Levels

In Unreal Engine, a Level is like a scene or environment where all the action happens. It’s where you place objects, characters, lighting, and more to build your game or project. Levels allow you to organize your work and create immersive worlds. This guide will explain how to work step-by-step.

Step 1: Understanding Levels

• Think of a level as the stage for your project.
• Each level can have its own design, objects, and settings.
• You can create multiple levels in one project to represent different areas or scenes.

Step 2: Creating a New Level

1. Open your Unreal Engine project.
2. Go to the top menu and click on File > New Level.
3. Choose a template for your level, such as:
   • Default: Comes with basic lighting, a floor, and a sky.
   • Empty: A blank level where you can build everything from scratch.
   • Time of Day: A level with lighting that changes over time.
4. Click Create to open the new level.

Step 3: Adding Objects to Your Level

• Use the Place Actors Panel to add objects like:
  • Meshes: 3D models like walls, furniture, or characters.
  • Lights: For creating realistic or dramatic lighting effects.
  • Blueprints: Interactive elements like doors or switches.

Step 4: Managing Levels

• Open the Levels Panel from the Window menu.
• This panel helps you manage multiple in your project.
• You can load, unload, or switch between easily.

Step 5: Saving Levels

• Always save your work by clicking on File > Save Level As.
• Give your level a clear name that helps you identify it later, like “MainMenu” or “Level1.”

Step 6: Linking Levels

• Use level transitions to connect different scenes.
• For example, when a player finishes one area, they can move to the next level.
• You can use Blueprints to set up these transitions.

Step 7: Testing Levels

• Click on the Play button to test your level in real-time.
• Make sure everything works as expected, like object interactions or player movement.

Step 8: Advanced Level Features

• Level Streaming: This allows parts of a level to load or unload as needed, saving memory and improving performance.
• World Composition: For creating large, open-world with multiple connected areas.

By understanding and working with levels, you can design detailed and organized project environments. Start small and gradually add more features to make your levels exciting and interactive!