Chapter 1. Project Setup and Test Environments
Introducing the Unreal Development Kit (UDK)
Epic Games' Unreal Development Kit is a powerful tool, but like any complicated piece of software it can be overwhelming at first. This book will guide you through the structure of the UDK and the basic principles of UnrealScript, and by the end you will have the skills you need to start making your own games. Let's get started!
It's a great time to get into the UDK and UnrealScript. With the release of the UDK, Epic Games has opened up a great way for indie developers to make high quality games without high quality budgets. With hard work and dedication even a small team of people can make a great game in their spare time, and with digital distribution platforms such as Steam, it's become much easier to self-publish and build a community of fans, and being able to sell your game doesn't hurt either.
With constant updates to the UDK, Epic provides the latest features of the Unreal Engine for free if you're just looking at game development as a hobby. If you're aiming to start up your own development studio, the licensing terms for the UDK fit even in the smallest of budgets. If you're looking for AAA quality, the UDK is where you'll find it.
Being an UnrealScript programmer is the most important job in a UDK project. Even without artists you can build prototypes and demonstrate your gameplay using UnrealScript and placeholder artwork using the assets included with the UDK. As they say, actions speak louder than words, and having a fun game which people can play will help attract the art talent to give your project the visual quality you need.
So with that, let's take a look at the Unreal Development Kit!
Before we start cooking let's set the table. There are a few things we need to do before we write our first line of code.
In this chapter we will:
Install the UDK and take a look at its directory structure.
Learn what external programs we can use to code UnrealScript.
Set up our first project.
Compile and test a Hello World program.
Let's see what our computer needs to run the UDK.
