA5icq3JtU&fmt=35

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtU8WqcJMII&fmt=35

I worked on a Nerf knock off one but it didn't turn out as great as the others because our dedicated programmer dropped the class half way through the quarter and I had to stop working on art/importing and figure out his code to pick up. :P

Anyhow, here's a cool UT3 conversion I just came across called The Haunted...
http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-haunted
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO225zKSGrs&fmt=22

After watching The Haunted video I'd like to pick up modding UT3 again, but not lot of people here do UT modding [enough to support its own forum] like Stryder pointed out. Would be cool though considering how cheap UT3 is on Steam right now, and Epic holds their Make Something Unreal contest.

I purchased the UT3 Mastering Unreal book: http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Unreal-Technology-Introduction-Design/dp/0672329913 at Barnes and Noble. I already completed the first three chapters and even though I've already created and 'published' my very first level with UE3 I learned somethings I didn't already know! I can't wait to get through the other 600 pages of this book!!!

Anyway, I'm going to pick up volume 2 as soon as barnes and noble has it, or I might save some money and order it of amazon.

Now I have the first volume books for UT2K4 and UT3!!

NOTE: OH! And If you buy the UT3 Volume 1 book in the link above a free full version copy of UT3 is available for download! (I had already bought it at gamestop for $13 though.

edited on Sep. 29, 2009 03:22 pm by Sickill

Screenshots of your first level? :)

SparkyMcSparks writes...

It wasn't worth taking screenshots lol. It's just an outdoor level with 3 buildings connected by hallways. Outside the rooms there is a series of stairs, a lift, and a jump pad. There was also a sweet spot for sniping. 16 player starts an some vehicles. It was my first attempt at publishing a level through the editor. I basically just wanted to make sure it would show up in the list of DM maps in at the UT3 map selection screen. I used only materials that came with the UT3, and there was nothing custom in it. It wasn't worth uploading for others to play.

However, I just found a free program similar to 3DS max called Truespace 7.61. I'm gonna have to learn how to use that before I can make any custom static meshes, characters, or vehicles. (It is compatible with UT3 also)

I'm new to this but, I've made the decision to stick to it!

-Sickill