Seems like a bold claim, but I’m serious. I’m already familiar with C++ and although the documentation has served me well in some places, it bears on the line of impossible for some topics to find good C++ tutorials. Many of the tutorials, including the official tutorials, focus on blueprint and do not provide even an outline on how a script like that would work in C++. Not all blueprint functions are available in C++ and trying to interpret the messy design of blueprint is a waste of time.
Where can I find tutorials that properly teach how to use the C++ API for specific use cases (i.e. how can I create a HUD using the designer, but have all scripting in C++). Blueprints don’t seem like they’d scale beyond the basic tutorial (and even within that context they can get pretty messy).
Many structured tutorials (i.e. video series on Youtube) often assume you don’t know any programming as to appeal to the largest audience. These are too slow and also seem to have the habit of giving bad advice.
I’ve found c++ books for UE a mix of trying to go all over the place whilst staying too basic.
I waven’t seen many tutorials for creating mechanics with c++ like you’ll find for blueprint, but there a lot of examples of specifics and it’s up to the programmer to put it all together.
This is just another case of a C++ tutorial designed for non-programmers. Yes, I already know how to program C++, why is this so difficult for these people to believe that and why am I part of a minority of developers within the community of an engine designed for professionals.
I wasn’t asking for specific help with that issue. I already found those tutorials, I was referring to the fact that there is no real official documentation with this topic.
From my searching, it seems that C++ is being regulated to professionals part of a business that can pay for the private training. Why is it that I’m a second class programmer for wanting to use C++ as a hobbyist.
The C++ API documentation reference on the official site is appalling at best…
Just yesterday I was looking how Soft object pointers worked in C++ and the reference said “templated wrapper class of FSoftObjectPtr”, like, can’t you copy paste the minimal explanation from the non templated to the templated one so we don’t have to jump through hoops?
There are other various obscure topics and functions that are simply non existent, the functions and class documentations are often tautological…
Then there are the myriad cases where the blueprint node name has nothing to do with the actual function name in C++, or is slightly different, for example, the “GetControlledPawn” node in blueprints is mirrored by the “GetPawn” function in C++, this is just a basic example
The worst offenders are the kismet library functions, different names, different arguments, and no documentation…
There are almost no examples on some advanced topics for C++ cases…
The worst thing is that if you’re anything serious on your game and you need to run quite a bit of logic, you’re pretty much forced into C++ if you don’t want to run into performance issues (we have a good mix between C++ and blueprints, but the performance uplift we got when we passed the heavy logic blueprints to C++ was amazingly great)
just yesterday there was a survey on the official docs site, I gather this post was triggered by that
I’m not aware of any survey, I’ve been trying to learn UE for alittle bit and have been held back by the friction of trying to find documentation which then triggered this post after I had enough of the blueprint pandering.
Can you link to this survey?
I just entered the unreal docs site (5.1 version) yesterday and it popped up for me, so I’m not able to provide you with a link, sorry
btw, the benui.ca site is really good on some aspects for C++ docs, here’s a pretty basic example of one of the issues you listed:
Now, that doesn’t excuse we don’t have that in the official docs, but what else can we do at this point, well, answering this forum with your knowledge seems to help, there’s also the community wiki as well which has a lot of articles that help a lot, it’s a bit hard to find specific things though (not that is not a problem on the official docs as well…)
So you are upset that you cannot find tutorials focused specifically on what you want to know and your skill level?
Well, you have the source code, the editor and Visual Studio all for free and if you know how to program then crack on.
You will, no doubt, be making educational tutorials about your discoveries and distributing them for free?
If you personally do not make educational videos or write articles then why do you expect other people to?
Does that answer your question?
The tutorials on C++ don’t exist in the first place.
This isn’t about the lack of Joe Open Source Developer making a Master’s Degree Pathway entirely on UE, for free. This is about Joe Epic Games Developer, Paid By The Hour, failing to even properly document the C++ API. It is Epic Games’ responsibility to document their engine and they failed. This post was about the lack of those tutorials by Epic Games. Although that’s not to say that the Joe Open Source Developer’s tutorials exist in the first place.
That’s not my job. Do you assume that all tutorial developers are working for free? The individuals on Youtube, and writing blogs with advertising on them certainly aren’t. I don’t expect the tutorials on the Community Learning tab to be of quality, but I do expect that the ones tagged Epic Games should be of quality.
I cannot learn because Epic Games has failed to even properly document the API.
It is not Epic Games responsibility at all. They are under no obligation whatsoever to make their engine and resources free to the public and if you are old enough you will remember a time when they weren’t.
They owe you nothing and you should be grateful for what you have got and that is actually a hell of a lot.
Not only the engine code (commented) and api documentation but also complete examples such as the rpg shooter and even some into courses - I know because I worked through one learning a lot by updating the code to the latest engine. They have also made livestream vids and fund educational presenters using their megagrants.
There are also numerous resources created (for free) by people not working for Epic and then there are paid courses and books.
But you say there is nothing. You seem to want your hand holding to an extreme degree for someone who claims to be able to program.
cheers
Podge.
P.S. You have twice accused Epic of not documenting the API. Well, it is here:- Unreal Engine API
Whilst you are there, you could check out the samples and tutorials section.
I take it you’ve never actually used the API docs before, have you? I’ve face several random crashes because the API fails to tell me how to use a specific method or the context required for it to succeed.
No, thanks impart to trial and error and not because the documentation is sufficient. Although Podgyhody has derailed this post away from the point about the focus on bp compared to c++, the point stands and a solution is awaiting.
I’d like to point out that I’m not opposed to paid third party tutorials, it’s just that I’ve had such a bad experience with that type of content (see my complaining about “C++ focused” tutorials aimed at non-programmers) and began to look elsewhere for C++ in UE documentation/tutorials.
Bro I totally understand you. I’ve had the same problem as you do, where I was intermediate with C++, but Unreal’s official documentation is not helping too much. Don’t listen to Podgy; he’s just being condescending for no reason. The start is difficult, but over time, tinkering with the functions and checking out projects will get you used to Unreal’s work flow.
