Week 11: Adding more cinematic as we go along the game area of the map, making the use of angle FX zoom + More Fractured Static Meshes (Middle Walls Next to the Projectiles)

            Firstly Idea of adding a cinematic was basically to make the user(Player) to know where he's going and what next he has to do to achieve further goals. Inspired, advised by SONY ENTERTAINMENT group of Steve's colleagues, they had us convinced on our main perspective of our game and asked us how does the player know that he has to go through all this? Our answer to the question were very straight forward about the planning to put an cinematic effect and logs way of communicating to the player and letting him know about the consequences as well as tips where to lead and go further ahead.

Here is some of my work contribution of cinematic in the turret level:

1. First added the CameraActor, how I did the same with the intro camera cinematic.
2. Skipping ahead to the part where the player enters the room after opening the door, as soon as the player steps in one of my trigger, the cinematic then plays and zooms out from the characters and shows the walls surrounding the areas behind it.

3. Showing the circle, where all the characters need to be in it to open the last door of the turret level.(NOTICE that the camera zooms in to the white circle whilst the cinematic is played)

 
4.The next cinematic trigger which I have set up is for the turrets, shows the turrets through the camera's point of perspective and then the camera is shown towards the Cube outside, indicating that the box needs to be placed in between the projectiles (Turrets) in order to get past it.

 

 Adding Fractured Static Meshes in between the walls (Next to the turrets/Projectiles)

1.The first and second step involved is the same as the one which I  have mentioned earlier in my posts.

Image above shows the wall being broken into bits of chunks scattered around the surface leading to the second turret wall room.

2. Directly taking through some screen shots of exactly the same what I did with the RockFracturedStaticMesh

3. Adding a bit more detailed material - Green Blob. This material can also be seen in front entrance of the turret (tunnel level).

Week 10: A whole new Level of detail of learning how to fracture a static mesh (Rock) using the fracture tool settings.

            Firstly I would like to introduce to the term fracture in the UDK- it is a set of chunks being broken down into pieces and it visually looks cool while shooting the rock.

I decided to make a 'Fractured_Rock' and place it on the entrance of the cave. Steps on how I played with the fracture tools are shown below:

            I first searched the content browser with some good static meshes which match out our theme, our basic theme in open world was creating a mountain surrounding by a room and a temple inside it, the Pandora's Box. So we had a static mesh placed already for the start of the game as we proceeded we decided that we would have a cave, inside its a room of darkness through that only a single character with flash light can see where he's going and before the entrance of the cave, I made use of one character which is 'Helios'- The character with weapon can destruct it, such that he can clear the access for the rest of the players into the cave. And the other player can lead the way from his flash light and the last player could activate a trigger or a button such that, the bridge draws to the other side of the level.

          Here are some steps how I basically created a fractured static mesh and its components as in materials and particle system inside the rock so that while destructing it, would give a perfect experiencing visual effects. Keeping the quality, not the quantity in mind I achieved this from the site: www.3dbuzz.com

The first step on how I created a fractured static mesh is that, had to search a stone matching to the mountains surrounding the cave -  so I found the static mesh called 'S_HU_Supports_SM_CementBlock01' Since there is a lack of time creating your own static meshes, we decided to use the default ones which are in the content browser itself.

2. I double-clicked the static mesh to open the Mesh editor to edit the the rock

3. Clicked on the Fracture tool on the top pane of the window to enter the tool set.
4. I generated about 40-50 chunks and selected the top as supported chunks so that it supports the upper part and the chunks fall off from the supported part of the rock.

5.After completing the selection, I chose not to add any core and clicked on 'Slice' it took me a while to save because it was choppingising and asked me to save it as what name so that it becomes an external package.

6. After that I closed the fractured tool and added the fractured mesh from the content browser to the geometry.
7. And I tested it....!
8. Noticed it didn't show up at all, as expected it actually was disappointing, then having watch through all tutorial I still couldn't figure out why it still and never worked - no good results. But managed to figure out myself that it was because the lack of lightning which I actually didn't add the light point infront of the map, it is crucial as it also becomes the part of geometry and it needs lights to give the visually present static, as it is a very easy and user friendly tool editor  :P
9. Added some lights next to it and the results were perfect. It gave the best possible results from the PC configuration which I have :D
10. Success!

As you can see that there is some particle effect on the above image

The following steps showing, how the particles have been added and through which source:
1. The first step is easy, open the same fractured mesh, in which the fractures have been edited.
2. Then select and open the tab from > Fragment Destroy Effects....(2)

3. Click the 'Find object in content browser' Button next to (<= green button)

4. While the chunks break, I noticed that there was no inside material to support like the outer polygons, wanted it to be of the same material as the outer one so I managed to find the same material of that rocks' and placed the settings with the particles.

5. Double-Click the the particle, and chose the particle system to add some detail to the stone.

6. I wanted to add some more particle effect and extra detail to the stone, so I managed to add another destroying effect.

Some of the extra static meshes which I've added are some small static meshes across the mountain rocks just to visually look better in terms of reality wise.. as you can see next to the rock on your left, there are bits of them surrounding the map area making the map look realistic. As just the lights in my opinion wouldn't make it so real!! (Every lights near the mountain area side and the entrance are part of my work and my idea)

The above image's name is "S_HU_Mech_SM_Light" as default from the content browser itself

Week 9: Few changes, decisions and making an open world environment

       When as soon as I figured out that I couldn't achieve the melee attack in such a short term, not sure if I would get assessed for trying atleast but anyways decided to go along with the level of detail to the game by adding alot of stuffs into the game map such as Fractured Rocks (Stone blocking the cave) most of all the cinematic cameras around the map with good tweaks of matinee, Fractured walls and cinematic cameras inside the turret rooms.

        I Have completed the first intro cinematic which, character are being brief introduced to the new user while playing the game for the first time: (Here are some following steps)

       First I added a camera actor through the Actor classes menu from content browser:

Then placed it and positioned it in such a way that it shows the area around, this was first done by one of my team mate but it wasn't done properly with time and key frames so I took the initiative of doing this with a proper cinematic intro of all the characters.

Second step I've added (Highlighted) my part which I have shown here below in the image: (And the rest of the work was done by one of my team mate)

Third step I right clicked in the kismet area and selected 'New Matinee' and I added some main key frames and left a gap so that each player is briefly described of what his skills are:

The image above shows, that I've added a new camera group and placed the keyframes according to the brief of each player.

Next step I've chosen a key frame in which you can see the 'Player_Start' trigger is placed, showing the view from the cinematic perspective. (see below)

After completing the Keyframes the DirectorGroup needs to be set in the matinee only then the cinematic works or else it doesn't. As you can notice I've already placed it then right clicked on it, where I can still choose many options ranging from slow motion add new sound track. etc.

So what's next? After completing the unreal matinee you will notice the cinematic is now working, but I noticed one thing while the cinematic is playing the players can move, the HUD is shown. I wanted to look into it and research it a little bit and a look into the website which steve suggested on VLE as well as stressed in the lectures.
The site which I referenced on How to create a simple cinematic is from: www.3dbuzz.com which actually helped me a lot during the assessment period.

Here are some screen shots of the working in kismet which I have tried to initiate to Hide the HUD:

As you can see the 'Properties' above which has Hide HUD > ticked on
It also hides player on the process of playing the cinematics but I didn't want that to happen because wanted the characters to be introduced in the beginning of the game.

Here on the image above I've added a time gap duration for 10 seconds, meaning that when the cinematic is being played I don't want the HUD to be shown for 10 seconds. *simple* ! ^_^

Week 8: Making a Cube such that when pressed 'e' in the keyboard layout, it defines the object and carries as well as drops it.

            At the very first I decided to make a Cube such that when pressed 'e' it carries/drops the object, for that I opened the editor first to play with some kismet and see how it works. Then applied some work over the week to achieve it with some more results such as: When pressing 'e' in front of the Cube, the object is lifted and when placed/dropped the cube on a platform (trigger volume) such that the door opens.

        
           For that I have uploaded a small video on how I play the game in a small room, where I am destroying the Fractured Static Mesh and then lifting the cube and placing it upon a platform such that the door opens.

            I first created a small room, inside it I added some static meshes and interpret actor into the persistent level. Opened Content browser and chose a static mesh called 'S_NEC_Trims_SM_Plain_CURd' and placed on the floor by clicking on Add Actor > then Add InterpActor: StaticMesh NEC_Trims.SM.Mesh.S_NEC_Trims_SM_Plain_CURd' I made a geometric door space between the walls and subtracted the CSG. Added more static meshes for the doorway (A simple Door) and a platform (Trigger Volume), Opened Kismet and right clicked chose New Matinee and I edited and added key frames to my movement track so that when the door moves from side to side. Again right clicked in Kismet and selected New Action > then Actor > Attach to Actor, then selected the  'used' link > and dragged it to Attach to actor's 'In' link. I had to choose a New Variable so I chose 'Player' as an object so I right clicked and and chose the option new variable > player > player. I had to do the same for the trigger 2, so that when I drop the cube into the platform it acts as though it has placed the cube on the platform as well as carry it. And for that I had to make the same Kismet as I made for Trigger_2.

    

         Following the same I wanted to make Cube properties attached to character, I followed the same procedure by adding a trigger over the static mesh, connecting the 'Used' link from trigger_3 to attach to actor's 'in'. And chose the Target as 'Player' and attachment as 'Interpret actor'.

            And I just had to figure out the door movement through Matinee and door movement attached to trigger. I right clicked and selected option 'New Event Using Trigger_3' > 'Touch'. And wanted to play my Matinee so I connected 'TriggerVolume_1 Touched' connected to 'Matinee' 'Play's link. after connecting it I wanted to reverse the process again so that when I've stepped away from the trigger volume, I wanted the door to close back. So I chose the 'Untouched' link from the TriggerVolume_1 and connected to Matinee's 'Reverse' link.

           When testing it I noticed that I could delay the time and extend it more, through that I managed to increase the time and constructed the door for even longer period of time.

Here is the screen shot of my first level testing of cube and door: