Merge pull request #11449 from TylerMSFT/unreal

lay down initial files for unreal engine docs

Author: v-dirichards

gamedev/index.yml

@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ highlightedContent:
     - title: Create your first 3D app with Unity
       itemType: quickstart
       url: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/learn/games/unity-tutorial/intro
+    - title: C++ game development with Unreal Engine
+      itemType: learn
+      url: unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-overview.md
     - title: Learn more about .NET game development
       itemType: learn
       url: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/apps/gaming
@@ -55,13 +58,12 @@ productDirectory:
     - title: Unreal Engine
       imageSrc: unreal/media/unreal-engine-logo.png
       links:
-        - url: https://www.unrealengine.com/features
-          text: Overview of Unreal Engine
-        - url: https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/Basics/GettingStarted/
-          text: Get started with Unreal Engine
-        - url: https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/ProductionPipelines/DevelopmentSetup/VisualStudioSetup/
-          text: Setting up Visual Studio for Unreal Engine
-
+        - url: unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-overview.md
+          text: Overview of Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine
+        - url: unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-install.md
+          text: Install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine
+        - url: unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-quickstart.md
+          text: Get started with Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine  
 conceptualContent:
   title: Level up with Visual Studio
   summary: Learn more about code editing, debugging, building, and more with Visual Studio.

gamedev/toc.yml

@@ -24,3 +24,11 @@
         href: unity/change-log-visual-studio-tools-for-unity.md
       - name: Visual Studio for Mac
         href: unity/change-log-visual-studio-tools-for-unity-mac.md
+- name: Unreal Engine
+  items:
+    - name: Overview
+      href: unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-overview.md
+    - name: Install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine
+      href: unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-install.md
+    - name: Quickstart-Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine
+      href: unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-quickstart.md

gamedev/unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-install.md

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+---
+title: "Install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine"
+description: "Learn how to connect Unreal Engine and Visual Studio. Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine offers support for writing and debugging C++ Unreal Engine games."
+ms.date: 08/02/2023
+ms.prod: visual-studio
+ms.topic: get-started
+author: "TylerMSFT"
+ms.author: "twhitney"
+manager: Markl
+---
+
+# Install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine
+
+This article helps you install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine. These tools allow you to do the following from within Visual Studio:
+- view Unreal Engine (UE) Blueprints
+- add UE classes
+- view UE logging
+- view and expand UE macros
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+You should have the following installed before you install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine:
+
+- Visual Studio version 17.7 or later. To install, see [Visual Studio downloads](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/)
+- Unreal Engine version 4.27 or 5.0 or later. To install, see [Download instructions](https://www.unrealengine.com/download)
+
+## Install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine
+
+This article covers installing two tools for connecting Visual Studio and Unreal Engine:
+
+- **Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine** are installed with the Visual Studio installer. They enable you to add UE classes, view UE logging, and more, all from within Visual Studio.
+- **Unreal Engine Visual Studio Integration Tool plugin** is installed in Unreal Engine and works with Visual Studio to display information about Blueprint assets in C++ code.
+
+To install Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine, follow these steps:
+
+1. Type "Visual Studio Installer" in the Windows search box.
+1. Look for the installer under the Apps results and double-click it.
+1. When the installer appears, select the version of Visual Studio you are using (if you have multiple versions installed) and then select **Modify**.
+1. Select the **Workloads** tab, then select the **Game development with C++** workload.
+1. In the **Installations details** pane, ensure that under **Game development with C++** > **Optional** that **IDE support for Unreal Engine** is selected. This installs what this article refers to as the Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine. If you work with the High-Level Shader Language, ensure that **HLSL Tools** is also selected.
+1. Select the **Individual components** tab at the top of the dialog.
+1. Under **Installation details**, expand **Desktop development with C++**.
+1. Ensure that under **Optional** that **Windows 10 SDK 10.0.18362.0**, or higher, is selected.
+1. Select **Modify** to complete the installation.
+
+   :::image type="content" source="../media/unreal-workload.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the game development with C++ workload selected in the installer. In the installation details pane, IDE support for Unreal Engine and HLSL Tools are checked." lightbox="../media/unreal-workload.png":::
+
+## Configure Unreal Engine to use Visual Studio
+
+Epic Games provides the UnrealVS extension for Visual Studio. The extension makes it easier to build UE projects, set command line arguments, batch build projects, and so on. You don't need to install this plugin to use Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine, but it does provide some convenience features. For more information, see [UnrealVS Extension](https://docs.unrealengine.com/using-the-unrealvs-extension-for-unreal-engine-cplusplus-projects/).
+
+Install the Unreal Engine Visual Studio Integration Tool plugin via the [Unreal Engine Marketplace](https://aka.ms/VSUEMarketplace) website. It allows you to see Blueprints assets in Visual Studio. The Unreal Engine Marketplace provides instructions for installing the plugin.
+
+   :::image type="content" source="../media/unreal-engine-marketplace.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Unreal Engine Marketplace with the Visual Studio Integration Tool plugin." lightbox="../media/unreal-engine-marketplace.png":::
+
+If your project isn't compatible with Unreal Engine Marketplace plugins, install the plugin manually by cloning and installing the plugin from the [GitHub vc-ue-extensions repo](https://aka.ms/VSUEGitHub). See the [README](https://github.com/microsoft/vc-ue-extensions#unreal-engine-plugin-for-visual-studio) in the repo for instructions to install the plugin. If you have difficulty with the UE plugin, see the [Troubleshooting guide](https://github.com/microsoft/vc-ue-extensions/blob/main/Docs/Troubleshooting.md)
+
+For more information about customizations you can make to the Visual Studio IDE to work well with Unreal Engine, see the **Recommended Settings** section at [Setting Up Visual Studio for Unreal Engine](https://docs.unrealengine.com/en-US/setting-up-visual-studio-development-environment-for-cplusplus-projects-in-unreal-engine/).
+
+## Check for updates
+
+We recommend that you keep Visual Studio updated for the latest bug fixes, features, and Unreal Engine support. Updating Visual Studio doesn't require an update of Unreal Engine.
+
+1. From the Visual Studio main menu, select **Help** > **Check for Updates**.
+
+   :::image type="content" source="../../unity/media/vs/check-for-updates.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Check for Updates menu in Visual Studio Help menu.":::
+
+1. If an update is available, the Visual Studio Installer shows a new version. Select **Update**.
+
+   :::image type="content" source="../../unity/media/vs/click-to-update.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Visual Studio Installer with the Updates.":::
+
+## Next steps
+
+Try out some of the features of the Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine: [Quickstart: Use Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine](vs-tools-unreal-quickstart.md)

gamedev/unreal/get-started/vs-tools-unreal-overview.md

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+title: "Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine"
+description: "Learn about Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine."
+ms.date: 08/01/2023
+ms.prod: visual-studio
+ms.topic: overview
+author: "TylerMSFT"
+ms.author: "twhitney"
+manager: Markl
+---
+
+# Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine
+
+![Screenshot of a computer, game controller, and icons for game play.](../../unity/media/hero.png)
+
+## Overview
+
+Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine makes it easier to write and debug C++ code for Unreal Engine from within Visual Studio, with features such as:
+
+* Stream Unreal Engine logs
+* View Blueprint references and assets
+* Expand Unreal Engine macros<sup>*</sup>
+* Unreal Engine name convention checker
+* Intellisense tuned for Unreal Engine projects<sup>*</sup>
+* Add Unreal Engine classes inside Visual Studio
+* See Unreal header tool warnings in Visual Studio
+* Visual Studio performance has been tuned for large projects<sup>*</sup>
+* Be more productive with HLSL files via syntax highlighting and statement completion
+
+<sup>*</sup> These features are available in Visual Studio 17.7 or later without installing Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine.
+
+## Supported Visual Studio versions
+
+Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine is available for free and supports:
+
+- Visual Studio 2022 Version 17.7 or later.
+
+We recommend [downloading and using the latest version of Visual Studio.](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/)
+
+## Supported Unreal Engine versions
+
+Unreal Engine version 4.27 and 5.0 or later.
+
+## See also
+
+[Install Visual Studio Tools For Unreal Engine](vs-tools-unreal-install.md)\
+[Quickstart: Visual Studio Tools for Unreal Engine](vs-tools-unreal-quickstart.md)\
+[Overview of Unreal Engine](https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/features)\
+[Get started with Unreal Engine](https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/Basics/GettingStarted/)