Convert Project to Plugin

I created a template of sorts. It’s a C++ Project that has models, destructible meshes, blueprints, and most importantly C++ Code. I am unable to submit to the Unreal Store because it is not a “Plugin”. How can I make my whole project an acceptable plugin?

If anything, this would work great as a C++ Template with Virtual Reality grabbing since there is none yet. I want to share this with other people but its frustrating that they wont accept it.

You can’t convert a project into a plugin, since plugins can only be compiled within the context of a project.
You can, however, create a new blank C++ project, then create a plugin within that project, and manually move over bits of your original project into the space of your new plugin.

Judging by the variety of stuff you’ve listed in your project, it sounds like you would benefit from creating an empty plugin, and then adding submodules to it for Content, Blueprint Library Functions, and then perhaps a Runtime module. This is a lot of organizational & coding work, and requires a good understanding of C++ in order to pull off. There are several tutorials on the wiki in regards to plugins, which is an excellent place to start if you already happen to know the language.

Aside from that, you could also head over to the official forums and make a post in the Job Offerings thread to hire people to have this done for you. But simply put, C++ and a lot of work is the only way to do what you’re hoping to have done.

I like to think I have a good understanding of C++ since it is my profession lol. When you say “a lot of work” would you say more than worth it? I could always put the project on my website as a UE4 template but then its obviously not on the Unreal Store. Do you think its worth it to go though the trouble of doing this just for the Unreal Store?

I would say that with a halfway decent knowledge of C++, the UE4 engine source, and API docs at your disposal, you should first try to create a simple plugin that doesn’t do anything too special, and then try making it to where you have both a Runtime module and a Content module in the same plugin, and then let that be the deciding factor on whether or not you believe it’s worth your time to go all the way with it or not. If you get lost or need examples on how to do anything, chances are you can find it already done either somewhere in engine source, the wiki, or the forums.

When you create a plugin using the plugin wizard (Edit > Plugins > New Plugin), you will be presented with 7 different options: Blank, Content Only, Blueprint Library, Editor Toolbar Button, Editor Standalone Window, Editor Mode, and Third Party Library. Mess around with these to get a basic understanding in the difference between them. Namely, the difference between Content, Runtime, and Editor modules, as these will help you determine “what goes where” from your original project. Use the wiki’s tutorials and plugin docs to go from there…

Now… In terms of the perspective of your average user, and/or perhaps someone who doesn’t know too much C++ or UE4’s API, having everything preorganized into the format of a plugin that can easily be downloaded from the marketplace and “turned on” within their own projects is a million times easier than fiddling with parts of an existing project, manually migrating resources, etc… So at the end of the day, it’s really up to you to decide what’s worth your own trouble or not.

At the most basic level, UE4 plugins are actually incredibly easy to understand and create (Most of the wizard-created plugins actually do something simple for you already). But as you add more to it and/or have more specific requirements, the learning curve gets steeper. The only real limits to what you can extend is what’s exposed by UE4 source. So take it for a little test drive and then decide for yourself if it’s up your alley, or if it’s at least worth saving other people a good amount of hassle.