Set up the AWS GameKit plugin for your game

Before you can use the AWS GameKit plugin to build and maintain your game's AWS Cloud-based services, you must set up your game project with an AWS GameKit configuration and an AWS account.

Note

If you've already created an AWS GameKit configuration for your game, you cannot create a second, concurrent configuration.

To set up your AWS GameKit configuration

1. In the Unreal Editor toolbar, open Edit, Project Settings and go to the AwsGameKit plugin section.

2. Expand Environment and Credentials.

   

3. Do either of the following:

   • To create a new configuration, enter a new Game title. The game title string must be all lowercase alphanumeric characters. It cannot contain spaces or special characters.

     AWS GameKit uses the game title in the names of components for your game project. This includes a configuration folder, which is stored locally with your game project files, and every AWS resource that you deploy for this game project.

     Warning

     Avoid using the following strings in your game title, as they can cause issues when creating the backend services for your game:

     • aws

     • amazon

     You cannot change the game title after you've submitted it and begun to work with game features. If you need to change a game title later, you must delete the entire AWS GameKit configuration for your game, including all backend services, and start a new configuration.

   • To use a previously created configuration, choose Locate an existing GameKit configuration. Then browse to your game project files and search for the AWS GameKit configuration folder.

   In future sessions, the AWS GameKit plugin automatically enters the last used game title.

4. Choose an Environment to work in. You can select a default environment (Development, Testing, or Production) or create a custom environment.

   In future sessions, the AWS GameKit plugin automatically selects the last used environment. You can switch environments at any time.

   The AWS GameKit configuration for your game project maintains separate sets of information for each environment. When you select an environment to work in, the AWS GameKit plugin loads the game feature settings and AWS deployments for the selected environment.

5. For the selected environment, choose an AWS Region where you want to place resources for your game backend. Each environment can deploy resources to only one Region.

   Choose a region that makes the most sense for the environment. For example, you might place Development environment resources to be geographically near the development team, but place Production resources close to your players. To verify region support for the game features you want to add, see AWS GameKit supported AWS Regions.

   In future sessions, the AWS GameKit plugin automatically uses the Region for whichever environment you select.

6. Under AWS account credentials, enter your two-part AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) user access key. This key includes an Access key ID and a Secret access key. These credentials uniquely identify your unique IAM user in an AWS account. For details, see Get your AWS security credentials.

   Important

   Your IAM user must have access permissions in order to work with the AWS resources for your game backend. If you don't have these permissions, you can successfully submit your user credentials in the AWS GameKit plugin, but you won't be able to create, redeploy, or delete AWS resources for the game features. For details, see Set up AWS account for AWS GameKit.

   If you already have the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) installed and configured with the same credentials, the AWS GameKit plugin automatically recognizes those credentials and uses them.

7. Optionally, select Store my credentials to save your AWS account credentials on the current device for use in future sessions. If you choose not to save your credentials, you must re-enter them at the start of each session in the plugin and whenever you switch environments. For questions about security with the AWS GameKit plugin, see Securing credentials with the AWS GameKit plugin.

   The AWS GameKit plugin stores credentials locally in a text file in your home directory C:\Users\<user ID>\.aws\credentials. Each set of saved credentials is associated with a game title and environment. This means that you can use different credentials with each environment, which is useful for teams that tightly control access to a game's AWS resources.

8. Choose Submit to create a new AWS GameKit configuration and set the active environment.

   In the future, when you open this game project in the Unreal Editor, the AWS GameKit plugin automatically selects the last used game title, environment, region, and credentials (if you stored them). You can switch environments or credentials at any time in the project settings for AWS GameKit, Environment and Credentials.