Set up an Unreal project with BMGD

Configure a new Unreal project with BMGD workflows for full production game development.

When to Use This Guide

You’re starting a new Unreal game project
You want to use BMGD’s Full Production workflow
You need formal documentation (GDD, architecture, sprint tracking)

When to Skip This

You just want to prototype quickly — use Quick Flow instead
You’re using Unity or Godot — see the setup guides for those engines
You’re prototyping or doing a game jam — Quick Flow is faster

Prerequisites

Before starting:

BMad Method installed with BMGD module enabled

Unreal Engine 5.x installed

Basic familiarity with Unreal (Blueprints or C++)

A game concept or idea you want to develop

Steps

Step 1: Create your Unreal project

Open the Epic Games Launcher
Go to Unreal Engine tab
Click Launch to open Unreal Editor
In the Project Browser, click Games → Next
Select the appropriate template:
- Blank — Start from scratch (most flexible)
- Third Person — Character-based games
- First Person — FPS/exploration games
- Top Down — Strategy and arcade games
Choose Blueprint or C++
Name your project, choose a location, and click Create

Step 2: Generate your project context

BMGD uses a project-context.md file to maintain consistency across all workflows.

In your BMad-enabled environment at the project root:

/bmgd-generate-project-context

This invokes the Game Architect (Cloud Dragonborn) to create a project-context.md file that includes:

Project name and description
Target platforms (PC, console, mobile)
Engine and framework choices (Blueprint vs C++)
Performance budgets
Critical technical decisions

Step 3: Run the brainstorming workflow

Define your game concept with the Game Designer agent.

/bmgd-brainstorm-game

The Game Designer (Samus Shepard) will guide you through:

Selecting and combining brainstorming techniques
Generating and refining game ideas
Choosing a concept to develop

Step 4: Create your Game Brief

Capture your vision and positioning.

/bmgd-game-brief

The Game Designer creates game-brief.md with:

Game vision and elevator pitch
Target audience and market positioning
Platform and genre decisions
Competitive analysis
Art and audio direction

Step 5: Design your game (GDD)

Create a comprehensive Game Design Document.

/bmgd-create-gdd

The Game Designer helps you:

Select your game type from 24 available templates
Define core gameplay mechanics
Design progression systems
Plan levels and content
Specify art and audio requirements

Output: gdd.md

Step 6: Create your technical architecture

Plan your Unreal project structure and systems.

/bmgd-create-architecture

The Game Architect (Cloud Dragonborn) creates architecture.md with:

Project structure (Content Browser organization)
System architecture (game framework, replication, networking)
Unreal-specific patterns (Components, Game Instances, Gameplay Abilities)
Performance budgets and optimization strategy
Asset pipeline and build configuration

Step 7: Plan your first sprint

Ready to start building? Use the Game Scrum Master to plan your work.

/bmgd-sprint-planning

The Game Scrum Master (Max) creates:

sprint-status.yaml — Your sprint tracking file
Stories from your GDD and Architecture
Sprint goals and definition of done

Step 8: Start implementing

Build features with the Game Developer agent.

/bmgd-dev-story [story-name]

The Game Developer (Link Freeman) helps you:

Implement story tasks in Blueprints or C++
Follow Unreal best practices
Write tests for your features
Review code before marking complete

What You Get

After completing this setup, you’ll have:

File/Folder	Purpose
`project-context.md`	AI context for consistency across all BMGD workflows
`game-brief.md`	Your game’s vision and positioning
`gdd.md`	Complete game design document
`architecture.md`	Technical architecture and Unreal-specific patterns
`sprint-status.yaml`	Sprint tracking with stories and progress
`stories/`	Folder containing individual story files

Unreal-Specific Considerations

Project Structure

BMGD recommends this Content Browser structure:

Content/
├── Game/
│   ├── Blueprints/
│   ├── Materials/
│   ├── Meshes/
│   ├── Textures/
│   ├── Audio/
│   └── UI/
├── Developers/
│   └── [YourName]/
└── Collections/

Blueprint vs C++

Your architecture should specify:

Approach	When to Use
Blueprints	Rapid prototyping, gameplay logic, designer-iterable systems
C++	Performance-critical systems, complex algorithms, platform-specific features
Mixed	C++ for systems, Blueprints for gameplay (common approach)

The Game Architect will recommend the right mix for your project.

Performance Budgets

Unreal projects typically target:

60 FPS for most console/PC games
30 FPS for open-world games with high draw distance
120 FPS for competitive shooters

Your architecture.md will specify frame time budgets (ms per frame).

Testing Setup

For Unreal automated testing, the Game QA agent (GLaDOS) can help:

/bmgd-test-framework

This sets up Unreal Automation System with:

Unit tests (C++ and Blueprint function libraries)
Functional tests (gameplay systems)
Performance tests (frame rate, memory)

Tips

Best Practice: Always run bmgd-generate-project-context after creating a new Unreal project. The project-context.md file is the “single source of truth” that all BMGD agents reference.

Avoid: Don’t start with the First Person template if you’re making a third-person game. Choose the template closest to your final game — the Game Architect can advise if unsure.

Remember: Unreal projects are larger than Unity projects. Clean up unused content early to keep your project manageable.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Solution
Skipping project-context generation	Always generate `project-context.md` first — it guides all other workflows
Choosing the wrong template	Consult the Game Architect — starting from Blank is often cleaner than refactoring a template
Ignoring Unreal’s project structure	Follow Content Browser organization from your architecture — don’t create custom folder structures
Not using Unreal’s built-in systems	Use Gameplay Abilities, Gameplay Tags, and Data Assets — don’t reinvent the wheel

Next Steps

Quick Flow vs Full Production — Understand both development approaches
Set up Unity with BMGD — If you’re considering Unity instead
Run sprint planning — When you’re ready to start building
Agents Reference — Learn about all 6 BMGD agents