Recommendation
Use a Level Instance for an editable repeated group of Actors, a Packed Level Blueprint for a dense static visual assembly, and a Blueprint Actor for a reusable interactive object with one Actor identity.
Compare the options
Level Instance
Choose when
- A point of interest or gameplay setup contains several Actors.
- The assembly must be edited in context and repeated as a sublevel.
- Changes need to propagate to every placed instance.
Tradeoffs
- Runtime behavior depends on World Partition and One File Per Actor mode.
- Non-OFPA Level Streaming mode adds runtime level cost.
- Blueprint
- Create and place a Level Instance Actor, then edit the instance in context.
- C++
- Use ALevelInstance and the Level Instance APIs.
Packed Level Blueprint
Choose when
- The assembly is a dense arrangement of static meshes.
- Rendering efficiency matters more than independent Actor behavior.
- The static assembly repeats throughout the world.
Tradeoffs
- Packed Level Blueprints target static visual setups.
- They are not a general container for arbitrary independent gameplay behavior.
- Blueprint
- Create a Packed Level Blueprint from selected Actors and place Packed Level Actors.
- C++
- Use the Packed Level Actor and Packed Level Blueprint framework types.
Blueprint Actor
Choose when
- The assembly is one reusable gameplay object.
- It needs components, construction logic, functions, or replication.
- One Actor should own the lifecycle.
Tradeoffs
- Large scene arrangements become cumbersome component hierarchies.
- Editing is asset-centric instead of level-in-context.
- Blueprint
- Create an Actor Blueprint with components and a Construction Script.
- C++
- Derive from AActor and create the required default subobjects.
Requirements
All three options are built into Engine. Level Instances work outside World Partition, but they do not receive automatic streaming management there.
Example
Use a Level Instance for a reusable house with props and gameplay Actors, a Packed Level Blueprint for a repeated static structure shell, and a Blueprint Actor for an interactive elevator.