Packaging Project

An Unreal project needs to be packaged before it can be distributed. This process produces the engine executables and bundles up all of the assets that are needed for the client to start up the engine by itself without starting it from the editor or Visual Studio.

This process will compile the C++ code for Holodeck and "cook" the .uasset files (including blueprints!) into one large .pak file, and create the directory structure needed.

Visual aid

Adding Holodeck Worlds

The finished package will only contain the worlds (called "levels" in the editor) that are added into the project. The holodeck-engine repo only contains the example level. The rest of the worlds are found in the holodeck-worlds repo, which contains multiple vanilla unreal projects. To add them to the project, clone the worlds repo and copy the Content folder from the worlds you want to add. Paste this folder into the holodeck-engine repo and allow it to overwrite any conflicting files.

Note: Because these worlds contain purchased assets, they are only available to official BYU PCCL members. Others will have to develop their own worlds in the holodeck-engine.

Cooking Content

When you are running holodeck-engine from Visual Studio, you may need to cook the content to "refresh" the assets, levels, and blueprints that holodeck-engine reads.

From Unreal Editor:

File ➡ Cook Content for Windows/Linux

Packaging holodeck-engine

From Unreal Editor:

1. File ➡ Package Project ➡ Windows x64/Linux

2. Select an output folder

   I usually pick "dist" inside the root of the holodeck-engine repo

Place in install directory

In order to be able to call holodeck.make(), you will need to place the packaged engine in holodeck's package install directory.

Make sure the version in the path matches the output of the holdoeck.util.get_holodeck_version command.

1. Copy contents of dist folder into the package path found above.

   + worlds
   |--+ PackageName
      |-- config.json
      |-- WorldName-ScenarioName.json
      |--+ LinuxNoEditor (output from dist folder)
         | UE4 build output
   

2. Copy configurations from holodeck-configs following the file structure above.

   IMPORTANT The config.json file is written for Linux, and must be edited to work in windows. Edit the platform and path fields to the following:

   "platform": "windows"

   "path": "WindowsNoEditor/Holodeck/Binaries/Win64/Holodeck.exe"