S1.08 Creating our first Level Layout

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, we covered:

  • How to create our first Level Layout
  • Create meshes by using the Modeling Tools inside Unreal Engine
  • Managing objects in the Outliner panel.

What did we do?

✅ Updated for UE 5.4.1

Create an Edit a Box with the Modeling Tools (Modeling Mode)

  • Set the Mode to the Modeling Mode (Shift + 5).

  • Select a Box in Create→ Box.

  • Click on the level to place the cube and then on the Accept button.

  • To modify the shape, while the Box object created previously is selected, go to Model → PolyGroup Edit.

  • Now you can start editing the object as you see fit.
  • To insert an edge loop, just click on the Insert Edge Loop button, click on an edge (can be done multiple times), click on Done, and then when you finish editing the object click on the Accept button.

  • To extrude a face, select the face and then click on the Extrude button, move the mouse in the viewport and left click to finish the Extrude

  • Press the Accept button at the bottom to finish our editing of the object.

Manage our objects in the Outliner

  • Go to the Outliner (if it isn't there, you can make it appear by going to Windows → Outliner → Outliner 1).
  • Select an object in the Outliner and rename it using the hotkey F2.

  • Create a folder to organize your objects in the Outliner by right-clicking the Root Level in the Outliner.

  • Hide objects by clicking on the eye icon at their left side. This works for folders too.

Use the CubeGrid tool to create meshes

  • Go to Modeling Mode → Create → CubeGrid.
  • Select the cubes in the grid on the Viewport that you want to modify, and Push (Q) and Pull (E) to create geometry in the level.
  • You can Slide Forward (Shift + Q) or Slide Backwards (Shift + E) to move the current grid selection.
  • Use the corner mode (Z) to create more interesting paths by left-clicking on one or more corners and pressing Push or Pull.

Use the Extrude Polygon tool to create meshes

  • Go to Modeling Mode → Create → Extrude Polygon.
  • Start adding points in the level by left-clicking on the viewport
  • When you close the shape, you will need to determine the height of your new mesh and left-click again to confirm.
  • Click on the Complete button to finish.

Duplicate meshes created by the Modeling Tools

  • Go to the Modeling Mode.
  • Select the mesh you want to duplicate.
  • Go to XForm → Duplicate and click Duplicate.
  • Click on Accept to finish the duplication.

Use the Extrude Path tool to create meshes

  • Go to Modeling Mode → Create → Extrude Path.
  • Start adding points in the level by left-clicking on the viewport
  • When you close the shape, you will need to determine the width of your path by pressing left-click again to confirm.
  • After this, you will need to choose and confirm the object's new height.
  • Click on the Complete button to finish.

Hotkeys learned

Viewport Modes

Swap the Viewport Mode to the Modeling mode: Shift + 5

In the Outliner

Rename selected object: F2

In the Modeling Mode

CubeGrid tool

Push: Q

Pull: E

Slide Forward: Shift + Q

Slide Backwards: Shift + E

Corner mode: Z

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