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Unreal Engine 4.X By Example
Unreal Engine 4.X By Example

Unreal Engine 4.X By Example: An example-based practical guide to get you up and running with Unreal Engine 4.X

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Unreal Engine 4.X By Example

Chapter 1. Introduction to Unreal Engine 4

Welcome to Unreal Engine 4 by Example! During the course of this book you are going to learn how to utilize Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) to create high-quality games using C++. This chapter will show you how to install the engine, introduce you to the engine's User Interface (UI), show you how to create new projects, and give you a rundown of what to expect from this book. The purpose of this chapter is to give you a general idea of how this book will be formatted and how to get the most out of your Unreal Engine 4 by Example experience.

The chapter will cover the following points:

  • Navigating this book and what to expect
  • Installing UE4
  • Creating new UE4 projects
  • Navigating UE4's User Interface
  • Creating a basic actor and adding components
  • Opening and exploring the examples provided by Unreal

Navigating this book

First off, it should be stated that the use of C++ features heavily in the later stages of this book. It is strongly advised that you already have some experience with writing in C++ or a similar low-level language before embarking on this journey.

This is a By Example book, meaning that you will be taught how to use UE4 via the breakdown and explanation of previously created UE4 game projects. These projects have been created specifically for this book with your education in mind! Each project will be taught over two chapters, the first will include the core concepts and features needed to implement the title. The second will delve into the advanced or more complicated components of each project. By the end of each project you will have learnt core UE4 functionality plus some very interesting polish techniques.

By the end of this book you should find yourself well on your way to becoming a skilled Unreal Engine developer capable of using C++ and the provided Blueprint system to utilize Unreal Engine's rich feature set to create polished game titles.

Game Projects you say?

Yes, game projects! By the end of this book you will have created four unique game projects that will all include their own polish features. These projects culminate with the creation of your very own multiplayer first-person shooter!

During the course of this book you will create the following game projects:

  • Barrel Hopper: A homage to the original Donkey Kong, this project will be created entirely using Blueprint and will introduce you to the high-level systems used when creating games with UE4.
  • Bounty Dash: Our take on an endless runner, this project will be your first look into C++ with UE4. We will be expanding on some of our content created for Barrel Hopper and really start to unlock the potential of UE4.
  • Boss Mode: For this project we will be expanding on your C++ technical skill set by creating an engagement with a game boss controlled by Artificial Intelligence (AI), which will be visually detailed by taking advantage of UE4's in-depth rendering and shading functionality.
  • Network Shooter: This will be the culmination of your journey with this book and your UE4 education. You will be creating a networked first-person shooter that lets you create a game you can play with your friends through a Local Area Network.

Installing Unreal Engine 4

The version of Unreal Engine we will be using for this book is Unreal Engine 4.11.0. You may use any 4.11.# engine version as long as your version number exists within the 4.11 family. If you have already installed Unreal Engine 4.11 you can skip this section and jump straight to Creating your first project. First things first, you need to sign up as an Unreal Engine developer. Navigate to https://www.unrealengine.com in your browser and select the GET UNREAL option located in the top right-hand corner of the web page.

Installing Unreal Engine 4

This will then redirect you to the login/sign-up page for a UE account. If you do not have an account, follow the steps presented in the page to create one. This account will integrate you into the Unreal Development community. Through this account you can get Unreal Engine news, updates, and developer support.

Once this is done you will be directed to the downloads page, choose the OS that you will be developing on (MAC, Windows) and you should see the download begin for an Epic Games Launcher installer. The Epic Game Launcher is the portal for all Unreal Engine versions and you will use this application to install, manage, and launch the engine version you wish to use.

Once the Epic Games Launcher has been successfully installed, run it and it will prompt you to log in with the account credentials you previously set up with Epic. If everything has gone according to plan you should be presented with the Unreal Engine launcher. From the launcher you will need to navigate to the Unreal Engine tab located in the top left-hand side of the window. From here you can see News, Learning Resources, and Marketplace Content for the engine. I advise you to take your time to explore each of the options available to you, however we will be focusing on the Library section.

By selecting the Library element on the list on the left-hand side of the window you will be presented with any currently installed engines as well as any Unreal projects you have already created. There will be an Add Versions button near the top of the window.

Installing Unreal Engine 4

Pressing this button will present you with a light-colored engine node, click the drop-down arrow next to the engine version number and be sure to select 4.11.0. Once this is done, hit Install. The launcher will now handle downloading and installing your new engine version!

While the engine is installing I would strongly suggest you spend some time exploring https://www.unrealengine.com. The website is a great place to find video tutorials, learning resources, and the Unreal Engine Wiki. You do not need to utilize these resources to follow this book, however the content they have provided is very informative and will definitely help you on your journey to becoming a proficient Unreal Engine developer. Once the engine has been installed, hit Launch and you are ready to go!

Tip

Tip: If you hit the drop-down arrow next to launch you can create a shortcut for the engine version.

Creating your first project!

It is now time for the famous Hello World, but this time it will be Hello Unreal. With your engine version launched you will be presented with the Unreal Project Browser. This browser features two tabs, Projects and New Project, select New Project. The first thing you can see in this tab is a large selection of icons under two more tabs, Blueprint and C++. We will be selecting the Blueprint tab and we will be creating a Blank project, your selection should appear as follows:

Creating your first project!
Creating your first project!

Under this section you will see three dropdown boxes titled Desktop / Console, Maximum Quality, and With Starter Content. We will leave these as they are for now but this is where you can swap your target platform for the project, change the graphics quality, and whether or not you would like to use the starter content provided by Epic. Below these options you will see fields to populate the directory where you wish to create the project and what the name of the project will be. We shall title this project Hello Unreal. Once this is done, click the green Create Project button and the engine will finally launch.

Navigating the Unreal Engine UI

Welcome to the Unreal Engine User Interface! It can be a bit overwhelming at first but, fear not, all will be explained. By the end of this book you will be very familiar with the layout and workings of this engine view. Now, for the sake of brevity, I will hand your Unreal education over to the Epic team for a short moment. In the top right-hand corner of the window next to the name of the project you should see a grey academia cap flashing green.

Navigating the Unreal Engine UI

Clicking this cap will start a short tutorial that will familiarize you with the engine's layouts and panels. I am leaving this up to Unreal as the introductory tutorials are succinct and efficient at bringing you up to scratch with the editor layout and camera controls. This gives us more time to get to the juicy learning!

Once you have completed this introductory tutorial you will be guided to the tutorial home panel. Here you will be able to find a list of simple tutorials that will help familiarize you with the different features of the engine, could you please complete the two tutorials under the Basics category. Feel free to utilize the other tutorials during the course of the book. I will likely be covering almost all of the topics covered in the tutorials but they may prove useful as an additional learning resource. Now that Epic has taught you how to view its engine, it is now time to teach you how to use the engine!

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Key benefits

  • A unique resource on Unreal with an interactive example based approach that is sure to get you up and running immediately
  • Will feature four unique game projects that increase in complexity which will enable readers to build their game development skills using Unreal Engine 4 and the C++ programming language
  • Will be the most up to date book in the market on Unreal with full coverage of the new features of UE4

Description

With Unreal Engine 4 being made free to use, for any keen game developer it is quickly becoming the most popular game engine in today’s development industry. The engine offers a rich feature set that can be customized and built upon through the use of C++. This book will cover how to work with Unreal Engine’s tool set all the way from the basics of the editor and the visual scripting system blueprint to the in-depth low-level creation of content using C++. This book will provide you with the skills you need to create feature-rich, captivating, and refined game titles with Unreal Engine 4. This book will take you through the creation of four unique game projects, designed so that you will be ready to apply the engine’s rich development capabilities. You will learn not only to take advantage of the visual tools of the engine, but also the vast and powerful programming feature set of Unreal Engine 4.

Who is this book for?

Unreal Engine 4.X by Example was written for keen developers who wish to learn how to fully utilise Unreal Engine 4 to make awesome and engrossing game titles. Whether you are brand new to game development or a seasoned expert, you will be able to make use of the engine with C++. Experience with both C++ and other game engines is preferred before embarking on the Unreal by Example journey, but with a little external research into the basics of C++ programming, this book can take a complete game development novice to an Unreal Engine Developer!

What you will learn

  • Use C++ with Unreal Engine to boost the development potential of any Unreal Engine project
  • Vastly improve workflow and content creation with the visual scripting system blueprint
  • Design, test, and implement interesting game worlds using Unreal Engines built-in editor
  • Build a networked, feature-rich first person shooter that you can play with others over LAN
  • Build design-centric game worlds that play to needs of your game ideas
  • Paint your game worlds via the creation and modification of visual shaders called materials
  • Gain knowledge of other game development disciplines through the use of the Animation and Material tool sets
  • Create feature-rich game projects with a sophisticated visual quality and feature set

Product Details

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Publication date : Jul 29, 2016
Length: 506 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785889240
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Publication date : Jul 29, 2016
Length: 506 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785889240
Vendor :
Epic Games
Languages :
Tools :

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Table of Contents

11 Chapters
1. Introduction to Unreal Engine 4 Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Blueprints and Barrels – Your First Game Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Advanced Blueprint, Animation, and Sound Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Unreal Engine, C++, and You Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Upgrade Activated – Making Bounty Dash with C++ Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Power Ups for Your Character, Power Ups for the User Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Boss Mode Activated – Unreal Robots Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Advanced AI and Unreal Rendering Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Creating a Networked Shooter Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Goodbyes and Thank yous Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Top Reviews
Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon Empty star icon 3.2
(6 Ratings)
5 star 33.3%
4 star 16.7%
3 star 0%
2 star 33.3%
1 star 16.7%
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Dejan Seguljev Oct 19, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Excellent for those who have experience in development but no prior experience with Unreal Engine.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
William Lumley Jan 12, 2017
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Great book. Easy to read and really walks you through building some quality example projects quite well.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Patrick Yee Feb 07, 2020
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
It's an okay instructional book, but it is not a textbook. There are portions of the book that should be rewritten where you start to think outside of the box to be inside the box, if that makes sense. It's all about the code, even blueprints, so you are not dealing with the details of a designer. So, you can go through this book really fast, but the wording and the bold face or lack of may distract you. The images to help you aren't in color and it's hard to use as reference.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Not a fan Oct 13, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon 2
Lots of typos, variables that change names, unclear directions... If you buy this book, be prepared to spend a few hours trying to figure out what the author meant.This book is definitely not worse the price.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Aleksandr Palatnik Nov 07, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon 2
The information in this book is good, but somewhat outdated with the newest Unreal Engine (4.13.2), which is understandable. That's not the main issue, though.My bigger problem with this is that the book needed a lot more editing since it has MANY typos/errors, some of which are in the code examples and lead to totally cryptic errors. The book also occasionally fails to mention necessary steps, once leading to an editor segfault for me (nullptr GameMode because the book never mentions to set it as the default mode). At the time of writing, there are no errata posted on the Packt page addressing this stuff.I'm sticking with this book because, again, for the most part the information is good, but there is the added cost that I have to do quite a bit of research and/or bugfixing to deal with the errors. I expect that with any program-specific tutorial book, but there's more than usual in this book, so I can't recommend it.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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