Startup<\/h3>\n
After you get UDK installed and running you will notice several different options in your windows start menu. For this lesson we are going to open the one labeled \u201cEditor\u201d (diagram 1) . A \u201cTip of The Day\u201d window will greet you upon entry. Whether you choose to leave this notice on is up to you. Right now simply click the \u201cOK\u201d button.<\/p>\n
![\"Diagram](\"http:\/\/www.terrymatthes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/udk_interface.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Diagram 1: Unreal Development Kit Icon<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Diagram 2: Unreal Development Program Tabs<\/p><\/div>\n
The first window to gain focus after clearing the Tip of The Day button is the \u201cstart page\u201d(diagram2). This page is a way for Epic Games to get news and updates to you through the UDK. Close this windows and you should see the main program window behind it (diagram3).<\/p>\n
<\/a>Diagram 3: Unreal Development Kit Main Window<\/p><\/div>\n
The main program window is where we will be spending the remainder of this lesson. We’ll get to the other window, referred to as the \u201cgeneric content browser\u201d in the next lesson. Our first objective is to create a new file. There are two types of files we can create. Click on the File menu in the top left corner of the editor and select \u201cNew\u201d.<\/p>\n
We are given a choice between \u201cadditive\u201d and \u201csubtractive\u201d. Generally you are going to want to use the additive level type. Select the additive radio button and click \u201cOK\u201d.<\/p>\n
Navigation<\/h3>\n
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Each view port can be maximized so that you can see its contents more clearly by pressing the \u201cmaximize view port button\u201d. This button is the last button on the right of your view ports pictograph menu represented by a square with a black top border (see diagram 4). If you are running a dual monitor setup you might be interested in increasing your UDK screen space. To do this click the \u201ctear of a floating copy\u201d button located to the left of the maximize view port button. This button can be seen in diagram 4.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Diagram 4: Tear Off \/ Maximize World View Panel<\/p><\/div>\n
Perspective View Port<\/strong> Pan the camera in any direction by holding the LMB and RMB down while moving the mouse.<\/p>\n Free look by holding down the RMB and moving the mouse around.<\/p>\n WASD Cluster<\/strong> Orthographic View Ports<\/strong> Take note: if at anytime you feel the camera is moving to slow you can adjust the speed in each view port independently by pressing the \u201ctoggle camera speed button\u201d seen here in diagram 5.<\/p>\n Diagram 5: Unreal Development Kit Camera Speed<\/p><\/div>\n On the left hand side of your screen you will notice two vertical rows of basic geometric shapes grouped together. This is your \u201cbrush pallet\u201d (see diagram 6). Right click on the cube icon in your brush palette. A window with the primitive’s properties will have popped up and in those properties we can clearly see the X, Y, and Z values for the cube’s dimensions. Click on each field and change the values to the following X:1024 Y:1024 Z:256. Now hit the \u201cbuild\u201d button and close the window. This red cube wire frame you have created is called a \u201cbuilder brush\u201d and it represents a shape that you could potentially<\/strong> add to your level. To get a better look at our new red \u201cbuilder brush\u201d lets navigate closer in the perspective view port.<\/p>\n Diagram 6: Unreal Development Kit Brush\/Primitives Palette<\/p><\/div>\n This wire frame cube we have added can be manipulated just like geometry in a 3D suite such as Maya or Cinema 4D. You can manipulate geometry in three basic ways: translate, rotate, and scale. All of the tools to do this can be found along with the \u201cundo\u201d and \u201credo\u201d buttons in the pictograph menu just below the main program menu (see diagram 7).<\/p>\n
\nTranslate back and forth by holding down the left mouse button (LMB) and moving your mouse forwards and backwards.<\/p>\n
\nYou can hold down the right mouse button and use the classic W,A,S,D key cluster to move around as well. The Q<\/strong> key and R<\/strong> keys can be used to change your camera’s elevation level.<\/p>\n
\nYou’ll have noticed by now that you have three other view ports available to you. These are your orthographic view ports. They are fixed camera views of your level from the top, front, and side. In these views you obviously can’t free look, but you can pan around and zoom.<\/p>\n<\/a>Basic Geometry Manipulation<\/h3>\n
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