Part 1 – How To Start Your RTS Game In Unreal Engine 5.6 (Project Setup + Enhanced Input)

Set up a clean UE5.6 project for RTS games: main map, RTS Pawn, Player Controller, and Enhanced Input Mapping for reliable camera controls.

This is Rambod, and this is Part 1 of the RTS Camera Series.
We’ll set up a new UE5.6 project, create the RTS Player Pawn & Controller, configure Enhanced Input Mapping, and verify that everything is working before we move into camera movement in the next part.

By the end, you’ll have a clean foundation for an RTS camera system.

1) Creating the Project

• Open the Unreal Project Browser.
• Under Games, choose the Blank template.
• Set the project type to Blueprint (all logic will be visual for accessibility).
• Name the project: UE5RTSCameraTutorial.
• Click Create.

📌 This keeps your project organized from the start.

2) Saving the Level

• Press Ctrl+S.
• Save the default level as MainMap.
• This will be our working map for the series.

3) Creating the RTS Player Pawn & Camera

1. In the Content Browser, right-click → Blueprint Class → Pawn.
2. Name it BP_RTSPlayer.
3. Open it, then switch to the Viewport tab.
4. Add a Spring Arm component.
5. Add a Camera attached to the spring arm.

Camera settings:

• Spring Arm Rotation → Pitch = –50, Yaw = 45
• Target Arm Length → 1000

👉 This gives a clear angled view typical for RTS cameras.

4) Setting Up the Input System

1. In the Content Browser, create a new folder called Input.
2. Inside Input, create an Input Mapping Context asset.
   • Remove the prefix “New” in the name.
3. Inside the Input folder, create another folder called Actions.
4. Inside Actions, create an Input Action asset named IA_TestAction.
   • Open it and set Value Type = Digital (on/off button).

5) Binding the Test Action

1. Open your Input Mapping Context.
2. Add a new mapping.
3. Set the action to IA_TestAction.
4. Bind it to the S key.

📌 This is just for testing — later we’ll add real RTS camera controls.

6) Creating the RTS Player Controller

1. In the Content Browser, right-click → Blueprint Class → Player Controller.
2. Name it BP_RTSController.
3. Open it and go to the Event Graph.

Add Enhanced Input Logic:

• Place an Event BeginPlay.
• Add Get Enhanced Input Local Player Subsystem.
• Connect it to an Is Valid? node.
• From there, add Add Mapping Context.
• Assign your Input Mapping Context.

👉 This ensures your custom Input Context is activated when the game starts.

7) Creating the RTS Game Mode

1. Right-click → Blueprint Class → GameModeBase.
2. Name it BP_RTSGameMode.
3. Open it and in Details:
   • Default Pawn Class → BP_RTSPlayer
   • Player Controller Class → BP_RTSController

Compile & Save.

8) Assigning the Game Mode

• In MainMap, go to World Settings (or toolbar → GameMode).
• Set the Active Game Mode to BP_RTSGameMode.

9) Testing the Input

1. Open BP_RTSPlayer.
2. In the Event Graph, right-click → add your IA_TestAction event.
3. Connect it to a Print String node with text "Test".
4. Compile & Save.
5. Press Play.
6. When you hit S on your keyboard, you should see "Test" appear top-left.

✅ That confirms Enhanced Input is working correctly.

10) Subtitle Expansion (Full Tutorial Flow)

“Let’s set up our Unreal Engine project for the RTS Camera Series. Start with a Blank template, name it UE5RTSCameraTutorial, and set type to Blueprint. Save the new level as MainMap. Create a Pawn called BP_RTSPlayer, add a Spring Arm + Camera, rotate to Pitch –50 and Yaw 45, and set Arm Length to 1000 for an RTS view. Next, make an Input folder with a Mapping Context and an Action named TestAction, set it to Digital, and bind to the S key. Create BP_RTSController (Player Controller). In Event Begin Play, get Enhanced Input Local Player Subsystem → IsValid? → Add Mapping Context. Then create BP_RTSGameMode, set Default Pawn = BP_RTSPlayer, Controller = BP_RTSController. Assign it in World Settings. Finally, in BP_RTSPlayer, add the TestAction event and Print String “Test.” When you press S in Play mode, the word appears, confirming Enhanced Input works. This wraps up Part 1: clean project, pawn, controller, game mode, input setup — ready for camera movement in Part 2.”

Wrap-Up

In Part 1 we:

• Set up the project & main map.
• Built the RTS Player Pawn with angled camera.
• Configured the Enhanced Input Mapping.
• Created the RTS Controller & Game Mode.
• Verified that input fires correctly in Blueprints.

👉 Next, in Part 2, we’ll start implementing WASD camera movement.

📦 Project repo: GitHub
📚 Docs: Enhanced Input Guide
💬 Community: Discord
🌍 More info: rambod.net RTS Camera Page