Post Process Volume

Post processing volumes can affect multiple things in a level like bloom, depth of field, colour grading and other effects. These are easy to create and can even drastically change the way we play and see created levels. They are essentially a defined area where the properties of the world’s appearance are altered to give a different result much like a photographer doing post processing on his pictures to make them look better.

To create a post processing volume I first selected the builder brush and used it to create a volume in which for me to change the values and appearance of my level. But I want it to be a post processing volume so I used the blue 3D cube on the right side under the volumes section on the left from the viewport and changed the volume into the post processing volume.

The colour grading is used to change the tone mapping of the level. Swapping the colour gradient causes UDK to use different colours to render the level. After playing around with different colour grading for my level I decided that I would change my level to a post process style called blue horror because it gave my level a very cold, lonely and isolated feel.

After a few plays of the level after the post process was added I realised that it sort of made all the work I done on my lights null and void so I decided to take it out and keep the original lighting because it felt better in the level.

Bink Video

To insert a video into UDK it has to be first converted into a bink file by using RAD video tools. Once the video file has been converted it can then be imported into UDK. To apply the video onto an object you must make a material out of it and simply connect it at the diffuse, and then it’s as simple as dragging and dropping it onto a cube or any shape you desire.

  

I have put my sci-fi corridor fly through into my level as the video because I thought it would be another opportunity to show some other work while people play the level. And I have placed these videos of this on two adjacent walls in the lower sections of my level.

FlipBook Textures

Flip book textures are used to create simple and short animations easily just like a flip book (hence the name). They have the ability to cycle through a series of images spaced out equally on a sheet just like an animation and then will show it on screen. Once the pictures are imported as a correct flip book sheet texture they can be changed into a material and added to any mesh in level depending on the result you want.

I decided to try out the fire flip book texture in my level; I used these as markers to show the ends of my level and as light sources. I did this by adding the material to meshes at the ends of my level in an attempt to keep the players at the center of my level so that the pace of action would stay high.

After play testing the level a few more times after adding these addition in I decided that they were unnecessary and over top and so I replaced them with walls so that the player knows were the boundaries are and keeps them in the center areas were the action will be happening.

Functional lights

Functional lights are used to create lighting set ups that can create flickering lights, create fake shadows, create dynamics lights and many other functions. Using those lights is cheaper than using an emissive map on a mesh to create shadows or creating a certain light pattern.

I have used functional lighting on my point lights to cast flickering light effects on my walls. I used this functional light to try and create a dark sci-fi atmosphere for my level, after a few tests I got the flicker to how I wanted it and applied it to others around my level so it wasn’t a singular flickering light. This did get the tone I was aiming for with my level, but since then I have decided to take the flickering light out, because it’s a death match map it doesn't need the flickering lights for the atmosphere and they became more of a distraction than an aid to design of the level.

Since deciding to take the flickering lights out my level I have been happier with it, because the lights aren't there to annoy in the view port while trying to shoot bots and this helps with the flow of the level.

Lens Flare

Lens flares are a type of particles and are created from a light source by placing a source over the source of light creating the illusion that makes the player think that the light source is creating the lens flare. These are generally used to make more realistic lights and have become more popularly used in games as well as films

I have created a lens flare to apply to my lights in the level, after applying it I decided to create some other in case the design of light needed to be changed.

   

I decided to take out the lens flares as they do not fit in well in my level. I decided on this after the peer review in which People said they would get in the way while shooting enemies, I first tried to decrease the intensity and the range in which they appear but then decided to take them out all together.