How to Make Your First Game in Unreal Engine 5 in 2024 - Full Course

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating your first game in Unreal Engine 5. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refresh your skills, this step-by-step guide will cover everything from project creation to implementing character animations and sounds.

Step 1: Project Creation

• Open Unreal Engine 5.
• Select "New Project" and choose a template that suits your game type (e.g., First Person, Third Person).
• Configure project settings:
  • Set project name.
  • Choose a project location.
  • Ensure that "With Starter Content" is selected for additional assets.
• Click "Create" to launch the project.

Step 2: Understanding the Editor Interface

• Familiarize yourself with the main components of the Unreal Engine interface:
  • Viewport: Where you can see and manipulate your game environment.
  • Content Browser: Access and manage your game assets.
  • Details Panel: View and edit properties of selected objects.
• Practice navigating through these areas to improve your workflow.

Step 3: Cleaning Up the Project

• In the Content Browser, delete unnecessary starter content to declutter your project.
• Organize assets into folders:
  • Create folders for characters, animations, sounds, and environments.
• This will make it easier to find and manage assets later.

Step 4: Setting Up Game Mode and Player Blueprints

• Create a new Game Mode blueprint:
  • Right-click in the Content Browser, select "Blueprint Class" and choose "GameModeBase."
  • Name it appropriately (e.g., MyGameMode).
• Set the default pawn class:
  • Inside your Game Mode, navigate to the Class Defaults and set the default pawn to your character blueprint.

Step 5: Configuring Player Input

• Open the Project Settings:
  • Navigate to Edit > Project Settings > Input.
• Add new action mappings for player controls:
  • For example, create actions for Jump, Move Forward, Move Right, and Attack.
• Assign keys to these actions for easier gameplay interaction.

Step 6: Implementing Player Movement

• Open your character blueprint and add movement functionality:
  • Use the Event Graph to drag off the "Input" nodes and connect them to movement actions.
• Use the following nodes for basic movement:
  • Add Movement Input for directional movement.
  • Jump for jumping mechanics.

Step 7: Adding Character Animations

• Import your character animations into the project.
• Link animations to your character blueprint using an Animation Blueprint:
  • Create an Animation Blueprint and assign it to your character.
  • Use the Animation State Machine to manage different animation states.

Step 8: Setting Up Attack Mechanics

• Inside the character blueprint, implement an attack function:
  • Use an Input Action node for the attack button.
  • Trigger an animation when the attack input is detected.
• Optionally, add a damage system to handle interactions with enemies.

Step 9: Creating a Damage System

• Design a simple health system:
  • Create a variable for health in your character blueprint.
  • Implement logic to reduce health when damage is taken (via collision or attack).
• Display health on the screen using a UI widget.

Step 10: Adding AI Enemies

• Create an AI character blueprint:
  • Use the AI Controller for decision-making.
• Configure basic AI behavior using Behavior Trees or a simple state machine to manage enemy actions.

Step 11: Implementing a Wave Spawner

• Create a spawner blueprint:
  • Use a Timer to spawn enemies at intervals.
  • Manage enemy waves by tracking the number of spawned enemies and controlling the spawn rate.

Step 12: Designing the User Interface

• Open the UMG (Unreal Motion Graphics) Editor to create UI elements:
  • Design health bars, score displays, and menus.
• Use Blueprints to connect UI elements to game mechanics (e.g., updating health).

Step 13: Adding Sound Effects

• Import sound assets into your project.
• Trigger sound effects in response to game events:
  • For example, play footstep sounds when the player moves or attack sounds during an attack.

Step 14: Creating the Game Environment

• Use the Landscape tool to create terrains and add environment assets.
• Populate your level with props, characters, and environmental objects to enhance gameplay.

Conclusion

You have now built the foundational elements of your first game in Unreal Engine 5, from project setup to gameplay mechanics. Continue exploring advanced features like multiplayer setup, more complex AI behaviors, and custom shaders to enhance your game. Keep practicing and experimenting to improve your skills and create even more engaging experiences. Happy game developing!