Learning stuff?

[Ghieri]

are some graphics and physics engines limited to certain level design
and gameplay schools? or does they just handle rendering and environment
physics?

They just do exactly what they say they do: Graphic engines handle rendering, and physics engines do physics simulations on the world.


I dunno about Cryengine, but UDK requires that you get a professional license with them before you get access to their source code.

I'm also not the best person to ask about that stuff because I've never done a large-scale project, you can go to an engine-specific discussion forum and ask there.

you do know programming,

I'm not an expert, I'm afraid. I know enough programming logic to read code, hack together things that I need to work with, and to hold onto educated conversations.