
Introduction to Blueprints in Unreal Engine #Part 2
This is part 2 of an short introduction to Blueprints and the first part can be found by clicking here.
1. Creating a simple blueprint to show text on screen:
-
- Create a folder in Unreal Engine and call it Blueprints.
- Right click in the folder and at the top of the pop-up menu select Blueprint and from the options select Actor.
- Actor is a basic template and can be used for many types of blueprints, but not for a character or an actor with a movement component.
- Name it BP_Basic. (The BP is short for blueprints)
- Open the blueprint by double clicking on it.
- The Blueprint will have various options available with its UI.
- There are 3 tabs at the top.
- Viewport: For adding meshes, particles and various other visual elements for use in game.
- Construction Script: Runs a script only once at the start of play.
- Event Graph: Runs a script continuously throughout the game or whenever triggered.
- There are 3 tabs at the top.
- For this simple Blueprint we will only use Viewport and Event Graph.
2. Viewport:
- In the top left hand side click on Add.
- Search for a static mesh.
- Select the static mesh component.
- On the Right hand side in details > in the static mesh box > select a cube. (Any cube will do)
- Now we have a simple cube mesh added to this blueprint.
- This has only been added so we know where the blueprint has been placed when its dragged into the level.
3. Event Graph:
- In the Event Graph there are 3 default nodes auto added as they are very commonly used.
- We only need to use Event BeginPlay. So the others can be deleted.
- Drag of Event BeginPlay and search for Print String.
- This node is very useful for testing purposes, but you will (likely) never use it for an actual in game element.
- Print string prints some text into the top left hand corner of the screen.
- We can use it to test if our node flows are working as anticipated.
- Now in the bottom left hand side.
- Click on the Plus Button
- And create a float variable.
- Rename it to ‘Duration’.
- Drag this on to the graph.
- Click the little drop down arrow in the Print string node.
- There is a Duration socket.
- Plug in the Duration variable into this socket.
- Press Compile.
- Now with the Duration Float variable selected – Add a 5 into the value in the right hand side details panel.
- Now drag the blueprint into your level.
Final Output on the level/map screen:
- The blueprint should be placed anywhere in the level.
- When you press play you should get some small blue text in the top left hand corner for 5 seconds saying Hello.
For further tutorials and insights please see the page or for how to rotate a cube using blueprints please click here!
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