I’m completely new to Unreal Engine, and I’m a bit confused about how the file system is organized— specifically where my levels are stored, how to edit the levels, and code for the characters.
Are levels supposed to be listed directly in the Content Drawer/Content Browser? When I download the preset templates from Unreal Engine, the content drawer seems like a big mess of files and I don’t really know how to make sense of it. I expect there should be a place that lists all the levels, and I can create characters inside a level, and the characters can be scripted for movement etc by equipping the scripts onto the characters somewhere. Should there be a big script for connecting between the levels, like showing which level first, when is the 2nd level triggered?
Could someone explain how this works for a beginner? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hello @XDSuperCube123 ,Welcome to the forums!
It’s great that you’re interested in learning Unreal Engine, and yes, at first it can feel a bit confusing because of the amount of information and systems it has, but little by little you’ll get used to it.
First of all, when you create a project you can choose between different options, such as C++, Blueprints, and different templates like Third Person, First Person, Top Down, Vehicle, or VR. You can also add variants such as Combat, Platforming, or Side Scroller depending on the type of project you want to create.
It will also ask you where you want to save the project and what name you want to give it.
Once the project is created, you can press Ctrl + Space or click on the Content Drawer to open the Content Browser window. The files you’ll normally modify are located inside the Content folder. It’s not recommended to modify the Engine folder, since it contains global engine files that can affect every project you create.
Inside the Third Person folder you’ll find another folder called Blueprints, where you can find the Character Blueprint, the Player Controller, and the Game Mode.
If you want to create your own character, I’d recommend creating it inside a new folder to keep things organized. Later, when you want to use it, you can assign your own classes through World Settings.
Another good practice is assigning a color to your folders or adding frequently used folders to Favorites, so you can access them more easily from the Favorites section.
If you want to add a new template to your project, you can go to Add and then Add Feature or Content Pack. Once selected, the new content will appear inside the Content folder with its corresponding Blueprints and assets, such as the level, input setup, and character Blueprints.
To create a new level, go to File and then New Level. There you’ll be able to choose between four options: Open World, Empty Open World, Basic, and Empty Level. For this example, you can choose Basic Level.
Once the level is created, click Save in the top left corner and a window will appear asking where you want to save it. There you can choose the location for your level.
You can also create a new folder inside Content and store all your maps there, or even create a Maps folder inside Third Person to keep everything more organized within the template you’re using.
Finally, to define which level should be the startup level, go to Edit, then Project Settings, and finally Maps and Modes. There you’ll be able to configure the default project levels.
To define when the game changes levels, you’ll need to use a node called Open Level (by Name), which you can execute whenever any event you want happens.
I hope I was able to help you! I’m also leaving you the link to the Learning site, where you’ll be able to find a lot of guides, courses, and content to keep learning better.
Also, I recommend checking the official documentation, because there you’ll find much more detailed explanations of how each system works, examples, and a lot of useful information for when you’re working on your projects.
