First Project Setup¶

This guide walks you through setting up your first project with Asset Scaffolding.

Opening Asset Scaffolding¶

Open your Unreal Engine project
Access Asset Scaffolding via:
Window → Asset Scaffolding, or
Click the Asset Scaffolding button in the toolbar

Setup Wizard¶

The first time you open Asset Scaffolding, you'll see the setup wizard.

Step 1: Choose Your Foundation¶

Select a game foundation type:

Foundation	Best For	Includes
FPS (First Person Shooter)	Shooter games, exploration	FPS character, weapon system base, HUD
RPG (Role Playing Game)	Story games, adventure	Third-person character, inventory base, dialog system
Platformer	Jump-and-run games	Platformer character, checkpoint system
Blank Structure	Custom games	Basic folder structure only

Step 2: Confirm Location¶

The wizard shows where assets will be created:

Content/
├── Blueprints/
│   ├── Characters/
│   ├── GameModes/
│   └── Controllers/
├── UI/
│   ├── HUD/
│   └── Menus/
└── Data/
    └── SaveGames/

Click Confirm to proceed or Customize to change the folder structure.

Step 3: Initial Setup¶

Asset Scaffolding creates your initial project structure:

Folder hierarchy in Content Browser
Basic game mode (if selected)
Player controller
Initial character (based on foundation)
Base HUD widget

Wait for the setup to complete. You'll see a progress bar.

Step 4: Ready!¶

Once complete, you'll see the main Asset Scaffolding interface with:

Game World panel (right side): Shows your project structure
System Browser (center): Available systems to add
Quick Actions (top): Common operations

The Main Interface¶

System Browser¶

Browse available systems by category:

Characters: Player characters, NPCs, enemies
Core: Game modes, controllers, states
Mechanics: Gameplay elements (doors, pickups, etc.)
UI: HUDs, menus, widgets
AI: Controllers, behavior trees
Data: Save systems, configurations

Click any system tile to add it to your project.

Game World Panel¶

The right panel shows your project's game world:

Added Systems: What you've created
Dependencies: Connections between systems
Status: Active, missing, or moved assets

Quick Actions¶

Common operations at your fingertips:

Add System: Browse and add new systems
Studio Mode: Access advanced features
Refresh: Rescan project structure
Settings: Configure preferences

Adding Your First System¶

Let's add a pickup system to your project:

In the System Browser, find Mechanics
Click Pickup Item
In the dialog, enter a name: "HealthPickup"
Click Create

Asset Scaffolding creates:

BP_HealthPickup Blueprint Actor
Mesh component (placeholder)
Collision sphere
Overlap event handling
Interface for pickup interaction

The asset appears in your Content Browser and is tracked in the Game World panel.

Understanding the Game World¶

The Game World panel tracks everything you create:

System Cards¶

Each system shows:

Name: Asset name
Type: What kind of asset
Status: Active, missing, or moved
Dependencies: What it connects to

Status Indicators¶

Status	Meaning
Active	Asset exists and is tracked
Missing	Asset was deleted or moved
Orphaned	Dependencies are missing

Persistence¶

The Game World persists:

Survives editor restarts
Tracks all scaffolded assets
Detects external changes

Tips for Getting Started¶

Start Simple¶

Choose a foundation
Add 2-3 core systems
Test in the editor
Expand gradually

Use the Right Categories¶

Characters: For anything that moves and can be controlled
Core: For game flow and management
Mechanics: For interactive objects
UI: For player-facing interfaces

Check Dependencies¶

Some systems depend on others:

Enemy AI needs a base character
Inventory UI needs an inventory component
Save system needs data assets

Asset Scaffolding handles these automatically when possible.

Next Steps¶

Now that you have your first project set up:

Learn Game Factory Mode for building complete game structures
Explore Studio Mode for advanced customization
Understand the Recipe System for creating your own templates