Epic Takes Newbie Game Designers to School

[searanox]

I really like UDK (it's a big improvement over the editor that came with UT3, which was already very impressive), but unfortunately I don't know if I can say replacing the Unreal Editor with UDK is the best idea. While there's an upside here in that the tools are easier to get into than ever, and small teams can release their own games with it, on the other hand, it's also going to kill off the mod scene. No Unreal Editor = no using Epic's own assets to create your maps/weapons/etc. = no mods. The cynic in me wants to look at this as Epic finding yet another way to justify sequels and DLC over proper community support.

Building your game solo using UDK is almost impossible... unless you're able to write code, script, animate, model, texture, design levels, design gameplay, write dialogue and story stuff, create cutscenes, create sounds, create music, etc... I'm sorry, but there's just no way that a single person or even a team of a few people can build an extensive, lengthy experience using UDK in a reasonable time-frame without outsourcing content creation. I'm working on a stand-alone campaign for Dragon Age right now which I plan to be about two to four hours long. I can say with certainty that it would be impossible for me to do so if I wasn't able to harness existing tools and assets. Already it's looking like it could take close to a year to develop, so building something from scratch is something I don't even want to think about.

 

[Mad1Cow]

Look Epic, I love you all, I use your engine a whole lot, it's easy to use and bloody good. I would like to make one request about these university lessons though. Why not just put a video of them on the internet so that everyone can see them? It makes sense doesn't it? I mean if you want UDK to be accessible to everyone why not let the learning tools be easily accessible also?

Anyway I've spent a good year at uni now learning it and I think I've grasped enough, as have my colleagues. We're looking to put together a suitable game over the summer and hoping to carry on with it till completion. I know they won't read this but I'd still like to thank them for making something so bloody useful. It'd be a pain if I had to teach myself how to build my own engine, so thanks for doing half my work ^_^

 

[LazyAza]

Epic really are amazing, I've loved every game they've ever made and their are so many more they didn't that wouldn't exist without their tech. I'd dare say they're as important and respectable as Valve, Blizzard and Nintendo to the game industry at this point.

 

[Eagi]

Do they record the lectures? would be awesome to get the chance to watch some videos, given that logistics makes being present at any of the events impossible for me and many others...