New features and changes of upcoming patch 469f

[Buggie]

Even if 469e Release not out, we stop make changes on 469e.

So any new cool features will now land into 469f.   
Auto merged new post submitted 1 minute later

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1. Precise UV on level geometry

In 469f you can use precise UV on level. Which enabled by default.
It little increase map size, but allow you perfect align textures, even if use big scale.

Also, it used during editing in editor. Which mean not matter how many times you apply some action, UV will be still precise.

Before that (and when this feature off), every action in editor reduce precise of UV and can lead to artifacts. For example if you rotate texture once on 90 degrees it be more precise for rotate it 90 times on 1 degree.

Increase size not so big and maybe only actual for some mapping contest, which very limited in size.

Such feature allow on easy set texture on huge terrains.

[UTPe]

Hi Buggie,
it's clear v469e final is going to be released soon...if I don't mistakes, v469f will still be compatible with old versions of ut99 (v436), when you think to publish it, within the end of the year or the next year ?
what will happen later ? what new features the dev group has a mind to add to future v470 that won't be compatible anymore with old versions ? can you spoil something ?

[Buggie]

When it be ready.
Will see.

[Buggie]

2. Cast Mesh Shadows

In UnrealEd v469f you can cast shadows into lightmaps from non-movable actors with meshes.

Actor must be bShadowCast = False and (bStatic = true or bMovable = False).

Maps build in that way completely compatible with old clients, and this shadows will be visible even on v436.

Triangles of mesh which marked as translucent, masked or modulated - will not make any shadow.

Mesh can be any - lod, usual or skeletal.
You can set any anim sequence and any anim frame on it.

Rotating fake dynamic shadows done as 360 trigger light actor, which toggle on/off in circle.

[Buggie]

3. Fast view / edit properties of 17 000 actors

In 469f you can view or edit properties of huge count of actors almost instant.

When before it be horrible slow.

So now you can bulk operate with actor props on huge maps without suffer.

[Buggie]

4. Navigate history and Jump To (definition)

In 469f you able travel back and forth in navigate history. Now return back, where you been before is not a problem.

History support up to 100 travels.

Also there appear Jump To feature, which bring you to first found definition of name under cursor if there such. It is not 100% perfect, but make great help in coding.

Together this two great feature make coding in UnrealEd even more comfortable.

Additional navigate history support search and jump to error location, so you can easy return back to previous result or previous context, where you before compiler send you to place of error.

And travel on navigation history can be done with mouse additional buttons, like in modern browsers!

 
Auto merged new post submitted 12 hours 18 minutes later

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5. Properly cast shadows for masked textures on meshes

In 469f, when cast shadows from bStatic or unmovable meshes, now take in account texture on this mesh.

If texture masked, and contain transparent parts, this parts will not block light, and not make shadow.

For regular meshes enough assign masked texture.
For LodMesh and SkeletalMesh need set material flags to masked.

For all type of meshes you can use STY_Masked style for render them as masked.

Typically if you see in Editor mesh as masked - it will be used as masked during shadow cast,

Supported only P8 textures.

Texture itself not necessary need to be masked.
If mesh draw as masked, or set masked flag on polygon or material - that enough.

Such ability allow you manipulate with shadows as you want, and create interesting effects.

For example you can cast shadows, and hide actors during real game play.

[Patrick Bateman]

Will the version 469f have the support of Win XP?

[Buggie]

Likely.

[Buggie]

6. Load map with missed packages

in 469f you able load map even if some packages missed.
Before, that problem be fatal and prevent open map at all.

This feature now allow restore some content, which can't be open before.

Keep in mind: save map in such condition mean set to None all missed resources.

 
Auto merged new post submitted 7 hours 3 minutes later

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7. Fast search over 18000 actors

In 469f greatly improved speed of search actors.
So even search over 18000 actors not a problem.

That allow you more focus on mapping, rather constantly wait, when you need find something on huge map.

[UTPe]

6. Load map with missed packages

in 469f you able load map even if some packages missed.
Before, that problem be fatal and prevent open map at all.

Well, this can be good for several aspects.
This is meant to work only in Unreal Editor or also during game (when you join a server and download a map with missed packages) ? in this last scenario, this feature could be very bad.

[Buggie]

Only for editor.

[Metallicafan212]

6. Load map with missed packages

in 469f you able load map even if some packages missed.
Before, that problem be fatal and prevent open map at all.

Well, this can be good for several aspects.
This is meant to work only in Unreal Editor or also during game (when you join a server and download a map with missed packages) ? in this last scenario, this feature could be very bad.

Theoretically it can work for any state of the game. Currently, I have it hooked up to the game, editor, AND ucc but NOT the make commandlet (as you want missing content to be fatal so the user fixes it).

I am evaluating on a case-by-case basis, and will be disabling it in more places (such as when downloading), just need time to do so. This is why it's a 469f feature, not a 469e feature; it needs time for testing and iteration. The current showcase is a direct port from my HP2 patch, including the in-editor window.

[yurkapotam]

will we be able to make maps with additive geometry (instead of subtractive geometry)?

[Buggie]

There already exist few hacks for doing so. But it is highly unsafe.

If you need use additive geometry - just use huge subtractive cube, which contain whole map (possible even of whole area size).
Why this way not suit you?

[Buggie]

8. Color pickers for light and ambient light

In 469f you able pick light color from handy system color picker, instead try guess light color by numbers, or constantly copy-paste from external tools.

Partially this feature exists before, but it be not really usable, since color in picker not load, you always start from black color when it open. Also set colors not match to what you see and so on.

All of this is fixed now. And even undo/redo work correctly and allow you rollback wrong apply color in 1 action, not in 2 by parts.

Also supported manage brightness of color.
And that feature work for ambient light as well.

Additionally you can see actual color of light or ambient light, just in list of properties (only when item expanded).

Such feature will be very useful for create colorful and detailed maps with different light sources.