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📁 Unreal Engine 5 – Folder Structure Documentation

Project Wiki – Folder Overview & Best Practices

📝 Introduction

This document provides an overview of the folder structure used in our Unreal Engine 5 project.

A clean and consistent folder structure is essential for:

Faster navigation & better team collaboration

Avoiding duplicated assets

Cleaner packaging & smaller build sizes

Easier debugging and tracking of references

Ensuring assets follow Unreal Engine best practices

The structure shown here is based on the default UE5 Starter Content but adapted to our workflow.

📂 Folder Overview

Below is a description of the main folders visible in the Content Browser.

StarterContent/

This folder contains example assets provided by Epic Games.

These are often used for prototyping, testing levels, and quickly adding placeholder content.

Subfolders:

Architecture/

Contains structural meshes used for building environments, such as:

Walls

Floors

Stairs

Columns

Modular building pieces

Useful for quick level layout and testing gameplay spaces.

Audio/

Includes sound cues and audio files, such as:

Footsteps

Ambient loops

Sound effects

Be mindful of file size and file format; always import audio as .wav.

Blueprints/

Contains basic Blueprint actors.

Good for learning logic flow or using simple ready-made systems.

HDI/

This folder contains HDRI maps for lighting setups.

Used to create realistic skylight reflections and ambient lighting.

Maps/

Includes example levels.

A safe place to test assets or lighting without affecting the main project.

Materials/

Contains material assets such as:

Base materials

Material instances

Texture references

Always keep materials organized to avoid duplicated or unused shaders.

Particles/

Particle systems located here include:

Fire

Smoke

Explosion samples

Used as placeholders before creating custom Niagara systems.

Props/

Contains 3D models used as decoration or environmental details.

Common examples:

Barrels

Chairs

Small objects

Make sure props follow the correct naming and pivot orientation guidelines.

Shapes/

Primitive meshes such as:

Cube

Sphere

Cylinder

Used for blockout or fast prototyping.

Textures/

All texture files used within starter materials and props.

Make sure:

Textures follow power-of-two resolution

Naming conventions match (e.g., T_Wood_01_D)

No unused or duplicate textures stay in the project

🧩 Why Folder Structure Matters in UE5

A clean directory system is not optional—it is critical for healthy long-term development.

Here’s why:

✔ 1. Asset References Stay Intact

Moving folders incorrectly breaks references.

Using a structured layout reduces the chance of broken links.

✔ 2. Faster Development

Artists, level designers, and programmers can quickly find the assets they need.

✔ 3. Cleaner Source Control

Tools like Git, Perforce, or PlasticSCM handle changes better when folders are organized.

✔ 4. Efficient Packaging

UE5 packages only assets referenced by your maps.

Random or duplicate assets increase package size and load times.

✔ 5. Better Team Collaboration

Everyone follows the same structure, reducing confusion and errors.

💡 General Best Practices

Never rename or move assets after they’re used in a level without the UE Editor (avoid broken references).

Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., SM_ for static meshes, BP_ for blueprints, etc.).

Group similar assets together to avoid bloated root directories.

Keep StarterContent separated from your project’s custom content.

Remove unused content to keep the project clean.

Use Collections for temporary sorting—don’t use them as actual folders.

📘 Conclusion

A well-maintained folder structure is essential for an efficient UE5 workflow.

Following the guidelines above ensures the project remains scalable, understandable, and easy for any team member to work in.