Intro to Unreal Engine Game Design

          Module 1: Introduction to Unreal Engine

Section 1: Overview of Unreal Engine  
- Lesson 1: What is Unreal Engine?  
  Module 1, Section 1, Lesson 1: An introduction to the Unreal Engine, its purpose, and its significance in game design.  
- Lesson 2: History and Evolution of Unreal Engine  
  Module 1, Section 1, Lesson 2: A brief look at the development and improvements of Unreal Engine over the years.

Section 2: Installing Unreal Engine  
- Lesson 1: System Requirements & Setup  
  Module 1, Section 2, Lesson 1: Understand the minimum system requirements and preliminary setup needed for Unreal Engine.  
- Lesson 2: The Installation Process  
  Module 1, Section 2, Lesson 2: Step-by-step guidance on downloading and installing Unreal Engine on your computer.

Section 3: Navigating the Interface  
- Lesson 1: Editor Interface Overview  
  Module 1, Section 3, Lesson 1: Introduction to the main windows and panels within the Unreal Engine interface.  
- Lesson 2: Customizing the Workspace  
  Module 1, Section 3, Lesson 2: How to adjust and personalize the editor layout for an optimal workflow.

Section 4: Understanding Projects  
- Lesson 1: Creating Your First Project  
  Module 1, Section 4, Lesson 1: A hands-on guide to starting a new project in Unreal Engine.  
- Lesson 2: Project Settings Basics  
  Module 1, Section 4, Lesson 2: An overview of basic project settings and configurations.

Section 5: Essential Terminology  
- Lesson 1: Engine Components and Tools  
  Module 1, Section 5, Lesson 1: Introduction to the various tools and components that make up Unreal Engine.  
- Lesson 2: Basic Terminology in Game Design  
  Module 1, Section 5, Lesson 2: Learning the fundamental terms and concepts used in game design.

Module 2: Basic Game Design Concepts

Section 1: Game Design Fundamentals  
- Lesson 1: Core Game Design Principles  
  Module 2, Section 1, Lesson 1: Introduction to the fundamental principles behind game design.  
- Lesson 2: Understanding Game Mechanics  
  Module 2, Section 1, Lesson 2: Explore the basic mechanics that drive game interaction and engagement.

Section 2: Level and Story Concept  
- Lesson 1: Crafting a Simple Storyline  
  Module 2, Section 2, Lesson 1: Guidance on developing a basic narrative for your game.  
- Lesson 2: Level Concept and Layout  
  Module 2, Section 2, Lesson 2: An introduction to planning out level design and spatial layout.

Section 3: Player Experience  
- Lesson 1: Designing for Engagement  
  Module 2, Section 3, Lesson 1: Learn how to design a game that attracts and retains players.  
- Lesson 2: Balancing Difficulty  
  Module 2, Section 3, Lesson 2: Strategies for ensuring a fair and enjoyable level of challenge.

Section 4: Role of Assets in Game Design  
- Lesson 1: The Importance of Graphics and Sound  
  Module 2, Section 4, Lesson 1: Understand how visual and audio elements enhance game design.  
- Lesson 2: Introduction to In-Game Assets  
  Module 2, Section 4, Lesson 2: Basics on selecting and using assets to build immersive environments.

Section 5: Iteration and Feedback  
- Lesson 1: Testing Your Game  
  Module 2, Section 5, Lesson 1: Methods for playtesting and identifying areas for improvement.  
- Lesson 2: Implementing Feedback  
  Module 2, Section 5, Lesson 2: Learn the fundamentals of iterating on game design based on feedback.

Module 3: Level Design and World Building

Section 1: Introduction to Level Design  
- Lesson 1: Understanding Level Layout  
  Module 3, Section 1, Lesson 1: An overview of basic level design concepts and spatial planning.  
- Lesson 2: Blocking Out a Level  
  Module 3, Section 1, Lesson 2: Practical exercise in creating a rough level structure.

Section 2: Environment Creation Basics  
- Lesson 1: Working with Terrain and Landscapes  
  Module 3, Section 2, Lesson 1: Introduction to tools for creating natural landscapes.  
- Lesson 2: Using Foliage and Natural Elements  
  Module 3, Section 2, Lesson 2: Learn how to add trees, plants, and other natural elements to your level.

Section 3: Lighting Fundamentals  
- Lesson 1: Basics of Lighting in Unreal Engine  
  Module 3, Section 3, Lesson 1: Learn the role of lighting in setting the mood and guiding player experience.  
- Lesson 2: Tips for Effective Lighting  
  Module 3, Section 3, Lesson 2: Best practices for using lighting to enhance level design.

Section 4: Creating Interactive Worlds  
- Lesson 1: Principles of Interactive Environment  
  Module 3, Section 4, Lesson 1: Understand how interactivity can be integrated into your level design.  
- Lesson 2: Adding Interactive Elements  
  Module 3, Section 4, Lesson 2: Implementation of basic interactive components within a level.

Section 5: Level Optimization  
- Lesson 1: Optimizing Performance  
  Module 3, Section 5, Lesson 1: Techniques for ensuring levels run smoothly without performance issues.  
- Lesson 2: Best Practices for Level Design  
  Module 3, Section 5, Lesson 2: Final tips and continuous improvement strategies for creating efficient levels.

Module 4: Fundamentals of Blueprint Scripting

Section 1: Introduction to Blueprints  
- Lesson 1: What are Blueprints?  
  Module 4, Section 1, Lesson 1: An introduction to Unreal Engine’s visual scripting system, Blueprints.  
- Lesson 2: Navigating the Blueprint Editor  
  Module 4, Section 1, Lesson 2: Learn how to access and work within the Blueprint Editor.

Section 2: Blueprint Basics  
- Lesson 1: Understanding Nodes and Graphs  
  Module 4, Section 2, Lesson 1: Basic explanation of nodes, graphs, and how they function in Blueprints.  
- Lesson 2: Fundamental Scripting Concepts  
  Module 4, Section 2, Lesson 2: Learn the core concepts behind visual scripting without code.

Section 3: Debugging Blueprints  
- Lesson 1: Troubleshooting Common Blueprint Issues  
  Module 4, Section 3, Lesson 1: Identify and resolve simple errors in Blueprint scripts.  
- Lesson 2: Using Debugging Tools in Unreal  
  Module 4, Section 3, Lesson 2: Introduction to the debugging features available in Unreal Engine.

Section 4: Creating Simple Interactions  
- Lesson 1: Triggering Events with Blueprints  
  Module 4, Section 4, Lesson 1: Learn how to set up events that react to player actions.  
- Lesson 2: Setting Up Collisions  
  Module 4, Section 4, Lesson 2: Basics of using Blueprint to manage collisions and overlaps.

Section 5: Practical Blueprint Example  
- Lesson 1: Creating a Simple Blueprint Actor  
  Module 4, Section 5, Lesson 1: Step-by-step process to build a basic Blueprint-controlled actor.  
- Lesson 2: Testing Blueprint Functionality  
  Module 4, Section 5, Lesson 2: How to test and refine your Blueprint actor in a game environment.

Module 5: 3D Modeling and Asset Creation

Section 1: Introduction to 3D Modeling  
- Lesson 1: Basic Concepts of 3D Modeling  
  Module 5, Section 1, Lesson 1: An overview of 3D modeling fundamentals used in game design.  
- Lesson 2: Introduction to Modeling Tools  
  Module 5, Section 1, Lesson 2: Learn about the tools and software used to create 3D models.

Section 2: Creating Game Assets  
- Lesson 1: Simple Mesh Creation  
  Module 5, Section 2, Lesson 1: Hands-on introduction to designing a simple 3D mesh for games.  
- Lesson 2: Fundamentals of Texturing  
  Module 5, Section 2, Lesson 2: Learn the basics of applying textures to 3D models.

Section 3: Importing Assets into Unreal Engine  
- Lesson 1: The Asset Import Process  
  Module 5, Section 3, Lesson 1: How to correctly import external 3D models and assets into Unreal Engine.  
- Lesson 2: Managing and Organizing Assets  
  Module 5, Section 3, Lesson 2: Strategies for organizing your assets within the Unreal Engine project.

Section 4: Material Basics  
- Lesson 1: Understanding Materials  
  Module 5, Section 4, Lesson 1: An introduction to materials and how they influence the look of 3D models.  
- Lesson 2: Creating Basic Materials  
  Module 5, Section 4, Lesson 2: Learn to create and apply simple materials within Unreal Engine.

Section 5: Bringing It All Together  
- Lesson 1: Integrating Assets into Your Game  
  Module 5, Section 5, Lesson 1: Techniques for combining 3D models, materials, and levels into a cohesive game design.  
- Lesson 2: Final Project Overview  
  Module 5, Section 5, Lesson 2: Review of course concepts and an outline of a simple final project to showcase your skills.