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Rocket League Map Making Guide

website·Indexed 31 days ago

https://rocketleaguemapmaking.com/

A comprehensive resource for creating custom Rocket League maps, featuring guides on UDK, Kismet node-based programming, Blender FBX export, and asset decryption. Includes technical documentation on lighting, collidable meshes, custom materials, and multiplayer testing, as well as community tools and cheatsheets.

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What's inside Rocket League Map Making

  3. Understand Rocket League's transition to Unreal Engine 5

    Psyonix has acknowledged that transitioning Rocket League to Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) is an ongoing project. For map makers, this means a shift from the outdated Unreal Development Kit (UDK/UE3) to a more modern, streamlined engine. While 3D models created outside the engine remain usable, the transition involves a significant learning curve as UE4/5 concepts (like Blueprints) differ substantially from UE3 (like Kismet).

  4. Understand UV Mapping and Material basics for UDK

    UV Maps are projection maps that correlate 2D texture space (X, Y) to the surface of a 3D mesh. They are stored within the mesh data and exported in .FBX files for UDK. Key terminology includes:

    • Mesh: A 3D object (vertices, edges, faces) containing Materials and UV Maps.
    • Material: Defines surface properties and contains Textures.
    • Texture: A 2D image.
    • UV Map: The mapping of that 2D image onto the 3D surface.
    • Texel: A pixel of a UV-mapped texture on a 3D surface.

  5. Kismet Overview and Core Concepts

    Kismet is a node-based programming system used for map scripting. It uses logical blocks (nodes) and lines (connectors) to represent data and program flow, providing a visual alternative to writing code. It is primarily intended for rapid testing and map-specific logic rather than full game programming.

  6. Contact the Rocket League Mapmaking team

    For questions or ideas regarding Rocket League mapmaking, you can reach the team via the following channels: Discord (recommended for fastest response), Twitter, YouTube, and Twitch.

  7. Blender UI overview for 3D asset creation

    The Blender interface consists of several key areas used for 3D modeling and scene management:

    • 3D Viewport: The main workspace for interacting with 3D objects.
    • Properties Window: Used to manipulate object-specific settings (lower tabs) and project/world settings (upper tabs), such as render output size and material emissivity.
    • Collections Window: Used to group and label assets, similar to visibility layers in image editing software.
    • Viewport Settings: Used to toggle between different view modes, most commonly switching between wireframe and solid views.
    • Transform Settings: Provides controls for snapping and proportional editing.
    • Project Information (Bottom Bar): Displays project complexity data, which is useful for ensuring meshes stay under the UDK limit of 65,535 polygons.
    • Window Layouts: A bar providing preset subwindow configurations tailored to different tasks.

  8. Use Epic Games Launcher for Rocket League mapmaking

    Custom maps can be created using the Epic Games Launcher version of Rocket League. The process is nearly identical to other versions, though file paths for tools may differ. The primary exception is the map publishing process, which differs for the Epic Games version.

  9. Alternative 3D modeling software for Rocket League maps

    While Blender is recommended for being free and powerful, other 3D software such as Solidworks, Sketchup, Maya, 3DSMax, Cinema4D, Rhino, and Houdini can be used to create models for Rocket League maps.

  10. Install and set up Rocket League Dummy Assets in UDK

    Dummy Assets are blank objects with specific names that allow map makers to reference any in-game Rocket League asset. To install them, download the Dummy Assets library from the provided GitHub repository and place the .zip file in the same directory as your map's .upk file (e.g., Park_P.upk). Extract the files and locate them within UDK.

    Important Note on Name Clashes: If you are using a pre-existing Park_P.upk, there will be a conflict with the one inside the DummyAssets/Maps/BeckwithPark folder. You must move, rename, or delete the version inside the DummyAssets folder to keep your original map file.

  11. Use class properties in Kismet for Rocket League

    When copying Kismet logic from a property reference, you must perform two critical manual adjustments to ensure the logic functions in your map:

    1. Replace the Target Object: The first target object in the copied sequence is a placeholder. Replace it with your own variable or connect it to the instigator of the 'Car spawned' event.
    2. Implement Update Loops: The final variable in the chain does not update automatically. To keep the variable current, create a loop that leads back to the first 'Get property' node and include a delay node.

  12. Test Rocket League maps quickly using a batch script

    The fastest way to test a map is to use a .bat script to overwrite Labs_Utopia_P.upk with your custom map. If you used the RLMM UDK RL setup script, the batch script is located in {UDK Folder}\UDKGame\Content\Maps\.

    To use it:

    1. Drag your map file onto the script.
    2. Open the Utopia Retro map within Rocket League to view your changes.