Overview
This course, developed in collaboration with Epic Games, aims to teach individuals how to develop video games using Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) and the C++ programming language. It is designed for a wide range of individuals, from complete beginners to existing programmers and artists. The learning methodology emphasizes project-based learning, with students creating five distinct games throughout the curriculum.
Main Themes and Important Ideas/Facts:
- Beginner-Friendly Approach: The course explicitly states that “no prior experience of Unreal or coding is needed.” It starts with basic concepts and progresses gradually. This is a significant selling point highlighted in both the description and several student reviews. One review mentions, “I am completely new to C++ and UE5 but have some experience in Unity,” and finds the course engaging and well-explained for beginners. Another states, “This course was well paced and provided many challenge opportunities for the student to flex the skills they had learned. I highly recommend to those looking to get started in game development.”
- C++ as the Industry Standard: The course strongly emphasizes learning C++, describing it as “the games industry standard language.” It aims to provide a “very confident” understanding of the basics of coding and game development using C++. A quote from Jason Gregory, Lead Programmer at Naughty Dog, reinforces this point: “Any serious game programmer needs to know C++”.
- Unreal Engine 5 Mastery: The core objective is to teach students how to make games in UE5, covering various aspects of the engine. The course covers key UE5 concepts and frameworks, including the “Unreal Gameplay Framework to make games easily.” It also addresses how to use both Blueprint and C++ within the engine, though some reviews suggest the course leans heavily towards C++ even when Blueprint might be more suitable for certain tasks.
- Project-Based Learning: A central tenet of the course is learning by doing. Students build five complete games to solidify their understanding. The description states, “We believe project-based learning is the best way to learn Unreal Engine, so you’ll create 5 Unreal games!” Student reviews support this, with one mentioning the “first three projects are really great introductions.”
- Comprehensive Curriculum: The course covers a broad range of topics essential for game development. Key areas include:
- How to make games in Unreal Engine 5.
- C++, the games industry standard language.
- Object Oriented Programming and how to put it into practice.
- Game design principles.
- Programming patterns and best practices.
- Artificial Intelligence behaviour programming for enemies.
- Write code that is clean and to understand.
- When to use Blueprint or C++.
- How to achieve anything you want in Unreal using C++.
- Unreal Gameplay Framework to make games easily.
- Strong and transferable problem solving skills.
- Modern game development technologies and techniques.
- Emphasis on Fundamentals and Best Practices: The course stresses understanding the underlying concepts and writing clean, understandable code. One review highlights this: “What I liked most about this course were the attention to details and fundamentals behind every topic taught. For each code part implemented or other tasks in the Unreal Engine that did not require code, explanation was given of what we were doing and the concepts behind.”
- Strong Community and Support: The course provides access to various support channels, including a course forum, discussion forums, and large online communities on Facebook and a dedicated platform. The description notes, “Benefit from our world-class support from both other students, and the instructors who are on the forums regularly.” Several reviews praise the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team. One student stated, “when I got lost and posted my question, I got a reply very quickly that helped me fix my mistakes.” Another commented on the support team being “absolutely incredible! Very quick to respond, and tenacious in finding solutions.”
- Qualified and Engaging Instructors: Student reviews generally praise the instructors for their knowledge, clear explanations, and engaging teaching style. Multiple reviews highlight the quality of the instructors, with one saying, “It is just a pleasure to listen to this calm voice. I wish all the lecturers were that professional.” Another notes, “The two instructors know what they’re doing and almost magically explain things so that they stayed in my head.” While there are multiple instructors, some students found this beneficial, providing “different styles of information transfer and explanations.”
- Target Audience: The course is designed for a diverse group of learners, including:
- Competent and confident with using a computer.
- Artists who want to bring their assets alive in a game engine.
- Developers who want to re-skill across to coding.
- Complete beginners who are willing to work hard.
- Existing programmers who want to re-skill to game development.
- Thos wanting to explore the exciting new world of UE5!
- Practical Requirements: The course has specific technical requirements for running Unreal Engine 5, including a 64-bit PC or Mac, at least 8GB of RAM, a quad-core CPU, and a compatible graphics card, along with significant free disk space.
- GameDev.tv Reputation: The course is created by the GameDev.tv Team, which is highlighted as a reputable game development education provider with over 1 million students taught. Their mission is to “Make learning game dev accessible, practical and fun!”
Caveats and Areas for Improvement (Based on Reviews):
- Outdated Content in Later Projects: Some reviews mention that the final two projects (4 and 5) use older input systems that are no longer the default in newer versions of UE5 (specifically 5.1+). This requires students to adapt or seek external information to implement the newer Enhanced Input system.
- Pace in Certain Sections: One review found the speed in certain sections (specifically section 5) to be “waaaay too fast,” requiring extra effort to understand the concepts.
- Heavy Emphasis on C++: While teaching C++ is a core goal, some reviews felt the course used C++ for tasks that could be more easily handled with Blueprints, potentially complicating the learning process for beginners in some instances.
- Assumed Prior Programming Knowledge in Later Stages (Implicit): While marketed for beginners, one review from an experienced C++ programmer suggested that the initial C++ explanations might be tedious for those with prior knowledge, and later sections could potentially incorporate more advanced or UE-specific C++ concepts.
Overall Assessment: The “Unreal Engine 5 C++ Game Development Mastery” course appears to be a comprehensive and well-regarded resource for individuals looking to learn game development with Unreal Engine 5 and C++. Its beginner-friendly approach, project-based learning, strong community support, and knowledgeable instructors are significant strengths. However, potential students should be aware of the possibility of outdated content in later projects and the course’s strong emphasis on C++.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this course about?
This course, “Unreal Engine 5 C++ Game Development Mastery,” teaches you how to create and modify video games using Unreal Engine 5, focusing specifically on C++ programming. It starts with the basics and guides you through building five different games.
What will I learn in this course?
You will learn a wide range of skills, including how to use Unreal Engine 5, the industry-standard C++ programming language, object-oriented programming principles, game design fundamentals, programming patterns, best practices, and artificial intelligence programming for enemies. The course also covers when to use Blueprint versus C++ and provides a strong foundation in problem-solving transferable to other areas of development.
What are the prerequisites for taking this course?
While no prior Unreal Engine or coding experience is required, you should be competent and confident using a computer. The course also has hardware recommendations for running Unreal Engine 5 smoothly, including a 64-bit PC or Mac, at least 8GB of RAM, a quad-core CPU, and a compatible graphics card with about 50GB of free disk space.
Is this course suitable for beginners?
Yes, the course is specifically designed for complete beginners who are willing to work hard. It starts with very simple concepts and builds up gradually. It also caters to artists looking to bring assets to life in a game engine, developers wanting to transition to coding, and existing programmers interested in game development.
What kind of support is available if I get stuck?
The course offers world-class support through various channels. You can benefit from the knowledge of other students and instructors on the course forums, which allow for discussions on a course-wide or video-specific basis. There are also large communities on Facebook and a student chat group for additional support and interaction.
How is the course structured and taught?
The course utilizes project-based learning, guiding you through the creation of five different games to reinforce concepts. It features multiple instructors with different teaching styles, presenting concepts before applying them in practical examples. The pace is designed to be easy to follow, with pauses and challenges to encourage active learning.
Is the course content up-to-date with the latest version of Unreal Engine 5?
The majority of the course has been fully updated and remastered to Unreal Engine 5. However, some projects, particularly the later ones, may still use older versions of the input system. While adapting to newer systems like the Enhanced Input system is possible with some extra effort, the core principles taught remain valuable.
What kind of games will I build in this course?
You will build several games throughout the course, including a tank game and a First Person Shooter. The specific projects are designed to introduce fundamental concepts and build your skills progressively.