UE5-DevLog-001

UE5 DevLog - 001 Setup and Camera

Today’s Goal

• Reacquaint myself with UE5
• Get a Topdown Camera going
  • WASD move
  • Edge Scrolling
  • Zoom

Resources

• Unreal Engine 5 RTS/Tycoon Camera Beginner Tutorial – How and Why – Creative Clockwork

• An old Blueprint I made last summer

Outcome

Video

Summary

Content	Summary
	Game Mode The Game Mode defines the default rules of the game. Here is where we set how the player can control stuff (player controller) and also the default player character, or pawn, which for a top-down game is our camera.
	Camera (Pawn) The Camera is simply a camera on a spring arm, aimed down and from far above. Components: - SpringArm - Camera
	Player Controller This is where we have all of the controls for our camera pawn. Functions: CameraMove(): Moves the camera based on input, with speed multiplier CameraEdgeScroll(): If the mouse is at the edge of the screen it fires CameraMove() CameraUpdateZoomLevel(): Takes input and changes zoom level CameraZoom(): Checks for our ZoomLevel and zooms if changed
	Input Mapping Context This is where we control how the Input Actions behave
	Input Action Axis2D WASD to move camera
	Input Action Axis1D Scroll Wheel to adjust zoom level

Steps

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Step 1: Set-Up

Create Project

	Topdown Game Mode Blueprint

Create Player Controller and Camera Blueprints

Content
	New Blueprint > PlayerController: PC_RTSController
	New Blueprint > Pawn: BP_RTSCamera

Add Blueprints to GameMode

Content
	In BP_TopDownGameMode > Player Controller Class: PC_RTSController Default Pawn Class: BP_RTSCamera

• Player Controller Class: PC_RTSController
• Default Pawn Class: BP_RTSCamera

Create Camera

	BP_RTSCamera > Components > Add SpringArm Add Camera to SpringArm SpringArm > Details > Transform > Rotate: 80deg Camera > Target Arm Length: to taste Camera Collision > Do Collision Test: false Lag > Enable Camera Lag

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Step 2: WASD Controls

Make WASD Controls

Content
	New Input Mapping Context: IMC_Default IMC_Default > Mappings > Add IA_CamMove Key: W Triggers: Down Key: S Triggers: Down Modifiers: Negatealues Key: A Triggers: Down Modifiers: Negate Swizzle Input Axi Key: D Triggers: Down Modifiers: Swizzle Input Axis Vs Values
	New Input Action: IA_CamMove IA_CamMove > Action > Value Type: Axis2D

Move Camera with WASD

PC_RTSController > Event Graph Add IA_CamMove Create Function CameraMove()

Step 3: Edge of Screen Move

Move Camera at screen edges

PC_RTSController > Componenents > PC_RTSController (Self): Mouse Interface > Show Mouse Cursor: True PC_RTSController > Event Graph.. Create Function CameraEdgeScroll()

Step 4: Zoom Controls

Make Zoom Controls

	New Input Action: IA_CamZoom IA_CamZoom > - Action > Value Type: Axis1D
	IMC_Default > - Mappings > Add IA_CamZoom - Key: Wheel Up - Modifiers: Negate - Key: Wheel Down

Zoom Camera with ScrollWheel

PC_RTSController > Event Graph.. - Create Function CameraUpdateZoomLvl() - Create Function CameraZoom()

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All in a Day’s Work