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How do you open/launch Unreal Engine 4 editor?

Once you have Unreal Engine 4 downloaded and installed, you need to create a new project or open an existing project in order to launch Unreal Engine 4 world/level editor.

Inside "Unreal Engine/Epic Games Launcher" you can create, open and delete projects. You will find all of your projects under the Library tab.

Library > My Projects section:

If you are just starting out, you will not have any projects created. Follow these 8 steps to create a new project that you will be able to use to launch Unreal Engine editor.

1. Launch Unreal Project Browser

Click on the Launch icon of a specific Unreal Engine version. You can find this icon on top left of the Unreal Engine/Epic Games Launcher:

You can also do the same thing through Library > Engine Version and launch it from here:

This will open Unreal Project Browser. Through here you can open and convert projects you are working on. Most important, you can create New Projects.

Click over to New Project tab:

2. Choose Blueprint or C++ Template

You have a set of game templates set up for you to start with. These include First Person Shooter, Flying, Puzzle, 3rd Person, Top Down etc. These templates are available for both Blueprint and C++.

Choosing Blueprint requires no programming knowledge. All game mechanics are created using Blueprint.

Blueprint is the visual scripting language inside Unreal Engine.

If you don't know or don't want to mess around with code and deal with C++, choose Blueprint.

Choosing C++ requires knowledge of programming. This will show you how each game template mechanics were created with C++. If you are a programmer or want to begin using Unreal Engine 4 with code for each game template, then choose C++.

In addition, C++ templates require you to have Visual Studio 2013 installed on your computer in order to compile code. You can download this using the link on the bottom of Unreal Project Browser. Make sure you are in C++ game template tab.

• As a level designer and game environment artist choose Blueprint
• As a programmer/coder choose C++

What I Choose: Blueprint and game template style will vary depending on the project I am working on.

3. Choose Settings - Desktop/Console or Mobile/Tablet

Chose target platform settings for your project. Is your target platform Desktop/Console or is it Mobile/Tablet?

Not sure? You can change this setting later under Project Setting.

What I Choose: Desktop/Console

4. Choose Settings - Maximum Quality or Scalable 2D/3D

Choose graphics quality setting for your project. As a creator, you probably want to start with maximum quality. Again, you can update this setting in Project Settings inside the editor.

What I Choose: Maximum Quality

5. Choose Settings - Starter Content

Do you want your first project to include Starter Content or No Starter Content?

Starter Content will include additional assets such as Static Meshes, Materials, and Textures for you to work with. This is a good option to choose when you are learning Unreal Engine 4. You will have something to work with and study from.

What I Choose: If it is your first project and you are learning UE4, choose to include Starter Content.

6. Select a Location to Store Your Project

Where do you want to store your project?

Default location will be on your C drive. Under: "C:\Users \UserName \Documents \Unreal Projects" but if you have a second hard drive like me and you don't want to have large size Unreal Project files on your main drive, click Browse to navigate where you want to store your project.

Choose the location and folder where you want to store the project and then choose a Name of your project:

Name of your project cannot exceed more than 20 characters.

What I Choose: I have a second hard drive (E: drive) that I store all of Unreal Engine projects onto.

7. Create Project

When you have gone through all the steps, click on Create Project:

You are now, all set.

Your project will show up inside Library > My Project section:

8. Opening Your Project

Anytime you want to work on this project, Open Unreal Engine Launcher and navigate to Library > My Project section. Double click on the thumbnail to open or Right Click on the thumbnail for additional menu to Open, Show in Folder, Clone and Delete.

You can also use the Launcher icon and use Unreal Project Browser to open Projects:

Open your project and you will launch Unreal Engine Editor.

In addition to using "Unreal Engine Launcher" to open and create projects you can do the same thing inside Unreal Engine editor. Go to File > New Project or Open Project:

Read Next: UE4: Create Projects From Downloaded File Examples, Samples & Marketplace Content

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