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Engine Overview UE4

This document provides an overview of the Unreal Engine, including: - It describes the engine as having thousands of files across many directories and modules. - The directories include the engine code, content, configuration files, and project files. - There are core modules for things like rendering, physics, AI, and more. Additional modules provide advanced features. - Projects can be created from templates and can contain blueprints, C++ code, plugins, and custom modules. They are packaged for deployment.

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laopuintw
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40 views

Engine Overview UE4

This document provides an overview of the Unreal Engine, including: - It describes the engine as having thousands of files across many directories and modules. - The directories include the engine code, content, configuration files, and project files. - There are core modules for things like rendering, physics, AI, and more. Additional modules provide advanced features. - Projects can be created from templates and can contain blueprints, C++ code, plugins, and custom modules. They are packaged for deployment.

Uploaded by

laopuintw
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Engine Overview

A Programmer’s Glimpse at UE4

Gerke Max Preussner


[email protected]
The Big Picture
This Is Not Your Grandma’s Engine
Overview • UE4 is pretty hot… but also huge!
• 5000+ directories, 40,000+ files
Directories • Bazillions of lines of code
• Hundreds of modules
Configuration • Dozens of tools, thousands of features
• Centuries of man years
Modules
Projects How To Master All This?
• Start with toes, work your way up
What’s Next? • Most code & content you’ll never touch
• Nobody knows everything about UE4
• But you’ll see, it’s really quite easy!
The Big Picture
Root Directory
Overview • /Engine – All code, content & configuration for the Engine
• /MyProject – All files for the game project ‘MyProject’
Directories • /Templates – Templates for creating new projects

Configuration Inside the /Engine and Project Directories


• /Binaries – Executables & DLLs for the Engine
Modules • /Build – Files needed for building the Engine
• /Config – Configuration files
Projects • /Content – Shared Engine content
• /DerivedDataCache – Cached content data files (Engine only)
What’s Next? • /Intermediate – Temporary build products (Engine only)
• /Plugins – Shared and project specific plug-ins
• /Saved – Autosaves, local configs, screenshots, etc.
• /Source – Source code for all the things!
The Big Picture
Overview INI Files
• Hold class default properties
Directories • Will be loaded into CDOs on startup
Configuration • Organized in a hierarchy
Modules • Higher INIs override lower ones
• Organized in sections
Projects • Key-value pairs within sections
What’s Next? • Important ones exposed in Editor UI
• Low-level access with FConfig
The Big Picture
Overview INI Files
• Hold class default properties XXX.ini
Directories • Will be loaded into CDOs on startup
Configuration • Organized in a hierarchy
DefaultXXX.ini
Modules • Higher INIs override lower ones
• Organized in sections
Projects • Key-value pairs within sections BaseXXX.ini
What’s Next? • Important ones exposed in Editor UI
• Low-level access with FConfig
Class Constructor
Editor & Project Settings
Sections for UObjects
• [/Script/ModuleName.ClassName]

Sections for Custom Settings


• [SectionName]

Supported Value Types


• Numeric values, strings, enums
• Structured data
• Static and dynamic arrays

Automatic serialization for UObject properties


The Big Picture
Overview Modularity Promotes
• Reusability
Directories • Extensibility
Configuration • Maintainability
Modules • Decoupling
• Efficiency
Projects
What’s Next? Monolithic builds are
still possible though!
The Big Picture
Module Types
Overview • Developer – Used by Editor & Programs, not Games
Directories • Editor – Used by Unreal Editor only
• Runtime – Used by Editor, Games & Programs
Configuration • ThirdParty – External code from other companies
• Plugins – Extensions for Editor, Games, or both
Modules • Programs – Standalone applications & tools
Projects
Module Dependency Rules
What’s Next? • Runtime modules must not have dependencies to Editor or
Developer modules
• Plug-in modules must not have dependencies to other plug-ins
The Big Picture
Overview Module Type
UnrealEd App Game

Directories Runtime √ √ √
Configuration ThirdParty √ √ √
Modules Plugins √ √ √
Projects Developer √ √ X
What’s Next? Editor √ X X

Module usage across different types of applications


The Big Picture
Important Modules for Beginners
Overview
• Core – Fundamental core types & functions
Directories • CoreUObject – Implements the UObject sub-system
• Engine – Game classes & engine framework
Configuration • OnlineSubsystem – Online & social networking features
Modules • Slate – Widget library & high-level UI features

Projects
What’s Next?
The Big Picture
Interesting Modules for Advanced Programmers
Overview
• DesktopPlatform – Useful APIs for Windows, Mac & Linux
Directories • DetailCustomizations – Editor’s Details panel customizations
• Launch – Main loop classes & functions
Configuration • Messaging – Message passing sub-system
Modules • Sockets – Network socket implementations
• Settings – Editor & Project Settings API
Projects • SlateCore – Fundamental UI functionality
What’s Next? • TargetPlatform – Platform abstraction layer
• UMG – Unreal Motion Graphics implementation
• UnrealEd – Unreal Editor main frame & features
The Big Picture
Overview Interesting Modules for Cool Features
• Analytics – Collects usage statistics from Editor & games
Directories • AssetRegistry – Database for assets in Unreal Editor
Configuration • GameLiveStreaming – Twitch Streaming
Modules • HeadMountedDisplay – HMD Support API (Oculus, etc.)
• JsonUtilities & XmlParser – Handle Json & XML files
Projects • SourceControl – API for custom source control providers
What’s Next?
The Big Picture
Your Game Projects can…
Overview • Use Blueprints, C++ Code or both
Directories • Contain any number of modules & plug-ins
• Be moved around and shared with others
Configuration
Project Templates to Get You Started
Modules • Blank (with or without sample content)
Projects • First Person Shooter
• Side scroller, top-down & puzzle games
What’s Next? • Flying & driving games
• They all come in Blueprint and C++ flavors
• More to come, and make your own!
Project Templates & Samples
Project Packaging & Deployment
Overview
Directories
Configuration
Modules
Projects
What’s Next?
Questions?
Documentation, Tutorials and Help at:
• AnswerHub: http://answers.unrealengine.com
• Engine Documentation: http://docs.unrealengine.com
• Official Forums: http://forums.unrealengine.com
• Community Wiki: http://wiki.unrealengine.com
• YouTube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/UnrealDevelopmentKit
• Community IRC: #unrealengine on FreeNode

Unreal Engine 4 Roadmap


• lmgtfy.com/?q=Unreal+engine+Trello+

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