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Unreal Engine Cheat Sheet

A one-page printable reference for Blueprint nodes, C++ classes, components, input and the most-used patterns in Unreal Engine. Pin it next to your monitor!

Pairs with the My First Unreal Game series and the Unreal Studio in your browser. Nothing to install to use this sheet, so it works on a school computer.

🧩 Blueprint Basics

Event BeginPlay	Runs once when actor spawns
Event Tick	Runs every frame (Delta Seconds)
Branch	If/else for boolean conditions
Sequence	Run multiple outputs in order
Cast To	Convert a reference to a specific class
Get/Set Variable	Read or write a Blueprint variable
Print String	Debug text on screen

📦 C++ Variables & UPROPERTY

UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite)
int32 Health = 100;

UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, Category="Stats")
float MoveSpeed = 600.f;

UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere)
bool bIsAlive = true;

EditAnywhere exposes a variable in the Details panel. BlueprintReadWrite lets Blueprints read and write it.

🔁 Flow Control (Blueprint & C++)

// C++ if/else
if (Health <= 0)
{
    Destroy();
}
else if (Health < 20)
{
    UE_LOG(LogTemp, Warning, TEXT("Low HP!"));
}

// loop over actors
for (AActor* Enemy : Enemies)
{
    Enemy->Destroy();
}

In Blueprints: use a Branch node for if/else and a For Each Loop node for arrays.

📡 Events, Delegates & Dispatchers

DECLARE_DYNAMIC_MULTICAST_DELEGATE_OneParam(
    FOnHealthChanged, int32, NewHealth);

UPROPERTY(BlueprintAssignable)
FOnHealthChanged OnHealthChanged;

void ATD ::TakeDamage(int32 Amount)
{
    Health -= Amount;
    OnHealthChanged.Broadcast(Health);
}

In Blueprints, use Custom Events and Event Dispatchers (Bind/Call) for the same one-to-many pattern.

🎮 Enhanced Input

// C++ setup (Pawn/Character)
void APlayerPawn::SetupPlayerInputComponent(
    UInputComponent* PlayerInputComponent)
{
    UEnhancedInputComponent* EIC =
        Cast(PlayerInputComponent);

    EIC->BindAction(MoveAction, ETriggerEvent::Triggered,
        this, &APlayerPawn::Move);
    EIC->BindAction(JumpAction, ETriggerEvent::Started,
        this, &APlayerPawn::Jump);
}

In Blueprints: add an Input Mapping Context in BeginPlay, then use Enhanced Input Action event nodes.

🌳 Actors & Components

AActor	Base class for anything placed in a level
APawn / ACharacter	Controllable actors (Character adds movement)
UStaticMeshComponent	Renders a static mesh
USkeletalMeshComponent	Renders an animated mesh
UCapsuleComponent	Common collision shape for characters
UCameraComponent	Defines the player's view
USpringArmComponent	Smooth camera boom/follow arm

⏱️ Timers & Delays

// C++ delayed call
GetWorldTimerManager().SetTimer(
    TimerHandle, this, &AMyActor::Respawn, 2.0f, false);

// Loop every second
GetWorldTimerManager().SetTimer(
    TickHandle, this, &AMyActor::Tick1s, 1.0f, true);

In Blueprints: use a Delay node for a one-off wait, or Set Timer by Function Name for repeating calls.

🛠️ Handy Snippets & Patterns

// Open a level
UGameplayStatics::OpenLevel(this, FName("Level_2"));

// Random number / pick
int32 Roll = FMath::RandRange(1, 6);

// Spawn an actor
FActorSpawnParameters Params;
GetWorld()->SpawnActor(EnemyClass, SpawnTransform, Params);

// Cast a hit actor
if (AEnemy* Enemy = Cast(Hit.GetActor()))
{
    Enemy->TakeDamage(10);
}

// Get player controller / pawn
APlayerController* PC = UGameplayStatics::GetPlayerController(this, 0);

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🧩

Code Order: Blueprint Game Flow

+20 XP

Drag these Blueprint steps into the correct order for setting up player input and movement.

Get the input axis value from the Enhanced Input Action

Create a new Blueprint class that extends Character

Connect the result to Add Movement Input

Add an Input Mapping Context in BeginPlay

Multiply axis value by speed to get movement direction