Add the plugin to a new project

The ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine is an Unreal Engine plugin with the source code and sample assets. Make sure that you download the plugin before starting this page.

Creating a new project

The Unreal Engine includes various Development Templates that match your industry. If you are unsure which template to pick, we recommend the Games Template and the Simulation Template. For more information about these templates, see the Unreal Engine Template Reference.

Blank template under games template

1. To launch Unreal Engine, open the Epic Games Launcher and select Library. Choose a supported version and click Launch. When you launch Unreal Engine, the Unreal Project Browser automatically opens.

2. Under Recent Projects, select the Games Template under the Development Template.

   

3. Select a template for your project from the list. We recommend using a blank template to initialize the plugin.

   

4. Set the project to a C++ project. This creates a Visual Studio project and fulfills the requirement to have at least one empty C++ class in the source code folder. You can select the quality/performance level, target platform, whether to include Starter Content and more. See the Deployment page for more information.

   

5. At the bottom of the window, select where to store your project and give it a name. Click Create to finish.

   

For more information about project settings see Creating a New Project from the Unreal Engine Documentation.

Simulation blank template under simulation template

Unreal Engine version 5.1 or higher includes a Simulation Template for various simulation applications. You can leverage the Simulation Blank template with pre-configured settings such as sky, lighting, volumetric clouds, geocoordinates, etc., to start your project.

1. To launch Unreal Engine, open the Epic Games launcher and select Library. Choose a supported version and click Launch. When you launch Unreal Engine, the Unreal Project Browser automatically opens.

2. Under Recent projects, select the Simulation Template.

3. Use the Simulation Blank template.

4. Set the project to a C++ project. This creates a Visual Studio project and fulfills the requirement to have at least one empty C++ class in the source code folder. See the Deployment page for more information.

5. At the bottom of the window, select where to store your project and give it a name. Click Create to finish.

   

For more information about project settings see Creating a New Project from the Unreal Engine 5 Documentation.

Install the plugin

The ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine should be installed in the project directory.

1. Exit Unreal Engine and close Visual Studio. Then create a Plugins folder in the main project directory.

   

2. Extract the ArcGISMapsSDK folder from the .zip file and copy it to the new Plugins folder.

   

3. Once your project is open, navigate to Edit -> Plugins in the menu bar to confirm the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine plugin is correctly installed.