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unreal-packaging

unreal-packaging

github.com/gamedev-skillsDevelopment5.4k5.8k installsUpdated 1d ago
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About unreal-packaging

A workflow skill for packaging UE5 projects into runnable, distributable builds. It helps Unreal developers choose configurations, cook content, set the launch map, and package through the editor or `RunUAT BuildCookRun`.

Key features

  1. 01Choose Development or Shipping
  2. 02Configure the packaged launch map
  3. 03Cook content for target platforms
  4. 04Package from editor or command line
  5. 05Validate assets before packaging

Use cases

  1. 01Create a test build from a UE5 project
  2. 02Automate repeatable builds in CI
  3. 03Diagnose missing maps or assets in a build

Install

Copy the command and run it in a terminal.

$npx skills add https://github.com/gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill unreal-packaging

After installing, type/unreal-packagingin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.

Details

From the project README

Unreal Packaging & Cooking

Turn a UE5 project into a runnable, distributable build: choose the right build configuration, cook content, set the launch map, and package — from the editor or the command line. Targets UE 5.8.

When to use

  • Use when producing a build (test or release), choosing Development vs Shipping, cooking content, configuring Packaging / Maps & Modes settings, or automating builds with RunUAT BuildCookRun for CI.
  • Use when the project has a *.uproject and Config/Default*.ini, and the goal is a packaged player rather than running in-editor.

When not to use: storefront submission/release process → steam-publish / itch-publish. Editor-time gameplay/iteration is not packaging.

Core workflow

  1. Set the launch map. Project Settings → Maps & Modes → Game Default Map is what a packaged build loads first. Wrong/empty here is the most common "packaged game is black" cause.
  2. Pick the build configuration: Development (default; optimized but keeps logging/ stats/console for testing) vs Shipping (all optimizations, debugging tools stripped — for release). DebugGame/Debug are for debugging engine/game code and aren't for distribution; DebugGame isn't available for Blueprint-only projects.
  3. Understand cook vs package. Cooking converts assets to the target platform's format and packs them into .pak files. Packaging bundles the compiled executable + cooked content into a standalone, distributable set of files. Packaging runs a cook as part of it.
  4. Package from the editor: the Platforms menu → choose the platform (e.g. Windows) → set the Binary Configuration → Package Project → pick an output folder.
  5. Or build from the command line with the Unreal Automation Tool (RunUAT BuildCookRun) for repeatable/CI builds.
  6. Tune Packaging settings (Project Settings → Packaging): which maps/directories to cook, full-rebuild, compression, and whether to build all maps.
  7. Validate assets before packaging when UnrealEditor-Cmd is available. Run UnrealEditor-Cmd <Project>.uproject -run=DataValidation (UnrealEditor-Cmd.exe on Windows) and fix every reported validation error before cooking.
  8. Verify by running the packaged build, not just by a successful cook — launch the executable and confirm it loads the right map and runs.

Patterns

1. Editor packaging (the menu path)
Platforms (toolbar)
  -> Windows
     -> Binary Configuration -> Development | Shipping
     -> Content Management -> Package Project
  -> choose/confirm the staging output folder
2. Command-line build with UAT (CI-friendly)
# Cook + build + stage + pak + archive a Shipping Windows build.
RunUAT BuildCookRun \
  -project="C:/Path/MyGame.uproject" \
  -noP4 -platform=Win64 -clientconfig=Shipping \
  -cook -allmaps -build -stage -pak -archive \
  -archivedirectory="C:/Builds/MyGame"

RunUAT lives in Engine/Build/BatchFiles/ (RunUAT.bat on Windows, RunUAT.sh on macOS/Linux). Drop -allmaps and pass -map=Map1+Map2 to cook a subset.

3. Cook only (no packaging), e.g. to refresh content
RunUAT BuildCookRun -project="C:/Path/MyGame.uproject" -noP4 \
  -platform=Win64 -clientconfig=Development -cook -skipstage

Pitfalls

  • Packaged build loads a black/empty level — Game Default Map isn't set (or that map wasn't cooked). Set it in Maps & Modes and ensure it's included in the cook.
  • Shipping a Development build — Development keeps logging/console/stats and is slower; ship Shipping. Conversely, Shipping strips UE_LOG/console, so debugging a Shipping-only issue needs Development or Test.
  • A referenced map/asset is missing at runtime — it wasn't cooked. Add it to the Packaging settings' maps/directories to cook, or cook all maps.
  • Build fails on the platform — the platform SDK/toolchain isn't installed (Windows build tools, Android SDK/NDK, console SDKs). Install the platform's prerequisites.
  • Expecting Blueprint Nativization — it was removed in UE5; don't rely on it for performance. Profile and move hot logic to C++ (unreal-cpp-gameplay) instead.
  • First cook is very slow — shaders and all assets cook from scratch; subsequent cooks are incremental. Don't mistake a slow first cook for a hang.

References

  • Primary docs: "Packaging Your Project" (https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/packaging-your-project) and the Build Configurations / BuildCookRun references.

Related skills

  • steam-publish / itch-publish — distributing the packaged build to a storefront.
  • unreal-cpp-gameplay — moving hot logic to C++ now that BP nativization is gone.

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