Unreal 5 C++ Game - Beginner's Masterclass

Install Visual Studio from the official downloads site and choose a version; for Unreal on Windows include the game development with C++ workload, or use a free online C++ editor.

Create a Windows console application in Visual Studio to learn C++ basics, including the main function, iostream usage, Hello world output, project structure, and basic debugging, with future variable introduction.

Create and initialize variables in C++ by declaring primitive data types such as int, float, double, bool, string, and char; assign values and print them to the console using cout.

Learn to create and call functions to perform tasks, organize code by declaring functions above main, and implement a remaining health calculation that prints the result.

Learn to create overloaded functions that take parameters to compute remaining health using player health and damage, and pass variables instead of magic numbers.

Create functions that return values in Unreal 5 C++ by calculating remaining health from player health and damage, using a float return type and a return statement.

Master conditionals to control code flow with if statements, else if, and else, using booleans and comparisons such as health < 0 to determine states like dead or alive.

Learn how to declare and use pointers in C++ to hold memory addresses, dereference to access values, and modify variables via pointers, with practical examples like player health.

Learn to create references in C++ and use them to access and modify the original variable. Explore how references compare to pointers, including memory addresses and nullability.

Create classes and objects in C++, define public properties, and implement constructors. Instantiate players, modify attributes, and organize code with header and cpp files and include statements.

Learn how to use public getters and setters to access private and protected class properties in C++, enforce valid values (like health or weapon), and leverage inheritance for specialized players.

Build parameterized constructors to initialize object properties at creation, such as a player's XP, health, level, and name, and learn to differentiate parameters from properties and ensure correct order.

Learn to point to and reference object properties and functions in C++ by using pointers, references, and the arrow or dot operators, including a move function from a player class.

Unreal Engine 5 enables building real-time 3D worlds for games, films, automotive design, and more, featuring Nanite micro-polygon detail and Lumen dynamic lighting, with templates and strong community support.

Install Unreal Engine 5 by downloading early access through the Epic Games launcher, choose a licensing option (publishing or creators license), and sign up for an Epic Games account.

Learn to debug Unreal and Visual Studio by using log windows, the error list, and the debugger, resolve syntax and logic errors, and leverage forums and Discord for community help.

Start a top-down Unreal 5 game from scratch by creating a blank C++ project with a desktop target and starter content, then tailor the floor and add a top-down camera.

Add a camera actor to create a top-down view and set it as the main camera with set view target with blend in the level blueprint to follow the player.

Create a custom player class in Unreal using C++, set up movement inputs, axis bindings, and velocity-based motion, then test with a visual pawn and camera following.

Create a new Unreal Engine C++ food actor that the player can eat to grow, implementing a collision box with a UBoxComponent and basic visual setup.

Handle player and food collisions in unreal engine 5 c++ using a collision box and on overlap events, spawn food randomly, and grow the player's size when food is eaten.

Create a top-down Unreal 5 C++ game mode that uses a tick-driven spawn timer to dynamically place food at random world locations using a food blueprint.

Create a new blueprint game mode and a reusable food blueprint to enable multiple food spawns in Unreal, and convert the food actor to a blueprint.

Increase the player's size dynamically upon eating food by adjusting the actor scale 3D with a new size vector, using the current scale and a 1.1f multiplier.

Adjust the player's speed in Unreal 5 C++ as the character grows, decreasing speed by a configurable increment during food-overlap moments, and observe the harder gameplay as size increases.