Week Two

5 Images

  The image contains a lake with a lot of surrounding pine tree vegetation. The background has large snow capped mountains with minimal vegetation. The lighting is clear day.

The image focuses on the 12 apostles landscape of Australia. the rock formations poke out of the sea whilst the mainland has sharp cliff edges that connect to the beach. The lighting is again clear day, with vegetation being shrubs and small grasses due to the closeness of the water and sharp cliff edges.

This image shows a more gentle rise to the peak of the mountain that sits alongside a lake. Vegetation is small due to the apparent coldness due to the amount of snow. The lighting is clear and bright, enabling a clear reflection in the water.

The terrain is mostly flat except for rising peaks of rock. The vegetation is minimal, being reduced to shrubs due to the lack of moisture present in an arid environment. The lighting is darkened due to clouds.

The terrain is gentle rises towards hilltops from the beach. The beach contains large rocks rather than sand. The only vegetation present is grass. The lighting is again clouded.

 

Week One

Sandbox Folder Structure

1. Depending on which windows your running, choosing the Bin Folder that fits it, makes it run faster and better, e.g. (Bin 64 for 64 bit operating system)
2. Game folder contains everything vital to running the game such as sound, particles etc.
3. Bin Folders are where your game folders are held.
4. Editor folder contains files for icons etc., probably wont be used for our assignment.
5. Engine folder contains the shaders and other engine related things.

Sandbox User Interface

1.  Typing in a name of an object in the hide filtered area left of the resolution setting, only that object will be seen, hiding everything else on that level. Really useful for changing things in a highly developed level.
2. The clipping in terrain button on the bottom right of the interface near the speed buttons and AI Physics button, allow you to be able to pass or not pass through the terrain while in perspective view.
3. AI Physics button allows all objects to act in real time while still in editor mode.
4. Go To Position button in the bottom right of the screen is useful for taking photos. It provides you the coordinates of the position you where in, allowing pinpoint areas to be recorded in order to get your perfect photo shot.
5. Roll Up Bar contains everything that will be needed to change the level and place objects. It is the most useful area for modifying your level.
6. The drop down box, near the arrow icon on the toolbar, allows you to pick specific or all varieties of things in the level allowing for quick selections without having to individually select everything needed.
7. Clicking on any of the x, y or z axis buttons only allow the object to move in that axis.
8. Shortcuts: Control 1 = Follow Terrain, Control 2 = Follow Terrain & Snap To Objects.
9. Snap to angles and snap to grid buttons on the toolbar are really helpful to place objects at specific angles and places providing a more ordered and strategic level.
10. The name selections bar at the top right of the toolbar allows you to save grouped selections, which grants you the ability to recall that grouped selection later on as you develop your level.

Sandbox Editor Setup

1. Moving opened tabs over each other places them in one window which saves space on your screen.
2. Tools > Customise Keyboard > Allows you to create new toolbars
3. Tools > Customise tools > Keyboard > Ability to create customised hot keys.
4. Customize keyboard Show shortcut keys in viewport allows you to hover over different things and their shortcut will be displayed.
5. Tools > Preferences > Highlight object on mouseover, very useful to see different objects when moving the mouse over the item.
   

Moving Around Your Level

1. W, S, A, D keys allow you to fly forward, backward, left and right respectively. Shift allows you to move faster when using this button.
2. Control f1 saves a camera position > Shift f1 moves to that camera position.
3. Right Mouse Button > Move Around
   

Shortcuts Or Buttons

1.  H > hide an object in the select object window.
2.  F > freeze an object in the select object window.
3. 2 > rotate shortcut.
4. 1 > select and move shortcut.
5. M > Material Editor