UE5: How to Create Your First Project and Launch the Editor

Category: UE5

December 06, 2022

After you've downloaded and installed the latest version of Unreal Engine 5, you need to create a project in order to launch the UE5 editor and begin creating.

Here is how...

Video Tutorial

Launch UE5 to Get to Unreal Project Browser

Click on Launch icon:

Unreal Project Browser window will open.

What will you be using UE5 for?

Games
Film/Video and Live Events
Architecture
Automotive, Product Design and Manufacturing
Simulation

This will determine which tab on the left hand side you choose in order to create project with specific settings already enabled for you.

Inside the Games section you will be have a set of Game Templates to start with. Each template will have a gameplay mechanics enabled for you to begin prototyping. You have First Person, Third Person, Top-Down etc.

Choose which Game Template you want to have enabled for your project.

For this tutorial I will choose Games and Third Person Game Template:

If you choose Blank, no gameplay mechanics will be available in your project and you have to set them up yourself.

Project Defaults

Next set up Project Defaults.

Blueprint or C++: Blueprint is visual scripting language in UE5. This allows you to script directly in editor without knowing how to program. C++ requires programming knowledge. Choose Blueprint.
Target Platform: Desktop
Quality Preset: Maximum
Starter Content: enabled. Starter Content will add a folder with textures, materials, Static Meshes, particles and audio for you to start with so you can create environments.
Raytracing: disabled. Raytracing is a lighting feature that will allow you to create ultra-realistic renderings. You need a video card that supports Raytracing. You can always senable Raytracing after if needed.

Project Location: choose where you want to store your project.
Project Name: name your project. Avoid spaces and dashes. If needed, use underscores.

Hit Create. UE5 editor for that project will now open.

New Map/Level

Default map template will be open depending on the Game Template you chose to create your project with.

If you want a new starter level or blank level go to File > New Level and choose one to start with.

Disabling Auto-Save

Disabling Auto-Save is a personal preference. I don't want UE5 to automatically save content for me. I want to do this manually. You may want to leave this on.

I will disable it.

Go to Edit > Editor Preference: Loading and Saving and Disable Auto-Save:

My Projects Section

All projects you are working on will appear in the My Projects section of Epic Games Launcher

To open an existing project and to continue working on it - Double-Click on the project icon from Epic Games Launcher in My Project Section and it will launch.

Re-Create Map Template Lighting & Disable/Control Auto-Exposure (Eye Adaptation)

In this next tutorial you will learn how to recreate the standard map template with all the lighting actors that you need to make it work and a UE Mannequin model to judge scale as you build environments.