Tutorial 1: Getting Started

This tutorial will show you how to populate an Unreal map with Bitpart characters. You will install the Bitpart Plugin then create a simple farm, blacksmith shop and tavern populating these spaces with five Bitpart archetypes: blacksmith, farmers, barkeep, bar patrons and townspeople.

If you prefer to watch a video tutorial, follow the link for the video in the Resources section below this paragraph. Each section of this tutorial is marked with time codes that correspond to the parts of the video that cover that section.

Resources you'll need for this tutorial

1. Bitpart Plugin for Unreal (Installed)

2. Bitpart Archetypes Pack for Unreal (Installed)

3. Video Overview

4. Debugging Common Issues

If you have questions that are not answered by our documentation, join our Discord server and post in #support.

Before you Begin

1. Open your Unreal Project that has the Bitpart Plugin and Bitpart Archetypes installed.

2. Check to make sure you have Engine Content and Plugin Content in the Content Browser. To do this, click the settings gear in the content browser and confirm that Show Engine Content and Show Plugin Content are clicked on.

   
3. In the content browser, navigate to Bitpart Archetypes → Tutorial make a copy of the Tutorial Map and open your copy. This map already has a navigation mesh on it. If you are using a different map, make sure you've added a nav mesh before proceeding.

If you'd like to demo our functionality without going through the steps yourself, the TutorialMapReference (found under Bitpart Archetypes → Tutorial → Completed Tutorial Reference Map) showcases the first 4 tutorials.

Creating the Farm [1:10 - 6:00]

1. Choose a section of the map to setup as the Farm. In the Content Browser, navigate to Bitpart Archetypes → Props → Blueprints. This folder contains placeholder props that have been configured to work with Bitpart. Click and drag the farm_field, the bucket, the hoe, and the hoe hook into the scene.

2. Search in the Content Browser, under All, for the BP_Base_Ground blueprint and drag it into the scene. If you do not see BP_Base_Ground in your Content Browser that probably means you do not have Engine or Plugin Content enabled. Click on the settings wheel in the Content Browser and make sure engine and plugin content are enabled.

   1. 
3. The bucket and the hoe are both props that begin positioned on other props—the bucket starts on the ground and the hoe starts on the hoe hook. We'll walk through how to snap both into place.

   1. Click on the hoe. In the details panel select the BitpartProp component. This component allows you to specify which surface a prop should begin play on.

   2. Click the eye dropper next to the Initial Surface Actor field and select the hoe hook. You can also assign this in the drop down menu, if you prefer.

   3. In Initial Surface Slot Name type PutsDown. This field relates to the slot in the Smart Object Definition that defines where the object is placed. We'll look at this in more depth in another tutorial.

   4. To snap a prop into place, move it slightly and it will move to their correct location. You might experience an Unreal side quirk where, if you are clicked into the prop component and then select the actor in the level to move it, it moves the mesh and not the actor. Just make sure you're selecting the actor and not just the mesh.

   5. Click on the bucket, open its BitpartProp component and assign it the Initial Surface Actor of the ground. In Initial Surface Slot Name type PutsDown.

   6. These steps are demonstrated between 1:10-3:07 in the video overview.

4. Add the Farmer Archetype.

   1. In your Content Browser, search for the BP_CastSpawner and drag it into the map. This is our reference spawner. It controls who will spawn into a given area of the map. Click on the Spawner and in the Outliner panel name it "Town Spawner."

   2. Search the Content Browser for the BP_BitpartTargetPoint and drag it into the map. This target is the point on the map where an NPC will spawn. Drag it to the middle of the farm field and rename the level item"Farmer1." Make sure to pull the Target Point up enough so that the character will spawn on top of the nav mesh. A height of 40 in the actor's Details → Transform Z transform will be sufficient.

   3. Open the Bitpart Cast Spawner: Town Spawner. Click the plus icon next to Cast to Spawn. PawnClass dictates which blueprint the spawner should spawn in, select the BP_NPC_Farmer from the drop down. SpawnPointActor is the Bitpart Target Point at which you would like the Pawn to spawn. Select the Farmer1 point you created in step 4.b.

   4. These steps are demonstrated between 3:08-4:20 in the video overview.

5. Press play. You should see the farmer spawn in and begin doing chores on the farm. Click stop.

6. The Farm field is a smart object that has multiple slots. Click on the actor in the editor—each yellow circle is a different interaction slot. This means that multiple NPCs can use the field at the same time. To see this, add two more farmers to the field.

   1. Click on the Farmer1 Target Point and duplicate it, creating a new target point called Farmer2. Drag it to another part of the farm.

   2. Duplicate Farmer2, creating a new target point called Farmer3 and drag it to another area of the farm.

   3. Click into the Town Spawner. Under Cast to Spawn add a new element. Under PawnClass select BP_NPC_Farmer, and under SpawnPointActor select Farmer2. Repeat these steps to add the third Farmer to the Farmer3 Target Point.

7. Press play. All three farmers should spawn into your map and begin performing farm chores.

Creating the Blacksmith Shop [6:01 - 8:00]

1. Choose a location on the map to setup as the Blacksmith's shop. In the Content Browser, navigate to Bitpart Archetypes → Props → Blueprints. Drag the following props into your level: the forge, the anvil, the blacksmith table, the hammer, the sword, the grinding stone, and the water trough.

2. The sword and hammer are props that begin play on other props. The sword begins on the blacksmith table, the hammer on the anvil.

   1. Click on the sword, open its BitpartProp component and set the Initial Surface Actor to the blacksmith table. In Initial Surface Slot Name type PutsDownSword.

   2. Select the hammer and in its BitpartProp component set the Initial Surface Actor to the anvil. In Initial Surface Slot Name type PutsDownHammer.

   3. To get both props to snap into place, click on each individually and use the arrows to drag it in any direction. If set-up properly, you should see the props move to their assigned locations.

   4. These steps are demonstrated between 6:32-7:00 in the video overview.

3. Add the Blacksmith Archetype.

   1. Search the Content Browser for the BP_BitpartTargetPoint and drag it into the map. This target is the point on the map where an NPC will spawn. Drag it to the middle of the forge and rename the asset "Blacksmith."

   2. Open Town Spawner. Click the plus icon next to Cast to Spawn.

      1. PawnClass → BP_NPC_Blacksmith

      2. SpawnPointActor → Blacksmith

4. Press play. You should the blacksmith execute the steps of creating a sword. If you return to the farm area, the farmers should be working on their field in tandem.

Creating the Bar [8:01 - 10:16]

1. Choose a location on the map to setup as the bar. In the Content Browser, navigate to Bitpart Archetypes → Props → Blueprints. Drag the following props into your level: the bottle, broom, broom hook, bar counter, bar floor, glass lowball, rag, and bar shelf.

When placing the bar and bar shelf, make sure you leave enough room between the two for NPCs to pass in and out.

1. The bottle, rag, and glass lowball all start play on the bar shelf. For each, select the prop in the level and open its BitpartProp component. Under Initial Surface Actor set the value to the bar shelf. Under the Initial Surface Slot Name, use the following values depending on the prop: PutsDownGlass, PutsDownBottle, PutsDownRag.

2. The broom attaches to the broom hook. Select the broom and open its BitpartProp component. Under Initial Surface Actor set the value to the broom hook. Under the Initial Surface Slot Name: PutsDown

3. To get all props to snap into place, click on each individually and use the arrows to drag it in any direction. If set-up properly, you should see the props move to their assigned locations.

4. Add the Barkeep Archetype:

   1. Search the Content Browser for the BP_BitpartTargetPoint and drag it into the map. Drag it to the middle of the bar and rename the asset "Barkeep."

   2. Open the Town Spawner. Click the plus icon next to Cast to Spawn.

      1. PawnClass → BP_NPC_Barkeep

      2. SpawnPointActor → Barkeep

5. Hit play to see the barkeep in action.

Adding the Bar Patrons [10:17- 11:35]

1. Next, add a few customers to the bar. Navigate to Bitpart Archetypes → Props → Blueprints. Drag the following props into your level: the dance floor and the high-top table.

2. Add two instances of the Bar Patron Archetype.

   1. Search the Content Browser for the Bitpart Target Point and drag it into the map. Drag it to the middle of the Bar and rename the asset "BarPatron." Duplicate this target point to create "BarPatron2".

3. Open the Town Spawner. Click the plus icon next to Cast to Spawn.

   1. PawnClass → BP_NPC_Patron

   2. SpawnPointActor → BarPatron

4. Click the plus icon next to Cast to Spawn for a second time.

   1. PawnClass → BP_NPC_Patron

   2. SpawnPointActor → Barpatron2

5. Click Play to see each of the NPCs come to life.

Adding Townspeople [11:36- 14:37]

1. You can add more life to the map by dropping in the Townsperson Archetype. In the Content Browser, navigate to Bitpart Archetypes → Props → Blueprints. Put the following props onto the map: market_shelf (2), market_stand, merchandise, base_prop.

   1. Move the two shelves over to the blacksmith area and the stand near the farm.

2. The merchandise begins on the market stand so under its BitpartProp component set the Initial Surface Actor to the market stand. The base prop begins on the merchandise so under its Bitpart prop component set the Initial Surface Actor to the merchandise and the Initial Surface Slot Name to PutsDownBaseProp

   1. The market shelf doesn't have a specific slot for the merchandise, which is why Initial Surface Slot Name is not filled out for that prop.

3. Search the Content Browser for the BP_BitpartTargetPoint and drag it into the level. Give it the name Townsperson.

4. Open the Town Spawner. Click the plus icon next to Cast to Spawn.

   1. PawnClass → BP_NPC_Townsperson

   2. SpawnPointActor → Townsperson

5. Hit play to see your completed tutorial project.

Now you have a basic village setup. In the next tutorial, we'll cover how to use Bitpart's web based authoring tools to customize the behavior of these characters.