FAQ
Short answers to the questions we get most. Missing one? Ask us.
General
What is OPAL?
OPAL — O3DE Project Asset Launcher — is a third-party desktop launcher for the Open 3D Engine. It manages engine installations, projects, gems, builds, and downloads in a single app, with drastically improved functionality and UX compared to the stock O3DE Project Manager.
Is OPAL affiliated with the O3DE Foundation?
No. OPAL is an independent project from the O3DM team. It’s built on O3DE, for O3DE users, but it’s not an official O3DE Foundation product.
What does OPAL cost?
OPAL is free to download and use. See the License page for terms.
What platforms does OPAL run on?
Windows 10 21H2+, macOS 12+, and modern Linux distros (Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 38+, current Arch). AppImage, deb, rpm, and Flatpak packages available.
Install & setup
Do I need to install O3DE before OPAL?
No — that’s the whole point. OPAL installs O3DE for you. Download OPAL, open it, pick an engine version, and OPAL handles the rest.
Can OPAL coexist with the stock O3DE Project Manager?
Yes. They share the same project.json format and the same engine manifest. Projects created in one are visible in the other. Engines installed by OPAL are discoverable by the stock tool, and vice versa.
Can I import projects I already have?
Yes. Projects → Import → point at the project folder. OPAL reads the existing project.json and adds it to your list without modifying anything.
Where does OPAL store things?
| What | Default location |
|---|---|
| OPAL config | ~/.opal/ |
| Engines | ~/.opal/engines/ |
| Projects | ~/O3DEProjects/ |
| Gems | ~/.opal/gems/ |
| Repo cache | ~/.opal/cache/repos/ |
All configurable in Settings.
Engines
Can I install multiple O3DE versions?
Yes. Every engine lives in its own folder and is registered independently. Projects pin to specific versions.
Can OPAL manipulate any O3DE version?
Yes. OPAL isn’t tied to a specific engine release. It manages every O3DE version we’ve tested — current stable back through prior releases — and doesn’t care whether you installed the engine binary or built it from source.
Can I build O3DE from source?
Yes. Install Engine → Build from source. OPAL runs the clone, CMake configure, and compile. Source builds are interrupt-safe like every other queue item.
What happens if I delete an engine folder manually?
OPAL detects the mismatch on next launch and surfaces a Missing engine warning on affected projects. From there you can reinstall or re-pin.
Projects
Do projects created with OPAL work with other O3DE tools?
Yes. OPAL writes standard project.json manifests. The O3DE Editor, o3de.py CLI, and stock Project Manager all see your OPAL projects as normal O3DE projects.
Can I have the same project use different engines on different machines?
Yes — OPAL’s config is per-machine. Commit the project to Git; the engine pin is advisory. OPAL prompts to reassign if the pinned engine isn’t installed locally.
Can I use custom CMake flags per project?
Yes. Project → Settings → Build command lets you override the default CMake generator, toolchain file, config, and arbitrary extra args. Save as a preset.
Gems & assets
Where do gems come from?
The canonical O3DE gem registry is enabled by default. You can add any number of additional repositories in Settings → Repositories, including private ones with auth.
Can I install a gem globally and use it in multiple projects?
Yes — shared gem storage is the default. Install once, reference from any project.
Does OPAL edit my project’s project.json?
Only when you explicitly toggle gems via the Gem Editor. OPAL keeps project.json and the Gem CMakeLists in sync automatically.
Downloads & builds
My download was interrupted — did I lose progress?
No. Every download is resume-safe. Partial files are preserved. On next launch (or next network recovery), the download picks up from the last committed byte.
Can I pause a build mid-compile?
Yes. Pause stops the compile process cleanly. Resume restarts from the last incremental step — not from scratch.
How many builds can I run in parallel?
Configurable in Settings → Queues. Defaults to 1 because O3DE builds are RAM-hungry. Workstations with 32 GB+ can comfortably run 2–3.
Can I schedule downloads to run overnight?
Yes. Settings → Queues → Schedule lets you set a time window. OPAL respects it — pauses at window close, resumes at window open. Overnight windows (22:00–07:00) are handled correctly.
Privacy & telemetry
Does OPAL collect telemetry?
Off by default. If you opt in, OPAL collects anonymous crash reports and feature-use stats — nothing else, and nothing tied to you personally. See the Privacy page for the full breakdown.
Does OPAL phone home?
It checks for its own updates (toggleable). It pulls from configured gem repositories and engine release metadata. That’s it.
Getting help
Something’s broken — what do I do?
- Check Troubleshooting
- Ask on Discord
- Contact us directly
How do I request a feature?
Easiest: bring it up on Discord or via the contact form. Most features start as conversations.