Build Your Own LEGO Castle with Level Instances

Do you love building cool forts in Fortnite? Imagine if you could build one room, then instantly copy it to make a whole castle. That is exactly what we are doing today.

We will use a special tool called the Level Instance device. It is like a magic cookie cutter for your island. You will learn how to save a group of blocks. Then you can paste them anywhere. This saves you time. It also keeps your island organized. Let's start building!

What You'll Learn

• What a Level Instance device is.
• How to save a group of props.
• How to copy and paste your creation.
• Why editing one copy changes them all.

How It Works

Think of a Level Instance like a digital LEGO baseplate. You put LEGO bricks on it. Then you save that whole plate. Now you can place that saved plate anywhere on your island.

This is super helpful. Imagine you built a cool treehouse. You want ten treehouses on your island. You do not need to build ten houses. You build one. Then you copy it ten times.

Here is the magic part. If you change one treehouse, they all change. It is like having a master copy. If you paint the master house blue, every copy turns blue. This is called a link. The copies are linked to the original.

You can also use the Level Loader device. This is like a magic elevator. It takes your saved Level Instance and drops it into your game. You can stack them to make tall buildings.

Let's try it out.

Let's Build It

We will build a simple guard tower. Then we will copy it to protect the whole island.

Step 1: Find the Device

Open the Creative tool in UEFN. Look for the Level Instance device. It is in the "World" tab. Drag it onto your island.

Step 2: Add Your Stuff

Click on the Level Instance device. You will see a big box around it. This box is your workspace. Put your favorite props inside.

• Add some walls.
• Add a turret.
• Add a ramp. Arrange them however you like. This is your "Master Tower."

Step 3: Save the Instance

Once you are happy with your tower, click the device. Look for the "Save" option. This saves your group of props. Now you have a reusable item.

Step 4: Copy and Paste

Now for the fun part. Copy the Level Instance device. Paste it somewhere else on your island. You can paste it many times. You now have many towers.

Step 5: Test the Link

Go back to your original tower. Change the color of a wall. Look at the other towers. They changed too! This shows they are linked.

Verse Code Example

In Verse, we use code to talk to these devices. We don't need complex math. We just need to tell the game to load our instance. Here is a simple example.

# This is a simple Verse script for a Level Loader.
# It loads a Level Instance when a player walks on a trigger.

using { /Fortnite.com/Devices }
using { /Verse.org/Simulation }

# We define our Level Loader device.
# This is the "magic elevator" we talked about.
my_device := class(creative_device):

    # Drag your Level Loader device into this property slot in UEFN.
    @editable
    LevelLoader : level_loader_device = level_loader_device{}

    # Drag your Trigger device into this property slot in UEFN.
    @editable
    Trigger : trigger_device = trigger_device{}

    # This function runs when the game begins.
    OnBegin<override>()<suspends> : void =
        # Wait for a player to walk on the mat.
        Agent := Trigger.TriggeredEvent.Await()

        # Load the saved Level Instance.
        # The Level Loader places the tower here.
        # note: level_loader_device exposes LoadLevel() to start streaming the level in.
        LevelLoader.LoadLevel()

        # Print a message to the console.
        Print("Tower loaded!")

Walkthrough:

1. my LevelLoader: This line finds the Level Loader device in your scene.
2. my Trigger: This line finds the trigger volume. It watches for players.
3. OnBegin: This is a special function. It starts when the game begins.
4. WaitForPlayerEntered: The code waits here. It pauses until a player steps on the trigger.
5. LoadLevel: This tells the Level Loader to drop the tower into place.

Try It Yourself

Now it is your turn. Can you build a mini golf hole?

Challenge:

1. Build one hole with a ball and a cup.
2. Save it as a Level Instance.
3. Copy it three times.
4. Arrange them in a line.
5. Change the color of the cup in one hole. See what happens to the others.

Hint: If you want the holes to be different, you must "break the link." Look for an option to "detach" or "make unique" in the Level Instance settings. This stops them from changing together.

Recap

You did it! You learned how to use Level Instances.

• They help you copy groups of props quickly.
• They keep your island organized.
• They are linked, so one change updates all copies.

Building with copies is a pro move. It saves time and lets you build bigger worlds. Keep experimenting. You are becoming a true Fortnite creator!

References

• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/using-level-instance-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite-creative/using-level-instance-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/using-devices-in-fortnite
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/using-level-loader-devices-in-fortnite-creative
• https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/squid-game-multiplayer-skill-checks-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite