BA5 Studio Project | Production #25

Step by Step Guide to Importing Models Made in Maya to UDK

1: In Maya select & group the models you want to put into UDK. 

2: In Maya select file > export selection. 

3: When in the export selection menu go to the bottom of the menu and select FBXexport from the files of type drop down menu and then name your file. 

4: Whilst still in the export selection look to the right of the menu for a drop down menu named Geometry and check the box which says smooth mesh. 

NOTE: If you don’t have FBXexport or smoothing group options available then you need to activate them by going onto Maya > window > settings preferences > plug in manager > allocate the 2 boxes, 1 for FBX and the other for smoothing group > check them and apply. Now re do this stage and ensure these options are available. 

5: Press the Export Selection button and ensure it’s saved somewhere you remember (preferably in your Maya project folder). 

 

NOTE: you might encounter an error/warning box when you export, you can just close this.

 

6: Now you need to open UDK. You can do this either by using an allocated shortcut or by using the search programmes option > all programmes > game engines > Unreal Development Kit > open UDK EDITOR (Do not chose game, ensure you select editor). 

7: This will then bring up the Content Browser where you want to select the New Map option. 

 

8:  UDK will then want to know at what time of day you want your scene to be, Lothar informed us that models look best set at either afternoon lighting or morning lighting (this is hard for me because my game needs to be dark but this is a bridge I will cross at another time).

 

9: As you can see this now brings up the main UDK interface with your lighting preference set. You can now close the other windows as we need to set up our project fully. 

 10: All models ready for export to UDK are located in the Content Browser. To bring up the Content Browser menu you need to press the button next to the small binoculars at the top of the UDK interface > once pressed go to the bottom left of the Content Browser screen and select UDK Game Folder (drop it down) > then select the Content folder > click new (with the content drop down highlighted) > this creates your very own “package” which will contain all your assets for this scene. 

 

11: once you have created your new package you will need to name it and the model. Name the package > name the model where is simply says “name” > leave all other options alone > press ok.

 

12: You will likely have an animation window pop up, just ignore it and close it. 

13: Now we want to actually import our model into this package from our FBX file we created in Maya earlier. Firstly we need to make sure our package is there. Go back to the content Browser window > select packages > make sure yours pops up in the drop down menu’s on the bottom left.

14: As you can see, mines called UDK_Test and it’s there at the bottom of the Content Browser. To import my model into it I had to select the package > hit the import button at the bottom of the Content Browser.  

15: This will bring up the file import window which is where you need to locate your FBX file created in Maya > press open. 

 

16: This will bring up the import screen. Ensure you have the right package selected for import and that the name of your file is correct too > then press  ok.

17: You might get a pop up window saying that your FBX file is incompatible, you can ignore this and close it.

 

18: Select your FBX file containing your model and hit the import button. Your model should  now appear under your package in the UDK content browser. To put it into the UDK interface you need to select your package > locate the static mesh icon within your package on the content browser screen > middle mouse click and drag it into the UDK interface.

  

A problem we were all finding was that despite having our Maya dimensions set correctly our models would be tiny when we put them into UDK. I had to use the UDK scale tool to make my model bigger so I could actually see it. Either way my model worked and didn’t appear broken. I still need to texture it so when I do I can write up the UDK texture section of the guide but for now I must continue working on the model so that it’s totally ready. At least I can rest assured that its interactive ;D