Using Multiple Levels

Even if we’ve been using a 3d environment to Create your first Storyboard, it is not mandatory to work with an environment.

At a matter of fact, once you get more used to EPOS, is would more advised to work in an empty Level, especially if you prefer to work first on a rough storyboard without being overwhelmed by Camera position or multi-Planes management.

Creating an empty Level

1. Go to File > New file

2. Select Empty Level

3. Go to File > Save Current Level

4. Select the path and save your new Level / Map.

Creating and configuring the storyboard

Then, create a new storyboard following Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3. After creating the first Camera + Shot, change the Material settings by clicking on the gear icon:

The background will still appear as black, but this is normal: the Level use the lit mode and requires a light source. Instead of adding a light source, we will modify the Viewport display from Lit to Unlit:

Let there be light! (ironically). Now, disable the blue grid (see lesson Settings - Planes’ Material).

To get rid off the guizmo (the red blue gree arrows), use the shortcut [G] twice, after selecting the Plane in the Viewport. At this point, you just have to enable ILIAD and let your talent speaks and you hand draws.

Using the rough storyboard into another environment

Once the rough storyboard is done, you might want to use it now within a proper environment.

To do so, you can either :

• migrate a Level and all its Asset from another Unreal Engine Project (uproject).

• migrate your Storyboard, the not-so-empty Level and its Asset (Planes and Cameras you created) to another uproject.

In both cases, once you will have the possibility to use another 3D environment, use the window Levels

The Persistent Level corresponds to the current Level in use. In the situation where the current Level is the one with your storyboard, click on Add existing and select the Level of your choice. Stop piloting the Camera (if it was still the case) and see your storyboard in its new environment.

You can now lit the scene and lower the Alpha of the Planes’ background.

Feel free now to pilot Cameras and place planes individually in there new environment.

Thanks to this technique, you can either:

• Apply the same storyboard to various environments (if you add existing Levels to the one with the storyboard)

• Apply different storyboard to a single environment (if you use several empty Levels with storyboards to a complex Level)