Start Button Works, Custom Level Refuses to Load (Losing My Sanity Slowly)

Hello everyone,

First-time poster here — and of course it has to be the noob question of them all.

Why does my Start button refuse to load my custom level?

Before anyone asks: yes, the button does work. It just hates my level specifically.

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Summary (a.k.a. My Confusion)

  • Button input works

  • UI logic works

  • Default UE levels load fine

  • Only my custom level refuses to load

I’ve spent roughly 6 hours today fighting this with YouTube, google, and ChatGPT, and I’m clearly missing something fundamental (or Unreal is gaslighting me).

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What I’ve Tested (a.k.a. Me Arguing With Unreal for 6 Hours)

  1. Button fires correctly

    • Tested with Print String

    • Yep, “Hello” shows up loud and clear when clicking Start

  2. Default level test

    • Using TB_ThirdPerson

    • Works beautifully. Unreal clearly knows how buttons work… just not my map.

  3. Level name / spelling

    • Copy-pasted the level name

    • Duplicated the level and renamed it to TEST

    • Still refuses to load (so yes, I can spell… unfortunately)

  4. Project Settings → Maps & Modes

    • Startup Map: MainMenu_Level

    • Game Default Map: FurFunFugitive

    • (Yes, AI-generated name. I have no creativity, only destruction and depression.)

  5. Content Browser

    • Level exists

    • It is not imaginary

    • It lives where levels usually live

  6. Button events

    • Tried both OnClicked and OnPressed

    • No difference, no joy

  7. Remove from Parent

    • Screen goes black for a second

    • Then pops right back to the Main Menu UI

    • Clicking again looks like it tries to load… but nothing happens

  8. World Settings

    • Checked GameMode assignments

    • MainMenu_GameMode is set where expected

    • Nothing obvious screaming “THIS IS BROKEN”

  9. Open Level node

    • Tried Open Level (by Name)

    • Tried Open Level (by Object Reference)

    • Same result: custom level will not load

  10. Packaging settings

  • Added both MainMenu_Level and FurFunFugitive to:

    • List of maps to include in a packaged build
  • Still nothing