HL2, UT3 and CRYSIS Editor review

HL2, Crysis and UT3 out of 5?
NOTE_ The assessment criteria from the course outline is also taken into account.. FIVE is better than FOUR – these numbers are indicative only.

i could probably give you a straight up answer and rank the programs but i figure you're more interested in why. so, i'm going to give you a little break down of each of the components. i've tried to break the components apart, but they are still interconnected and i will attempt to give you an explanation for each category.

category one.
interface // language // learnability // installation [setup]
[when i started learning editors, understanding the terms and procedures was a major obstacle. they all have similar terms - which i now know overlap with 3d animation and other areas - however the interface and extent of each program's user interface is very different]

HL2: 2
interface: hammer's subtractive method is counterintuitive. feet & inches = bad. often crashed on importing models.
language: at first strange
learnability: good tutorials.
installation [setup]: tricky with setting up studio compiler - the gameinfo.txt (unless we had it supplied - would be hard to setup for gmod).
UT3: 3
interface: it seems that there are too many boxes. the program suffers from too many options - overcrowded dialog boxes. critical options are hard to discover and extensive testing is needed to figure out what each option does.
language: i find they have many custom terms - and complex language.
learnability: hourences and others are good at first but seem light when it gets down to indepth modding (characters, fluid, lighting, vehicles)
installation [setup]: straightforward. a few tricks there. actorX for characters. no added compiler/exporter for 3D models which is good.
CRY: 4
interface: simple. things are where you expect to find them. it is more consistent with other 3D programs [like 3dsmax]. metric = excellent.
language: less complicated terms.
learnability: www.crymod.com - everything
installation [setup]: download crymod package from crymod.com - installs 3dsmax exporter. does have exporters for maya and xsi. filepath setup for custom models is important.

category two.
workflow [3d model] // compilation

HL2: 1
very involved. the separate display and collision volumes definately let HL2 down. scale is hard to manage. compilation times are painful - very painful. can't handle large polygon models.
UT3: 4
standard max procedure for preparing models although having to unwrap makes the process more difficult than it should be. exporting as ASE(?) files from max is very clean and simple. importing in editor is simple. can handle large poly models. cooking times seem to be OK - but can blow out if there are things like terrain. because the character is abnormally wide - think greg somerville - the buildings don't seem in scale - i've had problems with fitting through standard 810 doors. collision is determined per poly which is good.
CRY: 5
model preparation in max is similar to UT3 although texturing is different and there is a crysis exporter [can have issues with exporter]. i've found it best to export the model in parts - determined by material. material defines collision properties - its not a tick box. imports straight to editor during export. scale is perfect - from max in meters to crysis in meters. i haven't come across a compile/cooking procedure for the program yet [maybe in multiplayer].

category three.
textures and materials//
HL2: 1
need the compiler. limited options and detail.
UT3: 5
tga files. by far the most indepth material editor.
CRY: 3
dds texture files. is similar to max - add maps to different channels. the textures look good and are adequate for what i've been doing.


category four.
lights // cameras // graphics //
HL2: 2
lighting is poor. the flexibility with cameras in gmod is awesome. the overall graphics aren't too bad although it will only ever run on directx9. probably doesn't take advantage of SLI.
UT3: 4
the individual lights produce a nice effect if you manage to tick the right combination of boxes in your light properties and you model properties. i had loads of issues with shadows not working, poly lines showing [vertex lighting] etc. i never figured out environment lighting. tracking cameras with matinee gets a tick. graphics are good although i feel that ut3 is more setup for enclosed spaces with internal lights.
CRY: 5
the lights work straight away on terrain, crysis' 3d models and custom models. the sun can be programmed for longitude/lattitude and time of year. cameras are objects which can be animated/tracked/attached to objects. crysis definately takes the cake on graphics.


category five.
custom characters // vehicles // A.I. // programming //
HL2: 2
I never attempted custom characters in HL2 - but you did it so i imagine it's pretty simple. vehicles - ditto. AI - I didn't touch on this but from watching Limo it seemed quite intensive. programming - don't know.
UT3: 4
character - download model of character. change model keep bones. keep naming structure. and texture. apply configuration file which is copied from an existing character. messy procedure.
vehicles - not sure but i imagine it's the same as the characters - keep a naming convention and change an ini file.
AI - haven't explored
programming - jacob.
CRY: 5
character - see crymod.com, max character file is installed in the examples directory when you install the crymod package. skin your model over the crysis biped. there is a character editor in the main editor which is very easy to use.
vehicles - as above. vehicle editor in the editor.
AI - quite extensive. custom AI movements (like pissing or smoking) are explained at crymod.com. getting characters to follow paths and drive cars etc is simple.
programming - crysis' kismet is called flowgraph. very similar. i haven't tested it to the extents that jacob tested kismet yet...

category six.
terrain // environment //
HL2: 2
terrain average. skyboxes average. trees have been nuked by a H-bomb
UT3: 1
terrain poor [considering it blows the compile]. skydomes poor [can be good if you tick all the right boxes and have an awesome texure but so far in my attempts to make it not look like the apocalypse i've ended up with a horid bright blue sky- FAIL]. trees are limited [unless you purchase a speedtree package addon]
CRY: 5
i followed a tutorial to make a scale version of sydney harbour. google earth + sketchup. scale is sooo important! environment is excellent. volumetric clouds. rain. a sun which follows actual sun paths - too which shadows update. water is exceptional. trees are exceptional. crysis works between day and night time as well.


worst part //
HL2: 1
Is severly limited by the amount of polys.
UT3: 2
Difficult to [re]present an outdoor environment. Problems with lighting.
CRY: 3
The crysis exporter from max can be glitchy.


best part //
HL2: 4 Gmod.
UT3: 5 The possibilities available with kismet, matinee, materials. Capability to handle large poly models.
CRY: 5 The quality of the atmosphere, environment. tutorial resource.


overall result //
HL2: 15/40 FL

UT3: 28/40 CR

CRY: 35/40 HD