Unreal
maps can be broken down into zones for many reasons. This tutorial covers
the basics of this.
Zones are, well, zones of your map, which can be
split for different purposes. They can be split into zones for speed, or to give a
certain property to that area of your level. You can give properties to a specific
zone of your level like ambient lighting, damage to the player, or things like water,
lava, and slime. You separate zones by a couple of methods. One is to just
build a part of your level completely separate from the rest (like going way off to the
side then building a room all by itself) - When your level compiles, it will be recognized
as its own zone. Another way is to use Zone Portals, or brushes that separate one
zone from another. When you use zone portals, usually by placing sheets (flat
2-sided brushes), you have to completely seal off your zone, unless you want problems.
Think of it like drawing in a paint program, if thre is any break in your outline,
using a fill tool will leak to other areas of your picture.
That is the gist of it, here is how to do it:
Creating different zones by
separation
The first and easiest way to create a different
zone is to create a room or area that is not connected to anything else. When you
compile your level, it is recognized as its own zone, without using any zone portals or
anything. To view your level by zones, in the Mode dropdown of the 3D view,
select Zone/Portal view. Different zones are specified by different colors.
Here is the visual:
Create the room or area
(subtract a brush) somewhere not connected to the rest of your level (or other zones)
Compile your level [F8] - Then
choose the Zone/Portal view to see the different zones.
Creating different zones by dividing
existing ones with Zone Portals
This method is a little more complicated, but
this is what you will need to do for most zoning. You use zone portals to divide
connected areas into different zones. Uses of this would include adding a pool of
water, some lava, or just dividing large areas into different zones. Do this by
building a sheet that is the correct size to completely divide in two the space that you
are trying to divide. Click the add special brush tool, and make a zone portal, and
add it. If you added an invisible brush, then it doesn't matter what texture you
give it. However, it will appear in your 3D view. To make invisible brushes
not appear in your 3D view, hit the little joystick icon  - Things will appear as they do in the game when this button is
pressed, dynamic lights and sounds will also be seen/heard. More on what you should
specifically pick in the add special brush menu will be talked about later, as for now,
take a look at the visual:
Build a sheet that is the right
size to divide off your area
Then hit the Special Brush
button
Fill out the options, you will
put in different values depending on what you are doing, but this is a simple invisible
zone portal.
Hit the Add Special button,
then Compile your level [F8]
In the Zone/Portal view it
should now appear as two different zones where you divided it up
So, you are introduced to zoning Unreal levels.
Now, how to do something useful with zones, add water, lava, and other things to
your levels with zones... |
