Player Start, Game Mode, and Testing Your Level

How a Level Becomes “Playable”: Map, GameMode, Pawn/Character, Player Start

In Unreal Engine, a “playable level” is the result of a few systems working together. Understanding their relationship makes it much easier to fix spawning and control problems.

Think of it like this: When you press Play, Unreal loads the Map, applies that map’s GameMode, the GameMode chooses a Default Pawn/Character, and the engine spawns it at a Player Start (or a fallback location if none is valid).

Common beginner confusion

• “I placed a character in the level, why don’t I control it?” Because the GameMode may be spawning a different pawn and possessing that instead.
• “I have a Player Start but I spawn somewhere else.” The Player Start might be blocked by collision, inside geometry, or otherwise invalid, so the engine chooses a fallback spawn.

Step-by-Step: Place a Player Start Correctly

1) Add a Player Start actor

• In the Place Actors panel, search for Player Start.
• Drag it into your level.

2) Position and orient it

• Move it to a clear, flat area where the player should begin.
• Make sure it is above the floor slightly (so the capsule doesn’t intersect the ground).
• Rotate it so the arrow points in the direction you want the player to face.

3) Quick validation checks

• Ensure the Player Start is not inside walls, props, or the floor.
• Leave enough space around it for a character capsule (roughly human-sized clearance).

Step-by-Step: Choose What the Player Controls (Default Pawn/Character)

You can use a template character (recommended for beginners) or a basic pawn. The key is setting it as the Default Pawn Class in the active GameMode.

Option A: Use the template character (fastest)

If your project was created from a template (First Person / Third Person), you already have a working Character Blueprint with movement and camera.

• Open Project Settings → Maps & Modes.
• Under Default Modes, find Default GameMode.
• Set it to your template GameMode (often already set).
• Expand the GameMode settings (or open the GameMode Blueprint) and confirm Default Pawn Class is set to the template character (for example, a ThirdPersonCharacter blueprint).

Option B: Set a GameMode override per map (useful when you have multiple maps)

Each map can override the project default GameMode.

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• Open the map you are working on.
• Go to World Settings.
• Under GameMode, set GameMode Override to the one you want for this map.
• Confirm the override’s Default Pawn Class is correct.

Option C: Use a basic Pawn (minimal, but requires setup)

A plain Pawn does not automatically include character movement like walking/jumping. If you choose this route, you must ensure it has a movement component and input bindings. For a first playable test, a template Character is usually the best choice because it removes setup variables.

Confirm Movement Works (Your First Play Test)

1) Use “Play” in the editor

• Click Play (Selected Viewport is fine).
• You should spawn at the Player Start and be able to move with the template controls (for example, WASD + mouse look).

2) If you can’t move, check possession and input

• Verify the correct GameMode is active for the map (World Settings override vs Project Settings).
• Verify Default Pawn Class is your intended Character/Pawn.
• If you placed a character manually in the level, ensure it is set to be possessed (advanced), or simply rely on GameMode spawning the default pawn for now.

Essential Testing Habits (So You Don’t Waste Time)

Play vs Simulate

• Play: Spawns the player pawn and runs the game loop as a player experience. Use this to test movement, spawn, collision, and camera.
• Simulate: Runs physics and ticking without automatically possessing a player pawn. Use this to observe physics objects, falling props, or AI behavior without “being” the character.

Beginner tip: if you press Simulate and “nothing happens” from a player perspective, that’s normal—you may not be controlling a pawn.

“Play From Here” (fast iteration)

Instead of always spawning at Player Start, you can test a specific area quickly.

• In the viewport, right-click where you want to begin.
• Choose Play From Here.

Use this to test a jump, doorway clearance, or a corridor without running from the start every time.

Test in small loops

• Make one change (move Player Start, adjust collision, tweak a ramp).
• Press Play and verify.
• Only then move on to the next change.

Troubleshooting Common “My Level Isn’t Playable” Issues

Problem: Spawning under the floor or falling forever

Likely causes: Player Start is intersecting the floor, floor has no collision, or you’re spawning on a non-colliding mesh.

• Move the Player Start upward slightly so it is clearly above the floor.
• Click the floor mesh and verify it has collision enabled (in its collision settings). If you used a mesh that is purely visual, it may not block the player.
• Check that you didn’t accidentally place the Player Start above a gap or outside the playable area.

Problem: Spawning somewhere unexpected (not at Player Start)

Likely causes: Player Start is blocked by geometry, too close to a wall, or otherwise invalid.

• Ensure the Player Start is in open space and not overlapping any mesh.
• Remove clutter near the Player Start and test again.
• If you have multiple Player Starts, the engine may choose one based on validity; temporarily keep only one while debugging.

Problem: Can’t move, or movement feels “stuck”

Likely causes: Wrong pawn spawned, collision blocking the capsule, or you’re in Simulate.

• Confirm you clicked Play, not Simulate.
• Verify the active GameMode and Default Pawn Class.
• Check if the character is spawning inside a blocking mesh (move Player Start to a wide open area and retest).

Problem: Collision blocking (can’t pass through a doorway, snagging on edges)

Likely causes: Doorway is too narrow for the character capsule, collision on decorative meshes is too “thick,” or small props have blocking collision.

• Widen the doorway or test with a larger clearance than you think you need.
• Temporarily disable collision on small decorative props to see if they are the culprit.
• Prefer simple collision for environment pieces that the player walks around.

Problem: Scene is too dark when you press Play

Likely causes: Exposure differences in play mode, missing/incorrect post process settings, or the player camera has different exposure behavior.

• Test by adding a temporary bright light or increasing intensity to confirm it’s an exposure/lighting visibility issue rather than missing geometry.
• If you use a Post Process Volume, ensure it affects the whole playable area (or is unbound if appropriate).
• Compare how it looks in the viewport vs in Play; adjust exposure settings so gameplay matches your intended look.

Pre-Interaction Playability Checklist

Use this checklist before you start adding pickups, doors, triggers, or objectives. It ensures your foundation is solid.

• Spawn: Player spawns at the intended location (Player Start) consistently.
• Facing: Player faces the correct direction on spawn.
• Movement: Walk, look around, and (if applicable) jump without getting stuck.
• Collision: Floors block the player; walls block the player; doorways and corridors have enough clearance.
• No accidental traps: No invisible blockers, tiny props, or edges that snag the character.
• Lighting visibility: The player can see where to go; the scene is not unexpectedly too dark in Play mode.
• Test tools: You can use Play From Here to quickly test different areas; you understand when to use Simulate vs Play.
• Map settings: Correct GameMode is active for this map (World Settings override checked).
• Pawn selection: Default Pawn/Character is the one you expect (template character recommended for first tests).