Hi Jamiex304,
Depending if your menu level is interactive. Such as if it has actors which are used as menu props. Then you want to be able to unload that level, and load another. Well! To do this is not entirely crazy.
You do this with Level Streaming. The way level streaming works is by having one persistent level, and other levels which you stream in at even given moment. So this persistent level will be the the “Transition” level. All it is responsible for is loading, and unloading levels.
There is a tutorial on level streaming here.
So what you essentially do is on loading the persistent Transition level first. Then the persistent level is your constant state. Actors in this level will always be active, allowing your full control while other levels are interchanged. Next, you load your menu level. Then the player does whatever, and tells the menu it wants to load Deathmatch. Menu level now communicates to transition level, open Deathmatch. Now put up some video animations, and keep the main menu up. Keep in mind – while Deathmatch is streamed into the Transition level. Everything on the menu is still going. You can hide it or update it after Deathmatch is finished. Then jump in Deathmatch, unload the Menu. Done!
Doing it that way, you never once pause the state of the game preventing any unwanted waiting or unresponsiveness.
Best,
Peter