Installation Guide

This guide will walk you through the complete process of purchasing, downloading, and installing gameDNA plugins in your Unreal Engine project.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Unreal Engine 5.3 or later (UE 5.4+ recommended)
• A gameDNA Store account (sign up at store.gamedna.studio)
• An active internet connection for license activation

Tip

All gameDNA plugins support both Blueprint and C++ workflows. No C++ knowledge is required for basic functionality.

Purchase and Download

1. Browse the Store

   Visit the gameDNA Store and browse our collection of Unreal Engine plugins.

2. Choose Your License

   Select the license tier that fits your needs:

   • Indie - For solo developers with <$100k annual revenue
   • Pro - For teams up to 5 developers
   • Ultimate - Unlimited seats + GitHub source access

3. Complete Purchase

   Add the plugin to your cart and complete checkout using Stripe secure payment.

4. Download Plugin

   After purchase, navigate to your Dashboard to download the plugin ZIP file.

License Activation

After downloading, you’ll need to activate your license:

1. Locate License Key

   Find your license key in your Dashboard. It looks like: GDNA-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

2. Open Plugin Settings

   In Unreal Editor, go to Edit → Project Settings → Plugins → gameDNA [Plugin Name]

3. Enter License Key

   Paste your license key in the “License Key” field and click Activate.

4. Verify Activation

   A green checkmark indicates successful activation. Your license is tied to this machine.

Note

Each Indie license allows activation on 1 machine. Pro licenses allow up to 5 machines. Contact support if you need to transfer a license.

Installation Methods

Method 1: Using .uplugin File (Recommended)

Windows

1. Extract the downloaded ZIP file
2. Copy the plugin folder to your project’s Plugins/ directory
3. If the Plugins/ folder doesn’t exist, create it at the project root
4. Restart Unreal Editor
5. Enable the plugin in Edit → Plugins if not auto-enabled

macOS

1. Extract the downloaded ZIP file
2. Copy the plugin folder to your project’s Plugins/ directory
3. If the Plugins/ folder doesn’t exist, create it at the project root
4. Restart Unreal Editor
5. Enable the plugin in Edit → Plugins if not auto-enabled

Linux

1. Extract the downloaded archive: unzip PluginName.zip
2. Move to Plugins: mv PluginName /path/to/YourProject/Plugins/
3. Ensure proper permissions: chmod -R 755 /path/to/YourProject/Plugins/PluginName
4. Restart Unreal Editor
5. Enable the plugin in Edit → Plugins if not auto-enabled

Method 2: Engine-wide Installation

To make a plugin available across all projects:

1. Navigate to your Unreal Engine installation directory:

   • Windows: C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.x\Engine\Plugins\Marketplace\
   • macOS: /Users/Shared/Epic Games/UE_5.x/Engine/Plugins/Marketplace/

2. Create a folder for the plugin and extract contents there

3. Restart Unreal Editor - the plugin will be available in all projects

Caution

Engine-wide installation requires re-installation when upgrading Unreal Engine versions.

Method 3: Source Build (Ultimate License Only)

Ultimate license holders have access to the full source code via GitHub:

1. Link your GitHub account in your Dashboard Settings

2. Accept the repository invitation from gameDNA

3. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/gamedna/PluginName.git

4. Copy to your project’s Plugins/ directory

5. Generate project files and build

Verification Steps

After installation, verify everything is working:

Check Plugin is Loaded

1. Open Edit → Plugins
2. Search for the plugin name
3. Confirm the checkbox is enabled

Test Basic Functionality

Blueprint

1. Create a new Blueprint Actor
2. In the Event Graph, right-click and search for the plugin’s nodes
3. If nodes appear, the plugin is working correctly

C++

1. Add the plugin module to your Build.cs:

PublicDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string[] {
    "Core",
    "CoreUObject",
    "Engine",
    "PluginName"  // Add this
});

2. Include the plugin header:

#include "PluginName.h"

3. Build the project - if successful, the plugin is working

Check License Status

Open Edit → Project Settings → Plugins → gameDNA [Plugin Name] and verify:

• License Status shows “Active”
• Expiration date (if applicable) is in the future
• Machine ID matches your current machine

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during installation:

Issue	Solution
Plugin not showing in Editor	Ensure it’s in the correct Plugins/ folder and restart
”Module not found” error	Regenerate project files (right-click .uproject → Generate)
License activation fails	Check internet connection and verify key is correct
Version mismatch	Download the version matching your UE version

For more help, see our Troubleshooting Guide or Contact Support.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve installed the plugin:

• Follow the Quick Start Guide for your first implementation
• Read the specific plugin documentation for detailed API reference
• Join our Discord community for tips and support