Unreal Engine 5: Build a Complete Survival Game in UE5 from Udemy

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction & Setup

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Introduce course and instructor.

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Create UE project in 5.4 third person template.

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Any time we change our project during a lecture we will commit that change to a public source control repository for students to access. In this video, we show you how to access that content.

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We introduce the ways that you can get help, support and contribute to the community.

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In this section, we will setup the basic character. Including a true first person camera style, footsteps, and a holding item animation state. This will leave our player character ready for the course. With that said, let’s get started.

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Move camera to head and rename BP.

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Import sound, create Metasound with random pitch, add notify on animation.

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Import holding animation and create state in Anim BP.

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In this section, we will create a beautiful tropical island environment, where our course will take place. We will use megascan assets to build the whole island, with that said, let’s get started.

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Import assets from Quixel Bridge.

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Create new level, create a landscape, and add the sand material with tessellation.

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Enable the Water plugin and add it to the level. Make the island’s shape and enable caustics.

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Paint foliage, rocks, and coral to the island. Tune lighting too.

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In this section, we will create the player stats system, including health, hunger, thirst, and stamina. We wil create a separate Actor component to build modular code, and we will setup some progress bars for the UI. With that said, let’s get started.

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Create actor component and add it to the player BP. Create the 2 functions, leaving them empty.

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Implement code to the 2 functions.

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Add the looping timers to each stat.

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Implement damage , HUD animation and sounds.

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Create new widget with progress bars and icons.

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Create red screen animation and sound.

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Create input and logic in BP.

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Add icons to widget.

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In this section, we will begin to create the inventory system, creating a structure and a database will all of our items, and an Inventory component with all of the functionaility. With that said, let’s get started.

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Create item structure and database.

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Create actor component and add it to the player BP. Add the database variable.

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Add function to add items with stacking.

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Add function to remove item from stack.

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Create Inventory widget and grid widget.. Add the grid to the widget.

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Create item slot widget, and implement functionality to set the icon and amount.

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Open and close inventory widget. Add item slots when opening the inventory.

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Select item slot, equip it into hand, update slot color.

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Change item slot color when equipped.

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In the HUD widget, add a layout for equipped Item.

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Add overlay to HUD and animate it with the added item.

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Change color when hovering. Add tooltip when hovering over item slots.

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In this section, we will create the pickable items, and tree chopping so that we can harvest resources from the world. With that said, let’s get started.

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Create Item Blueprint with model and item database variable.

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Create interactable interface that can pick up items.

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Create parent blueprint for resources that can mine.

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Add more items to the database and create more resources.

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Create Item Action Blueprint with attack and harvest action.

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Create foliage class and chopping system.

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Create Niagara Effect and implement it.

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Increase item slots size in widget.

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In this section, we will create the crafting system so that we can craft items and remove resources from our inventory. With that said, let’s get started.

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Create S_Recipe

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In the BPC Inventory a function that results in a boolean.

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Create crafting widget, crafting slot, and resource slot.

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Add widgets to WB_Inventory.

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Join functionality to widgets.

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Fill in all the crafting slots.

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In this section, we will improve the Inventory widgets and UI, and add a character viewport in the widget. With that said, let’s get started.

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Add text headers, background and corners to widget:

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Add scene capture component and create a material for the render target.

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Add character material to inventory HUD.

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Add hover sounds and click sounds for item slots.

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Create animation.

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In this section, we will create the building system by creating another structure, database, and actor component. This will make sure that our code is modular. With that said, let’s get started.

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Create build part struct and database.

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Create actor component for building. Implement basic preview logic.

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Build placement preview.

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Build update with traces.

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Add placement logic.

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Create child classes for all build parts and set pivots on meshes.

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Implement sockets and functionality.

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Create build parts items and integration in actions BP.

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In this section, we will create some basic animal AI. They will have 2 states, a wondering, and chasing. They will add life into he island. With that said, let’s get started.

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Create actor blueprint and add prototype mesh.

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Create the wandering state and chasing state.

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Sense player and chase and attack.

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Add event Any Damage node and implement health and death.

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Import tiger animations and integrate with blueprint child.

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In this section, we will use PCG to procedurally spawn all of our items and animals in the island. With that said, let’s get started.

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Enable plugin and create class.

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Sample points and place items.

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Sample more points and place animals.

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Make them blueprints.

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Drink water trace and eat items.

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In this section, we will create the day cycle system and add a sleeping functionality to a bed. With that said, let’s get started.

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Create actor component and add it to the directional light in the level. Implement Rotating logic on event tick.

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Create build part bed and sleeping functionality.

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Adjust size of meat, banana, and axe.

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So that’s it guys! You have successfully completed the whole course and now you have a survival game. So, what next? Well I recommend that you keep expanding this project, by adding more items, more functionality, expanding the island, and much more. I hope that you enjoyed the course, if you did leave a review, and check out all of my tutorials on YouTube, at Gorka Games. With that said, bye bye.

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

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Covers the creation of a full-featured survival game, providing a structured approach to completing a complex project from start to finish, which is highly motivating

Employs a modular coding approach, which promotes code reusability and maintainability, which are essential skills for game development and software engineering in general

Utilizes Unreal Engine 5.4, which is a relatively recent version, ensuring that learners are working with current tools and techniques, which is relevant to industry standards

Includes topics such as enemy AI design, which is a core component of many modern games and interactive experiences, and is a valuable skill for aspiring game developers

Requires prior experience with Unreal Engine, which may exclude absolute beginners who need a more foundational introduction to the engine and its basic concepts first

Integrates Megascan assets from Quixel Bridge, which requires users to have an Epic Games account and potentially a subscription for certain assets, which may pose a barrier

Reviews summary

Building a ue5 survival game

According to learners, this course offers a highly comprehensive and practical approach to creating a complete survival game within Unreal Engine 5 using Blueprints. Many students found the coverage of core mechanics such as the modular inventory, crafting system, and building features to be particularly strong and well-explained. The step-by-step nature of the instruction is frequently praised, helping learners build a functional project piece by piece. A significant positive highlighted in recent reviews is that the instructor keeps the course updated with the latest UE5 versions. While the course successfully guides students through building a substantial project, some absolute beginners felt the pace could be challenging at times, suggesting some prior UE experience is beneficial. Overall, it's considered a rewarding course for those looking to build a full game project.

Completing the project requires effort.

"This is a serious project course, expect to invest time and effort."

"It's a long course covering many systems, requires commitment."

"Finishing the game was challenging but rewarding, definitely not a short casual course."

Course is maintained for recent UE5 versions.

"Glad to see the course is updated frequently to match the latest UE5 changes."

"The instructor updates the course content as new UE5 versions come out, which is essential."

"Using the current version of UE5.4 without issues was a relief, thanks to updates."

Instruction is easy to follow and understand.

"The step-by-step approach makes even complex parts easy to follow."

"Instructor breaks down difficult concepts effectively into manageable steps."

"I appreciated the clear and concise way the material was presented throughout."

Detailed coverage of key survival systems.

"The systems like inventory, crafting, building are explained very thoroughly."

"I learned how to create complex modular systems like the inventory and crafting easily."

"The course does a fantastic job explaining the implementation of core mechanics such as hunger, thirst, and inventory."

Successfully build a complete survival game.

"Successfully building a survival game from scratch using blueprints was a great experience."

"This course takes you through building a complete game project, not just snippets."

"Seeing the whole survival game come together at the end was very satisfying."

Might be challenging for absolute beginners.

"As someone new to Unreal, I sometimes felt the pace was a bit fast."

"You need some prior UE experience to comfortably follow along."

"Beginners might need to rewatch sections or seek external help for foundational concepts."

Career center

Learners who complete Unreal Engine 5: Build a Complete Survival Game in UE5 will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Unreal Engine Developer

An Unreal Engine Developer brings virtual worlds to life. This role involves designing, developing, and implementing interactive experiences using the Unreal Engine. Learning to craft, battle enemies, and build environments, as taught by a course, is directly applicable to this role. The course's focus on a modular inventory, robust crafting systems, and enemy artificial intelligence will especially help one become proficient in developing engaging gameplay mechanics, which will be valuable to a prospective Unreal Engine Developer.

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Indie Game Developer

An Indie Game Developer works independently or within a small team to create and publish video games. This role requires a diverse skillset, including programming, design, and art. Building a complete survival game in Unreal Engine 5 provides a comprehensive foundation for an Indie Game Developer. The course covers a wide range of topics, from crafting and resource management to enemy artificial intelligence and building systems. This end-to-end experience can enable an Indie Game Developer to bring their own game ideas to life.

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Gameplay Programmer

A Gameplay Programmer focuses on implementing the core game mechanics and player interactions within a video game. This involves coding player controls, game rules, and interactive elements. A course that teaches how to build a survival game in Unreal Engine 5 is invaluable for a Gameplay Programmer. The course's emphasis on crafting systems, inventory management, and resource gathering helps one gain hands-on experience in creating engaging and immersive gameplay loops. The modular coding approach taught during this course enables a Gameplay Programmer to write clean, maintainable, and scalable code.

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Game Designer

A Game Designer conceptualizes and designs the gameplay, rules, and story of video games. This role demands a strong understanding of game mechanics and player experience. A course on building a complete survival game in Unreal Engine 5 directly relates to the responsibilities of a Game Designer. The course helps one learn how to design and implement core mechanics, such as crafting, resource management, and enemy artificial intelligence, which are crucial skills for creating engaging and balanced gameplay. The hands-on experience gained from this course allows a game designer to prototype and refine game ideas effectively.

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AI Programmer

An AI Programmer specializes in designing and implementing artificial intelligence for video game characters and systems. This role requires a strong understanding of programming principles and AI algorithms. A course that explores enemy artificial intelligence development using Unreal Engine is directly relevant to the work of an AI Programmer. The course helps one gain practical experience in creating AI behaviors, such as chasing, attacking, and reacting to player actions. The knowledge gained from the course's structured approach to AI implementation makes it highly beneficial for an AI Programmer looking to enhance their skills.

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Technical Artist

A Technical Artist bridges the gap between art and programming in game development. This role requires a blend of artistic skills and technical knowledge to optimize game assets and implement visual effects. Diving deep into the creation of a survival game within Unreal Engine will greatly assist a prospective Technical Artist. The course focuses on environment design, which facilitates the integration of assets and the creation of visually appealing environments. The knowledge of Unreal Engine's tools and systems gained from the course will enable a Technical Artist to effectively optimize game performance and create stunning visual experiences.

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Level Designer

A Level Designer crafts engaging and functional game levels. A Level Designer uses specialized software to arrange the environment, place enemies, and script events to create a compelling player experience. The island creation aspect of the course can enable a prospective level designer to learn how to sculpt landscapes, integrate assets, tune lighting, and design areas conducive to survival gameplay. Experience with building systems and enemy AI is applicable to the work of a Level Designer because it helps to build a full and complete level.

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Unreal Engine Instructor

An Unreal Engine Instructor teaches others how to use Unreal Engine for game development, virtual production, or other applications. This role requires a deep understanding of the engine and the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly. Building a complete survival game in Unreal Engine 5 provides the hands-on experience needed to become an effective instructor. This course covers a wide range of topics, from core mechanics to modular coding practices. The comprehensive knowledge gained through the course allows an Unreal Engine Instructor to teach with confidence and authority.

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Extended Reality Developer

An Extended Reality Developer designs and develops virtual, augmented, and mixed reality software applications. They may create training simulations or entertainment. This course helps an Extended Reality Developer gain practical experience in designing interactive 3D environments. You might learn how to create a fully immersive simulation. The design of environments and enemy artificial intelligence could be especially applicable to extended reality game development. One might find this course helpful in expanding into the field of game design.

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Virtual Reality Developer

A Virtual Reality Developer creates immersive experiences for virtual reality platforms. This role requires a strong understanding of 3D development and VR principles. Building a complete survival game in Unreal Engine 5 helps a VR Developer gain practical experience in creating interactive 3D environments. The course may be useful in learning level design, particularly how to optimize it for performance, and implementing interactive mechanics, which are essential skills for creating compelling VR experiences. The course’s design of environments and enemy artificial intelligence could be applicable to VR game development.

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Serious Games Developer

A Serious Games Developer creates games for purposes beyond pure entertainment, such as education, training, or healthcare. These games often require a blend of engaging gameplay and instructional content. The experience of building a complete survival game might be helpful in learning how to create interactive and engaging learning experiences. The course focuses on core mechanics like crafting, resource management, and enemy artificial intelligence. The modular coding practices taught in the course could be applied to developing serious games with complex systems and interactions.

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Game Engine Programmer

A Game Engine Programmer works on the underlying technology that powers video games. This role requires a deep understanding of computer science principles and game engine architecture. While this course does not focus on engine architecture itself, it provides practical experience in using Unreal Engine 5 to build a complete game. This experience may be useful to a Game Engine Programmer. The course touches on topics such as rendering, physics, and scripting, all within the context of a real-world project. One might find that the focus on modular coding practices and optimization helps a Game Engine Programmer better understand how to design and improve game engine systems.

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Simulation Developer

A Simulation Developer creates realistic simulations for training, research, or entertainment purposes. These simulations often involve complex systems and interactions. Building a survival game in Unreal Engine 5 may be useful when learning how to develop interactive simulations. The course focuses on creating realistic environments, implementing character movement, and designing artificial intelligence. The ability to create modular systems, as taught in the course, could be useful for creating complex and scalable simulations.

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Environment Artist

An Environment Artist is responsible for creating the visual look and feel of game environments. This role requires a strong understanding of art principles and 3D modeling techniques. While this course does not focus solely on environment art, the island creation portion may be useful for an Environment Artist. This course offers a foundation in using Unreal Engine 5 to build and populate a tropical island environment. Learning how to use Megascan assets, create landscapes, and paint foliage offers an opportunity to practice essential environment art skills within a game engine.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers apply principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis to the design, development, testing, and evaluation of software and systems. They work on a range of projects, from mobile applications to operating systems. Although this course focuses on game development, it may enable a Software Engineer to learn valuable skills in software creation, software design, modular code, and project structuring. These skills may be transferable to software development, so that someone can build practical software solutions informed by game design principles.

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