Learn the fundamentals of Unreal Engine's Blueprint visual scripting system. This guide will walk you through creating your first Blueprint, adding components, and scripting basic game logic without writing a single line of code.
In the Content Browser, right-click and select Blueprint Class from the context menu. For this example, choose Actor as the parent class. An Actor is any object that can be placed in a level. Give your new Blueprint a name, like `BP_MyActor`.
Double-click your newly created Blueprint asset in the Content Browser. This will open the Blueprint Editor, which contains several key panels: the Viewport for visual arrangement, the Components panel to add elements, and the Event Graph for scripting logic.
In the Components panel (top-left), click the + Add button. Select a component to add, such as a Static Mesh. In the Details panel on the right, you can assign a specific mesh (e.g., a cube or sphere) to make your Actor visible in the game world.
Switch to the Event Graph tab. Right-click anywhere on the graph to open the node search menu. Find and add an Event Tick node. Drag from its execution pin (the white arrow) and create a new node like Add Actor Local Rotation to make the Actor spin continuously.
After adding your nodes and connecting them, click the Compile button in the top toolbar. This checks your script for errors. If it's successful (a green checkmark appears), click Save to save your changes.
Go back to the main editor window. Drag your Blueprint asset from the Content Browser directly into the level viewport. Press the Play button in the main toolbar to see your scripted logic in action.
Tips for Effective Blueprint Scripting
Select a group of nodes and press C to create a comment box. This is crucial for organizing your graphs and remembering what complex sections do.
Use the Print String node to display text or variable values on the screen during gameplay. It's an invaluable tool for debugging your logic.
For repeated operations, create a Function or Macro in the 'My Blueprint' panel. This keeps your main Event Graph clean and makes your code reusable.
Right-click on any input or output pin of a node and select Promote to Variable to quickly create and connect a new variable, saving time.
Explore other Unreal Engine guides and shortcuts