Unreal Ultimate 2D Topdown Udemy Course – Section 2 – Unreal Engine 5 Crash Course

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March 6, 2026

The Ultimate 2D Top Down Unreal Engine Course

Title:
The Ultimate 2D Top Down Unreal Engine Course
By:
Cobra Code

https://www.udemy.com/course/unreal-2d-top-down/
Udemy Course Link

Description:
Section 2 is focused on covering the basic fundamentals of using the Unreal Engine (specifically Unreal Engine 5).

Overview:
I make a lot of personal comparisons to Unity since I’m much more familiar with it. That helps me envision how the different parts of the project connect since I already have a mental image of how it flows in Unity.

My Notes Breakdown by Sub-Sections:

7. How to Install Unreal Engine 5

Download Epic Games Launcher.
Get Unreal Engine 5.4

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8. How to create a new Project

Created a new Third Person Template project named “CrashCourse”

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9. How to navigate the Editor

Main Window = Viewport
Has similar translate, rotate, and scale gizmos to Unity when selecting(left-click) objects.

Undo:
Ctrl + Z

Redo:
Ctrl + Y

Selection Shortcuts:
W = translate
E = rotate
R = scale

Can change translate, rotate, and scale snap increments in top right of Viewport.

Camera Movements

Hold Right-Click and drag = rotate view
Hold Middle MB = pan view
Hold Right-Click + WASD = translate camera like 3rd person floating camera
Hold Right-Click + scroll scroll wheel = increase/decrease movement sensitivity (move camera faster or slower)
Scroll scroll wheel = zoom in/out

View Modes

Basic is Lit.
Has options like: Unlit, Wireframe.

Show button:

  1. Navigation used sometimes to check Unreal NavMesh.
  2. Collision used to check actual collision of meshes in testing/debugging.

World Outliner

  • Unreal equivalent of Unity’s Inspector.

Can press “F” with something highlighted in the Outliner to focus on it.

  • * Also like Unity

Play Mode

Start by:

  1. Pressing Play button at top of Viewport.
  2. Alt + P

ESC = exit play mode
Shift + F1 = get mouse controls back to interact with editor
Shift + F1 + click Eject = get mouse controls back, and be able to click in Viewport to edit

Can make changes during play mode, but they will not be saved upon leaving play mode.

  • * Also like Unity

Viewport seems to act as both the Scene and Game view from Unity.

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10. Content Drawer and Blueprints

Content Drawer appears to be like the Assets section from Unity.

Content Drawer

Ctrl + Space = shortcut to pop open this drawer

Blueprints

Common naming convention:
prefix with “BP_”

Event Graph
The Event Graph portion of a Blueprint is the visual scripting aspect that houses a lot of the logic building.

Viewport
Shows the full structure of the Blueprint in more of a game space view.

They are much more than just the “code” or logic of something.
They are the full makeup of an entire object.

  • * Closer to a fully built out Unity prefab.

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11. How to make a simple Blueprint

When creating a new Blueprint, there are many options to base them off of.

  1. There are a few main options, with Actor being the simplest.
    • Actor seems comparable to GameObject from Unity.
  2. Then there are hundreds of other more specific case options.

Naming Conventions for Unreal Assets

Recommended Unreal Asset Naming Convention Link:
https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/recommended-asset-naming-conventions-in-unreal-engine-projects

[AssetTypePrefix][AssetName][Descriptor]_[OptionalVariantLetterOrNumber]

  • AssetTypePrefix identifies the type of Asset, refer to the table below for details.
  • AssetName is the Asset’s name.
  • Descriptor provides additional context for the Asset, to help identify how it is used. For example, whether a texture is a normal map or an opacity map.
  • OptionalVariantLetterOrNumber is optionally used to differentiate between multiple versions or variations of an asset.

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12. Adding functionality to our Blueprint

Event BeginPlay:

  • similar to Unity Start

Event Tick:

  • like Unity Update

Event ActionBeginOverlap:

  • they just don’t like it there at the highest level of the Blueprint because it’s ambiguous
  • they prefer adding it more directly on component it relates to

They basically setup a speed increasing pickup in this section.

  • very similar practices to Unity, just done with Blueprints and slightly different jargon.
  • Remember to connect Exec pins properly.
  • Ensures they even run.
  • Determines the logic order.
    • basically how lines of code would be structured

Events:

  • found when selecting a component in a Blueprint, shows up in the Details panel.
  • this example focused on OnComponentBeginOverlap
  • USE Print String like Debug.Log!

Pickup Edits

OnComponentBeginOverlap

  • like Unity OnColliderEnter

Destroy Actor

  • like Unity GameObject.Destroy

Used “Cast To BP_ThirdPersonCharacter” with OnComponentBeginOverlap to ensure collision logic only occurred when colliding with the player.

  • like checking GetComponent against something only player has to check what collided.

Collision Parameters

Changed Collision Presets of the pickup spheres from BlockAllDynamic to OverlapAllDynamic.

  • goes from being a solid obstacle to something that can just be passed through.
  • like Unity trigger vs. non-trigger colliders.

Event Graph

In My Blueprint panel, you can add variables.

  • these can then be drag ‘n dropped into Event Graph to utilize them.
  • first step to having a variable at higher level instead of coding it in line.

Can set variables to “Instance Editable” in Details panel.

  • makes them viewable and editable on an instance by instance basis.
  • viewable in Outliner
  • like Unity accessible variables in Inspector at this point.

In My Blueprint panel, you can add new Functions.

  • literally exactly like adding a method to a class.

Can add input parameters to the function.

  • Select the original function node.
  • In Details panel, add new Inputs.
  • adds a new corresponding output pin to the function node.
    • since that value will be coming IN to the function when it’s actually used.

Event Graph Shortcuts

Alt + LMB (on graph line) = deletes graph line
Double Click LMB (on graph line) = generates extra reroute node

Viewport Shortcuts

Alt + LMB Drag on gizmos = duplicates an object

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13. Useful Keyboard Shortcuts and Tips

Undo = Ctrl + Z
Redo = Ctrl + Y
Multi-select = Ctrl + LMB OR Shift + LMB
– works in both the Viewport and the Content Drawer
Save ALL = Ctrl + Shift + S
Alt + LMB drag gizmo = Duplicate object

Event Graph

Ctrl + LMB Drag Variable = Getter Node
Alt + LMB Drag Variable = Setter Node
LMB Drag Variable = displays option for Getter or Setter Node

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14. How to debug your Games

Print String

  • like Debug.Log in Unity