Gameplay Guide

Basic Gameplay Concepts

These pages will introduce you to key Unreal terms. To add new types of gameplay objects, you will generally create a new class. A class is a template, or collection of rules, for your new object, so that you can create as many copies as you need, each containing properties and behavior that you set in the template.

Class Creation Basics

Examples showing how to create classes with Blueprints alone, C++ alone, and a combination of C++ and Blueprints.

Unreal Projects and Gameplay

Introduction to projects, levels, classes, and Actors in Unreal Engine.

Framework

In Unreal Engine 4, there are a number of classes that come with preset behavior to help you get started with your game. Read more about these building blocks and how they work together in the framework overview or quick reference, or jump straight to a particular class page for more information.

Gameplay Framework

Core systems, such as game rules, player input and controls, cameras, and user interfaces.

Camera

The Camera represents the player's point of view; how the player sees the world.

CameraAnims

CameraAnims allow you to layer on animations to your camera to simulate impact, motion in your environment, and other effects.

Controller

In the context of a player or AI entity, the Controller is essentially the brain.

AIController

The AIController observes the world around it and makes decisions and reacts accordingly without human player input.

PlayerController

The PlayerController implements functionality for taking the input data from the player and translating that into actions, such as movement, using items, firing weapons, etc.

Game Flow Overview

The process of starting the engine and launching a game or play-in-editor session.

Game Mode and Game State

Overview of the Game Mode and Game State

Pawn

The Pawn is the physical representation of a player within the world.

Character

A Character is a Pawn which has some basic bipedal movement functionality by default.

Gameplay Framework Quick Reference

Short overview of classes for game rules, characters, controllers, user interfaces, etc., that make up the framework for the game.

User Interfaces & HUDs

Guides and information for artists and programmers creating user interfaces such as menus and HUDs.

Gameplay Elements

Although each game may have different characters, rules, and visual styles, there are some core elements that are more universal. From input to saving, find overviews of these topics and example setups in C++ and/or Blueprints here.

AI and Behavior Trees

Information over Artificial Intelligence including the use of Behavior Trees and Navmesh.

Input

The Input object is responsible for converting input from the player into data in a form Actors can understand and make use of.

In-Game Analytics

Using in-game analytics to track player engagement and find balance issues.

Data Driven Gameplay Elements

Driving gameplay elements using externally stored data.

Localization

Information about how to localize your project.

Saving Your Game

Overview of how to save and load your game

Gameplay Tags

Gameplay Tags can be used to identify, categorize, match, and filter objects.

Networking and Multiplayer

Setting up networked games for multiplayer.

Gameplay Tools

Gameplay Debugger

Tool that enables analyzing realtime gameplay data at runtime.

Network Profiler

Tool for displaying network traffic and performance information captured at runtime.

Visual Logger

Tool that captures state from actors and then displays it visually in game or editor.

Gameplay How To's

This section provides step-by-step instructions on how to generate some of the most common gameplay scenarios. Whether it is how to spawn enemies or pick-ups in your game, change camera angles, or set up player inputs; these pages provide example setups for you in both Blueprints and C++.