what is a blueprint and why is it a good tool for audio?

One of the skills I've seen people asking for when posting a job in audio is knowing how to use Blueprint in Unreal. The Unreal manual explains it as "complete gameplay scripting system-based". They refer to it as "visual scripting", meaning that although it is programming, instead of typing the code itself, you are visually connecting events and nodes to create pre-conceptualized situations with variables. If you are working in a game, even if you are not programming, everything is based on interaction and logic, so you will inevitably have to solve complex situations concerning game design. Blueprint "provides the ability for designers to use virtually the full range of concepts and tools generally only available to programmers". Clearly, it's a good tool for audio designers, so we don't have to depend on knowing C++ at all. (Concerning that, if you do know C++, you can open up the code that blueprints are made of and edit it). In a way, Blueprints have the same intent as middlewares; they allow you to create and experiment with interactive and dynamic systems without knowing how to code. Saying that, I still think you have to have a “coder mind” to use this tools.

There are two types of blueprint: levels and classes. Each level has only one blueprint for controlling level-related systems like checkpoints. Blueprint classes can be a part of the blueprint level. Classes can trigger events and set variables; for example, pushing a button will open a door and play a sound effect. I hope to post a video with I’ve been learning in my next post.

Refs:

https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/courses/QGD/unreal-engine-blueprint-essential-concepts/P7L/unreal-engine-introduction-to-blueprint-essential-concepts

https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/ProgrammingAndScripting/Blueprints/

Cheers, :)