metaverseDubai/UE5_SETUP.md

Unreal Engine 5.4 Setup Guide

Platform Options

This guide covers installation for:

• Windows (Epic Games Launcher - Recommended)
• Linux/Ubuntu/WSL (Source build - See UE5_WSL_INSTALL.md for CLI instructions)

System Requirements

Windows (Epic Games Launcher)

Minimum Requirements

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (version 1909 or later) or Windows 11
• CPU: Quad-core Intel or AMD processor, 2.5 GHz or faster
• RAM: 8 GB (16 GB recommended)
• GPU: DirectX 11 or 12 compatible graphics card
• Storage: 100 GB free space (SSD recommended)
• Internet: Broadband connection for Epic Games Launcher

Recommended Requirements

• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
• CPU: 8-core Intel i7-9700K / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or better
• RAM: 32 GB or more
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3070 / AMD RX 6800 XT or better (8GB+ VRAM)
• Storage: 500 GB+ NVMe SSD
• Internet: High-speed connection

Linux/Ubuntu/WSL (Source Build)

Minimum Requirements

• OS: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or later (22.04 LTS recommended)
• CPU: 8-core processor (more cores = faster build)
• RAM: 32 GB (16 GB minimum, 64 GB recommended)
• GPU: NVIDIA GPU with Vulkan support
• Storage: 100 GB+ free space (SSD recommended)
• Build Time: 2-4+ hours depending on CPU

WSL-Specific Requirements

• WSL Version: WSL2 (WSLg for Windows 11 recommended)
• Windows GPU Drivers: NVIDIA drivers installed on Windows host (not in WSL)
• X Server: WSLg (Windows 11) or VcXsrv/Xming (Windows 10)

Installation Steps

Option A: Windows Installation (Epic Games Launcher)

1. Install Epic Games Launcher

1. Download: Visit Epic Games
2. Install: Run the installer and follow the prompts
3. Sign In: Create an account or sign in to existing account
4. Verify: Ensure launcher is up to date

2. Install Unreal Engine 5.4

1. Open Launcher: Launch Epic Games Launcher
2. Unreal Engine Tab: Click on "Unreal Engine" tab
3. Library: Go to "Library" section
4. Add Version: Click "+" button to add engine version
5. Select Version: Choose "5.4" from the dropdown
6. Install: Click "Install" and select installation location
7. Wait: Wait for download and installation to complete (may take 1-2 hours)

Installation Location:

• Default: C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.4\
• Recommended: Install on SSD for better performance

3. Verify Installation

1. Launch: Launch Unreal Engine 5.4 from Epic Games Launcher
2. Create Project: Create a test project to verify installation
3. Check Version: Verify version number in Help > About Unreal Editor

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Option B: Linux/Ubuntu/WSL Installation (CLI - Source Build)

For detailed CLI instructions, see: UE5_WSL_INSTALL.md

Quick Start (Automated)

# Run automated installation script
chmod +x scripts/install_ue5_wsl.sh
./scripts/install_ue5_wsl.sh

Manual Installation (Step-by-Step)

1. Install Dependencies:

   sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y \
     build-essential clang cmake ninja-build mono-devel python3 \
     git git-lfs libvulkan-dev libxcb-xinput-dev libgtk-3-dev \
     libxrandr-dev libxinerama-dev libxi-dev libsdl2-dev \
     libssl-dev libicu-dev libxml2-dev
   

2. Link GitHub to Epic Games:

   • Visit: https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/ue-on-github
   • Link GitHub account and accept license

3. Clone Repository:

   cd ~
   git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine.git -b 5.4 UnrealEngine
   

4. Build:

   cd ~/UnrealEngine
   ./Setup.sh
   ./GenerateProjectFiles.sh
   make -j$(nproc) UnrealEditor
   

5. Launch:

   ~/UnrealEngine/Engine/Binaries/Linux/UnrealEditor
   

See UE5_WSL_INSTALL.md for complete WSL/Ubuntu installation guide.

Project Creation

1. Create New Project

1. Launch UE5.4: Open Epic Games Launcher and launch Unreal Engine 5.4
2. New Project: Click "New Project" or "Games" tab
3. Template: Select "Blank" or "Third Person" template
4. Settings:
   • Blueprint: Start with Blueprint (C++ can be added later)
   • Target Platform: Desktop
   • Quality Preset: Maximum
   • Raytracing: Optional (requires RTX GPU)
   • Starter Content: No Starter Content (we'll add our own)
5. Project Name: DubaiMetaverse
6. Location: Choose project location (outside of engine installation)
7. Create: Click "Create Project"

2. Initial Project Configuration

After project creation, configure initial settings:

1. Edit > Project Settings:

   • Project Name: Dubai Metaverse
   • Company Name: [Your Company]
   • Copyright Notice: [Copyright Info]

2. Engine Settings (see PROJECT_SETTINGS.md for details):

   • Enable Nanite
   • Enable Lumen
   • Enable Virtual Shadow Maps
   • Enable World Partition

3. Install Required Plugins

See PLUGINS.md for detailed plugin installation instructions.

Essential Plugins:

• Procedural Content Generation Framework
• Virtual Production Tools
• Movie Render Queue
• OpenXR (optional, for VR)

Project Structure Setup

1. Create Folder Structure

Create the following folder structure in Content Browser:

Content/
├── Maps/
│   ├── Main/
│   └── Blockout/
├── Assets/
│   ├── Buildings/
│   │   ├── Hero/
│   │   ├── Primary/
│   │   └── Background/
│   ├── Vehicles/
│   ├── Characters/
│   ├── Props/
│   └── Materials/
├── Blueprints/
│   ├── Gameplay/
│   ├── Vehicles/
│   └── NPCs/
├── PCG/
├── Cinematics/
└── Audio/

2. Configure Editor Settings

1. Edit > Editor Preferences:

   • Viewport: Configure viewport settings
   • Content Browser: Set up content browser preferences
   • Performance: Configure performance settings

2. Edit > Project Settings > Engine > Rendering:

   • Configure rendering settings (see PROJECT_SETTINGS.md)

First Steps After Setup

1. Verify Engine Features

1. Nanite: Create a test Nanite mesh to verify it works
2. Lumen: Check that Lumen GI is active
3. World Partition: Verify World Partition is enabled

2. Test Performance

1. Create Test Level: Create a simple test level
2. Profile: Use Unreal Insights to profile performance
3. Verify: Ensure performance is acceptable

3. Configure Version Control

See VERSION_CONTROL.md for Git LFS setup.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Engine Won't Launch

• Solution: Update graphics drivers
• Solution: Verify DirectX is installed
• Solution: Check Windows updates

Project Won't Open

• Solution: Verify project file (.uproject) is valid
• Solution: Check project is compatible with UE5.4
• Solution: Try regenerating project files (right-click .uproject > Generate Visual Studio files)

Performance Issues

• Solution: Update GPU drivers
• Solution: Disable unnecessary plugins
• Solution: Lower viewport quality settings
• Solution: Check system meets requirements

Nanite/Lumen Not Working

• Solution: Verify features are enabled in project settings
• Solution: Check GPU supports required features
• Solution: Update to latest engine version

Getting Help

• Epic Games Forums: forums.unrealengine.com
• Unreal Engine Documentation: docs.unrealengine.com
• Discord: Unreal Engine community Discord
• Support: Epic Games support

Next Steps

After completing setup:

1. ✅ Review PROJECT_SETTINGS.md for engine configuration
2. ✅ Install plugins (see PLUGINS.md)
3. ✅ Set up version control (see VERSION_CONTROL.md)
4. ✅ Review PIPELINE.md for development workflow
5. ✅ Begin Phase 1, Week 2: Geospatial acquisition and blockout

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Version: 1.0 Last Updated: [Current Date]