Unreal Engine: Adding Actors to an Empty Level

Earlier this week we looked at how to create a new Level. If you want to follow along with today’s article then you’ll need a new Empty Level for us to start building in. Today we’ll be taking a look at how you place actors into the 3D Viewport within the Unreal Engine.

Modes Panel

Use the Modes Panel with Place Mode enabled
Select the Geometry category and select Box
Left click the Box and drag it into the 3D Viewport. When you release the mouse button the Box will be added to the level
Make sure you have the Box selected then go to the Details Panel
Set the Location and Rotation to 0
Set the Scale to 4 x 4 x 0.1

Congratulations, you’ve just made the floor for the level. That wasn’t too hard was it? Obviously this is a very basic floor and as you learn more about the Unreal Engine, you’ll be able to craft amazing bases to build your levels from. Something which is especially important for RPGs or games where the floor isn’t perfectly flat.

Now, that was how we use the Modes Panel to place actors into the Empty Level. Now, we could look at adding more actors to the Level but right now I just want to show you the other way to add actors into the level.

Content Browser

This one is even more simple.

Go to the Content Browser and click the Content folder
Pick any object and drag it into the level. When you’re happy with its position, drop the actor onto the level

And that’s how you use the Content Browser to add actors to the level.

This article was just about how to add actors to a Level so now you can start playing around a bit more with the Unreal Engine. Next week, we’ll look at fleshing out the level so that by the end of the week you should have built your first level in the Unreal Engine.

This post was provided by Clare from Lunawolf Gaming