Which Unreal Engine Build Configuration Should You Use for Pixel Streaming?

Use a Development build while you are still testing, and switch to Shipping only when you no longer expect to need logs. That is the short answer to the Unreal Engine build configuration question for pixel streaming on Eagle 3D Streaming.

The choice matters more than it looks. A Shipping build runs faster and ships smaller, but it removes the logging you need to find a fault. This guide explains the trade-off and shows how to get logs back when you need them.

What is an Unreal Engine build configuration?

A build configuration tells Unreal how to compile your project. Epic's build configuration reference lists five:

Eagle 3D Streaming's Unreal notes cover two of these, Development and Shipping, because those are the two you will choose between in practice.

Development vs Shipping for pixel streaming

The Eagle docs describe the difference in one line each:

The same page calls logging removal "the trade." In other words, you gain speed and lose visibility. For that reason, the docs advise you to move to Shipping only when you no longer expect to need the logs.

Why logs matter on a streaming platform

When your app crashes on a remote machine, you cannot open a console and look. The log is often the only record of what went wrong. If you packaged Shipping too early, you will have a crash and nothing to read.

Eagle 3D Streaming offers three ways to see what Unreal reported, according to the Developer options doc:

• Print UE log in browser console. You watch the log live in the browser's developer console. It suits problems you can reproduce on your own machine.
• Auto-Download UE Crash Log. It saves a file to the viewer's device on a crash. The doc marks this option "not working at present," so do not rely on it.
• Email To Send Log Upon App Crash. It sends the log to an address you choose. It is the only option that works when the crash happens in someone else's session. Turn it on before you need it.

Our guide to getting Unreal Engine crash logs automatically walks through the email setup, and the Developer options feature page gives an overview.

All three options need a build that actually writes a log. A Shipping build does not, unless you prepare it.

Can you add logs to a Shipping build later?

No. The Shipping logs doc states that logs cannot be added to a Shipping build after it is packaged. They are compiled out, not switched off.

To get them back, you must:

1. Set bUseLoggingInShipping = true; in your project's <Project>.Target.cs.
2. Package Shipping again.

There is a catch. This flag needs its own build environment, so it builds only against Unreal's source engine from GitHub. Switching your project to the source engine and regenerating the solution takes real time. The doc calls it "a day's work, not a setting."

When you run that build on your own machine, the log lands in your user folder instead of next to the build: %LOCALAPPDATA%\<Project>\Saved\Logs.

A simple rule for choosing

1. Still diagnosing? Package Development. It is slower, but it keeps the logging and tooling you need.
2. Stable and ready to release? Package Shipping for the fastest, smallest build.
3. Need Shipping speed and logs? Plan for the source engine and bUseLoggingInShipping, and budget the time.

Test builds sit between the two in Epic's reference. The Eagle docs do not cover Test builds, so check a Test build locally before you upload it. Our post on testing pixel streaming locally shows how, and the browser testing doc lists the steps.

Where build choices connect to the rest of your workflow

• Packaging errors. A build that fails to package or run often has a cause outside the configuration. See 5 UE5 packaging mistakes that break your pixel stream.
• Works in the editor, fails when packaged. Read why your UE5 game runs fine in PIE, then dies when packaged.
• Upload. Both upload methods accept any packaged build. The Prepare your app doc and the Unreal Editor upload doc cover them. The Automation Tools plugin lets you pick Development or Shipping, and it suggests Development until one upload succeeds.
• Performance. If your goal is a faster stream, start with the Optimise your app doc and our performance optimization guide.

FAQ

Which Unreal Engine build configuration is best for pixel streaming?

Development while you are building and diagnosing, and Shipping once you are confident you will not need logs. The Eagle docs recommend moving to Shipping "when you no longer expect to need the logs, not before."

Is a Shipping build faster than a Development build?

Yes. The Eagle docs describe Shipping as the fastest and smallest, and Development as slower.

Does a Development build still print logs?

Yes. The Eagle docs say Development keeps the logging and tooling you need to find a fault.

Can I enable logging in a Shipping build after packaging?

No. You must set bUseLoggingInShipping = true; in your project's Target.cs file and package again. This needs Unreal's source engine.

How do I get a crash log when a viewer's session crashes?

Turn on Email To Send Log Upon App Crash in Developer options before the crash happens. It is the only log option that works for someone else's session.

What about DebugGame and Test builds?

Epic's reference describes both. The Eagle docs do not cover them, so test them locally before you upload.

Choose the Unreal Engine build configuration that fits your stage

Package Development while you test, turn on the crash-log email, and move to Shipping when the app is stable. Switching too early costs you the one record you need when something breaks.

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Sources

• Eagle 3D Streaming docs: Unreal notes
• Eagle 3D Streaming docs: Enable logs in a Shipping build
• Eagle 3D Streaming docs: Developer options
• Epic Games: Build configurations reference for Unreal Engine