Unreal Engine Primer
This article covers the basics of the Unreal Engine interface and also covers core concepts of working with game engines.
You are reading an old article for Unreal Engine 4 - it should still work for Unreal Engine 5 though!
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine is a game engine, it is a suite of tools to design and build games, experiences, simulations and visualisations. Unreal Engine provides the following functionality that acts as the final pipeline for such projects; rendering engine, lighting, cinematics, sound, special effects, physics/collision engines, interactivity and level scripting. Unreal Engine is used in conjunction with external modelling and animation software that provides the content that will be pieced together and completed with the aforementioned tools.
Unreal Engine uses centimetres.
Editors
Editors are the interfaces that allows you to assemble your project. The main editor is the Level Editor which is where all the aspects of the project are put together. Within this you have materials, animation and behaviours, among many other aspects, that have their own dedicated editor. Therefore, this primer will be begin with the Level Editor, other editors will be covered at the same time as their relevant function.
The Level Editor
The level editor is the main way to interface with Unreal Engine.
Unreal Engine uses Centimeters.
This interface can be highly customisable, all articles covering Unreal Engine will be using the default layout.
Content Browser
The content browser is a representation of the layer structure linked to the project, where you can create, import, organise, view and modify content that has been made for the project. This is aided by a variety of functions such as filters and searching.
Modes
Editing modes provides access to a variety of environmental assets and generation, such as lighting, effects and terrain.
Tab Bar
Various levels, as well as windows from other projects can be docked here for quick navigation.
Toolbar
The toolbar provides quick access to commonly used tools and operations. For a comprehensive rundown refer to:
The [Build]
and [Play]
tools are the most relevant and are covered further down this page.
Viewport
The viewport is where content is put together and should be a familiar concept to 3D-modelling software like Rhino3D.
The default viewport is a single maximised Perspective viewport.
View Options (Left)
This left toolbar persists over each viewport
Transform Options (Right)
This right toolbar is only relevant for the selected viewport
Viewport Control
World Outliner
The World Outliner represents the hierarchy of all objects, known as actors, placed inside the level. This works similar to a layer or folder structure. Hierarchy refers to the ability to attach objects to other objects. Actual folders can be created too to manage groups of such Objects
To open the World Outliner [Windows > [World Outliner]
Details
Contains all the information, utilities and functions specific to the currently selected object.
To open the World Outliner [Windows > [Details]
Viewport Navigation
LMB = Left-Mouse Button
RMB = Right-Mouse Button
The viewport can be navigated in various ways:
Focus
Perspective Camera
Orthographic View
Fly Controls
Orbit, Dolly and Track
Levels
Your project experience can be thought of as a collection of, or a single level. Levels themselves are collections of geometry, effects, lighting, interactive elements that work together to create the experience.
In Unreal Engine, levels are expressed as objects that are files that can be saved, operated on and opened like any other.
Actors & Components
Levels are built from objects known as Actors. Everything in a level is considered an Actor as described in the World Outliner. Actors are composed of groups of Components.
Components
Components are modular pieces consisting of functions that are added to the Actor.
Content
Content is any object that is created externally or internally in Unreal Engine and is referenced by Components.
Local/World Space
Local and World space refers to the reference point in which an Actor is transformed.
Environment and Effects
Unreal Engine offers tools for the creation of environmental content such as terrain, and tools for rapid distribution of landscape elements. These are accessed through the editing modes and function as sculpting or painting 'brushes.'
Visual and environmental effects are also available, such as particle systems that are used for fire or snow etc., and lighting qualities such as lens flares and volumetric rays. These content are interfaced as you would geometry, some with their own extensive editors too.
Interactivity
Physics and Events
Unreal Engine provides the tools for interacting with the world through the following main systems: physics engines which allows for accurate simulations. Triggers and events allow for the sequencing and control of how Content and the level plays out and unfolds. These systems can only be accessed through the use of Blueprints:
Blueprints
The Blueprint Visual Scripting system is a scripting language based on the concept of using a node-based interface to create gameplay elements, sequencing triggers and events, automated behaviours and interactivity.
Blueprints also refer to a object type that is a package or prefab of components and scripts.
Building
Building is the process of Unreal Engine resolving the level so that it can be played, where it compiles any blueprints and code and computes the lighting amongst other background functions. Building is required to ensure your project runs and looks as you intend.
Playing: In-editor Testing
Playing is the process of testing the game in editor, allowing you to experience the project as it were the final product but allows you to debug at the same time.
It is good practice to enable the FPS counter from the viewport to quantify the performance of your experience. While the editor itself contributes to some downgrade in performance, this is a good enough indicator of the final result.
Packaging
Packaging is the process of exporting your project so it can be used without the editor as an .exe file.
Unreal Engine Marketplace
The marketplace is a source of single models, blueprints/code plugins, materials to complete environments and functioning actors that can be used to help build your experience.
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