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Collection of image-based basic tutorials for CryEngine on Windows

#1 by Cry-Flare
These short tutorials are more like guides on how to get started, build, distribute, and deploy in-development and finished games and plugins.
Disclaimer: These steps were performed on a clean windows 7 64-bit installation after necessary graphics and system drivers and windows updates have been applied, steps may vary between CRYENGINE and crylauncher versions, I take no responsibility or liability for any damages or inconveniences caused by following any information provided. All information provided is of my best knowledge and opinion and is not official in any way, use at your own risk.


You can find the headings related to the content you want using copy and search from this index list.

*Tip: Right-Click on an image and choose "Open in a new tab" to view a larger/native size version of the image.

Tutorial Index
  1. Getting started with CRYENGINE Launcher
    1. Downloading and using the launcher
    2. Creating and initializing your first project
    3. Opening and testing your new project
  2. Getting started with Visual Studio
    1. Installing Visual Studio 2015
    2. Installing Visual Studio 2017
    3. Using Visual Studio with your project
  3. Getting started with CRYENGINE on GitHub
    1. Setting up GitHub with the desktop client
    2. Getting the git engine on to your system
    3. Setting up and Registering your local engine
    4. Using Visual Studio with your local engine
    5. Building and testing your local engine
    6. Using the custom engine with your project
    7. Using sandbox with your custom engine
  4. Distributing/Sharing your project
    1. Auto packaging your project (5.4)
    2. Packaging your project manually (5.3)
    3. Preparing for Release/Distribution to consumers
1. Getting started with CRYENGINE Launcher

a. Downloading and using the launcher

Create an account at https://www.CRYENGINE.com/user/registration.
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Install the CRYENGINE Launcher.
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Login with your username and password.
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b. Creating and initializing your first project
Create a new project.
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Initialize your new project.
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The engine will begin downloading.
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Wait for the engine to finish installing.
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c. Opening and testing your new project
Navigate to Library > My Projects.
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By clicking the project name.
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This should launch the editor.
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By clicking the controller icon.
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This should launch the game.
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You should now be able to load the editor and test the game in this fashion. In this regard, you do not need any programming experience, or even need to touch or see any code.
These steps should be completed by any developer working on your title, this way, you know everyone on your team has the launcher, and that it works.

^ Back to index

2. Getting started with Visual Studio
NOTE: You may need to create a Microsoft account and/or join the Microsoft Dev Essentials program to be able to download Visual Studio 2015 and/or 2017.

a. Installing Visual Studio 2015
Visit https://www.visualstudio.com/vs/older-downloads/
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Click to list 2015 downloads
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Download 2015 Community Update 3
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Customize your installation
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Check mark Windows SDK 586
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b. Installing Visual Studio 2017 c. Using Visual Studio with your project


Download CMake from https://cmake.org/download/.
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Navigate to the project tab.
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Open the project directory.
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Generate the solution.
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Navigate to the generated solution.
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Build Configurations
1. Develop your project under Debug/Profile configuration.
2. For shipped binaries (Complete projects) you should build your proejct in Release configuration.
3. Release-built binaries are NOT compatible with the Sandbox Editor.

^ Back to index

3. Getting started with CRYENGINE on GitHub

a. Setting up GitHub with the desktop client


Sign up at https://github.com/join.
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Download the client from https://desktop.github.com/.
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Install the GitHub Desktop client
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b. Getting the github engine on to your system


Open the CRYENGINE Respository in GitHub Desktop.
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Choose a location on your system.
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Wait for GitHub Desktop to finish cloning.
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c. Setting up and Registering your local engine


Open the cloned repo in explorer.
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Download required CRYENGINE SDKs.
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Copy "engine" and "gamezero" folders from the CRYENGINE Launcher.
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Paste them into your cloned CRYENGINE repo.
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Merge the folders when prompted.
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Create a file named "MyEngine.CRYENGINE".
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Edit "MyEngine.CRYENGINE", put the following contents.
(Your version may differ)

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{ "info": { "version": "5.4.0", "name": "MYCRYENGINE 5.4", "id": "myengine-5.4" } }

Run "MyEngine.CRYENGINE".
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d. Using Visual Studio with your local engine


Run "cry_cmake.exe".
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Choose your version of Visual Studio.
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Set minimum reccmmended options.
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Click "Configure".
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Click "Generate".
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Click "Open Project".
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e. Building and testing your local engine


Verify the Statup Project.
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Select "Profile" build configuration.
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Start building CRYENGINE.
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Launch (Debug) CRYENGINE.
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f. Using the custom engine with your project


Navigate to the project tab.
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Open the project directory.
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Select "Switch Engine Version".
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In the drop down select "MyEngine".
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Generate the solution again.
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g. Using sandbox with your custom engine


Copy "Editor", "Tools" and "Editor.cfg" from launcher engine.
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Paste them into your cloned engine's folder.
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Select YES to MERGE the folders.
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Select "Don't Copy" or "Skip" when asked to OVERWRITE files.
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Copy the binaries from the launcher engine.
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Paste the binaries into your cloned engine's bin folder.
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Choose "Don't Copy" or "Skip".
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Launch Editor for your project.
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Open a level from your project.
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Build Configurations
1. Develop your project under Debug/Profile configuration.
2. For shipped binaries (Complete projects) you should build your proejct in Release configuration.
3. Release-built binaries are NOT compatible with the Sandbox Editor.

^ Back to index

4. Distributing/Sharing your project

a. Auto packaging your project (5.4)


Navigate to the project tab.
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Open the project directory.
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Select the package build otpion.
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Wait for packaging to finish.
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Start the packaged game.
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b. Packaging your project manually (5.3)


Create a new folder "C:\MyGame" for the game package.
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Copy the launcher engine binaries from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Crytek\CRYENGINE Launcher\Crytek\CRYENGINE_5.3\bin\win_x64" to "C:\MyGame\bin"
Warning: DO NOT COPY SANDBOX. The use of sandbox requires the end-user to agree to a terms of service prompted during the CRYENGINE launcher app installation.
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Create a new file "C:\MyGame\system.cfg"
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Put the contents, without quotes, as: "sys_game_folder = Assets"
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Copy your project Assets directory from "My Documents\CRYENGINE Projects\My Project FPS\Assets" to "C:\MyGame\Assets"
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In your assets folder open "game.cfg" and add this line, without quotes: "sys_dll_game="
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In your assets folder select all folders (except levels) and put them into a .zip (7zip or winrar, you can use windows default zip features too).
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Rename the .zip to a .pak (the actual filename does not matter).
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To save on space delete the folders you put into the zip/pak file.
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Now copy your cryplugin.csv file from "My Documents\CRYENGINE Projects\My Project FPS\cryplugin.csv" to "C:\MyGame\cryplugin.csv"
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Open the copied cryplugin.csv and change "bin/win_x64/Game.dll" to "Game.dll"
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Now copy your project Game.dll from "My Documents\CRYENGINE Projects\My Project FPS\bin\win_x64\Game.dll" to "C:\MyGame\bin\Game.dll"
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Copy engine's paks from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Crytek\CRYENGINE Launcher\Crytek\CRYENGINE_5.3\engine" to "C:\MyGame\engine"
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Now try running "C:\MyGame\bin\GameLauncher.exe"

To save space and prevent improper usage, while you are still running the gamelauncher.exe, select all files in the bin folder and try delete, whilst skipping the files that are "in-use".
NOTE: You may want to skip deleting the render dlls too.
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c. Preparing for Release/Distribution to consumers


-- Coming Soon --
This is a rather large topic since it encompasses a whole lot of optimization procedures, compression/conversion etc. Essentially the same procedure as the development package once you have optimized your data/assets.
You will want to use RC (check docs) to convert any assets still in intermediary form (i_caf) or even raw form (tif), remove any redundant assets, rebuild your shader cache for your entire game (check docs), pak and encrypt all required engine/game assets and data, secure the engine binary by building in release mode without any profiling/debugging options etc and then finally package your data as described above for the development packages, although the cfg/plugin etc should be hardcoded now inside the engine code.

^ Back to index
--
Edit 30/06/17 - Restructured packaging instructions for clarity. Prepared 5.4 packaging stub.
Edit 09/12/17 - Finally got round to cleaning this up.
Last edited by Cry-Flare on Thu Jun 29, 2017 11:10 pm, edited 7 times in total.
Uniflare
CRYENGINE Technical Community Manager
Here to help the community and social channels grow and thrive.

My personal belongings;
Beginner Guides | My GitHub | Splash Plugin

Re: Collection of image-based basic tutorials for CryEngine on Windows

#3 by Cry-Flare
It's not finished yet but I thought I would put what I had up so far since most of it is there, will finish it soon after a little break :).
Also, any suggestions etc welcome, I can tell the images are off size and would be nice to have them all automatically "Thumbnail" for us but I guess that is a feature for the future.

Cheers
Uniflare
CRYENGINE Technical Community Manager
Here to help the community and social channels grow and thrive.

My personal belongings;
Beginner Guides | My GitHub | Splash Plugin

Re: Collection of image-based basic tutorials for CryEngine on Windows

#7 by arcticlion
You forgot add note about - CryPatsy's pythons script. Actually I have made some changes and now got similar script for build GameZero project

>Also, any suggestions etc welcome
Did you tried to use PakEncrypt for the GameZero project ?

Code: Select all

cd C:\CRYENGINE-release\Tools\PakEncrypt dist\ParseBuild\ParseBuild.exe encrypt In Out pause
I have a crash with encrypted paks (even if I just use GameZero default scene), don't know why :cry:
but in same time sign works fine ("sign" - the *.pak files are openable but you don't able to edit it, put new data into it)

Code: Select all

cd C:\CRYENGINE-release\Tools\PakEncrypt dist\ParseBuild\ParseBuild.exe sign In Out pause

Re: Collection of image-based basic tutorials for CryEngine on Windows

#9 by Cry-Flare
You forgot add note about - CryPasty's pythons script. Actually I have made some changes and now got similar script for build GameZero project

>Also, any suggestions etc welcome
Did you tried to use PakEncrypt for the GameZero project ?

Code: Select all

cd C:\CRYENGINE-release\Tools\PakEncrypt dist\ParseBuild\ParseBuild.exe encrypt In Out pause
I have a crash with encrypted paks (even if I just use GameZero default scene), don't know why :cry:
but in same time sign works fine ("sign" - the *.pak files are openable but you don't able to edit it, put new data into it)

Code: Select all

cd C:\CRYENGINE-release\Tools\PakEncrypt dist\ParseBuild\ParseBuild.exe sign In Out pause
Hello,

To be honest, this is the best startup guide I've read for this engine... Thank. You. Very. Much.

Best.
Thanks for the feedback!

I do know of the script but I wanted to go for the most basic of tutorials without any extra downloading or scripting. I personally havn't used python or that script so that is also partly the reason :).

I have not got to the encryption and full release part yet, but will hopefully cover that soon. If you are having a specific issue you might want to start a thread in Getting started with CRYENGINE sub forum.
Uniflare
CRYENGINE Technical Community Manager
Here to help the community and social channels grow and thrive.

My personal belongings;
Beginner Guides | My GitHub | Splash Plugin

Re: Collection of image-based basic tutorials for CryEngine on Windows

#10 by KillingSpree
Thanks for the tutorial, but ive got a problem with generating solution. When i press the generate solution button a window pops with only the following in it:

Code: Select all

"F:\Program Files..... \cryrun.exe" "projgen" "F:\....\GameSDK.cryproject"
(file path is full and correct) Nothing more, and 1 sec later the window closes without creating solution folder or giveing any error msg. I've installed cmake. Any idea?
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