Unreal Engine books

Develop high-quality interactive games with the power of Unreal Engine's visual scripting language and Blueprints framework Key Features Design a fully functional game in UE4 without writing a single line of code Implement visual scripting to develop gameplay mechanics, UI, visual effects, VR and artificial intelligence Deploy your game on multiple platforms and share it with the world Book Description Blueprints is the visual scripting system in Unreal Engine that enables programmers to create baseline systems and can be extended by designers. This book helps you explore all the features of the Blueprint Editor and guides you through using Variables, Macros, and Functions. You'll also learn about object-oriented programming (OOP) and discover the Gameplay Framework. In addition to this, you'll learn how Blueprint Communication allows one Blueprint to access information from another Blueprint. Later chapters will focus on building a fully functional game using a step-by-step approach. You'll start with a basic first-person shooter (FPS) template, and each chapter will build on the prototype to create an increasingly complex and robust game experience. You'll then progress from creating basic shooting mechanics to more complex systems, such as user interface elements and intelligent enemy behavior. The skills you will develop using Blueprints can also be employed in other gaming genres. In the concluding chapters, the book demonstrates how to use arrays, maps, enums, and vector operations. Finally, you'll learn how to build a basic VR game. By the end of this book, you'll have learned how to build a fully functional game and will have the skills required to develop an entertaining experience for your audience. What you will learn Understand programming concepts in Blueprints Create prototypes and iterate new game mechanics rapidly Build user interface elements and interactive menus Use advanced Blueprint nodes to manage the complexity of a game Explore all the features of the Blueprint editor, such as the Components tab, Viewport, and Event Graph Get to grips with object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts and explore the Gameplay Framework Learn Virtual Reality development with UE Blueprint Who this book is for This book is for anyone who is interested in developing games or applications with UE4. Although basic knowledge of Windows OS is required, experience in programming or UE4 is not necessary.

Learn to build intelligent and responsive Non-Player Characters for your games with Unreal Engine Game AI. Key Features Understand the built-in AI systems in Unreal Engine for building intelligent games Leverage the power of Unreal Engine 4 programming to create game AI that focuses on motion, animation, and tactics Learn to profile, visualize, and debug your Game AI for checking logic and optimizing performance Book Description Learning how to apply artificial intelligence ( AI ) is crucial and can take the fun factor to the next level, whether you're developing a traditional, educational, or any other kind of game. If you want to use AI to extend the life of your games and make them challenging and more interesting, this book is for you. The book starts by breaking down AI into simple concepts to get a fundamental understanding of it. Using a variety of examples, you will work through actual implementations designed to highlight key concepts and features related to game AI in UE4. You will learn to work through the built-in AI framework in order to build believable characters for every game genre (including RPG, Strategic, Platform, FPS, Simulation, Arcade, and Educational). You will learn to configure the Navigation, Environmental Querying, and Perception systems for your AI agents and couple these with Behavior Trees, all accompanied with practical examples. You will also explore how the engine handles dynamic crowds. In the concluding chapters, you will learn how to profile, visualize, and debug your AI systems to correct the AI logic and increase performance. By the end of the book, your AI knowledge of the built-in AI system in Unreal will be deep and comprehensive, allowing you to build powerful AI agents within your projects. What you will learn Get an in-depth knowledge about all the AI Systems within Unreal Engine Create complex AIs, understanding the art of designing and developing Behavior Tree Learn how to perform Environmental Queries (EQS) Master the Navigation, Perception, and Crowd Systems Profile and Visualize the AI Systems with powerful debugging tools Extend every AI and Debug system with custom nodes and functions Who this book is for Hands-On Artificial Intelligence with Unreal Engine is for you if you are a game developer with a bit experience in Unreal Engine, and now want to understand and implement believable game AI within Unreal Engine. The book will be both in Blueprint and C++, allowing people from every background to enjoy the book. Whether you're looking to build your first game or expand your knowledge to the edge as a Game AI Programmer, you will find plenty of exciting information and examples of game AI in terms of concepts and implementation, including how to extend some of these systems.

A comprehensive guide with coverage on AudioFX, Particle system, shaders, sequencers, and the latest features of Unreal 4.19 that will take your game development skills to the next level Key Features Create a high-performance Combat game using the essential features of Unreal Engine 4.18+. Master the complex competitive features needed in modern games such as Volumetric Lightmaps and Precomputed Lighting on Volumetric Fog, and build an impressive UI. Experience not only VR support for your game but also the inbuilt support of Apple's ARKit and Google's ARCore with UE4's newly released support for these platforms. Book Description To make a basic combat game from scratch, you will quickly override existing UE4 classes, and add and implement simple C++ functions while running and building them. These are all discussed as a short summary for new developers and as a quick refresher for experienced developers. Next, you will build a combat player character with expanded controls, create logic for a character, swap weapons, attack and move, bridge over scene changes and transitions, retain data between scenes, and manage the scene-change process. You will then build an intelligent enemy AI and add physics based particles for weapon impacts. You will also get acquainted with cutting-edge features such as Volumetric Lightmaps for precomputed lighting, and Atmospheric and Volumetric Fog, to build advanced visuals in our ongoing GitHub project. Moving on, you will explore the tools required to build an in-game cut-scene for a more professional gameplay experience and story direction. Along the way, you will implement a solid game UI, including writing a full in-game load and save system that will enable players to resume their game from any point. You will also prepare, build, and work on VR and AR taking them from editor to real-world, building two new projects one in each of these brand new areas of UE4 and integrate classes from the main project into AR! By the end of the book, you will have mastered all major UE features and will be able to bring self-imagined games to life through Unreal Engine 4.18+. What you will learn The fundamentals of a combat-based game that will let you build and work all other systems from the core gameplay: the input, inventory, A.I. enemies, U.I., and audio Manage performance tools and branching shaders based on platform capabilities in the Material Editor Explore scene or level transitions and management strategies Improve visuals using UE4 systems such as Volumetric Lightmaps, Precomputed Lighting, and Cutscenes Implement audio-to-animation timelines and trigger them from visual FX Integrate Augmented Reality into a game with UE4's brand new ARKit and ARCore support Perform almost any game logic needed via Blueprint Visual Scripting, and know when to implement it in Blueprint as opposed to C++ Who this book is for This book is for game developers who want to build high-performance games with amazing UIs. Experience with C++ is required and some knowledge of working with Unreal Engine 4 would be an advantage.

Learn how to use Unreal Engine 4 by building 3D and multiplayer games using Blueprints Key Features Learn the fundamentals of Unreal Engine such as project templates, Blueprints, and C++ Learn to design games; use UMG to create menus and HUDs, and replication to create multiplayer games Build dynamic game elements using Animation Blueprints and Behavior Trees Book Description Unreal Engine is a popular game engine for developers to build high-end 2D and 3D games. This book is a practical guide, starting off by quickly introducing you to the Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) ecosystem. You will learn how to create Blueprints and C++ code to define your game's functionality. You will be familiarized with the core systems of UE4 such as UMG, Animation Blueprints, and Behavior Trees. You will also learn how to use replication to create multiplayer games. By the end of this book, you will have a broad, solid knowledge base to expand upon on your journey with UE4. What you will learn Use project templates to give your game a head start Create custom Blueprints and C++ classes and extend from Epic's base classes Use UMG to create menus and HUDs for your game Create more dynamic characters using Animation Blueprints Learn how to create complex AI with Behavior Trees Use replication to create multiplayer games Optimize, test, and deploy a UE4 project Who this book is for Readers who already have some game development experience and Unity users who would like to try UE4 will all benefit from this book. Knowledge of basic Object-Oriented Programming topics such as variables, functions, and classes is assumed.

Build optimized, efficient, and real-time applications that are production-ready using Unreal Engine's Material Editor Key Features Create stunning visual effects for 3D games and high-quality graphics Design efficient Shaders for mobile platforms without sacrificing their realism Discover what goes into the structure of Shaders and why lighting works the way it does Book Description Unreal Engine 4 is a powerful game engine, one which has seen a recent boost in widespread adoption thanks to its ease of use and the powerful rendering pipeline that it packs. Seeing as how it's relatively easy to create stunning presentations and visuals, Unreal has quickly become a strong contender in industries where this kind of software had been previously denied entry. With that in mind, this book aims to help you get the most out of Unreal Engine 4 - from creating awe-inspiring graphics to delivering optimized experiences to your users. This is possible thanks to a mixture of hands-on experience with real materials and the theory behind them. You will immediately know how to create that material that you want to display, and you'll also end up with the knowledge that will let you know how to control it. All of this will be done without losing sight of two key components of any real-time application - optimization, and efficiency. The materials that you create will be light and efficient, and they will vary depending on your target platform. You'll know which techniques can be used in any kind of device and which ones should be kept to high-end machines, giving you the confidence to tackle any material-related task that you can imagine. Hop onboard and discover how! What you will learn Master Unreal Engine's rendering pipeline for developing real-time graphics Use physically based rendering (PBR) for building materials and lighting solutions Build optimized materials for games targeting multiple platforms Understand Unreal Engine's node and functions for creating desirable effects Design and build production-ready shaders Explore Unreal Engine's Material Editor for building complex materials and textures Who this book is for This book is for developers who want to create their first Shaders in Unreal Engine 4 or wish to take their game to a whole new level by adding professional post-processing effects. A solid understanding of Unreal is required to get the most from this book.

Learn to design and build Virtual Reality experiences, applications, and games in Unreal Engine 4 through a series of practical, hands-on projects that teach you to create controllable avatars, user interfaces, and more. Key Features Learn about effective VR design and develop virtual reality games and applications for every VR platform Build essential features for VR such as player locomotion and interaction, 3D user interfaces, and 360 media players Learn about multiplayer networking and how to extend the engine using plugins and asset packs Book Description Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) is a powerful tool for developing VR games and applications. With its visual scripting language, Blueprint, and built-in support for all major VR headsets, it's a perfect tool for designers, artists, and engineers to realize their visions in VR. This book will guide you step-by-step through a series of projects that teach essential concepts and techniques for VR development in UE4. You will begin by learning how to think about (and design for) VR and then proceed to set up a development environment. A series of practical projects follows, taking you through essential VR concepts. Through these exercises, you'll learn how to set up UE4 projects that run effectively in VR, how to build player locomotion schemes, and how to use hand controllers to interact with the world. You'll then move on to create user interfaces in 3D space, use the editor's VR mode to build environments directly in VR, and profile/optimize worlds you've built. Finally, you'll explore more advanced topics, such as displaying stereo media in VR, networking in Unreal, and using plugins to extend the engine. Throughout, this book focuses on creating a deeper understanding of why the relevant tools and techniques work as they do, so you can use the techniques and concepts learned here as a springboard for further learning and exploration in VR. What you will learn Understand design principles and concepts for building VR applications Set up your development environment with Unreal Blueprints and C++ Create a player character with several locomotion schemes Evaluate and solve performance problems in VR to maintain high frame rates Display mono and stereo videos in VR Extend Unreal Engine's capabilities using various plugins Who this book is for This book is for anyone interested in learning to develop Virtual Reality games and applications using UE4. Developers new to UE4 will benefit from hands-on projects that guide readers through clearly-explained steps, while both new and experienced developers will learn crucial principles and techniques for VR development in UE4.

Write efficient, reusable scripts to build custom characters, game environments, and control enemy AI Key Features Build captivating multiplayer games using Unreal Engine and C++ Incorporate existing C++ libraries into your game to add extra functionality such as hardware integration Practical solutions for memory management, error handling, inputs, and collision for your game codebase Book Description Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) is a popular and award-winning game engine that powers some of the most popular games. A truly powerful tool for game development, there has never been a better time to use it for both commercial and independent projects. With more than 100 recipes, this book shows how to unleash the power of C++ while developing games with Unreal Engine. This book takes you on a journey to jumpstart your C++ and UE4 development skills. You will start off by setting up UE4 for C++ development and learn how to work with Visual Studio, a popular code editor. You will learn how to create C++ classes and structs the Unreal way. This will be followed by exploring memory management, smart pointers, and debugging your code. You will then learn how to make your own Actors and Components through code and how to handle input and collision events. You will also get exposure to many elements of game development including creating user interfaces, artificial intelligence, and writing code with networked play in mind. You will also learn how to add on to the Unreal Editor itself. With a range of task-oriented recipes, this book provides actionable information about writing code for games with UE4 using C++. By the end of the book, you will be empowered to become a top-notch developer with UE4 using C++ as your scripting language! What you will learn Create C++ classes and structs that integrate well with UE4 and the Blueprints editor Discover how to work with various APIs that Unreal Engine already contains Utilize advanced concepts such as events, delegates, and interfaces in your UE4 projects Build user interfaces using Canvas and UMG through C++ Extend the Unreal Editor by creating custom windows and editors Implement AI tasks and services using C++, Blackboard, and Behavior Trees Write C++ code with networking in mind and replicate properties and functions Who this book is for If you are really passionate game developer looking for solutions to common scripting problems, then this is the book for you. Understanding of the fundamentals of game design and C++ is expected to get the most from this book.

Design and Develop feature-rich professional 3D games using Visual Scripting System in Unreal Engine 4 Key Features Create exhilarating and interactive 3D games with Unreal Engine 4 Blueprints Take your game designs from inspiration to a fully playable game without writing a single line of code Learn to use visual scripting to develop gameplay mechanics, UI, visual effects, AI, and more Book Description The Blueprints Visual Scripting system helps you to create gameplay elements from within Unreal Engine. This book will provide you with the essential foundation to learn how to build complex game mechanics quickly and easily without writing any code. Starting off with the basic setup of fundamental game components, you will gradually move on to build your first minimalistic 3D platformer game that will introduce creating basic movement along with a simple quest system. You will create a survival maze game and learn all about adding additional features to the game, such as audio, special effects, and AI, using Blueprints. Finally, you will learn how to build a multiplayer game that is playable over a network with other players. By the end of this book, you will have completed three awesome projects and be equipped with the knowledge and skills to create complex games with AI, amazing interfaces, immersive environments, and exciting multiplayer experiences. What you will learn Set up Unreal Engine and all of its foundational components Add basic movement to game objects and create collision mechanism Design and implement interfaces to extend player interaction Create a dynamically filling inventory system along with a UI to interact with it Add audio effects based on triggered events to various parts of the game environment Use analytic information to tune their game values Create complex enemy AI that can sense the world around it in a multiplayer game Deploy your game to multiple platforms and share it with the world Who this book is for If you are new to game development or just staring out with Unreal Engine 4's Blueprint Visual Scripting system, then this book is for you. No prior game design or development experience is required. Basic knowledge of the Unreal Engine is preferred but not essential.

Unreal Engine 4 for virtual reality game design, development, User Experience design techniques and Blueprint programming to create virtual reality gameplay for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PSVR, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. Key Features Build VR games from scratch with the power of Unreal Engine 4 Learn User Experience design practices to take your VR game to the next level Understand the best practices to creating art for games on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PSVR Book Description With the ability to put players directly in the game, virtual reality gives users the chance to experience digital worlds directly. Nevertheless, many designers are unsure where to start when working with this amazing technology. With this book, you will learn user experience design processes and create immersive gameplay experiences designed for entertainment and player comfort. Using the power of Unreal Engine 4's Blueprint visual scripting language, you will build player interaction and locomotion systems from scratch and use these flexible systems to create a sample game, as well as develop functional 2D and 3D user interfaces for players to interact with. And also learn the best practices for creating game art for virtual reality. Finally, you will learn how to test your application with your target audience and finalize your game for distribution. By the end of this book, you will have the knowledge to be able to make the leap from traditional game development to creating immersive virtual reality experiences using Unreal Engine 4. What you will learn Understand how to get started with VR development in Unreal Engine 4 Design and create interaction and locomotion systems from scratch Plan and program a sample game for VR Understand how VR affects user experience and user interfaces Discuss what is needed to create optimized art for VR Test your game with users and prepare for distribution Who this book is for The audience for this book is intermediate or advanced users of Unreal Engine 4 but who have not begun working with VR technology. These users are familiar with the game engine and have an interest in VR technology. They are just beginning to explore the VR features that the game engine has to offer.