build: per-UE-version plugin packaging script + prebuilt-zip docs

README.md

@@ -117,12 +117,18 @@ expose, an optional C++ helper (`MCPythonHelper`) is available. Full details in
 
 **Option A: Download from GitHub Releases (Recommended)**
 
-Download the latest zip from [Releases](https://github.com/GenOrca/unreal-mcp/releases) and extract it anywhere. Then copy `Plugins/UnrealMCPython/` into your project's `Plugins/` folder:
+Each [release](https://github.com/GenOrca/unreal-mcp/releases) ships two kinds of plugin asset — pick whichever fits:
+
+- **`UnrealMCPython_<engine>_<version>.zip`** (e.g. `UnrealMCPython_5.7_2.2.0.zip`) — **precompiled** for that exact UE version. No C++ toolchain required; just drop it in.
+- **`UnrealMCPython-v<version>.zip`** — **source only** (the CI release pipeline runs on Linux and does not compile the C++ module). Unreal builds the module on first open, which needs a C++ toolchain.
+
+Extract, then copy `Plugins/UnrealMCPython/` into your project's `Plugins/` folder:
 
 ```
 YourProject/
 └── Plugins/
     └── UnrealMCPython/
+        ├── Binaries/   (precompiled zip only)
         ├── Source/
         ├── Content/
         └── UnrealMCPython.uplugin
@@ -131,7 +137,7 @@ YourProject/
 Keep the `mcp-server/` folder from the zip in a convenient location — you'll need its path in Step 3.
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> The release zip ships the plugin as **source** (no precompiled binary — the release pipeline runs on Linux and does not build the C++ module). On first open, Unreal offers to build the `UnrealMCPython` module for you; this needs a C++ toolchain (on Windows, Visual Studio with the "Game development with C++" workload). Binaries are engine-version-specific, so source distribution keeps the plugin portable across UE versions.
+> Precompiled binaries are engine-version-specific. If there's no `_<your engine>_` zip for your version, use the source zip and let Unreal compile it on first open (Windows: Visual Studio with the "Game development with C++" workload). Maintainers build the per-version binaries locally with `tools/build-plugin.ps1` (the CI pipeline can't — GitHub-hosted runners have no Unreal Engine).
 
 **Option B: Install from [Fab](https://fab.com/s/aed5f75d50b2)**
 

tools/build-plugin.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+<#
+.SYNOPSIS
+  Package UnrealMCPython as a precompiled binary plugin for one UE version, via RunUAT BuildPlugin.
+
+.DESCRIPTION
+  Produces a distributable zip (UnrealMCPython/ with Binaries + Source + Content + .uplugin)
+  named UnrealMCPython_<engineLabel>_<pluginVersion>.zip. Run once per UE version on a machine
+  that has that engine installed — the same model KawaiiPhysics uses for its per-version releases.
+  GitHub-hosted CI cannot do this (no Unreal Engine on the runner), so this is a local build step.
+
+.EXAMPLE
+  ./tools/build-plugin.ps1 -UeRoot "C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.7"
+  ./tools/build-plugin.ps1 -UeRoot "C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.8" -EngineLabel 5.8
+
+  Then attach the zip to a release:
+  gh release upload v2.2.0 .\Saved\PluginBuild\UnrealMCPython_5.7_2.2.0.zip
+#>
+param(
+    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$UeRoot,
+    [string]$EngineLabel = "",
+    [string]$OutDir = ""
+)
+$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+
+$repo    = (Resolve-Path "$PSScriptRoot\..").Path
+$uplugin = Join-Path $repo "Plugins\UnrealMCPython\UnrealMCPython.uplugin"
+$runuat  = Join-Path $UeRoot "Engine\Build\BatchFiles\RunUAT.bat"
+if (-not (Test-Path $runuat))  { throw "RunUAT.bat not found at $runuat" }
+if (-not (Test-Path $uplugin)) { throw ".uplugin not found at $uplugin" }
+if (-not $OutDir) { $OutDir = Join-Path $repo "Saved\PluginBuild" }
+
+# plugin version from the .uplugin
+$ver = ([regex]'"VersionName"\s*:\s*"([^"]+)"').Match((Get-Content $uplugin -Raw)).Groups[1].Value
+if (-not $ver) { throw "Could not read VersionName from $uplugin" }
+# engine label: explicit, else derived from the UE_x.y folder name
+if (-not $EngineLabel) { $EngineLabel = (Split-Path $UeRoot -Leaf) -replace '^UE_', '' }
+
+$pkg = Join-Path $OutDir "UnrealMCPython"
+if (Test-Path $pkg) { Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $pkg }
+New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $OutDir | Out-Null
+
+Write-Host "Building UnrealMCPython $ver for UE $EngineLabel ..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
+& $runuat BuildPlugin -Plugin="$uplugin" -Package="$pkg" -TargetPlatforms=Win64 -Rocket
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "RunUAT BuildPlugin failed (exit $LASTEXITCODE)" }
+
+# Intermediate is build scratch — not needed in the distributed plugin.
+Remove-Item -Recurse -Force (Join-Path $pkg "Intermediate") -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+
+$zip = Join-Path $OutDir "UnrealMCPython_${EngineLabel}_${ver}.zip"
+if (Test-Path $zip) { Remove-Item -Force $zip }
+Compress-Archive -Path $pkg -DestinationPath $zip
+Write-Host "BUILT: $zip" -ForegroundColor Green