BA7 | Concept and Pre-Production #16

Package, Content and Project Saving in UDK

As BA7 asks me to prepare my workflow in preparation for BA8 I need to gain a better understanding of the package system in UDK and, more specifically, how to save scenes and ensure my work follows me when I take it from one computer to the next. 

‘Saving Packages in UDK’ by Sean Spitzer

VIDEO SOURCE 

  

This tutorial gave me a basic understanding of the various methods in which to save my projects in UDK. I must always consider the following: 

Save content in UDK’s content folders, the programmes likes to know specifically where to look and this tends to be where it will go to find any packages you create when working. I took some screen captures showing to further explain this. 

So, this tutorial was fairly helpful to me and it did help clarify a few aspects of saving but I was still having issues saving my fog test and map. I then started talking to my friend Jack about the best ways to save on UDK and how to ensure I kept my packages together along with my maps saved ready for transportation from one PC to another. After he showed me his methods we were able to discuss how UDK packages and maps worked which is when I began to make this mini step by step guide to save my package and map to ensure UDK could still read them. 

 

So far, the cleanest method seems to be by opening the content browser on UDK then selecting “new” from the menu (bottom left). This then opens this window which allows you to give a name to the package you are creating. For the sake of this tutorial, I have named my package SAVE_PACKAGE_TEST. I then hit ok and this creates the package. 

The important thing to remember is that this only creates a “new package” it doesn’t save it. To do this you must select the package and right click on it, then manually select “save”.

  

Here I have highlighted all the key information. 

• UDK automatically wants me to save this package under its contend folder, this is the best place for it so when I go to open it UDK knows where to look for its contents.
• UDK is located on the local disk/C drive of your computer.
• • When transferring the file the UDK package needs to be copied into this folder.
• Ensure the package name remains consistent. 

As you can see, the package has now moved from the “new packages” folder and now appears under UDK’s “Game > Content” folder. This now means the package is saved now. The package will hold anything you put inside it such as materials, static meshes, textures, audio, animations etc. Anything that is important to your map/level will be contained within this package.

 

There are some really important thing I have learnt with regards to saving work in UDK.  

• Packages and maps are separate files.
• Whilst packages are what your level might contain regarding textures, effects and sound however your map is saved separately and both the package folder and map file need to be transported in order to transport work between different machines.
• Your map does not save into the packaged folder, it saves into UDK’s content > maps and should show up in the map sub section of the content browser.
• When in the content browser you can right click save your package but you can select file save as to save your map.