Book Image

Blueprints Visual Scripting for Unreal Engine - Second Edition

By : Marcos Romero, Brenden Sewell

Book Image

Blueprints Visual Scripting for Unreal Engine - Second Edition

By: Marcos Romero, Brenden Sewell

Overview of this book

Blueprints is the visual scripting system in Unreal Engine that enables programmers to create baseline systems and can be extended by designers. This book helps you explore all the features of the Blueprint Editor and guides you through using Variables, Macros, and Functions. You’ll also learn about object-oriented programming (OOP) and discover the Gameplay Framework. In addition to this, you’ll learn how Blueprint Communication allows one Blueprint to access information from another Blueprint. Later chapters will focus on building a fully functional game using a step-by-step approach. You’ll start with a basic first-person shooter (FPS) template, and each chapter will build on the prototype to create an increasingly complex and robust game experience. You’ll then progress from creating basic shooting mechanics to more complex systems, such as user interface elements and intelligent enemy behavior. The skills you will develop using Blueprints can also be employed in other gaming genres. In the concluding chapters, the book demonstrates how to use arrays, maps, enums, and vector operations. Finally, you’ll learn how to build a basic VR game. By the end of this book, you’ll have learned how to build a fully functional game and will have the skills required to develop an entertaining experience for your audience.

Preface

Who this book is for

What this book covers

To get the most out of this book

Free Chapter

Section 1: Blueprint Fundamentals

Section 1: Blueprint Fundamentals

Exploring the Blueprint Editor

Exploring the Blueprint Editor

Installing Unreal Engine

Creating new projects and using templates

Blueprints Visual Scripting

The Blueprint Editor interface

Adding Components to a Blueprint

Programming with Blueprints

Programming with Blueprints

Storing values in variables

Defining the behavior of a Blueprint with Events and Actions

Creating expressions with operators

Organizing the script with Macros and Functions

Actors and the Gameplay Framework

Actors and the Gameplay Framework

Managing Actors

Exploring the Gameplay Framework classes

Understanding Blueprint Communication

Understanding Blueprint Communication

Direct Blueprint Communication

Casting in Blueprints

Level Blueprint Communication

Event Dispatchers

Section 2: Developing a Game

Section 2: Developing a Game

Object Interaction with Blueprints

Object Interaction with Blueprints

Creating a project and the first Level

Adding objects to our Level

Exploring Materials

Creating the target Blueprint

Adding movement

Changing direction

Enhancing Player Abilities

Enhancing Player Abilities

Adding the running functionality by extending a Blueprint

Animating a zoomed view

Adding sound and particle effects

Creating Screen UI Elements

Creating Screen UI Elements

Creating simple UI meters with UMG

Connecting UI values to player variables

Tracking the ammo and eliminated targets

Creating Constraints and Gameplay Objectives

Creating Constraints and Gameplay Objectives

Constraining player Actions

Creating collectible objects

Setting a gameplay win condition

Section 3: Enhancing the Game

Section 3: Enhancing the Game

Building Smart Enemies with Artificial Intelligence

Building Smart Enemies with Artificial Intelligence

Setting up the enemy Actor to navigate

Creating navigation behavior

Making the AI chase the player

Upgrading the AI Enemies

Upgrading the AI Enemies

Creating an enemy attack

Making enemies hear and investigate sounds

Making the enemies destructible

Spawning more enemies during gameplay

Creating enemy wandering behavior

Game States and Applying the Finishing Touches

Game States and Applying the Finishing Touches

Making danger real with player death

Creating round-based scaling with saved games

Pausing the game and resetting the save file

Building and Publishing

Building and Publishing

Optimizing your graphics settings

Setting up our game to be played by others

Packaging the game into a build

Section 4: Advanced Blueprints

Section 4: Advanced Blueprints

Data Structures and Flow Control

Data Structures and Flow Control

Other data structures

Flow control nodes

Math and Trace Nodes

Math and Trace Nodes

World and relative transforms

Points and vectors

Blueprints Tips

Blueprints Tips

Blueprint Editor shortcuts

Blueprint best practices

Miscellaneous Blueprint nodes

Introduction to VR Development

Introduction to VR Development

Exploring the VR template

The Pawn Blueprint

The Motion Controller Blueprint

Object grabbing

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Installing Unreal Engine

To use Unreal Engine, you must first install Epic Games Launcher:

Access the website (https://www.unrealengine.com)
Register and download Epic Games Launcher
Install and start the launcher
Click the Unreal Engine tab on the left-hand side
Click on the Library tab that appears at the top of the screen
Click the + button next to ENGINE VERSIONS to add a version of Unreal Engine to the launcher

Click the Install button
Click the Launch button to start an already installed version:

It is possible to keep multiple versions of Unreal Engine. This book uses version 4.20.3, but the examples were tested in version 4.22.0 and worked well. Blueprint is already a stable technology. The examples created in this book should work without problems in later versions.