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Getting Started With Unreal

Starterguide~3 min readreviewed 2026-07-05

The editor from a technical artist's seat - what actually matters on day one, and the habits that pay off for the whole project.

1.1Projects, Versions, And Where Things Live

An Unreal project is a folder. The three subfolders you care about first: Content/ for every binary .uasset, Config/ for the .ini files TAs eventually end up living in, and Saved/ for logs, screenshots, and autosaves. Never commit Saved/.

Pin the team to an exact engine version. Assets saved in a newer editor won't open in an older one, and there's no undo button for that. Launcher builds are fine for most teams. Source builds matter when you need engine patches or console platform work.

The DerivedDataCache

The DDC caches compiled shaders and processed assets. It's safe to delete because everything rebuilds, which is why "delete the DDC" is the classic Unreal folk remedy. On teams, a shared network DDC saves hours of shader compilation.

1.2The Content Browser Is Your Database

Placeholder with instructions to screenshot the Unreal Reference Viewer
placeholder - a reference viewer graph worth a thousand words

Everything in Content/ is an asset, and Unreal tracks references through the Asset Registry. Two habits make you look like the adult in the room:

  • Right-click -> Reference Viewer - see everything an asset depends on and everything that depends on it. Run this before deleting or moving anything.
  • Right-click -> Size Map - see the true disk/memory footprint, including references. A "small" mesh that pulls in four 4K texture sets is not small.

Never move or rename assets in Windows Explorer - the engine tracks references by path and you'll leave broken redirectors behind. Move assets inside the editor, then right-click the folder -> Fix Up Redirectors.

1.3Viewport Survival Kit

Shortcut / commandWhat it does
GGame view - hides all editor icons and helpers
FFrame selected
Ctrl+Shift+H / stat fpsFPS counter
Alt+2...8View modes: wireframe, unlit, lit, detail lighting...
View Mode -> Shader ComplexityThe TA's x-ray - green is cheap, red is expensive, white is an emergency
View Mode -> Quad OverdrawShows overlapping translucent/small-triangle cost

1.4Settings Worth Changing On Day One

Placeholder with instructions to screenshot a well-organized Content Browser
placeholder - a content browser you can navigate blind
  • Editor Preferences -> Loading & Saving - enable AutoSave, but know where it writes so it doesn't surprise your workflow.
  • Project Settings -> Maps & Modes - set the editor startup map to something tiny, not your biggest level.
  • Disable "Use Less CPU when in Background" if you profile with the editor unfocused.
  • Project Settings -> Rendering - decisions like Nanite, Lumen, Virtual Shadow Maps, and Forward vs Deferred live here. Change them consciously, early, and once - flipping them mid-project invalidates shaders and lighting everywhere.

1.5Source Control Is Not Optional

Binary .uasset files can't be merged. The studio standard is Perforce with exclusive checkout (locks); small teams can survive on Git LFS with a locking workflow. Connect the editor itself (Revision Control in the status bar) so checkouts, adds, and history happen where you work.

TA habit

Learn the Reference Viewer, Size Map, and redirector cleanup before anything else. Half of all "engine mysteries" juniors hit are reference and redirector problems.