Full example engine validation — in progress, 2026-10-06

This record extends the independent core matrix with the complete standalone example project. It does not certify the full product or physical input. UE5.6.1 source/cooked loading/world-entry proof is in LOADING_RUNTIME.md and WORLD_UI_RUNTIME.md. Source assets remain authored on5.6; newer-engine tests use isolated copies and do not upgrade canonical or reference assets.

Isolation and actual versions

python Tools/prepare_engine_example.py --engine 5.7 --milestone W creates Evidence/ExampleChecks/UE57-W;5.8 repair uses UE58-R. Only DistributionPolicy's approved InterfaceForge/example source roots are copied, excluding generated directories, reference projects and deferred inventory. Each SourceReceipt.json records129 copied file hashes. Plugin directory contains only InterfaceForge. The authored copy changes only its uproject Engine Association before build. Cooking subsequently updates two engine-generated FileOpenOrder logs. Logs/ExampleUE57/58-FinalSourcePreservation.json verifies128 other copied files unchanged after loading/compiling/running. No source asset save/upgrade is used for validation. After all cooks, ExampleUE57/58-AfterCookPreservationReady.json verifies126 authored files unchanged and separately records both generated ordering logs. The initial overbroad ExampleUE57-AfterCookPreservation.json assertion is retained as a failed check. DistributionPolicy now excludes FileOpenOrder from future source copies/candidate manifests, retaining existing logs.

Actual installed/logged engines: 5.7.1 CL48512491, 5.8.3 CL58210709. Runtime helpers accept explicit EngineVersion/ProjectPath; loading/world verifiers require the actual LogInit engine version, measured viewport and current flow assertions. Filenames alone do not establish engine version.

Complete source builds and saved Blueprint compilation

Installed-engine Build.bat ForgeExamplesEditor Win64 Development <isolated uproject> -WaitMutex -NoHotReloadFromIDE builds runtime, plugin and sample authoring editor modules. UE57-W succeeds38.71s in Build-Example-UE57-W.log. UE58-R succeeds42.37s in Build-Example-UE58-R.log, with22 compiler warnings (backward include-order deprecation and existing double-to-float initializers); this is not a zero-warning build. All native source links successfully. Existing strict independent core builds retain their separate scope.

Engine UnrealEditor-Cmd <isolated uproject> -run=CompileAllBlueprints -AllowListFile=BlueprintAllowList.txt -unattended -NullRHI -nosplash -ddc=InstalledNoZenLocalFallback -abslog=<unique log> loads and explicitly compiles the23 own saved Blueprint assets (22widgets/oneactor). The allowlist contains full object paths and is relative to the copied project as required by the inspected commandlet. Quote the entire AllowListFile argument in PowerShell. Compile-Example-UE57-W-BlueprintsReady.log and Compile-Example-UE58-R-Blueprints.log each have23 Loading and Compiling markers and0errors/0warnings/0failedloads. No SavePackage occurs. Headless compilation is separate from runtime evidence.

Source runtime

powershell -File Tools/run_loading_reviews.ps1 -Prefix ExampleUE57-Loading -EngineVersion 5.7 -ProjectPath <UE57-W uproject> and analogous5.8/UE58-R run both maps at1280×720/defaults and800×600/150%UI/text.

powershell -File Tools/run_world_reviews.ps1 -Prefix ExampleUE57-World -EngineVersion 5.7 -ProjectPath <UE57-W uproject> and analogous5.8 run both world-entry sizes.

Each actual saved menu/control runs with Win64 DX11 RenderOffscreen, synthetic Slate keyboard and programmatic preference/lifetime setup. All four ExampleUE57-Loading-*-UE57.log, four ExampleUE58-Loading-*-UE58.log, two ExampleUE57-World-*-UE57.log and two ExampleUE58-World-*-UE58.log pass their current verifiers. Loading includes Settings open/scale/cancel, pending/competing/cancel/failure/retry, HUD/pause/resume/return/Back, invalid scope/reentrant clear/root recreation, paused native/custom loaders and modal targets. Deterministic cancellation uses the same fixture-only process cvar; normal completion restores the engine default. World includes actual Ward data/bar/theme changes, old-source isolation, target/title/bar bounds, range, pause/resume/clear/standalone/anchor teardown.

Actual enlarged5.7 loading and world initial captures were reviewed;5.8 world initial was also reviewed with complete labels between the HUD cards. Captures remain under each isolated project's Saved directory; selected copies go in Visual/ExampleUE*. These tests do not exercise every quest/production/journal/settings-remap/audio transaction, every resolution or physical device on the newer engines.

Failures retained and repairs

• Pinned sample BuildSettingsVersion.V5 was incompatible with installed5.7 UnrealEditor's shared build defaults. Build-Example-UE57-WorldEntries.log is retained. Editor/Game targets now use BuildSettingsVersion.Latest, inspected as V5 on installed5.6 and V6 on5.7. No engine setting/environment override. UE5.6 rebuild is up to date in Build-Example-UE56-EngineDefaultTargets.log. Unreal documents engine-default target build settings; future engine versions still require testing.
• Initial nested evidence paths exceeded Windows260-character shared-PCH action paths. Build-Example-UE57-WorldEntriesDefaults.log and both original copies remain. Fresh shorter ExampleChecks paths fix the build without moving references or changing OS settings.
• An unquoted PowerShell allowlist argument split .txt, causing commandlet failure despite exit0. Compile-Example-UE57-W-Blueprints.log is rejected; quoted Ready run requires exact23 compilation count and no errors.
• Full5.8 authoring-module link exposed typed CommonUI UI-action tag references needing a direct GameplayTags dependency. Build-Example-UE58-W.log is retained. The sample editor module now explicitly declares it; fresh UE58-R links successfully. Core was already independent and declared its own dependency.
• Concurrent5.6/5.8 UBT launches collided on shared Log.txt before5.6 compilation. Build-Example-UE56-EditorDependency.log is infrastructure failure; sequential EditorDependencyReady passes3.76s. Prefer sequential builds or explicit per-process UBT logs. Canonical5.6 assets are unchanged.

Exact packages and cooked runtime

Both fresh engine-isolated archives use the installed engine's RunUAT.bat BuildCookRun -project=<isolated project> -noP4 -platform=Win64 -clientconfig=Development -build -cook -stage -pak -archive -archivedirectory=<fresh archive> -map=/Game/Maps/ForgeOutpost+/Game/Maps/ForgePilgrimage -ubtargs=-NoHotReloadFromIDE -ddc=InstalledNoZenLocalFallback -utf8output. Each output was checked inside Evidence/Packages and refused if already present. Exact engine UAT AutomationToolLog.txt and FinalCopyWin64_UFSFiles.txt are preserved in each archive.

Actual engine / archive	Build/cook/stage	Cook command	Saved cook / IoStore packages	Cook errors / warnings	Exact cooked loading / world fixtures
5.7.1 / Packages/ExampleUE57-World	62.85s	22.97s	483 /476	0 /0	4 /2 PASS
5.8.3 / Packages/ExampleUE58-World	100.65s	51.10s	554 /547	0 /0	4 /2 PASS

run_loading_reviews.ps1 -Prefix Packaged-ExampleUE57-Loading -EngineVersion 5.7 -PackagedExecutable <archive>/Windows/ForgeExamples/Binaries/Win64/ForgeExamples.exe and analogous5.8 run the exact inner executable. Four Packaged-ExampleUE57-Loading-*-UE57.log and four Packaged-ExampleUE58-Loading-*-UE58.log pass current actual-engine/viewport/30-flow assertions. Analogous world runs produce two Packaged-ExampleUE57-World-*-UE57.log and two Packaged-ExampleUE58-World-*-UE58.log, all current checks PASS. UE57 source results also rechecked with current actual-engine verifiers in ExampleUE57-CurrentSourceVerifiers.json. All newly launched processes exit; preference previews cancel; no desktop input or setting Apply occurs.

Actual enlarged cooked5.7 Ward and5.8 initial/Ward/loading captures reviewed and copied Visual/ExampleUE57-Cooked-Ward-Enlarged00000.png and ExampleUE58-Cooked-{Initial-Enlarged,Ward-Enlarged,Loading-RPG-Enlarged}00000.png. Complete labels and loading controls fit. Primitive scenes and broad HUD presentation remain development work; these captures do not establish product polish.

ExampleUE57-Boundary.json passes129 then-current copied files/41ownpackages/2654exactstaging targets; ExampleUE58-Boundary.json passes129/41/2329. Different engine content counts are not missing-example evidence; every required own package is explicitly checked. After generated FileOpenOrder exclusion, current source candidate is127 authored files,41ownpackages and the same2329 exact5.8 targets. Boundary detects exact copies/membership/dependency mistakes, not transformed designs or legal clearance. EngineExamples-AfterCookReferencePreservation.json confirms all reference HEAD/status/changed-file and5546UI hashes unchanged. Game Master's bespoke design stays exclusive; no reference package/source is distributed.

Remaining gates

This record covers the WorldEntries sample revision. The later saved Blueprint customization slice adds four assets, a public root registration API and a27-class label; its5.6 source/cooked and independent core results are in CUSTOMIZATION_RUNTIME.md. Old archives/copies here do not validate those later changes. Newer-engine validation of the revised sample is separate.

Last measured InputDevices-EngineExamples.json at17:23:33.667UTC: XInput1.4 four disconnected slots; non-XInput/touch not enumerated. Physical/native device switching, drift/jitter/disconnection/focus/glyph/remap, audio audibility, all other feature regressions on newer engines, long localization/safe areas/split-screen/full Blueprint replacement, broader original presentation polish and optional Mass/performance remain active gates. Win64 DX11 Development evidence only; no console/mobile/Mac/Linux or Shipping runtime claim. UE57-W predates the final explicit sample-editor GameplayTags dependency added for5.8; runtime/core/assets tested are the same. Core remains the separately strict-verified WorldEntries revision. No release/commit/publication; goal ACTIVE.

Current three-engine menu/HUD checkpoint

Current UE57-MH/UE58-MH isolated138-file copies built42.43/65.54s, all28BPs0errorswarningsfailedloads;5.8backend has20C4305 color-literal warnings.40current source/archive verifiers pass for complete both-genre menu/motion/settings-preview/loading/HUD/pause/return, RPG Ward/world/center-tint/host/result/pointer, RTS commands/production and custom Blueprint synthetic gamepad→jitter→pointer→keyboard behind modal/Back/transitions. Four rendered captures reviewed/copied. Fresh exact MenuHierarchyUE57/58 archives84.69/133.87s, cooks35.18/72.28s,481+7=488/552+7=559totals, no cook warning/error lines. Boundary138source46packages5546referencehashes2664/2334stagedtargets passes. Copied137files unchanged except copied association; canonical138hashes preserved after both archives. No canonical/reference upgrade; all processes terminal. See Evidence/MENU_NEWER_ENGINE_RUNTIME.md/MenuHierarchy-NewerExampleSummary.json and condensed PROGRESS.md. Physical controller explicitly deferred; broader gates remain. Next original remap-aware glyph/prompt authoring through CommonInput and usable UI/HUD/scene polish; current sample uses readable key fallback with no authored glyph pack. Goal ACTIVE.