Monthly Archives: February 2014

Aligning Diagonal Elements to UDK Grid

Google Satellite Image to UDK Grid

After a few attempts in max to align up diagonal streets in a way that they would eventually snap to udk grid, I realized that this approach was insanity. Maybe I am missing something, but I think the grid is a lot easier to use with right angles. I suppose I could build some things on it at right angles and rotate them later. But while building this approach seems to make more sense.

So I scrapped my previous work and started again this time first aligning my satellite picture to photoshops grid. There happened to be a few blocks that fit almost perfectly. So that is going to be my playable area and starting point for the map.

Satellite-Aligned-to-a-Grid

Once I got the idea out of my head of diagonals, I was able to use swift loop to get in and chop things up really quick.

Playable_area_On_Grid

here is the playable area in white without the background image

Playable_area_On_Grid_Outline

I also decided to further reduce the ammount of playable blocks I needed to build. My first draft called for 23 blocks, running at all kinds of different intersections. This latest versions reduced the number to 11. I could increase that number a little. But 11 is sounding pretty good. It will take about 30 seconds to go one block. So 11 blocks is 5 minutes to explore the whole level if it is empty. Probably a lot more if it is filled with enemies.