Choosing the perfect template

Now that you know how to create a blank project, we can look at the available samples that you can use as a starting point for your projects. They are divided into five main categories: Games, Film/Video & Live Events, Architecture, Automotive Product Design and Manufacturing, and Simulation.

Note that the blank project of each category has different settings in terms of quality, plugins, and target platform. Blueprint samples are different from C++ samples. In this section, we will go only through blueprint samples.

In the GAMES category, you can find several presets that help you build your game:

• First Person: This preset gives you the perfect starting point to create a first-person shooter, featuring a character represented with a pair of arms, which is viewed from the first-person perspective. The character is already set up to be played with keyboard and mouse controls. This is also great for navigating your environment in a “more gaming way.” If you are planning to create something similar to Call of Duty, Doom, or Quake, then this is the preset for you.
• Third Person: This preset is very similar to the first person preset but it gives you a complete character with a full set of movements. The camera is positioned behind and slightly above the character. This is great for exploring your new environment like a player. If you are planning to create something similar to Dark Souls, Uncharted, or Gears of War, this is the preset for you.
• Top Down: More of the same – this preset gives you a fully animated character viewed with a top-down camera. If you are planning to create something similar to Diablo or Hades, then this is the preset for you.
• Vehicle: This preset gives you a fully rigged vehicle that can be modified and used for your racing sequence or game. “Fully rigged” means that you can control the vehicle with a keyboard and mouse or a gamepad with car wheels and suspensions that work propriety. If you are planning to create a racing game or a racing sequence, then this is the preset for you.
• Handler AR and Virtual Reality are presets that are a great starting point for developing AR/VR applications for desktop, console, android, or iOS, providing interactive objects, plane detection, and spatialized audio.
• In FILM/VIDEO & LIVE EVENTS, you can find several presets that will help you in virtual production/cinematic projects and live events:

Figure 1.26 – The Unreal Project Browser’s FILM/VIDEO & LIVE EVENTS preset tab

• Virtual Production: This preset is a great starting point for everyone who wants to jump into virtual production with Unreal Engine 5; it contains functionality for a virtual camera, VR scouting, and live compositing.
• Dmx, InCameraV.FX, and nDisplay are presets that are an in-depth demonstration of every single possibility you have with Unreal Engine 5 and virtual production. This is an advanced level. Just to be clear, some of the features included in these presets were part of the workflow during The Mandalorian production.
• Blank Project: This is a great preset because it’s a blank project set up with high values in quality settings. This could also be great for us.
• ARCHITECTURE, AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCT DESIGN & MANUFACTURING, and SIMULATION are far from our interest but every sample has something new to teach you. Exploring them is useful and helps you to understand the potential of Unreal Engine. The presets inside the AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCT DESIGN & MANUFACTURING category give you the possibility to create a product configurator or an automotive shot in a very short time.

Figure 1.27 – Unreal Project Browser’s AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCT DESIGN & MANUFACTURING preset tab

Note that any preset or sample can be recreated directly inside the Engine starting from a blank project.

In the end, which is the best preset to create a cinematic photorealistic environment? First Person and Third Person are great presets because they give you the possibility to “play” your environment and simulate what the player will see. However, if you are creating an environment that you will only use for cinematic purposes, maybe a blank project is the better choice. If you want a project already set to achieve high quality in the Viewport, the FILM/VIDEO & LIVE EVENTS blank project is a good choice. Remember that you can always change settings inside the project or create the exact same preset starting from a blank project.