Overview

This course is a deep dive into the world of advanced dungeon design and Unreal Engine 5 techniques. Starting with room complexity, you’ll learn how to design multi-tier environments like armory rooms, prisons, and hidden treasure rooms. Using modular assets, you’ll create unique rooms that elevate your level designs through the use of diagonal walls, elevated floors, and adapted assets. The course also covers advanced lighting techniques, including the use of different lighting modes to create atmospheric environments. You’ll then move into the technical aspects of Unreal Engine 5, where you’ll learn how to work with particle systems, fluid simulations, and blueprints. Create interactive doors with custom animations, control systems for proximity-based interactions, and complex particle effects for realistic fire and water. You’ll also master setting up collisions and using Niagara for fluid fire simulations. By the end of the course, you’ll have developed a fully interactive, dynamic dungeon complete with stunning visual effects, fire particles, and realistic water features. This course is perfect for 3D artists and game developers looking to advance their skills in environment design, particularly in creating interactive, immersive game levels using Unreal Engine 5’s advanced toolset. This course is aimed at intermediate to advanced game designers and 3D artists looking to create detailed, immersive environments in Unreal Engine 5. A basic understanding of Unreal Engine and 3D modeling is recommended.

Syllabus

Adding More Complexity to Our Rooms

In this module, we will focus on designing more complex dungeon rooms, starting with an armory. You’ll learn to work with elevation, diagonal walls, and advanced layout techniques, finishing the room by quickly assembling assets from your kitbash pack.

Working with Elevation to Design Our Level

In this module, you will continue building the dungeon, focusing on creating rooms with elevated designs like a pantry and prison. You’ll learn how to adapt assets for different purposes and enhance the scene with custom lighting and structure manipulation.

Setting Up Hidden Rooms

In this module, we will explore the creation of hidden rooms and passages, like treasure hallways. You’ll learn how to use colliders to manage player movement and how to merge various dungeon sections to create a cohesive environment.

Building Final Parts of Our Level

In this module, we will finish the key elements of the dungeon by adding decorative details such as bottom walls and door arches. You will learn to enhance the symmetry and structure of your dungeon, preparing it for the final interactive elements.

Using Blueprint to Create Interactable Doors

In this module, you will learn how to create interactive doors using blueprints in Unreal Engine 5. You’ll animate the doors, configure activation distances, and add intuitive feedback like text prompts when players approach the door.

Cutting Custom Holes within Mesh

In this module, we will explore how to cut custom holes into meshes using Boolean tools, focusing on practical applications like manhole floor covers. This lesson will give you the ability to customize your dungeon assets.

Setting Up Water Material

In this module, you will design and animate water materials for the dungeon's sewer system. You’ll learn how to create realistic water effects, set custom parameters, and adjust the flow to match your level’s needs.

Creating Sewer Waterfall

In this module, we will focus on creating waterfalls in the sewer section using both mesh modeling and the Niagara particle system. You will fine-tune the settings to achieve a realistic and continuous water effect.

Creating Sewer Splash Effect

In this module, we will create splash effects to complement the sewer waterfall. You’ll learn how to set up and animate particles using Niagara, giving your waterfall and sewer system a more immersive and realistic touch.

Setting Up Fire Fluid Simulation

In this module, you will explore fluid simulations to create realistic fire effects for torches. You’ll set up and adjust fluid dynamics, then bake the simulation for optimized performance in-game.

Creating Fire Particles

In this module, you will create detailed fire particle systems for torches, including flame and ember effects. You’ll learn how to set up particle emitters and fine-tune their appearance to achieve a more dynamic and immersive flame effect.

Creating UE5 Torch Blueprint

In this module, you’ll create a blueprint for your torch that includes fire particles, lighting, and flicker effects. You’ll also explore how to create multiple variations of the torch with different flame characteristics.

Setting Up Final Decorations for Our 3D Level

In this module, we will finalize the dungeon by placing light sources and decorative elements like rocks. You’ll learn how to position assets for both aesthetic appeal and functional lighting.

Setting Up Visuals

In this final module, you will adjust the overall visuals of your dungeon scene by setting up advanced lighting and color grading using Unreal Engine 5’s post-process volume. This will bring out the final aesthetic of your level and ensure it looks polished and professional.