Photorealistic Environments

[Calypto]

Unreal engine won't get any better looking than it already is - unless you take a look into DustStorm2k12, a dust2k5 edit.

[iZumo]

Unreal Engine 3 has near photorealistic rendering for the pre-rendered movies. UE2 is way too far from that.

[Calypto]

>Assuming UE4 will have unrealed
Making photo realistic maps won't require c++, will it?

[Azarael]

Most likely, map creation for UE4 will require a studio.

[Takeo]

Given the fact that EPIC spent a lot of work on the Code-View, one can assume that C++ will be required to set detailed structures, events and actions.. everything which was done via actors previously. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to create maps without it, but if you want to make your map special or want to put ideas into reality, you will have to work with C++. Oh, and by the way: Having Visual Studio might be of use in here, since Unreal Engine 4 seems to be cooperate with it.

"The all-new Code View saves you time by allowing you to browse C++ functions directly on game characters then jump straight to source code lines in Visual Studio to make changes."

[iZumo]

Licensees already had C++ support of course. And you don't need the source code to create hacks (i.e aimbots).

[Takeo]

With previous versions of unreal, were you can import code into your maps for special options that are basically compiled into the map - I'm wondering if the same feature will still be available for UE4 using C+?

I assume you will have even more freedom in creating custom, map-individual content, which of course will contain quite a lot of map-intern variables that it will be hard to simply copy&paste the script into another map Thus, stealing might not be done by amateurs.

[iZumo]

I'm no expert, but I do love to create custom content - and knowing how to, or having ways to protect it against being used for certain types of hacks or cheats would be cool! Like using non-documented settings for maps or packages so they are difficult to change.
Of course, constructing maps with normal guidelines usually makes them difficult to cheat in since you can't get outside the map.

Especially after putting all the time and effort in creating something that players want to use because it was made with game tactics in mind, or just looks awesome in screenshots!

With previous versions of unreal, were you can import code into your maps for special options that are basically compiled into the map - I'm wondering if the same feature will still be available for UE4 using C+?

Having resources to protect against maps being edited or changed are cool if that's what you want. Like deleting all subtractive BSP brushes after the last and final build so the map works fine, but any rebuild will delete the previously compiled brushes.
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But being able to import anti-hack/cheat code into a map would be unreal! Like a script to disable all console commands except those used for normal online gameplay, possibly linked to values in a local client config file - for debugging purposes.

OK, back to reality. There is no magic way how to exploit cheaters permametly - they'll ALWAYS be able to exploit it by theory. All that you can really do is detect something abnormal and react on it server sidedly and make a good identification system, but that's what Epic should do, not you, or they at least should give you proper support - every other anti-cheat measure is just a matter of time from the cheat designer, let it be DLL patch or hooking the process. Also another issue is that cheat/hack designers in most cases have much more skill and experience that those who design anticheat (say, you think Wormbo knows about certain exploits that could be used for a better anticheat? I doubt it.)

As for maps, brushes can always be rebuilt back from the surfaces.

And the imported code to the map, that's what is the Kismet about - so you no longer do that, and that's since UE3. I doubt that this will be available.

[iRobot]

Those who have skill enough to develop cheat software, make money from it, rather than being the community cool guy and preventing it.

A lot of bots don't even use the console in any way, shape, or form. Just throwing that out there. It is too easy to detect, for that reason.