001 GetStarted EditorManual PDF

I.
Get Started with UE4
Level Designer Quickstart

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology
II. Unreal Editor Manual
Unreal Editor Interface

Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Unreal Game Projects
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Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Engine 4 Documentation

Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers
Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Get Started with UE4

Unreal Editor Manual
Unreal Engine 4.9
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting

Starting Out
Programming Guide
Platform Development
Samples and Tutorials
Release Notes
Site Map
New and Updated Resources

Level Designer Quick Start Artist Quick Start Programming Quick Start
Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers Tools and Editors
Additional Information
Required Hardware and Software
Release Notes
Editor Basics
A Project is a self-contained unit that holds all the content and code that make up an individual game and coincides with a set of
directories on your disk. For example, in the image below the Hierarchy Tree of the Content Browser contains the same directory
structure found inside your Project folder on your disk.
Click image for full view.
Although a Project is often referenced by the .uproject file associated with it, they are two separate files that exist alongside each other.
The .uproject is a reference file used to create, open, or save a file, whereas the Project contains all of the files and folders associated
with it.
You can create any number of different Projects which can all be maintained and developed in parallel. Both the Engine (and Editor)
can easily switch between them which will allow you to work on multiple games at once or have several test projects in addition to your
main game Project.
In Unreal Editor, the scenes in which you create your game experience are generally referred to as Levels. You can think of a level as a
3D environment into which you place a series of objects and geometry to define the world your players will experience. Any object that
is placed in your world, be it a light, a mesh, or a character, is considered to be an Actor. Technically speaking, Actor is a programming
class used within the Unreal Engine to define an object that has 3D position, rotation, and scale data. For sake of ease, however, it will
be easiest to think of an Actor as any object that can be placed in your levels.
Level Designer Quick Start
Level Editor Walkthrough
Level Editor Toolbar
Related Videos
Intro to the UE4 Editor (v4.7)

Editor Viewports
The Viewports are your window into the worlds you create in Unreal. They can be navigated just as you would in a game, or can be
used in a more schematic design sense as you would for an architectural blueprint. The Unreal Editor viewports contain a variety of
tools and visualizers to help you see exactly the data you need.
Viewport Basics
Viewport Controls
Editor Modes
The Modes panel contains a selection of various tool modes for the Editor. These change the primary behavior of the Level Editor for a
specialized task, such as placing new assets into the world, creating geometry brushes and volumes, painting on meshes, generating
foliage, and sculpting landscapes.
Level Editor Modes
Actors & Geometry

At its most basic level, creating levels boils down to placing items in a map inside Unreal Editor. These items may be world geometry,
decorations in the form of Brushes, Static Meshes, lights, player starts, weapons, or vehicles. Which items are added when is usually
defined by the particular workflow used by the level design team.
Placing Actors
Geometry Actors
Transforming Actors
Related Videos
Introduction to UE4 Level

Creation (v4.7)
Content Browser
The Content Browser is the primary area of the Unreal Editor for creating, importing, organizing, viewing, and modifying content assets
within Unreal Editor. It also provides the ability to manage content folders and perform other useful operations on assets, such as
renaming, moving, copying, and viewing references. The Content Browser can search for and interact with all assets in the game.
Artist Quick Start
Assets and Packages
Content Browser
Lighting
Lighting your scenes is accomplished using Light Actors that act as light sources and contain properties to determine the characteristics
of the light, such as:
How bright the light is

What color the light is
There are also different kinds of lights that emit light in different ways. For example, a standard light bulb emits light in all directions. In
Unreal Engine, this is called a point light. In other circumstances, the light emitted is physically limited by making the back of the bulb
opaque, such as with a flood light. This would be a spot light. Outdoor lighting from the sun - because it is located so far away -
appears to come more from a direction instead of from a single location. To simulate this type of lighting, a directional light is available.
Lighting Quick Start Guide
Lighting Basics
Materials & Shading

A Material is an asset that can be applied to a mesh to control the visual look of the scene. At a high level, it is probably easiest to think
of a Material as the "paint" that is applied to an object. But even that can be a little misleading, since a Material literally defines the type
of surface from which your object appears to be made. You can define its color, how shiny it is, whether you can see through the
object, and much more.
In more technical terms, when light from the scene hits the surface, a Material is used to calculate how that light interacts with that
surface. These calculations are done using incoming data that is input to the Material from a variety of images (textures) and math
expressions, as well as from various property settings inherent to the Material itself.
Unreal Engine 4 utilizes a physically-based shading model. This means that rather than defining a Material using arbitrary properties
(such as Diffuse Color and Specular Power), you instead use properties more easily relatable to the real world. These include Base
Color, Metallic, Specular, and Roughness.
Essential Material Concepts
Related Videos
Introduction to Materials in
UE4

The Blueprints Visual Scripting system in Unreal Engine is a complete gameplay scripting system based on the concept of using a
node-based interface to create gameplay elements from within Unreal Editor. This system is extremely flexible and powerful as it
provides the ability for designers to use virtually the full range of concepts and tools generally only available to programmers.
Introduction to Blueprints
Related Videos
Introduction to Blueprints
(v4.8)
Programming
Implementing gameplay and modifying the engine are essential aspects of any game project. Unreal Engine gives you the ability to
implement gameplay through code or visually using Blueprints or even create a plugin that modifies or extends the engine and editor to
add completely custom functionality for designers or artists to use.
Programming Quick Start
Programming Basics
Learn About the Game Framework
Related Videos
3rd Person Power-Up Game

with C++
Playtest Your Game

Test and debug your levels and gameplay using Unreal Engine's built-in features. Get real-time feedback directly in the editor using
Play In Editor mode, and even inspect and manipulate the objects in the game while it is running using Simulate In Editor mode. Make
changes to gameplay code, recompile, and update the game during play using Hot Reload.
In-Editor Testing (Play & Simulate)
Platforms
iOS Quick Start
Android Quick Start
Oculus Rift Quick Start
Full Topic Index

2004-2015, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Unreal and its logo are Epics trademarks or registered trademarks in the US and
elsewhere.
English
Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Editor Manual

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport Level Designer Quick Start

3 - Create a New Level
Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
4 - Placing Actors in the Level
5 - Editing Placed Actors

Prerequisite Topics

This page assumes you have prior knowledge of the following topics. Please read them before proceeding.
6 - Running the Build Process
Installing Unreal Engine
7 - On Your Own!
Project Browser
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
At the end of this guide, you'll have a room similar to the one pictured above.
Goals
The focus of the Unreal Editor Quick Start Guide is to walk you through the basics of working with Unreal Engine 4.
Objectives
After going through this tutorial, developers will know the following:
How to navigate viewports.

How to create a new level.
How to place and edit actors in levels.
How to build and run levels.
Steps
1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport
7 - On Your Own!
Click to Start
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.
TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

English
Level Designer Quick Start Level Designer Quick Start

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport 1 - Required Setup

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9

Previous Step Quick Start Home Next Step
7 - On Your Own!
Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers Before we get started, the first thing that we will need to do is create a Project to work from for the duration of this guide. In the steps below
Unreal Engine 4 Terminology we will use Unreal Engine 4's Project Browser to create our project. After completing this step, you will have a Template that you can build
Unreal Editor Manual onto for your future projects.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide Steps

Programming Guide 1. After Installing Unreal Engine and launching the Unreal Editor, you will first be presented with the Project Browser.
2. Click the New Project tab and select the Blank Blueprint Template, enter a Save Location and Name, then click Create Project.
Release Notes
Site Map
The New Project tab is where you can create new projects based off several different template types while the Projects tab contains
any previously created projects or samples that you have downloaded.
End Result
After creating your project, once the Unreal Editor has finished loading, you will be presented with the Main Editor Interface as shown below.
In the next step, we will cover the basic controls for navigating the Viewports inside the Unreal Editor.

Related Topics
Project Browser
Full Topic Index

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English

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport 2 - Navigating the Viewport

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9

7 - On Your Own!
Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers With the project open and ready to go, the first thing you may notice is the Viewport in the center of the Unreal Editor.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Inside the Viewport is where you will do most of your level construction. The template project that we selected in the previous step includes
a small sample Level and some assets for us to get us started with. Using this little area as a point of reference, take a moment to get used
to the Viewport Camera Controls by using the most common methods of navigating the Viewport in Unreal Engine 4.
Standard Controls
These controls represent the default behavior when clicking and dragging in the viewports with no other keys or buttons pressed. These are
also the only controls that can be used to navigate the orthographic viewports.

Control
Action
Perspective
LMB + Drag
Moves the camera forward and backward and rotates left and right.
RMB + Drag
Rotates the viewport camera.
LMB + RMB + Drag

Moves up and down.
Orthographic (Top, Front, Side)
LMB + Drag
Creates a marquee selection box.
RMB + Drag
Pans the viewport camera.
LMB + RMB + Drag

Zooms the viewport camera in and out.
Focusing
F
Focuses the camera on the selected object. This is essential to make the most out of tumbling the camera.
To switch to an Orthographic View, click the Perspective drop-down then select an Orthographic View Mode.
WASD Fly Controls

All of these controls are only valid in a Perspective viewport, and by default you must hold RMB to use the WASD game-style controls.

Control
Action
W | Numpad8 | Up
Moves the camera forward.
S | Numpad2 | Down
Moves the camera backward.
A | Numpad4 | Left
Moves the camera left.
D | Numpad6 | Right
Moves the camera right.
E | Numpad9 | Page Up
Moves the camera up.
Q | Numpad7 | Page Dn
Moves the camera down.
Z | Numpad1
Zooms the camera out (raises FOV).
C | Numpad3
Zooms the camera in (lowers FOV).
Orbit, Dolly, and Track

Unreal Editor supports Maya-style pan, orbit, and zoom viewport controls, making it much easier for Maya artists to jump into the tool. If you
are unfamiliar, here is a breakdown of the keys:
Command
Description
Alt + LMB + Drag

Tumbles the viewport around a single pivot or point of interest.
Alt + RMB + Drag

Dollies (zooms) the camera toward and away from a single pivot or point of interest.
Alt + MMB + Drag

Tracks the camera left, right, up, and down in the direction of mouse movement.
End Result
You should now have an understanding of the different methods you can use to navigate the Viewport and have found one that you are
comfortable with using to move the camera around in the level. You will be moving the camera around quite a bit as you are building your
levels, so feel free to switch between the different methods at any point to get the precision that you need.
In the Next Step, we will create a New Level so that we can build our own sample area and start populating it with assets.

Related Topics
Editor Viewports
Levels
Viewport Controls
Full Topic Index

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English

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport 3 - Create a New Level

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9

7 - On Your Own!
Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers Next we will create a new Level that we will use to build our game environment in. While there are several different ways in which you can
Unreal Engine 4 Terminology create a new Level, we will use the most common method by using the Content Browser which is used to create several different types of
Unreal Editor Manual assets inside the Unreal Editor.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide Steps

Programming Guide 1. Inside the Unreal Editor, locate the Content Browser window and click the Add New Button then select the Level asset.
Release Notes
Site Map
This will open the New Level dialog window:
Above, the Default level includes some of the commonly used assets for constructing levels while Empty Level is a completely blank
level with no assets. For the purposes of this guide we are going to start from scratch with a completely blank slate.
2. Click the Empty Level to select it.
End Result
The level will be created and ready to populate with visual and gameplay related assets to construct our playable environment.
In the next step, we will begin adding assets and building out our environment.

Related Topics
Levels
Content Browser
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport 4 - Placing Actors in the Level

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9

7 - On Your Own!
Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers In this step we will begin placing Actors (which are things like lights or geometry for example) into our empty level. We will cover the two
Unreal Engine 4 Terminology most common ways of adding Actors to the level, one of which is through Place Mode and the other is through the Content Browser. After
Unreal Editor Manual completing this step, you will know how to place Actors inside your own levels and can begin manipulating those Actors to create your
Engine Features environment.
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Steps

Programming Guide
Platform Development 1. In the Modes Panel, with Place Mode enabled, click the BSP category and select the Box.
Release Notes
Site Map
2. Left-click and drag the Box into the Level Viewport.
Upon releasing the Left Mouse Button, the Box will be added to the level.
3. With the Box still selected, in the Details panel (lower-right window of the editor), set Location and Rotation all to 0.
4. Set the Scale to 4 x 4 x 0.1.
We will use this as the floor in which the player can walk around on.
5. In the Modes Panel select the Lights tab, then drag-and-drop a Directional Light into the level on top of the floor.
6. On the on the Translation Tool, click and drag the Z-Axis (Blue) gizmo up away from the surface of the floor.
If the Directional Light becomes unselected, you can re-select it by Left-clicking on it in the Level Viewport.
7. In the Modes Panel, select the Visual Effects tab and drag-and-drop an Atmospheric Fog to the level.
The Atmospheric Fog Actor will add a basic sky to the level and the level will become illuminated instead of dark.
8. From the Modes Panel on the Basic tab, drag-and-drop a Player Start into the level.
9. From the Modes Panel on the Volumes tab, drag-and-drop a Lightmass Importance Volume into the level.
The Lightmass Importance Volume is used to control and concentrate lighting and shadowing affects within the volume. When
placing the Lightmass Importance Volume in the level, the default size of the volume does not cover our playable area so we will
need to scale it up.
10. Inside the Level Viewport, press R to switch to the Scale Tool.
11. Click and drag the white box in the center of the Scale Tool so that the Lightmass Importance Volume encapsulates the floor.
12. Inside the Content Browser under Content > StarterContent > Props, drag-and-drop the SM_TableRound into the level.
Try to place the table in the center of the floor using the Move Tool (Keyboard Shortcut W if it is not selected).
13. Also under Content > StarterContent > Props, drag-and-drop the SM_Chair into the level.
14. With the SM_Chair selected inside the Level Viewport, press E to access the Rotation Tool.
15. Left-click and drag the Blue axis arc (the gizmo will update to show degrees) and rotate the chair to face the table.
16. Using the placement methods above, create a small scene by adding more Actors from the Modes Panel and Content Browser.
Try adding some lights, props, walls and a roof (found under the Content > StarterContent > Architecture folder).
End Result
You should now have a Level that is populated with several different Actors types from both the Modes panel and Content Browser. You
also have manipulated those Actors with the Move, Rotate and Scale tools. Depending on the Actors you placed in the final step, you
should have something similar to above.
In the next section, you will learn how to edit the Actors you have placed in the level and customize their properties.

Related Topics
Place Mode
Manipulating Actors
Details Panel
Actors and Geometry
Lighting the Environment
Full Topic Index

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English

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport 5 - Editing Placed Actors

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9

7 - On Your Own!
Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers With several different Actors placed inside our level, the next step involves Editing Actor Properites which can change the look or the way
Unreal Engine 4 Terminology the Actor functions in the level, giving us a more customized looking level. We will start with editing the properties of our Directional Light
Unreal Editor Manual Actor then shift our focus to applying Materials to some of the Static Mesh Actors that you have placed in your level.
Engine Features
Once you have finished this step, you will have seen where to access and modify the properties of Actors so that you can begin editing and
Gameplay Guide
experimenting with different settings inside your own levels.
Programming Guide
Platform Development Steps

Release Notes 1. Select the Directional Light Actor by Left-clicking on it in the Viewport.
Site Map
2. In the Details Panel under the Light category, enable Atmosphere Sun Light:
Depending on the rotation of your Directional Light Actor the sky color will change and if you rotate the Viewport around you will see
that the sun now aligns with the Directional Light Actor. This is a real time process so you can rotate the Directional Light Actor (press
E to switch to Rotation Mode) and the sky will change color from night, sunrise, day time, and sunset.
Next we will change the Material on one of your placed Static Mesh Actors by first selecting it.
1. With your Actor selected, in the Details panel under Materials, click the drop-down box under Element 0.
2. In the pop-up window, select the M_Brick_Clay_New Material.
3. All Actors in your level have many properties for you to adjust inside the Details panel. Explore changing their settings!
Try changing the Light Color of your lights, applying more Materials or changing the Scale of the Actors in your level.
End Result
You have seen how to apply Materials to Static Mesh Actors in your level as well as how to access the Properties of an Actor. After
experimenting with the various properties, your sample level should start to resemble the image above and look more complete. Feel free
to continue changing the various properties of each Actor in your level.
When you are ready, proceed to the next step where we will run through the Build process which will update the settings in our level.

Related Topics
Materials
English

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport 6 - Running the Build Process

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9

7 - On Your Own!
Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers By now you may have noticed the "Preview" labels in the shadows and the light leaking under walls.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
This is because all the lights in the scene are static and use precomputed, or baked lighting, which has not been calculated yet. The
"Preview" text is there to remind you that what you are seeing in the viewport currently is not what you will see in the game.
In this step we will go through the Build process which will build all levels (precompute lighting data and visibility data, generate any
navigation networks and update all brush models). We will also take a look at Light Quality settings inside of the Build Options which we
can use to adjust the quality of our lighting when it is built.
Steps
1. From the Main Tool Bar, click the down-arrow next to the Build option.
2. Under Lighting Quality, choose the Production setting.
This will give us the highest quality lighting but is the slowest in terms of computation time and will increase the time it takes to Build
the game. Our level is small, so it should not impact us too much, but keep this in mind when you are working on larger levels as you
may want to leave it on a mid-low level setting while creating your level and switching it to Production on a "final pass" at your level.
3. Wait for the Build to complete.

You will see the progress in the lower-right corner of the Unreal Editor as seen in the image above.
Once the Build process has completed, the level lighting will update giving you a better indication of the final result.
4. From the Main Toolbar, click the Play Button to play in the editor.
Using WASD to move and the Mouse to turn the camera, you can fly around your level.
End Result
At this point you should have Built the level lighting and previewed your game with the Play in Editor feature. Each of the steps leading up
to this point have been aimed at getting you quickly up to speed on how to perform the most common actions when constructing levels
inside the Unreal Editor.
In the next step, you will be given some examples of how you can take this sample level and build upon it using the methods that were
provided throughout the course of this guide. Also, additional links to more detailed documentation related to the topics covered in this
guide are provided which will serve as reference when constructing levels on your own.
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

1 - Required Setup
2 - Navigating the Viewport 7 - On Your Own!

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9

7 - On Your Own!
Unreal Engine 4 For Unity Developers Using the methods that were provided during the course of this guide, try do to the following on your own:
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Change the lighting of the level to a moonlit, night scene.

Add another room, attached to the first room.
On the attached room, try to make it elevated and join them with stairs.
Add some bushes, a couch, shelves and a front door.
Add different kinds of lights with different colors.
Use different Materials on some of your Actors.
For more information on the topics covered in this quick start guide, and across the entire editor, see the Unreal Editor Manual.
As for specifics covered in this quick start:
For more information on the Level Editor, see: Level Editor

For more information on Viewports, see: Viewports
For more information on the Editing Modes available in Unreal Editor, 4 see: Level Editor Modes
For more information on the Content Browser, see: Content Browser
For more information on the Details Panel, see: Details Panel
For more information on Building, see: Lightmass
For more information on Lighting, see: Lighting Quick Start Guide
Full Topic Index

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English
Level Designer Quick Start Get Started with UE4

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Unreal Engine 4 Terminology

Unreal Engine 4.9
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
This page is dedicated to describing the commonly used terms when working with Unreal Engine 4. For example, if you find yourself asking
questions like "What is an Actor", "What is a Component", or "What is a Pawn", this page will highlight and provide descriptions for those
Programming Guide
types of questions and more. Once you have an understanding of what each term means, links are provided for more documentation and
guidance on working with them.
Release Notes
Projects
Site Map
New and Updated Resources A Project is a self-contained unit that holds all the content and code that make up an
individual game and coincides with a set of directories on your disk. For example, in the
image below the Hierarchy Tree of the Content Browser contains the same directory
structure found inside your Project folder on your disk.
Although a Project is often referenced by the .uproject file associated with it, they are
two separate files that exist alongside each other. The .uproject is a reference file used
to create, open, or save a file, whereas the Project contains all of the files and folders
associated with it.
You can create any number of different Projects which can all be maintained and
developed in parallel. Both the Engine (and Editor) can easily switch between them
which will allow you to work on multiple games at once or have several test projects in
addition to your main game Project.
For more information, see: Unreal Game Projects
Objects
The base building blocks in the Unreal Engine are called Objects and contain a lot of
the essential "under the hood" functionality for your game assets. Just about everything
in Unreal Engine 4 inherits (or gets some functionality) from an Object. In C++,
UObject is the base class of all objects; it implements features such as garbage
collections, metadata (UProperty) support for exposing variables to the Unreal Editor,
and serialization for loading and saving.
For more information, see: Unreal Projects and Gameplay, Gameplay Programming
Classes
A Class defines the behaviors and properties of a particular Actor or Object used in the
creation of an Unreal Engine game. Classes are hierarchical, meaning a Class inherits
information from its parent Classes (the Classes it was derived or "sub-classed" from)
and passes that information to its children. Classes can be created in C++ code or in
Blueprints.
For more information, see: Blueprint Class, Gameplay Classes, Class Creation Basics
Actors
An Actor is any object that can be placed into a level. Actors are a generic Class that
supports 3D transformations such as translation, rotation, and scale. Actors can be
created (spawned) and destroyed through gameplay code (C++ or Blueprints). In C++,
AActor is the base class of all Actors.
There are several different types of Actors, some examples include: StaticMeshActor,
CameraActor, and PlayerStartActor.
For more information, see: Actors and Geometry
Components
A Component is a piece of functionality that can be added to an Actor. Components

cannot exist by themselves, however when added to an Actor, the Actor will have
access to and can use functionality provided by the Component.
For example, a Spot Light Component will allow your Actor to emit light like a spot light,
a Rotating Movement Component will make your Actor spin around, or an Audio
Component will make your Actor able to play sounds.
For more information, see: Components, Components Window, Components in Code
Pawns
Pawns are a subclass of Actor and serve as an in-game avatar or persona, for example
the characters in a game. Pawns can be controlled by a player or by the game's AI, in
the form of non-player characters (NPCs).
When a Pawn is controlled by a human or AI player, it is considered as Possessed.

Conversely, when a Pawn is not controlled by a human or AI player it is considered as
Unpossessed.
For more information, see: Pawn, Possessing Pawns
Characters
A Character is a subclass of a Pawn Actor that is intended to be used as a player

character. The Character subclass includes a collision setup, input bindings for bipedal
movement, and additional code for movement controlled by the player.
For more information, see: Character, Character Setup, How To - Character Movement
PlayerController
The PlayerController Class is used to take player input and translate that into
interactions in the game and every game has at least one PlayerController in it. A
PlayerController often possesses a Pawn or Character as a representation of the player
in a game.
The PlayerController is also the primary network interaction point for multiplayer games.
During multiplayer play, the server has one instance of a PlayerController for every
player in the game since it must be able to make network function calls to each player.
Each client only has the PlayerController that corresponds to their player and can only
use their PlayerController to communicate with the server.
For more information, see: PlayerController
AIController
Just as the PlayerController possesses a Pawn as a representation of the player in a

game, an AIController possesses a Pawn to represent a non-player character (NPC) in
a game. By default, Pawns and Characters will end up with a base AIController unless
they are specifically possessed by a PlayerController or told not to create an
AIController for themselves.
For more information, see: AIController
Brushes
A Brush is an Actor that describes a 3D volume that is placed in a level in order to

define level geometry (referred to as BSPs) and gameplay volumes. Typically you will
use BSP Brushes to prototype or block-out your levels for gameplay testing.
Volumes on the other hand have several uses depending upon the effects attached to
them such as: Blocking Volumes (which are invisible and used to prevent Actors from
passing through them), Pain Causing Volumes (which causes damage over time to any
Actor that overlaps it) or Trigger Volumes (which are used as a way to cause events
when an Actor enters or exits them).
For more information, see: Geometry Brush Actors, Geometry Editing Content Examples
Levels
A Level is a user defined area of gameplay. Levels are created, viewed, and modified
mainly by placing, transforming, and editing the properties of the Actors it contains. In
the Unreal Editor, each Level is saved as a separate .umap file, which is also why you
will sometimes see them referred to as Maps.
For more information, see: Levels, Level Editor, Level Design Content Examples
World
A World contains a list of Levels that are loaded. It handles the streaming of Levels and
the spawning (creation) of dynamic Actors.
Direct interaction with a World is not necessary, but it does help provide a specific
reference point within the game structure (ie: mentioning World directly means you are
not speaking about Levels, Maps or the game).
For more information, see: World Composition User Guide
GameModes
The GameMode Class is responsible for setting the rules of the game that is being
played. The rules can include how players join the game, whether or not a game can be
paused, and level transitions, as well as any game-specific behavior such as win
conditions.
You can set the default GameMode in the Project Settings, but can override it on a per-
Level basis. Regardless of how you choose to implement the GameMode, there is
always only one GameMode present per-level. In a multiplayer game, the GameMode
only exists on the server and the rules are replicated (sent) to each of the connected
clients.
For more information, see: GameMode, Setting Up a Game Mode in Blueprints
GameStates
The GameState contains the information that you want replicated to every client in a
game, or more simply it is 'The State of the Game' for everyone connected.
It often contains information about game score, whether a match has started or not, how
many AI to spawn based upon the number of players in the world, and other game
specific information.
For mutliplayer games, there is one instance of the GameState on each player's
machine with the server's instance being the authoritative one (or the one that clients
get their updated information from).
For more information, see: GameState
PlayerStates
A PlayerState is the state of a participant in the game, such as a human player or a bot
that is simulating a player. Non-player AI that exists as part of the game world would not
have a PlayerState.
Example data that would be appropriate in a PlayerState include player name or score,
their current level or health, or whether they are currently carrying the flag in a Capture
the Flag game.
For multiplayer games, PlayerStates for all players exist on all machines (unlike
PlayerControllers) and can replicate data from the server to the client to keep things in
sync.
For more information, see: Gameplay Framework Quick Reference
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Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Engine 4 Documentation

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Unreal Editor Manual

Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Editor Interface Basic How To's
Managing Content Getting up and running with the basics of the A breakdown of the Unreal Editor user interface, Several short How To guides provide step-by-
Unreal Editor. along with key principles on how the editor step instructions to working with Unreal Engine
Unreal Game Projects works. 4.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes Level Editor Levels Actors and Geometry
Site Map A guide that overviews the design and Information regarding the creation and managing A definition of Actors and how they are used in
construction of game levels and environments. of levels inside Unreal Engine 4. level design, including placement and
New and Updated Resources manipulation techniques.
Components Managing Content Unreal Game Projects

A compendium of the different types of Information on creating art content in external Overview of game projects and instructions for
Components designed to be used as sub- applications, importing it into Unreal Engine, and working with them.
objects within an Actor. setting it up for use in the engine.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Unreal Editor Interface

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
The Basics
Keybindings Editor
If you are new to the editor, it will be useful to acquaint yourself with a few basic concepts regarding the user interface and general workflow.
Project Settings
Below are a few primary topics to get your feet wet if you are just starting out.
Layout Customization
Source Control
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor Level Editor Editor Viewports Layout Customization In-Editor Testing
Class Viewer
Editors, Browsers, and Tools
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's Not every part of Unreal Editor is exposed by default, as it would simply require too much screen space to show everything. Some parts only
Level Editor show themselves when you attempt to edit a certain type of asset. Others become available when trying to change specific types of
Levels properties. Still others exist as ways to make it easier to perform certain operations, such as bringing assets into your levels and
Actors and Geometry environments.
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Project and Asset Access

Whether you need to find a particular asset for placement into your levels, or perhaps just get a list of all of the assets available for your
project, the following tools will help you stay in touch with all of the objects that are at your disposal.
Project Browser
Content Browser
Class Viewer
Global Asset Picker
Property Editing
UE4 offers a variety of means to edit the properties of the Actors in your levels. Below are the typically used tools to access and edit
those properties.
Property Matrix
Color Picker
Curve Editor
Settings and Preferences

In these panels, you can find the settings you need in order to customize editor behavior to suit your project.
Editor Settings
Project Settings
KeyBindings
Video Tutorials
Intro to the UE4 Editor (v4.7)
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Level Designer Quick Start Get Started with UE4

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Tools and Editors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors

This page is intended to give you an overview of each of the different types of Editors that you will be working with inside Unreal Engine 4.
Editor Preferences
Whether you are inside the Level Editor building your game's level, working with the Blueprint Editor to script behaviors for the Actors in
Keybindings Editor
your level, creating particle effects with the Cascade Editor or setting up animations for characters inside the Persona Editor; a good
Project Settings
understanding of what each Editor can do and how to navigate it can improve your workflow and help prevent any stumbling blocks during
development.
Source Control
Color Picker
Refer to each of the sections below for an overview along with links to more detailed documentation.
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix Level Editor

Curve Editor
Class Viewer The Level Editor is the primary Editor used to construct your gameplay
Tools and Systems levels. Generally speaking it is where you define the play space for your
Basic How To's game by adding different types of Actors and Geometry, Blueprints,
Level Editor Cascade Particle Systems or anything else that you want to add to your
Levels level. By default, when you create or open a project it will open up to the
Actors and Geometry Level Editor.
Components
For more information, see: Level Editor
Managing Content
Unreal Game Projects Material Editor

Engine Features
Gameplay Guide The Material Editor is where you can create (or edit existing) Materials
Blueprints Visual Scripting which are assets that can be applied to a mesh to control its visual look.
Programming Guide For example, you can create a "dirt" Material and apply it to floors in
your level or terrain to create a dirt looking surface.

For more information, see: Material Editor Reference
Release Notes
Site Map

Blueprint Editor
The Blueprint Editor is where you can work with and modify Blueprints
which are special assets that can be used to create new types of Actors
and script level events, without needed to write any form of C++ code.
For more information, see: Blueprint Editor Reference
Behavior Tree Editor
Inside the Behavior Tree Editor you can script Artificial Intelligence
through a visual node-based system (similar to Blueprints) for Actors in
your levels (this could be any number of different behaviors for
enemies, NPC characters, vehicles, etc.)
For more information, see: Behavior Tree User Guide
Persona Editor
The Persona Editor is the animation editing toolset within Unreal Engine
4 and is used for editing Skeleton Assets, Skeletal Meshes, Animation
Blueprints and various other animation assets. Most (if not all) of your
animation work within Unreal Engine 4 will take place in this Editor.
For more information, see: Persona Animation Editor Reference
Cascade Editor
Cascade Particle Systems in Unreal Engine 4 are edited inside the

Cascade Editor, which is a fully integrated and modular particle effects
editor. Cascade offers real-time feedback and modular effects editing,
allowing fast and easy creation of even the most complex effects.
For more information, see: Cascade Particle Editor Reference
UMG UI Editor
The UMG UI Editor is a visual UI authoring tool which can be used to

create UI elements such as in-game HUDs, menus or other interface
related graphics you wish to present to your users.
For more information, see: UMG UI Designer User Guide
Matinee Editor
The Matinee Editor is based on the use of specialized animation tracks

in which you can place keyframes to set the values of certain properties
of the Actors in your level. This allows you to create in-game
cinematics, dynamic gameplay events or even animate the properties of
Actors over time (such as driving the brightness of a light).
For more information, see: Matinee User Guide
Sound Cue Editor
The behavior of audio playback in Unreal Engine 4 is defined within

Sound Cues which can be editing using the Sound Cue Editor. Inside
the Sound Cue Editor, you can combine and mix several sound assets
to produce a single mixed "output" saved as a Sound Cue.
For more information, see: Sound Cue Editor
Paper2D Sprite Editor
The Paper2D Sprite Editor enables setup and editing of individual Paper
2D Sprites (which are in essence a quick and easy way to draw 2D
images in Unreal Engine 4).
For more information, see: Sprite Editor Reference
Paper2D Flipbook Editor
With the Paper2D Flipbook Editor you can create 2D animations called
Flipbooks. By specifying a series of Sprites along certain key frames
inside the Paper2D Flipbook Editor, those frames are then "flipped"
through to create an animation. The best way to think of Flipbooks is of
the old hand-drawn style of animation.
For more information, see: Flipbook Editor Reference
Physics Asset Tool Editor
The Physics Asset Tool (or PhAT for short) is used for creating Physics
Assets for use with Skeletal Meshes. You can start from nothing and
build to a full ragdoll setup or use the automation tools to create a basic
set of Physics Bodies and Physics Constraints.
For more information, see: Physics Asset Tool (PhAT)
Static Mesh Editor

The Static Mesh Editor is used to preview the look, collision, and UVs as
well as set and manipulate the properties of Static Meshes. Inside the
Static Mesh Editor you can also setup LODs (or Level of Detail settings)
for your Static Mesh assets.
For more information, see: Static Mesh Editor UI
Media Player Editor
The Media Player Editor allows you to define media files or URLs to use
as source media for playback inside Unreal Engine 4.
Although not necessarily an "Editor" in that you cannot edit media files in
this Editor, you define settings to how your source media will playback
such as auto-playing, play rate or looping for example.
You can also see information about your media inside this editor as well
as use standard playback controls to view the media.
For more information, see: Media Framework
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Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Editor Interface

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Editor Preferences

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
Keybindings Editor
Project Settings
Source Control
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor
Class Viewer
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
On this page:
Gameplay Guide Preferences
Blueprints Visual Scripting Controls
Programming Guide Viewport Look and Feel
Platform Development Editor Look and Feel
Samples and Tutorials Level Editing
Release Notes Source Control
Site Map Particles
New and Updated Resources Content Browser
Auto Save
The Editor Preferences window is used to modify settings that control the behavior of Unreal Editor with respect to controls, viewports,
source control, auto-saving, and more.
The Editor Preferences window can be opened from the Edit menu.
Preferences
Controls

Option
Description
Flight
This setting determines whether the flight camera is used and how it is accessed. The flight camera uses the W, A, S, and
Camera D keys to dolly and pan the camera, similar to how standard FPS controls work. W and S dolly the camera in and out,
Control type while A and D pan, or strafe, the camera side to side. When active, this overrides any hotkeys using these controls,
including toggling show flags.

Option
Description
Use WASD for Camera Controls

The flight camera and WASD controls are always active.
Use WASD Only When Right Mouse Button is

The flight camera and WASD controls are only active when the RMB is
Held pressed.
Never Use WASD for Camera Controls

The flight camera and WASD controls are never active.
Grab and
If enabled, clicking the Left or Right Mouse Buttons and dragging the mouse in an orthographic viewport will scroll the
Drag to camera. Essentially what this means in practice is when you click and drag, the scene will move with the mouse. With this
Move disabled, the scene moves opposite of the mouse.
Orthographic
Cameras
Orthographic
If enabled, zooming in the orthographic viewports will be centered around the mouse cursor. When disabled, zooming is
Zoom to centered on the center of the viewport.
Cursor
Position
Link
If enabled, all orthographic viewports will be linked to focus on the same position. So moving the camera in one
Orthographic orthographic viewport will cause the other orthographic viewports to follow. When disabled, all viewports can be navigated
Viewport independently.
Movement
Aspect Ratio
Determines which axis of the perspective viewport is used to control the field of view (FOV) to maintain the aspect ratio
Axis when resizing.
Constraint

Option
Description
Maintain Y-Axis FOV

The Y-Axis (vertical) is used to determine the FOV.
Maintain X-Axis FOV

The X-Axis (horizontal) is used to determine the FOV.
Maintain Major Axis FOV

The larger of the two axes is used to determine the
FOV.
Mouse Scroll
Determines the speed at which the perspective camera moves when navigating with the mouse.
Camera
Speed
Viewport Look and Feel
Option
Description
Highlight Objects Under

If enabled, objects will be highlighted using a transparent overlay in viewports while hovering over them
Mouse Cursor with the mouse cursor.
Editor Look and Feel
Option
Description
Use
If enabled, toolbar icons across the whole editor will be smaller and without labels.
Small
Tool
Bar
Icons
Normal Small
Level Editing
Option
Description
Enable Combined If enabled, the combined Translation and Rotate-Z tool is made available.
translate/Rotate
Widget
Clicking BSP
If enabled, clicking on a Brush surface selects the brush and Ctrl + Shift + Click selects the surface. When
Enables Brush disabled, the opposite is true; clicking selects the surface and Ctrl + Shift + Click selects the brush.
Update BSP
If enabled, Brush geometry rebuilds automatically when brushes are moved or modified in the viewport. When
Automatically disabled, geometry must be rebuilt to see the changes.
Preserve Actor
If enabled, replacing Actors will respect the scale of the original Actor. Otherwise, the replaced Actors will have a
Scale on Replace scale of 1.0.
Source Control
Option
Description
Prompt for Checkout on Package

If enabled, the editor will automatically prompt for SCC checkout on package
Modification modification.
Allow Source Control

If enabled, the editor source control integration for packages and maps is used.
Add New Files when Modified

If enabled, new files are automatically added to source control.
Host
The host and port for your source control server. Example: hostname:1234
Username
The user name to sue when connecting to source control.
Workspace
The clientspec for source control.
Particles
Option
Description
Use Curves for

If enabled, Distributions will use the curves in place of the baked lookup tables when being rendered in the
Distributions editor.
Content Browser
Option
Description
Auto Reimport Textures

If enabled, source files for textures are monitored and textures are automatically re-imported when the
source file is modified.
Assets to Load at Once before

The number of objects to load at once in the Content Browser before displaying a warning about
Warning loading many assets.
Auto Save
Option
Description
Enable
If enabled, the editor will automatically perform a save operation at specified intervals.
AutoSave
Save Maps
If enabled, the auto-save procedure will attempt to save modified, loaded maps.
Save Packages
If enabled, the auto-save procedure will attempt to save modified content packages.
Frequency in
The time interval in minutes to wait between auto-saves.
Minutes
Warning in
The number of seconds the warning is displayed before an auto-save is performed.
Seconds
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Keybindings Editor

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors

Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of key presses on your keyboard that execute specific commands or actions. Common commands,
Editor Preferences
as well as those specific to the mainframe or other tools in Unreal Editor 4, are configurable. You can customize keyboard shortcuts in the
Keybindings Editor
Unreal Editor to suit your workflow and personal preferences by binding specific keys or key combinations to specific commands.
Project Settings
You can set up your own set of custom keyboard shortcuts in the Editor Preferences window. To modify the keyboard shortcuts, click
Source Control
Editor Preferences on the Edit menu, and then click Keyboard Shortcuts.
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor
Class Viewer
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
You can use the Search field to filter the list of displayed commands by typing in part or all of a word or command.
Creating a New Keyboard Shortcut
1. Click in the text field for the command you want to bind to a keyboard shortcut.
2. Press the combination of keys you want to use to execute the command.
3. To commit the key binding, click anywhere outside the text field.
If the combination of keys you press is already bound to another command, a warning appears.
If you want to remove the existing binding and assign the keyboard shortcut to the new command, click the button. If
you want to retain the existing binding and cancel the new one, click outside the text field.
Removing an Existing Keyboard Shortcut
1. Click the button next to the current keyboard shortcut for the command you want to unbind.
2. The command is not bound to any keys anymore.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Project Settings

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
Keybindings Editor
Project Settings
Source Control
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor
Class Viewer
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's
Level Editor

On this page:
Accessing Project Settings
Levels
Categories and Sections
Actors and Geometry
Controls
Components
Project Category
Managing Content
Engine Category
Editor Category
Engine Features
Platforms Category
Gameplay Guide
Plugins Category
Programming Guide
The Project Settings editor provides access to configuration options that specify information about your project, as well as define how the
engine behaves when running the project. Some of these options are specific to the game itself, while others are more general with regards
to the engine or platforms you are running on.
Release Notes
Site Map
All of the settings here are stored in the default engine configuration file (Engine.ini) for your project, and can be manually
edited there if desired. The Project Settings editor simply provides an intuitive user interface for editing these.
Accessing Project Settings

The Project Settings editor can be opened from the Edit menu:
Categories and Sections

The Project Settings editor is divided up into various categories and sections of related options. Categories are displayed as headings,
while each of these sections is displayed as a hyperlink that opens the options for that section in the editor.
Controls
When viewing the settings within a particular section, the following controls are available along the top of the dialog:

Control
Description

Exports the values of the settings to an external configuration file (.ini), which can later be loaded back in.

Loads values stored in a configuration file (.ini), replacing the current values.
Project Category
Contains options that describe how the project behaves.
Section
Description
Description
Allows you to set information about your project, such as the project name, version, company name, copyright, etc. These
are mainly for informational purposes and will not affect how the project runs or behaves.
Maps &
Contains options for specifying which maps and modes are loaded by default and how they are loaded. There is also
Modes settings for Local Multiplayer screen layout.
Movies
Allows you to set start up movies and some options for how they should work.
Packaging
Contains options used for packaging your game, like setting content directories, localization, your build configuration, etc.
Supported
Allows you to set which platforms you are targeting.
Platforms
Target
Allows you to set how your project should be optimized based on your target hardware. (ie. Desktop vs. Mobile)
Hardware
Engine Category
Contains options for specific systems and sections of the engine.
Section
Description
AI System
Contains basic options for the AI system.
Animation
Contains settings for animations used in the editor.
Audio
Contains options for setting default and adding quality levels.
Collision
Allows you to setup and modify various collision settings.
Console
Allows you to set your own in-game inputs for the console.
Cooker
Contains options for various cooker settings. These will handle things like compression quality for textures.
Crowd
Contains a set of configurable options for managing AI crowds.
Manager
Garbage
Allows you to configure settings for how Garbage Collection works for your game.
Collection
General
Contains options used by the engine and editor for initialization and setup, such as default fonts, base classes, materials,
Settings frame rate, etc.
Input
Allows you to set up action and axis bindings (keybinds and other input mapping) for your game.
These are in-game keybinds, not editor keybinds.
Navigation
Contains options for configuring how navigation meshes are generated and displayed.
Mesh
Navigation
Allows you to configure the navigation system.
System
Network
Contains options for Networking.
Physics
Contains default options for physics in your game. This will also allow you to setup your own Surface types for your Physical
Materails and adjuat how accurate physics simulations can be.
Rendering
Contains default settings for a lot of rendering option. There is also settings for default post process settings, culling, mobile,
textures, lighting, etc.
Streaming
Allows you to configure various streaming options for package streaming, IO, and level streaming.
Tutorials
Allows you to set which tutorials are available in this project.
User
Contains settings that control Slate and UMG, like DPI scaling, cursors, and the Render Focus Rule.
Interface
Editor Category
Contains options for how the editor should look and feel on a per-project basis.
Section
Description
2D
Contains configuration options for how the 2D level editor should work.
Appearance
Contains options for the appearance of the editor. There is options to change how units are displayed in the project, such
as, choosing to display inches vs centimeters or celcius vs farenheit.
Paper2D -
Allows you to set how 2D sprites should be handled when they are imported.
Import
Sequencer
Allows you to configure settings for the Sequencer plugin
Platforms Category
Contains options for various platforms and platform SDK's.
Section
Description
Android
Allows you to configure options specific to running on the Android platform.
Android SDK
Contains location setup for the Android SDK.
These settings apply to all projects.
HTML5
Allows you to configure options specific to running on the HTML5 platform.
HTML5 SDK
Allows you to set your SDK paths and devices.
iOS
Allows you to configure options specific to running on the iOS platform.
Windows
Contains options used only when running on Windows platforms.
Plugins Category
Contains options for select plugins.
Section
Description
Paper2D
Contains settings specific to the Paper2D plugin.
Slate Remote
Allows you to configure settings for Slate Remote Server.
UDP Messaging
Configure settings for UDP Messaging plugin.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Layout Customization

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
Keybindings Editor
Project Settings
Source Control
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor
Class Viewer
On this page:
Tools and Systems Interface Element Types
Basic How To's Editors
Level Editor Editor Tabs
Levels Panels
Actors and Geometry Menus
Components Docking and Layout
Managing Content
The Unreal Editor is a suite of editors, browsers, and tools for working with content in the Unreal Engine. At the core, it is used for level
design; but contained within are editors and browsers for importing and manipulating content for your game project.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Interface Element Types

Programming Guide
The interface of Unreal Editor is completely configurable in terms of layout. It is comprised of tabbed windows that can be rearranged to suit
your needs. These windows can either be top-level editors or tabs within those editors.
Release Notes
Editors
Site Map
New and Updated Resources Editors are like applications within the Unreal Editor, such as the Level Editor and Blueprint Editor. They are targeted at a specific aspect
of the development process. Some editors, such as the Level Editor, can only have a single instance in existence at any time; while other
editors, like the Blueprint editor, can have multiple instances created, but only a single instance can be editing a specific asset at any time.
General editors are opened through the Window menu, while asset editors are opened by choosing to edit a particular type of asset. The
Level Editor is a special case and is always present while Unreal Editor is open.
Editors can be closed by clicking the button on the editor's tab or by right-
clicking and choose Close.
Each editor consists of a Menu Bar and one or more Tabs which comprise the majority of the functionality of the editor.
Editor Tabs
If you are using multiple editors simultaneously, it may help save screen space to dock them together. At the top of every editor is a beveled
tab containing the name of the editor and the asset being edited. By dragging that tab, you can dock that editor alongside any other editor
in the view.
Editor tabs differ from the tabs used on Panels. Panels can be docked anywhere within their native editor. Editor tabs can only
be docked alongside other editors. Also note the difference in shape; editor tabs are beveled in at the sides, where panel tabs
remain squared.
Panels
Panels are specialized parts of editors that provide a specific aspect of the functionality of the editor. Editors can contain any number of
panels. The panels belonging to a specific editor only affect their parent editor and can only be docked within that particular editor.
Panels are opened through the Window menu as well.
Most panels will have tabs at their upper left corner. These tabs can be used to reposition, re-dock, or close the panel. Panels can be closed
by right-clicking on the tab and choosing Close or clicking the small X on the right side of the tab.
Whenever possible, tabs will be named after the asset currently being edited within that tab's editor. For instance, the Level
Editor tab will display the name of the level currently being edited.
If a tab is the only one within a tab well, it can be hidden by right-clicking on it and choosing Hide Tabs or through the Hide Tabs option in
the Tab Options menu. This simply collapses the tab well so that only the content portion of the tab is displayed. When a tab is hidden, the
top-left corner becomes gold.
Clicking the top-left corner will expand the tab again.
Menus
Menus will be located at the top of any appropriate editor window. Some of the menus, such as Window and Help, are consistent
throughout all editor windows.
Docking and Layout
Tabs can be docked simply by dragging the tab from its current location to where it is to be docked.
The layout of tabs in the editor, including floating windows, is persistent between sessions and is saved automatically when closing the
editor. Tabs also remember their last location and will reopen there.
To save the layout manually, you can use the Save layout command in the Window menu.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Source Control

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
On this page:
Keybindings Editor Activating Source Control
Project Settings Activating Source Control via Editor Preferences
Layout Customization Activating Source Control via the Content Browser
Source Control Status Icons
Color Picker Source Control Actions
Global Asset Picker Checking Out and In
Property Matrix Deactivating Source Control
Curve Editor
Unreal Editor supports source control, allowing teams to coordinate their game development and design efforts, as well as handling version
Class Viewer
control.
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's

Perforce and SVN are supported by default.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry Activating Source Control

Components
Managing Content You can activate source control in one of two ways:

In the Level Editor's Preferences window.
Engine Features
In the Content Browser.
Gameplay Guide

Activating Source Control via Editor Preferences
Programming Guide
Platform Development You can activate source control via the editor's main Preferences window (Edit > Editor Preferences > Loading & Saving).
Release Notes
Site Map

Item
Description
Automatically Checkout on
When checked, this will automatically check out any asset that has been modified.
Asset Modification
Prompt for Checkout on

When checked, a prompt will appear when you make changes to a source controlled-package, asking if
Package Modification you would like to check out (lock) that package.
Add New Files when Modified

This will add new files into source control when they are modified.
Use Global Settings

Use global source control login settings, rather than per-project. Changing this will require you to login
again.
Tool for diff'ing text

Specifies the file path to the tool to be used for diff'ing text files.
Activating Source Control via the Content Browser
You can also activate Source Control in the Content Browser. To do so, right-click any asset or folder. At the bottom of the context menu,
in the Source Control section, click Connect to Source Control.
This will open a log-in screen where you can select your source-control system and enter any appropriate settings and other information.
Enter the appropriate information, and click Accept Settings. After source control is activated, the display of the assets in the Content
Browser will change to reflect their source-control status, and some source-control options will be included on the right-click context
menu.
Status Icons
The Content Browser will display special icons on the upper-right corner of assets to give the source control status. Below are the
available icons and their meanings:

Checked out by you
Checked out by another
Marked for add
Not in depot
Newer version of file
user exists in source control
Source Control Actions

While source control is active, the following context menu will be available when you right-click on an asset:
Item
Description
Check Out
Checks out (locks) the asset for editing. This prevents other users from editing the asset at the same time.
Refresh
Refreshes the source control status of the asset.
History
Gives a revision history list of the selected asset, allowing you to see previous edits.
Diff Against Depot

This allows you to check the asset against the version currently stored in the source control depot.
Checking Out and In

To check out an asset for editing, simply right-click it and choose Check Out. However, when checking back in, there is a certain protocol
which must be followed.
Right-click on the asset and choose Check In. A dialog will appear with a required changelist description for the check-in.
Enter a description, which will be added to the asset's revision history.
Click OK when finished.
A changelist description is required, so the OK button will not be enabled until a description is entered.
Deactivating Source Control

You may find that you want to deactivate source control after activating it.
Only use this option if you are absolutely certain that you do not want to use source control. Deactivating source control will put
your content out of sync with your source-control system, and will make it impossible to check in changes.
To deactivate source control:
1. In the upper-right corner of the Level Editor window, click the green, double-arrow icon ( ). This brings up the Source Control
Login screen.
2. Click the Run Without Source Control button. The green icon in the Level Editor window changes to a red circle with a slash ( ), to
indicate that source control is not being used.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Color Picker

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors

The Color Picker allows you to easily adjust a color value for a color property in the Unreal Editor. You can adjust colors by RGBA (red,
Editor Preferences
green, blue, alpha), HSV (hue, saturation, value), and Hex (ARGB). Alternatively you can select a color by clicking anywhere in the color
Keybindings Editor
wheel or by capturing the color under your mouse, anywhere on your monitors.
Project Settings
Source Control
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor
Class Viewer
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Item
Description

Allows for Theme selection and sRGB previews (see note below).

A Color wheel that allows a color to be selected graphically by
clicking and dragging with the mouse. Additional adjustments can
be made by using the two vertical bars. Instead of Color Wheel, a
Color Spectrum may be used if the option is toggled on.

Displays the color currently assigned (Old) to the property and the
color currently selected in the Color Picker (New). Colors can be
dragged from either the Old or New sections to the Themes bar to
save them for reuse later on.

Toggles between the Color Wheel or Color Spectrum (left image).
The Eye Dropper (right image) can be used for selecting a colored
pixel from any window inside or outside of Unreal Engine.

Drag or type value to set the Red channel.

Drag or type value to set the Green channel.

Drag or type value to set the Blue channel.

Drag or type value to set the Hue.

Drag or type value to set the Saturation.

Drag or type value to set the Value (color brightness).

Drag or type value to set the Alpha channel.

Enter in Hexadecimal Linear or Hexadecimal sRGB values
manually.
When working with the Color Picker, it does not assume a straight inverse gamma conversion from colors sampled on the screen using the
Eye Dropper. Instead, sRGB is the assumed space all colors are sampled in, making sampling colors from Photoshop the identical version
of the color converted into linear space. When transformed back into sRGB space, it will be the same color you saw in Photoshop.
FColor and FLinearColor can also default to the sRGB space using a UPROPERTY meta tag of sRGB=true (or false), you
can force a specific default checking of the sRGB checkbox.
Several places in Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG) now force this default since sRGB is the space UMG will be rendered in (on
PC). Additional work will be needed on Mac where the final rendering space is gamma 2.2.
Themes
Themes are collections of colors that can be easily reused. These can be used to make commonly used colors available or to restrict the
colors used by artists and designers to a specific palette.
Creating Themes
New themes can be added through the Theme Menu accessible via the button.
Clicking the button will add an empty theme to the list.
Themes can also be created by duplicating an existing theme using the button.
Renaming Themes
Themes can be renamed through the Theme Menu by clicking the button.

Edit box for theme name
Enter new name for theme
Press to set the name
Adding and Removing Colors
Colors can be added, removed, or reordered within the theme using drag and drop.

Drag from main swatch to add a color
Drag color within theme to reorder
Drag color to trashcan to delete
Colors can also be reordered and removed from the Theme Menu.

Drag color within theme to reorder
Drag color to trashcan to delete
Using Themes
To change themes, select the theme you want to be active from the Theme Menu.
To use a color from the current theme, Double-click the color to be applied. This will update the currently selected color in the Color Picker.
Hovering the cursor over a color in the theme will display the color information.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Global Asset Picker

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors

The Global Asset Picker (Ctrl-P) is a fast-access means of editing assets or bringing them into your levels. In some ways, it is similar to
Editor Preferences
the Content Browser but without limiting itself to the current folder you have selected in the Asset Tree. So not only can you pull assets
Keybindings Editor
specific to your game, but also anything from Engine, like lights or sound emitters. Because it offers all available assets in a list format, it is
Project Settings
not intended to be used as means for browsing. Instead, it is perfect for those moments when you know the asset (or asset type) you need
and just want to quickly type part of its name into the Search Line.
Source Control
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor
Class Viewer
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
While mousing over any asset, all of its relevant data will appear as a tool tip at the bottom of the window.
View Options at the bottom of the window is exactly the same as the one on the Content Browser, allowing you to change the way it
displays and scales the assets. The thumbnail editor does not work in this window.
Currently, you cannot pull up the Right-Click Menu on anything in here, but you can Click and Drag things into your scene or you can
double-click assets to bring up their associated editors.
The Global Asset Picker window is not movable or resizable, it will close as soon as you click off of it, drag an asset into the scene, or
double-click to edit an asset.
Usage
Viewing the Global Asset Picker is as easy hitting Ctrl + P then searching for the asset you want.
Then you can either Click and Drag something into your scene or you can double-click an asset to bring up its associated editor.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Property Matrix

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
Keybindings Editor
Project Settings
Source Control
Color Picker
Global Asset Picker
Property Matrix
Curve Editor
Class Viewer
Tools and Systems
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
The Property Matrix allows for easy bulk editing and value comparison for large numbers of Objects or Actors. It displays a configurable set
of properties for a collection of objects as columns in a table view that can be sorted on any column. The Property Matrix also provides a
Release Notes
standard property editor that displays all properties for the current selection set in the table view.
Site Map

Features

Feature
Benefits

Bulk Object Editing Easier workflow for setting a series of varying values to a bunch of objects, without sacrificing the ability to
set the property on a bunch of objects to the same value.
Works with THOUSANDS of objects at the same time.
Can handle editing a wide variety of object types at the same time.

Bulk Fine-Grain Sort the values on thousands of objects at a time.
Object Comparison Quickly find assets and Actors with incorrect settings.

Deep Property and Do all of the above with the properties of Arrays and Struct types.
Array Support Can expose columns for ANY PROPERTY.
Even handles ARRAY INDICES.
Accessing the Property Matrix

There are currently two ways you can access the Property Matrix:
The button available in the Details panel adjacent to the Search box will launch a Property Matrix bound with your current
selection.
In the Content Browser, make a selection of assets, right-click, choose Asset Actions, then choose Bulk Edit via Property Matrix.

from the context menu.
Using the Property Matrix
The Property Matrix is effectively a table and handles much like other grid-based editors. All cells have two modes Display and Edit.
Depending on the current mode the cells feature set changes.
Adding and Removing Columns
The user can add and remove columns by pinning and unpinning properties in the property tree to the right of the table.

No properties pinned
Pin properties to add
columns
Columns can also be removed through the drop down menus in column headers or by middle-clicking the column header itself.
The Property Matrix will attempt to auto-populate the table with useful columns, based on the types of objects bound to the table.
Editing Properties
Most cells just display their bound value as text and allow the user to edit the text representation, but cells are fully customizable by the
programmer and can vary greatly. For example, some cells have completely custom cell implementation such as Boolean and Color values.

Bool
Color
One great feature of the Property Matrix is that it lets you compare property values deep in an object.

Pinned deeply nested property
Deeply nested property neatly displayed
The property table can even handle array indices!!
The Property Tree on the right of the table is bound to the selected rows in the table. This allows the Property Matrix to handle editing a
wide variety of types at the same time!
Sorting
The user can also sort any column in ascending or descending order by simply clicking on the column header. An arrow will appear on the
header to let you know which way the column is sorted.
Controls
Control
Description
Keyboard Controls
Escape
Exits edit mode in the current cell. Some cells have complex editing widgets which have their own behavior for
escape which will take priority, so the user may need to press escape multiple times.
Ctrl + C
Copies the current cell's string representation to the clipboard.
Ctrl + V
Set the current cell's value as the text in the clipboard.
Ctrl + A
Selects all cells in the table.
Home or Ctrl + Left

Moves the current cell to the first cell in the current row.
Arrow
End or Ctrl + Right

Moves the current cell to the last cell in the row.
Arrow
Ctrl + Home
Moves the current cell to the first cell in the table.
Ctrl + End
Moves the current cell to the last cell in the table.
Left Arrow or Shift

Moves the current cell to the previous cell in the current row.
+ Tab
Right Arrow or Tab

Moves the current cell to the next cell in the current row.
Up Arrow
Moves the current cell to the previous cell in the column.
Down Arrow
Moves the current cell to the next cell in the column.
Ctrl + Up Arrow
Moves the current cell to the first cell in the column.
Ctrl + Down Arrow

Moves the current cell to the last cell in the column.
Shift + Up Arrow
Moves the current cell to the previous cell in the current column and adds its row to the existing selection.
Shift + Down Arrow

Moves the current cell to the next cell in the current column and adds its row to the existing selection.
Ctrl + Shift + Up
Moves the current cell to the first cell in the current column and selects all rows between them.
Arrow
Ctrl + Shift + Down

Moves the current cell to the last cell in the current column and selects all rows between them.
Arrow
F2
The current cell enters edit mode.
Mouse Controls
LMB Click on Cell

Clicked cell becomes the current cell and the cell's row becomes the new selection.
Ctrl + LMB Click on

If the clicked cell did not belong to an already selected row, the cell becomes the current cell and the cell's row is
Cell added to the current selection, otherwise the cell's row is removed from the selection.
Shift + LMB Click

Clicked cell becomes the current cell and all the rows between the original current cell's row and the click cell's row
on Cell are added to the existing selection.
LMB Click on
Current cell enters edit mode.
Current Cell
LMB Double-Click
Cell becomes the current cell and enters edit mode.
Cell
MMB Click on
Removes the column from the table.
Column Header
MMB Click on
Toggles pinning of the clicked property to the table.
Property in Details
Panel
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Curve Editor

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
On this page:
Keybindings Editor Layout
Project Settings Toolbar
Layout Customization Track List
Source Control Graph
Color Picker Controls
Global Asset Picker Mouse Controls
Property Matrix Keyboard Controls
Curve Editor Hot Keys
Class Viewer Tabs
Tools and Systems Interpolation Modes
Basic How To's

The Curve Editor allows fine control over properties that change over time, e.g. properties which make use of Distributions. It is currently
Level Editor
used in both Matinee and the Cascade particle system editor.
Levels
Actors and Geometry The Curve Editor, as it is currently used, is not a standalone editor as you would find with most other editors in Unreal Editor. It is used as a
Components dockable pane inside of other editors. As such, opening the Curve Editor is done through the interface of the editor window it is found
Managing Content within, such as the Matinee or Cascade editor windows.
Engine Features
Layout
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting The Curve Editor is comprised of the following areas:
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
1. Tool Bar
2. Track List
3. Graph
Toolbar
Icon Description

Fit the graph to the current visible tracks horizontally.

Fit the graph to the current visible tracks vertically.

Fit the graph horizontally and vertically to all points of the current visible tracks.

Fit the graph horizontally and vertically to the selected points of the current visible tracks.

Puts Curve Editor into Pan/Edit mode.

Puts Curve Editor into Zoom mode.

Sets InterpMode for selected keys to Auto-curve mode. Tangents can rotate for optimal curvature but may
have overshoot.

Sets InterpMode for selected keys to Auto-curve mode. Locked, flattened tangents.

Sets InterpMode for selected keys to User curve mode. Locked, user-modified tangents.

Sets InterpMode for selected keys to Curve Break mode. Separate in and out tangents

Sets InterpMode for selected keys to Linear mode.

Sets InterpMode for selected keys to Constant mode.

Set selected keys' tangents flattened horizontally.

Straightens selected keys' tangents, when broken.

Toggles the display of all keys' tangents.

Creates a new tab.

Deletes current tab.

Allows you to choose the current tab when creating multiple tabs.
Track List
The Track List displays all of the curve tracks currently loaded into the current tab. Tracks are normally loaded external to the Curve Editor
by pressing a button associated with a Track in Matinee or a Module in Cascade.
Each track in the Track list displays the name of the property associated with the track along with visibility toggle buttons for each individual
curve in the track and an overall visibility toggle button. The individual curve visibility toggle buttons are color-coded to correspond to the
components of a vector, with red being X, green being Y, and blue being Z. Red is also the color used for a single scalar float value. In the
case of a VectorUniformDistribution, there are two sets of curves with each color having a lighter and darker version.
Right-clicking on a track in the Track List brings up the track list context menu.
Remove Curve - Removes the current track from the Curve Editor.
Remove All Curves - Clears all tracks loaded in the Curve Editor from all tabs.
Graph
The Graph takes up the majority of the Curve Editor interface. It is a graphical representation of the curve with time (input value) along the
horizontal axis and the property value (output value) along the vertical axis. Keys along the curve are displayed as points which can be
selected and manipulated to visually edit the curve.
Right-clicking on the Graph brings up the graph context menu:
Scale All Times - Scales the time values of all points of all visible tracks, e.g. scales horizontally.
Scale All Values - Scales the values of all points of all visible tracks, e.g. scales vertically.
Right-clicking on a point on a curve brings up the point context menu:
Set Time - Allows the Time of the point to be manually set.

Set Value - Allows the value of the point to be manually set.
Delete - Deletes the selected point(s).
Controls
Mouse Controls
In Pan/Edit mode:
LMB + Drag on background

Pan view around.
Mouse Scroll
Zoom in and out.
LMB on Key
Select point.
Ctrl + LMB on point

Toggle selection of point.
Ctrl + LMB on curve

Add new key at clicked location.
Ctrl + LMB + Drag

Move current selection.
Ctrl + Alt + LMB Drag

Box select.
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + LMB + Drag

Box select (add to current selection).
In Zoom mode:
LMB + Drag
Zoom Y axis.
RMB + Drag
Zoom X axis.
LMB + RMB + Drag

Zoom X and Y axes.
Keyboard Controls
In Pan/Edit mode:
Delete
Delete selected points.
Z
Puts you into Zoom mode while held.
Hot Keys
Ctrl + Z
Undo
Ctrl + Y
Redo
Note: Some tools and actions in the Curve Editor may not support Undo/Redo.
Tabs
Tabs in the curve editor allow for organization of tracks. New Tabs can be created easily by pressing the button. The new tab can be
named which can hold any number of tracks.
This can be useful when working with a particle system made up of multiple emitters. Sending the curve data for multiple Lifetime modules
to the Curve Editor could become extremely confusing since there is no real distinction between them other than possibly coloration if one
module is selected or the modules' colors are different.
Adding and removing tracks over and over to keep this from happening would be extremely inefficient. By creating a tab for each emitter,
the tracks can be kept separate and identified easily keeping any mistaken editing of the wrong track for the wrong emitter.
Interpolation Modes
The interpolation mode buttons control the method each point on the curve will use to reach the next point. If you are using one of the curve
modes (Auto, User, or Break), you will see white handles that you can click and drag to give you more control over the curve between
points. If you select a key that is in Auto curve mode and adjust its tangents using the white handles, it will automatically convert to User
curve mode.
Below are the available interpolation modes:
Auto
Auto Clamped
User
Break
Linear
Constant
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Class Viewer

Unreal Engine 4.9
Tools and Editors
Editor Preferences
On this page:
Keybindings Editor Opening the Class Viewer
Project Settings Class Viewer Interface
Layout Customization Menu Bar
Source Control Filters
Color Picker View
Global Asset Picker Search
Property Matrix Class Tree
Curve Editor Class Name
Class Viewer Context Menu
Tools and Systems Drag & Dropping
Basic How To's Utilizing the Class Picker
Level Editor Class Picker Options
Levels General Filters
Actors and Geometry

The Class Viewer allows the user to examine a hierarchical list of classes used by the editor. Through the tool, Blueprints can be created
Components
and opened for modification. You can also open associated C++ Header files or create new C++ classes based on the selected class.
Managing Content
Engine Features
Opening the Class Viewer
Gameplay Guide
The Class Viewer can be opened from the Window -> Developer Tools -> Class Viewer option.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Class Viewer Interface

The Class Viewer is comprised of three areas:
1. Menu Bar
2. Search
3. Class Tree
Menu Bar
Filters
Actors Only - Filters the tree to show only children of the Actor class.
Placeable Only - Filters the tree to show only placeable Actor classes.
Blueprint Bases Only - Filters the tree to show only Blueprint Bases, which Blueprints can be created from.
View
Expand All - Expands the entire tree, revealing all children.

Collapse All - Collapses the entire tree, hiding all children.
Search
The search bar allows for filtering classes by name. When a single word is searched, items only need a partial match to pass and will be
highlighted. Items that fail the filter will be grayed out if they have children that pass and removed entirely if not.
Multiple words will allow a partial match on any to pass the filter. Highlighting is not available with multiple search terms.
Class Tree
This area shows the parent-child relationship between classes that pass both filters and search. Each item can be broken down into two
pieces.
1. Class Name
2. Context Menu
Class Name
This is the name of the class. Items colored in blue are Blueprint classes and white items are non-Blueprint classes.
Context Menu
The context menu is opened by clicking on or by right-clicking on a Blueprint or code class. Classes must be loaded (right-click) to
display a to bring up the context menu. The options available in the context menu depend on the type of class selected:
Class Type
Options
Description
Blueprint Create Blueprint...

Creates a new Blueprint parented to the selected Blueprint.
Class
Edit Blueprint... Opens the selected Blueprint in the Blueprint Editor.
Find In Content Finds the Blueprint Actor in the Content Browser.

Browser
Code Class Create Blueprint...

Creates a new Blueprint parented to the selected Blueprint.
Open C++ Header Opens up the class header file in Visual Studio.
File...
Opens the C++ Class Wizard to create a new class with the selected class as the Parent
Create New C++ class.
Class...
Drag & Dropping

Dropping a Blueprint class Actor into a viewport will add the Actor to the scene. When successfully dragging a Class, the mouse will show
what class is in hand. Only one class can be dragged at a time.
Besides dropping into the viewport, classes can be dropped into combo boxes in the details window. Only classes that are children of the
class associated with the combo box may be successfully dropped. An example is the World Properties details window and the GameMode
Override where dropping any child class of GameMode will work.
Classes that have not been loaded will not appear in the combo box. Dropping a class into the combo box will force load the
class.
Utilizing the Class Picker

The Class Picker is a mode that the Class Viewer can be switched to using only code. It is used for displaying a list of available classes
such as for converting Static Meshes or selecting a parent for a new Blueprint. There are a number of ways to configure a Class Picker to
show the desired results.
When putting a Class Viewer or Class Picker into a location, make sure its height is limited in some manner. Thousands of
classes may be in the Viewer/Picker and unconstrained it will stretch off the screen trying to render all of them. It will
automatically display a scrollbar if all items cannot be displayed in the available area.
Class Picker Options
FClassViewerInitializationOptions, which is used for initializing a Class Picker, has a number of important options to take note of to utilize
the Class Picker to its fullest.
Mode - Two options for this: ClassPicker and ClassBrowsing. It is set to ClassPicker by default, ClassBrowsing will spawn what
amounts to a normal Class Viewer. Most options do not function in a Class Viewer.
DisplayMode - Two options for this: TreeView and ListView. The tree will show parent-child relationships between classes while the
list is a simple list of displayed classes.
General Filters
bIsActorsOnly - Will limit the classes displayed to being children of AActor.

bIsPlaceableOnly - Will limit the classes displayed to being placeable in the game world. bIsActorsOnly will be assumed true if this
value is true.
bIsBlueprintBaseOnly - Will limit the classes displayed to Blueprint bases.
bShowUnloadedBlueprints - Will show unloaded Blueprints despite their parents being filtered out due to custom filters.
bShowNoneOption - Will display a "None" option in a Class Picker, does nothing with a Class Viewer. When an item is picked, a
NULL class is passed.
bIsBlueprintBaseOnly is useful for limiting the list to classes that Blueprints can be created from.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Basic How To's

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

If you are new to the Unreal Engine 4 Editor, this page aims to get you quickly up and running so that you can perform the most commonly
Manipulating Actors
used actions. In each of the How To guides, you will be given step-by-step instructions on how to perform the action described (or topic
Edit Actor Properties
being covered). At the end of each How To guide, additional links to relevant and more detailed documentation is provided.
Playing and Simulating
Find Help and Answers

Refer to the table below for more information and click each link to view its contents.
Level Editor
Levels
How To
Description
Actors and Geometry
Create/Open Projects
Illustrates using the Project Browser to create new projects, open existing projects or downloaded sample
Components
projects.
Managing Content
Placing Actors
Shows how you can place Actors such as props, lights, cameras, etc. in your levels.
Engine Features Manipulating Actors

Examples of how to move, rotate, or scale Actors in your levels.
Gameplay Guide Edit Actor Properties
Modifying properties of an Actor such as applying Materials, Physics, Scale through the Details panel.
Playtesting and Simulating your game with the Play and Simulate options.
Programming Guide
Find Help and
Where to find in-editor help and tutorials or external help and answers to your Unreal Engine 4 questions.
Samples and Tutorials Answers
Release Notes
Site Map
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Level Designer Quick Start Basic How To's

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Manipulating Actors

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Manipulating Actors in Unreal Engine 4 (or Transforming Actors) refers to the process of moving, rotating, or scaling them and is an
Manipulating Actors
important part of the level-editing and creation process. On this page, you will learn how to perform each as well as the different ways you
can perform each action. You will also learn some of the commonly used keyboard shortcuts when working with Actors which may improve
your workflow.
Level Editor

On this page:
Levels
Moving Actors
Actors and Geometry
Rotating Actors
Components
Scaling Actors
Managing Content
Keyboard Shortcuts
Engine Features
For this How To guide, we have created a new project using the Blueprint Third Person template with Starter Content
Gameplay Guide
enabled. If you have not created a project based off a template before or are not sure how to enable Starter Content, refer to
the Project Browser page for information on creating/opening projects, templates, and project settings.
Programming Guide
Samples and Tutorials Moving Actors

Release Notes
Site Map
This section will show you how to move Actors inside the Level Editor Viewport.

1. With your project open, inside the Content Browser, open the Starter Content then Props folder.
2. Left-click on to select the SM_Chair, then drag-and-drop it into the Level Editor Viewport anywhere you would like.
3. When the chair is placed, you will notice it is automatically selected and a Red/Blue/Green arrow widget will appear.
This is the Move Tool and is defaulted to when you place an Actor in your level (or accessed by pressing W with an Actor selected).
The currently active Transform Widget is also shown in the Level Editor Viewport in the upper-right corner of the viewport (below).
Also in this section are grid-snapping options which can be set to determine if the Actor (when moved) will have its movement values
snap to certain increments and can be useful for precision placement of objects in your levels.
4. Move the mouse cursor over an arrow on the Move Tool, notice that a new icon appears and the arrow turns yellow.
5. Left-click on and drag one of the arrows in the direction (or reverse direction) the arrow is pointing.
You will notice the icon changes to a closed "grab" icon and you can move the object along the given axis. Movement is restricted to
the X (Red Arrow), Y (Green Arrow), and Z (Blue Arrow) Axis when clicking on their respective arrows, this gives you the ability to
move an object in one given direction and keep its position in the other directions.
6. Left-click on the white ball at the center of the Move Tool (where the arrows are connected).
This allows you to freely move the Actor along each axis and does not restrict you to a specific axis only.
7. With the Actor still selected, in the Details panel in the lower-right corner of the Editor, you will see the Transform and Location
value.
Here you can manually specify a value for X, Y, or Z for the Actor to use.
Rotating Actors
This section will show you how to rotate Actors inside the Level Editor Viewport.
1. Continuing from the Move Actors section above, select the SM_Chair inside the Level Editor Viewport.
2. Press the E key to switch to the Rotate Tool.
The widget changes to a set of three color-coded arcs, each associated with one axis that you can rotate the Actor along.
Also notice that your Transform Mode changes to Rotate Mode in the upper-right corner of the Level Editor Viewport.
You can also apply grid snapping to rotation to define incremental values at which to rotate the Actor.
3. Move the mouse cursor over one of the arcs and notice that the cursor changes and the arc becomes highlighted yellow.
This indicates that the Actor will be rotated along the highlighted axis.
4. Left-click and Hold on the arc and notice that the widget changes to reflect only the axis around which the Actor will be rotated.
5. Drag left or right to rotate around the arch, rotating the Actor.
The amount in which you are rotating the Actor is also displayed for precision rotation.
6. With the chair still selected, inside the Details panel you can manually enter values for Rotation under the Transform section.
Scaling Actors
This section will show you how to scale Actors inside the Level Editor Viewport.
1. Continuing from the Move Actors section above, select the SM_Chair inside the Level Editor Viewport.
2. Press the R key to switch to the Scale Tool.
You will notice that the widget changes to a set of three color-coded handles that end in cubes.
Also notice that your Transform Mode changes to Scale Mode in the upper-right corner of the Level Editor Viewport.
You can also apply grid snapping to scale to define incremental values at which to scale the Actor.
3. Move the mouse cursor over one of the handles and notice that the cursor changes and the handle becomes highlighted yellow.
This indicates that the Actor will be scaled along the highlighted axis.
4. Left-click on and drag one of the handles in the direction (or reverse direction) it is pointing to scale the Actor.
Above you can see that we have scaled the Actor along the Y axis only.
You can scale the Actor on multiple axis by clicking on the line connecting two axis, then dragging in a direction to scale.
Typically when scaling things like Static Mesh Actors, you will want to scale uniformly so that it maintains its shape in all directions.
You can do so by clicking and dragging the white box in the center of the widget (notice how all three handles are highlighted yellow).
5. With the chair still selected, inside the Details panel you can manually enter values for Scale under the Transform section.
You can also click the lock icon to scale the Actor uniformly when scaling manually as well.
This will automatically change the other axis values when one is changed to so that they are equal.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Below are some of the commonly used Keyboard Shortcus when working with Actors.
Control
Action
LMB + Drag (on Transform Tool)

Moves, rotates, or scales the currently selected Actors, depending on the active transform gizmo.
W
Selects the Move Tool.
E
Selects the Rotate Tool.
R
Selects the Scale Tool.
V
Toggles vertex snapping which allows you to snap to the vertices of other geometry in the world.
MMB + Drag (on Pivot)

Moves the pivot of the selection temporarily to offset transformations.
Ctrl + W (on an Actor)

Duplicates the selected Actor.
H (on an Actor)
Hides the currently selected Actor.
Ctrl + H
Un-hides all Actors.
Shift + E (on an Actor)

Selects all matching Actors in the level of the same type as the selected Actor.
Ctrl + LMB (on an Actor)

Adds the Actor to a selected Actors pool.

Related Topics
Transforming Actors
Viewport Controls
Placing Actors
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Edit Actor Properties

Once you place an Actor in your level, you may want to modify the way it looks or functions in your level. With the Actor selected in the level,
inside the Details panel for that Actor, information about the Actor is stored and can be modified. This page will show you some sample use
Basic How To's
cases for accessing the Details panel and modifying an Actor's properties. See the Details Panel documentation for more detailed
Manipulating Actors
information.

On this page:
Editing Properties
Level Editor
Details Panel Options
Levels
Property Matrix
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Editing Properties

Programming Guide
Platform Development Over the course of the guide we will change several properties that will affect an Actor in our level such as scaling the Actor to increase its

size, applying a Material, turning on Physics for the Actor, as well as tweaking Collision Settings so that it registers when it hits other Actors
Release Notes
during gameplay.
Site Map

Scaling Properties
First let us pick our Actor, place it in the level, and scale it up a bit.
1. With your project open, inside the Content Browser open the Starter Content then Shapes folder.
2. Locate the Shape_Sphere and drag-and-drop it into the level just above the staircase in the level.
3. When the Actor is placed, the Details panel will become populated.
4. Inside the Details panel, under Transform, click the lock icon for Scale and set the XYZ values to 3.0.
As you make the changes, the sphere in the level will update to the new values entered.
We have set the Scale for the selected Actor, you can set the Location or Rotation for the Actor in the Details panel as well.
5. Set the Location values for XYZ to -120.0, 380.0, and 350.0 respectively.
Material Properties
Next, let us apply a new Material to our Actor instead of its default one.
1. Scroll down in the Details panel to the Materials section and click the Select Material dropdown box.
2. In the menu that appears, select a Material to apply to the Shape_Sphere.
When you select a Material, the dropdown box will be updated with your selection and the sphere in the level will be updated.
3. Click the magnifying glass icon next to the Select Material dropdown box.
Clicking this icon will automatically find and select the Material inside the Content Browser.
This is useful for finding assets in the Content Browser when you do not know where they are located.
4. In the Details panel, click the yellow arrow icon.

Whenever you click this icon, it will reset the option back to its default value.
5. In the Content Browser, select another Material.
6. In the Details panel, click the arrow icon next to the Select Material dropdown box.
Clicking this icon will automatically assign the asset selected in the Content Browser to the option's setting.
Physics Properties
Here we will enable Physics for the Actor so that when the level starts, the Actor will fall to the ground and react to other Actors.
1. In the Details panel, type in physics in the search bar.
You can use the search bar to filter the Details panel to only show options based on your entry.
2. Check the Simulate Physics checkbox to enable physics on the sphere.

Our sphere will now simulate physics when the game is played.
3. In the Details panel, click the X mark inside the search bar.
This will clear the search filter.
Collision Properties
In this step, we will update the Collision for the Actor so that it generates a Hit Event whenever the Actor hits something in-game.
1. Scroll down to the Collision section and check the Simulation Generates Hit Events checkbox.
With this option checked, we can determine if the sphere hits something (useful for gameplay situations).
2. From the Main Toolbar, click the Blueprints button then select Open Level Blueprint.
Since the sphere can now register hit events, we will use Blueprint Visual Scripting to kill the player when they are hit by the sphere.
3. Right-click in the graph window, then under Add Event for Shape Sphere and Collision, select the Add On Actor Hit event.
This will now fire an event when the sphere hits something.
4. Off the OnActorHit node, drag off the Other Actor pin and search for Cast To ThirdPersonCharacter then select it in the window.
Here we are saying, when the Sphere hits something, is the Other Actor we hit ThirdPersonCharacter (the player character).
5. Drag off the As Third Person Character pin of the Cast node and search for and add the Destroy Actor node.
If ThirdPersonCharacter was the Other Actor hit, then destroy ThirdPersonCharacter (killing the player character).
6. Click the Compile button in the upper-left corner of the window to finalize the Blueprint, then close the window.
7. From the Main Toolbar, click the Play button to play in the editor.
When you play in the Editor now, you can use WASD to move the character around and the Mouse to manipulate the camera. You should
see that the sphere now rolls down the stairs and if you walk into it, it should kill the character making him disappear (press Esc to exit the
play session after you have been "killed").
Try This
Return to the Details panel and change the scale of the sphere so that you can jump over it.
Also, search for and find a way to turn off the sphere's shadow.
Details Panel Options

Located at the top of the Details panel are additional options that you can use to work with your Actor(s).
In the image above:
1. Name Field - Here you can enter a name for the Actor (see below).
2. Search Field - Used to search for and filter the Details panel to show specific properties (see Editing Properties above).
3. Property Matrix - This is a tool for viewing and editing multiple properties of multiple Actors at the same time (see Property Matrix).
4. Details Viewer - Modify how the Details panel is presented by hiding/showing options (see below).
5. Details Lock - This will lock the Details panel to the selected Actor (the properties will not change when selecting another Actor).
Name Field
For the Name Field, you can enter any name you want to represent the Actor you have selected.
Above we have entered in the name RollingBall for our sphere. Now if we wanted to locate that Actor in the level, we can do so by name. If
we search in the World Outliner for our name, we can filter the list to show it allowing us to quickly and easily locate and select our Actor in
the level.
Details Viewer
The Details Viewer when clicked expands additional options to modify how the Details panel properties are presented.
You can check Show Only Modified Properties to show only properties that have been changed inside the Details panel, filtering out all
other properties. You can click Collapse All Categories to collapse all categories in the panel or Expand All Categories to fully expand all
the categories.
The Show All Advanced Details option allows you to unhide all Advanced Options which are hidden by default. The Advanced Options
are denoted in the Details panel by a down-arrow icon.
Property Matrix
The Property Matrix allows for easy bulk editing and value comparison for large numbers of Objects or Actors. It displays a configurable set
of properties for a collection of objects as columns in a table view that can be sorted on any column. The Property Matrix also provides a
standard property editor that displays all properties for the current selection set in the table view.
This section will show you how you can use the Property Matrix with multiple Actors in your level.
1. Inside the Content Browser under Starter Content and Shapes, drag-and-drop a Shape_Cube into the level.
2. Inside the Level Editor Viewport, press Ctrl+W to duplicate the cube and use the Transform widget to move it.
3. Duplicate the cube 4 more times so that there are 6 cubes in the level (you can place them wherever you like).
4. Click on one of the cubes, then with Ctrl held, click on another cube so that two are selected.
5. In the Details panel, check the Simulate Physics option so that both cubes have physics enabled.
Also notice at the top of the Details panel, it indicates that multiple objects are currently selected and being affected.
6. Select each of the cubes in the level, then in the Details panel click the Property Matrix icon.
7. The Property Matrix window will open.
8. In the search field in the right window, search for "physics".

9. Click the push-pin icon next to Simulate Physics in the window below the search field.
10. The window on the left will now become populated to show the Simulate Physics property for each of the selected Actors.
As indicated above, you can see that two of our cubes have Simulate Physics set to true while the others do not. This can be a
useful tool for when something is not working as expected or a value does not appear to be correct. By using the Property Matrix, you
can easily see which of the Actors is set incorrectly at a glance and can mass change them from within the Property Matrix itself
instead of the Details panel for each individual Actor.
For more information, please see the Property Matrix documentation.
Related Topics
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Property Matrix
Full Topic Index
elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Playing and Simulating

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Unreal Editor allows you to spawn a player anywhere and instantly preview your game from within the editor without waiting for files to save.
Manipulating Actors
There are two preview types available: Play In Editor (PIE) which is directly accessed via the Play button located on the Main Toolbar
and
Simulate In Editor (SIE) which is accessed via the Play button's drop-down menu (or by pressing Alt+S). The in-editor preview system
supports toggling between Play In Editor and Simulate In Editor sessions, so that you can quickly iterate on gameplay and asset tweaks

and see how your game changes as a result.
Level Editor
Levels

On this page:
Actors and Geometry
Play In Editor (PIE)
Components
Simulate In Editor (SIE)
Managing Content

Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Platform Development Play In Editor (PIE)

Release Notes
This section will show you how you can use Play In Editor to play your game.
Site Map
1. With the Blueprint Third Person Template Project open, from the Main Toolbar, click the Play button.
When clicking the Play button, the game should start and you should see the character in the Level Editor Viewport.
You will also see text appear in the upper left corner of the Level Editor Viewport.
When playing inside the Level Editor Viewport, you must click in the window to assign mouse control to the playable character.
2. Left or Right-click in the Level Editor Viewport.
When doing so, the text will change to Shift+F1 for Mouse Cursor (this allows you to give mouse control back to the Editor itself).
You can use the WASD keys for movement, Spacebar to jump and Mouse movement to move the camera.
3. During the Play session, the Main Toolbar will change to provide additional controls.
In the yellow box above from left-to-right, options to Pause (which will pause the game), Stop (which will end the Play session) or
Eject (which will release control of the playable character and switch to mouse cursor controls) are available.
The Eject option is only available when using the Selected Viewport option. See Play Mode for more information.
4. Press Shift+F1 then, click Pause to pause the game.
You will notice that the Main Toolbar will update to provide additional control options.
From left-to-right above, the Resume button will resume gameplay normally while the Frame Skip button will advance gameplay
ahead by 1 frame, each time it is pressed. The Stop and Eject buttons function the same and allow you to end the play session or
eject from character.
5. Press the Eject button from the Main Toolbar.
6. Left-click on the text in the Level Editor Viewport, then in the Details panel, change its Text value.
When you press Enter, the text will be confirmed and changed in the Level Editor Viewport window.
7. Click the Possess button, then Resume from the Main Toolbar.
The text in the level has changed from its default value. This is useful for changing and testing different values for the Actors in your
level during gameplay, allowing for quick iteration and playtesting times.
8. Press F8 to Eject from the player character.
9. Right-click on the text in the Level Editor Viewport, then in the pop-up menu select Keep Simulation Changes.
By default, any values that you change for Actors in your level during a play session will be reverted when the session ends (to
prevent you from accidently overwriting your values). By choosing the Keep Simulation Changes option, this will keep the changes
that you have made to the Actor and carry them over to the Editor when the Play session ends.
Instead of using the context menu, you can select the Actor and press the K key to Keep Simulation Changes.
10. Press Esc to stop the play session and notice your changes have been saved.
Play Modes
There are different Play Modes that you can use when starting a play session.
1. Click the down-arrow next to the Play button from the Main Toolbar.
2. This will open the Play Options menu as seen below.
3. Choose Selected Viewport, Mobile Preview, New Editor Window, or Standalone Game.
The Selected Viewport is the default setting and launches the game within the Editor inside the currently selected Viewport. New Editor
Window also launches the game within the Editor however it creates a new standalone window, leaving the Level Editor Viewport the same.
Mobile Preview and Standalone Game will launch the game in a standalone version outside of the Editor (with the Mobile Preview providing
additional tools used to mimic devices as closely as possible).
For the other options in this menu, refer to the Related Topics section at the bottom of this page for more information.
Simulate In Editor (SIE)

In this section, we will take a look at Simulate In Editor and how to simulate your game.
1. With your project open, inside the Content Browser, open the Starter Content then Props folder.
2. Left-click and drag the Material Sphere prop into the level, just above the stairs.
3. Click on the arrows of the Move Tool widget to move the Sphere up above the stairs, similar to below.
4. In the Details panel for the Sphere, scroll down to the Physics section and check the Simulate Physics checkbox.
When we start to simulate (or play), the Sphere now has physics and should fall to the ground.
5. Press Alt+S to Simulate in the Editor.
You should see that although there is no playable character in the level, the game proceeds as if there is and the sphere falls.
6. Press Esc to stop the session, notice in the Editor that the Main Toolbar has been updated.
The Play button will change to reflect the most recently selected Play Mode, in this case we just simulated.
7. Press the Simulate button (or Alt+S) to simulate again, then immediately press the Pause button.
8. From the Main Toolbar, click the Frame Advance button to step through the simulation.
When clicking the Frame Skip, you should see that the Sphere slowly starts to fall while simulating physics.

Related Topics
In-Editor Testing (Play & Simulate)
Play In Editor Settings
Keep Simulation Changes
Testing Multiplayer
English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Find Help and Answers

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

When working with Unreal Engine 4, if you come across something that you do not understand or would like more clarification on, do not
Manipulating Actors
become discouraged as there are several avenues you can use to learn more about the Editor or an aspect of the Editor you are working
in. This page will highlight where you can go to learn more about the Editor or where to go to get answers to any questions you may have.

On this page:
Level Editor
In-Editor Help
Levels
In-Editor Tutorials
Actors and Geometry
Content Examples
Components
External Help: Documentation
Managing Content
External Help: Answer Hub
External Help: Forums
Engine Features
External Help: WIKI
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide In-Editor Help

Samples and Tutorials In this section, we will take a look at the various methods in which you can access help inside the Editor (some of which will take you
Release Notes externally for additional help, documentation, or answers).
Site Map
New and Updated Resources Rich Tooltips
The first method you can take to learn more about an aspect of the Editor is through the Editor's Rich Tooltips.
Whenever you highlight something inside the Editor's interface, a tooltip will appear along with the option to expand upon that tooltip.
Above we have highlighted the Play button from the Main Toolbar and a description of what the button does is displayed in the tooltip. In the
lower right corner of the tooltip window, you will see the Hold (Ctrl + Alt) for more text, indicating that this tooltip has a Rich Tooltip as well.
Press Ctrl+Alt to expand the tooltip to learn more about the action you highlighted.
You can see now that the tooltip has been expanded for a more detailed explanation of what the Play action does and there is a see full
documentation link at the bottom of the Rich Tooltip. Clicking on the see full documentation text will take you directly to the external Unreal
Engine 4 Documentation page related to and covering what the Play (or whatever you highlighted) action does and how to use it.
Help Icon
Some aspects of the Editor may have a ? icon next to them.
This Help Icon when clicked will take you to relevant external documentation related to object it is linked to.
Above we have clicked on a Brush Actor in our level, then in the Details panel, clicked the ? Help Icon which automatically opened a
documentation page on Geometry Brush Actors. This is useful when you are not sure what an object does or want to learn more about
the object, but not sure where to look on the official documentation pages.
Documentation Actor
Sometimes you may see a rotating ? icon inside the Level Editor Viewport, this is called a Documentation Actor (Doc Actor).
When you click on this Actor in a level, the Details panel for the Actor will provide a link to external documentation related to the Actor.
These are more commonly seen inside any of the Template Projects created from the Project Browser or in the Content Examples.
Above, several Doc Actors are placed next to each of the Content Examples in the Animation level. Each one of these Doc Actors links to
different documentation regarding the Content Example being shown and provides more detailed information about what is being
demonstrated. Below, we have clicked on one of the Doc Actors and a documentation page on Blend Spaces was automatically opened.
Click for full image.
Help Menu
Located in the upper-left corner of an Editor Window is the Menu Bar and the Help option.
When clicking the Help button, several options are available in the dropdown menu.
Control
Action
Documentation
This will take you to the main Official Documentation page.
API Reference
This will open the UE4 API Documentation and is a low level index of Engine classes and functions.
Tutorials
Selecting this option will open the In-Editor Tutorials.
Forums
This will take you to the Official Unreal Engine 4 Forums page.
Answer Hub
Selecting this will take you to the main Answer Hub page.
Wiki
This option will take you to the Official Unreal Engine 4 Wiki page.
Visit UnrealEngine.com
Takes you to the main Unreal Engine page.
Credits
This displays the credits.
About Unreal Editor

This will display information about the Unreal Engine 4 Editor.
F1 Help
Inside the Help Menu noted above, next to Documentation... you may have noticed the F1 text.
Pressing F1 is a keyboard shortcut to bringing up an Official Documentation page. The F1 Help button is context sensitive, meaning that
depending on where you are in the Editor, a different help page may be presented to you. For example, below we are in the Main Editor
View and pressing F1 for help displays the home documentation page.
With a Blueprint window open, if we were to press F1 here a different documentation page is displayed for help regarding Blueprints.
Or if we were in the Material Editor, a page on Materials is displayed.

Whenever you are in a new Editor window and not sure what it is or how to work with it, try pressing F1 for help.
Help Search
You can also search for help by using the Help Search bar located in the upper-right corner of the Main Editor Window.
Inside the search bar, you can enter any topic and as you start to enter text, a popup window will display results related to your entry.
Above we have searched for Blueprints, the results show In-Editor Tutorials related to Blueprints as well as links to external Official
Documentation related to Blueprints. There is also a link to Answer Hub where you can ask a question online and get help from Epic Staff
as well as the Unreal Engine community.
Not quite sure what it is you are looking for but have an idea of what you want to achieve? You can enter that into the search bar as well.
Above we are searching for "How to display health". Depending upon your entry, there may be Official Documentation related to that very
topic. There may also be Wiki help or tutorials or even questions on Answer Hub that have been posed and answered.
In-Editor Tutorials
In-Editor Tutorials provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to navigate and use particular aspects of Unreal Engine 4.
While proceeding through each In-Editor Tutorial, you will be guided across the interface as well as given instructions on how to use the
feature the tutorial covers. You will also be given links to external Official Documentation on the feature which will help you expand upon
the topics that are covered in the tutorial itself.
To proceed through an In-Editor Tutorial, click the green Next button in the lower right corner of the tutorial window.
More options for the In-Editor Tutorial can be found by clicking the dropdown arrow in the upper right corner of the tutorial window.
These options will allow you to Exit the tutorial, proceed to the Next step in the tutorial, go Back to the previous step in the tutorial, Restart
the tutorial or see More Tutorials that are available.
You can access the In-Editor Tutorial hub by clicking the More Tutorials option noted above, or by clicking Help from the Menu Bar and
selecting Tutorials.
When you open the In-Editor Tutorial hub, a list of tutorials will be presented by category.
Any In-Editor Tutorials that you have completed will be denoted by a green checkmark next to its icon.
Any time you enter an area inside the Editor where a new In-Editor Tutorial is available, an icon will blink in the upper right corner.
Click the blinking icon to start an In-Editor Tutorial covering the area you are currently in.
Above we opened a Static Mesh asset, then clicked the In-Editor Tutorial icon and a Static Mesh Editor tutorial was started.
Content Examples
Another learning resource you can use to help answer any questions you may have is through the Content Examples project.
Content Examples represent an approach to training in which you can cross reference specialized example assets with corresponding
documentation. Each Content Example consists of its own level within the Content Examples project. As you move through each level, you
will see a series of numbered stands, each of which having its own example asset. By looking at the documentation for that Content
Example and example number, you can read about how that example was created.
You should feel free to open any examples within the Content Example levels, change or edit them, make your own versions of them, and
learn from how they were assembled. You may also use any of the examples in your own levels.
You can download the Content Examples project from the Learn tab of the Unreal Engine Launcher.
For more information, see the Content Examples documentation.

External Help: Documentation
When you want to learn about a particular feature or aspect of the Editor, the Official Documentation is the place to start.
You can use the search field to search for the information you want to retrieve, or you can use the Quick Search Terms to browse
commonly searched topics. Additionally, you can browse the documentation by topic. If you are new to Unreal Engine 4, Getting Started is
a fine place to start.
For those that want a more hands-on learning experience, you can take a look at Quick Start or How-To guides which will guide you step-
by-step through the creation of a sample project (for Quick Start) or quick one-off learning experiences regarding a particular topic (for How-
to's) as well as the Samples & Tutorials section.
External Help: Answer Hub

If you cannot find what you are looking for in the Official Documentation or have a specific question, you can search Answer Hub to see if
your question has been asked/answered by Epic Staff or the Unreal Engine community.
You can enter your topic or question in the search field to see if it has been asked or answered before.
Below we searched for Multiplayer Games to see what topics came up related to our keyword search.
Any questions/answers related to Multiplayer Games are returned so that we can browse and see if our particular questions regarding
Multiplayer have been asked.
General note, the more specific your keyword search the better the return results you will see.
If you are new to Answer Hub, there is a Quick Start guide to using it which you can find here.
External Help: Forums

Another resource for help is the Official Unreal Engine 4 Forums.
The forums are broken up into several categories from Animation, Blueprints, and C++ Gameplay Programming to Android or iOS
development or even Community Content, Tools, and Tutorials. The forums are largely community driven but Epic Staff does contribute to
and respond to posts in the forums quite a bit. While Answer Hub is geared toward one-off questions and answers, the forums is a good
place to start a discussion on a particular topic or how to approach creating something in Unreal Engine 4.
External Help: WIKI

The Official Unreal Engine 4 Wiki is a place you can go for more Tutorials, Sample Projects, or Code samples.
The wiki is a community driven learning resource where users can post their own tutorials for others to use and learn from. Often times in
Game Development, trial-and-error is the best method in which to learn something and with the wiki, you can learn from others who may
have went through similar stumbling blocks as you.
Say you want to create a Double Jump for a character or do not know where to begin for creating a multiplayer game, you can check the
wiki to see if the community has posted a page on either topic already and may be exactly what you are looking for.

Related Topics
Content Examples
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Level Editor

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Layers Panel User Guide
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

On this page:
Release Notes
The Default Interface
Site Map
Tab Bar
Menu Bar
Toolbar
Viewport
Details
Modes
World Outliner
Layers
The Level Editor provides the core level creation functionality for Unreal Editor. This is where levels are created, viewed, and modified
mainly by placing, transforming, and editing the properties of Actors.
In Unreal Editor, the scenes in which you create your game experience are generally referred to as Levels. You can think of a level as a 3D
environment into which you place a series of objects and geometry to define the world your players will experience. Any object that is
placed in your world, be it a light, a mesh, or a character, is considered to be an Actor. Technically speaking, Actor is a programming class
used within the Unreal Engine to define an object that has 3D position, rotation, and scale data. For sake of ease, however, it will be easiest
to think of an Actor as any object that can be placed in your levels.
At its most basic level, creating levels boils down to placing items in a map inside Unreal Editor. These items may be world geometry,
decorations in the form of Brushes, Static Meshes, lights, player starts, weapons, or vehicles. Which items are added when is usually
defined by the particular workflow used by the level design team.
The Default Interface

Since the interface for Unreal Editor is highly customizable, it is possible that what you see may change from one launch to the next. Below,
you can see the default interface layout:
1. Tab Bar and Menu Bar
2. Toolbar
3. Modes
4. Content Browser
5. Viewports
6. World Outliner
7. Details
Tab Bar
The Level Editor has a tab along the top providing the name of the level currently being edited. Tabs from other editor windows may be
docked alongside this tab for quick and easy navigation, similar to a web browser.
The name of the tab itself will reflect the level currently being edited. This is a pattern consistent throughout the editor - editor tabs will be
named after the current asset being edited.
To the right of the Tab Bar is the name of the current project.
Menu Bar
The Menu Bar in editor should be familiar to anyone who has used Windows applications previously. It provides access to general tools and
commands that are used when working with levels in the editor.
See the Menu Bar page for descriptions of each menu and its contents.
The Console (`) is a text field that allows special console commands to be entered that are recognized by the editor. The text field has an
auto-complete feature that automatically lists all commands matching the text currently in the box.
The button on the far right of the menu bar is:
Button
Name
Description
= Source
This tells whether you are connected to source control. You can mouse over for connection details, and click to
On Control set up a connection. Perforce and Subversion are supported. See Source Control documentation for details.
= Status
Off
Toolbar
The Toolbar panel, like in most applications, is a group of commands providing quick access to commonly used tools and operations.
See the Toolbar page for descriptions of each of the items on the Toolbar.
Viewport
The Viewport panel is your window into the worlds you create in UnrealEd.
This panel contains a set of viewports, each of which can be maximized to fill the entire panel and offer the ability to display the world from
one of three orthographic views (Top, Side, Front) or a perspective view giving you complete control over what you see as well as how you
see it.
See Viewports for more information on working with viewports.
Details
The Details panel contains information, utilities, and functions specific to the current selection in the viewport. It contains transform edit
boxes for moving, rotating, and scaling Actors, displays all of the editable properties for the selected Actors, and provides quick access to
additional editing functionality depending on the type of Actor(s) selected in the viewport. For instance, selected Actors can be exported to
FBX and converted to another compatible type. The Selection Details also allows you to view the materials used by the selected Actors, if
any, and quickly open them for editing.
See the Details page for a more complete overview and guide to using the Details panel in the Level Editor.
Modes
You can close any panel by clicking the small "X" in the upper-right corner of the tab. You can also hide any panel by Right-
clicking on the tab, and then clicking Hide Tab on the context menu that appears. To once again display a panel that you have
closed, click that panel's name on the Window menu.
The Modes represent different editing modes the Level Editor can be put into, enabling specialized editing interfaces and workflows for
editing particular types of Actors or geometry.
Tool
Description
Shortcut

Activates Place mode for placing Actors in your scene. Shift + 1

Toggles Paint mode for painting vertex colors and textures on Static Mesh Actors directly in the viewport. Shift + 2

Toggles Landscape mode for editing Landscape terrains. Shift + 3

Toggles Foliage mode for painting instanced foliage. Shift + 4

Toggles Geometry Editing mode for modifying Brushes to geometry. Shift + 5
World Outliner
The World Outliner panel displays all of the Actors within the scene in a hierarchical tree view. Actors can be selected and modified directly
from the World Outliner. You can also use the Info drop down menu to turn on an extra column that shows Levels, Layers, or ID Names.
See the World Outliner page for details on using the World Outliner.
Layers
The Layers panel allows you to organize Actors in your Level.

Layers provide the ability to quickly select as well as control visibility of groups of related Actors. You can use your layers to quickly un-
clutter a scene leaving only the geometry and Actors that you are working with. For example, you might be working on a building that has
multiple levels but is comprised of many modular parts. By assigning each floor to a layer, you can hide each of the floors you are not
working on making the top view much more manageable.
See the Layers Panel User Guide page for details on using the Layers panel.
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English
Level Designer Quick Start Level Editor

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Main Menu Bar

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Menu Bar in editor should be familiar to anyone who has used Windows applications previously. It provides access to general tools and
Level Editor
commands that are used when working with levels in the editor.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
File
Level Editor Modes

Command
Description
Quick Settings

Load and Save
Layers Panel User Guide New Level

Creates a new level, or choose a level template to start from.
Performance Tools
Open Level
Loads an existing level.
Levels
Save
Saves the current level to disk.
Actors and Geometry
Components Save As
Saves the current persistent map using the given name.
Managing Content Save All Levels

Saves all unsaved loaded levels, including streaming levels.
Open Asset
Summons an asset picker.
Engine Features
Save All
Saves all unsaved levels and assets.
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Choose Files to Save

Opens a dialog with save options for levels and content.
Programming Guide Submit to Source Control

Opens a dialog with check in options for content and levels.
Project
New Project
Opens a dialog to create a new game project.
Release Notes
Site Map Open Project

Opens a dialog to choose a game project to open.
Add Code To Project
Adds C++ code to the project. The code can only be compiled if you have Visual Studio installed.
Cook Content
Cooks your project's content for a specific platform. This is useful if you run a code-based project from
Visual Studio.
Package Project
Compile, cook and package your project and its content for distribution.
Open Visual Studio

Opens your C++ code in Visual Studio.
Refresh Visual Studio

Refreshes your C++ code project in Visual Studio.
Project
Actors
Import
Imports Objects and Actors from a T3D format into the current level.
Export All
Exports the entire level to a file on disk (multiple formats are supported.)
Export Selected
Exports currently-selected objects to a file on disk (multiple formats are supported.)
Application
Add Level To Favorites

Sets whether the currently loaded level will appear in the list of favorite levels.
Recent Levels
Select a level to load.
Recent Projects
Select a project to switch to.
Exit
Exits the application.
Edit

Command
Description
History
Undo
Undo the last completed action.
Redo
Redo the last undone action.
Edit
Cut
Cut selection.
Copy
Copy selection.
Paste
Paste clipboard contents.
Duplicate
Duplicate selection.
Delete
Delete current selection.
Configuration
Editor Preferences
Configure the behavior and features of this editor. See Editor Preferences for details.
Project Settings
Change the settings of the currently loaded project. See Project Settings for details.
Plugins
This will open the Plugins browser where these can be enabled or disabled for the current project.
Window
Command
Description
Details
Shows the Details panel, which provides access to various properties for selected objects. You may show up to 4
Details panels simultaneously.
Viewports
Shows the Viewport, which is your view into the 3D world of your game. You may show up to 4 Viewports
simultaneously.
Hierarchical LOD
This will display the HLOD settings and allow generation of clusters.
Outliner
Layers
Opens the Layers panel, where you can divide your level into a series of visibility layers.
Levels
Opens the Levels panel which displays the persistent and all streaming levels.
Modes
Shows the Modes panel, which accesses special level editing tools such as Landscape and Foliage.
World Outliner
Opens the World Outliner, a hierarchical breakdown of all the Actors currently in the level.
Statistics
Shows the Statistics panel, which provides access to a variety of performance stats for the level.
Toolbar
Shows the Toolbar, which contains a variety of common functions you will perform during level editing.
World Settings
Shows the World Settings panel, where you can find settings specific to the level you are currently editing.
Content Browser
Opens any of up to 4 separate Content Browsers for working with content assets.
Developer Tools
Provides access to various tools that are useful for programmers working with the engine and editor.
Blueprint Debugger
Opens the Blueprint Debugging panel.
Class Viewer
Opens the Class Viewer for adding instances of Actors to maps and creating Blueprints.
Message Log
Opens the Message Log which contains various specialized information logs. Only one Message Log may exist at
any given time.
Output Log
Opens a new Output Log. Only one Output Log may exist at any given time.
Plugins
Open the Plugins Browser tab.
Unreal Frontend
Device Manager
Opens the Device Manager tab.
Session Frontend
Opens the Unreal Frontend tool which provides access to the Automation System, Unreal Console, and more.
Layout
Reset Layout
Makes a backup of your user settings and resets the layout customizations.
Save Layout
Saves the current user interface layout.
Enable Fullscreen
Toggles the editor between fullscreen and normal modes.
Help
Command
Description
Browse
Documentation
Opens the main documentation page.
API Reference
Opens the API Reference documentation.
Viewport Controls
Opens the viewport controls cheat sheet.
Tutorials
Opens up introductory tutorials covering the basics of using the Unreal Engine 4 Editor.
Online
Contains links to the Epic Games and Unreal Engine support sites.
Application
About Unreal Editor

Opens the About dialog displaying information about the engine version.
Full Topic Index

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Level Editor Toolbar

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Toolbar panel, like in most applications, is a group of commands providing quick access to commonly used tools and operations.
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Command
Description
Level Editor Modes
Saves the current level.
Quick Settings

Allows you to connect to or assign your Source Control solution.
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Opens the Content Browser displaying all of the content assets contained in your game. This is where you go to create,
Components import, and edit all content.
Managing Content

Opens the Unreal Engine Launcher to the Marketplace section.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

Displays the Settings menu providing easy access to commonly used options controlling selection, editing, and
Programming Guide
previewing aspects of the Level Editor.

Provides access to create or edit any Blueprints in the world, including opening the Level Blueprint for the current level
Release Notes
in the Blueprint Editor. This menu give you quick access to setting up the framework for your game - game rules, player
Site Map
type, HUD, etc. - from within the editor.

Enables you to create a new Matinee sequence or edit any existing Matinee sequences in the level.

Performs a the build operation on all levels (persistent and streaming) open in the editor. Building precalculates as
much data as possible relating to various aspects of the level. For instance, static lighting - lightmaps, shadows, global
illumination - and geometry are calculated during this process. Clicking the arrow displays the Build Options menu.
Starts the game in normal play mode. Clicking the arrow displays the Play Options menu. See the Play In Editor section
for more information.

Launches the current map on any of the supported platforms. Connected devices are listed in the menu accessed by
clicking the arrow.
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Editor Viewports

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
Viewport Basics
Viewport Controls
Viewport Toolbar
View Modes
Viewport Show Flags
Viewport Options
Pilot Actors in the Viewport
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Unreal Game Projects The Viewports are your window into the worlds you create in Unreal. They can be navigated just as you would in a game, or can be used in
Engine Features a more schematic design sense as you would for an architectural blueprint. The Unreal Editor viewports contain a variety of tools and
Gameplay Guide visualizers to help you see exactly the data you need.
Programming Guide Viewport Topics

Samples and Tutorials The following topics will get you up to speed on the many ways you can utilize the Unreal Editor viewports.
Release Notes
Site Map
Viewport Basics Viewport Controls Viewport Options

Basic concepts and features of the Viewports in Learn about the various control schemes for the Explanations of the various options available
Unreal Editor. editor's viewports. within the editor viewports.
Viewport Toolbar View Modes Viewport Show Flags

A rundown of the various tools available within Explanations for the available View Modes within Descriptions of all of the available Show Flags
the viewports integrated toolbar. the viewports. for the viewports.
Full Topic Index
Pilot Actors in the Viewport Picture-in-Picture

A look at how to Pilot/Lock Actors to the viewport A viewport feature that creates a picture-in-
camera for intuitive placement. picture for accurate camera placement.

elsewhere.
English
Level Designer Quick Start Editor Viewports

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Viewport Basics

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Viewport Types
Level Editor Toolbar Viewport Layout
Editor Viewports View Modes
Viewport Basics Game View
Viewport Controls Immersive Mode
Viewport Toolbar
The Viewports are your window into the worlds you create in Unreal. They can be navigated just as you would in a game, or can be used in
View Modes
a more schematic design sense as you would for an architectural blueprint. The Unreal Editor viewports contain a variety of tools and
Viewport Show Flags
visualizers to help you see exactly the data you need.
Viewport Options
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide Viewport Types

Samples and Tutorials There are two main types of Viewports in Unreal Editor: Perspective and Orthographic. The perspective view is a 3D window into the game
Release Notes world. The Orthographic views - Front, Side, and Top - are 2D Viewports that each look down one of the main axes (X, Y, or Z).
Site Map

Perspective (3D)
Front (X-Axis)
Side (Y-Axis)
Top (Z-Axis)
You can cycle through the types of Viewports by pressing Alt and G, H, J, or K. These set the Viewport to be Perspective, Front, Side, or
Top, respectively.
Viewport Layout
By default, you see a single Perspective Viewport when you open Unreal Editor.
The Viewport panel actually contains multiple Viewports, which are laid out in a grid and any of which can be shown maximized. The
default layout is a 4x4 that consists of one of each type of Viewport - Perspective, Top, Front, and Side.
The Viewports can be minimized and maximized using the and buttons located in the top right corner of each Viewport.
View Modes
The Unreal Editor viewports have a large number of visualization modes to help you see the type of data being processed in your scene, as
well as to diagnose any errors or unexpected results. The more common view modes have their own hotkeys, but all can be accessed from
the viewport within the View Mode menu.
The most commonly used view modes are shown here:

Lit
Unlit
Wireframe
See View Modes for a listing and description of all available modes.
Game View
Game View causes the Viewport to display the scene as it would appear in the game. This means that none of the editor-specific elements -
such as the Actor icons - are shown. It gives you an easy way to see just how your level will look when you run it in the game.
Drag the slider to toggle Game View.
To enable Game View, simply press the G key (by default) with the Viewport focused or choose the Game View option from the Viewport
Options menu:
Immersive Mode
Viewports have another state in addition to maximized and minimized that they can be in called Immersive Mode. This refers to Viewport
being maximized out to the full extents of the window containing the Viewport panel. When you have the Level editor maximized, this
enables you to have your Viewport run in full-screen for a truly immersive editing experience!
To enable Immersive Mode, simply press the F11 key (by default) with the Viewport focused or choose the Immersive Mode option from
the Viewport Options menu:
You can restore the Viewport to normal using the same procedure above or by pressing the button located at the top right of the
Viewport when in Immersive Mode.
Drag the slider to see Immersive Mode in action!
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Viewport Controls

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Navigation Controls
Level Editor Toolbar Standard
Editor Viewports Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad
Viewport Basics Game-style
Viewport Controls Pan, Orbit, and Zoom
Viewport Toolbar Selection Controls
View Modes Transform Controls
Viewport Show Flags Display Controls
Viewport Options
There are various controls to enable you to navigate the scene, select and manipulate Actors, and change display options while working in
the viewports.
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner For the purposes of this document, you should assume the following abbreviations:
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes

Control Abbreviation
Quick Settings
Left Mouse Button LMB

Right Mouse Button RMB

Middle Mouse MMB
Performance Tools
Button
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components Navigation Controls

Managing Content
There are a variety of ways in which to navigate the Unreal Editor viewports. Some can be done entirely with the mouse, with the keyboard,
or with a variety of combinations between the two.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

Some of the controls below are configurable in the Keybindings Editor. Their default state is listed here. If you have made
Programming Guide
changes to them, they may not match.
Samples and Tutorials Standard

Release Notes
These controls represent the default behavior when clicking and dragging in the viewports with no other keys or buttons pressed. These are
Site Map
also the only controls that can be used to navigate the orthographic viewports.

Control
Action
Perspective
LMB + Drag
RMB + Drag
LMB + RMB + Drag

Moves up and down.
LMB + Drag
RMB + Drag
LMB + RMB + Drag

Zooms the viewport camera in and out.
Focusing
F
Focuses the camera on the selected object. This is essential to make the most out of tumbling the camera.
Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad
On a Mac, after enabling Secondary click in System Preference -> Mouse for the Magic Mouse, or enabling Secondary click with two
fingers in System Preference -> Trackpad for the Magic Trackpad, the following controls are available.

Magic Mouse
Magic Trackpad
Action
Persepctive
LMB + Drag 1 Finger Click +

Drag
RMB + Drag 2 Finger Click +

Drag
1 Finger Touch + 2 Finger Touch +
Drag Drag
LMB + Drag 1 Finger Click +

Drag
RMB + Drag 2 Finger Click +

Drag
1 Finger Touch + 2 Finger Touch +

Drag Drag
Focusing
F F
Focuses the camera on the selected object. This is essential to make the most out of
tumbling the camera.
Game-style
The WASD controls will feel natural to those who are used to playing shooter games on the PC. They are enabled by default and can be
used whenever you are holding RMB. This means you will still use RMB to turn the camera while navigating in this way.
These controls are mirrored on the arrow keys and num pad to provide alternate access to them.
All of these controls are only valid in a Perspective viewport, and by default you must hold RMB to use the WASD game-style controls.
Control
Action
W | Numpad8 | Up
Moves the camera forward.
S | Numpad2 | Down
Moves the camera backward.
A | Numpad4 | Left
Moves the camera left.
D | Numpad6 | Right
Moves the camera right.
E | Numpad9 | Page Up
Moves the camera up.
Q | Numpad7 | Page Dn
Moves the camera down.
Z | Numpad1
Zooms the camera out (raises FOV).
C | Numpad3
Zooms the camera in (lowers FOV).
When zooming the camera, holding the RMB will hold the FOV, preventing it from snapping back to its default settings. The FOV will remain
until the RMB is released.
When navigating with WASD while holding down the RMB, you can rotate the mouse wheel up to speed up your movement, or
rotate the mouse wheel down to slow down your movement.
While using the Magic Mouse or Magic Track you will not be able to change the speed of the camera by using the RMB +
Mouse Scroll Wheel, you will need to adjust it using the Viewport camera speed option.
Pan, Orbit, and Zoom
Unreal Editor supports Maya-style pan, orbit, and zoom viewport controls, making it much easier for Maya artists to jump into the tool. If you
are unfamiliar, here is a breakdown of the keys:
Command
Description
Alt + LMB + Drag

Tumbles the viewport around a single pivot or point of interest.
Alt + RMB + Drag

Dollies (zooms) the camera toward and away from a single pivot or point of interest.
Alt + MMB + Drag

Tracks the camera left, right, up, and down in the direction of mouse movement.
The use of the F key is not limited to Maya-style controls. You can always press F to focus on a selected object or group of objects!
Selection Controls
You can select Actors in the viewport individually simply by clicking on them or in groups using a box selection in the 2D viewports:

Simple Selection
Box Selection

Control
Action
Simple Selection
LMB
Selects the Actor under the cursor, replacing the current selection.
Ctrl + LMB
Adds the Actor under the cursor to the current selection.
Box Selection (2D Viewports Only)
LMB + Drag
Replaces the current selection with the Actors contained in the box.
Shift + LMB + Drag

Adds the Actors contained in the box to the current selection.
Ctrl + RMB + Drag

Removes any select Actors in the box from the current selection.
Transform Controls
These controls relate to moving, rotating, and scaling Actors in the viewports using the transform tools:

Move Tool (W)
Rotate Tool (E)
Scale Tool (R)
You can see which tool is active in the viewport toolbar:
Control
Action
LMB + Drag (on Transform Tool)

Moves, rotates, or scales the currently selected Actors, depending on the active transform gizmo.
W
Selects the Move Tool.
E
Selects the Rotate Tool.
R
Selects the Scale Tool.
V
Toggles vertex snapping which allows you to snap to the vertices of other geometry in the world.
MMB + Drag (on Pivot)

Moves the pivot of the selection temporarily to offset transformations.
Move Tool Controls (Perspective Viewports Only)
Ctrl + LMB + Drag

Moves the currently selected Actor(s) along the X axis.
Ctrl + RMB + Drag

Moves the currently selected Actor(s) along the Y axis.
Ctrl + LMB + RMB + Drag

Moves the currently selected Actor(s) along the Z axis.
Move Tool Controls (Orthographic Viewports Only)
Ctrl + LMB + Drag

Moves the currently selected Actor(s) along the plane defined by the two visible axes.
Rotate Tool Controls (Perspective Viewports Only)
Ctrl + LMB + Drag

Rotates the currently selected Actor(s) along the X axis.
Ctrl + RMB + Drag

Rotates the currently selected Actor(s) along the Y axis.
Ctrl + LMB + RMB + Drag

Rotates the currently selected Actor(s) along the Z axis.
Scale Tool Controls
Ctrl + LMB + Drag

Scales the currently selected Actor(s) uniformly along all axes.
Move/Scale Tool Controls (Orthographic Viewports Only)
Ctrl + RMB + Drag

Rotates the currently selected Actor(s) along the visible axis.
Display Controls
These controls affect how the level is displayed in the viewport.
Control
Action
G
Toggles Game Mode, which causes the viewport to render only what would be seen in-game.
Ctrl + R
Toggles real-time playback in the active viewport.
F11
Toggles immersive mode, which puts the viewport into full-screen.
Full Topic Index

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Viewport Toolbar

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Transform Tools and Snapping Settings
Level Editor Toolbar Camera Speed
Editor Viewports Maximize Viewport
Viewport Basics
The Viewport Toolbar contains the transform tools that you will use throughout the level design process, as well as snapping controls for
Viewport Controls
those tools. You will also find access to camera speed, as well as the ability to split the viewport into a 4-view.
Viewport Toolbar
View Modes
Viewport Show Flags
Viewport Options
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

Button
Name

Transform Tools
Release Notes
Site Map

Coordinate System

Grid Snapping

Rotation Snapping

Scale Snapping

Camera Speed

Maximize Viewport
Transform Tools and Snapping Settings
The Transform Tools serve as your primary means of manipulating objects within the viewport. There are 3 tools available:
Move Tool
Rotate Tool
Scale Tool
Each one of these tools also has settings to handle snapping. For more information on using the Transform Tools and the various snapping
methods available, please see the Actor Placement page.
Camera Speed
The Camera Speed slider controls how fast the camera moves through your scenes in the Perspective viewport.
While using the WASD controls, you can scroll the mouse wheel to speed up or slow down camera movement!
Maximize Viewport
The Maximize button, located in the upper-right corner of the viewport, is used to toggle between a single viewport and a split 4-view style.

Single View
4-View
When in a 4-view you can use the splitters between each view to resize each quadrant!
Full Topic Index

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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology View Modes

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
Viewport Basics
Viewport Controls
Viewport Toolbar
View Modes
Viewport Show Flags
Viewport Options
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes

On this page:
Quick Settings
Lit
Unlit
Wireframe
Performance Tools
Detail Lighting
Levels
Lighting Only
Actors and Geometry
Light Complexity
Components
Shader Complexity
Managing Content
Stationary Light Overlap
Lightmap Density
Engine Features
Reflections
Gameplay Guide
LOD Coloration
Buffer Visualization
Programming Guide
Landscape Visualizers
Exposure
Release Notes The Unreal Editor viewports have a large number of visualization modes to help you see the type of data being processed in your scene, as
Site Map well as to diagnose any errors or unexpected results. The more common view modes have their own hotkeys, but all can be accessed from
New and Updated Resources the viewport within the View Mode menu.
Lit
View Mode Hotkey: Alt + 4
Console command: viewmode lit
Lit view mode shows the final result of your scene once all of the Materials and lighting have been applied.
Unlit

Console command: viewmode unlit
Unlit view mode removes all lighting from the scene, showing you Base Color only.
Wireframe

Console command: viewmode wireframe
Wireframe shows all of the polygon edges in the scene. In the case of Brushes, you will see the resultant geometry.
Detail Lighting

Console command: viewmode lit_detaillighting
Detail Lighting activates a neutral Material across the entire scene, using the normal maps of the original materials. This is useful for
isolating whether your BaseColor is obscuring lighting by being too dark or noisy.
Lighting Only

Console command: viewmode lightingonly
Lighting Only shows a neutral Material that is only affected by lighting. It differs from Detail Lighting mode in that you will not see normal
maps.
Light Complexity
Console command: viewmode lightcomplexity
Light Complexity shows the number of non-static lights affecting your geometry. This is useful for tracking lighting cost - the more lights
affecting a surface, the more expensive it will be to shade.
Light Complexity Coloration
Color
Number of Lights Affecting Surface 0 1 2 3 4 5+
This color scheme is defined in the shader code.
Shader Complexity

Console command: viewmode shadercomplexity
Shader Complexity Mode is used to visualize the number of shader instructions being used to calculate each pixel of your scene. It is
generally a good indication of how performance-friendly your scene will be. In general, it is used to test overall performance for your base
scene, as well as to optimize particle effects, which tend to cause performance spikes with a large amount of overdraw for a short period of
time.
Only instruction count is used to calculate shader complexity, which may not always be accurate. For example, a shader with 16
instructions, all texture lookups, will be much slower on all platforms than a shader with 16 math instructions. Also shaders which contain
loops that are not unrolled will not be represented accurately by the instruction count, this is mainly an issue for vertex shaders. Overall the
instruction count is a good metric in the vast majority of cases.
The view mode uses a color spectrum to indicate how expensive the scene is. Green through red represent a linear relationship of "very
inexpensive" to "expensive", while pink and white indicate a large jump to "very expensive" pixels. Small areas of white can be tolerated,
but if the majority of your screen is covered in bright red or white, the performance will be poor.
Shader Complexity Coloration

Ideal Moderate Expensive Very Expensive
+ShaderComplexityColors=(R=0.0,G=1.0,B=0.127,A=1.0)
Stationary Light Overlap
View Mode Hotkey: None (Menu only by default)
Lightmap Density
Lightmap Density mode displays the lightmap density of objects that are texture mapped, color coding them by their relation to an
ideal/max density setting and displaying a grid that maps to the actual lightmap texels. It is important to have even texel density across your
scene to get consistent lightmap lighting.

Less than ideal texel density
Ideal texel density
Max or greater than ideal texel density
Skeletal Meshes will appear in light brown and are not considered in this calculation.
Reflections
Reflections view mode overrides all materials with a flat normal and a roughness of 0, which is a mirror. This is useful for diagnosing the
detail of reflections and allowing you to place more Reflection Capture Actors in areas where you need more detail.
LOD Coloration
Console command: viewmode LODColoration
LOD Coloration view mode displays the current LOD index of a primitive. This is useful for diagnosing any LOD issues or to see at which
distance your LODs are switching.
LOD Primitive Coloration
Color
LOD 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Primitive
Color
+LODColorationColors=(R=1.0,G=1.0,B=1.0,A=1.0)
By default the engine uses only four LODs, but this can be extended in the source code.
Buffer Visualization
The Buffer Visualization area offers you access to individual buffers within the graphics card, which can help you diagnose problems how
your scenes look. In order to make the most out of the buffer visualization modes, it will help to understand the basics of Material Inputs and
Material Properties.
Buffer Overview
The Buffer Overview visualization mode allows you to see multiple images from the graphics card's GBuffer. Many of these correlate to
inputs on Materials, meaning you can see how the scene looks with just a single Material input being used.
Base Color

The Base Color mode allows you to see the only the Base Color of the Materials in your scene.
Decal Mask
The Decal Mask mode shows in white any surface which can receive deferred decals. Objects which cannot appear in black.
Diffuse Color
Diffuse Color shows the result of Base Color and the Material's Ambient Occlusion inputs.
Shading Model
The Shading Model mode shows value of the Shading Model property for each Material in the scene.
Light Complexity Coloration
Color
Material's Shading Model Default Lit Unlit Subsurface Preintegrated Skin
Material AO
The Material AO visualization mode shows the result of any texturing or Material Expression nodes that are connected to the Material's
Ambient Occlusion input.
Metallic
The Metallic visualization mode shows the result of any texturing or Material Expression nodes that are connected to the Material's Metallic
input.
Note: Materials should generally have Metallic values of 0 or 1, not in between. Values between 0 and 1 will happen due to layer blending,
but physical materials will always be a metal or not.
Opacity
Opacity visualization mode shows the result of any texturing or Material Expression nodes that are connected to the Material's Opacity
input. In the images above, you can see the dreadlocks on the character are somewhat transparent.
The Opacity viewmode only shows opaque materials with Opacity being used, which is important in the case of subsurface scattering
materials, as the Opacity controls how far light can penetrate.
Roughness
Roughness visualization mode shows the result of any texturing or Material Expression nodes that are connected to the Material's
Roughness input. Roughness variation is where a lot of reflection variation will come from.
Scene Color
Scene Color shows the result of the scene before any post processing is done. This means before any exposure, bloom, color correction,
or antialiasing. In the above image, the scene appears very dark because exposure has not brightened it up for us.
Scene Depth
Scene Depth shows the depth of the scene in a constant gradient from white (farthest away) to black (closest).
Separate Translucency RGB
Separate Translucency RGB shows the color information of any Materials that are Translucent and using Separate Translucency.
Separate Translucency A
Separate Translucency A shows only the alpha information of any Materials that are Translucent and using Separate Translucency.
Specular Color

Specular Color shows the color being imparted to the specular reflections of a Material. Generally, this is inferred from a combination of the
Base Color and Metallic values.
Specular
Specular shows the results of any texturing or Material Expression nodes that are fed into a Material's Specular input.
Subsurface Color
Subsurface Color shows the results of any texturing or Material Expression nodes that are fed into a Material's Subsurface Color input.
World Normal
World Normal shows the world space normal of any opaque surfaces.
Ambient Occlusion
Ambient Occlusion (AO) shows the result of any ambient occlusion calculations that are taking place on the scene. This is separate from
any AO textures applied to Materials, as this is a calculation the engine makes based on surfaces and normal maps.
Landscape Visualizers
Normal
The Normal Landscape visualization mode shows a Landscape in its normal, lit state.
LOD
The LOD Landscape visualization mode breaks a landscape up into color-coded panels which represent their current LOD state.
Layer Density
The Layer Density Landscape visualization mode shows the landscape in a color-coded mode which shifts from green to red as more
layers are added to the Landscape.
Exposure
Exposure is a post-processing effect that controls the overall brightness of a scene. This can be set to a fixed value or left to automatic.
Automatic vs. Fixed Exposure
When playing games with Exposure activated in your post processing, you will notice that moving from a light to a dark area or vice versa
will cause the camera to temporarily adjust, similarly to how our eyes adjust when moving to different light environments. In most cases,
this will be the desired result. However, if the constant shifting is distracting in your particular level, then you can set the view to a fixed
exposure. This will lock the exposure in place so it no longer automatically changes as you move from light to dark or dark to light, but it
also means that you can easily end up in a situation where the lights are overbright or overdark for the work you need to do.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Viewport Show Flags

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
Viewport Basics
Viewport Controls
Viewport Toolbar
View Modes
Viewport Show Flags
Viewport Options
Picture-in-Picture
On this page:
World Outliner Common
Details Panel Post Processing
Level Editor Modes Light Types
Quick Settings Lighting Components
Keep Simulation Changes Lighting Features
Layers Panel User Guide Developer
Performance Tools Visualize
Levels Advanced
Actors and Geometry Volumes
Components Layers
Managing Content Sprites
Engine Features The Show Flags are found under the Viewport Show menu. They are a means by which you can show and hide many of the items that are
Gameplay Guide
viewed within the viewport. For example, you can hide all particles, all landscape objects, or something a bit more advanced like turning off

all of the sprite icons.
Programming Guide
Platform Development Common

Release Notes Common

Site Map Name Description
Anti-aliasing
Shows/hides the effect of anti-aliasing.
BSP
Shows/hides any Brushes in the level. (Alt + Q)
Collision
Shows/hides collision objects in the level. (Alt + C)
Decals
Shows/hides decals in the scene.
Fog
Shows/hides the effects of Height Fog. (Alt + F)
Grid
Shows/hides the grid.
Landscape
Shows/hides any Landscape objects. (T)
Navigation
Shows/hides any Nav Meshes or other navigation Actors. (P)
Particles Sprite
Shows/hides any particles in the scene.
Skeletal Meshes
Shows/hides any Skeletal Meshes in the scene.
Static Meshes
Shows/hides any Static Meshes in the scene. (Alt + W)
Translucency
Shows/hides all objects with translucent Materials. Incidentally, this includes all billboard icons.
Post Processing

Post Processing
Name Description
Bloom
Shows/hides the effect bloom.
Camera Imperfections
Shows/hides the effect of Camera Imperfections.
Color Grading
Shows/hides the effect of Color Grading.
Depth of Field
Shows/hides the effect of Depth of Field.
Eye Adaptation
Shows/hides the effect of Eye Adaptation.
Grain
Shows/hides the effects of Grain.
HMD Distortion
Shows/hides the effects of head-mounted display distortion, such as that used for Oculus Rift.
Lens Flares
Shows/hides the effect of Lens Flares.
Motion Blur
Shows/hides the effect of Motion Blur.
Post Process Material

Shows/hides the effect of any blendable post process Materials in the scene.
Scene Color Fringe

Shows/hides the result of any Scene Color Fringe effects.
Screen Percentage
Shows/hides the result of Screen Percentage post effects.
Tonemapper
Shows/hides Tonemapper effects.
Vignette
Shows/hides Vignette effects.
Light Types
Lighting Types
Name Description
Directional Lights
Shows/hides the result of lighting from the Directional Light actor in the scene.
Point Lights
Shows/hides the result of lighting from the Point Light actor in the scene.
Sky Lighting
Shows/hides the result of lighting from the Sky Light actor in the scene.
Spot Lights
Shows/hides the result of lighting from the Spot Light actor in the scene.
Lighting Components
Lighting Components
Name Description
Ambient Occlusion
Shows/hides ambient occlusion in the scene.
Diffuse
Shows/hides the result of diffuse lighting in the scene, which contains most of the scene color.
Direct Lighting
Shows/hides the result of direct lighting, which contains most of the scene specularity.
Dynamic Shadows
Shows/hides dynamic shadows in the scene.
Global Illumination
Shows/hides the result of global illumination in the scene.
Specular
Shows/Hides the result of specularity in the scene.
Lighting Features
Lighting Components
Name Description
Ambient Cubemap
Shows/hides the result of the ambient cubemap.
Distance Field Ambient Occlusion

Shows/hides the result of the AO generated from Distance Field meshes.
Distance Field Global Illumination

Shows/hides the result of the GI generated from Distance Field meshes.
Indirect Lighting Cache

Shows/hides the result of indirect lighting on dynamic objects.
Light Functions
Shows/hides the result of light function materials on lights.
Light Shafts
Shows/hides the result of light shafts.
Reflection Environment
Shows/hides the result of the reflection environment.
Screen Space Ambient Occlusion

Shows/hides the result of any screen space ambient occlusion.
Screen Space Reflections

Shows/hides the result of screen space reflections.
Subsurface Scattering
Shows/hides the result of any subsurface scattering within the screen space.
Textured Light Profiles (IES Textures)

Shows/hides the result of IES lighting profiles.
Developer
Developer
Name Description
AI Debug
This shows the paths an AI-driven pawn is using to navigate along a Nav Mesh.
Composite Editor
Show/hide editor primitives in the scene.
Primitives
Gameplay Debug
This shows the paths an AI-driven pawn is using to navigate along a Nav Mesh.
GBuffer Hints (material

Colorizes objects that have improper Materials. Yellow for objects that are impossibly non-reflective, red for
attributes) objects that emit more light than they receive.
Hit Proxies
Shows/hides the proxy shapes used by hit detection.
Log Visualizer
Draws any data to the screen that is required by the Log Visualizer system.
On Screen Debug
This is to hide things like VisualizeTexture or stats printout.
Refraction
Shows/hides the results of refraction on Materials.
Shadows of Editor-
Shows dynamic shadows for objects that are hidden in the editor, such as those hidden by pressing the H key.
Hidden Actors
Test Image
Shows a test image for configuration of monitor and graphics settings.
Vector Fields
Shows/hides any vector fields in the scene.
|Blur GBuffer|Shows/hides the results of Blue GBuffer Intensity, a property found on Post Process Volumes. This feature blurs the GBuffer
normals and adjusts the GBuffer roughness to reduce specular aliasing. It is, however, a high performance cost for the result and you
should generally consider just using Temporal AA. |
Visualize
Visualize
Name Description
Adaptive Depth
Applies a color coding filter to the view such that objects that are blurred by Depth of Field are tinted green and only
of Field the area in focus receives its normal color.
Bloom
Shows a visualization window that expresses the scene histogram, as well as how settings are affecting bloom.
Depth of Field
Applies a color coding filter to the view such that objects blurred by near DOF are green, objects blurred by far DOF
Layers are blue. Objects in focus appear black.
Distance Field
Shows a visualization of ambient occlusion generated based on mesh distance fields.
Ambient
Occlusion
Distance Field
Shows a visualization of global illumination generated based on mesh distance fields.
Global
Illumination
HDR
Shows a visualization window that expresses the scene histogram, as well as how exposure settings are affecting
brightness.
Light
Shows a visualization of the volume that is used for light propagation volumes.
Propagation
Volumes
Mesh Distance
Shows a visualization of the generated mesh distance fields for static meshes in the scene.
Fields
Motion Blur
When Motion Blur is on, this changes the view to a Motion Blur visualizer, allowing you to see the motion vectors being
used to calculate blur.
Out of Bounds
If a pixel of an object exists outside that object's bounding volume, it can lead to flickering or the object disapearing
Pixels when the bounding volume (but not the mesh) is off camera. This visualizer colorizes those pixels in blue, yellow, and
white.
Precomputed
Shows a visualization of precomputed visibility cells when used with Precomputed Visibility Volumes.
Visibility Cells
Preview
When lighting has not been built for Static/Stationary lights the "Preview" text will show in unbuilt shadows.
Shadows
Indicator
Screen Space
A visualization for Screen Space Reflections.
Reflections
Subsurface
A visualization mode that allows you to see subsurface scattering within screen space.
Scattering
(Screen Space)
Volume Lighting
Shows a visualization of the volume lighting samples that are placed within a Lightmass Importance Volume when
Samples static lighting is built.
Advanced
Advanced
Name Description
Atmospheric
Shows/hides atmospheric fog Actors in the scene.
Fog
Audio Radius
Shows/hides the radius of any audio Actors in the scene.
Billboard
Shows/hides any billboard sprites in the level. This does not extend to sprite particles, only Billboard Components.
Sprites
Bounds
Shows/hides bounds on selected objects.
BSP Split
Shows/hides Brush surface splits on world geometry.
Camera Aspect
Shows/hides the bars used with specific aspect ratios set in the camera actor.
Ratio Bars
Camera
Shows/hides view frustums of any cameras in the scene.
Frustums
Camera Safe
When looking through a Camera Actor, this shows the safe frames for that camera. Safe frames are areas a set
Frames distance from the edge of the screen where you can guarantee the image will be visible.
Constraints
Shows/hides rigid body constraints. TODO
Deferred
Shows/hides the deferred lighting in the scene.
Lighting
Foliage
Shows/hides any Foliage Actors in the scene.
Grass
Shows/hides any Grass Type Actors in the scene.
Instanced
Shows/hides any instanced Static Meshes in the scene.
Static Meshes
Large Vertices
Shows/hides larger-than-usual vertices on any selected Brushes or Static Meshes.
Level
Color codes the scene such that each streamed level gets another color. Irrelevant if not using level streaming.
Coloration
Light
Shows orange lines which point out what lights are influencing selected objects.
Influences
Light Radius
Shows/hides light radius shapes.
LOD Parenting
Use LOD parenting, MinDrawDistance, etc. If disabled, will show LOD parenting lines.
Mesh Edges
This overlays the mesh wireframe on top of the view.
Mode Widgets
Shows/hides the transform widgets, such as the Move tool.
Paper 2D
Shows/hides the radius of any Paper 2D Sprite Actors in the scene.
Sprites
Precomputed
Shows/hides the radius of any Precomputed Visibility volumes in the scene.
Visibility
Render (3D)
Whether or not to render any Text Actors or Components that may be in the scene.
Text
Selection
Shows/hides the result of the Selection Highlight.
Separate
This shows/hides any objects that are making use of Separate Translucency in their Materials.
Translucency
Shadow
Shows/hides a selection of color-coded boxes which represent the shadow frustums used to cast shadows from each
Frustums light.
Splines
Shows/hides any Spline Actors that exist in the level.
Streaming
Shows/hides spherical radii for each streaming level.
Bounds
Temporal AA
Activates/deactivates Temporal Anti-aliasing. When unchecked, the viewport shows fast approximation anti-aliasing
(instead (FXAA).
FXAA)
Tessellation
Shows/hides the result of tessellation in Materials.
Vertex Colors
Shows/hides any vertex colors applied to meshes in the scene.
Volumes
Shows/hides any volumes in the scene. (Alt-O)
Volumes
Volumes
Name Description
Show All
Shows all types of volumes in the scene.
Hide All
Hides all types of volumes in the scene.
Audio
Shows/hides Audio Volumes.
Blocking
Shows/hides Blocking Volumes.
Camera Blocking Volume

Shows/hides Camera Blocking Volumes.
Cull Distance
Shows/hides Cull Distance Volumes.
Hierarchical LOD Volume

Shows/hides Hierarchical LOD Volumes.
Kill Z Volume
Shows/hides Kill Z Volumes.
Level Streaming
Shows/hides Level Streaming Volumes.
Lightmass Character Indirect Detail

Shows/hides Lightmass Character Indirect Detail Volumes.
Lightmass Importance
Shows/hides Lightmass Importance Volumes.
NavMesh Bounds
Shows/hides NavMesh Bounds Volumes.
Nav Modifier
Shows/hides Nav Modifier Volumes.
Pain Causing
Shows/hides Pain Causing Volumes.
Physics
Shows/hides Physics Volumes.
Post Process
Shows/hides Post Process Volumes.
Precomputed Visibility Override

Shows/hides Precomputed Visibility Override Volumes.
Precomputed Visibility
Shows/hides Precomputed Visibility Volumes.
Procedural Foliage Blocking Volume

Shows/hides Procedural Foliage Blocking Volumes.
Procedural Foliage Volume

Shows/hides Procedural Foliage Volumes.
Trigger
Shows/hides Trigger Volumes.
Layers
Layers
Name Description
Show All
Sets all Layers in the scene to be visible.
Hide All
Hides all Layers in the scene.
Layer
This will populate with the names of any Layers you have created in your scene, so that you may show/hide each one
Names individually.
Sprites
Billboard sprites are generally in-editor icons used for placement of various object types. In this case, they do not refer to sprite
particles.
Billboard Sprites
Name Description
Show All
Shows all types of billboard sprites.
Hide All
Hides all types of billboard sprites.
Characters
Shows/hides Character billboard sprites.
Decals
Shows/hides Decal billboard sprites.
Effects
Shows/hides Effects billboard sprites, which represent the location of Emitter Actors.
Fog
Shows/hides Fog Actor billboard sprites.
FTests
Shows/hides FTest billboard sprites.
Info
Shows/hides Info billboard sprites.
Lighting
Shows/hides Light Actor billboard sprites.
Materials
Shows/hides Materials billboard sprites.
Matinee
Shows/hides Matinee billboard sprites.
Misc
Shows/hides miscellaneous billboard sprites which do not fall into the other categories.
Navigation
Shows/hides Navigation billboard sprites.
Notes
Shows/hides Notes billboard sprites.
Physics
Shows/hides Physics billboard sprites.
Player Start
Shows/hides Player Start billboard sprites.
Sky
Shows/hides Sky billboard sprites.
Sounds
Shows/hides Sounds billboard sprites.
Target Points
Shows/hides Target Points billboard sprites.
Triggers
Shows/hides Triggers billboard sprites.
Wind
Shows/hides Wind billboard sprites.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Viewport Options

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Overview
Level Editor Toolbar Options Reference
Editor Viewports
Viewport Basics
Overview
Viewport Controls
Viewport Toolbar
The Viewport Options menu is accessed by clicking the button located in the upper-left corner of the viewport and provides basic
View Modes
rendering settings for the viewport.
Viewport Show Flags
Viewport Options
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Options Reference

Option
Description
Release Notes Viewport Options
Site Map Realtime

Toggles realtime rendering of the viewport.
Show Stats
Toggles the ability to display statistics in the viewport. Enabling this also enables Realtime.
Show FPS
Toggles the display of frames per second (FPX) information in the viewport. Enabling this also enables Realtime.
Field of View
Allows you to change the FOV of the viewport camera. This effectively zooms the lens of the camera in and out.
Far View
Allows you to choose the distance to use as your far view plane. Setting this to zero acts as an infinite far view plane.
Plane
Toggles
Toggles the ability to preview Matinee cinematics in the viewport.
Cinematic
Preview
Game View
Toggles Game View which displays the scene as it appears in-game, i.e. Actor icons are not rendered, etc.
Immersive
Toggles Immersive mode for the viewport. When in Immersive mode, the viewport occupies the entire area of the Unreal
Mode Editor window.
Bookmarks
Provides the ability to set camera locations and rotations as bookmarks, and provides access to jump to existing
bookmarks. To create a bookmark, press Ctrl + any of the numbers 1-0 along the top of your keyboard. To recall a
bookmark, simply press the number you chose for that bookmark.
Create
Creates a Camera Actor at the current location and rotation of the viewport.
Camera
Here
High
Opens the High Resolution Screenshot window.
Resolution
Screenshot...
Layouts
Allows you to choose between a variety of different layouts for your viewport.
Advanced
Opens the Editor Preferences window to the Viewports section to access more advanced Viewport settings.
Settings...
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Pilot Actors in the Viewport

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Piloting an Actor in the Viewport
Level Editor Toolbar Camera Actors
Editor Viewports
Actor Piloting allows for the perspective Viewport camera to be used as a placement mechanism for Actors within your levels. Simply lock to
Viewport Basics
a given Actor, position the view where you want that Actor to be placed, and then unlock. The position and orientation of the camera will be
Viewport Controls
used to position the given Actor.
Viewport Toolbar
View Modes
Viewport Show Flags

Piloting an Actor in the Viewport
Viewport Options
To Pilot a Actor in the Viewport, right-click on the Actor and choose the option from the context menu for Pilot.
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Piloting is especially useful for Camera Actors and Lights.
While piloting is active, you will see the piloting text and icons in the upper left of the Viewport. This indicates that you have some Actor
attached to the view.
Once piloting, you will look down the X-Axis of the given object. You may then move the view as normal and the Actor will come along
automatically.
In this image, we have locked a SpotLight Actor to the view. Now, wherever we move the view, the light will follow as if attached to the
Viewport's camera.
Camera Actors
When using a Camera Actor there is one additional feature that allows you to see exactly what the camera sees. This can be toggled on or
off when Pilot mode is active.
Camera View
Button
Description
Enabled
This mode will use any settings specific to the Camera Actor.
Disabled
This will only use the basic view from the viewport.
Once you are finished positioning the Actor by way of the view, you can stop piloting it by choosing the option in the upper left of the
Viewport:
You can now continue working and the Actor will maintain the position previously set by the view.
English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Picture-in-Picture

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Viewports in the Level Editor of Unreal Editor provide the ability to display a picture-in-picture preview of Camera Actors placed in the
Level Editor
world when they are selected. This makes it extremely easy and intuitive to place or orient cameras as well as tweak their properties.
Main Menu Bar

This feature may cause performance to degrade, especially when multiple cameras are selected.
Editor Viewports
Viewport Basics Selecting a Camera Actor shows a preview of that camera overlaid in the active Viewport.
Viewport Controls
Viewport Toolbar
View Modes
Viewport Show Flags
Viewport Options
Picture-in-Picture
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Unreal Game Projects The preview is not displayed when a selected camera is locked to the active Viewport using the Piloting option in the right-click
Engine Features context menu.
Gameplay Guide
When multiple Camera Actors are selected, a preview for each one is displayed.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Previews become transparent when the mouse hovers over them to allow for manipulation of the scene that would otherwise be obscured
by the preview.
Translation or rotation of the camera using the transform tools will be reflected in the preview.
Properties of the selected camera update in real-time as properties are tweaked using the Details panel. The preview is capable of
displaying post-processing effects, making it perfect for setting up cameras for cinematics.
The preview feature can be toggled on or off in the Viewports section of the Editor Preferences window (Edit > Editor Preferences).
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology World Outliner

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Outliner Actions
Level Editor Toolbar Searching the World
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
from the World Outliner. You can also use the Info drop down menu to display an extra column that shows Levels, Layers, or ID Names.
World Outliner UI
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
For more information about the World Outliner UI see the documentation.
Outliner Actions

Action
Description
Left-Clicking on an
Selects that Actor.
Actor
Right-clicking on
Displays the same context menu used in the Viewport allowing Actors to be quickly modified without having to
an Actor navigate to them in the viewport.

Dragging an Actor
Attaches the Actor being dragged to the destination Actor.
Searching the World

The World Outliner contains a text box that is used to search and quickly filter the list of Actors in the scene. All Actors with even a partial
match to the search term will be displayed. You can use multiple words in the search box now and only Actors that match all the terms will
be displayed.
Actors matching specific terms can be excluded by using "-" before a term.
A term can be forced to match exactly, as opposed to a partial match, by adding a "+" before a term.
Double quotes can be placed around the search term to force an exact match of the full term in the Actor's long name.
When the Info columns are shown, the data within them can be searched as well. This is really useful if you want to display Actors in a
certain level; just turn on the Level display and type "+[LevelName]" in the search box.
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Level Designer Quick Start World Outliner

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology World Outliner UI

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar
from the World Outliner. You can also use the Info drop down menu to display an extra column that shows Levels, Layers, or ID Names.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
When the Level Editor is in Play mode or Simulate mode, the World Outliner may display Actors that are dynamically spawned
World Outliner UI
from gameplay code or from Blueprints, in addition to the existing Actors.
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Number
Name
Description
1 Search Filter Box

Allows you to type text to filter the Actors displayed.
2 List Heading
Allows you to sort Actors in alphabetical or reverse alphabetical order.
3 Info Drop-Down
Allows you to add and sort by a second column of information about the Actors in your level.
List
4 Actor List
Lists all the Actors in your level (unless the list is being filtered).
5 Mobility Icons
Displays the Mobility setting for that Actor: orange for Movable, yellow for Stationary, and nothing
for Static.
6 View Options
Gives you additional filtering options for which types of Actors are displayed in the list.
Menu
For more information about the World Outliner, see the World Outliner documentation.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Details Panel

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Actor Names
Level Editor Toolbar Search Filter
Editor Viewports Default Values
World Outliner Edit Conditions
Details Panel EditConst Properties
Details Panel UI Property Controls
Properties Categories
Customizations Advanced Properties
Level Editor Modes Custom Categories
Quick Settings
additional editing functionality depending on the types of Actors selected in the viewport. For instance, selected Actors can be exported to
Performance Tools
FBX and converted to another compatible type. The Details panel also allows you to view the Materials used by the selected Actors, if any,
Levels
and quickly open them for editing.
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
For more information about the Details Panel UI, see Details Panel UI.
Actor Names
Actors can have friendly names set directly in the editor by the designer. These names can be used to access these Actors or find them
using the search functionality in the World Outliner panel.
To edit the Actor Name, simply type the name into the text box in at the top of the Details panel.
Search Filter
The properties displayed within the Details panel can be filtered using the Search box. As you type, the properties are automatically filtered
to display only those properties matching the text.
To clear the filter, click the button to the right of the Search box.
Because this line hides away any details that do not match the search criteria, check to make sure it is cleared if you do not see
the property you are looking for.
Default Values
When a property is modified to a value other than its default value, an indicator is displayed.
All properties can easily be reset to their default values by clicking the indicator and choosing to reset the value from the menu.
The value of the property is reset to the default value as shown in the menu and the indicator is no longer present.
Edit Conditions
Properties can be either be enabled or disabled. A property can only be edited when it is enabled. By default, all properties are enabled
unless they have an edit condition. Properties with an edit condition, rely on the value of another variable to determine whether they are
enabled and can be edited or not.
In some cases, edit conditions are used to determine whether the property will override some other value or whether it has any affect at all.
Other times, certain properties may simply not make sense unless some condition is met. For example, you may have a group of properties
that pertain to indirect lighting and a bool property that globally toggles whether indirect lighting is enabled or disabled. Each property in
the group could be conditional on the global toggle so they are only enabled when indirect lighting is being used.
A property with a simple edit condition will be displayed with a checkbox in the left margin. When the checkbox is toggled on, the property is
enabled. When not checked, the property is disabled and grayed out.
EditConst Properties
Properties declared as editconst, which cannot be modified in the editor, display their values and are highlighted to indicate they cannot
be edited.
Property Controls
Many of the basic types of properties are displayed in the Details panel using familiar editing widgets. Other types use customized widgets
to provide a more intuitive experience when modifying their values.
Basic Controls Object Reference Control Vector / Rotator Controls Color Control
Categories
Properties in the Display panel are displayed in categories. Generally, these categories - Rendering,

Lighting, Collision, etc. - are determined by how the property is declared in code, and are used as a
Array Control
means of organizing related properties into groups. Other categories you see in the Details panel -
Transform, Static Mesh, Materials, Actor, Code View, Layers - are custom widgets designed to
expose certain properties or functionality in a conspicuous manner making them easy to find and modify or use.
Advanced Properties
Some properties are declared as advanced and are hidden away by default in the Details panel. Categories that contain advanced
properties have an expander button . Clicking the button causes the advanced properties to be displayed.
Custom Categories
Full
Transform Category Materials Category Static Meshes Category Code View Category
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Level Designer Quick Start Details Panel

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Details Panel UI


On this page:
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
additional editing functionality depending on the types of Actors selected in the viewport. For instance, selected Actors can be exported to
FBX and converted to another compatible type. The Details panel also allows you to view the Materials used by the selected Actors, if any,
Editor Viewports
and quickly open them for editing.
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties
Customizations
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Platform Development Number

Name
Description
1 Lock Icon
Locks the Details panel so the Actor whose properties are being viewed in the panel does not change based
Release Notes
on Actor selection.
Site Map

2 Friendly
Displays the selected Actor's friendly name, which you can modify (grayed out when multiple Actors are
Name selected).
Box
3 Search
Allows you to type text to filter which details are displayed.
Filter Box
4 Property
Opens the Property Matrix, which allows you to view a matrix of property values belonging to multiple Actors
Matrix at the same time, instead of as a combined list in the Details panel.
Icon
For more information about the Property Matrix, see Property Matrix.
5 Display
Displays options to expand, collapse, or otherwise filter property categories.
Filter Icon
6 Properties
Displays the Actor's properties so they can be viewed and/or modified.
Area
For more information about the Level Editor's Details panel, see Details Panel.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Basic Controls

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Unreal Editor has many simple control types you are familiar with for editing numeric values, text, etc.
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar

Control
Description
Text Box
Used for text properties, such as FString and FName.
Editor Viewports
Example:
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI Numeric Box

Can be used for editing any numeric property, such as Integers and Floats.
Properties Example:
Basic Controls
Object Reference Control
Vector / Rotator Controls

Numeric Spinner
Can be used for editing any numeric property, such as Integers and Floats.
Color Control
Example:
Array Control
Customizations
Level Editor Modes Checkbox

Used for editing simple toggle properties such as Bools.
Quick Settings Example:
Performance Tools
Dropdown
Used for editing Enums and other properties that provide a list of available values.
Levels
Example:
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
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Release Notes
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Object Reference Control

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Object reference properties are properties that hold references to an Actor in the level. In the Details panel, an Object reference property
Level Editor
is displayed as a drop-down box along with a set of controls for modifying the reference.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties

Control
Description
Basic Controls

Displays a thumbnail of the Actor, if appropriate. Double-click to open the asset in the appropriate editor (for

example, for a Static Mesh Actor, double-click the thumbnail to open the asset in the Static Mesh Editor).
Color Control
Array Control
Displays the name of the asset. Click the drop-down box to display a context menu.
Customizations
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
New and Updated Resources In the context menu, you can do any of the following:
Click Edit to open the asset in the appropriate editor for modification.
Click Copy to copy the asset's reference information (including its hard-coded path information) into the
Clipboard.
Click Paste to paste in a new asset reference from the Clipboard.
Click Clear to delete the asset reference, leaving it blank.
Select a new asset from the list. Optionally type text in the Browse box to filter the list.

Assigns the currently selected asset in the Content Browser to the property.

Finds the currently assigned asset in the Content Browser. Non-functional if no asset is assigned.

Resets the property to the default asset.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Vector / Rotator Controls

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Vectors and Rotators are multi-value properties that display numeric inputs for each of their components laid out horizontally.
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Level Editor Toolbar Vector

Editor Viewports
Vectors are properties that are used to store compound data that is ideally represented by three individual Float values, such as a
World Outliner
location in space or scale.
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Each of the Float values (X, Y, and Z) in a Vector property is displayed as a numeric input box that can be modified using direct input
Properties
from the keyboard or you can click the Left Mouse Button and drag horizontally to quickly modify each value.
Basic Controls
Color Control
Array Control
Rotator
Customizations
Rotators are properties that are specifically designed to store rotations using three Float values limited to the range [0.0, 360.0],
Level Editor Modes
which represents the degrees of the rotation around each axis.
Quick Settings

Each of the Rotator values (X, Y, and Z mapped to Roll, Pitch, and Yaw respectively) is displayed
as a numerical spinner. Values can be
manually set using direct input from the keyboard or you can click the Left Mouse Button and drag horizontally to quickly modify each
Performance Tools
value.
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Full Topic Index
Programming Guide

Release Notes elsewhere.
Site Map TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Color Control

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Color and LinearColor properties provide a visual display of the color in the form of a swatch along with numerical values for each of the
Level Editor
individual components that make up the color.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties

Color
Color w/ Alpha
Basic Controls

The swatch displays the color and updates as the numerical values are modified. In the case of an RGBA color property, the swatch also
displays the color with alpha applied against a checkered background. Clicking the swatch opens a color picker that can be used to edit the
Color Control
color interactively.
Array Control
Customizations
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Array Control

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Arrays are dynamic lists of some other type of property, such as Object references. The list of elements is displayed vertically with each
Level Editor
individual element using the standard controls for that property type.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties
Basic Controls
Color Control
Items can be added by pressing the button.
Array Control
Customizations
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide All existing elements in the array can be removed by pressing the button.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Each element in the array can execute one of several options exposed by pressing the button.
Site Map

Option
Description
Insert
Inserts a new element into the array before the current element.

Before
After
Delete
Removes the current element.

Before
After
Duplicate
Inserts a copy of the current element into the array after the current element.

Before
After
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Transform Category

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Transform section of the Details panel allows you to view and edit the transforms - Location, Rotation, and Scale - of selected
Level Editor
Actor(s). Also, where applicable, this also contains the settings for Actor Mobility.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties Each Transform property has numeric entry fields for the X, Y, and Z axes. You may type precise values directly into these fields to adjust
Customizations the selected Actors. When more than one Actor is selected and the values of the properties differ, the fields will display Multiple Values. In
Transform Category such cases, entering a number will cause that value to be entered for all selected Actors.
Static Meshes Category

The Rotation fields have the unique ability to be used as sliders. Clicking and dragging on the field allows you to roll the value, increasing or
Materials Category
decreasing depending on the distance the mouse is moved.
Layers Category
Code View Category

The Scale fields can also be locked by clicking the button. When locked, the ratio of the scale values to each other are maintained when
Level Editor Modes
any of the individual values are modified, allowing for uniform scaling.
Quick Settings
Keep Simulation Changes The transform properties default to relative transformation. This means the transform is relative to the component's parent. Each of the
Layers Panel User Guide property labels are hyperlinks that can be clicked to toggle between absolute and relative transforms. When using absolute transformations,
Performance Tools the transform is relative to the world instead of the parent.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Mobility
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
The Mobility setting controls whether an Actor will be allowed to move or change in some way during gameplay. This primarily applies to
Static Mesh Actors and Light Actors.
Release Notes
Site Map See Actor Mobility for more information.

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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Static Meshes Category

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Static Mesh category in the Details panel is only displayed when the selected Actor(s) are StaticMeshActors or InterpActors. It
Level Editor
promotes the normally buried StaticMesh property of the Actor's StaticMeshComponent, making it a first-class citizen and displays it using a
Main Menu Bar
customized widget that includes a thumbnail along with the usual Object reference property controls.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties
Customizations
Transform Category
In addition, when a StaticmeshActor is selected, the category contains advanced controls that can be exposed by clicking the button.
Materials Category
Layers Category
Code View Category
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings

For generating BlockingVolumes using various preset methods.
Performance Tools
Levels

Control
Description
Actors and Geometry

Generates a BlockingVolume from the StaticMesh to use as collision using one of the following methods:
Components
Managing Content

Method
Description
Blocking Volume
Creates a BlockingVolume in the shape of a cube with the dimensions of the
Engine Features
StaticMesh's bounding box.
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Heavy Convex

Creates a convex BlockingVolume from the StaticMesh's geometry with a
Programming Guide Volume NormalTolerance of 0.01.
Platform Development Normal Convex

Samples and Tutorials Volume NormalTolerance of 0.15.
Release Notes Light Convex

Site Map Volume NormalTolerance of 0.50.
Rough Convex
Volume NormalTolerance of 0.75.
NormalTolerance
The rejection tolerance. When figuring out which planes to cut the blocking volume cube
with
the code will reject any planes that are less than "NormalTolerance" different in their
normals.
This cuts down on the number of planes that will be used for generating the
cutting planes and,
as a side effect, eliminates duplicates.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Materials Category

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Materials category displays all the Materials applied to the Actor(s) that are selected, grouped by element. For example, a Static Mesh
Level Editor
with 3 elements would display 3 Materials when selected.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties
Customizations
Transform Category
Materials Category
Layers Category
Code View Category

Control
Description
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings

Standard Object reference property controls for setting, finding, and resetting the assigned Material
back to the base Material. Clicking the drop-down list that contains the Material's name and then
clicking Edit on the context menu opens the Material in the Material Instance Editor for modification.
Performance Tools
Thumbnail of the Material, which can be double-clicked to open the Material Instance in the Material
Levels Instance Editor for modification.
Actors and Geometry
Components
List of Textures used within the Material. Selecting a Texture from the list finds that Texture in the
Managing Content Content Browser.
Engine Features To save space, when many Actors are selected that contain different Materials for any element, a link is displayed that toggles display of all
Gameplay Guide the Materials for that element.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Material Replacement
A new Material can be dragged onto the Material thumbnail or link for any element to replace the Material(s) used on that element, if
replacement is supported for the type of Actor or Component. Currently, Material replacement is supported for Actors with
StaticMeshComponents, SkeletalMeshComponents, or DecalComponents.
Undo and redo of Material replacement is also fully supported.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Layers Category

The Layers category displays which layers the selected Actor(s) belong to using a tag cloud style layout.
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar

Only the layers common to all selected Actors will be displayed.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Clicking the button for a particular layer will remove all selected Actors from that layer.
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties
Customizations
Transform Category Full Topic Index

Materials Category
Layers Category

Code View Category
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Quick Settings TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Code View Category

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Code View category displays the class of the currently selected Actor, along with any public functions within that class.
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Details Panel UI
Properties
Customizations
Transform Category

Double-clicking on any of the functions will open the corresponding .cpp file in Visual Studio focused to the implementation of the
Materials Category function.
Layers Category
Code View Category
Level Editor Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Level Editor Modes

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Mesh Paint User Guide
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

Programming Guide
Release Notes The Modes represent different editing modes the Level Editor can be put into, enabling specialized editing interfaces and workflows for
Site Map editing particular types of Actors or geometry.

Tool
Description
Shortcut

Activates Place mode for placing Actors in your scene. Shift + 1

Toggles Paint mode for painting vertex colors and textures on Static Mesh Actors directly in the viewport. Shift + 2

Toggles Landscape mode for editing Landscape terrains. Shift + 3

Toggles Foliage mode for painting instanced foliage. Shift + 4

Toggles Geometry Editing mode for modifying Brushes to geometry. Shift + 5
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Level Designer Quick Start Level Editor Modes

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Place Mode

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

Place Mode is a specialized tool for speeding up and simplifying environment creation in Unreal Engine 4. Similar in nature to the Content
Programming Guide
Browser, the Place Mode focuses only on those assets that can be directly placed within your level (i.e. Actors). While active, this browser
gives you immediate access to all placeable objects that exist within your project, without having to navigate to specific project folders as
you would with the Content Browser.
Release Notes
Site Map
Place Mode also makes it easier to add special types of Actors, such as Lights, that would have otherwise required that you dig through the
hierarchy of the Class Viewer window. Further, it simplifies the creation of special subtypes of Actors, such as creating Physics Actors from
selected Static Meshes.
It should be noted that Place Mode is an efficiency- and convenience-driven tool, and is not intended to replace the Content Browser.
Instead, it exists as a way to greatly speed up design times when adding various props and other elements into your level, as it is optimized
for fast Actor placement while offering you the convenience of quick access to common environment assets. However, whenever you need
access to only those assets within a specific project folder, or any type of asset that is not natively placeable (such as a Material), you will
still need to use the Content Browser.
Place Mode is the default state of the Level Editor and can be activated in the Modes panel, which by default rests in the upper left corner of
the Editor's main interface. You may also switch to this mode at any time by pressing Shift + 1.
Interface
1. Filters
2. Asset View
Filters
These buttons allow you to quickly filter down the asset type that you need.
Name Description
Recently Places
Contains a rolling history of up to the last 20 types placed.
Geometry
Contains all Brush primitive types.
Lights
Contains all Light types.
Visual
Contains common visual, or rendering-related, types such as fog, decals, etc.
Basic
Contains general common types such as triggers, cameras, etc.
Volumes
Contains all placeable Volume types.
All Classes
Contains all placeable Actor types.
Asset View
The Asset View shows icons for each of the various assets currently available for placement, after all filters and search criteria have been
applied. The area is scrollable by right-mouse dragging or using the scrollbar on the right of the panel.
Placing Actors in Place Mode

This section will show you how to place Actors from the Modes menu while in Place mode.
1. With your project open, in the upper-left corner of the screen you will see the Modes window.
2. While in Place mode (1), click the Basic tab (2) then Left-click on and drag an Actor (3) into the Level Viewport.
Each of Actor displayed on each tab of Place mode can be dragged-and-dropped into a level.
Dragging an item from this panel into the viewport places an instance of it. See Placing Actors for other methods of placing Actors.
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Level Designer Quick Start Level Editor Modes

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Mesh Paint User Guide

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Mesh Paint Mode provides a quick and easy way of adjusting color and texture on your meshes. The following sections cover all of the
Level Editor
critical skills you will need to make the most out of this powerful tool.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports Mesh Paint Overview

World Outliner
Details Panel
The Mesh Paint tool allows you to paint vertex colors on Static Meshes interactively in
Level Editor Modes
the level viewport. You can paint multiple instances of a single mesh with unique
Place Mode
color/alpha values, and use that data however you would like in your materials.
Asset vs. Instance Color data can be visualized directly, and you can easily edit multiple meshes at the
Brush Settings same time. Also, the tool has special features for painting "blend weights" that allow
Colors vs. Blend Weights you to interpolate between multiple textures per-pixel.
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes Selecting Colors

Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
The Mesh Paint tool relies on a pair of colors for its work. Users may choose a Paint
Sharing Color Data
Color as well as an Erase Color and swap between them at any time. Color selections
Vertex Color Matching
are made by way of a standard Color Picker window.
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Painting on Meshes
Components
Managing Content
Unreal Game Projects Painting on meshes is easy! The first thing to remember is that you can only paint on
Engine Features
selected meshes. This helps you restrict painting to only specific objects, while still
Gameplay Guide
allowing you to paint across multiple selected Mesh Actors if necessary.
Programming Guide To select multiple Mesh Actors, hold Shift and press the Left Mouse
Platform Development Button to select and add a mesh.

While Mesh Paint mode is active, the selected Actor will be outlined and denoted with a
Release Notes
red crosshair (if multiple meshes are selected, each mesh will be highlighted and the
Site Map
crosshair will appear on the last mesh selected). After selecting one or more meshes,
when you move the mouse over them, you should see the circular paint brush!
Brush Settings
The Mesh Paint tool is a brush-based system. Using the included settings, you can
establish a brush designed for wide areas or fine details. It is important to keep in mind,
however, that as the nature of the tool is to paint color onto actual vertices, you will
often need to make settings adjustments based on the vertex density of your mesh.
View Modes
Mesh Paint Mode includes a variety of different view modes to aid in visualizing how
vertex color is being applied to your meshes within the viewport. The view can display
just the vertex colors, or can selectively view individual channels (red, green, blue, and
alpha).
Advanced Topics
Although using the Mesh Paint tool is extremely easy and intuitive, there are some important considerations to think about, particularly in
how you want to affect your meshes. Mesh Paint can handle painting on individual level-placed instances of meshes and can also be used
to paint weight values for multi-texture setups. These topics are all discussed below.
Asset vs. Instance Sharing Color Data Vertex Color Matching Colors vs. Blend Weights
Setting up Materials
The mesh paint system requires the material of the mesh to contain a Vertex Color expression as this is how the vertex color data is passed
from the mesh to the material. The following sections cover ways to set up a material so that it can be used with Mesh Paint mode.
Vertex Color Materials 2-Way Blend Materials 3-Way Blend Materials 4-Way Blend Materials 5-Way Blend Materials
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Level Designer Quick Start Mesh Paint User Guide

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Asset vs. Instance

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

When painting Vertex Colors, you are only painting on an individual Instance of the material and not the actual material asset itself. If you
Level Editor
want to apply the vertex color data to another instance of the mesh, you can copy and paste the data onto another mesh or multiple
Main Menu Bar
meshes.
Editor Viewports
When painting vertex colors, the Instance Vertex Colors field will display information about the selected mesh(es).
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode

This displays the number of bytes of memory used by the vertex color data (stored in the map package.) This value reflects the total for all
Asset vs. Instance
assets that are currently selected.
Brush Settings
Colors vs. Blend Weights

Command Description
Material Setup
Painting Colors Copy

Copies the instance vertex color data for the selected mesh. See Sharing Instance Color Data for more information.
Painting on Meshes Paste

Pastes instance vertex color data that was previously copied. See Sharing Instance Color Data for more information.
Mesh Paint Overview
Remove
Discard the data for all selected meshes and restores the default vertex colors.
Selecting Colors
Fix
Attempts to match stored instance data on re-imported meshes with different vertex counts. See Vertex Color Matching for
Sharing Color Data
more information.
View Modes
Quick Settings

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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Brush Settings

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Mesh Paint tool is a brush-based system. Using the included settings, you can establish a brush designed for wide areas or fine details.
Level Editor
It is important to keep in mind, however, that as the nature of the tool is to paint color onto actual vertices, you will often need to make
Main Menu Bar
settings adjustments based on the vertex density of your mesh.
Editor Viewports
This section describes the brush settings common between all of the tool's modes. Note that for the options controlled by sliders, you can
World Outliner
click and drag to change the value quickly, or you can click and type in a number if needed.
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Setting Description
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview Radius

The radius of the brush in Unreal units. In addition, the brush has a depth-based falloff that is equal to half of this radius.
Selecting Colors Strength

Sets the amount of paint to apply each time you click or move the mouse cursor while painting is enabled. Also if brush flow is
Sharing Color Data enabled, a percentage (flow amount) of the brush's strength will be applied to the surface.
Falloff
Sets how the brush's strength falls off with distance. A falloff value of 1.0 means that the center of the brush is 100% strong
View Modes
and fades linearly towards the radius of the brush. A falloff value of 0.5 means that the brush is 100% strong half way towards
Quick Settings
the radius, then falls off linearly. A falloff value of 0.0 means the brush is 100% strong over the entire radius. Note that depth-
based falloff is always active, regardless of this setting.
Enable
This option configures the brush to apply paint every single render frame, even when you are not moving the cursor. It yields
Performance Tools
brush results similar to an airbrush.
Levels
flow
Actors and Geometry
Components Flow
When Enable brush flow is turned on, this sets the strength of the brush when paint is applied every render frame, as a
Managing Content percentage of the brush's strength.
Unreal Game Projects Ignore

When enabled, triangles facing away from the camera are ignored and will not be affected by the paint brush.
Engine Features back-
Gameplay Guide facing
Programming Guide
Release Notes
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Colors vs. Blend Weights

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Instead of painting colors directly, you can switch the tool to paint texture blend weights. This is useful as often you will configure your
Level Editor
material to use the vertex color channels as blend factors between two or more textures. The Mesh Paint tool will help you out here by
Main Menu Bar
automatically normalizing your blend weights as you paint. You simply select a texture index and start painting, and the tool will make
sure the color/alpha values are set correctly.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
When the paint mode is set to blend weights, you have these options available.
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup Option Description
Painting Colors Texture

Configures the blend weight "strategy" by setting the number of textures you are blending between in the material associated
Painting on Meshes count with the mesh. When you change this option, the choices available for Paint texture and Erase texture will update. Each setting
Mesh Paint Overview requires a different type of material to be in place in order to be used properly. See the Material Setup page for more
Selecting Colors information.
Sharing Color Data
Vertex Color Matching Setting Description
View Modes 2 Provides 2 texture channels, which will be controlled by painting alpha. This means the material will use only alpha
Quick Settings (alpha values of 0 (black) and 1 (white) for blending. This setting requires that the object have a 2-way alpha lerp blend
Keep Simulation Changes lerp) material applied, similar to the one demonstrated on the 2-Way Texture Blend material setup page.
3 Provides 3 texture channels, which will be controlled by painting RGB values. This means the material will use only
Performance Tools
(RGB) RGB values to blend textures. This setting requires that the object have a 3-way lerp blend material applied, similar to
Levels
the one demonstrated on the 3-Way Texture Blend material setup page.
Actors and Geometry
4 Provides 4 texture channels, which will be controlled by painting ARGB values. This means the material will use only
Components
(ARGB) RGB values - as well as alpha - to blend textures. This setting requires that the object have a 4-way lerp blend
Managing Content
material applied, similar to the one demonstrated on the 4-Way Texture Blend material setup page.
5 (one Provides 5 texture channels, which will be controlled by painting ARGB values. This means the material will use only
Engine Features
minus RGB values - as well as alpha - to blend the first four textures. An internal one minus calculation on the alpha provides
Gameplay Guide
ARGB) a fifth channel for blending. This setting requires that the object have a 5-way lerp blend material applied, similar to
the one demonstrated on the 5-Way Texture Blend material setup page.
Programming Guide

Paint
Selects the texture index to apply each time you click or move the mouse cursor while painting is enabled. (Ctrl+LMB+drag)
Release Notes
texture
Site Map Erase

The texture index to use as your "eraser" texture while erasing. (Ctrl+Shift+LMB+drag)
New and Updated Resources texture
Note that you can click the Swap button between Paint texture and Erase texture to quickly swap the two texture indices.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Material Setup

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Setting up Materials
Main Menu Bar
The mesh paint system requires the material of the mesh to contain a Vertex Color expression as this is how the vertex color data is passed
from the mesh to the material. The following sections cover ways to set up a material so that it can be used with Mesh Paint mode.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Vertex Color Materials 2-Way Blend Materials 3-Way Blend Materials 4-Way Blend Materials 5-Way Blend Materials
Full Topic Index
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
2-Way Blend Materials
elsewhere.
Vertex Color Materials
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
English
Level Designer Quick Start Material Setup

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 2-Way Blend Materials

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Here is an example of how you might use the vertex alpha value to blend between two diffuse textures in the material editor.
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview

This material handles the following:
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data

Modulates diffuse color by the painted vertex color (RGB)
Blends between two separate diffuse textures (Diffuse, Diffuse2) using the blend weight stored in the vertex alpha channel (A)
View Modes
Blends between two separate normal textures (Normal, Normal2) using the blend weight stored in the vertex alpha channel (A)
Quick Settings
Keep Simulation Changes This is a pretty simple setup, and will allow for a user to choose between two blended textures (by painting alpha), and then to tint those
Layers Panel User Guide textures by painting the vertex color. Here is an application in which the textures have been blended.
Performance Tools
Levels 1. First, the material needs to be applied and the Mesh Paint tool needs to be set to Blend Weights mode, with a Texture count setting of
Actors and Geometry 2.
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide 2. Next, the user would begin by painting with alpha to designate where each texture will be placed. This is what the object looks like
when viewed in Alpha mode:
Release Notes
Site Map
3. Here is the result as seen without any view modes.

4. At this point, the user could then start painting on some colors like so (seen in RGB mode):
5. Which, when modulated with the blended textures, would appear like so:
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Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Blending 3 separate textures can be handled by the Mesh Paint tool very easily, but it does require a special setup in the material. Consider
Level Editor
the following:
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes Here is an overview of the setup:

Mesh Paint Overview
Each of the color channels (RGB) gets its own Linear Interpolation expression.
Selecting Colors
Each texture plugs into the B input of its corresponding Lerp node.
Sharing Color Data
The Lerp corresponding to Texture 1 plugs into the material, and its alpha will be driven by the Red channel from the vertex color.
The Lerp corresponding to Texture 2 plugs into the A input of the Lerp corresponding to Texture 1, and its alpha will be driven by the
View Modes
Green channel from the vertex color.
Quick Settings
Blue channel from the vertex color.
Texture one also wraps around and becomes the A plug for the 3rd and final Lerp. This makes Texture 1 the default texture.
Performance Tools
Levels
Once this is set up, the Blend Weights Texture Count setting should be set to 3 (RGB).
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide Here is an example of this material, first with the mesh viewed in RGB Mode, showing the vertex colors in place. Note that with this setup,
Platform Development red corresponds to Texture 1, green corresponds to Texture 2, and blue corresponds to Texture 3.
Release Notes
Site Map
And here is the final result:

Notice that where the vertex color in the first image is red (Texture 1) there is no change. This is because Texture 1 is also plugged into the
A input of the 3rd Lerp expression (see above), making it the default texture. Essentially, you start with Texture 1 and can paint Textures 2
and 3 down as you see fit, or paint Texture 1 back down over them at any time.
If you were going to be setting up such material over and over, this would be a great place to deploy a custom Material Function!
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Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

To handle 4 textures in the blend weights setup, you need to create a material similar to this:
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
This works very similarly to the 3-way setup, but brings alpha into the mix to give a 4th blending option. Here is what is happening:
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Each of the color channels (ARGB) gets its own Linear Interpolation expression.
Components
Managing Content
The Lerp corresponding to Texture 1 plugs into the material, and its alpha will be driven by the Alpha channel from the vertex color.
Engine Features
Red channel from the vertex color.
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Texture one also wraps around and becomes the A plug for the 4th and final Lerp. This makes Texture 1 the default texture.
Release Notes
Site Map Once this is set up, the Blend Weights Texture Count setting should be set to 4 (ARGB).
Here is an example of this material, first with the mesh viewed in RGB Mode, showing the vertex colors in place. Note that with this setup,
alpha (shown black) corresponds to Texture 1, red corresponds to Texture 2, green corresponds to Texture 3, and blue corresponds to
Texture 4.
Notice that where the vertex color in the first image is black (Texture 1) there is no change. This is because Texture 1 is also plugged into
the A input of the 4th Lerp expression (see above), making it the default texture. Essentially, you start with Texture 1 and can paint
Textures 2, 3, and 4 down as you see fit, or paint Texture 1 back down over them at any time.
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Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

To handle 5 textures in the blend weights setup, you need to create a material similar to this:
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
5-Way Blend Materials This works very similarly to the 3-way and 4-way setups. However, we now take one minus the alpha value to get a fifth color. Here is what
Vertex Color Materials is happening:
Painting Colors
Each of the color channels (ARGB) gets its own Linear Interpolation expression.
Painting on Meshes
An additional Lerp is added, driven by 1 minus the alpha of the Vertex Color node. This will be the fifth color.
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
The Lerp corresponding to Texture 1 plugs into the material, and its alpha will be driven by the Alpha channel from the vertex color.
Sharing Color Data
Red channel from the vertex color.
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
1-alpha from the vertex color.
Actors and Geometry
Texture one also wraps around and becomes the A plug for the 5th and final Lerp. This makes Texture 1 the default texture.
Components
Managing Content
Once this is set up, the Blend Weights Texture Count setting should be set to 5 (1-ARGB).
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes Here is an example of this material, first with the mesh viewed in RGB Mode, showing the vertex colors in place. Note that with this setup,
Site Map alpha (shown black) corresponds to Texture 1, red corresponds to Texture 2, green corresponds to Texture 3, and blue corresponds to
New and Updated Resources Texture 4. Incidentally, alpha is also used for Texture 5 and is also shown in black at the bottom.
Notice that where the vertex color in the first image is black (Texture 1) there is no change. This is because Texture 1 is also plugged into
the A input of the 4th Lerp expression (see above), making it the default texture. Essentially, you start with Texture 1 and can paint
Textures 2, 3, and 4 down as you see fit, or paint Texture 1 back down over them at any time.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Vertex Color Materials

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

There are really an infinite number of ways one could use the colors from a Vertex Color material expression. For this setup, we are going to
Level Editor
keep things relatively simple and just multiply the colors into an existing material. This allows us to have the original texture in place, but to
Main Menu Bar
tint it with the Mesh Paint tool.
Editor Viewports
First, take a look at the example mesh:
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data

In order to make this paintable, we need to get the Vertex Color material expression worked into the network. The base material network
View Modes
begins like so:
Quick Settings

Click for full size.
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
This material has been desaturated a bit, giving us more room to add color via the Mesh Paint tool.
To get our vertex colors worked into the material, we simply need to intercept the Base Color connection and multiply it by a Vertex Color
expression's RGB value, like so:
Click for full size.

Within the commented area, you can see where we have added a Multiply node and a corresponding Vertex Color node.
And now, when you switch to Mesh Paint mode, and make sure the tool is set to Colors mode.
Then, painting on the mesh supplies this result:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Painting Colors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Mesh Paint has two different modes: Color, which paints RGBA data directly onto a mesh's vertices, and Blend Weights, which serve as a
Level Editor
means to blend between different textures. The default Mesh Paint mode is Color. You can select a paint and erase color and then apply
Main Menu Bar
those colors to the mesh using the brush. This mode is useful when your material is configured to combine the vertex color with your pixel
shader in some interesting way.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
When the painting mode is set to colors, you have these options available:
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Button
Description
Painting on Meshes

"Fills" the mesh or instance being painted using the Paint color, respecting the Channels
Mesh Paint Overview
settings.
Selecting Colors

Copies the vertex colors from the selected instance(s) to the source mesh asset.
Sharing Color Data

Imports a .tga image file to use to populate the vertex colors of the selected instance(s).
View Modes
The color that will be applied while painting (LMB + Drag). A swatch displays a preview of the
Quick Settings current color. The color can be set using the Color Picker built-in to the tool.

The color to use as your "eraser" color while erasing (Shift + LMB + Drag). A swatch displays
a preview of the current color. The color can be set using the Color Picker built-in to the tool.
Performance Tools

Swaps the Paint color and Erase color.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

These check boxes set which color/alpha channels should be affected by the paint brush.
Components
This will locate the selected mesh within the Content Browser.
Managing Content

This will save any changes to vertex color that have been made to the asset. Note that this
option is only available if the Paint option is set to Textures. If the option is set to Verticies,
Engine Features
then the Save button will be disabled.
Gameplay Guide

Once your color is selected, you only have to hold Ctrl and drag on a selected mesh to paint! Ctrl+Shift dragging will paint with the Erase
Programming Guide
color.
Release Notes
Site Map

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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Painting on Meshes

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Painting on meshes is easy! The first thing to remember is that you can only paint on selected meshes. This helps you restrict painting to
Level Editor
only specific objects, while still allowing you to paint across multiple selected Mesh Actors if necessary.
Main Menu Bar

To select multiple Mesh Actors, hold Shift and press the Left Mouse Button to select and add a mesh.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner While Mesh Paint mode is active, the selected Actor will be outlined and denoted with a red crosshair (if multiple meshes are selected, each
Details Panel mesh will be highlighted and the crosshair will appear on the last mesh selected). After selecting one or more meshes, when you move the
Level Editor Modes mouse over them, you should see the circular paint brush!
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data

You can think of the paint brush as a cylinder projected along the surface normal of the mesh geometry, centered at the point on the mesh
under your cursor.
View Modes
The circular brush outline shows you the radius of the brush. The inner circle shows the brush's falloff (or inner radius.) You probably figured
Quick Settings
this out already, but the small line sticking out from center of the brush is the mesh surface normal.
Layers Panel User Guide To paint, hold down the Left Mouse Button and drag over the mesh's surface. You can also hold down the Shift key while painting to erase
Performance Tools instead.
Levels
Actors and Geometry Paint will be applied to the surface each time you click, and also each time the mouse position changes by dragging. Also, if Brush Flow is
Components enabled, paint will be applied every time the scene is rendered.
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
You can only paint in perspective viewport windows.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Mesh Paint Overview

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
The Mesh Paint tool allows you to paint vertex colors on Static Meshes interactively in the level viewport. You can paint multiple instances
Levels
of a single mesh with unique color/alpha values, and use that data however you would like in your materials.
Actors and Geometry
Components
Color data can be visualized directly, and you can easily edit multiple meshes at the same time. Also, the tool has special features for
Managing Content
painting "blend weights" that allow you to interpolate between multiple textures per-pixel.
Engine Features Most of the vertex paint features are pretty easy to learn, so if you want to jump right in, here are the basic steps:
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Set up a material which utilizes vertex color in some way, and apply it to a mesh.
Programming Guide Activate the Mesh Paint Mode and select your mesh Actor.
Platform Development Set your paint color and adjust other brush properties appropriately.
Samples and Tutorials While holding down the Ctrl key, click and drag on your mesh to apply paint!
Release Notes
The following sections will describe the process in more detail, including the various brush settings and how materials are configured.
Site Map

Activating Mesh Paint Mode
In order to summon and use the Mesh Paint tool, you will need to enter Mesh Paint Mode. Just click the paint brush button on the Modes
panel.
This will show the Mesh Paint panel, which remains docked within the Modes panel of the editor frame.
While in this mode, you can still perform most common editor actions like camera movement and selection, but certain features are
disabled. Also, you will notice that your perspective viewport will be forced to real-time mode which is a requirement of this system.
To exit Mesh Paint mode, you may simply choose another editor mode within the Modes panel.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Selecting Colors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Mesh Paint tool relies on a pair of colors for its work. Users may choose a Paint Color as well as an Erase Color and swap between
Level Editor
them at any time. Color selections are made by way of a standard Color Picker window.
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes
Place Mode
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data
View Modes
Quick Settings

For workflow purposes, it will be easier to think of the Erase Color as simply an alternate paint color. Using the erase color is not like
removing your previous strokes, as it would be while using the Erase Tool in Photoshop or a similar image editing software. Rather, you are
Performance Tools
just painting on a different color. If your base was white, then it would be a good idea to use white as your erase color.
Levels
Actors and Geometry While in the Mesh Paint Mode panel, you can also hit the Swap Button to swap the Paint and Erase colors. This is especially handy
Components when you need to quickly jump back and forth between a pair of colors, or do a fast touch-up on a misplaced brush stroke.
Managing Content
Unreal Game Projects Keep in mind that the Color Picker has a variety of means to aid in the quick selection of colors, including saving color swatches
Engine Features and setting up color themes. Please see the Color Picker documentation for details.
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Sharing Color Data

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

There may be cases where you want to paint a mesh and then share those vertex colors with other instances of the mesh in the same level.
Level Editor
For example, if you had a pillar mesh you were using in an outdoor map and you wanted to paint the base of the pillar green, and have all
Main Menu Bar
instances in that map only appear that way.
Editor Viewports
Instanced vertex color data can be copied and pasted between instances in the level very easily using the Copy and Paste buttons in the
World Outliner
Mesh Paint Dialog.
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes To Copy Instanced Color Data:

Place Mode
Mesh Paint User Guide 1. Select the instance that contains the color data to be copied and press the Copy button.
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry

2. Select the instance(s) to copy the color data to and press the Paste button.
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
3. The color data should now be applied to all of the instances.

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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Vertex Color Matching

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

When a Static Mesh is reimported with a different vertex count than the number of vertex colors on the instance, you get errors like this in
Level Editor
map checks and during cooking:
Main Menu Bar

StaticMeshActor_73 (LOD 0) has hand-painted vertex colors that no longer match the original
Editor Viewports
StaticMesh
World Outliner
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes Mismatched instanced vertex colors against the mesh's vertices makes the vertex colors simply nonexistent on console and look wrong on
Place Mode PC. To remedy that, the Fix button in the Paint Mode Dialog lets you fix up vertex colors if they do not match up with the Static Mesh.
Asset vs. Instance
Brush Settings
Material Setup This feature will only be available if a mesh needs fixup; otherwise, it will be disabled. The tool works well in most cases especially when
Painting Colors you are only making small tweaks. The more drastic the change to the mesh, the more unlikely the colors will match. The feature is
Painting on Meshes designed to always match some color even if the changes are drastic. We elected not to make this tool automatic because that would
Mesh Paint Overview prevent people from easily opting out of the fixup if they did not like the results. Additionally, adding the feature to mesh paint means you
Selecting Colors can easily touchup after the fix is applied.
Sharing Color Data
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide Original Mesh - Fix Before Lower Poly Mesh - Fixup applied
Release Notes
Site Map
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology View Modes

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Mesh Paint Mode includes a variety of different view modes to aid in visualizing how vertex color is being applied to your meshes within the
Level Editor
viewport. The view can display just the vertex colors, or can selectively view individual channels (red, green, blue, and alpha).
Main Menu Bar
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Option Description
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes Off

Restores default editor view mode.
Place Mode RGB

Displays Static Meshes unlit with only RGB vertex colors.
R
Displays Static Meshes unlit with only red vertex color.
Asset vs. Instance
G
Displays Static Meshes unlit with only green vertex color.
Brush Settings
Colors vs. Blend Weights B

Displays Static Meshes unlit with only blue vertex color.
Material Setup A
Displays Static Meshes unlit with only vertex alpha.
Painting Colors
Painting on Meshes
Mesh Paint Overview
Selecting Colors
Sharing Color Data
View Modes
Quick Settings
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Quick Settings

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Settings are a set of properties for controlling selection, editing, and previewing aspects of the Level Editor. These can be accessed in
Level Editor
the Level Editor Toolbar.
Main Menu Bar
Level Editor Toolbar REGION:tablesection

Editor Viewports

Option
Description
World Outliner
Selection
Details Panel
Level Editor Modes Allow

If checked, clicking on geometry with translucent materials applied will select the Actor.
Quick Settings Translucent

Enabling this option makes it possible to select meshes that are transparent, such as glass objects. Disabling the
Keep Simulation Changes Selection
option can be very helpful in other cases, like in the case of a room filled with translucent particles. Selecting
other objects in the room would be difficult otherwise since clicking on the particles would select the Emitter
Performance Tools
Actor.
Levels
Actors and Geometry Allow

If checked, selecting an Actor in a group selects the group instead of the individual Actor.
Components Group
Managing Content Selection
Strict Box
If checked, an Actor must be completely within the marquee selection box in order to be selected.
Engine Features
Selection
Gameplay Guide
Box Select
When enabled, marquee box select operations will also select objects that are occluded by other objects.
Occluded
Programming Guide
Objects
Samples and Tutorials Show

Toggles the visibility of the Transform widget in the Viewports.
Release Notes Transform
Site Map Widget
Scalability
Engine Provides quick access to Scalability settings that control the fidelity of various rendering features:
Scalability
Settings
Material Sets the Material quality level used for previewing in the Viewports. See Material Quality Switch Expression for more
Quality information on setting up Materials to work with this setting.
level

Quality
Level

Low

High
Preview
This sets the rendering level used by the editor.
Rendering
Level
Real Time Audio
Volume
Controls the volume of sounds from the world that are played when the Viewport is set to realtime.
Snapping
Enable
If checked, Actors will snap to the location of other Actors if they are within a specified distance.
Actor
Snapping
Distance
Sets the distance Actors must be within in order to snap to one another if Enable Actor Snapping is checked.
Enable
If checked, allows Actors to be snapped to sockets.
Socket
Snapping
Enable
If checked, Actors will snap to the nearest vertex on another Actor in the direction of movement.
Vertex
Snapping
Enable
If checked, actors will snap to the nearest location on the constraint plane. This only works correctly in Perspective views.
Planar
Snapping
Viewport
Hide
Toggles hidden Viewport UI mode, and hides all overlaid Viewport UI widgets.
Viewport
UI
Previewing
Draw Brush
If checked, semi-translucent polygons are rendered for the faces of a CSG brush when selected.
Polys

Enabled
Disabled
Only Load
If checked, only visible levels will be loaded when game preview starts.
Visible
Levels in
Game
Preview
Enable
If checked, particle systems will use distance LOD switching in perspective Viewports.
Particle
System
LOD
Switching
Toggle
Toggles showing particles system helpers in Viewports.
Particle
System
Helpers
Freeze
If checked, particle systems will freeze their simulation state.
Particle
Simulation
Enable LOD
If checked, Viewports of the same type will use the same LOD.
View
Locking
Enable
If checked, the Viewport will stream in levels automatically when the camera is moved.
Automatic
Level
Streaming
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Level Designer Quick Start In-Editor Testing (Play & Simulate)

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Keep Simulation Changes

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

While using Simulate In Editor or Play In Editor, you can edit the properties of Actors and see the effect of those changes on your level and
Level Editor
the gameplay in it. Using
Keep Simulation Changes, you can take those changes and make them permanent. Changes that you can keep
Main Menu Bar
include properties seen in the Details tab, such as the Actor's
transform in the level. After using Keep Simulation Changes, the selected
Actors in your level will be updated from the runtime copy, so your changes will be reflected in the editor's copy.
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Whether you alter an Actor's properties with Blueprints or C++ code as a result of gameplay, or you begin simulating physics on an Actor
Details Panel
and like where it ends up in the map,
Keep Simulation Changes will allow you to save those changes. However, it only works for Actors
Level Editor Modes
which were already placed in your level before you began simulating or playing the
game. If Actors are spawned from Blueprints or C++
Quick Settings
code, you will not be able to save their changes.
Layers Panel User Guide To keep changes from Simulate In Editor:

Performance Tools
Levels 1. Select the Actors that you want to keep changes for in either the Viewport or the World Outliner. Right-click in either the Viewport
Actors and Geometry or the World Outliner, then select Keep Simulation Changes in the right-click menu.
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
In order to see this option in the context menu your need to be Playing or Simulating in the Editor.
To keep changes from Play In Editor:
1. Press Shift+F1 to regain mouse control.
2. Select the Actors that you want to keep changes for in the World Outliner. Right-click in the World Outliner, then select Keep
Simulation Changes in the right-click menu.
You can also press the Keep Simulation Changes keyboard shortcut after selecting your Actors. (default: K)
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Layers Panel User Guide

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Main Menu Bar Layer Creation
Level Editor Toolbar Layer Naming
Editor Viewports Searching Layers
World Outliner Layer Contents
Details Panel Adding Actors
Level Editor Modes Removing Actors
Quick Settings Searching Layer Contents
Keep Simulation Changes Visibility
Layers Panel User Guide Selection Methods
Performance Tools Type-Specific Selection
Levels Details Layers Section
Actors and Geometry

The Layers panel allows you to organize Actors in your Level.
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Platform Development Layers provide the ability to quickly select as well as control visibility of groups of related Actors. You can use your layers to quickly un-
Samples and Tutorials clutter a scene leaving only the geometry and Actors that you are working with. For example, you might be working on a building that has
Release Notes multiple levels but is comprised of many modular parts. By assigning each floor to a layer, you can hide each of the floors you are not
Site Map
working on making the top view much more manageable.
An Actor can be in as many layers as you want. This might be useful if you have different sets of Actors that fall under overlapping layers.
For instance, you could organize your layers by assigning everything within a particular zone to one layer and have another layer
comprised of all the doors in your level.
When creating large levels, the more extensively you use layers, the easier your job will be. And remember, it is always easier to start using
layers from the beginning rather than trying to incorporate them after you are already deep into the creation of your level.
Layer Creation
Layers are created in the Layers panel either as empty or using the current selection.
To create an empty layer:
1. Right-click in the Layers panel and choose Create Empty Layer.
2. The new layer is displayed in the list.

To create a layer from a selection:
1. Select the objects to add to the layer in the viewport.
2. Right-click in the Layers panel and choose Add Selected Actors to New Layer.
3. The new layer containing the Actors is displayed in the list.
To create a layer by drag and drop:
1. Select the Actor(s) to add to the layer.
2. Drag the Actor(s) from the World Outliner on to the empty area in the Layers panel.
3. The new layer containing the Actors is displayed in the list.
Layer Naming
By default, new layers are given a name using a Layer[number] naming scheme. The number is incremented for each new layer. It is best to
make sure you name your layers with descriptive names, and never leave the default naming. For instance, a layer that contains small
items scattered on the floor might be named Ground Clutter. This not only makes it easy to quickly see what each layer contains, but also
makes it
possible to filter the layers using the search feature.
Layer names can contain any alphanumeric characters and can also include spaces, hyphens, and underscores.
To rename a layer:
1. Right-click on the layer and choose Rename from the context menu.
2. Enter a name in the text box containing the current name.
3. The layer is displayed with the new name.

Searching Layers
Layers can be filtered using the search box at the top of the Layers panel. Filtering occurs based on matches between the text entered in
the search box and the names of the layers. As you type in the box, the list of layers is filtered in real-time; only displaying those layers
whose names match the text.

Unfiltered Layer List
Filtered Layer List
Press the 'X' button to clear the current search terms.
Layer Contents
The contents of a layer can be viewed directly in the Layers panel. The layer contents view displays the name of the layer, a list of all Actors
contained in the layer, and information about the layer's contents. To enter the layer contents view, press the See Contents button at the
bottom of the Layers panel with the layer you want to view selected.
The name of the layer is displayed at the top along with a collection of buttons showing the various types and numbers of Actors contained
within the layer.
The various buttons to the right of the layer's name show how many of each individual type of Actor are contained within the layer. For
instance, the button in the bottom right of the Layers panel informs the user that there are 139 StaticMeshActors contained within the layer.
These buttons can also be used to perform type-specific selections.
To return to the layer list, press the button.
Adding Actors
Actors can be added to one or more layers as a selection or by dragging and dropping from the World Outliner.
To add a selection of Actors:
2. Right-click on the layer you want to add the Actors to and choose Add Selected Actors to Selected Layers.
To add by drag and drop:
2. Drag the Actor(s) from the World Outliner on to a layer in the Layers panel.
You can also drag to the contents bar at the bottom of the Layers panel to assign the Actors to the selected layer.
The layers the Actors are already assigned to are grayed out when dragging and dropping. Additionally, if the Actors being
dragged are already assigned to the target layer, a message will inform you of this:
3. The Actors are added to the layer.
Removing Actors
Actors can be removed from the layer individually or as a group of selected Actors.
To remove individual Actors:
1. Press the 'X' button next to the Actor in the layer contents view.
2. The Actor is removed from the layer and the list is updated.
To remove a selection of Actors:
1. Select the Actors to be removed from the layer.
2. Right-click on the layer and choose Remove Selected Actors from Layers.
3. The Actors are removed from the layer.
Searching Layer Contents
The Actors within a layer can be filtered in the layer contents view using the search box at the top. Filtering occurs based on matches
between the text entered in the search box and the names of the Actors. As you type in the box, the list of Actors is filtered in real-time; only
displaying those Actors whose names match the text.

Unfiltered Layer Contents
Filtered Layer Contents
Press the 'X' button to clear the current search terms.
Visibility
The contents of any layer can be shown or hidden by toggling the Visibility (eye) button for the layer in the layer list.

Visible
Hidden
Selection Methods
Actors within a layer can be selected as a group, individually, or based on type. The Actors within a layer can also be added to or removed
from the current selection.
To select all Actors within a layer:
1. Double-click the layer in the layer list or right-click on the layer and choose Select Actors.
2. All Actors in the layer are selected, replacing the current selection set.
To append layer Actors to the selection:
1. Right-click on the layer and choose Append Actors to Selection.
2. All Actors in the layer are selected, appending them to the current selection set.

Initial Selection
Layer Actors Appended
To remove layer Actors from the selection:
1. Right-click on the layer and choose Deselect Actors.
2. All Actors in the layer are removed from deselected, removing them from the current selection set.

Initial Selection
Layer Actors Removed
Type-Specific Selection
Type-specific selection allows you to quickly select all of one type of Actor contained within a layer. This can be performed using the buttons
in the contents bar of the main layer list or the title bar of the layer contents view.

Layer List Contents Bar
Layer Contents View Title Bar
Pressing the instances button selects all of the StaticMeshActors in the layer.
Details Layers Section
The Layers category displays which layers the selected Actor(s) belong to using a tag cloud style layout.
Only the layers common to all selected Actors will be displayed.
Clicking the button for a particular layer will remove all selected Actors from that layer.
Full Topic Index

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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Performance Tools

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

At the top of the Level Editor window, at the right side of the Tab Bar, you will find a series of performance and debugging tools.
Level Editor
Main Menu Bar

From left to right, they are:
Editor Viewports
World Outliner
Details Panel Number Name Description

Level Editor Modes
1 Console Command Bar
This text field is used to input console commands within the editor.
Quick Settings
2 Source Control Status
This shows the current status of the integrated Perforce server.
Performance Tools
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Full Topic Index
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
elsewhere.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Levels

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels How to Create Levels
Actors and Geometry Opening & Saving Levels
Components Opening Levels
Managing Content Saving Levels
Unreal Game Projects Changing Default Starting Level
Engine Features Level World Settings
Gameplay Guide Level Migration
Blueprints Visual Scripting Level Migration Troubleshooting
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
When playing a Video Game, every object that you see or interact with in the world resides in what is known as a Level. In Unreal Engine 4
terms, a Level is made up of a collection of Static Meshes, Volumes, Lights, and Blueprints all working together to bring the desired
experience to the player. Levels in UE4 can range in size from massive terrain based worlds to very small levels for just a single mini-game
to take place in. The following guide will tell you all you need to know about creating and managing Levels inside of UE4.
How to Create Levels

The ability to create new levels is a must when trying to develop a game. Creating new levels inside UE4 is a very simple process that can
be accomplished by following the instructions listed below.
1. To create a new level, we first need to go to the File option that is located on the Main tool bar.
2. Next from the File menu, we need to select the New Level option.
You can also create new levels by using the keyboard shortcut Crtl + N.
3. When New Level is selected, you will be presented with a pop-up box displaying two types of levels you can chose from, Default or
Empty Level.
Default: This will give you a new level with a basic setup that includes a player start, a light, a sky dome, and other various
Actors you need for a level to work correctly.
Blank: This will give you a new level that is completely empty.
4. Select the level that you want by clicking on it with the Left Mouse Button. After you do this, the level type that you picked will now be
loaded up in the editor.
When connected to source control, new levels that you create and save will be automatically added to source control.
Opening & Saving Levels

Depending on the complexity of your game, you might need to have your game content spread out among multiple levels. This means that
you will need to have the ability to open and save these levels at will. UE4 makes opening and saving levels quite easy and the process for
both opening levels and saving levels is outlined below.
Opening Levels
Opening already created levels inside UE4 is a very simple process that can be accomplished by following the instructions listed below.
1. To open a level, we first need to go to the File option that is located on the Main tool bar.
2. Next from the File menu, we need to select the Open Level option.
You can also open levels by using the keyboard shortcut Crtl + O, or by simply Double Clicking on the map asset inside
the Content Browser.
3. When Open Level is selected from the menu, a pop up box showing the levels that can be opened will be displayed.
4. To open a level, simply find the level you wish to open in the list, click on it, and then press the button labeled Open.
5. Once you have pressed the Open button, the level that you have selected will be loaded in the editor.
Saving Levels
Saving levels inside UE4 is a very simple process that can be accomplished by following the instructions listed below.
1. To save a level, we first need to go to the File option that is located on the Main tool bar.
2. Next from the File menu, we need to select the Save option.
You can also save all opened levels by using the keyboard shortcut Crtl + S.
3. Depending on if this is a new map or not, two things can happen when you press Save.
New Map: If this is a new map, the first time you press save, you will be prompted with the Save Level As dialogue box. In this
box, you can give your new level a name and location to be saved to.
Pre-Existing Map: If this is not a new map but one that already exists in the project, then when you press save, the map will be
saved.
4. Once your level has been saved, you are now free to continue working, open a new level, or close down the Unreal Editor.
Changing Default Starting Level

When creating any game, you will need the ability to set a default level for the game to start on. UE4 not only offers you the ability to define
what level your game starts on, it also allows you to define what level your editor will start on as well. As with everything in UE4, the
process for changing your default level is quite simple and outlined below.
1. To change any settings specific to our project, we first need to go to the Edit option that is located on the Main tool bar.
2. From the Edit menu, we then need to select the Project Settings option.
3. Selecting the Project Settings option will open up your projects settings.
4. In this menu, you can edit all kinds of options about your project but for now we will be looking at the Maps & Modes Section. To
active the Maps & Modes section, simply click on it in the menu. When you do so, you should now have something that looks like
this in the Project Settings box.
5. To change your projects default game and editor starting levels, simply press on the arrow icon to the right of the name box and then
select the level you want from the list that is displayed.
6. Repeat the process above if you wish to change the Editor start up map as well.
Level World Settings

Each level can have unique settings applied to it via the World Settings options. The World Settings options allow you to do everything
from making sure the right Game Mode is activated when you play the level too allowing you to adjust how the Global Illumination will look
for that level. To activate the World Settings options, you need to do the following.
1. On the Toolbar that is across the top of the editor, click on the Settings option.
2. Clicking on the Settings option will display the game specific settings menu and from the menu select World Settings.
3. Clicking on the World Settings option will open up the levels settings in the World Settings tab of the Details panel.
4. From the World Settings panel, you can adjust all kinds of options for your level from how Lightmass will work to what game mode is
used.
Level Migration
Sometimes you might need to move entire levels and all of their content from one project to another one. In previous versions of UE4, this
task was almost impossible because levels content could have been spread out all over your content folder. Now using the improved
migration tool, UE4 will now not only migrate your level over to a new project, it will also migrate all of the content that is also associated
with that level. Migrating one level and its assets from one UE4 project to another can be accomplished in the following simple steps.
1. First, make sure that you have the level and all the content that you want to move saved.
2. Once you have everything saved, find the level that you want to Migrate in the Content Browser.
3. After the level is found, all you have to do is Right-Click on the level and then choose the Migrate option from the list.
4. Once the Migrate option was selected, you will be presented with an Asset Report box that will allow you to pick and choose what
you would like to migrate over to the new project. Once you have selected what you want to move, press the Ok button.
5. After you press the Ok button, you will then be asked where you want the content to be moved to. Using the Browse For Folder
dialogue box, find a location where you would like to move the content to and then press the Ok button. Remember that you have to
move it to a location that is under the Content folder or the migrate might not work correctly.
6. After you press Ok, the migration process will start and run until it is done. You can tell if the migration was successful or not if you get
the following message in the lower right hand portion of your editor window.
Level Migration Troubleshooting
During the process of migrating a level, you might receive a few error messages. Here is a list of known error message and ways to avoid
them.
This error message means that the content that you are trying to migrate already exists in the location that you are trying to migrate to.
You can either cancel or overwrite the information if you are sure that what you are migrating is correct.
This error message means that you are trying to migrate content to another location that is not inside the content folder. For migrated
content to work correctly, you must make sure that you always use the main Content Folder of your project. If not, you run the risk of
the migration not working correctly.

Related Topics
Level Editor
Actors and Geometry
Level Streaming
Level Design Content Examples
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Actors and Geometry

Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility
Common Actor Types
Grouping Actors
Components
An Actor is any object that can be placed into a level. Actors are a generic Class that supports 3D transformations such as translation,
Managing Content
rotation, and scale. Actors can be created (spawned) and destroyed through gameplay code (C++ or Blueprints). In C++, AActor is the base
class of all Actors.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
There are several different types of Actors, some examples include: StaticMeshActor, CameraActor, and PlayerStartActor.
Programming Guide No matter the type of Actor you are using in your level - be it a light, a Static Mesh, a Particle System Emitter Actor, or anything else - you
Platform Development will need to know a few basics on how to create and manipulate them in your scenes.
Release Notes This involves a few integral tasks: placing Actors, selecting Actors, positioning Actors, and modifying Actors. In other words, to create a
Site Map level, Actors will be placed into a map, moved around to create an environment, and their properties will be modified to cause them to look
New and Updated Resources or behave appropriately.
Working with Actors
Placing Actors Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors Grouping Actors
Common Actor Types

Static Mesh Actors
Skeletal Mesh Actors
Geometry Brush Actors
Volumes User Guide
Trigger Actors
Decal Actor User Guide
Fog Effects
Target Point Actors
Actor Mobility
Player Start
Camera Actors
English
Level Designer Quick Start Actors and Geometry

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Placing Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

At the most fundamental level, an Actor is any Object that you can place in a level and this page will show you the various methods in
Level Editor
which you can place those Actors inside your levels.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

On this page:
Placing Actors
Placing Actors in Place Mode
Selecting Actors
Placing Actors Using the Context Menu
Transforming Actors
Placing Actors Using Drag and Drop
Actor Mobility
Placing Actors from the Class Viewer
Common Actor Types
Grouping Actors When you create a new project, the level that is loaded when you open your project is typically a blank slate. To build the desired
Components environment or populate the world, you must place Actors in the level. You can do this in two different ways, both of which involve using
Managing Content the Content Browser and results in a new instance of the Actor being created. Each instance in the level can then be moved around or
Unreal Game Projects have its properties modified.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Adding Actors to your level automatically also adds them to the list in the World Outliner, which is a panel that is by default
located in the upper-right corner of the Unreal Editor. For more information about the World Outliner, see World Outliner.
Programming Guide
Samples and Tutorials Placing Actors in Place Mode

Release Notes
This section will show you how to place Actors from the Modes menu while in Place mode.
Site Map

1. With your project open, in the upper-left corner of the screen you will see the Modes window.
2. While in Place mode (1), click the Basic tab (2) then Left-click on and drag an Actor (3) into the Level Viewport.
Each of Actor displayed on each tab of Place mode can be dragged-and-dropped into a level.
Placing Actors Using the Context Menu

This section will demonstrate how to place Actors from the Content Browser in your level through a Context Menu.
1. Inside your project, in the lower left corner of the screen you will see the Content Browser.
2. Locate the asset you wish to place, this could be: Blueprints, Static Meshes, Particle Effects, Sound Cues, Skeletal Meshes, etc.
3. Left-click on the asset so that it is highlighted.
4. Inside the Level Viewport, Right-click anywhere to bring up the Context Menu and select the asset under the Place Actor section.
After selecting the asset from the Context Menu, you will see it appear inside your level.
You also have the option of adding a different type of asset even when you have a specific asset selected in the Content Browser. You can
see the types of assets you can add by opening the flyout menu in the Add Actor section of the Context Menu as seen in the image
below.
If you have one or more Actors selected in the Viewport, and an asset selected in the Content Browser, you can opt to replace the
selected Actors in the level with the selected asset by clicking the asset's name in the Replace Selected Actors with section of the
Context Menu as seen in the image below. This may be useful if you want to do sweeping changes and swapping multiple assets out at
once.
Placing Actors Using Drag and Drop
In addition to being able to add specific types of Actors from the Content Browser to a level through the Viewport Context Menu, you can
also add an asset to your level by dragging it from the Content Browser and dropping it into one of the Viewports, in the location where
you would like to place the Actor. When you start to drag the asset into the Viewport, the cursor will change so that you know that type of
asset will be dropped into the Viewport.
1. Inside your project, in the lower-left corner of the screen you will see the Content Browser.
2. Find the asset you want to add, then Left-click on and drag-and-drop it into the Level Viewport.
When you drag and drop an asset from the Content Browser, the following types of Actors are created for the associated type of asset:
Blueprint - Places an instance of the Blueprint

Particle System - Places an Emitter
Skeletal Mesh - Places a SkeletalMeshActor
Static Mesh - Places a StaticMeshActor
Sound Cue - Places an AmbientSound
Sound Wave - Places an AmbientSound
Placing Actors from the Class Viewer

A more advanced method of placing Actors is by using the Class Viewer, which is a hierarchical list of classes used by the Editor.
1. To open the Class Viewer, click Window then Developer Tools and under Miscellaneous, select Class Viewer.
The Class Viewer window will open.
Any Actor that can be placed in the level will be tinted in Blue in this window.
2. Select the asset you wish to place, then drag-and-drop it in the Level Viewport.
For more information on working with the Class Viewer, refer to the Class Viewer documentation.

Related Topics
Class Viewer
Basic How To's
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Selecting Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Simple Selection
Actors and Geometry Selecting with the World Outliner
Placing Actors Marquee Selection
Selecting Actors Advanced Selection Techniques
Transforming Actors
Selecting Actors, while simple in nature, is an important part of the level-editing process. The ability to quickly and easily select the Actors
Actor Mobility
that you want to work with enhances productivity and speeds up the design process.
Common Actor Types
Grouping Actors There are many different ways to select Actors, or groups of Actors. Each of these is detailed below.
Components
Managing Content
Simple Selection
Engine Features The most basic method of selecting Actors is simply to Left-click on them in the viewport. Clicking on an Actor will deselect any currently
Gameplay Guide selected Actors and select the new one instead. If you hold down the Ctrl key while you click on a new (unselected) Actor, the new Actor is
Blueprints Visual Scripting added to the selection. If you hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on a selected Actor, the Actor is removed from the selection.
Programming Guide
Platform Development This method is good for selecting small numbers of Actors or several isolated Actors spread out across the map, but it can be slow and
Samples and Tutorials tedious for selecting large numbers of Actors.
Release Notes
Site Map
When you select multiple Actors, you can then move them as a group, and you can modify their properties simultaneously in the Details
panel.
When you have two or more Actors selected, you can add them to a group for easier selection and manipulation. For more
information about grouping Actors, see Grouping Actors.
Selecting with the World Outliner

The World Outliner is a panel in the Unreal Editor that contains a list of all Actors in the level. You can select and deselect individual Actors
in the list the same way you would in the viewport. In addition, you can range-select by clicking one Actor, holding down Shift, and clicking
another Actor to select those Actors and all the Actors in between them in the list.
Selecting any Actor in the World Outliner also selects it in the viewport, and vice versa.
Marquee Selection
Marquee selection is a quick way to select or deselect a group of Actors within a certain area in the viewport. This type of selection involves
holding down a combination of keys and dragging with the mouse to define a box. All the Actors within the box will be selected or
deselected depending on the combination of keys and mouse button that is held down while the mouse is being dragged.
The following table shows the possible keyboard combinations for marquee selection.
Keyboard Shortcut Action
(Left Mouse Button) LMB

Replaces the current selection with the Actors contained in the box.
Shift+LMB
Adds the Actors contained in the box to the current selection.
Ctrl+Alt+LMB
Removes any select Actors in the box from the current selection.
Advanced Selection Techniques

You can select Actors that share specific things in common, such as class, asset type, or Material. To see your selection options, Right-
click a selected Actor, click Select, and then review the list of options on the context menu.
The options available on the Select context menu vary depending on what is selected. For example, if you have a Static Mesh
selected, you will see different options than if you have a Blueprint selected.
In addition to selecting related Actors, you can also do the following with the Select context menu:
Invert your current selection (in other words, deselect everything that is selected and instead select everything that was not selected)
by clicking Invert Selection.
Select lights that affect your Actor by clicking Select Relevant Lights.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Transforming Actors


On this page:
Basic How To's Manual Transformation
Level Editor Interactive Transformation
Levels Translation Widget
Actors and Geometry Rotation Widget

Placing Actors Scaling Widget
Selecting Actors Actor Pivot Adjustment
Transforming Actors World and Local Transformation Modes

Actor Mobility Snapping
Common Actor Types Drag Grid, Rotation Grid, and Scale Grid
Grouping Actors Snapping Preferences
Components User Defined Increments
Managing Content Vertex Snapping
Transforming Actors refers to moving, rotating, or scaling them, which is an important part of the level-editing process. There are two basic
Engine Features
ways to transform Actors in the Unreal Editor. Both ways apply the transformations to all currently selected Actors.
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Manual Transformation
The Transform section of the Details panel allows you to view and edit the transforms - Location, Rotation, and Scale - of selected
Actor(s). Also, where applicable, this also contains the settings for Actor Mobility.
Release Notes
Site Map
Each Transform property has numeric entry fields for the X, Y, and Z axes. You may type precise values directly into these fields to adjust
the selected Actors. When more than one Actor is selected and the values of the properties differ, the fields will display Multiple Values. In
such cases, entering a number will cause that value to be entered for all selected Actors.
The Rotation fields have the unique ability to be used as sliders. Clicking and dragging on the field allows you to roll the value, increasing or
decreasing depending on the distance the mouse is moved.
The Scale fields can also be locked by clicking the button. When locked, the ratio of the scale values to each other are maintained when
any of the individual values are modified, allowing for uniform scaling.
The transform properties default to relative transformation. This means the transform is relative to the component's parent. Each of the
property labels are hyperlinks that can be clicked to toggle between absolute and relative transforms. When using absolute transformations,
the transform is relative to the world instead of the parent.
Interactive Transformation
The second method for transforming Actors involves the use of a visual tool, or widget, displayed in the viewport. With this widget, you can
use the mouse to move, rotate, and scale the Actor directly in the viewport. This method has the opposite pros and cons of the manual
method. While it is extremely intuitive, it can be far from precise, and sometimes precision is necessary. The drag grid, rotation grid, and
scale grid can help ensure greater precision. The ability to snap to known values or in known increments allows for more precise control.
The visual tool used to manipulate the Actors in the viewports is known as a transformation widget. In general, a transformation widget is
made up of several parts that are color-coded according to which axis they affect:
Red means the X axis will be affected.

Green means the Y axis will be affected.
Blue means the Z axis will be affected.
The transformation widget takes different forms, depending on what type of transformation is being performed: translation, rotation, or
scaling. You can choose which type of transformation widget you want to use by clicking its icon in the toolbar in the upper-right section of
the viewport.
You can toggle between the different types of transformation widgets by pressing the spacebar on your keyboard.
Translation Widget
The Translation Widget consists of a set of color-coded arrows pointing down the positive direction of each axis in the world. Each of these
arrows is essentially a handle that can be dragged to move the selected Actor(s) along that particular axis. When the mouse cursor hovers
over one of the handles, the handle turns yellow, signifying that dragging will move the object along that axis.
There is also a line coming off each handle, along each of the other axes that meet up with one another. These form squares aligned with
one of each of the planes (XY, XZ, YZ). Hovering over one of these causes that square and both related arrows to turn yellow. Dragging
moves the Actor along the plane defined by those two axes.
Where all three axes intersect, there is a small white sphere. When you hover over the sphere, its color changes to yellow, indicating that it
can be dragged. Dragging by the center sphere moves the Actor freely in space relative to the scene camera, potentially changing the
position values along all three axes.
Rotation Widget
The Rotation Widget is a set of three color-coded arcs, each associated with one axis. When you drag one of the arcs, the selected
Actor(s) rotates around that axis. In the case of the Rotation Widget, the axis affected by any one of the arcs involved is the one
perpendicular to the arc itself. This means that the arc aligned to the XY plane actually rotates the Actor around the Z-axis.
When the cursor hovers over a particular arc, that arc turns yellow, indicating that you can drag it to change the Actor's rotation.
When you start to drag to rotate the selected Actor(s), the widget changes shape to show only the axis around which the Actor is being
rotated. The amount of rotation is displayed in realtime to help you gauge your progress.
Scaling Widget
The Scaling Widget has color-coded handles that end in cubes. When you drag the widget by one of these handles, you scale the selected
Actor only along the associated axis. The handles are color-coded by axis, similarly to the Translation Widget and the Rotation Widget.
You can scale an Actor along two axes simultaneously, similarly to the way in which you can use the Translation Widget to move an Actor
along a plane defined by two axes simultaneously. There is a line coming off each handle of the Scaling Widget, along each of the other
axes that meet up with one another. These form triangles aligned with one of the three planes (XY, XZ, YZ). Dragging one of these
triangles scales the Actor in both axes that define that plane. When the mouse hovers over one of these triangles, the associated handles
turn yellow.
You can also scale an Actor along all three axes, thus maintaining its original proportions. If you hover the cursor over the cube where all
three axes meet, all three handles turn yellow. Dragging by that center cube scales the Actor proportionally.
Actor Pivot Adjustment
When transforming objects, you typically perform your transforms from the base pivot of the object. However, you may want to adjust the
location of this pivot for certain transform operations.
By clicking and dragging with the middle mouse button from the center point of the the Translation Widget, you can move the pivot
temporarily. You can then toggle between the various transformation tools with the spacebar as usual.
You can now transform the Actor using the new pivot.
As soon as you click on (select) any object, the pivot jumps back to its default location.
World and Local Transformation Modes
When you are using the interactive transformation method, you can choose the reference coordinate system you want to use when
performing the transformation. This means you can transform the Actor in world space, along the world axes, or you can transform the
Actor in its own local space, along its local axes. This provides a lot more flexibility and would be almost impossible to do simply by setting
the values manually, at least without doing a lot of complex calculations first.

World
Local
By default, the Unreal Editor starts out in world transformation mode. To switch to local transformation mode, click the globe icon in the
toolbar in the upper-right section of the viewport. The globe turns into a cube icon, indicating that you are now in local transformation mode.
Click the cube icon to switch back to world transformation mode.
Snapping
Each of the three manual transform tools has the ability to have its values snap to certain increments. This is useful for precision placement
of objects in your levels. Snapping can be done in 4 different ways in UE4:
Drag Grid
Rotation Grid
Scale Grid
Vertex Snapping
Drag Grid, Rotation Grid, and Scale Grid

Drag Grid
Rotation Grid
Scale Grid
The Drag Grid allows for snapping to a 3-dimensional implicit grid within the scene. The Rotation Grid provides for incremental rotation
snaps. The Scale Grid forces the Scale Widget to snap to additive increments, but can be set to percentage values in the snap
preferences.
Each snapping grid is activated by clicking its icon within the viewport toolbar. When active, the icon will be highlighted. The increments of
the each grid can be changed via the dropdown to the right of their activation button.
Snapping Preferences
The settings for the Drag Grid, Rotation Grid, and Scale Grid can all be set from within the Editor Preferences panel, along with a few other
settings for snap behavior.
These preferences can be accessed by choosing Edit > Editor Preferences > Viewports from the main menubar and then scrolling down
to the Snap category.
User Defined Increments
When using the Drag Grid, Rotation Grid, or Scale Grid, you may notice that the dropdown for each tool contains a column of preset
increments and a column of user defined increments:
To populate the user defined list, use the array properties found in the Snap Preferences:
Grid Sizes - Holds the user-defined snap increments for the Translation Widget.
Rotation Snap Intervals - Holds the user-defined snap increments for the Rotation Widget.
Scale Grid Sizes - Holds the user-defined snap increments for the Scale Widget.
Vertex Snapping
Occasionally you may want to snap some object to another by using the polygonal vertices of a mesh. This is done by simply holding down
the V key while using the Translation Widget. While V is down, as soon as you start moving an object, you will notice all available polygon
vertices highlight:
This is especially useful when used in conjunction with pivot adjustment, as you can snap the pivot directly to a vertex, then use that as a
means to snap to a vertex on another object. In the images below, we show how we are able to snap the two pieces of piping together
precisely using this method.
Using V + Middle mouse button, we are able to snap the object's pivot to an existing vertex.
Once the pivot has been moved, we are ready to use the new pivot location to snap the object to a corresponding vertex on another mesh.
Using the V key while dragging, we are able to snap the object to the appropriate vertex of another mesh.
By repeating this process, we can get nicely positioned meshes. This technique is useful for walkways, walls, doors, or anything that needs
precision placement with regards to another mesh or object.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Actor Mobility

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility The Mobility setting controls whether an Actor will be allowed to move or change in some way during gameplay. This primarily applies to
Common Actor Types Static Mesh Actors and Light Actors.
Grouping Actors
When available, the Mobility property has 3 states:
Components
Managing Content

Mobility
Description
State
Engine Features
Static
Static is reserved for Actors that are not intended to move or update in any way during gameplay.
Gameplay Guide

Static Mesh Actors with a Mobility of Static will have their shadows contribute to pre-calculated light maps
(Lightmass baked lighting). This makes them ideal for structural or decorative meshes that never need to relocate
Programming Guide
during gameplay. Note, however, that their Materials can still be animated.

Light Actors with a Mobility of Static will contribute to pre-calculated light maps (Lightmass baked lighting). They will
still illuminate dynamic objects due to the Indirect Lighting Cache. This is the ideal lighting path for mobile workflows,
Release Notes
since it is essentially free in terms of gameplay performance.
Site Map
New and Updated Resources Stationary Stationary is used for Light Actors that do not move, but may update in some way during gameplay, such as being switched
on/off, having their color change, etc. Lights set up in this way still contribute to the Lightmass pre-calculated light map, but
can also cast dynamic shadows for moving objects. However, care must be used not to have too many affecting a given
Actor. See the Stationary Lights documentation for more details. Static Mesh Actors cannot have a Mobility of Stationary.
Movable
Movable should be used only when an Actor needs to move during gameplay.
Static Mesh Actors with a Mobility of Movable will not cast pre-calculated shadows into the light map. They can be lit
by Static Light Actors due to the Indirect Lighting Cache. They will cast dynamic shadows if lit by Stationary or
Movable lights. This is the typical setting for any non-deforming mesh element that needs to move in a scene, such
as a door, a lift, and so on.
Light Actors with a Mobility of Movable can only cast dynamic shadows. Because of this, care must be taken when
making these lights cast shadows, as their shadowing method is the most performance intensive. It should be noted,
however, that non-shadowing Movable lights are very inexpensive to calculate due to Unreal Engine's deferred
rendering system.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Common Actor Types

Below is a quick rundown of some of the Actors you will most commonly use or come across while developing games with Unreal Engine to
familiarize you with what they are and why you would use them.
Basic How To's
Level Editor

Type
Icon
Description
Levels
Mesh & Geometry Actor Types
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors StaticMeshActor

The Static Mesh Actor is a simple type of Actor that displays a mesh in the scene. Even though the name implies the Actor is static - or cannot
Selecting Actors move - the static part of the name refers to the type of mesh, a StaticMesh, that is used. These meshes are static in that their geometry does not
Transforming Actors change. The actual Actor can move or be modified in other ways during play, however. These Actors are generally used as world geometry and
Actor Mobility decorative meshes to create the environments of the level. See Static Mesh Actors for more detailed usage information.
Common Actor Types Brush
The Brush Actor is a basic type of Actor that displays simple 3D geometry in the scene. These Actors can be modified using the Geometry
Static Mesh Actors Editing mode in the Level Editor. BrushActors (or just Brushes) are commonly used for quickly prototyping environments and blocking out levels
Player Start for testing gameplay.
Camera Actors
SkeletalMeshActor
The Skeletal Mesh Actor is a type of Actor that displays an animated mesh, or a SkeletalMesh, whose geometry can be deformed - generally
through the use of animation sequences created and exported from external 3D animation applications. These Actors are usually used for things
Trigger Actors
like characters or other living creatures as well as complex machinery; anything that needs to deform or display other complex motion. These are
also often used in conjunction with Matinee to create cinematic sequences
Volumes User Guide

Gameplay Actor Types
Fog Effects PlayerStart

A Player Start is an Actor that is placed in the level to designate where the player should start out when the game begins.
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Triggers Triggers are Actors that are used to cause an event to occur when they are interacted with by some other object in the level. In other words, they
Components
are used to trigger events in response to some other action in the level. All of the default Triggers are generally the same, differing only in the
Managing Content
shape of the area of influence - box, capsule, and sphere - used by the Trigger to detect if another object has activated it.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Box Trigger
Capsule Trigger
Sphere Trigger
Site Map
New and Updated Resources See Trigger Actors for more detailed usage info.
MatineeActor Matinee Actors enable you to animate the properties of Actors over time via the Matinee animation tool, to create either dynamic gameplay or
cinematic in-game sequences. The system is based on the use of specialized animation tracks in which you can place keyframes to set the
values of certain properties of the Actors in the level. The Matinee animation tool is similar to the non-linear editors used for video editing,
making it familiar to video professionals. See Matinee and Cinematics for more detailed usage information.
Light Actor Types
PointLight Point Lights work much like a real world light bulb, emitting light in all directions from the light bulb's tungsten filament. However, for the sake of
performance, Point Lights are simplified down emitting light equally in all directions from just a single point in space. The Point Light when placed
can be set to one of three Mobility settings:
Static - (pictured left) which means that the light cannot be changed in game. This is the fastest method for
rendering and allows for baked lighting.
Stationary - (also pictured left) which means the light will only have its shadowing and bounced lighting from static
geometry baked by Lightmass, all other lighting will be dynamic. This setting also allows for the light to change
color and intensity in game, but, it does not move and allows partial baked lighting.
Moveable - (pictured left) which means the light is totally dynamic and allows for dynamic shadowing. This is the
slowest in terms of rendering but allows for the most flexibility during gameplay.
SpotLight A Spot Light emits light from a single point in a cone shape. Users are given two cones to shape the light - the Inner Cone Angle and Outer
Cone Angle. Within the Inner Cone Angle, the light achieves full brightness. As you go from the extent of the inner radius to the extents of the
Outer Cone Angle, a falloff takes place, creating a penumbra, or softening around the Spot Light's disc of illumination. The Radius of the light
defines the length of the cones. More simply, this will work like a flash light or stage can light.
Like other lights, a Spot Light can be set to one of three Mobility settings:
DirectionalLight The Directional Light simulates light that is being emitted from a source that is infinitely far away. This means that all shadows cast by this light
will be parallel, making this the ideal choice for simulating sunlight. The Directional Light when placed can be set to one of three Mobility
settings:
Effects Actor Types
ParticleEmitter
A Particle Emitter is an Actor that is used to create effects such as smoke, fire, sparks, and more by spawning particles in the form of sprites
(camera-facing planes) or meshes. The actual behavior of the particles is defined in and controlled by special assets called Particle Systems
which are created in the Content Browser and edited in the Cascade Particle Editor
Sound Actor Types
AmbientSound Ambient Sound Actors are used to play sounds - in the form of Sound Cues - within the world. These sounds can be looping or non-looping and
have spatialization and attenuation, though all of this must be set up in the SoundCue and is not exposed on the Ambient Sound Actor itself.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Static Mesh Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Placement
Actors and Geometry Making a StaticMeshActor Movable
Placing Actors Enabling a StaticMeshActor to Simulate Physics
Selecting Actors Material Override
Transforming Actors Collision
Actor Mobility
Static Meshes are one of the foundational types of renderable geometry in Unreal Engine. In order to use these meshes to populate your
Common Actor Types
worlds, the StaticMeshActor is used. StaticMeshes dragged into the level from the Content Browser are automatically converted to
Static Mesh Actors
StaticMeshActors.
Player Start
Camera Actors
Though they are called StaticMeshActors, this simply refers to the mesh of the StaticMeshActor being static. A StaticMeshActor
can be made movable so it can be an elevator or made to simulate physics so it can crush the player. See Making a
Trigger Actors
StaticMeshActor Movable for details.
Volumes User Guide
Fog Effects
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Placement
StaticMeshActors are placed in maps using standard Actor placement methods; either through the Right-click context menu of the
viewports or drag and drop from the Content Browser.
Drag and Drop

1. In the Content Browser, locate the StaticMesh you want to add to the map as a StaticMeshActor.
2. Left-Click on the StaticMesh in the Content Browser and drag the mouse (while holding the Left Mouse Button down) from the
Content Browser to the location in the Viewport where you want to place the mesh. The location does not need to be exact. You
can always reposition, rotate, scale the mesh afterwards.
3. Release the Left Mouse Button to place the mesh in the map as a StaticMeshActor, as seen in the Property window.
Context Menu
1. In the Content Browser, select the StaticMesh you want to add to the map as a StaticMeshActor.
2. Right-click in the viewport where you want to add the mesh and choose Place Actor: Selection from the Context Menu. The
location does not need to be exact. You can always reposition, rotate, scale the mesh afterwards.
3. The StaticMesh has been placed in the map as a StaticMeshActor, as seen in the Property window.
Making a StaticMeshActor Movable

In order to move, rotate, or scale a StaticMeshActor during play, you must first make it Movable by selecting Moveable from the top of the
Details panel under Mobility when the StaticMeshActor is selected.
Enabling a StaticMeshActor to Simulate Physics

Material Override
The Material(s) applied to a StaticMesh can be overridden on a per-Actor basis. This allows a single StaticMesh asset to be used multiple
times in a single map or throughout your game while giving each a unique appearance. The Materials property located in the Rendering
category of the StaticMeshComponent of the StaticMeshActor is an array of Materials that directly maps to those applied to the StaticMesh
asset through the Static Mesh Editor. Materials can be assigned to the array manually or they can be applied directly to the mesh in the
Viewport by dragging and dropping from the Content Browser.
Manual Assignment
1. In the Viewport, select the StaticMeshActor you want to assign.
2. In the Details panel, under the Materials category, you will see all the materials assigned to the StaticMeshActor.
3. In the Content Browser, select the Material you want to apply to StaticMeshActor in the map, and either:
4. Press the button for the corresponding item in the Materials array to assign the material. The mesh is now displayed with the
Material applied.
OR
5. Left-click and drag the material from the Content Browser to the desired material slot on the StaticMeshActor's details.
Drag and Drop

1. In the Content Browser, locate the Material you want to apply to StaticMeshActor in the map.
2. Left-click on the Material in the Content Browser and drag the mouse (while holding the Left Mouse Button down) from the
Content Browser to the section of the StaticMeshActor in the viewport you want to apply the Material to.
3. Release the Left Mouse Button to apply the Material. The mesh is now displayed with the Material applied and the Materials array in
the Property Window has been updated.
This will replace all materials on the StaticMeshActor.
Collision
By default, if a StaticMesh has Physics Bodies, either generated in your desired 3D authoring package (see: FBX Pipeline: StaticMeshes) or
in the StaticMesh Editor (see: Collision Response Reference), it will have collision and it will be set to Block All. See the Collision
documentation for more information on Collision Channels and adjusting Collision settings.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Player Start

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility
Common Actor Types
Static Mesh Actors
Player Start
Camera Actors
Trigger Actors
Volumes User Guide
Fog Effects
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

The ability to spawn a player into the world at any location is a very useful feature for any game. Unreal Engine 4 offers a special Actor that
Programming Guide
will allow you to do this called a Player Start. A Player Start is just that, a location in the game world that the player will start from.
Release Notes
Placing a Player Start Actor
Site Map
Player Start Actors can be found in the Modes panel under the Basic category. To place one into the world, drag it from the Modes panel
into the game world.
Using Player Start Actor

Using a Player Start is as easy as selecting it from the Modes panel and then dragging it into the world. Once you have the Player Start in
the world, you can then use it in combination with Blueprints to spawn the player where ever you would like in the world.
When using a Player Start to spawn a player, the Player Start's location and rotation will be taken into consideration when used.
If you would like to have your player look at something specific when they spawn, make sure that the Player Start that you use
to spawn them is pointed in the direction that you want the player to look.
Player Start Tips & Tricks

While using Player Starts is quite simple, there are a few tips and tricks about using them that might help you out during development.
No Player Start: If you try and play your game without adding a Player Start to the world, the player will start from 0,0,0 in the world.
Because of this, always make sure that you have a Player Start in your world.
Play From Here: Sometimes you might want to play from a certain location and not from the Player Start. You can do this by using the
Right-click play from here option that is available by Right-clicking in the editor viewport and selecting the Play From Here options.
Bad Size: Sometimes your Player Start might change from an icon of a controller to an icon that says "BADsize". If this happens, all you
need to do is move your Player Start around in the world until it is not intersecting anything in the scene.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Camera Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility
Common Actor Types
Static Mesh Actors
Player Start
Camera Actors
Trigger Actors
Volumes User Guide
Fog Effects
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Just about every project will require a way to view it, and the most basic way to do this is through Camera Actors. These are primarily used
Components
in combination with Matinee, but can be used with Blueprints or C++ to create a fixed camera game, security cameras, or even short cut
Managing Content
scenes using Camera Anims.
Engine Features If you select a Camera Actor (or a Blueprint that contains a Camera Component), the main 3D Viewport will have a "Picture in Picture" view
Gameplay Guide from that camera (as seen in the image above).
Programming Guide
Placing a Camera Actor
Samples and Tutorials The Camera Actor can be found in the Modes panel under the All Classes category. To place one into the world, drag it from the Modes
Release Notes panel into the game world.
Site Map
Using Camera Actors

Using a Camera Actor is as easy as selecting it from the Modes panel and then dragging it into the world. Once you have the Camera Actor
in the world, you can then use it in combination with the Blueprints or Matinee to use it as a view point for your level.
Related
Using Cameras
Using Cameras in Blueprints
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Skeletal Mesh Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels What is a Skeletal Mesh Actor
Actors and Geometry Placing a Skeletal Mesh Actor in a Level
Placing Actors Playing Animation on a Skeletal Mesh Actor
Selecting Actors Skeletal Mesh Actor Setup
Transforming Actors Skeletal Mesh Animation Setup
Actor Mobility Playing the Skeletal Mesh Animation
Common Actor Types Material Override
Static Mesh Actors Collision
Player Start Creating Collision for a Skeletal Mesh Actor
Camera Actors Assigning a Physics Asset
Trigger Actors
Volumes User Guide
Fog Effects
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes When playing a video game that uses Unreal Engine 4 (UE4), the character that you are controlling on screen is often made up of a special
Site Map kind of mesh called a Skeletal Mesh Actor. Skeletal Mesh Actors are special because they can be used to display complex animation data
New and Updated Resources that was made inside of an external 3D application and then imported into UE4. The following guide aims to show you the ins and outs of
how to use Skeletal Mesh actors inside UE4.
All content for this tutorial was taken from the Matinee demo which you can download for free from the Learn Tab.
What is a Skeletal Mesh Actor

A Skeletal Mesh Actor is a special type of Actor that is used to display complex animation data that was created in an external 3D animation
program. Skeletal Mesh Actors are different than Static Mesh Actors because Skeletal Mesh Actors have a complex skeleton inside of them
the helps to move the individual vertices of the Skeletal Mesh to match the current animation that is playing. Because of a Skeletal Mesh
Actor's ability to use a complex Skeleton, they are generally used for things like characters, creatures, complex machinery, or for anything
that needs to deform or display complex motion. Inside of UE4, you will find that Skeletal Mesh Actors are not only used for characters but
also used with Matinee to create cinematic sequences.
Placing a Skeletal Mesh Actor in a Level

Skeletal Mesh Actors are placed in maps using standard Actor placement methods; either through the Right-click context menu of the
viewports or by dragging and dropping from the Content Browser.
Drag & Drop
You can drag and drop Skeletal Mesh Actors right from the Content Browser right into the level you are working with by following these few
simple steps.
1. In the Content Browser, locate the Skeletal Mesh you want to add to the map as a Skeletal Mesh Actor.
2. Left-click on the Skeletal Mesh in the Content Browser and drag the mouse (while holding the Left Mouse Button down) from the
Content Browser to the location in the viewport where you want to place the mesh. The location does not need to be exact. You can
always reposition and rotate the mesh afterwards.
3. Release the Left Mouse Button to place the mesh in the map as a Skeletal Mesh, as seen in the Details panel.
Context Menus
You can also place Skeletal Mesh Actors in the world using the Right-click context menu by following these few simple steps.
1. In the Content Browser, select the Skeletal Mesh Actor you want to add to the level as a Skeletal Mesh Actor.
2. Right-click in the viewport where you want to add the mesh and choose Place Actor: Skeletal Mesh from the context menu. The
location does not need to be exact. You can always reposition and rotate the mesh afterwards.
3. Once the Place Actor: Skeletal Mesh option has been clicked on with the mouse, the Skeletal Mesh you selected should now be
placed in the scene.
Playing Animation on a Skeletal Mesh Actor

Getting a Skeletal Mesh Actor so that it will animate while the game is running can be done two different ways inside of UE4. You can use
an Animation Blueprint, which will allow you to play and blend multiple animations together. Or you can use and Animation Asset to play a
single Animation Sequence. In this tutorial, we will be focusing on using an Animation Sequence to play our animation while the game is
running.
Skeletal Mesh Actor Setup
The setup for getting a Skeletal Mesh Actor ready to play an animation is actually quite simple and can be done in the following steps.
1. First find the Skeletal Mesh you want in the Content Browser
2. Once you have found the Skeletal Mesh you wish to use, add it to the level either via dragging and dropping or via the Context
Menus.
3. When completed, you should have something that looks like this.
Skeletal Mesh Animation Setup
Now that the Skeletal Mesh Actor has been added to the level, it is now time to add an animation to it by performing the following steps.
1. The first thing that needs to be done is that we need to find an Animation Sequence to play. For this example, we will be using the
Trooper_Main Animation Sequence.
2. With the animation that we want to use located, it is now time to setup the Skeletal Mesh Actor so that it can use it. The first thing that
needs to be done is that the Animation Mode needs to be set from Use Animation Blueprint to Use Animation Asset.
3. Once the Animation Mode is set correctly, it is now time to choose the animation that we want to play. To do this, simply select the
Animation Sequence that you want to play from the Content Browser and then assign it to the Anim to Play section by either
dragging or dropping the Animation Sequence on to Anim to Play or by using the Arrow to the right of the Anim to Play input box.
Playing the Skeletal Mesh Animation
1. Now make sure that both Looping and Playing are checked (which they should be by default) and then press the Play Button to see
your animation playing during game.
Material Override
Sometimes you might need to override the material that is already applied to the Skeletal Mesh Actor you want to work with. New Materials
can be assigned to Skeletal Mesh Actors materials array manually or by simply dragging and dropping the Material on to the Skeletal Mesh
Actor in the editor viewport. Changing the material on a Skeletal Mesh Actor is no different than changing the material on any other Actor.
Materials that are to be used with Skeletal Mesh Actors need to have the material usage flag Used with Skeletal Mesh enabled
to work correctly. You can find this flag in the Usage section of the materials Details panel.
Collision
Normal collision creation and detection does not work with Skeletal Mesh Actors. In order for your Skeletal Meshes to collide with objects in
the level, your Skeletal Mesh Actors need to have a Physics Asset that is specially created for your object.
Creating Collision for a Skeletal Mesh Actor
To create a Physics Asset for your mesh, all you have to do is simply Right-click on the mesh in the Content Browser and then choose
Create -> Create Physics Asset. You can read more about how to create Physics Assets by checking out the Physics Asset Tool
documentation.
Assigning a Physics Asset

Once your Physics Asset has been created, it is now time to assign it to your mesh. Physics Assets can be assigned to Skeletal Meshes by
simply opening up the Skeletal Mesh and then assigning the Physics Asset to the Physics Asset slot that is under the Physics section.
You can also override Physics Assets in your level by simply selecting your Skeletal Mesh and then under the Physics section of the
Details panel, you can supply a new Physics Asset in the Physics Asset Override section.

Related Topics
Actors and Geometry
Persona: Skeletal Mesh Animation
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Trigger Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Placing Triggers
Actors and Geometry Triggering Events
Placing Actors
Triggers are Actors that are used to cause an event to occur when they are interacted with by some other object in the level. In other
Selecting Actors
words, they are used to trigger events in response to some other action in the level. All of the default Triggers are generally the same,
Transforming Actors
differing only in the shape of the area of influence - box, capsule, and sphere - used by the Trigger to detect if another object has activated
Actor Mobility
it.
Common Actor Types
Static Mesh Actors
Player Start
Camera Actors
Trigger Actors
Volumes User Guide
Fog Effects
Target Point Actors

Box Trigger
Capsule Trigger
Sphere Trigger
Grouping Actors
Components
Managing Content
Placing Triggers
Triggers can be placed in the level by dragging and dropping one of the Trigger types from the Basic section of the Modes panel when in
Engine Features
Place mode.
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Triggering Events
Triggers are used to activate events placed inside of the Level Blueprint. There are several different types of events that a Trigger can
activate. The main ones happen in response to a some type of collision with another object, such as something hitting or overlapping with
the Trigger, or in response to input from the player.
With the Trigger selected in the Viewport:
Right-click in the Level Blueprint Event Graph and choose one of the events under Add Event for [Trigger Actor Name].
Choosing an event via either of these methods results in an Event node being added to the Level Blueprint for the current level:
The exec pin of the new event node will fire each time the particular event occurs - in the example above, any time an Actor overlaps (or
runs through) the Trigger:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Geometry Brush Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Uses for Geometry Brushes
Actors and Geometry Creating Brushes
Placing Actors Brush Primitives
Selecting Actors Modifying Brushes
Transforming Actors Brush Properties
Actor Mobility Drag Grid
Common Actor Types Brush Order
Static Mesh Actors Brush Surfaces
Player Start Brush Solidity
Camera Actors
Trigger Actors
Volumes User Guide
Fog Effects
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
This document breaks down the use of Geometry Brushes in level creation.
Geometry Brushes are the most basic tool for level construction in Unreal. Conceptually, it is best to think of a Geometry Brush as filling in
and carving out volumes of space in your level. Long ago, Geometry Brushes were used as the primary building block in level design. Now,
however, that role has been passed on to Static Meshes, which are far more efficient. However, Geometry Brushes can still be useful in the
early stages of a product for rapid prototyping of levels and objects, as well as for level construction by those who do not have access to 3D
modeling tools. This document goes over the use of Geometry Brushes and how they can utilized in your levels.
In general, you can think of Geometry Brushes as a way to create basic shapes for use in your level design process, either as permanent
fixtures or as something temporary to test with while your artists finish creating final meshes.
Uses for Geometry Brushes

While StaticMeshes are now primarily used to populate levels with geometry, Geometry Brushes still have their place. Here are some of the
typical uses of Geometry Brushes:
Blocking Out Levels
A standard workflow for developing a level might go something like:
Block out and path level

Playtest flow and gameplay
Modify layout and repeat testing
Initial meshing pass
Initial lighting pass
Playtest for collision and performance issues
Polish pass

Brush Blocking / Rough-In
Final level
The first step is to first block out the level to nail down the layout and flow before putting any time into populating the level with Static
Meshes and other finished art assets. This is usually done using Geometry Brushes to create a shell for the level and then, through testing
and iterating, the final layout is agreed upon. Geometry Brushes are perfect for this aspect of the level design process because it does not
require any time or involvement from the art team. The level designer can simply use the tools built into the Unreal Editor to create and
modify the Geometry Brushes until they are happy with the layout and the way the level plays.
As testing finalizes and meshing begins, Geometry Brushes are gradually replaced by Static Meshes. This allows for fast initial iterations, as
well as providing a nice reference for the art team to build from.
Simple Filler Geometry
Often, when a level designer is creating their level, they will come upon a situation where they need a fairly simple piece of geometry to fill in
a gap or space. If no existing Static Mesh will fill the space, instead of bothering the art team tasking them with creating a custom mesh, the
designer can simply use Geometry Brushes to fill the space. Even though Static Meshes are better performance-wise, Geometry Brushes
can occasionally be used without any serious impact as long as the geometry is simple.
Creating Brushes
Brushes are created using the Geometry tab in the Place Mode panel:
1. Choose the Brush Type (additive or subtractive) using the radio buttons at the bottom of the panel:
2. Drag and drop one of the primitive types from the list into a Viewport:
3. Modify the Brush Settings, use the transform tools, or activate Geometry Editing Mode to reshape and resize the Brush. See
Modifying Brushes for more details.
Brush Primitives
Primitive
Description

Creates a Geometry Brush Actor in a Box shape that can then be customized within the Details panel. Options include:

Box Builder Settings
X
Size in the X-Axis.
Y
Size in the Y-Axis.
Z
Size in the Z-Axis.
Wall
How thick the inside walls of the Brush will be. Only relevant if Hollow is checked.
Thickness
Hollow
Sets whether or not the Brush will be solid or have a hollow space inside, which is a fast way to make a
room. Use Wall Thickness to control.
Tessellated
Whether the sides of the box are tessellated into triangles, rather than remaining as quads.

Creates a Geometry Brush Actor in a Cone shape that can then be customized within the Details panel. Options include:

Cone Builder Settings
Z
Height in the Z-Axis.
Cap Z
Height of the inner cap in the Z-Axis. Only relevant if Hollow is checked.
Outer
Radius of the base of the cone.
Radius
Inner
Radius of the inner wall of the cone. Only relevant if Hollow is checked.
Radius
Sides
Number of sides around the shape of the cone.
Align to
Whether to align the rotation of a side along the X-Axis, or let one of the angles point down the axis.
Side
Hollow
Sets whether or not the Brush will be solid or have a hollow space inside, which is a fast way to make a room.
Use Wall Thickness to control.
Creates a Geometry Brush Actor in a Cylinder shape that can then be customized within the Details panel. Options include:
Cylinder Builder Settings
Z
Height in the Z-Axis.
Outer
Sets the radius of the cylinder.
Radius
Inner
Sets the radius of the hollow space inside the cylinder. Only relevant if Hollow is checked.
Radius
Sides
Number of sides around the shape of the cylinder.
Align to
Whether to align the rotation of a side along the X-Axis, or let one of the angles point down the axis.
Side
Hollow
Sets whether or not the Brush will be solid or have a hollow space inside, which is a fast way to make a room.
Use Inner Radius to control.
Creates a Geometry Brush Actor in a Curved Staircase shape, meaning a staircase that bends around at an angle but
cannot wrap over itself - for that, you would need a Spiral Staircase. The Curved Staircase extends all the way to the
ground. The shape can be customized within the Details panel. Options include:
Curved Stair Builder Settings
Inner Radius
Radius of the inner column around which the steps will wrap.
Step Height
Height of each stair from top to bottom.
Step Width
Width of each stair from side to side.
Angle of Curve
The angle of rotation the stair will have.
Num Steps
Number of steps in the staircase.
Add to First Step

Adds the provided height to the first step, effectively raising the height of the entire
staircase.
Counter Clockwise
Check this box if you want the stairs to curve counterclockwise instead of clockwise.
Creates a Geometry Brush Actor in a Linear Staircase shape, meaning a straight staircase that does not bend. The
staircase extends all the way to the ground. The shape can then be customized within the Details panel. Options include:
Linear Stair Builder Settings
Step Length
Length of each stair from front to back.
Step Height
Step Width
Num Steps
Number of steps in the staircase.
Add to First Step

Adds the provided height to the first step, effectively raising the height of the entire
staircase.
Creates a Geometry Brush Actor in a Spiral Staircase shape, meaning a staircase can repeatedly wrap over itself. This
staircase does not extend all the way to the ground. The shape can be customized within the Details panel. Options
include:
Spiral Stair Builder Settings
Inner Radius
Radius of the inner column around which the steps will wrap.
Step Width
Step Height
Step
Increases the thickness of the staircase as a whole.
Thickness
Num Steps
Determines the number of steps required to make one complete revolution.
Per 360
Num Steps
Number of steps in the staircase. Each time this reaches the value (or multiple) of Num Steps per 360, the
staircase will wrap around itself again.
Add to First
Adds the provided height to the first step, effectively raising the height of the entire staircase.
Step
Sloped
This causes the ceiling to be sloped rather than tiered.
Ceiling
Sloped Floor
Effectively turns the floor into a spiraling ramp, instead of a traditional staircase.
Counter
Check this box if you want the stairs to curve counterclockwise instead of clockwise.
Clockwise

Creates a Geometry Brush Actor in a Sphere shape that can then be customized within the Details panel. Options include:

Sphere Builder Settings
Radius
Sets the radius of the sphere.
Tessellation
Controls the number of sides used to make the sphere. Due to the method of tessellation, this is capped at
5.
Modifying Brushes
You can modify Brushes using several methods, each of which is suited to particular situations and how you wish to edit the Brush.
Geometry Editing Mode
The best way to change the actual shape of a Brush is to use Geometry Editing Mode. This editor mode allows the direct manipulation of
the vertices, edges, and faces of the Brush. It is very similar to working in a very simplified 3D modeling application.
For more information about Geometry Editing Mode and how to use it to modify Brushes, see the Level Editor Modes page.
Transform Widgets
It is also possible to modify your Brush using the various editor transform widgets. These allow for interactively translating, rotating, and
scaling and are accessible via the widget buttons in the viewport toolbar:
For more information on the Transform widgets and how to use them, please see Transforming Actors.
Brush Properties
Existing Brushes can be edited by selecting the Brush and then looking in the Details panel. If you have the entire Brush selected, you will
see the Brush Settings category:
Brush Types
The Brush Type dropdown includes the following:
Brush Type Dropdown
Additive
Sets the Brush to Additive.
Subtractive
Sets the Brush to Subtractive.
There is a variety of different Brush types you may use throughout the level creation process. Each type is particularly suited to specific
situations.
Additive
Additive Brushes are like solid, filled-in space. This is the type you will use for any Brush geometry you wish to add to the level. A good way
to visualize an additive Brush is to imagine the four walls, the floor, and the ceiling of a room. Each of these would be a separate box-like
additive brush in your map with their corners matching up to form an exclosed space.
Subtractive
A Subtractive Brush is a hollow, carved-out space. This is the type of Brush you would use to remove solid space, such as to create doors,
windows, etc, from previously created additive Brushes. Subtractive space is the only area that players can freely move around in.
Advanced Properties
Clicking the button at the bottom of the Brush Settings exposes the advanced Brush properties:
Polygons
The Polygons dropdown offers the following options:
Polygons Dropdown
Merge
Merges together any planar faces on a Brush.
Separate
Reverses the effects of a merge.
Solidity
The Solidity dropdown includes the following:
Be sure to read the Brush Solidity section for more details.
Solidity Dropdown
Solid
Sets the Brush solidity to be solid.
Semi Solid
Sets the Brush solidity to be semi-solid.
Non Solid
Sets the Brush solidity to be non-solid.
Order
The Order dropdown includes the following:
Be sure to read the Brush Order section for more details:
Order Dropdown
To First
Makes the selected Brush the first to be calculated.
To Last
Makes the selected Brush the last to be calculated.
Align and Static Mesh Buttons
If you expand the properties under the Brush Settings Category, the following buttons appear:
Brush Type Dropdown
Align Brush Vertices

Snaps the Brush's vertices to the grid.
Create Static Mesh

Converts the current Brush to a Static Mesh Actor, saved at the location specified.
Drag Grid
The drag grid used to snap objects in the world is very important when working with Brushes. If the edges or corners of Brushes are not set
on the grid, errors can occur causing rendering artifacts or other problems. You should always make sure the drag grid is enabled when
working with Brushes and make sure that you keep the vertices of your Brushes on this grid at all times.
Brush Order
The order in which Brushes are placed is extremely important as the addition or subtraction operations are performed according to this
order. Placing a subtractive Brush and then an additive Brush will not have the same effect as placing an additive Brush and then a
subtractive Brush, even if they are in the exact same locations. If you subtract from empty space and then add on top of that, the
subtractive Brush is essentially ignored as you cannot subtract from nothing. However, if you place those same Brushes in the opposite
order, you are adding to empty space and then subtracting from the addition carving space out of it.
Sometimes you may place Brushes out of order or want to add a new Brush that needs to be calculated before an existing Brush. Luckily,
the order of Brushes can be modified as you can see in the Brush Properties section.
Brush Surfaces
If you select a Brush surface (use Ctrl + Shift + Left Click to select the surface and not the Brush), you will see the following categories in
the Details panel:
Geometry Category
The Geometry category contains a few tools for helping you manage Material application across Brush surfaces.
Geometry Category Buttons
Select
Various commands to help you select Brush surfaces based on a variety of situations.
Button
Alignment
Realigns the texture coordinates for surfaces based on your desired settings. This is useful, for example, when you need a
complex arrangement of Brushes along the floor to align and look like a single surface.
Apply
Applies the currently selected Material in the Content Browser to the Brush surface.
Material
Clean
If through any operations your Brush surfaces have lost their Material, this will fix the problem.
Geometry
Materials
Surface Properties
The Surface Properties area contains a variety of tools to help you control how textures are placed across your surfaces, as well as
lightmap resolution.
Surface Property Categories
Pan
The buttons in this section allow you to pan the texture of the Material either horizontally or vertically by the given number of
units.
Rotate
Rotates the texture on a Brush surface's Material by the given number of degrees.
Flip
Allows you to flip the texture on a Brush surface either horizontally or vertically.
Scale
Resizes the texture of a Brush surface by the amount given.
Lighting
The Lighting section allows you to change a variety of important light-centric properties for your Brush surfaces.
Lighting Properties
Lightmap Resolution
Essentially allows for adjustment of the shadows across this surface. The lower the number, the tighter the
shadows.
Lightmass Settings
Use Two Sided Lighting

If true, this surface will receive light on both the positve and negative side of each polygon.
Shadow Indirect Only

If true, this surface will only create shadows from indirect lighting.
Diffuse Boost
Scales the amount of influnce diffuse color will have on indirect lighting.
Fully Occluded Samples

Fraction of samples along this surface that must be occluded before it is considered to be occluded from
Fraction indirect lighting calculations.
Brush Solidity
Brushes can be either Solid, Semi-solid, or Non-solid. The solidity of a Brush refers to whether it collides with objects in the world and
whether the Brush causes BSP cuts to be created in the surrounding Brushes when building geometry.
The solidity of Brushes can be changed in the Details panel after the Brush is created:
The three types of solidity are explained below.
Solid
Solid Brushes are the default type of Brush. These are what you get when you create a new additive or subtractive Brush. They have the
following attributes:
Block players and projectiles in the game.

Can be additive or subtractive.
Create cuts in the surrounding Brushes.
Semi-Solid
Semi-solid Brushes are colliding Brushes that can be placed in a level without creating cuts to the surrounding world geometry. These can
be used to create things such as pillars and support beams, though such objects should normally be created through the use of Static
Meshes. They have the following attributes:
Block players and projectiles, just as Solid Brushes do.

Can only be additive, never subtractive.
Do not create cuts in the surrounding Brushes.
Non-Solid
Non-Solid Brushes are non-colliding Brushes that also do not create cuts in the surrounding world geometry. These have the effect of being
visible but unable to be interacted with in any way. They have the following attributes:
Do not block players or projectiles.

Can only be additive, never subtractive.
Do not create cuts in the surrounding Brushes.

Related Topics
Level Editor
Level Editor Modes
Volumes User Guide
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Volumes User Guide


On this page:
Basic How To's Creating Volumes
Level Editor Volume Types
Levels
Volumes are 3-dimensional areas within your levels, each of which serve a specific purpose. Some of these purposes include:
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Causing damage to the Player.
Selecting Actors Blocking the Player from entering the volume, acting as a collision surface.
Transforming Actors
Changing the way a level is calculated for lighting or visibility.
Actor Mobility
Common Actor Types There are many types of volumes that perform a variety of tasks. This document will demonstrate the creation of volumes for your levels,
Static Mesh Actors and discuss each of the volume types available in Unreal Engine 4.
Player Start
Camera Actors Using Volumes Wisely in Level Design

One aspect about volumes that is critical to new level designers is the importance of using them wisely in a level. This boils down to two key
Trigger Actors
points:
Volumes User Guide

1. Volumes are invisible during gameplay; Players cannot see them!
Fog Effects
2. Due to the first point, very rarely will you use a volume by itself for any effect.
Target Point Actors

Because volumes are invisible, Players will generally not know that they have entered one; not unless you, as the level designer, help them
Grouping Actors
a bit. Volumes should generally be thought of as components of a greater effect, with some other level element acting as a visual cue to
Components
lend understanding and complete the effect.
Managing Content

Take a Pain Causing Volume, for example (which causes damage to anything inside the volume). If one were sitting in the middle of the
Engine Features
level, like so...
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map

Volume placement
What the player will see
Then the Player would not understand why they were suddenly hurt when they entered the area. However, if there were a fiery particle
effect in the middle of the volume...

Volume placement
What the player will see
Then the Player has a reason to understand why it hurts to stand there!
Creating Volumes
Volumes can be created by selecting a volume from the Volumes tab of the Modes menu and dragging and dropping it into the level
viewport.
Once the volume has been placed in the level, you can then resize and (or) reposition the volume as you see fit.
Volume Types
Blocking Volume
A Blocking Volume serves as a collision shape through which objects are not intended to pass. By adjusting the collision channels on the
volume (pictured below), you can control which types of objects will be allowed to pass, and if any objects should also generate overlap
events when they pass through the volume. See the Collision Documentation for more details.
Blocking Volumes can be used in the place of collision surfaces on Static Meshes, particularly in the case of walls in structures. When used
in this way, they generally have a few advantages over mesh collision surfaces. The first is that they are easier to calculate than more
complex collision models. The second is that since the nature of a volume is to know what objects are within it, a Blocking Volume can be
more useful when colliding with high-speed physics objects.
Camera Blocking Volume
Camera Blocking Volumes are similar in nature to Blocking Volumes in that they are used to define a space where a Camera Actor is not
intended to pass through. An example of this would be in a third person perspective, when you want to keep your player's camera confined
to your play space and not allow them to rotate the camera outside of the world.
The properites of the Camera Blocking Volume can be adjusted in the same manner as a Blocking Volume by adjusting their collision
channels.
Trigger Volume
Trigger Volumes are used as a way to cause events when a Player or other object enters or exits them. They can be used quickly with the
Level Blueprint to test out events and gameplay scenarios or functionality without the need for additional Blueprints.
For example: you could place a TriggerVolume in your level and in your Level Blueprint, create an overlap event for the volume which can
play a SoundCue, start a Cinematic or even open a door.
Nav Mesh Bounds Volume
Nav Mesh Bounds Volumes are used as a way to control where Nav Meshes will be calculated in a level. Nav Meshes are used to
calculate navigation paths throughout the areas of a level.
Within the volume, a Nav Mesh is constructed on all surfaces with an appropriate angle to be walked upon. You may overlap as many of
these as you need to generate the desired Nav Mesh.
To use the Nav Mesh Bounds Volume, simply create one (or more) that encloses the navigable areas of your level. The Nav Mesh will be
built automatically.
You can press P at any time in the viewport to visualize the Nav Mesh.
Please see the Content Examples and Nav Mesh Documentation for more details and examples.
Physics Volume
Physics Volumes are volumes in which the physical setup that affects characters and other physics objects can be manipulated. A
common use for them is for the creation of watery environments in which the player needs to swim. But you could just as easily use one to
create an area with low or no gravity and affect the terminal velocity of objects that pass through it.
There are some properties that are designated for this volume which can be adjusted from the Details panel, pictured below.
Property
Description
Terminal
Determines the Terminal Velocity of Pawns using CharacterMovement when falling.
Velocity
Priority
Determines which PhysicsVolume takes precedence if they overlap.
Fluid Friction
Determines the amount of friction applied by the volume as Pawns using CharacterMovement move through it.
The higher this value, the harder it will feel to move through the volume.
Water Volume
Determines if the volume contains a fluid, like water.
Physics on
Determines if the Actor is affected by the volume by touching it (by Default, an Actor must be inside the volume for it
Contact to affect them).
Pain Causing Volume
Pain Causing Volumes are actually Physics Volumes with the added ability to inflict damage on players. These are useful when you have
obvious areas of a level that the player should not go, such as a lava pit, a cloud of toxic gas, and so on.
In addition to the properties that can be assigned from a Physics Volume, the Pain Causing Volume also has its own set of specific
propteries outlined below.
Property
Description
Pain Causing
Whether the volume currently causes damage or not.
Damage Per
Damage done per second to the Actors in the volume when Pain Causing is enabled.
Sec
Damage
This determines the type of damage done to the Actor.
Type
Pain Interval
This is the amount of time, in seconds, between applied damage when Pain Causing is enabled.
Entry Pain
Determines if damage is applied when entering the volume if Pain Causing is enabled in addition to damage applied
based on the Pain Interval.
Kill Z Volume
The Kill Z Volume or "Kill-Brush" essentially destroys any Actor that enters the volume (this includes the Player). One usage for this type of
volume would be to set it up below a cliffside or high ledge that you want to kill the Player or Actor that falls down into it.
Level Streaming Volumes
Level Streaming Volumes are used to aid in the Level Streaming process. They provide for a simple way to encapsulate a level, as well as
control when it streams in and out of memory, based on when a Player enters and exits the volume.
You can adjust how a Level Streaming Volume handles level streaming by adjusting the properties from the Details panel, pictured below.
Property
Description
Streaming
Displays the levels affected by the volume.
Levels
Editor Pre
Determines if the streaming volume should only be used for editor streaming level previs.
Vis Only
Disabled
If true, the streaming volume is ignored by the streaming volume code.
Also used to either disable a Level Streaming Volume without disassociating it from the level, or to toggle the control of a
level's streaming between Blueprints and Volume Streaming.
Streaming
Determines what the volume is used for, e.g. whether to control loading, loading and visibility, or just visibility (blocking on
Usage load).
Cull Distance Volume
Cull Distance Volumes are optimization tools that allow for objects at or below a certain size to be culled (or not drawn to the screen)
based on that object's distance from the camera. This can help optimize your scene by not drawing objects of a given size. Size is
calculated by the bounding box along its longest dimension.
Cull Distance Volume setup is dependent on the Cull Distances property, shown in the Details panel below.
In the image above, the properties define the following behavior:
Objects within the volume that have a size less than 50 units will be culled (disappear) when they are 500 units away from the camera
or farther.
Objects within the volume that have a size less than 120 units will be culled (disappear) when they are 1000 units away from the
camera or farther.
Objects within the volume that have a size less than 300 units will never be culled, since 0 in this case is considered to be infinity,
meaning that the camera can never get far enough away.
Setup starts with adding a new entry into the Cull Distances array, which is done by clicking the button. Next, simply fill in the size of a
given object and the desired distance at which you want objects of that size or smaller to be culled. These properties do not have to be
created in a specific order.
Audio Volume
Audio Volumes allow you to control and apply various sounds in your level as well as provide an avenue to create compartmentilized audio
zones where you can control what is heard inside and outside of the volume. Through the use of Audio Volumes, you can generate
transitions between audio through fading and control the Ambient Zone settings within the volume itself.
Several properties can be adjusted from the Details panel on this volume to allow for more control over its effects as seen below.
Property
Description
Priority
In the event of overlapping volumes, the highest priority volume will be used. The order is undefined if two or more
overlapping volumes have the same priority.
Apply
Determines if the reverb settings should be used.
Reverb
Reverb
This is the reverb asset to use for the volume.
Effect
Volume
This is the overall volume level of the reverb effect.
Fade
This is the time (in seconds) to fade from the current reverb settings into the volumes setting.
Time
Enabled
Determines whether the volume is currently enabled and is able to affect sounds.
Ambient Zones define how Sound Actors located inside the associated Audio Volume will be altered by the Player's location. The settings
for the Ambient Zone can also be adjusted from the Details panel.
Property
Description
Exterior Volume
The final volume of exterior sounds when the player is inside the volume.
Exterior Time
Time to fade to new exterior volme in seconds.
Exterior LPF
Lowpass Filter multiplier applied to exterior sounds when inside (1.0 to apply the maximum LPF).
Exterior LPFTime
Time to fade to new Lowpass Filter level in seconds.
Interior Volume
The final volume of interior sounds when the player is outside the volume.
Interior Time
Time to fade to new interior volume in seconds.
Interior LPF
Lowpass Filter multiplier applied to interior sounds when outside (1.0 to apply the maximum LPF).
Interior LPFTime
Time to fade to new Lowpass Filter level in seconds.
Post Process Volume
A Post Process Volume is a space in which the Post Process settings applied to the camera can be overridden by adjusting the properties
in the Details panel.
For more information on Post Processing, please see the Post Processing Documentation.
Lightmass Importance Volume
Lightmass Importance Volumes are used to focus Lightmass calculations. Lightmass is the precalculated lighting and global illumination
system used in Unreal Engine 4. In order to minimize - and thereby optimize - the amount of processing needed to generate precalculated
lights in a level, Lightmass Importance Volumes are use to enclose the areas of the level geometry. Lightmass will only calculate within that
area, skipping anything outside of it.
For more information on Lightmass and Lightmass Importance Volumes, please see the Lightmass documentation.
Lightmass Character Indirect Detail Volume

The Lightmass Character Indirect Detail Volume is similar to the Lightmass Importance Volume and generates indirect light samples, not
just at Player height above ground, but generates them inside the entire Volume. An example usage of this type of Volume would be an
elevator shaft to ensure the indirect lighting is correct extending up/down the shaft.
Precomputed Visibility Volume
Precomputed Visibility Volumes are used primiarly for performance optimization. These volumes store the visibility of Actors for their
location in the world. These should be placed only in areas the Player can access.
Precomputed Visibility Override Volume
Precomputed Visibility Override Volumes let you manually override the visibility of Actors for their location in the world if the auto
generated result of a Precomputed Visibilty Volume is undesired. These are also used for performance optimization and should only be
placed in areas where the Player can access.
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Decal Actor User Guide


On this page:
Basic How To's Adding decals to the level
Level Editor Sizing, tiling and offsetting
Levels Deferred Decal Properties
Actors and Geometry Material Settings

Placing Actors Performance
Selecting Actors Current limitations
Transforming Actors The 2x2 block artifacts fix

Actor Mobility Current limitations
Common Actor Types
Deferred decals offer better performance and easier maintenance. Writing to the GBuffer instead of recalculating lighting has several
Static Mesh Actors
benefits:
Player Start
Camera Actors
The performance with many lights gets much more predictable because there is no limit on the light count or type as the same code
Skeletal Mesh Actors path is used for all of them.
Trigger Actors
Manipulating a screen space mask also allows effects that otherwise would be considered difficult (e.g. wet layer).
Volumes User Guide The decal is rendered by rendering a box around the decal affecting area.
Fog Effects Adding decals to the level

Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors The easiest way to add decals to a scene is to select an appropriate decal material in the Content Browser, then right-click inside the
Components Viewport and choose Place Actor from the context menu. The decal may then be resized and oriented using the transformation tools.
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Sizing, tiling and offsetting

Once the decal is created, it can be positioned and oriented using the translation and rotation widgets.
The non-uniform scaling widget controls the width, height, and far-plane distance of the decal volume.
Deferred Decal Properties

A deferred decal has only a couple of properties:
Item
Description
Material
This holds the material that will be used as a decal.
Sort Order
This allows the user to set a value to control how multiple decals will sort when stacked. Higher values render on top.
Be careful when setting sort values. Setting too many sort values on too many different decals prevents those decals from being
sorted via state, which can harm performance.
Material Settings
The DecalBlendMode setting defines how the material properties (diffuse, specular, normal, opacity, ...) are applied to the GBuffer.
The opacity is used to blend the decal contribution. An efficient decal is manipulating only few GBuffer properties. The cases we currently
optimize for are represented by the other modes: DBM_Diffuse, DBM_Specular, DBM_Emissive, DBM_Normal.
Item
Description
Translucent
This will blend the full material, updating the GBuffer, and does not work for baked lighting.
Stain
This is Modulate BaseColor, blend rest, updating the GBuffer, and does not work for baked lighting.
Normal
This will only blend normal, updating the GBuffer, and does not work for baked lighting.
Emissive
This is for Additive emissive only.
DBuffer_Translucent Color,
This is for non-metal, put into DBuffer to work for baked lighting as well. This will become
Normal, Roughness DBM_TranslucentNormal if normal is not hooked up.
DBuffer_Translucent Color
This is for non-metal, put into DBuffer to work for baked lighting as well.
This is for non-metal, put into the DBuffer to work for baked lighting as well. This will become
Normal DBM_DBuffer_Color if normal is not hooked up.
Roughness
DBuffer_Translucent Normal
DBuffer_Translucent Normal,
This is for non-metal, put into DBuffer to work for baked lighting as well. This will become
Roughness DBM_DBuffer_Roughness if normal is not hooked up.
DBuffer_Translucent Roughness
Volumetric Distance Function

This will output a signed distance in Opacity depending on LightVector.
(experimental)
DBM_ScreenSpaceMask is special as it affects a special masking channel which is currently used by SSAO (Ambient Occlusion). This
allows the decal to override or fade the contribution in some areas.
DBM_DiffuseSpecularEmissive is the mode that affects multiple GBuffer channels.
Note that the material blend mode also affects how the GBuffer values are blended together. So it is possible to multiply the diffuse color.
You can use the GBuffer view mode to inspect the GBuffer values that are stored per pixel.
The decal local position is a 3d position in the range 0 to 1. The texture UV is giving you the x and y component. In case you need the z
component, you can hook up a CameraVector node to get all 3 vector components.
Performance
The mesh complexity of the objects affected by the decal is not affecting the performance. The decal performance depends on the shader
complexity and the shader box size on the screen.
We can further improve the per decal performance. Ideally the bounding box of the decal is small to get better per pixel performance. This
can be done manually. An automated method is possible but a good designer can also adjust the placement to improve performance
further.
The view mode ShaderComplexity (editor UI or "viewmode ShaderComplexity") can be used to see the impact on the pixel shading cost, it
uses a pixel shader cost estimate and accumulates where multiple decals overlap.
At the moment the decal masking feature has no effect
there (masked parts should have a small constant cost because of using the stencil hardware feature).
The following shows a scene
without (left) and with decals (right), in normal rendering (top) and with the ShaderComplexity enabled (bottom):
The darker color indicates a higher performance cost of those pixels. This information can be used to optimize the right shaders, remove
barely visible decals or place them more efficiently.
Current limitations
We currently only support deferred decals and they only work on static objects.
Normal blending is currently not wrapping around the object.
Streaming is not yet hooked up so make sure the texture is not streamed.
Masking decals (not affecting other object) is not fully implemented.
The 2x2 block artifacts fix

Decals may have 2x2 pixels block artifacts on edges as shown in the screenshot below.
This is where the node "Decal Derivative" comes in. This node must be used carefully as it has a very big performance impact. It returns the
derivatives on the X and Y axis of the decal's default texture coordinates necessary for anisotropic texture filtering, but computed differently
than using the hardware's default and DDX/DDY nodes, to avoid this 2x2 pixel block artifact.
And using it fixes the artifacts on the decal that benefits from it.
Current limitations
DecalMipmapLevel doesn't support custom UV, but you can patch'up it's output.
Full Topic Index
elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Fog Effects

Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility
Fog effects can be used to add ambiance to the world and set the mood of environments. For instance, ground fog can be used to give the
Common Actor Types
appearance of an eerie setting.
Static Mesh Actors
Player Start
Camera Actors
Trigger Actors
Volumes User Guide
Fog Effects
Atmospheric Fog User Guide Atmospheric Fog User Guide Exponential Height Fog User Guide
Exponential Height Fog User Guide Atmospheric Fog Actors provide a realistic sense of atmosphere, air Guide to creating height-based, distance fog in levels.
density, and light scattering through atmospheric media.
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Full Topic Index
Components
Managing Content

Engine Features
Gameplay Guide elsewhere.
Blueprints Visual Scripting TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
English
Level Designer Quick Start Fog Effects

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Atmospheric Fog User Guide

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility
Common Actor Types
Static Mesh Actors
Player Start

On this page:
Camera Actors
Adding Atmospheric Fog to a Level

Atmospheric Fog Properties
Trigger Actors
Example Settings with Images

Atmospheric Fog gives an approximation of light scattering through a planetary atmosphere. This can give your outdoor levels a much
Volumes User Guide
more realistic look. This total effect includes the following:
Fog Effects The dominant directional light in your level will receive a sun disc effect in the sky. This will be placed infinitely far away, opposite the
Atmospheric Fog User Guide light's direction.
Exponential Height Fog User Guide A sky color that will vary depending on the altitude of the sun (or put another way, how close the dominant directional light's vector
Target Point Actors gets to being parallel with the ground).
Grouping Actors Control over scattering and decay settings, allowing for full control of your atmospheric density.
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Best of all, the settings for this Actor are easy to use and quick to set up.
Adding Atmospheric Fog to a Level

Adding Atmospheric Fog to your level is as easy as adding its Actor from the Modes panel under the Visual Effects section:
This may be done via drag-and-drop:
Atmospheric Fog Properties

The Atmospheric Fog Actor contains the following properties:
Property Description
Atmosphere
Sun
This is an overall multiplier for the directional light brightness. It brightens both the sky and fog color.
Multiplier
Fog
This multiplier only affects the fog color, not the directional light.
Multiplier
Density
This control factor only affects the fog density, not the directional light.
Multiplier
Density
This offset value controls fog opacity; its effective range is from -1 to 1.
Offset
Distance
Controls a distance factor. The default value of 1 assumes a 1:1 scale of Unreal Units to centimeters. This makes for a very
Scale small world. As your world size increases, you will want to increase this value accordingly. Larger values cause changes in
the fog attenuation to occur more quickly.
Altitude
Controls the scale along the z axis only. The default value is 1.
Scale
Ground
Currently, the irradiance color is based on the scene color. This can cause blackening in shadowed areas. To combat this
Color effect, this parameter allows you to add a small boost (i.e. ~0.05) to make the irradiance color more visible in dark areas.
Additive
Z Offset
This is an offset for sea level, calculated in km from the location of the Atmospheric Fog Actor. The system does not work
for regions below 0 (sea level), so make sure that all terrain remains above this value. This can be used to adjust the height
at which scattering and fog color changes take place.
Start
This is the distance from the camera that the fog will start.
Distance
Default
This is the default light brightness, used when there is no sunlight placed in the level. This property is expressed in lumens.
Brightness
Default
Used when there is no sunlight placed in the level.
Light Color
Disable Sun
If checked, disables Sun Disk rendering.
Disk
Disable
If checked, disables color scattering from the ground.
Ground
Scattering
Precompute
The properties included in this group require re-computation of pre-computed texture data. They include:
Params
Density
This value controls fog density decay height. Lower values cause the fog to be denser, while higher
Height values thin the fog, causing less scatter. Values range from [0..1]
Max
This sets a limit on the number of scattering calculations, from 1 (single scattering) to 4 (quadruple
Scattering scattering).
Num
Inscatter
Number of different altitudes at which to sample inscatter color (Size of 3d texture dimension; 1-32).
Altitude
Sample
Visible
Shows or hides the fog effect.
Hidden in
If checked, the effect will not be visible in-game.
Game
Example Settings with Images

Density Decay Height of 0.5 (8 km)
Density Decay Height of 0.35 (2.744 km)

Density Decay Height of 1.0 (64 km) and Max Scattering of 4
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Level Designer Quick Start Fog Effects

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Exponential Height Fog User Guide

Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility
Common Actor Types

On this page:
Static Mesh Actors
Using Exponential Height Fog
Player Start Exponential Height Fog Properties
Camera Actors Animating Exponential Height Fog
Skeletal Mesh Actors Color
Trigger Actors Performance

This document covers Exponential Height Fog and its uses. It assumes that you have a level already set up in which you would like to add
Volumes User Guide
Exponential Height Fog.
Fog Effects Exponential Height Fog creates more density in low places of a map and less density in high places. The transition is smooth so you never
Atmospheric Fog User Guide get a hard cutoff as you increase altitude. Exponential Height Fog also provides two fog colors, one for the hemisphere facing the dominant
Exponential Height Fog User directional light (or straight up if none exists), and another color for the opposite hemisphere.
Guide
Target Point Actors
Grouping Actors
Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map

Using Exponential Height Fog
In the Modes panel, select the Exponential Height Fog Actor, which is under Visual Effects. Left-click and drag to place it in the world.
Positioning the Exponential Height Fog Actor will determine the height of the fog.
Exponential Height Fog Properties
In the Height Fog section, you can edit the following properties related to the component:
Fog Density
This is the global density factor, which can be thought of as the fog layer's thickness.
Fog Inscattering Color

Sets the inscattering color for the fog. Essentially, this is the fog's primary color.
Fog Height Falloff

Height density factor, controls how the density increases as height decreases. Smaller values make the
transition larger.
Fog Max Opacity

This controls the maximum opacity of the fog. A value of 1 means the fog will be completely opaque, while 0
means the fog will be essentially invisible.
Start Distance
Distance from the camera that the fog will start.
Directional
Controls the size of the directional inscattering cone, which is used to approximate inscattering from a
Inscattering Exponent directional light source.
Directional
Controls the start distance from the viewer of the directional inscattering, which is used to approximate
Inscattering Start inscattering from a directional light.
Distance
Directional
Sets the color for directional inscattering, used to approximate inscattering from a directional light. This is
Inscattering Color similar to adjusting the simulated color of a directional light source.
Visible
Controls primary fog visibility.
Actor Hidden in Game

Whether to hide the fog in game.
Editor Billboard Scale

The scale to apply to any billboard components in editor builds.
Animating Exponential Height Fog

To animate Exponential Height Fog, use Matinee to animate the Exponential Height Fog Actor values. For more information, see the
Matinee User Guide page.
You can also animate Exponential Height Fog directly in Level Blueprint, by way of a timeline or by any network of nodes driving the
functions and properties of the fog Actor.
Color
Height Fog Color is now able to be changed at runtime using the Linear Color Property Track in Matinee. Here is how to set up Matinee to
let you change Height Fog Color in-game:
1. Create a Matinee Actor and open it using the Matinee button in the Editor toolbar.
2. Create a HeightFog Actor.
3. Create a group in Matinee with that Actor attached.
4. Create a linear color property track in the above group.
5. A dialog should appear letting you choose which color property to interpolate. There should be only two options: FogInscatteringColor
and DirectionalInscatteringColor.
6. Once that track is set up, you can place keyframes and use the context menu (Right-click) or the Curve Editor to set the color for
each key.
Performance
The rendering cost of Exponential Height Fog is similar to two layers of constant density height fog with an additional optimization:
The !FogStartDistance can be used to artificially keep some defined area in front of the viewer without fog. This also helps performance as
pixels can be culled by the z buffer.
The following images show this applied:

Fog Start Distance = 0
Fog Start Distance = 1000
Fog Start Distance = 1000 with a high Fog
Density value
Depending on the scene content and when using a far fog start distance, the rendering cost can be 50% or less.
This optimization is
implemented by rendering a full screen quad that has a z value and depth test enabled.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Target Point Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Placing Actors
Selecting Actors
Transforming Actors
Actor Mobility
Common Actor Types
Static Mesh Actors
Player Start
Camera Actors
Trigger Actors
Volumes User Guide

When creating worlds for games you sometimes need the ability to place and spawn items in the world for the player to interact with. Target
Fog Effects
Point Actors do just this; they give you a generic point in the world that you can spawn items from. If you are familiar with other 3D
Target Point Actors
applications like 3Ds Max or Maya, Target Point Actors are very similar to dummy Actors that you find in those programs.
Grouping Actors
Components
Managing Content Placing Target Point Actors

Target Point Actors can be found in the Modes panel under the All Classes category. To add one to the world, simply select it from the
Engine Features
Modes panel and then drag it into the world.
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Using Target Points

Target Point Actors can be used for all kinds of things inside Unreal Engine 4. Here is a list of some of the things that you can use Target
Point Actors for.
Look-at targets for cameras during cinematic sequences.

Path points for AI agents.
Spawn point for a VFX.
Spawn points for items like health and item pickups.
Visual cue for where an item is placed / should be placed in the world.
Here is an example showing how a Target Point Actor was used as in a Blueprint to serve as a spawn point.
For a more in-depth example of how to use a Target point node inside of a Blueprint, check out the How to Spawn/Destroy an Actor in
Blueprints tutorial.

Related Topics
Spawning/Destroying an Actor in Blueprints
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Grouping Actors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Grouping Actors
Actors and Geometry Options for Grouping
Placing Actors Group
Selecting Actors Regroup
Transforming Actors Ungroup
Actor Mobility Lock and Unlock Group
Common Actor Types Remove from Group
Grouping Actors Add Actors to Group
Components Notes
Managing Content
In the Unreal Engine, you can group Actors together, which allows you to easily manage multiple Actors simultaneously. Grouped Actors
can be transformed as a single unit through rotation, translation, and scaling. Groups can be unlocked to temporarily allow manipulation of
Engine Features
individual Actors, and then locked again to freeze the Actors inside the group to prevent changes to an individual Actor's transforms. You
Gameplay Guide
can add Actors to, or remove them from, a group. You can also nest groups by having one group as a member of another group.
Programming Guide
An Actor can only belong to one group at a time, unless that group itself is nested inside a larger group.
Release Notes Grouping Actors

Site Map
New and Updated Resources To group Actors together:
Select the Actors.

Right-click one of the selected Actors to bring up the context menu.
Click Group. Alternatively, press the Ctrl+G keyboard shortcut.
If you do not see the Group option on the context menu, make sure that Allow Group Selection is selected on the Settings menu. You
can access the Settings menu from the toolbar at the top of the Unreal Editor.
When you group Actors together, you create a Group Actor in the World Outliner. To select all Actors in that group, you can select either
the Group Actor or any member of the group.
For more information about Actor selection, see Selecting Actors.
Options for Grouping

Options related to groups can be found in the context menu available by Right-clicking on a selection of Actors (minimum of 2) in the
Viewport or in the World Outliner.
Which options you see on the context menu depends on what you have selected:
Objects in a group.
Objects not in a group.
A combination of objects in a group and objects not in a group.
Objects in a group that is unlocked.
Hotkeys
Hotkey Command
Ctrl+G Group/Regroup
Shift+G Ungroup
Ctrl+Shift+G
Toggle group mode
Group
The Group option is used to create a new group from selected Actors. If none of the selected Actors are already in a group, only Group will
be available. Choose Group to group the selected Actors.
Grouping is non-destructive in that it never destroys existing selected groups. Any number of Actors or groups can be included in a selection
when creating a group. For example, if two Lights and an existing locked group of two Static Meshes are selected and then grouped, a new
group will be created with the two Lights and the sub-group of Static Meshes under it. If any selected Actors are in unlocked groups, they
will be removed from their old group and placed in the new one.
Once a group is formed, green brackets appear around it, and its pivot point is automatically set to the center point of the group.
Regroup
When a selection contains at least one group and other ungrouped Actors, the Regroup option becomes available. Regroup removes any
existing groups from any selected Actors, and creates a new group from all selected Actors. This can be used to quickly create a new group
out of a selection without worrying about nesting groups.
Ctrl+G can be used in place of the context menu to regroup. If no groups are among the selected Actors, pressing Ctrl+G will
create a new group out of the selected Actors. If groups are selected, it will perform a regroup.
Ungroup
The Ungroup option removes all Actors from the selected groups and deletes the groups.
If a group contains nested groups, the nested groups will be removed from their parent group but not be disbanded themselves.
For groups that are unlocked, the ungroup operation will remove the selected Actors from the group without attempting to keep them
within any existing hierarchy.
Lock and Unlock Group
The Lock and Unlock options are available when you are working with an existing group. A group's default state is locked. The state of a
group affects other potential actions that can be performed with groups. For example, individual Actors can only be removed from an
unlocked group.
When you select any Actors in a locked group, the entire group will be selected. Any transformations will affect each object in the
group. If a group is unlocked, Actors in the group will be selected and transformed individually.
A group's state is visible based on the color of the brackets surrounding the group. Green brackets designate a locked group, and red
brackets are used for unlocked groups.
Remove from Group
The Remove from Group option is only available when selecting Actors in an unlocked group. This option will remove the selected Actors
from the group. If a nested group is removed from a larger group, it still remains a group itself. Once a group contains no Actors or other
groups, it is automatically deleted, and its GroupActor is removed from the World Outliner.
Add Actors to Group
The Add Actors to Group option is only available when one group is selected and other ungrouped Actors are also selected. This option
adds the ungrouped Actors to the existing group.
Notes
Groups can be globally disabled (or re-enabled) in the Editor for selection purposes by selecting Allow Group Selection from the
Settings menu in the toolbar.
On creation of a new group, pivot points are automatically centered. Group pivot points will set any Editor widgets when the group is
locked. When a group is unlocked, the pivot points of its Actors will function as normal.
Group pivots can be set by selecting the desired group and then holding down Alt and clicking the Middle Mouse Button in the
viewport for the pivot location.
It is not possible to group Actors that are in different levels. Moving an Actor that is currently in a group from one level to another will
remove it from the existing group. However, entire groups can be moved across levels.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

A Component is a piece of functionality that can be added to an Actor. Components cannot exist by themselves, however when added to
Level Editor
an Actor, the Actor will have access to and can use functionality provided by the Component.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

For example, a Spot Light Component will allow your Actor to emit light like a spot light, a Rotating Movement Component will make your
Components
Actor spin around, or an Audio Component will make your Actor able to play sounds.
AI Components
Audio Components When adding Components to an Actor, you are putting together the bits and pieces that will make up that Actor as a whole who will be
Camera Components placed in your level(s). For example, the wheels on a car, the steering wheel, the body of the car, the lights etc. would all be considered as
Light Components Components while the car itself is the Actor.
Movement Components
Navigation Components Once you have added the Components that define your Actor, it is important to note that you can place the Actor in your level even without
Paper 2D Components providing any Blueprint script (or C++ Code) as to how the car should function (as in the real world, a car can exist as an object without a
Physics Components driver providing the instructions to tell the car what to do). Since the "gas pedal" would be a Component, through script or code you would
Rendering Components indicate that the gas pedal has been pressed and in turn provide the logic for the car to speed up. Each Component could then be
Shape Components accessed in this manner (turning on the lights, honking the horn, turning up the radio, steering, etc.)
Skeletal Mesh Components
Static Mesh Components Component Instancing

Utility Components
Widget Components Contrary to the default behavior of sub-objects in general, Components created as sub-objects within an Actor are instanced, meaning each
Managing Content
Actor instance of a particular class gets its own unique instances of the Components. A simple way to visualize this is to imagine the

vehicle described above. A Car class might use Components to represent the wheels of the car. Four Wheel Components would be created
Engine Features
as sub-objects in the default properties of the class and assigned to a "Wheels" array. When a new Car instance is created, new instances
Gameplay Guide
of the Wheel Components are created specifically for that particular Car. If this were not the case, when one Car in the world moved, the

wheels of all Cars would turn; which is clearly not the desired behavior. Instancing of Components by default simplifies the process of
Programming Guide
quickly adding unique sub-objects to Actors.
Samples and Tutorials Without Component instancing, all Component variables would need to be declared using the Instanced property specifier.
Release Notes
Site Map
Component Types
There are several different types of Components that can be added to an Actor, refer to the links below for more information:
AI Components
Audio Components
Camera Components
Light Components
Movement Components
Navigation Components
Paper 2D Components
Physics Components
Rendering Components
Shape Components
Static Mesh Components
Utility Components
Widget Components
You can also refer to the Components section of the Unreal Engine API Reference for additional Components.
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Level Designer Quick Start Components

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology AI Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

AI Components are a type of component that enable Pawns receive sensory like data from the environment, such as where noises are
Level Editor
coming from or if the Pawn can see something.
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components AI Perception Component

AI Components
The AIPerceptionComponent is used to register as stimuli listener in the AIPerceptionSystem and gathers registered stimuli.
Audio Components
UpdatePerception is called when component gets new stimuli (batched).
Camera Components
Light Components
Movement Components
Pawn Noise Emitter Component
A PawnNoiseEmitterComponent tracks noise event data used by SensingComponents to hear a Pawn. This component is intended to
Paper 2D Components
exist on either a Pawn or its Controller. It does nothing on network clients.
Physics Components
Shape Components
Pawn Sensing Component
The Pawn SensingComponent encapsulates sensory (i.e. sight and hearing) settings and functionality for an Actor, allowing the Actor to
see/hear Pawns in the world. It does nothing on network clients.
Utility Components
Widget Components
Managing Content
Related Topics
AI and Behavior Trees
Engine Features
Pawn
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Controller

Programming Guide Components Window
Release Notes
Site Map
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Audio Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

An AudioComponent is used to create and control an instance of sound inside your game.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Audio Component
Components
The AudioComponent allows you to add a Sound Wave or Sound Cue as a sub-object to an Actor, providing a sound source.
AI Components
Audio Components
For example, say you wanted a particle effect that resembles a fire in your level. While the particle effect alone can be used to convey the
Camera Components
visuals of a fire, by adding an AudioComponent as a sub-Actor to it that plays an audio asset of a crackling fire, the fire effect will be that
Light Components much more convincing.
Movement Components
Navigation Components You can change several of the properties or settings of the AudioComponent through Blueprints or C++ during runtime such as fading the
Paper 2D Components audio in or out, playing or stopping it entirely, adjusting the volume and other settings which can be found on the Sound Actors page under
Physics Components the different properties sections.
Shape Components

Related Topics
Static Mesh Components Audio System Overview
Utility Components Audio Files
Widget Components
Components Window
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

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Programming Guide
Release Notes

Site Map elsewhere.
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Camera Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The CameraComponent (which adds a camera perspective to view from) and SpringArmComponent (which extends its children at a fixed
Level Editor
distance then retracts when a collision occurs), when used together provide functionality for a 3rd person perspective that can dynamically
Levels
adjust to your game world.
Actors and Geometry
Components
AI Components
Camera Component
Audio Components
The CameraComponent allows you to add a camera perspective as a sub-object to an Actor. The CameraComponent will provide
Camera Components
information about the camera's properties if the ViewTarget is a CameraActor or an Actor that contains a CameraComponent and has its
Light Components
bFindCameraComponentWhenViewTarget option set to true.
Movement Components
Navigation Components For example, say you wanted to switch between multiple cameras in your level during gameplay. By using SetViewTargetWithBlend and a
Paper 2D Components CameraActor, you can switch between each of your cameras and use the properties that you define within the CameraActor for each
Physics Components camera (including field of view, angle, or any Post Processing effects, etc.)
Shape Components A related property that can be set for any Pawn is bTakeCameraControlWhenPossessed, where the Pawn will automatically become the
Skeletal Mesh Components ViewTarget upon possession by a PlayerController. So for example if you had multiple Characters (which are a form of Pawn) that you
Static Mesh Components wanted to switch between, and each of them had their own CameraComponents assigned to them providing the camera perspective to
Utility Components view from, you could use set bTakeCameraControlWhenPossessed to true for each of them and whenever you switch between them, the
Widget Components CameraComponent for each will be used (where each could have its own properties and settings defined).
Managing Content

Spring Arm Component
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide The SpringArmComponent tries to maintain its children at a fixed distance from the parent, but will retract the children if there is a collision,
Blueprints Visual Scripting and spring back when there is no collision. Typically, the SpringArmComponent is used as a "camera boom" to keep the follow camera for
Programming Guide a player from colliding into the world (without the SpringArmComponent, the CameraComponent will remain at the fixed distance specified
Platform Development regardless of objects that could potentially get in the way of it and the object it is attached to), see Using a Spring Arm Component.
Release Notes
Site Map
Above a CameraComponent (Camera) and SpringArmComponent (red line) are used to create a 3rd person perspective for a character.
You can adjust several camera related properties on the SpringArmComponent such as the TargetArmLength which is the natural length
of the spring arm when there are no collisions, Probe Size or how big should the probe sphere be when checking for collisions, as well as
things like CameraLag useful if you want the camera to lag slightly behind the object it is attached to.

Related Topics
Camera
Camera Actors
Using Cameras
Components Window
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Light Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Different types of Light Components will allow you to add a light source as a sub-object to an Actor, depending upon the effect you aim to
Level Editor
achieve. Regardless of which Light Component type you choose, there are several light settings such as Light Color or Intensity that apply
Levels
to all as well as individual settings that you can adjust (refer to each individual light for their specific settings).
Actors and Geometry
Components
AI Components
Audio Components
Camera Components
Light Components
Movement Components
Paper 2D Components
Physics Components
Shape Components
Skeletal Mesh Components Above, a PointLightComponent is added to a Blueprint which also includes a Static Mesh to create a functional Ceiling Lamp.
Utility Components
Directional Light Component
Widget Components
Managing Content The DirectionalLightComponent simulates light that is being emitted from a source that is infinitely far away. This means that all shadows
Unreal Game Projects cast by this light will be parallel, making this the ideal choice for simulating sunlight.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide See Directional Lights for more information.

Programming Guide Point Light Component

Samples and Tutorials A PointLightComponent works much like a real world light bulb, emitting light in all directions from the light bulb's tungsten filament.
Release Notes However, for the sake of performance, PointLightComponents are simplified down emitting light equally in all directions from just a single
Site Map point in space.

See Point Lights for more information.
Sky Light Component

SkyLightComponents capture the distant parts of your level (everything further than the SkyDistanceThreshold) and applies that to the
scene as a light. That means the sky's appearance and its lighting / reflections will match.
See Spot Light for more information.
Spot Light Component

A SpotLightComponent emits a directional light from a single point in a cone shape. There are settings for adjusting the Inner Cone Angle
and Outer Cone Angle as well as the other types of light settings such as Intensity, Light Color and shadow settings. This type of light is
excellent for a flash light due to its ability to define the inner/outer cone radius.
See Sky Lights for more information.

Related Topics
Types of Lights
Lighting the Environment
Components Window
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Movement Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Movement Components provide a form a movement to the Actor (or Character) that they are a sub-object of.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Character Movement Component
Components
The CharacterMovementComponent allows avatars not using rigid body physics to move by walking, running, jumping, flying, falling, and
AI Components
swimming. It is specific to Characters and cannot be implemented by any other class. It is automatically added when creating Blueprints
Audio Components
based on the Character class and not manually added.
Camera Components
Light Components Properties that can be set include values for falling and walking friction, speeds for travel through air and water and across land, buoyancy,
Movement Components gravity scale, and the physics forces the Character can exert on Physics objects. The CharacterMovementComponent also includes root
Navigation Components motion parameters that come from the animation and are already transformed in world space, ready for use by physics. See Root Motion
Paper 2D Components
for more information.
Physics Components
Rendering Components For information on working with Character Movement, see Setting Up Character Movement.
Shape Components

Projectile Movement Component
Utility Components A ProjectileMovementComponent updates the position of another Component during its tick. Behavior such as bouncing after impacts
Widget Components and homing toward a target are supported by this type of Component. Normally the root Component of the owing Actor is moved, however
Managing Content another Component may be selected (see SetUpdatedComponent). If the Updated Component is simulating physics, only the initial launch
Unreal Game Projects parameters (when initial velocity is non-zero) will affect the projectile, and the physics simulation will take over from there.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
An example of a Blueprint using a ProjectileMovementComponent is shown below (click for full sized image).
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Rotating Movement Component

The RotatingMovementComponent performs continuous rotation of a Component at a specific rotation rate. Rotation can optionally be
offset around a pivot point. Important to note, collision testing is not performed during movement.
An example of using a RotatingMovementComponent might be in the form of an airplane's propellers, or a windmill, or even a series of
planets revolving around the sun.
See Blueprint Rotating Movement Component for an example of how to utilize this component.

Related Topics
Character
Components Window
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Navigation Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Navigation Components are a type of component that modifies or extends the functionality of the NavMesh (Pathfinding) system in Unreal
Level Editor
Engine 4.
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components Nav Modifier Component

AI Components
The Nav Modifier Component does nothing by itself, however, if you have a basic shape component as the root of an Actor, the volume of
Audio Components
that Root Component will modify the NavMesh generation within it according to the Nav Modifier Component's Area Class property. You
Camera Components
should only have one Nav Modifier Component per Actor as multiples of this Component have no effect. Also, these will appear outside the
Light Components
hierarchy in the Components Tab, and cannot be parented to another component or have anything parented to them.
Movement Components
Navigation Components These Area Classes can define basic things like Cost to enter an area or more advanced things such as areas where a crouched character
Paper 2D Components should be able to navigate.
Physics Components
Rendering Components Cost is an important idea for the NavMesh system. Briefly, the total cost to move from one point to another using NavMesh is the sum of all
Shape Components the area costs the path moves through (a single area's size is defined in the Project's Preferences). But, the solver will always try to find the
Skeletal Mesh Components cheapest path, so you can have it avoid areas (like slippery oil or rough terrain) by increasing the cost to pass through that area. Just
Static Mesh Components remember the solver will still path through high cost areas if it is the cheapest path.
Utility Components
Widget Components
For example, the red area has a very high cost to move through, but the Pawn has no other choice but to move through it.:
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
But, if you remove a wall:
Then the pawn will avoid the red area even though it means taking a much longer route.
English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Paper 2D Components

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Paper 2D Components are used to add (or modify) 2D Sprites or Flipbooks as a sub-object to an Actor.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Paper Sprite Component
Components
A PaperSpriteComponent handles rendering and collision for a single instance of a UPaperSprite asset. This Component is created when
AI Components
you drag a Sprite asset from the Content Browser into a Blueprint or contained inside the Actor created when you drag one into a level.
Audio Components
Camera Components
An example of using this type of Component may come in the form of Sprite assets used to construct a level, for instance ledges or
Light Components platforms, ladders, ramps etc. Placing those Sprite assets in your level creates a PaperSpriteActor that uses an instanced
Movement Components PaperSpriteComponent (or unique copy) of the selected Sprite asset.
Paper 2D Components For information on creating Sprites in Unreal Engine 4, see the Creating Sprites documentation.
Physics Components
Paper Flipbook Component
Shape Components
Skeletal Mesh Components The PaperFlipbookComponent in short, is a wrapper for a SourceFlipbook (which is a series of Sprites played sequentially to create a 2D
Static Mesh Components animation). When creating a Paper2DCharacter, this component type is automatically added which allows you to create playable,
Utility Components animated 2D characters.
Widget Components
Managing Content
PaperFlipbookComponents can be posed arbitrarily in 3D, attached to other Components, or have other Components attached to them.

Each instance can specify a custom color that will be passed down to the Flipbook Material as a Vertex Color. They can also have a
Engine Features
custom material specified that will override the default Material defined in the SourceFlipbook.
Gameplay Guide
Through script you can change the current SourceFlipbook asset by calling the SetFlipbook function, but note that this will only work if the
Mobility property is set to Moveable (or if it is called during the construction of the Actor). You can also control play rate, play direction,
Programming Guide
looping, etc, with various other methods on the Component.

For information on setting up and working with Flipbook Components, see the Flipbook Components documentation.
Release Notes
Site Map

Related Topics
Paper 2D
Paper 2D Flipbooks
Paper 2D Sprites
Components Window
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Physics Components

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Physics Components are used to affect any objects that are utilizing physics in your level in varying ways.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Destructible Component
Components
The DestructibleComponent holds the physics data for a Destructible Actor. When adding this component as a sub-object, you must
AI Components
specify the Destructible Mesh asset to use. You can also override and specify the Fracture Effects instead of using the asset's Fracture
Audio Components
Effects if you wish.
Camera Components
Light Components An example of using this type of component would be in the form of a window frame and window, where the window frame is a
Movement Components StaticMeshComponent and the window is a DestructibleComponent that a player could shoot out causing it to fracture into pieces.
Paper 2D Components
Physics Components
Shape Components
Utility Components
Widget Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Physics Constraint Component
A PhysicsConstraintComponent is a joint that allows you to connect two rigid bodies together. You can create different types of joints
using the various parameters of this Component.
By using a PhysicsConstraintComponent and two StaticMeshComponents, you can create dangling type objects such as a tire swing,
heavy bag or sign that reacts to physics in the world allowing players to interact with the Component (see Physics Constraint Component
User Guide for an example in Blueprints).
Physics Handle Component

The PhysicsHandleComponent is an object for "grabbing" and moving physics objects around while allowing the object you are grabbing
to continue to use physics. An example of this could be in the form of a "gravity gun" where you can pick-up and drop physics objects (see
the Physics Content Examples for more information).
Physics Thruster Component
A PhysicsThrusterComponent is used with objects that have physics to apply a specified force down the negative-X direction (i.e. point X
in the direction you want to thrust in). The thruster uses continuous force and can be auto-activated, activated or deactivated through script.
An example of using a thruster is in the form of a rocket (pictured below) which continuously applies force propelling the rocket upward
(since the thruster is positioned under the rocket). You can contain movement of the Component that is influenced by a thruster by using
Blocking Volumes.
Radial Force Component

The RadialForceComponent is used to emit a radial force or impulse that can affect physics objects and or destructible objects. Unlike a
PhysicsThrusterComponent, this type of Component applies "fire-and-forget" type of force and is not continuous.
You can use this type of Component to push the fractured pieces of a destroyed object, for example an explosion. Using a
RadialForceComponent to specify the force and direction, when an object is destroyed you can "push" the pieces outwards in a particular
direction as seen in the example image below (see the Destructibles Content Examples for more information).

Related Topics
Physics Simulation
Physics Constraint Component User Guide
Physics Content Examples
Destructibles Content Examples
Components Window
Full Topic Index

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Rendering Components

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Atmospheric Fog Component
Actors and Geometry Exponential Height Fog Component
Components Billboard Component
AI Components Material Billboard Component
Audio Components Cable Component
Camera Components Custom Mesh Component
Light Components Poseable Mesh Component
Movement Components Decal Component
Navigation Components Instanced Static Mesh Component
Paper 2D Components Particle System Component
Physics Components Post Process Component
Rendering Components Scene Capture 2D Component
Shape Components Scene Capture Cube Component
Skeletal Mesh Components Spline Mesh Component
Static Mesh Components Text Render Component
Utility Components Vector Field Component
Widget Components
Managing Content
Atmospheric Fog Component
Engine Features AtmosphericFogComponents are used to create fogging effects such as clouds or ambient fog in a level. There are several settings that
Gameplay Guide can be adjusted for this Component that can affect how the effect is generated in your level when placed.
Programming Guide Examples of this type of Component in use with varying values for its Decay Height setting (which controls fog density decay height, ie.
Platform Development lower values cause the fog to be denser, while higher values thin the fog, causing less scatter) are portrayed below. For more information,
Samples and Tutorials see the Atmospheric Fog User Guide page.
Release Notes
Site Map

Density Decay Height of 0.5 (8 km)
Density Decay Height of 0.35 (2.744 km)

Exponential Height Fog Component
The ExponentialHeightFogComponent is used to create fog effects but with a density that is related to the height of the fog.
Exponential Height Fog creates more density in low places of a map and less density in high places. The transition is smooth so you never
get a hard cutoff as you increase altitude. Exponential Height Fog also provides two fog colors, one for the hemisphere facing the dominant
directional light (or straight up if none exists), and another color for the opposite hemisphere.
See Exponential Height Fog User Guide for more information and settings that can be adjusted.
Billboard Component
The BillboardComponent is a 2D Texture that will be rendered always facing the camera and functions similarly to an ArrowComponent
in that it can be used for a method of placement and easy selection. For example in the fog sheet that was created below, the only
Component added is a BillboardComponent (the actual fog effect is a material that is dynamically created through script).
Inside the level, you can manipulate the fog sheet by selecting the BillboardComponent icon (which is a texture that you can specify).
For an example of how this Fog Sheet was created, see the Fog Sheet and Light Beams documentation.
Material Billboard Component

The MaterialBillboardComponent is a 2D Material that will be rendered always facing the camera. One example of where this type of
Component could be used is in the form of 2D grass or foliage. Rather than using Static Meshes to represent pockets of growing grass or
even individual grass blades, using a MaterialBillboardComponent with a Material used to convey growing grass, there is no need to
have a 3D representation of grass as the billboard will automatically turn and face the player giving the illusion of three dimensional grass.
Cable Component
A CableComponent allows you attach two Components together while rendering a cable between them. On the cable itself, you can assign
a Material and define parameters that affect the way the cable is displayed.
An example use case for this type of Component is if you were in need of a rope or something that a player character could swing on. By
attaching one point to a fixed location and attaching the other to the player character through script, the character could swing on the rope.
Below you have a first person character that can shoot a cable out from their gun and attach it to the impact location, creating a "grappling
gun" of sorts.
Of course you could use this for simple visual elements as well such as representing wires that connect objects together.
Custom Mesh Component

The CustomMeshComponent allows you to specify custom triangle mesh geometry.
Poseable Mesh Component

The PoseableMeshComponent allows bone transforms to be driven by a Blueprint.
Decal Component
A DecalComponent is a material that is rendered onto the surface of a mesh (a kind of "bumper sticker" for a model). Decals can be used
for any number of purposes, such as bullet impact decals on a wall when shot, a skid mark decal for a car that breaks along a road, blood
that splatters on the ground when being shot, etc. (an example decal is provided below).
There are several pages you can refer to for more information on working with Decals.
See Decal Actor User Guide.

See 1.1 - Basic Decal.
See Decals Content Examples.
Instanced Static Mesh Component

An InstancedStaticMeshComponent is a Component that efficiently renders multiple instances of the same Static Mesh. This type of
Component is particularly useful for procedural level or room creation, as instead of placing hundreds (or even thousands) of Static Mesh
Actors in your level, you can place one Instanced Static Mesh and add multiple instances of the Static Mesh (floors or walls for example)
at a much lower performance cost.
See the Procedural Room Generation training stream for an example of working with InstancedStaticMesh Components and
procedurally generating a random room.
Particle System Component

A ParticleSystemComponent allows you to add a particle emitter as a sub-object to another object. Adding a ParticleSystemComponent
could be used for several reasons, from adding an explosion effect to something that gets destroyed to adding a fire effect to something
you can set on fire. By adding this type of Component to another Object, through script you can access and set any of the parameters of
the Particle Effect during gameplay (ie. turning the effect on or off).
For example, below we have a security camera and have added a ParticleSystemComponent for a spark effect.
Through script we could state that the spark effect is off by default, but activated when the camera is shot.
See Cascade Particle Systems for more information.
Post Process Component

PostProcessComponets enable Post Process controls for Blueprints. It will use a parent UShapeComponent to provide volume data if
available. This type of Component could be used to shift the tone of your level, when Post Process Settings are applied to it. For example
suppose you defined a default Post Process Setting to use for your game, when the player is damaged (or potentially killed), you could
through script change the settings to a black/white tone for the Scene Color Tint.
For more information see the Post Processing Content Examples or Post Process Effects documentation.
Scene Capture 2D Component

The SceneCapture2DComponent is used to capture a "snapshot" of the scene from a single plane and feed it to a Render Target. There
are settings for controlling the Field of View when capturing as well as specifying the Render Target texture (among other settings). An
example of using this would be in the case of creating a mirror (shown below) or security camera view on a monitor (see Security Camera
Switcher Button.)
Above we have created a Blueprint with a SceneCapture2DComponent and assigned a Render Target texture which was then used as a
Material that we applied to the piece of geometry in the level. For more information, see Scene Capture 2D Content Example.
Scene Capture Cube Component

A SceneCaptureCubeComponent is used to capture a "snapshot" of the scene from 6 planes and feed it to a Render Target.
In most instances the SceneCapture2DComponent should accomplish most of your scene capturing needs, however in the event that you
need a 3D capture of an environment you could use this type of Component. Be aware of your usage however as these are very expensive
performance wise and should only be used when absolutely necessary. See the Reflections for more information on the different the
methods that can be used to create reflections in your levels.
Spline Mesh Component

SplineMeshComponents can be used to stretch and bend a Static Mesh asset. With SplineMeshesComponents, you must provide
vectors for the position and tangent for the start and end of the spline. Below, a SplineMeshComponent has been added to a Blueprint
and a pipe Static Mesh has been assigned as the asset to affect.
While you specify the vectors for the position and tangent on the Component itself, you can use script to set these as variables and make
them public so that they can be edited inside the Editor Viewport as seen below.
Above we can move the Start Transform and End Transform independently of moving the entire Actor, allowing us to stretch or rotate it as
we desire. This example and setup can be found inside the Blueprint Splines Content Examples Content Examples map.
Text Render Component

A TextRenderComponent renders text in the world with the given font. Contains usual font related attributes such as Scale, Alignment,
Color, etc. You might use this Component to indicate to a player that an object is intractable in your levels.
For example, suppose you had a chair in your level that players can sit down in when they approach it if they press a button. You could add
a TextRenderComponent containing the instructions needed to execute the command of sitting (visibility set to off) along with a
BoxComponent used as a trigger which will set visibility of the text to true when the player enters it (shown below).
In game when the player enters the trigger, the TextRenderComponent text is displayed informing the player how to sit.
Vector Field Component

A VectorFieldComponent is used for referencing a Vector Field which are 3D containers with a grid of velocity vectors that can be used to
determine the velocity or acceleration of GPU sprites. Vector Fields can be used for small scale effects like wind gusts particle effects to
large scale blizzards in your levels. See also Local Vector Fields and Global Vector Fields for more information.

Related Topics
Rendering and Graphics
Cascade Particle Systems
Components Window
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Shape Components

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Shape Components can be used to create collision or triggers around other objects, indicate orientation or create paths.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Arrow Component
Components
The ArrowComponent is a simple arrow rendered using lines and is useful for indicating which way an object should face. As seen in the
AI Components
door example below, the arrow indicates which way the door should face when placed in the level (as the door may be scripted to only
Audio Components
open one way, the direction in which the arrow is facing).
Camera Components
Light Components
Movement Components
Paper 2D Components
Physics Components
Shape Components
Utility Components
Widget Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide The actual arrow will not show up in-game (unless the Hidden in Game option is unchecked) and the color and size can be adjusted as

desired. This Component does not have any collision settings and could poentially also be used as a "marker" for your scripts (for example,
Programming Guide
adding an ArrowComponent to a CharacterBlueprint just above the characters shoulder, then when the player presses a button, having
the CameraComponent move to the location of the ArrowComponent creating an over-the-shoulder style camera).
Release Notes Box Component

Site Map

A BoxComponent is a box generally used for simple collision (can also be used as a trigger as in shown in the example below).
A BoxComponent was added around a fire particle effect, with its collision settings set to Generate Overlap Events. When something
overlaps the box, an event will be fired where you execute script that applies damage to the Actor that overlaps it. You could also set the
Collision Response to BlockAll which would prevent all Actors from entering the box (if you wanted to keep things from entering the fire).
Capsule Component
The CapsuleComponent is a capsule shape which can also be used as simple collision (shown below) or as a trigger.
Above a CapsuleComponent is automatically included when creating a new Character Blueprint and provides the collision settings for the
character, keeping them from intersecting with objects in the world. The CapsuleComponent can also Generate Overlap Events or
Generate Hit Events to allow you to provide scripts for when either of those events occur.
Sphere Component
SphereComponents are spherical shapes that can be used for collision (ie. collision around projectiles as shown below).
Just as with the Box and Capsule Components, you can set the Collision Responses to generate the type of collision functionality you
need.
Spline Component
A SplineComponent can be used to make streets or complex paths (in which other Components can follow). Below a SplineComponent,
BillboardComponent and ParticleSystemComponent were added to a Blueprint with the intent of having the particle system following
the defined path created by the spline.
Inside the Editor Viewport, you can edit the spline by Right-clicking on the Actor that has SplineComponent. This will bring up a context
menu with options like adding points to the spline or defining the type of spline point to use. Below, a path was created to represent the
outline of the Unreal Engine logo.
After providing some Blueprint script to update the location of the particle effect, the end result is represented below.

Related Topics
Collision
Physics Bodies
Landscape Splines
Blueprint Splines Content Examples
Components Window
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Skeletal Mesh Components

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Skeletal Mesh Components are used for anything that has complex animation data and uses a skeleton.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Components
SkeletalMeshComponents are used to create an instance of a USkeletalMesh. The Skeletal Mesh (outward appearance) has a complex
AI Components
Skeleton (interconnected bones) inside which helps move the individual vertices of the Skeletal Mesh to match the current animation that is
Audio Components
being played. This makes SkeletalMeshComponents ideal for things like characters, creatures, complex machinery, or anything that needs
Camera Components
to deform or display complex motion. See Skeletal Meshes and Skeletal Mesh Actors for more information on working with Skeletal
Light Components
Meshes.
Movement Components
Paper 2D Components
Physics Components
Shape Components
Utility Components
Widget Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Above, a SkeletalMeshComponent is used with a Character Blueprint to create a playable character. In addition to specifying the Skeletal
Mesh asset to use, you can also define the Animation Mode for the mesh to use (either an Animation Blueprint or an Animation Asset).

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Skeletal Meshes
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Static Mesh Components

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Static Mesh Components allow a piece of geometry to be used as a sub-object for another Actor.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Static Mesh Component
Components
The StaticMeshComponent is used to create an instance of a UStaticMesh. A Static Mesh is a piece of geometry that consists of a
AI Components
static set of polygons and are the basic unit used to create world geometry for levels in Unreal Engine 4. In addition to building levels, Static
Audio Components
Meshes can be used for creating movers such as doors or lifts, rigid body physics objects, foliage and terrain decorations, procedurally
Camera Components
created buildings, game objectives, and many more visual elements.
Light Components
Movement Components
Below, a StaticMeshComponent representing a light fixture along with a SpotLightComponent and PointLightComponent are used to create
an alarm that could cycle between two different types of lights.
Paper 2D Components
Physics Components
Shape Components
Utility Components
Widget Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Another example is in the form of a door where two StaticMeshComponents are placed side-by-side. Through script you could move one (or
Programming Guide both) to open a pathway.
Release Notes
Site Map

Related Topics
Static Meshes
Static Mesh Actors
Collision Response Reference
Components Window
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Utility Components

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Application Lifecycle Component
Levels
The ApplicationLifecycleComponent handles receiving notifications from the OS about application state (activated, suspended,
Actors and Geometry
termination, etc).
Components
AI Components
Audio Components
Child Actor Component
Camera Components
A ChildActorComponent is a Component that spawns an Actor when registered, and destroys it when unregistered.
Light Components
Movement Components
Scene Component
Paper 2D Components
The SceneComponent has a transform and supports attachment, but has no rendering or collision capabilities. This is useful as a "dummy"
Physics Components
Component in the hierarchy to offset others.
Shape Components

Related Topics
Static Mesh Components Components Window
Utility Components
Widget Components
Managing Content
Engine Features Full Topic Index

Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

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Release Notes
Site Map

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Widget Components

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Widget Components allow you to manifest 3D UI elements created through Unreal Motion Graphics in your game world.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Widget Component
Components
The WidgetComponent itself is a 3D instance of a Widget Blueprint that you can interact with in your game world.
AI Components
Audio Components
In the example below, we have added a WidgetComponent which will now allow us to specify a Widget Class Blueprint.
Camera Components
Light Components
Movement Components
Paper 2D Components
Physics Components
Shape Components
Skeletal Mesh Components This example uses a Widget Blueprint to display a interactive menu that appears in the game world.
You can change settings to how the WidgetComponent is perceived in the world by changing the Draw Size or Max Interaction distance.
Utility Components
Widget Components
Managing Content
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide Once we place the Actor that contains our WidgetComponent in our level, our Widget Class Blueprint is displayed in the world.
Release Notes
Site Map
See Create 3D Widgets for a step-by-step guide to creating this example using a WidgetCompoment and Widget Blueprint.
This Component is considered as experimental and may be substantially changed or removed in future releases.

Related Topics
UMG UI Designer
Widget Blueprints
Media Framework
Components Window
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Managing Content

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
FBX Content Pipeline

Not all of the content you need for your game is intended to be created within the Editor. Most of your artistic assets will be created
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4
externally, using such tools as 3ds Max, Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush, and others. Below is a very general breakdown of the types of assets
Tools & Scripts
that will be created in the Editor versus those that will be created externally.
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Asset Creation Locations
External Content Development Standards
Created in Unreal Editor Created Using External Application
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects Game Levels Static Meshes
Engine Features Materials Skeletal Meshes
Gameplay Guide Particle Systems Skeletal Animation
Blueprints Visual Scripting Cinematic Sequences Textures
Programming Guide Blueprint Scripts Sounds (WAVs)
Platform Development AI Navigation Meshes IES Light Profiles
Samples and Tutorials Precalculated Light Maps Nvidia APEX files (APB and APX)
Release Notes Level Lights
Site Map

Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Sources Panel In-Depth
Folders
Filters
Migrating Assets
Collections
Developers Folder
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Replace References Tool
Artist Quick Start Guide

If you are looking to quickly get into Unreal Engine 4 as a content creator, check out the Artist Quick Start Guide. In it, you will be
taken through the steps of importing of meshes and textures, the basics of creating materials, and applying materials to your meshes.
Artist Quick Start
FBX Import Pipeline

FBX is a file format owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to provide interoperability between digital content creation
applications such as Autodesk MotionBuilder, Autodesk Maya, and Autodesk 3ds Max. Autodesk MotionBuilder software supports FBX
natively, while Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max software include FBX plug-ins.
Unreal Engine features an FBX import pipeline which allows simple transfer of content from any number of digital content creation
applications that support the format.
FBX Import Pipeline
FBX Import Options Reference
FBX Static Mesh Pipeline

FBX Skeletal Mesh Pipeline
FBX Animation Pipeline
FBX Morph Target Pipeline
FBX Material Pipeline
Content Type Reference

Textures
Static Meshes
Skeletal Meshes
IES Light Profiles
Audio Files
APEX Types
SpeedTree
Advanced Content Creation

Maya Animation Rigging Toolset
Render To Texture Blueprint Toolset
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English
Level Designer Quick Start Managing Content

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Artist Quick Start

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Prerequisite Topics

This page assumes you have prior knowledge of the following topics. Please read them before proceeding.
Level Editor
Levels
Project Browser
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
1 - Setting up your Project
2 - Creating Materials
3 - Editing Materials
4 - Applying Materials to Static Mesh
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Goals
The purpose of this tutorial is to demonstrate how content creators can easily add assets to games with Unreal Engine 4 (UE4). By the end
Engine Features
of this quick start guide, content creators will know how to use the Project Browser to create new projects; navigate the Content Browser
Gameplay Guide
to find and add content; know where to find information on the FBX Content Pipeline; and use the Material Editor to modify Materials
before applying them to a Static Mesh Actor.
Programming Guide
Objectives
Release Notes By the end of this quick start guide, you'll be able to:
Site Map
New and Updated Resources Set-up a Project

Create Materials
Edit Materials
Apply Materials to a Static Mesh Actor
Steps
1.1 - Creating Folders
1.2 - Importing Meshes
1.3 - Importing Textures
1.4 - Preparing Meshes for Import
4 - Applying Materials to Static Mesh Actors
5 - On your own!
Save often, save early!
Full Topic Index

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English
Level Designer Quick Start Artist Quick Start

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 1 - Setting up your Project

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.8
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry This is what you'll see when you launch UE4.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Setting up your project is easy!

1. Click the New Project tab from the Unreal Project Browser.
Release Notes
Site Map 2. Click the Blueprint tab and select Blank.
New and Updated Resources 3. Select the following settings:
Desktop / Console
Maximum Quality
With Starter Content
4. Select a location for your project to be stored:
5. Name your project:
6. Click the Create Project button:
From now on, UE4 will save all of your content as a project on the disk. As you complete this tutorial, UE4 organizes your meshes and
textures. The Content Browser is a great way to navigate through your project's directory structure.
You can also find content by navigating through the project folder located on the hard drive.
By now, you should be comfortable creating projects and browsing through content in UE4.
UE4 automatically imports content added to a Project's directory.
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English
Level Designer Quick Start 1 - Setting up your Project

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 1.1 - Creating Folders

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry At this point, you should have created a new UE4 Project.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming It's always good practice to keep your project's content organized. The first thing you're going to learn is how to create a folder that will store
Unreal Game Projects your imported content.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide Before you get started: Download Quick Start Assets from the following link.
Sample Assets
Programming Guide
Samples and Tutorials 1. Extract the downloaded assets to a location on your computer.
Release Notes
Site Map
2. From the Content Browser inside the Editor, click the Add New button.
3. Select New Folder to create a new folder in '/Game'.
4. Name the folder 'QuickStartContent'.
5. Double-click the 'QuickStartContent' folder.
Naming conventions matter! Be consistent when naming folders and files.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 1.2 - Importing Meshes

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry There are a few ways to add content to your UE4 project; however, we'll focus on the Content Browser's Import functionality.
Components
Managing Content 1. Now that you're inside the 'QuickStartContent' folder, click the Content Browser's Import button to open a file dialog box.
Artist Quick Start
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages 2. Locate and select the Basic_Asset1 and Basic_Asset2 FBX mesh files.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
3. Click Open to begin importing the FBX mesh files to your project.
4. Inside the editor, the FBX Import Options dialog box appears. Clicking Import or Import All adds your meshes to the Project.
5. Click the Save All button to save your imported meshes.

6. A Save Content dialog box appears. Click Save Selected to save your imported assets.
7. Navigating to the 'QuickStartContent' folder, verify that UE4 created the corresponding *.uasset files .
Organize your assets so that you can easily find them.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 1.3 - Importing Textures

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry 1. Navigating to the 'QuickStartContent' folder in the Editor, click the Content Browser's Import button to open a file dialog box.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Actors
5 - On your own! 2. Locate and select the T_Rock_04_D and T_Rock_04_n Targa (TGA) image files.
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
3. Click Open to begin importing the TGA image files to your project.
4. A confirmation box appears in the lower right corner of the Unreal Editor.
5. Click OK to accept the T_Rock_04_n.TGA normal map's settings.
6. Click the Save All button to save your imported images.
7. A Save Content dialog box appears.

8. Click Save Selected to save your imported assets.
9. Navigating to the 'QuickStartContent' folder, verify that UE4 created the corresponding *.uasset files .
The Marketplace (accessible from the 'Epic Launcher') is a great place to find and share content.
Full Topic Index

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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 1.4 - Preparing Meshes for Import

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry If you have your own meshes to import, this section is for you.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start Mesh Preparation

Choose Your 3D Art Tool
1.2 - Importing Meshes Autodesk Maya Autodesk 3ds Max


The UE4 FBX import pipeline uses FBX 2014. Using a different version during export may result in incompatibilities.
1. Select the mesh(es) to be exported in the viewport.
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
2. In the File menu, choose Export Selection (or Export All if you want to export everything in the scene regardless of selection).
Release Notes
Site Map
3. In the Export dialog box:
Choose the Content folder inside your UE4 Project (1)
Enter a name for the file and set it to FBX Export (2)
Set your Export Options (3)
Click Export All (4)

The settings in the Geometry category above are the most basic requirements for exporting Static Meshes to Unreal Engine 4.
4. On your disk, browse to the Content folder of your Project. You will see that your FBX file has been added.
5. If you have the UE4 Editor open (or next time you run it) you will be prompted with an FBX Import Options dialog, click Import or
Import All.
You can leave the default options for importing. Refer to FBX Import Options Reference for more information on each option.
6. Your asset has now been imported and you can drag-and-drop it from the Content Browser into your level.
In the example above (as part of our Import Options), we imported Materials and Textures.
Well done! You've learned how to prepare meshes for import into UE4.
Click here if you want to learn more about the FBX content pipeline..
Clean modeling improves a game's performance.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 2 - Creating Materials

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry Materials are assets applied to meshes, contributing to a scene's visual aesthetic.
Components There are a few ways to create and edit materials for your UE4 project; however, we'll focus on using the Material Editor.
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start Creating a New 'Rock' Material

2 - Creating Materials 1. Navigating to your Content Browser, click Add New and select Material.
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map 2. Name your material 'Rock'.

3. Your 'Rock' Material is now ready to be used.
4. Double-clicking the 'Rock' Material will open the Material Editor.

Read our Material - How-to documentation if you want to learn more about working with material nodes.
Size your textures using powers of two.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 3 - Editing Materials

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry At this point, you should have created a new material and opened the Material Editor.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
You can define a material's color, shininess, transparency, and much more in the Material Editor. You're now ready to edit the 'Rock'
Material you created.
Programming Guide
Samples and Tutorials Editing your 'Rock' Material

Release Notes
Site Map
1. Select the Main Material Node in the center of the Material Graph. The Material Editor will highlight the node for you when you

select it.
It is the only node in the graph (named after your material).
2. Inside the Details panel, change the Shading Model from Default Lit to Subsurface.
3. The Subsurface Shading Model enables two more pins in the Main Material Node: Opacity and Subsurface Color.
4. Now is the time to get your textures into the Graph. Hold the ' T ' key and left-click inside the Editor's Graph area. A Texture Sample
Node should appear inside the graph.
5. You'll want at least 2 textures. Repeat Step 4 until your graph looks like the image below.
6. Select one of the Texture Sample Nodes and locate the Details Panel under the Material Expression Texture Base category.
Under the texture property, left-click the pull down menu labeled 'None' and select the color texture named T_Rock_04_D.
You can also use the search field to locate the texture asset by entering 'T_Rock_04_D' in the search field.
7. Repeat Step 6 for the other Texture Sample Node, making sure to select the normal map texture named T_Rock_04_n.
The Material Graph should resemble the image pictured above.
8. Connect the T_Rock_04_D Texture Sample's Color pin (white) to the Rock Material's Base Color pin.
The newly connected white pin contains the texture's color channels.
9. Connect the T_Rock_04_n Texture Sample's Normal pin (white) to the Rock Material's Normal pin.
The newly connected white pin contains information for the texture's normal map.
10. The Preview should look similar to the image pictured below.
11. Hold the ' 1 ' key and left-click in the Graph Panel to create three (3) Constant nodes.
The Constant Node is a modifiable scalar float variable.
12. Hold the ' 3 ' key and left-click in the Graph Panel to create one (1) Constant3Vector.
The Constant3Vector node is a modifiable vector corresponding to color without an alpha channel.
Read our Constant Expression documentation if you want to learn more about working with constant expressions.
13. Your nodes should be arranged so that connections can be easily made without wires crossing or sliding beneath each other.
14. Connect all of the Constant and Constant3Vector nodes to corresponding pins in the 'Rock' Material Main Node.
15. Change the values of each Constant and Constant3Vector by updating their Value parameter in the Details panel.
Specular Value = 0.0
Roughness Value = 0.8
Opacity Value = 0.95
Subsurface Color = Red(1,0,0)

16. The Preview should look similar to the image pictured below.
Make sure to save your material before exiting the Material Editor.
You're almost done! You've just used the Material Editor to edit your 'Rock' Material.
A list of all Material Editor Keyboard Shortcuts can be found by going to Edit Menu->Editor Preferences->Keyboard
Shortcuts->"Material Editor" and "Material Editor-Spawn Nodes" categories.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 4 - Applying Materials to Static Mesh Actors

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry You're now ready to bring things together!

Components
The objective of this step is to apply our Material to the Static Mesh we imported. Specifically, you'll learn how to:
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start

Set an Actor's Default Material
Change Materials used by an Actor

Setting an Actor's Default Material
Actors
5 - On your own!
This section will show you how to set a Static Mesh Actor's default material. The default material will be used whenever an Actor is placed
Content Browser
in the level.
Assets and Packages

1. Inside the Content Browser, double-click the asset you imported earlier in this guide.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
The Static Mesh Editor will load your asset for editing.
Release Notes
Site Map
2. Inside the Details panel under LOD0, left-click the material's drop-down menu.
3. Select the 'Rock' Material you created earlier. The material should be available in the selection window.
Your Preview Pane will update to reflect the newly applied material.
4. Clicking the Save button first, close the Material Editor.
5. Inside the Content Browser, drag-and-drop the newly textured Static Mesh Actor into your level.
The specified Material will be used anytime you place this asset in the level.
Changing Material Used by an Actor
When we placed a Static Mesh object in our level, we created an instance of our object (an Actor). For every instance of that Actor, we're
able to specify its Material.
Here's how you change a Static Mesh Actor's Material.

1. Select your Static Mesh Actor.
2. Inside the Details panel, locate the Materials section and click the Materials dropdown menu.
3. Inside the pop-up menu, select a different Material.
4. Alternatively, drag-and-drop a new Material onto the Static Mesh Actor.

You've just applied materials to your Static Mesh Actors by:
Setting your Actor's Default Material

Changing Material used by your Actor
We've now reached the end of the Artist Quick Start Guide. By now, you should have the skills needed to:
Set-up a Project
Create Materials
Edit Materials
Apply Materials to a Static Mesh Actor
Are you ready to do some exercises on your own?
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology 5 - On your own!

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry Using what you know, create a new Material similar to this graph:
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Actors
5 - On your own!
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
External Content Development Standards The Main Material node settings simulate a plastic material.
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects Add Basic_Asset1 to the level, apply the Material to it, and update the Material to apply a "Brick" Normal Map Texture.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
For more information on topics covered in this Quick Start Guide, refer to the Unreal Editor Manual.
For information on importing different types of content, refer to:
Information on the FBX pipeline (in general): FBX Content Pipeline.

Information on the FBX Skeletal Mesh pipeline: FBX Skeletal Mesh Pipeline.
Information on the FBX Animation pipeline: FBX Animation Pipeline.
Information on the FBX Morph Target pipeline: FBX Morph Target Pipeline.
Information on the FBX Material pipeline: FBX Material Pipeline.
Information on Importing Audio: Audio Files.
For specifics covered in this Quick Start Guide, refer to:
Information on Supported Image Types: Texture Import Guide.

Information on Materials: Materials.
Information on the Content Browser: Content Browser.
Information on the Static Mesh Editor: Static Mesh Editor UI.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Content Browser

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Collections
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors
Assets and Packages

On this page:
Accessing the Content Browser
Content Browser Topics
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure The Content Browser is the primary area of the Unreal Editor for creating, importing, organizing, viewing, and modifying content assets
Derived Data Cache within Unreal Editor. It also provides the ability to manage content folders and perform other useful operations on assets, such as renaming,
External Content Development Standards moving, copying, and viewing references. The Content Browser can search for and interact with all assets in the game.
Content Programming

In the Content Browser, you can:
Engine Features
Browse to and interact with all assets found in the game.
Gameplay Guide
Find assets, whether saved or unsaved:
Programming Guide Text Filter: In the Search Assets box, type text to find assets by Name, Path, Tags, or Type. You can exclude assets from your
Platform Development search by prefixing a search token with a '-'.
Samples and Tutorials Extended Filter: Click the Filters button to filter by asset type(s) and other criteria.
Release Notes Organize assets without ever needing to check out packages from source control:
Site Map
Create Local or Private Collections and store assets in them for future use.
Create Shared Collections to share interesting assets with your coworkers.
Get development assistance:
Show assets that may contain problems.
Use the Migrate tool to move assets and all their dependent assets to other content folders automatically.
Accessing the Content Browser

The Content Browser is accessible from the Window menu. You can open up to four concurrent instances of the Content Browser at a
time. This is useful in a variety of ways, such as:
Having different asset types filtered in different Content Browsers, such as one that just shows Static Meshes and another that just
shows Materials.
Moving assets between different folders where you would like to see the other assets available in the folders.
By default, the Content Browser is docked in the lower left corner of the main Level Editor interface, but it can be re-docked anywhere
within the Level Editor or floated as its own window.
Content Browser Topics
Full
Content Browser UI Sources Panel In-Depth Working with Assets Collections
Filters Folders Developers Folder Source Control
Topic Index
Replace References Tool Migrating Assets Reference Viewer
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Level Designer Quick Start Content Browser

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Content Browser UI

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Navigation Bar
Actors and Geometry Sources Panel
Components Collections Panel
Managing Content Asset Management Area
Artist Quick Start Asset View
Content Browser
Here is a brief rundown of the key areas of the Content Browser's interface:
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Collections
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

Number
Name
Programming Guide
Platform Development 1 Navigation Bar
Samples and Tutorials 2 Sources View

Release Notes
3 Collections Panel
Site Map
4 Asset Management Area
5 Asset View
Navigation Bar
Located at the top of the Content Browser, the Navigation Bar provides access to web browser-style controls for navigating between
asset folders, as well as the ability to show and hide the Sources View.
Number
Name
Description
1 Show/Hide Sources
This button toggles the Sources View and Collections area, allowing those parts of the browser to
and Collections be quickly collapsed for more screen real estate space.
2 History Back and

Functioning like web browser forward and back buttons, these buttons allow you to navigate
Forward Buttons between recent file paths.
3 Breadcrumb Trail
This section shows the current file path, allowing you to quickly navigate to parent folders.
Path
Sources Panel
The Sources panel is located on the left side of the Content Browser interface. It contains a list of all folders and Collections within your
game project.
When the list of folders extends beyond the bottom of the panel, you can use the scroll bar to scroll up and down. You can also rotate the
mouse wheel to scroll the list, or drag with the right mouse button to move the list up and down.
Number
Name
Description
1 Search
This field allows you to narrow down the list of available folders by entering search criteria. Each character
Bar entered will filter the Sources panel to show only folders including the entered string.
2 Asset
This hierarchical list shows all folders currently in your game project. Each folder is expandable and collapsible
Tree with the small triangle next to its name.
You can exclude assets from your search by prefixing the search text with a hyphen (-).
For more information about the Sources panel, see Sources Panel In-Depth.
Collections Panel
The Collections panel provides a quick-access list of all the Collections created on your workstation or set up via source control.
Number
Name
Description
1 Collapse/Expand
This triangular button allows you to quickly collapse and expand the Collections area, useful for more
Button space while using the Sources panel.
2 Collections List
Provides an alphabetical list of all Collections in this project.
3 Add Collections
Clicking this button allows you to create a new Collection.
Button
For more information on Collections and their use, see Collections.
Asset Management Area

The Asset Management Area provides a wide range of functionality for assets including creation, saving, searching, and filtering. This region
of the UI works closely with the Asset View, as all filters and searches created here will be applied there, hiding all assets that do not fit the
filters and the search criteria.
For more information on working with filters, see Filters.
Number
Name
Description
1 Filters
This opens up the filter selection panel, where you can choose what filters you would like to apply to the Asset
Button View.
2 Search
This field allows you to narrow down the list of available assets by entering search criteria. Each character
Bar entered will reduce the Sources panel to show only assets including the entered string.
3 Save
Allows you to save all new and edited assets.
Button
4 Filters
Shows all active filters on the current folder of assets.
Bar
For more information on creating and saving assets, see Working with Assets.
Asset View
The Asset View is the primary region of the Content Browser UI. This region provides a grid or list of all available assets within a folder,
after all filters and searches have been applied.
The assets available in the Asset View can be dragged and dropped into a scene for fast deployment. New assets can be created within the
Asset View by right-clicking and choosing the desired asset from the context menu. The list of assets can be navigated by using scroll
bar, rotating the mouse wheel, or dragging with the right mouse button.
Number
Name
Description
1 View Area
This shows an array of assets included in the selected folder, as adjusted by all filters and search criteria.
2 Asset
Shows the current number of assets displayed once all filters and searches are applied.
Count
3 View
Contains a thumbnail size slider, the view style selection for assets, and the ability to preview and modify the
Options thumbnails of 3D assets.
For more information about working with assets, see Working with Assets.
View Styles
The assets in the Asset View can be viewed in three different styles: Tiles, List, and Columns.
Tiles
The Tiles view lays out all assets into a grid of tiles, like so:
List
The List view lays out all assets into a list of thumbnails with names, like so:
Columns
The Columns view lays out all assets spreadsheet-like arrangement of properties, like so:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Working with Assets

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Adding Assets
Actors and Geometry Deleting Assets
Components Common Actions
Managing Content Asset Actions
Artist Quick Start Reference Handling
Content Browser Asset Management
Content Browser UI Drag and Drop Actor Creation
Working with Assets Real-Time Rendered Thumbnail Previews
Folders
Creation of assets within the Content Browser is designed to be fast, easy, and as streamlined as possible. Only if Unreal needs further
Filters
information will asset creation produce a dialog. Apart from that, you simply specify the name and you are ready to go.
Collections
Migrating Assets
Adding Assets
Reference Viewer
New assets can be created by clicking the New Asset button or right-clicking in a blank area of the Content Browser, and then choosing
Reference Tree Tool
the desired asset from the context menu.
Developers Folder
Redirectors
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Deleting Assets
Deleting assets from Unreal Editor is also quite easy. Simply right-click on the asset you want to delete, and then choose Delete from the
context menu.
This will bring up a confirmation window to verify the deletion action, like so:
If you are already using the asset in your level, or if other assets have dependences on it or reference it, you may receive a warning window
preventing the deletion action:
If this is the case you can choose either Replace References to choose a same type asset that can will be referenced in its place, or you
can choose Force Delete which will not replace any references to the asset. This can leave empty assets referenced in your project.
Common Actions
In the context menu you see when you right-click an asset in the Content Browser, in the Common section, you will see the following
options:
Item
Description
Edit
Opens the selected asset in its respective editor.
Rename
Allows you to quickly rename an asset. Also updates all references to the renamed asset.
Duplicate
Creates a copy of the selected asset at the current location. To relocate the copy, drag it into a new folder in
the Source View.
Select Actors Using This

Selects all Actors in your level that are based on this asset.
Asset
Save
This saves the asset to a .uasset file.
Delete
Allows for deletion, so long as the asset has no outstanding references that would prevent its removal.
Asset Actions
Opens another drop down menu with more commands.
Asset Actions
In the context menu you see when you right-click an asset in the Content Browser, in the Asset Actions section, you will see the
following commands:
Item
Description
Create Blueprints
Creates a Blueprint and adds this asset as a component to the Blueprint.
Using This
Select Actors Using

Selects all Actors in your level that are based on this asset.
This Asset
Select Containing
Selects the folder in the Source View's Asset Tree where the selected asset exists. Useful for finding the true
Folder location of assets that are in collections.
Show In Explorer
Opens the Windows Explorer folder that contains the .uasset file that the asset is stored in.
Export
Allows you to export an asset into an external file format. The available formats will change depending on the
type of asset selected.
Migrate
Opens the Migrate tool, which you can use to move the asset and all its dependent assets to a new game folder.
For more information, see Migrating Assets.
Replace References
Combines multiple assets into one asset.
For more information, see Replace References Tool.
Property Matrix
Opens up the Property Matrix Editor for the selected assets.
For more information, see Property Matrix.
Reference Handling
As you use assets from the Content Browser, the editor produces a list of references to each one. It is important to know how to work with
these references. If you are unable to delete or remove an asset because it is being referenced by other objects, these tools will help you
quickly track down those references and remove them, as well.
In the context menu you see when you right-click an asset in the Content Browser, in the References section, you will see the following
commands:
Item
Description
Copy
This copies the references for all selected objects to the clipboard. This is useful when you need to paste the path to an
Reference asset into a text field, or if you require an external list.
Reference
This opens the Reference Viewer, which displays a graph of the asset and its references. For more information, see
Viewer Reference Viewer.
Asset Management
Assets and the folders that contain them can easily be managed from the Content Browser. Assets can be moved or copied from one
folder to another, new folders can be created, and entire folder structures can be moved all within the Asset Tree, including through the
use of drag and drop.

Move Folder
Move Asset
Drag and Drop Actor Creation
The Content Browser supports drag and drop behavior for creating Actors based on assets into your levels, as well as for moving assets
around in between folders.
When you drag an asset into the level, a preview of the Actor based on that asset will appear, allowing you to see exactly where and how
the Actor will be placed in the level.
These assets are loaded into memory on demand.
Real-Time Rendered Thumbnail Previews

Many of the assets available within the Content Browser have thumbnails that can be rendered in real-time. This allows for quick preview
of the given asset without having to open it up in its respective editor.
The following types of assets can be viewed in real-time:
Static Meshes
Skeletal Meshes
Materials
Blueprints that include a Static or Skeletal Mesh component
To preview a thumbnail in real-time, click on the button located at the bottom right of the Content Browser. In the pop-up
menu that appears, choose Thumbnail Edit Mode. The bottom of the Content Browser will display the following:
While this is active, you can drag on any of the above listed asset types to see them within a 3D environment. The controls are as follows:
Button Control
Left mouse-button drag

Rotates around the asset.
Right mouse-button drag

Zooms (dollies) the camera in and out.
When previewing a material in real-time, you can click on the small primitive icon in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail to
change the display primitive.
When finished previewing your assets, simply click the button.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Folders

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Collections
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool The folder structure in the Content Browser reflects the folder structure you set up for your project. You can set up your folders any way
Replace References Tool you would like.
Developers Folder
Redirectors
By default, the Sources View's Asset Tree contains a Developers folder. This folder is intended for testing and experimentation.
Assets and Packages
For more information, see Sources Panel In-Depth and Developers Folder.
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 The Content Browser's Asset View can be customized to show folders, instead of individual assets. This expands on the default Asset
Tools & Scripts View behavior and can make folder management much easier.
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache To show folders in the Asset View, click the button in the lower-right corner of the Content Browser, and then select
External Content Development Standards Show Folders.
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
With the Show Folders option selected, the Content Browser will show folders in the Asset View, along with any assets that exist in the
current folder.
Just as in the Asset Tree, you can drag folders into new locations in your project from the Asset View. This can make Show Folders a useful
option for project folder management.
For information about the Developers folder, see Developers Folder.
For information about working with the Sources Panel, see Sources Panel In-Depth.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Filters

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Adding Filters
Actors and Geometry Deactivating Filters
Components Removing Filters
Managing Content Filters and Multiple Content Browsers
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Collections
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects You may find that your project contains so many assets that scanning through the Content Browser to look for an individual asset becomes
Engine Features time-consuming and slows down your productivity. This is where filters come in.
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Filters provide a fast way to narrow down the types of assets visible in the Asset View of the Content Browser. Each filter represents either
Programming Guide a specific asset type or additional criteria that may be used to limit the types of assets visible in the Content Browser.
Samples and Tutorials Adding Filters

Release Notes
Site Map Adding filters is as easy as clicking on the button, located at the top of the Asset View in the Content Browser. This will bring up
New and Updated Resources the Filters List, with flyout submenus available in each category. Select each type of filter you want to add it to the Filter Bar, which is only
visible when you have one or more active filters.
You may add as many filters to your current Asset View as you like. Filters are additive by nature, meaning that if you start by selecting the
Static Mesh filter, you will only see Static Meshes. If you then select the Blueprint filter, you will see Static Meshes and Blueprints. Each
filter you add increases the number of available asset types. Keep in mind that you can always see how many assets are currently visible in
the lower-left corner of the Asset View.
You can add all filters under a given category of the filters list by selecting the category itself.
Deactivating Filters
Filters can be turned on and off by clicking on them. A deactivated filter has no effect, and will appear grayed out. To turn a filter back on,
simply click it again.
In the above image, the Material filter is active while the Skeletal Mesh filter has been deactivated.
Removing Filters
You can remove a filter from the list when you no longer need it. This can be done in two different ways:
1. Right-click on the filter in the list, and choose Remove Filter from the context menu that appears.
2. Click on the button, and deselect the selected filter by clicking its check box. This will remove those filters from the filters bar.
You can also select and then deselect any category to remove all the filters in that category.
Filters and Multiple Content Browsers

It can be useful to combine the use of filters with multiple Content Browsers. This would, for instance, allow you to have one Content
Browser showing only a given asset type, such as Blueprints, while a second Content Browser shows only Static Meshes, as shown
here:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Sources Panel In-Depth

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Toggling the Sources Panel
Actors and Geometry Selecting Sources
Components Right-Click Context Menu
Managing Content Moving and Copying
Artist Quick Start

Since the Sources panel gives you a hierarchical representation of all the folders in your project, it is important to know all the ways in
Content Browser
which the Content Browser allows you to access the assets within those folders.
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Collections
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

For more information about the Developers folder, see Developers Folder.
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects Toggling the Sources Panel

Engine Features
If you like, you can close the Sources panel when you are working with the Content Browser. By clicking the button at the top of the
Gameplay Guide
window, you can display or hide the Sources panel at will. This is highly useful when you need more screen real estate space, or when you
are working with multiple Content Browsers.
Programming Guide

Hiding the Sources panel also hides the Collections panel.
Release Notes
Site Map
Selecting Sources
The Asset View can only show assets based on the following criteria: selected sources, then any filters and searches. For this reason, it is
important to know that you must have the appropriate source folder(s) selected in order to see the assets within them.
In order to search for assets in multiple folders, you must select all the folders you want to search. The Asset View will not
display assets of any unselected folders. This means that in order to search all assets within your project, you must have all
project folders (or a parent folder that contains all of them) selected in the Sources View.
Like with folder and file listings in many programs and operating systems, the following key combinations apply:
Mouse Click - Replaces current selection with whatever folder was clicked.
Shift+click - Toggles a folder's selection status. Will also range-select all folders between a start and end point.
Ctrl+click - Toggles a folder's selection status, but does nothing to any folders that were not clicked.
Right-Click Context Menu

If you right-click on any of the folders within the Sources panel, the following context menu will appear:

Name
Description
New Folder
Creates a new folder underneath the currently selected one.
Folder Options
New Asset
Opens another submenu showing the various types of assets that can be created.
Show in Explorer
Opens up the folder in Windows explorer. See Browsing Assets in Windows below.
Rename
Rename the selected folder.
Set Color
Allows you to set the color of a selected folder for organizational purposes.
Bulk Operations
Save All
Saves all new or changed assets, as well as all new folders. Remember to do this often when making changes.
Delete
Deletes the currently selected folder and all of its contents.
Size Map
Show an interactive map of the approximate memory used by the assets in this folder and everything they
reference.
Reference Viewer
Displays a graph of references for the folder.
Fixed Up Redirectors
Finds referencers to all redirectors in the selected folders and resaves them if possible, then deletes any
in Folder redirectors that had all their referencers fixed.
Migrate
Copies assets found in this folder and their dependencies to another game content folder.
Source Control (options are only visible if the source control setting is active in the Level Editor's Preferences)
Check Out
Marks the selected folder as "checked out," locking it from edits by other users.
Mark For Add

Marks the selected folder for addition onto the source control server.
Check In
Submits all edits and additions, and unlocks the checked-out folder.
Sync
Syncs all the assets in this folder to the latest version.
For information about setting up and using source control, see Source Control.
Moving and Copying

You can move or copy folders from one folder location to another by dragging and dropping selected folders within the Sources panel.
When you do this, the following context menu will appear:
Name
Description
Move/Copy
Copy Folder Here

Makes a duplicate of the selected folder in the destination folder.
Move Folder Here

Moves the folder to the new location, meaning that it will no longer be in the original location.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Collections

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Collections serve as a way to organize sets of assets into personally defined groups, like folders. For instance, you may find it useful to
Content Browser UI
create a Collection of all environment-based Static Meshes that fit a certain visual style, for quick access later.
Working with Assets
Folders Under the hood, Collections are really just lists of references to given assets. The assets themselves are not moved into the Collection. This
Filters means that a single asset can exist in any number of Collections, and you can create as many Collections as you wish.
Collections
Note: The Collections panel may not be available by default. To open the Collections panel, simply open the View Options drop
Migrating Assets
down menu, then click on Show Collections.
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Creating Collections
Programming Guide To create your first Collection left-click on the add Collection icon in the top right corner of the Collections panel and name.
Release Notes
Site Map

After your first Collection has been created, additional Collections are as easy as right-clicking within the Collections panel and entering a
name for the new Collection.
Collection Types
Collections can come in three different types, as defined by the small letter to the right of their name.
L - Local Collection; these Collections are available only on your local machine.
S - Shared Collection; these Collections are visible to other users.
P - Private Collection; these Collections are available only to those that have been specifically invited to view the Collection.
Shared and Private Collections are available only if Source Control is active under the main Editor Preferences.
Adding Asset References to Collections

To add an asset reference to a Collection, just drag the asset into the given Collection.
Removing Asset References from Collections
Removing asset references simply requires that you right-click on one or more selected assets and choose Remove from Collection from
the context menu. This does not delete the asset; it only removes the reference to that asset from the Collection.
If you select an asset in a Collection and press Delete, you can delete the asset entirely. You will get a prompt verifying that this
is what you want to do, but keep in mind that deleting an asset means it is destroyed. If you simply want the asset reference out
of the Collection, use the method described above.
Renaming and Destroying Collections
A Collection can be renamed by right-clicking on the given Collection and choosing Rename. Just enter the new name you are set to go.
To delete a Collection, just choose Delete from the right-click menu. Note that since Collections are just references to the actual assets,
deleting your Collections will not delete the assets within the Collection.
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Migrating Assets

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Sources Panel In-Depth The Content Browser contains the Migrate Tool, which allows assets to be copied from one project to another, along with any dependent
Collections assets. For instance, you can migrate a Material, and any Texture assets that define that Material will automatically be copied along with it.
Migrating Assets This is useful when you need to merge or fork projects, or when transitioning from a test environment into a production project.
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool Usage

Developers Folder To use the Migrate Tool:
Redirectors
Assets and Packages 1. Select the assets you wish to migrate in the Content Browser.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
2. Right-click on any of the selected assets and choose Asset Actions then Migrate from the context menu.
3. The Asset Report dialog appears, showing all the assets and dependencies that will be migrated. Confirm and click Ok.
4. Choose the appropriate content folder from another Unreal Engine project. This is the target location for the migration.
5. If the migration is successful, you will see a confirmation message stating which assets were copied into the target folder.
If you attempt to migrate into anything other than a game content folder, you may receive the following message:
In this case, confirm the location and either click Yes or No.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Reference Viewer

Advanced
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Reference Viewer displays a graph of assets that reference or are referenced by any assets that are currently selected in the Content
Level Editor
Browser.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

To display the Reference Viewer, right-click a selected asset (or assets) in the Content Browser, and, on the context menu that appears,
Components
click Reference Viewer.
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Collections
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

1. Other assets that reference the selected asset(s).
Programming Guide 2. The selected asset(s).

3. Other assets that are referenced by the selected asset(s).
Release Notes
You can also access the Reference Viewer by right-clicking a folder in the Asset Tree. The Reference Viewer will display a
Site Map
graph of references for all assets in that folder.
For more information about the Content Browser, see Content Browser.
Search Options
In the upper-left corner of the Reference Viewer, you can see two options related to the search used by the Unreal Editor to build the graph.

Item
Description
Search
The depth to which the engine will search for references. For example, a value of 2 means that the graph will display not only
Depth the assets related to the selected asset, but also the assets that are related to those related assets.
Limit
Search
The number of references listed in a given column (reference or referenced by). For example, if an asset references 20
Breadth assets, but the value of the Search Breadth Limit is set to 10, only 10 assets will be displayed in that column.
Limit
Context Menu Options

To view options for an asset in the graph, right-click the asset. A context menu will appear.

Item
Description
Find in Content
Finds the selected asset in the Content Browser.
Browser
Re-Center Graph
Recreates the graph around the selected asset, with assets it references and is referenced by.
List Referenced
Displays a list of assets referenced by the selected asset.
Objects
List Objects That

Displays a list of assets that reference the selected asset.
Reference
Make Collection
Creates a Collection with the assets that reference and are referenced by the selected asset.
With Referenced
Assets
Show Reference
Displays a Reference Tree for the selected asset. Note that depending on the complexity of your game, this may
Tree take some time. For more information about the Reference Tree, see Reference Tree Tool.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Reference Tree Tool

Advanced
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
On this page:
Filters Using the Reference Tree
Sources Panel In-Depth Options
Collections Notes
Migrating Assets
The Reference Tree is a tool that allows you to list the reference chains for a specific asset. A reference chain is a list of references in which
Reference Viewer
each object in the list references the objects below it in the list. The Reference Tree Tool allows you to easily find how objects are being
Reference Tree Tool
referenced.
Developers Folder
In the following image, you can see that the root of the tree is a Material named M_RTS_Env_Lava_01. The root of the tree is always the
Redirectors
object being examined. You can see that the Material is referenced by six Static Mesh Actors.
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Using the Reference Tree

You can access the Reference Tree from the Reference Viewer, which is a tool that displays a graph of asset dependencies. To open the
Reference Viewer, right-click an asset in the Content Browser, and then click Reference Viewer.
In the Reference Viewer, if you right-click an asset in the graph to display its context menu, you can then click Show Reference Tree,
which will display the Reference Tree for that asset.
For more information about the Reference Viewer, see Reference Viewer.
The initial load of the Reference Tree window may take several seconds, depending on how complex your game is and how
many objects you have. Although the Reference Tree can be a useful tool, if you want to see the dependencies between
assets, you may be able to find the information you want in the Reference Viewer itself, which typically loads more quickly than
the Reference Tree.
Options
View Menu
Rebuild Tree - Regenerates the tree and examines all loaded objects. This may take some time, but it is useful if you have changed
references to the asset being examined.
Expand All - Expands all nodes in the tree.
Collapse All - Collapses all nodes in the tree.
Options Menu
Show Script Objects - Displays script objects (references to assets in script), which are not displayed by default.
Context Menu
If you right-click an item in the Reference Tree, you will see a context menu with the available options.
Open Editor - Opens the asset in the appropriate asset editor. (For example, a Static Mesh would be opened in the Static Mesh
Editor.)
Show in Content Browser - Browses to the asset's location in the Content Browser, and selects it.
Double-clicking the asset in the Reference Tree also browses to the asset's location in the Content Browser and selects it.
Notes
The Reference Tree Tool only shows browsable Objects or Actors.
Due to performance reasons with the tree, only the first 100 items in each leaf of the tree are shown. If there are more than 100 items,
a node will be added saying how much more there are.
This tool is currently a work in progress.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Replace References Tool

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Using the Replace References Tool
Actors and Geometry Invoking the Replace References Tool
Components Consolidating Assets
Managing Content Saving Dirtied Packages
Artist Quick Start How the Replace References Tool Works
Content Browser Best Practices
Content Browser UI Limitations and Caveats
Working with Assets

The Replace References Tool provides a simple way within the editor to combine multiple assets into one asset. As an example, consider
Folders
a texture that has become duplicated numerous times over the course of development, resulting in a waste of resources by storing multiple
Filters
copies of what amounts to the exact same texture. The Replace References Tool allows the user to select all such uses as desired and
have them all point to one particular instance of the texture instead.
Collections
Migrating Assets While this has been greatly reduced by the Unreal Engine's ability to just re-import the source asset, if you attempt to add the exact same
Reference Viewer file twice (same name and path), it can still happen with multiple people working on a game.
Reference Tree Tool

Using the Replace References Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors The asset consolidation is fairly simple to use, but caution must be exercised to utilize it properly.
Assets and Packages
FBX Content Pipeline Invoking the Replace References Tool

Tools & Scripts

To gain access to the tool, you simply select at least one asset you wish to use in the consolidation process within the Content Browser.
Directory Structure
Afterwards, right-click, and within the context menu that appears, click "Replace References." The Replace References dialog will
Derived Data Cache

appear, populated with all of the assets that were selected while summoning the tool. You can add additional assets by dragging them from

the Content Browser into the main part of the dialog.
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects Consolidation is generally restricted to selected objects of the same type, with some exceptions allowed for Textures and
Engine Features Materials. If you do not see the Replace References option, or a drag-drop operation was not allowed, you should make sure
Gameplay Guide you have only selected assets of the same type! If you have accidentally added an asset that you did not intend, you can
Blueprints Visual Scripting remove it from the dialog by selecting it and pressing the Delete key on your keyboard.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Here a texture has been duplicated many times! Selecting them all and right-clicking grants the option to Replace References.
Consolidating Assets
Once you have populated the dialog with all of the assets you would like to use in the consolidation process, select one of the assets to
serve as the "asset to consolidate to" and then click Consolidate Assets. All references to the assets you did not choose from the list will
be replaced with references to the asset you did, deleting the non-chosen assets in the process.
The Consolidate Assets button is grayed out (and unavailable) until at least two assets are in the dialog and at least one is
selected.
Inside the Replace References dialog, selecting an asset marks it as the "asset to consolidate to."
Upon clicking Consolidate Assets, you will be prompted with a Delete Assets dialog, which enables you to remove assets that are no longer
referenced and thus no longer necessary. Click Delete.
All of the duplicates have been consolidated to the chosen asset!
Saving Dirtied Packages
The consolidation dialog provides the option to Save dirtied packages, in the lower-left corner. If you check this option, you will be prompted
upon the completion of a consolidation operation to save any of the UAssets dirtied by the process. This is a handy way to ensure that all of
the UAssets affected by consolidation are properly saved without having to find them all in the Content Browser yourself. If, for whatever
reason, a consolidation is unsuccessful or an error occurs, the UAssets will not be saved and you will be warned appropriately.
How the Replace References Tool Works

The actual consolidation process occurs in multiple steps. First, for any valid objects that are to be consolidated, the tool attempts to replace
all references of those objects with references to the "object to be consolidated to" within objects/UAssets that are already loaded and in
memory. What this means is if you have a map or UAsset already open that is referring to one of the objects to be consolidated, the tool will
attempt to update it immediately. Next, the tool attempts to delete the objects to be consolidated directly (there is a potential for this to fail,
see Limitations and Caveats). Finally, if the deletion was successful, the tool leaves behind object redirectors in the place of the deleted
objects. These will redirect unloaded UAssets with references to the deleted objects to the object you consolidated them to.
Best Practices
Improper use of the Replace References Tool can be extremely dangerous given the nature of what it does. Users of the tool should
always think carefully about what they are about to do and decide if the resulting operation would make sense in the context of their
assets. The tool attempts to guard against some obviously incorrect consolidations, but users should still always exercise caution in
order to avoid ruining UAssets. Keep in mind that the tool will delete consolidated assets and route previous uses of them to the
selected Object; it is not an alternative method of doing a "replace Actor"-type operation.
While the Replace References Tool will attempt to forcibly replace references to Objects to consolidate in UAssets/maps that are
currently loaded and in memory, it is best to maximize the chance of a successful consolidation by having as few things referencing
the Objects to consolidate as possible while using the tool. In particular, it is extremely ill-advised to have sub-editors (such as the
Blueprint Editor or the Static Mesh Editor) open and utilizing assets that are about to be consolidated.
The Replace References Tool makes heavy use of object redirectors, meaning it is a good idea to occasionally make use of the
Fixup Redirects Commandlet sometime after the use of the Replace References Tool.
Limitations and Caveats

While useful, the Replace References Tool does have some limitations and caveats, outlined below:
To prevent the user from accidentally destroying their work, the Replace References Tool can only be invoked on assets that share
the same class/type, with an exception made if all objects are a type of Material or a type of Texture (meaning that a Material could
be consolidated to a Decal Material, even though they are not strictly the same type). This restriction is in place to prevent
consolidations that would certainly cause crashes, such as consolidating a Material into a Static Mesh. Even where cross-type
consolidation is allowed, the tool presents a clearly visible warning that multiple types have been chosen for consolidation.
The Replace References Tool cannot always consolidate the assets the user has selected. If a user selects an "asset to consolidate
to" that contains references to one of the assets to consolidate, that particular asset to consolidate will not be consolidated. Allowing
such an operation would make the "asset to consolidate to" refer to itself, which would certainly lead to trouble. At the end of a
consolidation operation, the user is warned which, if any, of their assets were skipped for consolidation.
The Replace References Tool can sometimes fail to consolidate an otherwise valid asset if not all of its references could be cleared,
or it could not be deleted for some reason. This type of failure is critical, resulting in "partial consolidation," in which some uses of an
asset have been consolidated and some have not. This type of failure should be quite rare, but should the situation arise, the user is
warned with a dialog showing the affected assets and potentially affected UAssets. The user should NOT save any of the affected
UAssets or they will be accepting a potentially disastrous partial consolidation.
As mentioned in Best Practices, it is extremely ill-advised to utilize the Replace References Tool while potentially affected assets are
being used in various sub-editors, such as Persona or the Blueprint Editor. Ultimately, most sub-editors as of yet do not respond well
to having references swapped from under them, so using the sub-editors while consolidating can lead to the sub-editors being put
into invalid states and/or potentially crashing.
The Replace References Tool only replaces references to the consolidated objects in UAssets that were already loaded at the time of
the operation. It relies on object redirectors to fix up the remaining references in unloaded UAssets. This means care should be
taken to not perform an action that will trample on, overwrite, delete, etc. the redirectors, unless specifically desired. Otherwise, some
UAssets will correctly be fixed up and some will not. As outlined earlier, making use of the Fixup Redirects Commandlet can alleviate
this issue.
For now, once a consolidation operation has been successfully performed, it is advised to save the relevant UAssets before
attempting to load into memory any unloaded UAssets that also reference one of the consolidated objects. A currently outstanding
Content Browser/Object Redirector "bug" can cause consolidated assets to reappear in the browser if a referencing UAsset is loaded
before saving.
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Developers Folder

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Content Browser UI
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
Collections
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool
Developers Folder
Redirectors Underneath the Assets area, within the Game folder, you will see a Developers folder. This contains all assets that are currently in the works
Assets and Packages by fellow developers. This makes for a useful collaborative environment when trying out new techniques and assets. However, there are
FBX Content Pipeline some guidelines you should keep in mind:
Tools & Scripts 1. This is intended to be used for your own personal research or experimental and test work only, as it allows you to test things
Directory Structure without disturbing other aspects of the game.
Derived Data Cache
2. Since this is meant to be strictly personal work, it is a good policy to never reference work from this folder to anywhere outside your
folder.
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects 3. Think of your developer folder like a sandbox environment that should remain isolated from the remainder of your game production.
Engine Features 4. The name of your developer folder will be the same as your Windows username, minus any illegal characters such as spaces or
Gameplay Guide periods.
5. Other developers can see what assets are in your folder, but only if you are using Source Control and if they have activated the
Programming Guide
"Show Other Developers" checkbox, located under Filters > Other Filters > Other Developers in the Content Browser.

For more information about working with the Sources Panel, see Sources Panel In-Depth.
Release Notes
Site Map
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Level Designer Quick Start Engine Features

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Redirectors

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels FixupRedirects Commandlet
Actors and Geometry Gotchas
Components Renaming
Managing Content Dangling Redirector
Artist Quick Start

Moving or renaming an asset in UE4 leaves a Redirector in its old location. This is so that packages that are not currently loaded, but
Content Browser
reference this asset, will know where to find it in its new location. Choosing a naming system early on and sticking with it will avoid many of
Content Browser UI
the problems experienced with Redirectors.
Working with Assets
Folders
Filters
FixupRedirects Commandlet
Be sure to run the FixupRedirects commandlet on a regular basis. On previous projects, our Level Designers ran this commandlet on all
Collections
packages every two weeks. It will clean up as much as it can (so it does not require that everyone check in every package).
Migrating Assets
Reference Viewer
Reference Tree Tool

Gotchas
Renaming
Developers Folder
Redirectors
If you create an object, rename it, and then create a new object with the same name as the original, an error will occur. This is because a
Assets and Packages Redirector was created when the first object was renamed, and a Redirector and a resource cannot have the same name. To solve this, try
FBX Content Pipeline the FixupRedirects commandlet.
Tools & Scripts Dangling Redirector

Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache There are a few known issues with Redirectors that can be reproduced as follows:

Scenario 1
Content Programming

Rename object A to B.
Engine Features
Delete B.
Gameplay Guide
An error message will say that B could not be deleted because it is in use. This happens because the Redirector created during the
rename will still point to B.
Programming Guide
Platform Development Scenario 2

Release Notes
Rename object A to B.
Site Map
Rename object B back to A.

Delete A.
The redirector that was created for the first rename will be destroyed, but a new one will be created at B. As a result, A will not be able
to be deleted because it is being referenced.
Running the FixupRedirects commandlet before deleting should solve these problems.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Assets and Packages

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Working with Assets
Actors and Geometry Asset Naming
Components Copying Assets to Other Projects
Managing Content Asset Packs
Artist Quick Start

When a workflow includes package files that each contain several assets, source-control contention can be an issue. A workflow that
Content Browser
instead supports and encourages creating many individual asset files means that each asset can be checked out individually. This reduces
Assets and Packages
source-control contention and bottlenecks in workflow.
Content Asset Types
Asset Creation Additionally, sync time in content management systems is faster with individual asset files than with packages containing multiple assets,
Starter Content because a change to a single asset requires only one small file update.
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 In the Unreal Editor, assets are stored in .uasset files, each of which typically contains only a single asset. Each asset reference contains a
Tools & Scripts directory-style path that uniquely identifies any asset in the game.
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

You create assets in, or import them into, the Content Browser. For information about creating assets, see Asset Creation. For information

about working with the Content Browser, see Content Browser.
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects Working with Assets

Engine Features
You can find a list of assets in the Asset Tree, which is in the Content Browser. You can expand or collapse the Asset Tree in the
Gameplay Guide
Content Browser by clicking its button ( ).
Programming Guide
The Asset Tree displays a list of folders in your content directories where .uasset files reside.
Clicking on a folder in the Asset Tree shows you all the assets found in that folder and its subfolders.
Right-clicking on a folder shows you a list of actions you can do to that folder and assets in the folder or its subfolders. You can add
Release Notes
new folders to the Asset Tree via this context menu.
Site Map

You can no longer freely move asset files between folders outside of the Unreal Editor and expect references to remain intact.
Instead, you must move assets from within the Content Browser. This is because references to assets include the full directory
path to the asset. If you move an asset, its path will change.
Level (.umap) files are not affected by this restriction.
For more information on using the Content Browser to move, rename, add, and delete assets, see Working with Assets.
Asset Naming
You name assets at the time that you create or import them. Your asset's path is set automatically by the folder in which you create or
import it, which is directly associated with the asset's location on disk. For example, a path of Content/Characters/MyCharacter would save
to /UE4/MyProject/Content/Characters/MyCharacter.MyCharacter.uasset.
References to assets contain the path in the reference, for example: Blueprint'/MyProject/Content/Characters/MyCharacter.MyCharacter'.
Copying Assets to Other Projects
You can use the Migrate Tool in the Content Browser to create a copy of an asset (and any dependent assets) for use in another project.
For more information about the Migrate Tool, see Migrating Assets.
Asset Packs
If you have downloaded asset packs through the Launcher, you can add the entire contents of the pack to your project without needing to
open it or migrate specific assets.
To add an asset pack to your project:
1. Find the asset pack in your Vault which is located at the bottom of the Learn tab.
2. Click on Add to Project.
3. Select your project in the list that appears.
4. Click on Add to Project.
When you next open your project, all of the content will be there, inside a folder named for the asset pack.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Content Asset Types

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types
Static Meshes
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Textures Static Meshes Skeletal Meshes
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 Image assets used in Materials to apply to Static geometry which can be cached in video Meshes bound to a hierarchical skeleton of
surfaces or drawn on-screen by the HUD. memory and rendered by the graphics card. bones which can be animated for the purpose of
Tools & Scripts deforming the mesh.
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
IES Light Profiles Audio Files APEX Types
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Using IES Light Profiles in Unreal Engine 4. The basic requirements for getting sound files Nvidia APEX Physics Lab APX and APB files.
into Unreal Engine 4.
Programming Guide
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Release Notes
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INT
Level Designer Quick Start Content Asset Types

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Static Meshes

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types

A Static Mesh is a piece of geometry that consists of a set of polygons that can be cached in video memory and rendered by the graphics
Static Meshes
card. This allows them to be rendered efficiently, meaning they can be much more complex than other types of geometry such as Brushes.
Static Mesh Editor UI
Since they are cached in video memory, Static Meshes can be translated, rotated, and scaled, but they cannot have their vertices animated
Static Mesh How To
in any way.
Unwrapping UVs for Lightmaps
Simplygon LODs Static Meshes are the basic unit used to create world geometry for levels created in the Unreal Engine. These are 3D models created in
Static Mesh Morph Targets external modeling applications (such as 3dsMax, Maya, Softimage, and so on) that are imported into the Unreal Editor through the Content
Textures Browser, saved in packages, and then used in various ways to create renderable elements. The vast majority of any map in a game made
Skeletal Meshes with Unreal will consist of Static Meshes, generally in the form of Static Mesh Actors. Other uses of Static Meshes are for creating movers
Asset Creation such as doors or lifts, rigid body physics objects, foliage and terrain decorations, procedurally created buildings, game objectives, and many
Starter Content more visual elements.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Setting up, exporting, and importing Static Meshes using the FBX content
pipeline.
Programming Guide
Samples and Tutorials Content Creation

Release Notes Simplygon LODs
Site Map
Light Map Unwrapping
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StaticMesh Editor Interface
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Level Designer Quick Start Static Meshes

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Static Mesh Editor UI

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Menu Bar
Actors and Geometry File
Components Edit
Managing Content Asset
Artist Quick Start Mesh
Content Browser Collision
Assets and Packages Window
Content Asset Types Help
Static Meshes Toolbar
Static Mesh Editor UI Viewport Panel
Static Mesh How To Details Panel
Unwrapping UVs for Lightmaps Controls
Simplygon LODs Mouse Controls
Static Mesh Morph Targets Keyboard Controls
Textures
The Static Mesh Editor consists of four areas:
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
1. Menu Bar
2. Toolbar
3. Viewport Panel
4. Details Panel
Menu Bar
File
Save - Saves the asset you are currently working on.

Open Asset - Opens the Global Asset Picker to quickly find an asset and open the appropriate editor.
Save All - Saves all unsaved levels and assets for your project.
Choose Files to Save - Brings up a dialog box that allows you to choose which levels and assets you want to save for your project.
Connect To Source Control - Brings up a dialog box that allows you to choose or interact with a source-control system that the
Unreal Editor can integrate with.
Edit
Undo - Undoes the most recent action.

Redo - Redoes the most recent Undo, if it was the last action taken.
Delete Socket - Deletes the selected socket from the mesh.
Duplicate Socket - Duplicates the selected socket.
Editor Preferences - Gives you a list of options, any of which open that part of the Editor Preferences window, where you can
modify your Unreal Editor preferences.
Project Settings - Gives you a list of options, any of which open that part of the Project Settings window, where you can modify
various settings for your Unreal Engine project.
Asset
Find in Content Browser - Locates and selects the current asset in the Content Browser.
Reimport filename - Reimports the current asset from its original location on disk.
Mesh
Find Source - Opens Windows Explorer at the folder where the Static Mesh's original source file resides.
Change Mesh - Changes the Static Mesh asset loaded in the Static Mesh Editor to the asset currently selected in the Content
Browser.
Collision
6DOP Simplified Collision - Generates a new axis-aligned box collision mesh (6 total sides) encompassing the Static Mesh.
10DOP-X Simplified Collision - Generates a new axis-aligned box collision mesh with the 4 X-axis aligned edges beveled (10 total
sides) encompassing the Static Mesh.
10DOP-Y Simplified Collision - Generates a new axis-aligned box collision mesh with the 4 Y-axis aligned edges beveled (10 total
10DOP-Z Simplified Collision - Generates a new axis-aligned box collision mesh with the 4 Z-axis aligned edges beveled (10 total
18DOP Simplified Collision - Generates a new axis-aligned box collision mesh with all edges beveled (18 total sides) encompassing
the Static Mesh.
26DOP Simplified Collision - Generates a new axis-aligned box collision mesh with all edges and corners beveled (26 total sides)
encompassing the Static Mesh.
Auto Convex Collision - Generates a new convex collision mesh based on the shape of the Static Mesh asset.
Sphere Simplified Collision - Generates a new sphere collision mesh encompassing the Static Mesh.
Remove Collision - Removes any simplified collision assigned to the Static Mesh.
Convert Boxes to Convex - Converts any simple box collision meshes to convex collision meshes.
Copy Collision from Selected Static Mesh - Copies any collision meshes that were created in the native 3D application and saved
with the Static Mesh.
For more information about collision for Static Meshes in Unreal Engine, see the [Collision Reference%
(Engine/Physics/Collision/Reference).
Window
Toolbar - Toggles the display of the Toolbar.

Viewport - Toggles the display of the Viewport panel.
Details - Toggles the display of the Details panel.
Socket Manager - Displays the Socket Manager panel, which is not displayed by default.
Convex Decomposition - Displays the Convex Decomposition panel, which is not displayed by default.
Generate Unique UVs - Displays the Generate Unique UVs panel, which is not displayed by default.
Content Browser - Brings up the Content Browser in a separate window.
Developer Tools - Brings up the selected Developer Tool in a separate window (Camera Debugger, Collision Analyzer, Debug
Tools, Modules, Widget Reflector).
Blueprint Debugger - Brings up the Blueprint Debugger in a separate window.

Collision Analyzer - Brings up the Collision Analyzer in a separate window.
Debug Tool - Brings up the Debug Tool in a separate window.
Message Log - Brings up the Message Log in a separate window.
Output Log - Brings up the Output Log in a separate window.
Visual Logger - Bring up the Visual Logger tool in a separate window.
Class Viewer - Brings up the Class Viewer in a separate window.
Device Manager - Brings up Device Manager in a separate window.
Device Profiles - Brings up the Device Profiles in a separate window.
Modules - Brings up Modules in a separate window.
Session Frontend - Brings up Unreal Frontend in a separate window.
Widget Reflector - Brings up Widget Reflector in a separate window.
Undo History - Brings up the Undo History panel in a separate window.

Plugins - Brings up the Plugins window.
Reset Layout - Resets your layout to a default arrangement. Requires the editor to restart after saving your changes and creating a
backup of your settings.
Save Layout - Saves the current layout of the panels as the new default layout.
Enable Fullscreen - Enables fullscreen mode for the application, expanding across the entire monitor.
Help
Browse Documentation - Opens a browser window and navigates to the documentation about this tool.
Forums - Opens a browser window to the Unreal Engine Forums where you can discuss the Unreal Engine with other users.
Answer Hub - Opens a browser window to the Unreal Engine 4 Answer Hub where you can ask questions and find useful answers
provided by other users and experts.
Wiki - Opens a browser window to the official Unreal Engine 4 Wiki where you can find useful tutorials and examples made by both
users and experts here at Epic.
Visit UnrealEngine.com - Opens EpicGames.com in a browser window.
About Unreal Editor - Displays application credits, copyright information, and build information.
Toolbar
Item
Description

Toggles whether the viewport updates in realtime, or only when clicked on / moused over. By default, it is turned off, and
you may need to click in the viewport once after the mesh is loaded in order to get streamed textures displaying at high
resolution.

Displays any sockets that have been applied to this mesh. For more information about sockets, see
SkeletalMeshSockets.

Toggles the viewmode of the Preview panel between a lit view and a wireframe view.

Toggles visibility of vertex colors.

Toggles visibility of the grid in the Preview panel.

Toggles display of the bounds of the Static Mesh.

Toggles display of the simplified collision mesh of the Static Mesh, if one has been assigned.

Toggles visibility of the mesh's pivot point.

Toggles display of vertex normals in the Preview panel.

Toggles display of vertex tangents in the Preview panel.

Toggles display of vertex binormals (orthogonal vector to normal and tangent) in the Preview panel.

Toggles display of the Static Mesh's UVs for the channel specified in the LightMapCoordinateIndex property of the Static
Mesh asset in the Preview panel.

Toggles whether or not to draw additional user data associated with the asset.

Brings up a dropdown of all the available UV channels for the mesh. Only pertinent when the UV overlay is visible.

Refocuses the camera on the Static Mesh.

Opens up a drop-down list with all of the available LODs on the current mesh.
Viewport Panel
The Viewport panel shows a rendered (or optionally wireframe) view of the Static Mesh asset. This allows you to examine the Static Mesh
as it would be rendered in-game. This viewport also allows you to preview the bounds of the Static Mesh asset as well as its collision mesh,
if one has been assigned. In addition, the UVs of the Static Mesh can be displayed.
Overlaid onto the Viewport panel is a set of statistics or information about the Static Mesh asset.
In this information you will find the following:
LOD - Displays the number of LOD (Levels of Detail) for the Static Mesh.
Triangles - Displays the number of triangles in the Static Mesh.
Vertices - Displays the number of vertices in the Static Mesh.
UV channels - Number of UV channels. Unique, non-overlapping UVs are required for shadow mapping.
Approx Size - Displays the approximate size (Length x Width x Height) of the Static Mesh in Unreal units with a scale of 1 in all axes.
Details Panel
The Details panel shows specific properties pertaining to the Static Mesh Actor, such as the Materials applied to the surface, LOD options,
and mesh reduction options.
For information about the basics of using this panel, see the Editor Details Panel documentation.
Controls
Mouse Controls
Viewport Panel
LMB + Drag - If the camera is locked, rotates the mesh around its Z axis and moves towards or away from the origin. Otherwise,
rotates the camera around its Z axis and moves the camera along its local X axis.
RMB + Drag - If the camera is locked, rotates the mesh. Otherwise, rotates the camera.
LMB + RMB + Drag - If the camera is not locked, moves the camera along its local YZ plane.
Keyboard Controls
Ctrl + R - Toggles realtime in the Preview panel.

L + Mouse Move - Rotates the preview light in the Preview panel.
Camera Hotkeys
Alt+H - Position camera to the Front Orthographic view.

Alt+J - Position camera to the Top Orthographic view.
Alt+K - Position camera to the Side Orthographic view.
Alt+G - Position camera to the Perspective view.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Static Mesh How To

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The following How-to series will teach you the basics of Static Meshes and the Static Mesh Editor. From importing a mesh from an
Level Editor
outside 3D modeling program, to setting up collision to react with other objects in your level, to setting up sockets so that you can attach
Levels
your mesh with another object in your scene, this How-to series will help you get a better grasp on the Static Mesh Editor and feel more
Actors and Geometry
comfortable with every aspect of setting up Static Meshes to be used in your level.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start

Static Mesh How To...
Content Browser
How to Import Static Meshes
Assets and Packages
How to Set Materials
Content Asset Types
Static Meshes How to Set Collision

How to Set Up LODs
Static Mesh How To
How to Create and Use Sockets
Importing Static Meshes
Creating and Using LODs
Setting Up Collisions With
Static Meshes
Setting Up Materials With

Full Topic Index
Static Meshes
Setting Up and Using Sockets
With Static Meshes

Simplygon LODs elsewhere.

Static Mesh Morph Targets TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

English
Level Designer Quick Start Static Mesh How To

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Importing Static Meshes

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

There are many tools within UE4 that can help you create assets for your levels. However, there may come a time where you have to create
Level Editor
an asset in an exterior application and import it into UE4. In this How-to, we will go over the basics on how to import a Static Mesh that was
Levels
made in another 3D application into UE4 so that it may be used in your levels.
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Set Up
Artist Quick Start
If you are creating a level in UE4, chances are that you have made some 3D models in another application and now you are ready to put
Content Browser
that model into UE4. In order to make sure that the transition from your 3D modeling software, whether it be Maya, 3ds Max, or some other
Assets and Packages
modeling program, there are a few things to check. First, it is very useful to remember while modeling and before exporting that the
Content Asset Types
measurement used in UE4 is Unreal Units and that 1 Unreal Unit equals 1 centimeter. Also, only certain file types that can be imported into
Static Meshes
UE4, FBX being the file format recommended for 3D objects. Likewise, make sure that any textures and materials applied to your static
mesh are supported file types.
Static Mesh How To

Exporting
In this example, we have this crate model that we want to export from Maya into our level in UE4.
Static Meshes
Static Meshes
With Static Meshes
Simplygon LODs
Static Mesh Morph Targets
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
After your model is completed, the first step towards importing it into UE4 is exporting it from the 3D application the mesh was created in. In
this example, we used Maya, but you can feel free to use any application that has the ability to export FBX files. Go to the file menu in your
respective application and select Export.
Release Notes
Site Map

Once selected, go ahead and choose the path you want to save your mesh to. Make sure to give it a name and also select the file type that
you want to export the mesh as. (Again, FBX is recommended.)
Import
Now that the mesh has been exported from the 3D application, we need a project to import the mesh into. If you have a project already that
you are working with, you can skip this step. However, if you need a project to work with, you can open the launcher and select a new
project. The template you choose and whether or not you have included Starter Content will not matter for the purposes of this How-to.
Make sure you choose a path to save it to and give your project a name and click Create Project.
Once your project has been loaded, locate your Content Browser. Browser through the folders in your Content Browser to find where you
want the mesh you are importing to be saved at. In this example, we will be importing our crate mesh into a folder labeled Meshes. Once
you are in the folder you want to save your mesh to, you can import your mesh in one of two easy ways. The first way is to right-click in an
empty space within folder in the Content Browser and select Import to... from the context menu. You can also click the Import button at
the top of the Content Browser, highlighted in green in the image below.
Once you have either selected the Import to... option or clicked the Import button, browse to wherever you saved the mesh when you
exported it from the 3D application. Once you have found the mesh, you can import it by either double-clicking or by clicking Open.
After you have selected the mesh to import and either double-clicked the file or clicked Open, the FBX Import Options menu should
appear. By default, it will look very similar to the image on the left. However, there are many other options that you can play with when
importing your mesh, as shown by the image on the right. For our purposes in this How-to, all of the defaults are fine and we can import the
mesh just the way it is.
There are a few things to note. If you had a mesh that you wanted to import
as a Skeletal Mesh, the process is very similar, just make sure that the first
checkbox in the Mesh section that reads Import as Skeletal is checked. As
we are going to import this mesh as a Static Mesh, we can leave that
unchecked. Also, rather than repeating this process for many different
meshes, when selecting a mesh to import as we did in the last step, you
may select more than one mesh to import. If you do, clicking Import will
allow you to choose the Import Options for each individual mesh, while
clicking Import All will import all the meshes with the same options.
Once you click Import, your mesh will appear in the Content Browser in the folder you were in when you selected Import. Note that if you
imported more than one mesh, after you click Import, another FBX Import Options menu will appear. As we only imported one mesh in
this example, clicking Import or Import All yields the same result and brings us back to our Content Browser. Also note that when you
import your mesh, by default in the FBX Import Options, Import Materials and Import Textures are both checked to true, so any
materials or textures that you may have applied to your mesh in your 3D application will also have been imported. The different colored
bars on the bottom of the thumbnail tell you what type of asset it is. The asset with the light blue bar at the bottom is your Static Mesh.
Now that you have your mesh imported into UE4 and saved, you can now use it in your level, which is as easy as dragging it from the
Content Browser into the Viewport like you would with any other asset.
Full Topic Index


Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Creating and Using LODs

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

When a player is up close to a Static Mesh you have placed in your level, you want the mesh to look very detailed. However, you do not
Level Editor
need that mesh to be very detailed and complex once the player moves far away from the mesh. There is no point in having a very complex
Levels
and detailed mesh if it is only taking up a few pixels on the screen and the player can barely see it. However, the mesh needs to be detailed
Actors and Geometry
when the player is up close to the mesh and can see it clearly. In UE4, you can place a mesh in your level that switches to a less complex
Components
mesh as the player moves away from it in order to make your level perform better. You can do this through the use of Level of Details, or
Managing Content
LODs. This How-to will show you how you can import a less detailed version of a mesh into UE4 and have your mesh seamlessly swap
Artist Quick Start
from one mesh to the other as the player moves closer or farther away.
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types

Set Up
Static Meshes
This How-to does require that you already have some sort of mesh saved as a .FBX that you can import into UE4. For this example, we will
be using a simple polygon sphere made in Maya. Note, you may also use an asset of your own that you have created in another
Static Mesh How To
application.
Creating and Using LODs Once you have exported your mesh, launch UE4. If you have a project that you would like to work with, feel free to use it for this How-to.
Setting Up Collisions With Otherwise, go to the New Project tab and select the Blueprint First Person template making sure that Starter Content is enabled. If it is
Static Meshes not, you may not have some of the assets that we will be using later and it may become hard to follow along.
Static Meshes
With Static Meshes
Simplygon LODs
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
After you have done that, give your project a name and location, and click the Create Project button.
Creating a LOD
Once your project has loaded, navigate to the Meshes folder inside the Content Browser and find the asset named
FirstPersonCube_Rounded.
Once you have found that asset, open it inside the Static Mesh Editor by either double-clicking or by right-clicking and selecting Edit
from the context menu that appears. Now you should have something that looks similar to what is shown below.
Once you have the asset open in the Static Mesh Editor, locate the Details panel. It is in the upper right corner by default. Once you find it,
it should like what is shown below:
The top section is labeled LOD0. LOD is a zero-based system, so LOD0 will be the first entry, LOD1 would be the second, and so on. LOD0
is the base LOD of the mesh and will be the only one that is used if the mesh only has 1 LOD, which this mesh does right now. Next, we
are going to change that.
The section directly under that one is named LOD Settings. In this section, there are a few options we are going to go over. The first one is
Number of LODs. It is at 1 by default and will increase as you import LODs. This value also can be editable if auto mesh reduction is
available. However, in order to use this feature you must first obtain a license from Simplygon.
The next option we will go over is LOD Import. This option will give you a drop down menu similar to this: Select Import
LOD Level 1. This should open up a window that allows you to browse to the .FBX file mentioned earlier in this How-to. Browsing to and
selecting the .FBX file will import that mesh LOD1, or the second LOD. Once you have done this, you will see a pop-up notification at the
bottom right of your screen that should look similar to this:
In this example we are only importing 1 LOD which will give us a total of 2, but you can import more if you wish. To do so, simply click on the
drop down menu for LOD Import and select Import LOD Level X where X equals whichever LOD was the next one that you wanted to
import. You could also reimport any LOD you had already imported. If you wanted to import another mesh for LOD1 instead of the one you
already had imported, just click on the drop down menu for LOD Import and select Reimport LOD Level 1. If you clicked on the drop down
menu now, your options would look like this:
Now that the mesh for LOD1 has been imported, we are going adjust a few of the values to demonstrate the power of LODs. The first option
inside the LOD Settings section of the Details panel we are going to look at is Auto Compute LOD Distances. What this does is tell when
to switch from one LOD to another by equally dividing the percent of screen size by the amount of LODs. For example, in this case, we
have two LODs, so when the mesh takes up 50 percent or more of the screen, LOD0 will appear. When the mesh takes up less than 50
percent of the screen, LOD1 will appear. If there are three LODs, than LOD0 will appear when the mesh takes up 66.7 percent of the
screen or more, LOD1 will appear between that value and 33.3 percent, and LOD2 will appear if the mesh takes up less than 33.3 percent
of the screen. This may not be very helpful in this case however as the mesh we are using will more often than not take up less than 50
percent of the screen. We can manually change these values, however, by unchecking Auto Compute LOD Distances and manually
adjust the Screen Size value for the individual LODs
For the purposes of this demonstration, we are going to uncheck Auto Compute LOD Distances. Once you have done that, find the
Screen Size value under LOD1 and change it to 0.01. This means that when the cube mesh that we have in our level takes up less than 1
percent of the screen size, our cube will switch to the mesh you imported as LOD1 (In this example, a sphere.) We can also change the
material for each LOD, as well. Just to further demonstrate the power and usefulness of LODs, we will change the material of LOD1 to
M_Metal_Gold.
LODs in Use
After you have done this, save your mesh and go back to the Level Editor. You will see that whenever you are closer to the mesh, it is the
rounded cube. As you back away from the mesh, it becomes the sphere you imported. Also note that it is not calculated by distance, but by
screen size, so if you place a larger instance of the mesh beside a smaller instance of the mesh and start moving an equal distance away
from both of them, the smaller instance will switch to the next LOD before the larger instance does. Take a look at the example below.

LOD Far
LOD Near
Note that as we moved farther away, only the cube in the foreground took up more than 1 percent of the screen, so it was still at LOD0, or
the cube. However, the meshes in the back became smaller as we moved away and thus took less than 1 percent, and switched to LOD1
(or the golden spheres in this example.) Also note that LODs scale with screen size so if you detach the Viewport and resize it, the
percentage of what the mesh covers will scale with the size of the Viewport and, thus, change LODs accordingly.
Obviously changing a cube to a sphere is not the most practical use of LODs, but this example illustrates how LODs function. Now you are
ready to apply LODs to the meshes in your level so that they look good up close but are optimized for performance when further away.
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Setting Up Collisions With Static Meshes

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

In UE4, you can have Static Meshes do many things, such as change its texture or material during gameplay, or move throughout your level
Level Editor
using a Matinee. Chances are, whatever you have your Static Mesh do in your level, you do not want to have the player able to walk or
Levels
shoot through the mesh. That is where setting up collision on your Static Mesh is useful.
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Set Up
Artist Quick Start
You may already have a level and Static Meshes of your own to work with. If you do, you can skip this step. If not, launch UE4 and create a
Content Browser
new project. Name your project and choose a location for your project to be stored. In this example, we are going to use the Blueprint First
Assets and Packages
Person Template. You do not have to work out of this template, but the ability to fire projectiles that is already implemented in this template
Content Asset Types
will be used to demonstrate a point later, so using this template may help you follow along.
Static Meshes
Static Mesh Editor UI Also make sure that you enable Starter Content. If you do not, you will not have the assets that we will be working with later on in this
Static Mesh How To "How-to" which may make it difficult to follow along.
Static Meshes
Static Meshes
With Static Meshes
Simplygon LODs
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes Collision On a Simple Shaped Mesh

Site Map
Once you have the project open, if you enabled the Starter Content, you should have a folder in your Content Browser that is labeled
Starter Content. Within that folder should be another folder labeled Props. Browse to that folder and find the Static Mesh within named
SM_Door.
Once you have found SM_Door, go ahead and open up the Static Mesh Editor by either double-clicking on the asset or by right-clicking
on the asset and selecting Edit from the context menu. Once the editor is opened up, you should see something similar to what is shown
below:
By default, there is no collision set on this mesh. Without collision, the player would be able to walk through the mesh and if the mesh
simulates physics, the mesh would simply fall through the world as soon as play began. You can test this by placing this mesh into your
level before setting up collision and playing. Note that your player can walk right through the solid mesh. Also, if you wanted the door to
blow away when you shoot it, or start off in the sky and fall to the ground, you would need to set Simulate Physics to true from the Details
panel, which you cannot do by default if the Static Mesh does not have collision.
These effects are undesirable in most cases, so we will go ahead and set up collision for this mesh. At the top of the editor, there is a
Collision drop down menu. If you click on it, you will see the options you need in order to add collision to your mesh.
In this case, our mesh is a rather simple shape. This will make things easy when trying to set up collision for our mesh. The top three
options in the Collision menu will surround our mesh with a simple shape that will be used as the bounds of what can and cannot be
blocked or overlapped with our mesh. Below are examples of the mesh with these simple shape collision meshes.

Sphere Simplified Collision
Capsule Simplified Collision
Box Simplified Collision
After setting the collision, if you still cannot see the outline around your mesh, make sure that the collision button in the toolbar, ( ) is
highlighted. Also note that if you already have simplified collision on a mesh and you add another simplified collision to the mesh, the new
collision will not replace the other collision, but add to it. If you add all three of the simplified collisions from above without first removing any
of the collisions, you might have something that looks like this.
To solve this, you can either select one of the collisions and press the delete key or select Delete Selected Collision from the Collision
drop down menu to remove them one by one, or, in the Collision menu, select Remove Collision to remove all collision on the mesh. A
pop-up will appear asking if you are sure that you want to remove all the collision meshes. Clicking Yes will remove collision from your
Static Mesh.
After applying collision to the mesh, notice that the collision has a translation widget. After you have set collision, you can translate, rotate,
and scale the collision meshes just like you would with any other object within UE4.
Collision On a More Complex Mesh

If you have a mesh that can easily fit into a capsule or box, or have a mesh where having precise collision does not matter, using the simple
collision we set up in the last section will work fine. However, you may have a mesh that is a more complex shape yet still needs to have
precise collision. In this section, we will go over how to set that up.
Back in the Props folder within the Starter Content, browse to the Static Mesh SM_Chair. Double-click on the thumbnail to open it up in
the Static Mesh Editor. As you can see, this mesh already has collision on it, and should look something similar to what is shown below:
Let's assume that for this example, we want the player to be able to sit right on the cushion of the chair. With the collision mesh set up the
way it is by default, there is an invisible barrier that would prevent the player from doing so. (Note that when the player is playing the game,
they only see the Static Mesh itself, not the collision mesh, so the player would try to sit on the chair and not know why there is something
blocking their way.)
Remove the collision on the mesh by selecting Remove Collision from the Collision drop down menu at the top of the editor. We can try to
use the primitive shapes that we used in the previous section of this "How-to", but as you can see in the images below, none of them look
quite like what we are looking for.

Sphere Simplified Collision
Capsule Simplified Collision
Box Simplified Collision
It seems none of the primitive shapes quite achieve what we are looking for. However, we can get closer with the other options within the
Collision drop down menu. These options are called the K-DOP simple collision generators.
K-DOP is a type of bounding volume, which
stands for K discrete oriented polytope (where K is the number of axis aligned planes). Basically, it takes K axis-aligned planes and pushes
them as close to the mesh as it can. The resulting shape is used as a collision hull. In the Static Mesh Editor K can be:
10 - Box with 4 edges beveled - you can choose X- Y- or Z-aligned edges.

18 - Box with all edges beveled.
26 - Box with all edges and corners beveled.
Here is what our chair mesh looks like with 10-DOP, 18-DOP, and 26-DOP respectively.

10DOP
18DOP
26DOP
These collision meshes are coming closer to what we are trying to achieve, but there is still a gap between the cushions that might prevent
the player from sitting down in the chair. Select Remove Collision one more time and once you have done that, go ahead and select Auto
Convex Collision from the Collision drop down menu. Once you have done that, you will be presented with the Convex Decomposition
panel, which looks much like what is pictured below.
The top option in this window is Accuracy which will generate as few primitives as possible to represent the collision mesh. The bottom
option, Max Hull Verts, will increase or decrease the number of vertices your collision mesh has. The higher these values, the more
precise your collision will be, but also the more complex your collision mesh will be. Clicking Apply will apply these settings to your mesh.

Default Settings
Max Accuracy and Max Hull Verts
Another simple way to set up complex collision is by using multiple simple shape collision meshes to create the collision for your mesh. If
you remember from earlier in this "How-to", creating another simple collision mesh does not replace the original one, but adds to it. We also
went over that each collision mesh has its own transform widget, so that you can translate, rotate, and scale each collision mesh
individually. We can use this to create collision for our Static Mesh.
Start by selecting Add Box Simplified Collision from the Collision drop down menu. Left-click on the collision mesh to bring up its
transform widget. Translate, rotate, and scale the collision mesh so that it fits along the arm of the chair down to the ground. With the
collision mesh still selected, duplicate the collision mesh by either selecting Duplicate Selected Collision from the Collision drop down
menu or by pressing Ctrl + W. Move this collision mesh so that it fits along the other arm of the chair. Duplicate the mesh again. With this
new mesh selected, move, scale, and rotate this mesh so that is fits along the bottom of chair. Duplicate that collision mesh and move it up
so that if fits along the seat of the chair. Duplicate the mesh one more time and rotate it so that it fits along the back of the chair. When you
are done, you should have something that looks similar to this:
You could go back and follow the shape of the chair more closely, but for the purposes of this example, just using these five boxes we have
set up collision on the entire chair and have the collision set up so that the player can sit on the cushion.
Simulating Physics and Collision Presets

Now that your Static Mesh has collision, it can now simulate physics. Save your chair mesh by clicking the Save button on the very left of
the Toolbar within the Static Mesh Editor and then find SM_Chair inside your Content Browser. Drag a copy of the mesh into the level and
with it selected, take a look at the Details panel. In the Physics section of the Details panel, the first option is Simulate Physics and
should be false by default. If you play the level now with Simulate Physics set to false, your character will not be able to walk through the
mesh and shooting projectiles will not affect the mesh at all.
Stop playing the level and set Simulate Physics to true. Now when you play, you will notice that when your character walks into the chair,
the mesh moves. The mesh also gets shot across the level and into the air when you shoot at it. This is not only because the mesh is
simulating physics, but also because the mesh is set to block all as its default Collision Preset.
Go back to the Details panel for the chair and in the Collision section, there will be a drop down menu labeled Collision Presets. The way
this instance of the mesh reacts to other objects in the world depends on what its Collision Presets are. Take a look at the options you
have, which are shown below.
It is set to Block All by default. If you switch it to Overlap All, as soon as play begins, you will see the mesh fall right through the level. There
is also a custom preset, which allows you to manually set how the mesh responds to different objects in your level. You may want it to block
Pawns, but overlap Projectiles, and ignore everything else. In the custom preset, you can tell the mesh to do that. Now that you have
collision set up on your mesh, you are now ready to place it in your level and use its collision to set up how it affects and can be affected by
other objects in your level.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Setting Up Materials With Static Meshes

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

No matter what type of Static Mesh you put into your level, chances are that when the player looks at that object, you want it to have some
Level Editor
type of material. This How To will cover a couple of different ways that you can apply a material to your Static Mesh.
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components Setup
Managing Content
The first thing we are going to do is set up a project and a level for us to work with. If you already have a project that you are working on,
Artist Quick Start
you can use that project to follow along as well. If you do not, you can start out by launching UE4 and creating a new project. In this
Content Browser
example, we used the Blueprint First Person template, but for the purposes of this tutorial, which template you use does not matter. The
Assets and Packages
important thing to point out is to make sure that if you are creating a new project, you include the Starter Content. If you do not, you will not
Content Asset Types
have the assets that will be used later on in this How To and it might be more difficult to follow along. Once you have ensured that the
Static Meshes
Starter Content is included, choose a path and name for your project and click the Create Project button.
Static Mesh How To
Static Meshes
Static Meshes
With Static Meshes
Simplygon LODs
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Once your project has been loaded, go ahead and locate your Content Browser. If you enabled Starter Content, you should have a folder
in your Content Browser labeled Starter Content. It should look something like this:
Release Notes
Site Map

Applying a Material via the Details Panel
The easiest way to switch the material of one copy of your Static Mesh is by highlighting that particular instance of the mesh and changing
the material in the Details panel. The following section will go over how you can do that.
Inside of the Starter Content folder, there should be a folder labeled Props. Open that folder and within that folder, find the Static Mesh
labeled SM_Chair.
Click on SM_Chair with the left mouse button and with the left mouse button still held down, drag your mouse into the Viewport and let
go. If done correctly, this should have added a copy of the Static Mesh into your level. If you have not clicked anywhere else, the Static
Mesh should still be highlighted, but if the Static Mesh is not selected, you can either click on it in the Viewport or search for SM_Chair and
select it from the World Outliner. With the Static Mesh selected, the Details panel should be populated. One of the sections in the Details
panel is labeled Materials. Within that section, there should be a thumbnail of the material used and a drop down menu beside it with the
name of the material. By selecting the drop down menu and selecting another material, you can change the material applied to that
instance of the mesh, and it will be reflected in your Viewport, as demonstrated below:

Normal Chair with Details
Brick Chair with Details
Now you can change the material of one instance of a Static Mesh in your level, but what if you wanted to change the default material of the
Static Mesh itself. Well, you can actually do that from within the Static Mesh Editor. Go ahead and get back to SM_Chair within the Props
folder in your Content Browser. Once you have it selected, you can access the Static Mesh Editor in two easy ways. The first way is to
double-click on the mesh inside the Content Browser, the same way you can access most assets' respective editor. You can also right-
click on the mesh, which will open on a context menu. From within that menu, select Edit.
After either double-clicking on the asset inside the Content Browser or selecting Edit from the right-click context menu of the asset, the
Static Mesh Editor should open, and you should see something similar to what is shown below.
On the right hand side of the editor by default, is the Details panel and at the top of the Details panel, highlighted in the image above, you
can see a thumbnail of the material used on the Static Mesh and a drop down menu beside it with the name of the material. By clicking on
the drop down menu and selecting another material, it will change the material applied to the Static Mesh, as shown below.
After clicking Save in the Toolbar at the top of the Static Mesh Editor, the new material applied will now be the default material of the Static
Mesh and any instance of the mesh that is dragged into your level will have that material applied to it unless that instance of the mesh has
its default material changed like we did earlier or the default material is changed inside the Static Mesh Editor.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Setting Up and Using Sockets With Static Meshes
Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

While making your level in UE4, there may come a time where you want to attach something to your Static Mesh. You could parent an
Level Editor
object to the Static Mesh in the World Outliner, but you still have to position it in the exact place you want it in relation to your mesh, and
Levels
that can get tedious. However, just like you can attach objects to your Skeletal Mesh through the use of sockets, you can also attach
Actors and Geometry
objects to your Static Mesh using sockets. It is as easy as creating your socket in the Static Mesh Editor, placing it where you want it to be
Components
in relation to your mesh, and then attaching an object, whether it is a light, particle effect, or even another Static Mesh, to your mesh. This
Managing Content
How To will show you how to create a socket for your Static Mesh, and how you may be able to use it in your level.
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages Set Up

Content Asset Types
You may already have a level and Static Meshes of your own to work with. If you do, you can skip this step. If not, go ahead and launch
Static Meshes
UE4 from the launcher and create a new project. Make sure to choose a path to save your project to and a name it. Also, choose a
template to work with. In the image below, we have selected the Blueprint First Person Template, but you can use whichever template you
Static Mesh How To
would like.
Creating and Using LODs Also make sure that you enable Starter Content. If you do not, you will not have the assets that we will be working with later on in this How
Setting Up Collisions With To and might find it difficult to follow along.
Static Meshes
Static Meshes
Setting Up and Using
Sockets With Static
Meshes
Simplygon LODs
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
New and Updated Resources Creating Our First Socket

Once your project is open, find the Starter Content folder within the Content Browser. Then navigate to the Props folder and find the
Static Mesh named SM_DoorFrame.

Once you have found SM_DoorFrame, open the asset up in the Static Mesh Editor by either double-clicking the asset or by right-clicking
the asset and selecting Edit from the context menu. Once you have done so, you should have something that looks similar to what is
shown below.
Now that we have the mesh opened in the Static Mesh Editor, we are going to create a socket so that we can place a fire particle in the
middle of the doorway to make some type of archway of death. To start off, we will need to create the socket. To do this, click on the
Window drop down menu from the top of the editor and select Socket Manager. When you do, the Socket Manager window will appear. It
should look similar to what is shown below on the right:
Once you have the Socket Manager window opened, click the Create Socket button, highlighted in green. After you click the button, it will
create and ask you to give your new socket a name. In this example, we will name our socket Fire. After clicking the Create Socket button,
your Socket Manager window should look similar to the image below:
If you look at your mesh in the Viewport, you should see a 3D widget with a Translation widget. If not, make sure that you have sockets
visible by clicking the Sockets button in the Toolbar. ( )
Once you can see the socket, it is not quite where we want it to be located. By default, when you create a new socket, it will be located
where the origin of the Static Mesh is, which is directly in the middle at the bottom of the mesh in this case. We want our socket to be in the
middle of the doorway so that they player will have to walk through fire when they walk through the doorway. You can use the translate
widget in the Viewport to move the socket manually, or you can change its relative location, rotation, and scale from within the Socket
Manager panel. To achieve the effect we want to change the value of Z in its relative location from 0 to 115. After you do that, you should
have something that looks like this.
Attaching Objects to a Static Mesh

Now that we have a socket on our Static Mesh to attach to, we are going to attach an object to our Static Mesh in our level. Click the Save
button in the Toolbar inside the Static Mesh Editor and go back to the level editor. Find SM_DoorFrame inside your Content Browser and
drag a copy of it into your level. After you have done that, go to the Particles folder inside of the Starter Content folder and find the asset
named P_Fire.
Once you have found P_Fire, drag a copy of it into your level as well. This will serve as the fire the player will pass to and thus, the object
we will attach to SM_DoorFrame. Once you have dragged in an instance of P_Fire, right-click the particle inside of the Viewport. You
should get a menu that looks similar to the one below:
In the context menu, select Attach To and inside of the search box that appears, start to type Door Frame. Our SM_DoorFrame should
appear.
Once you select SM_DoorFrame, it will ask you where you want to attach the object. The list will consist of None and every socket you
created for your Static Mesh. Select Fire, and the particle effect P_Fire will magically snap to where the socket is on our Static Mesh. The
particle effect is now attached to our Static Mesh.
Note that now that the particle effect is attached to the Static Mesh via its socket, you can still move, rotate, and scale the particle effect
separately from the Static Mesh, but any transformations made to the Static Mesh will also affect any objects attached to it.
Detaching
At any point that you need to detach an object that is attached to another, it is as easy as attaching an object to another. right-click on the
object that you want to detach and from the context menu that appears, select Detach. The object is no longer attached to the other object.
Creating a Doorway With a Solid Door

Now that you have used sockets to create our archway of doom, we are going to use sockets to create something a little more practical. In
the Props folder within the Starter Content, find SM_DoorFrame and drag another copy of it into the level. Then find SM_Door, and drag
a copy of it into the level as well. Now, we could attach the door to the door frame using the socket we already have, but there is a problem.
When you attach an object to another object, the object will be attached at its origin to the socket. The Static Mesh SM_Door has an origin
at the bottom corner of it, so attaching the door to the Fire socket will leave the door floating in the air and bursting through the corner of the
doorway. To fix this problem, we are going to make another socket.
Creating a New Socket
Find SM_DoorFrame in the Content Browser and open it up in the Static Mesh editor by double-clicking on the asset. If the Socket
Manager panel is still open, click the Add Socket button. If not, you can reopen the Socket Manager panel by selecting Socket Manager
from the Window drop down menu at the top of the editor. Once you have done so, go ahead and click the Add Socket button.
Once you have created the socket, you will be prompted to give it a name. For our purposes in this example, we will name the socket Door
so that we will know later on that this is the socket that we want to attach our door mesh to. Again, once we create the socket, it creates it at
the origin of the mesh, which in this case, is at the bottom middle of the door frame. The origin of our door mesh is at the bottom corner, so
that is where we want to move our Door socket to. You can manually move the socket using the 3D widget, or you can move it by changing
the relative location, rotation, and scale from within the Socket Manager panel. For this example, changing the value of Y of the socket's
relative location to 45 should achieve the results we are looking for. After moving the socket to the bottom corner, your door frame mesh
should look similar to what is shown below.
If you are not seeing the sockets, make sure that is highlighted so that sockets are visible.
Attaching the Door to the Frame
Now that we have a socket to attach the door to the frame, go ahead and save your door frame mesh and head back to the level editor.
Select the instance of the door that is in your level and right-click to bring up its context menu. From within the context menu, select
Attach and search for SM_DoorFrame. Find the instance of the door frame you want to attach the door to and select it by left-clicking on
it. When asked which socket to attach to, select Door. When you are done, you should have something that looks similar to what is shown
below.
By default, SM_Door will not have collision set. If you play the level now, the player can walk through the solid door, which is not very
useful. Go ahead and set a simple box collision for the door inside of the Static Mesh Editor so that the player will not be able to just walk
through the door when it is closed. If you do not know how to do that, you can read how here.
Now that the door is solid and the player cannot walk through it, you can use Blueprints to script behavior for the door so that it can open
and close. That is out of the scope of this How To, but now that you have to door to use that blocks the player out and is attached to your
door frame, you can find out how to get script behavior to get the door to open and close here.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Unwrapping UVs for Lightmaps

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels On Creating Lightmaps
Actors and Geometry Examples
Components Lightmap Coordinates Index
Managing Content Contiguous UVs and Padding
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
On Creating Lightmaps
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types Lightmaps are probably the most difficult part of environment art creation. We rely on them to for clean light and shadow detail. They must
Static Meshes be uniquely unwrapped so every part of the model has its own representative space to receive light and dark information.
Static Mesh How To It is important to remember that the lightmap resolution is tiny compared to the resolution of the texture UV's. It is also important to
Unwrapping UVs for understand that the more a level needs to be optimized the lower the level designers will turn the resolution of the lightmaps down, even as
Lightmaps far as 8 by 8 or 16 by 16 in the case of smaller objects. This trend requires that we leave a lot of 'padding' around each section of the
Simplygon LODs lightmap UV's so that the areas that are dark do not bleed into the light areas and destroy the shadows illusion of correctness in-game.

There are 3 methods of creating lightmaps:
Textures
Skeletal Meshes
BOX UNWRAP
Asset Creation
Often this is the most reliable method of unwrapping the lightmaps because most environment models are block shapes that are
Starter Content
combined or repeated to create a structure. A contiguous mesh ( everything connected with no separate elements ) is often very
helpful way of building to allow more efficient lightmap unwraps because you can just fold out the majority of the design connected
together.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
This works well because of the resolution of the lightmaps being so low, a gradient from light to dark works more easily if its across
Derived Data Cache

one chunk, and when it is spread out across a number of fragmented sections, more padding is required in-between those chunks

in order for them to light correctly.
Content Programming This often drives the need for the lightmap resolution to be higher and we have to try to avoid this as much as we can. Sometimes
Unreal Game Projects there is no way to avoid the need for a lower resolution and we have to add much more padding than we would like to
Engine Features compensate.
Gameplay Guide
PLANAR UNWRAP
This is most useful for simple flat designs like walls with few bevels or extrusions. It is also very useful for large building facade
Programming Guide
pieces, such as tenement buildings. Planar unwraps are greatly helped by the use of contiguous meshes because it is more a
matter of relaxing the mesh UV's and adding coverage to the bevels by hand that are not lighting correctly in-game.
Release Notes It requires a lot of back and forth sometimes but a good rule of thumb is to make sure there is more space horizontally on the
Site Map unwrap than vertically because shadow casting generally comes in from the side at a slightly elevated angle rather from straight
New and Updated Resources down.
So horizontal space allows more room for sharper shadow information because of the tendency of the level designers lighting
choices to create more interesting shadows than would occur if they used top down lighting.
CYLINDRICAL UNWRAP
Most of the other shapes in an environment break down into variants of a cylindrical shape if they are not boxes or flat planar-
based shapes. A cylindrical shape compensates well for many designs that have sides as well as a front but not a back section or
we would use the Box Unwrap method.
Examples
This was a contiguous mesh so it was easy to box unwrap and just fold it out horizontally to use as much of the lightmap resolution as
possible. The bottom faces highlighted in the middle image were split off from the whole because they will almost always render black and if
they were connected to the rest of the UV's they would bleed dark across it where it ought not to be.
The reverse is true of the detached top faces shown in the bottom image, they will always be bright. The top image shows the texture UV's.
This method of connecting as much as we safely can allows us to have a near perfect lightmap in-game at the resolution of 32 by 32 units.
There are no seams at all so there is no subtle dark lines where there should be none.
Sometimes you need to just put pieces together with brute force. It is worth it to have a clean surface without interruptions to the lightmap.
Stretching by a 1 to 1 ratio does not really matter with lightmaps as much as coverage does so an area that is too thin but a 1 to 1 ratio will
not light correctly because of bleed, but a 1 to 7 ratio with twice the coverage looks great. Here you can also see I split the interior of the
negative cuts because they will always be dark and we need to avoid the bleed from those across the exterior.
With large facade pieces like this Planar unwraps work well. This mesh is contiguous so that aids our work here, but the same principal
works with meshes that have a few vertical or horizontal elements. As long as you place things on the lightmap UV's in the most
representative layout that matches the low-poly, it will work the same, albeit with the need for a bit of padding in case some side sections
render black when stacked together with other pieces.
You can see here that that the contiguous mesh layout allowed me to more easily lay the UV's out in a way that mirrors the low-poly mesh. I
still move the sides, top & bottom caps away from the main section to allow for those bleed issues and I ensure the padding around those,
the main and the windows at the top have the same amount of padding.
Sometimes your design will not adhere to any of these simple rules of thumb, if a design has a lot of negative space with a few separate
elements we need to fragment the lightmaps and add much more padding.
You can see some pretty aggressive distortion on the intersecting vertical pieces that hold the rails together, we just forced together the 2
sides with the middle & center sections in each of those 3 pieces.
With the circular rail interiors I split out one side on its own whilst the other I attached the inner and outer faces. This was done so there
would be smooth lightmap shading across 3/4 of those areas and only one break in the lightmap on the other side, which you cannot see
due to the straight metal beam on top of it.
Some designs just work against what works best, designs like the one below.
When there are so many separate elements we have no choice but to crank up the texture resolution or we would waste so much space on
the lightmap due to padding enough between each section that it would look terrible in-game. So I planned on this being a 128by128
lightmap knowing also that it would still not look perfect, there would be some bleed but hopefully not so much as to ruin the object.
Sometimes it is easy to just project near flat and relax the UV's because there are clear and distinct contiguous sections that can easily be
connected together like in the case of the model below.
This design is essentially just a capped Cylinder with a Planar base so I use those 2 basic methods to unwrap the UV's. The ground section
cog is easy to just Planar unwrap down on the Z axis, then apply a relax modifier and adjust things a little to make sure nothing is getting
too little coverage thanks to thin 1 to 1 ratio problems on the bevels.
The mid section was a clear case as much as a base, a cylindrical unwrap that I forced to be straight by hand to get the most coverage and
use of the space. As always we are more concerned with coverage than 1 to 1 representations of each little facet of the low-poly mesh. I
did an upward Z axis Planar unwrap for the underside of the top lion head sporting section and followed up with relax.
Splitting the model like this had the advantage of putting the seams at genuine seam sections in the low-poly design so it looks natural that
there is a little break in the lighting there. Splitting your lightmap uv's at sections where there are sharp deep recesses or crevices is a good
rule of thumb for choosing where to separate sections in a way that aids the look of the model in-game rather and downgrades it.
Lightmap Coordinates Index
By default, the first set of UVs (index 0) of a Static Mesh will be used when generating lightmaps for static lighting. This means the same set
of coordinates that is used for applying materials to the mesh will also be used for lightmaps. This is quite often not ideal. One reason for
this is that the UVs used for generating lightmaps need to be unique, meaning that each face of the mesh must not overlap any other face
within the UV space.
The reason for this should be fairly obvious: if the faces share the same UV space, the portion of the lightmap corresponding to that space
will be applied to both the faces. This can be great for diffuse and other textures as it allows the texture resolution to be higher for each
face. It will result in inaccurate lighting, however. Static Meshes have a property called LightmapCoordinateIndex that allows a specific
set of UVs to be used for lightmap generation. By setting this property to point to a set of UVs that are unique and properly set up for
lightmaps, Static Meshes can enjoy the best of both worlds: better texture resolution for diffuse textures and accurate lighting from
lightmaps.
Contiguous UVs and Padding

Groups of triangles with contiguous UVs are called UV charts.

UV Charts
1. UV Charts
Padding between UV charts is necessary to prevent bleeding artifacts. Padding around the edges of the lightmap UV layout, however, is not
necessary as Lightmass automatically pads around the edges by enough to prevent bleeding artifacts. Note when you are setting up
padding between UV charts that 4 texels are usually required to avoid all bleeding, as DXT compression operates on 4x4 texel blocks.

UV Padding
1. Wasted UV Padding
2. Necessary UV Padding
This means that for a lightmap resolution of 32, the padding between the UV charts should be 12.5% of the entire UV space. However, keep
in mind that placing more padding between UV charts will result in more lightmap memory being wasted at higher lightmap resolutions. The
more contiguous you can make the lightmap UVs for a mesh, the better off you will be. This will reduce the amount of padding necessary
and allow for increased resolution. Prior to Lightmass being implemented or when relying mostly on vertex lighting, meshes may have been
created by modeling elements separately and merging them together.

Each wood plank is a spearate elemente merged together.
This is less than ideal when relying on lightmaps and using Lightmass, though. It does not allow for good, contiguous lightmaps UVs.

Old Mesh UVs
Instead you end up with fragmented lightmaps with polygons that are inside the model and rendered as black which bleeds across to other
parts of the mesh. Another potential pitfall is relying on automatic unwrapping as it, too, can lead to these same issues.

Old Mesh In-Game
The best method of creating meshes and laying out their UVs for lightmaps is to model the entire mesh as one contiguous element and lay
out the UVs manually.

Remodeling the asset as a contiguous single element allows us to ensure the lightmap is also contiguous.
This leads to contiguous lightmap UVs which eradicate seams and promote efficient lightmaps.

New Mesh UVs
The end result is a mesh that is lit properly without any bleeding artifacts.

New Mesh In-Game
An added benefit of this method is that it also generally reduces the number of tris needed for the model.

Old Mesh
New Mesh
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Simplygon LODs

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels LOD Management
Actors and Geometry LOD Generation
Components LOD Preview
Managing Content LOD Settings
Artist Quick Start Build Settings
Content Browser Reduction Settings
Assets and Packages LOD Groups
Content Asset Types Group Default Settings
Static Meshes Group Global Settings
Static Mesh Editor UI Simplygon
Static Mesh How To

This section covers the usage of the Simplygon features to create LODs for StaticMeshes in Unreal Engine 4. If you do not have
a Simplygon license, the standard FBX pipeline has a method for importing LODs for StaticMeshes. See the FBX Static Mesh
Simplygon LODs
Pipeline documentation for more details.
Textures
The StaticMesh pipeline provides the ability to create presets and automatically generate complete level of detail (LOD) chains as a core
Skeletal Meshes
feature. This allows artists to create a mesh, import it, and have optimized versions created to be rendered at distance to improve rendering
Asset Creation
performance with no additional work required on their part.
Starter Content
FBX Content Pipeline The main features include:

Tools & Scripts LOD Groups that define default level-of-detail settings, light map resolution, and permit global overrides (e.g. reduce all SmallProp
Directory Structure LODs by 10%). You may select an LOD group at import time and change it at any time in the Static Mesh editor.
Derived Data Cache Define and override LOD group settings on a per-platform or device basis.
External Content Development Standards Normals and tangents are always imported from the FBX. At any time you may choose whether to use the imported normals/tangents
Content Programming or have Unreal recompute them.
Unreal Game Projects Streamlined workflow of setting up and tweaking LODs in the StaticMesh Editor.
Engine Features Automatic generation of LODs using Simplygon.
Gameplay Guide

Simplygon is distributed with Unreal Engine but licensees must first obtain a license from Donya Labs (simplygon.com/) to use
Programming Guide
this feature. Please contact them for details on obtaining a license.

LOD Management
Release Notes
Site Map The Level of Detail (LOD) panel in the StaticMesh Editor provides the ability to manage and generate complete chains of level of detail
New and Updated Resources meshes according to rules you set up, either in the form of LOD Groups or on a per-mesh and per-LOD basis.
LOD Generation
Automatic LOD generation uses Simplygon to create simplified versions of the base mesh to be used as LODs. These algorithms take into
account factors such as target complexity, preservation of silhouette and texture coordinates, and more in order to generate a new mesh
that can be displayed at a distance without noticeable degradation or artifacts.
To apply an LOD Group:
1. Select the LOD Group to use in the LOD settings.
1. Press the button to create the new LOD meshes.
To generate a custom LOD chain:
1. Select the number of LOD meshes to generate in the LOD settings.
You can also select an LOD Group to use as a starting point and then alter the settings from there.
2. Set the Reduction Settings for each LOD mesh to be generated.

3. Press the button to create the new LOD meshes.
LOD Preview
The LOD meshes can be previewed using the controls in the toolbar:
LOD Settings
Setting
Description
LOD Group
Specifies the LOD Group to use for the mesh.
Number of
Sets the number of LODs for the mesh. The list of LODs updates as this value is modified, but no actual changes are
LODs made until the button is pressed.
Auto
If enabled, a simple error metric is used to determine the distances at which transitions between LODs occur. Otherwise,
compute the Distance property for each LOD is used to determine when transitions to that LOD occur.
LOD
Distance
LOD Distance
Scales the distances at which transitions between LODs occur when using automatic computation.
Error
Build Settings
Setting
Description
Recompute
If enabled, the smoothing groups will be recomputed by Unreal. Otherwise, smoothing groups will be retained from the
Normals FBX file.
Recompute
If enabled, the tangents will be recomputed by Unreal. Otherwise, tangents will be retained from the FBX file.
Tangents
Remove
If enabled, degenerate triangles found during import will be removed. Disabling this option will keep degenerate triangles
Degenerates found. In general, this option should be enabled.
Use Full
If enabled, the UVs for the mesh will be stored as 32-bit floats instead of 16-bit.
Precision UVs
Reduction Settings
Setting
Description
Percent
The editor simplifies the mesh until it has the exact number of triangles specified.
Triangles
Max
The maximum deviation from the base mesh as a percentage of the bounding sphere. The editor uses the desired quality to
Deviation compute an error metric for the mesh. This error metric prevents the tool from simplifying a mesh such that the surface of the
new mesh deviates too much from the surface of the source mesh. The advantage to this approach is that the tool can
intelligently optimize the mesh within some deviation of the source mesh without stopping at an arbitrary triangle limit.
Silhouette
Specifies how important the silhouette of the mesh is. You can choose from Off, Lowest, Low, Normal, High, and Highest.
Choosing a higher setting will cause the simplification to better preserve the geometric shape of the mesh but will result in a
higher triangle count.
Texture
Specifies how important texture density is. You can choose from Off, Lowest, Low, Normal, High, and Highest. Choosing a
higher setting will cause the simplification to avoid texture stretching artifacts but will result in a higher triangle count.
Shading
Specifies how important shading quality is. You can choose from Off, Lowest, Low, Normal, High, and Highest. Choosing a
higher setting will cause the simplification to better preserve shading quality but will result in a higher triangle count.
Welding
Vertices within this distance from one another will automatically be welded. This can help to eliminate small faces. Using
Threshold large values can produce undesirable results.
Hard
Angles larger than this value between faces will result in hard edges between faces. Smaller angles will create soft edges.
Edge
Angle
Threshold
LOD Groups
LOD groups define default level-of-detail settings as well as some options for globally modifying Static Meshes.
Groups are defined in the [StaticMeshLODSettings] section of the Engine.ini file. E.g.:
[StaticMeshLODSettings]
LevelArchitecture=(NumLODs=4,LightMapResolution=32,LODPercentTriangles=0.5,SilhouetteImportance=4)
SmallProp=(NumLODs=4,LODPercentTriangles=0.5)
LargeProp=(NumLODs=4,LODPercentTriangles=0.5)
Vista=(NumLODs=1)
Foliage=(NumLODs=1)
These settings define five LOD groups:
LevelArchitecture
SmallProp
LargeProp
Vista
Foliage.
LOD groups may be added and removed without code modifications simply by editing the INI. Additional LOD groups will automatically
appear in the Editor UI. Meshes that are in groups that have been removed will use default settings determined by code. Those default
settings may also be overridden in the INI by defining the None LOD group.
Group Default Settings
The following settings define the defaults for each group. They are applied only when a mesh is imported or a mesh's LOD group is
changed.
Setting
Description
NumLODs
The default number of LODs to generate. This value must be in the range 1-4.
LightMapResolution
The lightmap resolution to use.
BasePercentTriangles
The percentage of triangles to keep in the base LOD, 0.0-1.0.
LODPercentTriangles
The percentage of triangles to reduce each LOD. E.g. if this is set to 0.5 for a mesh with 4 LODs and LOD0 has
5000 triangles then the remaining LODs will have 2500, 1250, and 625 triangles respectively.
MaxDeviation
The maximum distance by which the surface of an LOD may deviate from the base LOD in local space.
WeldingThreshold
If the distance between two vertices is less than this value they will be welded together.
HardAngleThreshold
If the angle between two triangles is above this value (in degrees), the normals will not be smooth over the edge
between those two triangles.
SilhouetteImportance
Higher values try to preserve the silhouette of the object when generating LODs.
TextureImportance
Higher values try to prevent texture stretching when generating LODs.
ShadingImportance
Higher values try to minimize changes to normal when generating LODs.
Group Global Settings
The following settings can be used to make changes to all meshes in the group. These settings affect both new and existing meshes:
Setting
Description
BasePercentTrianglesMult
Further reduces the base LOD. E.g. if this is set to 0.9, the base LOD of all meshes in the group will have
their triangles reduced by 10%.
LODPercentTrianglesMult
Further reduces the triangles of each LOD. Similar to BasePercentTrianglesMult but does not apply to the
base LOD.
MaxDeviationBias
Tweak the maximum deviation used during reduction for all meshes.
WeldingThreshold
Tweak the welding threshold used during reduction for all meshes.
HardAngleThreshold
Tweak the hard angle threshold used during reduction for all meshes.
SilhouetteImportance
Tweak the silhouette importance used during reduction for all meshes.
TextureImportance
Tweak the texture importance used during reduction for all meshes.
ShadingImportance
Tweak the shading importance used during reduction for all meshes.
Simplygon
Simplygon is used to automatically generate game-ready Level of Detail models (LODs) for a specific pixel resolution by removing as much
information as possible without degrading LOD quality for a certain onscreen size. Simplygon uses a proprietary mesh reduction method
that retains geometrical LOD integrity and visual quality of LOD switching, producing AutoLODs that can directly be used inside triple-A
games.
Unreal Engine 4 leverages Simplygon to provide high-quality mesh reduction without having to leave the Unreal Editor. Developers can
quickly simplify meshes, generate LODs, and immediately see the results in their maps.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Static Mesh Morph Targets

Intermediate Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Script Setup and Installation
Actors and Geometry Creating Morph Targets
Components Material Setup
Managing Content
Morph Targets provide a way to deform a mesh from its base form towards a target form. Generally, these are used with SkeletalMeshes
Artist Quick Start
as part of the Animation system; however, using the StaticMeshMorpher.ms maxscript and the StaticMeshMorphTarget Material
Content Browser
Function, StaticMeshes also have the ability to be setup for deformation using morph targets.
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types

This method performs the deformation by using multiple UV channels, vertex colors, and the WorldPositionOffset.
The offsets of the vertices
Static Meshes
for each morph target are stored as vertex colors in a UV channel. The StaticMeshMorphTarget Material Function then extracts these and
Static Mesh Editor UI makes them available within the Material. By passing them to the WorldPositionOffset input of the material, the vertices of the mesh can be
Static Mesh How To transformed to the positions of the vertices in the morph target.
Simplygon LODs
Script Setup and Installation
Textures The StaticMeshMorpher.ms maxscript is located in your build at UE4/Engine/Extras/FX_tools/3DSMax2012_x64/.

Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation To run the StaticMeshMorpher.ms maxscript:

Starter Content
FBX Content Pipeline 1. In 3dsMax, in the MAXScript menu choose Run Script....
2. Navigate to the location of the StaticMeshMorpher.ms maxscript in your build and open it.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure 3. The script's interface is displayed and ready to be used.
Derived Data Cache
External Content Development Standards The script can also be bound to a key combination or added to a custom menu to make running it faster and easier.
Content Programming

Creating Morph Targets
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide Morph targets require multiple instances of the same mesh with their vertices transformed. For example, a melting ball of ice could have
Blueprints Visual Scripting three forms:
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map

Game Model
Morph Target 1
Morph Target 2
The morph targets are packed into UV channels 2 and 3 (assuming two morph targets are being packed), and the normals for morph target
1 can also be stored in the mesh's vertex colors if desired.
To pack morph targets:
1. Press the button and then select the game model mesh in the scene.
2. Press the button and then select the mesh for the first morph target in the scene.
3. Repeat the process above for the second morph target in the scene, if one exists.
4. Check the Store Morph 1 Normals checkbox if desired.
5. Press the button to begin the process of packing the morph targets into the UV channels.
6. The mesh can be exported from 3dsMax and imported into Unreal normally. See FBX Static Mesh Pipeline for details on this
process.
Material Setup
The StaticMeshMorphTargets function provides access to the morph targets and normals inside the Material applied to the StaticMesh. This
function has two outputs corresponding to the two morph targets and one output for the normals. The morph target outputs provide values
that can be plugged into the WorldPositionOffset input channel of the Material node, while the normal output, as you might expect, can be
connected to the Normal input channel of the Material node.
In order to allow for morphing between the base mesh and the morph targets, one or more LinearInterpolate expressions are used with a
single ScalarParameter driving the Alpha input. This allows the morph targets to be driven at runtime by gameplay code or Matinee.
An example setup (only the morph network) is shown here:

The result as the Time parameter in the network above goes from 0 to 1 is shown below:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Textures

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Textures are images that are used in Materials. They are mapped to the surfaces the Material is applied to. Either Textures are applied
Level Editor
directly - for example, for Base Color textures - or the values of the Texture's pixels (or texels) are used within the Material as masks or for
Levels
other calculations. In some instances, Textures may also be used directly, outside of materials, such as for drawing to the HUD. For the
Actors and Geometry
most part, Textures are created externally within an image-editing application, such as Photoshop, and then imported into Unreal Editor
Components
through the Content Browser. However, some Textures are generated within Unreal, such as Render Textures. These generally take
Managing Content
some information from the scene and render it to a Texture to be used elsewhere.
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
A single material may make use of several textures that are all sampled and applied for different purposes. For instance, a simple material
Assets and Packages
may have a Base Color texture, a Specular texture, and a normal map. In addition, there may be a map for the Emissive and Roughness
Content Asset Types
stored in the alpha channels of one or more of these textures.
Static Meshes
Textures You can see that, while these all share the same layout, the colors used are specific to the purpose of the texture.
Texture Properties
Texture Import Guide
NormalMaps Texture Creation

Composite Texture Texture Import Guide
Cubemaps
Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Normal Map Creation Guide
Texture Support and Settings
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Textures Essentials
Starter Content
Texture Editor UI
Tools & Scripts Texture Properties

Directory Structure
Texture Streaming
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming

Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

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Release Notes TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

English
Level Designer Quick Start Textures

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Texture Properties

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types
Static Meshes
Textures
Texture Properties
Texture Editor UI
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation

On this page:
Starter Content
Opening the Texture Editor
Details Panel
Tools & Scripts The Texture Editor allows you to preview Texture assets and modify their properties. You can also apply color adjustments and modify
Directory Structure compression and LOD settings here.
Derived Data Cache
External Content Development Standards For more information about the Texture Editor UI, see Texture Editor UI.
Content Programming
Unreal Game Projects Opening the Texture Editor

Engine Features
Gameplay Guide The Texture Editor is usually summoned from the Content Browser by double-clicking on a Texture asset.
Programming Guide Details Panel

Samples and Tutorials The Details panel displays the Texture asset's properties, and allows you to modify them.
Release Notes
At the top of the Details panel, you can see information about how the Texture is currently being displayed, statistics about the Texture such
Site Map
as size and compression method, and platform-specific settings for the Texture.
Level Of Detail
The Level Of Detail section displays mip and LOD settings.
Mip-map generation happens during importing of the Texture and creates a mip-map chain for the Texture. The mip-map chain consists of
multiple levels of the sample image, each half the resolution of the level before. That data allows the graphic card to render faster when
using the lower mips (less memory bandwidth) and also reduces the Texture aliasing (shimmering) that becomes visible when having
detailed Texture in certain distances. The setting has no performance impact at runtime as it only affects the mip-map generation (during
importing or when changing the setting).
In the Mip Gen Settings drop-down box, the SimpleAverage setting uses a 2x2 kernel size, and all Sharpen settings use a 8x8 kernel and
some negative weights to sharpen. Sharpen0 is not sharpening, but it still uses the quality down-sampling filter all Sharpen settings use
(4x4 Gaussian kernel). Compared to SimpleAverage, it appears blurrier but higher quality.
When you are using color content, the sharpening is not processing the color channels independently. Then luminance is done as defined
and the chrominance (color) information is down-sampled without sharpening (currently 2x2 but 4x4 Gaussian would be possible as well).
This avoids a color shift in some extreme cases. Sharpening also helps to improve the DXT compressor as the compression of subtle color
shades is limited.

Item
Description
Mip Gen
This option allows you to customize how the content of the mip-map chain looks. Note that the usage of mip-maps can reduce
Settings Texture details. In order to counteract the blurring the mip-mapping introduces, it is possible to sharpen the image during
down-sampling to restore some of the information loss. Using a limited amount of sharpening (values up to 4 or 5) can help to
increase the image quality without performance loss or memory cost. Using strong sharpening (values bigger than 6) can
result in dark or bright borders around the image content, but this might be acceptable in certain situations (depending of art
style and Texture content).
LOD Bias
The number of miplevels to drop before uploading the Texture. This value can be negative to compensate for the LODGroup's
LOD bias for a particular Texture. The LODBias, the LODGroup's LOD bias and the NumCinematicMipLevels are all added
together to form a final LOD bias value for the Texture. Mip-levels that cannot be reached in-game because of its LOD bias
are removed from the cooked data on disk by Unreal Frontend to save disk space.
Texture
The Texture group this Texture belongs to for LOD bias.
Group
Global
Global and serialized version of ForceMiplevelsToBeResident.
Force
Resident
Mip
Levels
Preserve
When true, the Texture's border will be preserved during mipmap generation.
Border
Num
Specifies how many of the highest-resolution mip levels should be reserved for cinematic usage - when the Texture is forcibly
Cinematic streamed in with cinematic quality. While the game is running normally, this property behaves just like a regular LOD bias: A
Mip value of 1 reduces the Texture's in-game resolution by one mip-level. However, when the corresponding Texture group is set
Levels to cinematic quality, the cinematic high-resolution mip levels are streamed in.
It is a good idea to have have some mip sharpening (for example, Sharpen4) defined for all color Textures. Normal maps or
other Textures not storing colors might also get more detail on the first sight, but it actually might get worse (e.g. distorted
surface normals, aliasing speculars).
Texture
The Texture section displays information about the Texture asset's source file, and some additional settings.
Item
Description
Power
Drop-down for how to pad the texture to a power of 2 size (if necessary).
of Two
Mode
Padding
The color used to pad the texture out if it is resized due to Power of Two Mode.
Color
sRGB
Sets whether the Texture should be gamma (un)corrected or not. Regular diffuse Textures and basically anything you use for
display as color values should have this set to true. It is usually disabled for cases where the Texture color values have a
specific meaning and you rely on those values to be that way as they were set, e.g. via code. Normal maps should have this set
to false as their color values are to be interpreted as a direction and thus should not be gamma corrected.
X-axis
Sets the addressing mode of the Texture's X axis.
Tiling
Method
Y-Axis
Sets the addressing mode of the Texture's Y axis.
Tiling
Method
Dither
When true, the alpha channel of mipmaps and the base image are dithered for smooth LOD transitions.
Mip
Map
Alpha
Flip
When true, the Texture's green channel will be inverted. This is useful for some normal maps.
Green
Channel
Use
Sets the use of simplified gama space for converting from FColor to FLinearColor, if we're doing SRGB.
Legacy
Gama
Never
If true, the Texture will never be streamed. Temporary workaround for engine limitations.
Stream
Filter
The Texture filtering mode to use when sampling this Texture.
Adjustments
The options in the Adjustments section allow you to adjust the Texture's color without modifying the actual source art. These changes are
applied at compression-time.
Item
Description
Brightness
Scales the brightness of the Texture by multiplying the HSV Value component by the number specified. Values greater than
1.0 increase the brightness of the image, while values less than 1.0 will decrease the image brightness. You can enter
whatever number you want, but the final V value will be clamped between 0.0 and 1.0 (per pixel.) The default for this setting
is 1.0.
Brightness
Modifies the brightness of the Texture using a curve. Each pixel has its HSV Value component raised to the power specified.
Curve This scales the image brightness non-linearly using a curve defined by the power function. Values less than 1.0 increase the
brightness of the image, while values greater than 1.0 decrease the image brightness. You can enter whatever number you
want, but the final V value will be clamped between 0.0 and 1.0 (per pixel.) The default for this setting is 1.0.
Vibrance
Adjusts the Texture's saturation using a number between 0.0 and 1.0. This applies a custom algorithm that attempts to
increase the saturation of colors that are naturally less saturated. This is useful when you want to bring the less-saturated
parts of a Texture up to match the other already-saturated pixels. The default for this setting is 0.0.
Saturation
Scales the Texture's color saturation by multiplying the HSV Saturation component by the number specified. Values greater
than 1.0 increase the saturation, while values less than 1.0 decrease the image saturation. A value of zero will result in a
fully greyscale image. You can enter whatever number you want, but the final S value will be clamped between 0.0 and 1.0
(per pixel.) The default for this setting is 1.0.
RGBCurve
Modifies the brightness of the Texture using a curve. Each pixel has its linear-space RGB values raised to the power
specified. This scales the image brightness non-linearly using curve defined by the power function. Values less than 1.0
increase the brightness of the image, while values greater than 1.0 will decrease the image brightness. You can enter
whatever number you want, but the final value will be clamped between 0.0 and 1.0 (per pixel.) The default for this setting is
1.0.
Hue
Modifies the image hue by shifting the HSV Hue component along the color circle by the specified number of degrees (0.0 -
360.0). Very small numbers will slightly tint the color of your image, while large numbers may change the color radically. If
you use a number outside of the 0.0 - 360.0 range, then the hue will "wrap" to a number within that range. The default for
this setting is 0.0.
Min Alpha
Sets the minimum value for the range the Texture gets "unpacked" to. The default is 0. Note that normal maps require the
min/max range to be -1 to 1, and this is set automatically if you choose the proper compression setting.
Max Alpha
Sets the maximum value for the range the Texture gets "unpacked" to. The default is 1. You can set the Max Alpha to a
higher value if you want overbrightening via the Texture.
Chroma
If true, the chroma key image, replacing any pixels that match Chroma Key Color with transparent black.
Key
Texture
Chroma
The threshold that components have to match for the texel to be considered equal to the Chroma Key Color when chroma
Key keying (<=, set to 0 to require a perfect exact match).
Threshold
Chroma
The color that will be replaced with transparent black if chroma keying is enabled.
Key Color
Compression
Item
Description
Compress
Whether the alpha channel can be discarded. You want to enable this in case your alpha channel contains data you do
Without not care about as it allows the Texture to consume only half the memory required otherwise.
Alpha
Defer
Whether to defer compression till save time to allow faster iteration times when importing/ tweaking Textures.
Compression
Compression
The compression settings to use when building the texture.
Settings
Minimum
The maximum resolution for generated textures. A value of 0 means the maximum size for the format on each platform,
Texture Size except HDR long/lat cubemaps, which default to a resolution of 512.
Compositing
Item
Description
Composite
The Texture asset used to modify the roughness based on the normal map variation (mostly from mip maps). Make sure
Texture the normal map has at least as many mips as this Texture asset.
Composite
Defines how the Composite Texture is applied.
Texture Mode
Composite
Sets the strength of the effect of the Composite Texture. Higher values result in a stronger effect. The default is 1.
Power
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Level Designer Quick Start Texture Properties

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Texture Editor UI

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Menu Bar
Actors and Geometry Toolbar
Components Viewport
Managing Content Details Panel
Artist Quick Start

The Texture Properties Editor allows you to preview a Texture asset and edit its properties. You can also apply color adjustments and
Content Browser
modify compression and LOD settings here.
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types You can open the Texture Editor by double-clicking a Texture asset in the Content Browser, or by right-clicking a Texture asset, and
Static Meshes then clicking Edit on the context menu.
Textures
Texture Properties
Texture Editor UI
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting 1. Menu Bar

Programming Guide
2. Toolbar
3. Viewport
Release Notes 4. Details Panel

Site Map

Menu Bar
File
Save - Saves the asset you are currently working on.

Open Asset - Opens the Global Asset Picker to quickly find an asset and open the appropriate editor.
Save All - Saves all unsaved levels and assets for your project.
Choose Files to Save - Brings up a dialog box that allows you to choose which levels and assets you want to save for your project.
Connect To Source Control - Brings up a dialog box that allows you to choose or interact with a source-control system that the
Unreal Editor can integrate with.
Edit
Undo - Undoes the most recent action.

Redo - Redoes the most recent Undo, if it was the last action taken.
Editor Preferences - Gives you a list of options, any of which open that part of the Editor Preferences window, where you can
modify your Unreal Editor preferences.
Project Settings - Gives you a list of options, any of which open that part of the Project Settings window, where you can modify
various settings for your Unreal Engine project.
Asset
Find in Content Browser - Locates and selects the current asset in the Content Browser.
View Reference - Launches the reference viewer showing the selected assets' references.
Reimport filename - Reimports the current asset from its original location on disk.
Window
Toolbar - Toggles the display of the Toolbar.

Viewport - Toggles the display of the Viewport panel.
Details - Toggles the display of the Details panel.
Content Browser - Brings up the Content Browser in a separate window.
Developer Tools - Brings up the selected Developer Tool in a separate window (Camera Debugger, Collision Analyzer, Debug
Tools, Modules, Widget Reflector).
Blueprint Debugger - Brings up the Blueprint Debugger in a separate window.

Collision Analyzer - Brings up the Collision Analyzer in a separate window.
Debug Tool - Brings up the Debug Tool in a separate window.
Message Log - Brings up the Message Log in a separate window.
Output Log - Brings up the Output Log in a separate window.
Visual Logger - Bring up the Visual Logger tool in a separate window.
Class Viewer - Brings up the Class Viewer in a separate window.
Device Manager - Brings up Device Manager in a separate window.
Device Profiles - Brings up the Device Profiles in a separate window.
Modules - Brings up Modules in a separate window.
Session Frontend - Brings up Unreal Frontend in a separate window.
Widget Reflector - Brings up Widget Reflector in a separate window.
Undo History - Brings up the Undo History panel in a separate window.

Plugins - Brings up the Plugins window.
Reset Layout - Resets your layout to a default arrangement. Requires the editor to restart after saving your changes and creating a
backup of your settings.
Save Layout - Saves the current layout of the panels as the new default layout.
Enable Fullscreen - Enables fullscreen mode for the application, expanding across the entire monitor.
Toolbar
Item
Description
Saves the current asset.
Finds and selects the current asset in the Content Browser.

Compresses the Texture according to the settings in the Compression section of the Details
panel.

Reimports the current asset from its original location on disk.

Enables you to change the mip level of the Texture by clicking the check box and dragging the
slider bar (or clicking the plus or minus buttons).
Viewport
The viewport displays a preview of the Texture asset.

The upper-left corner of the viewport contains a drop-down View menu that gives you options to toggle various channels and settings, and
change how the Texture is displayed.
You can resize the Texture asset being previewed by dragging the Zoom slider in the lower-right corner of the viewport, or by changing the
Fill setting with the drop-down menu.
Details Panel
The Details panel displays the Texture's various properties, and enables you to modify them. For more information about the specific
properties in the Texture Editor's Details panel, see Texture Properties.
For more information about Unreal Engine Details panels, see Details Panel.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Texture Import Guide

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Importing Images - Textures
Actors and Geometry

This document covers the process of importing textures into Unreal Engine 4.
Components
Managing Content For more information on the Content Browser, see the Content Browser Reference.
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser Importing Images - Textures

Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types

To import your image texture, go to the Content Browser and click Import. Find your file and click Open.
Static Meshes
Textures
Texture Properties
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Alternatively, you can click and drag images directly into the Content Browser.
Release Notes
The following Texture formats are supported:
Site Map
New and Updated Resources .bmp

.float
.pcx
.png
.psd
.tga
.jpg
.exr
.dds - Cubemap Texture (32bits/Channel, 8.8.8.8 ARGB 32 bpp, unsigned) See Cubemap Tools for more information.
.hdr - Cubemap Texture (LongLat unwrap)
Texture Properties
For an explanation of the meaning of the various texture properties, see the Texture Properties page.
Full Topic Index

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Normal Map Creation Guide

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

This workflow uses XNormal to bake normal maps which produces much higher quality shading than previous workflows. The Normal map
Level Editor
workflow used in the past will still work, but if you want higher quality shading, this is currently the best workflow to use. It also allows you to
Levels
use much less supporting geometry since you do not have to fight incorrect shading.
Actors and Geometry
Components
You can use this method one of two ways. One is to give your model a single smoothing group. This will create a very gradient heavy
Managing Content
normal map but few seams on UV edges. The other method is to break Smoothing groups along UV seams. This will create a flatter normal
Artist Quick Start
map but has some seams on UV edges.
Content Browser
Assets and Packages

Workflow
Content Asset Types
Static Meshes
1. The first step is to make sure your model consists of 1 Smoothing Group. It also helps to triangulate your model using a modifier, that
Textures
way you do not have to worry about any application changing your triangles.
Texture Properties
Texture Import Guide 2. When exporting your low-poly model for XNormal using these settings:
NormalMaps
Normal Map Creation
Guide
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

The important points are Smoothing Groups, and Tangents & Binormals.
Release Notes
Site Map 3. When loading your low-poly model into XNormal, make sure Use exported normals is enabled.
4. After baking your normal map, export your low poly models for Unreal using the SAME FBX settings as before.
5. When importing your model into Unreal, select Import Normals:

Results
Here is an example mesh using this method, notice it is far lower poly count than we could use before, there is no supporting chamfers or
subdivisions.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Composite Texture

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Composite Texture feature provides the ability to combine one Texture with the content of another.
Level Editor
Levels
This is currently used to adjust the roughness of one Texture with the normal map details of another.
This is useful for fighting a common
Actors and Geometry
artifact in real-time 3d rendering: Aliasing or shimmering of normal
maps in the distance. It also maintains the specular size for a Material
Components
whose normal map is detailed
when near to the camera, but uses the mip maps of the normalmap that might appear flat when farther away.
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start

Setting up the Composite Texture to Modify the Roughness Depending on
Content Browser
Normalmap Details
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types To configure a Texture to use the Composite Texture, assign the normal map (same size or higher res) to the Composite Texture property
Static Meshes in your diffuse Texture. We often store the roughness in the diffuse alpha
channel, but you can adjust any channel by changing the default
Textures settings.
Texture Properties
Texture Import Guide The process assumes the Texture already contained a roughness value and adjusts the channel depending on the variation in the normal
NormalMaps map to a rougher value (brighter).
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
If the Texture does not already contain info in the alpha channel, the process of modifying that particular channel will not work as
no alpha channel means white. Instead, you must first adjust the Max Alpha property to set the source alpha to a constant
Engine Features
value. If you directly hook up the alpha channel of the texture to the material
roughness and your alpha channel was white (1,
Gameplay Guide
which is the default), then you can directly specify the roughness value
as Max Alpha. The adjustment will be done to the
texture content. The roughness adjustment will be done on top of that.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map

Normal Map
Composited Roughness Map
You can set the Texture Editor to only show the alpha channel to verify your adjustments.
Compositing Properties
There are some additional properties that affect how the Composite Texture modifies the Texture's channel.

Property
Description

Composite Texture
Specifies which channel of the Texture (R, G, B, or A) the Composite Texture is used to modify.
Mode

Composite Power
Determines how much influence the Composite Texture has on the target channel. [1:default, <1 less influence, >1
more influence]
Using the Composited Roughness Map

The Material makes use of the roughness map by sampling the alpha channel of the Texture.
You can combine multiple roughness in the shader by adding them and they should combine naturally.
Results
Issues
This feature only works if the UV layout of your normal map and the roughness map is the same.
Note that this approximates the correct
result. The result is isotropic, meaning any directionality of
the normal map is not taken into account. Make sure you have large enough UV
borders otherwise wrong content might creep in.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Cubemaps

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Cubemaps provide a simple method of environment mapping, in which distant scenery - such as skies and surrounding environments - is
Level Editor
mapped to a panoramic texture. Under the hood, these textures are stored as a series of six images mapped to the inside faces of a cube.
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Textures Content Creation
Managing Content
Cubemap Tools - An overview of the Nvidia and AMD tools available for the creation of Cubemaps.
Artist Quick Start
Creating Cubemaps - The process for assembling cubemaps in Photoshop.
Content Browser
Exporting Cubemaps - How to export cubemaps out of Photoshop using the NVIDIA Texture Tools plug-in.
Assets and Packages
Importing Cubemaps - How to import cubemaps into Unreal Engine 4.
Content Asset Types
Using Cubemaps - How to utilize cubemaps once you have imported them into the engine.
Static Meshes
Textures
Texture Properties
NormalMaps Full Topic Index

Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Creating Cubemaps

Cubemap Tools
Exporting Cubemaps elsewhere.
Importing Cubemaps TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

Using Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

INT
Level Designer Quick Start Cubemaps

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Creating Cubemaps

Intermediate
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The process for assembling cubemaps in Photoshop.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Creating Cubemaps
Components
To create a cubemap, all you need is a series of six images that represent the view down the positive and negative directions of the X, Y,
Managing Content
and Z coordinates. However, these images will need to be properly assembled and there are some things to consider to make that happen.
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
When using the NVIDIA Texture Tools plug-in for Photoshop (32bits/Channel, 8.8.8.8 ARGB 32 bpp, unsigned), you will need to arrange
Assets and Packages your six images in a very particular fashion to generate a cubemap. The plug-in looks for all six images to be in the same document, side-
Content Asset Types by-side, and arranged like so:
Static Meshes
Textures Positive X-Axis, Negative X-Axis, Positive Y-Axis, Negative Y-Axis, Positive Z-Axis, Negative Z-Axis
Texture Properties
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Creating Cubemaps
Cubemap Tools Once exported from Photoshop and imported into Unreal, the editor composites them into a nice cubemap. However, you will notice that in
Exporting Cubemaps
this example some of the images have very interesting rotation applied. This is because of the way the NVIDIA plug-in assembles the
Importing Cubemaps
cubemap from each image.
Using Cubemaps
When imported as a cubemap and laid out flat in Unreal's Texture Editor window, the result looks something like this:
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide It is the special rotation applied to some of the images that allows the sizes of the cube to remain right-side-up.
Programming Guide The quick-and-dirty way to look at this rotation scheme is as follows:

Axis
Rotation
Release Notes Positive X

Rotated 90 degrees CCW
Site Map Negative X

Rotated 90 degrees CW
Positive Y
Rotated 180 degrees
Negative Y
No Rotation
Positive Z
The side that must align with positive Y should be at the top
Negative Z
The side that must align with positive Y should be at the top
Visualizing Cubemap Image Rotation

It is not always easy to see how to lay out the images of a cubemap when it is first being created. This method can help you see how to
properly lay out the images for use with NVIDIA's Texture Tools plug-in for Photoshop.
Probably the easiest way to visualize the rotation of images for a cubemap is to imagine yourself lying in the ground staring up with your
body aligned to the Cartesian axes. This means you would be looking in the positive Z-Axis direction (up), with the X-Axis pointing to your
right, and the Y-Axis pointing upward from the top of your head, like this:
But to see how this orientation plays into the layout of a cubemap, let us consider these six images that represent a view in six directions.
Currently, all of these images are rotated straight up and down. Some will need to be rotated in order to line up properly. So let us go back
to the example where we can imagine ourselves lying down as above.
Now, imagine turning your head to your right. This would mean you
would be looking down the X-Axis. However, because you are still lying on your back, the view would appear rotated 90 degrees
counterclockwise relative to your head, like so:
If you then rotated your head back to the left, you would see this for X-Axis negative:
To look at the positive Y-Axis image, you would have to rotate your head back. This would cause the view to appear upside-down, like so:
To see the negative Y-Axis image, you could look downward toward your feet, and you would see this:
The positive Z-Axis image is fairly easy to visualize, since you were staring up at it when we started:
To view the negative Z-Axis image, you would have to roll yourself over onto your stomach and stare straight down at the floor, so you
would see this:
Once you had all of those images created and rotated accordingly, you then need to line them up in a single file in the following order:
X+, X-, Y+, Y-, Z+, Z-
And so you would have an image that looked something like this:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Cubemap Tools

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Building a cubemap is very easy if you have the right tools. This document covers some useful tools used to generate cubemaps.
Level Editor
Levels
NVIDIA Texture Tools for Adobe Photoshop
Actors and Geometry
Components One of the more common tools available is the NVIDIA Texture Tools plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. This tool set allows for the creation of
Managing Content DDS textures, cubemaps, and normal maps.
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser The plug-in can be acquired from NVIDIA.

Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types At this time, the NVidia plug-in will produce errors when trying to export a 16-bit floating point (HDR) cubemap. Those wanting to
Static Meshes create such a map might consider the unsupported ATI Cubemap Generator.
Textures
Texture Properties
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Creating Cubemaps
Cubemap Tools
Exporting Cubemaps
Importing Cubemaps
Using Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content

AMD CubeMapGen
Tools & Scripts Alternatively, you may use AMD CubeMapGen to produce cubemaps. This tool is capable of producing 16-bit floating point cubemaps.
Directory Structure There are, however, some caveats to consider:
Derived Data Cache
External Content Development Standards 1. This tool has officially reached the end of its life and is no longer supported by AMD.
Content Programming
2. The tool uses a Y-Up world orientation, meaning that you will have to consider some axis shifting to make maps that work well in
Unreal.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide The tool is available for download directly from AMD.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Other Tools
Epic Games has also made use of other tools to create the cubemap image, including:
1. HDR Light Studio, available at http://www.hdrlightstudio.com/

2. VUE can output a panoramic HDR image, this is useful for HDRs that contain skies. http://www.e-
onsoftware.com/products/vue/vue_10.5_xstream/
3. If rendering out of Mental Ray, you can use the Wrap Around (lume) lens shader.
4. Light probe images can be purchased from a variety of websites.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Exporting Cubemaps

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

This document goes over how to export cubemaps out of Photoshop using the NVIDIA Texture Tools plug-in.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Exporting Cubemaps (Photoshop)
Components
Once you have a series of images laid out in Photoshop and ready to use as a cubemap, then you are ready for export. In this example, we
Managing Content
will use the NVIDIA Texture Tools plug-in for Photoshop CS6.
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
If you have not yet installed this plug-in, you can get it here.
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types 1. First, make sure your textures for the cubemap are lined up in a single document, and that they are all the same size. This size should
Static Meshes also be a power of 2. Be sure that the frames are rotated as described here.
Textures
Texture Properties
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Creating Cubemaps
2. Under the File menu, choose Save As.
Cubemap Tools
Exporting Cubemaps
Importing Cubemaps
Using Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
External Content Development Standards 3. In the Save As window, choose D3D/DDS (.DDS; .DDS) and name your file.
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
4. In the NVIDIA dds Format window, choose 8.8.8.8 ARGB 32 bpp | unsigned from the combobox at the top. Set the combobox
underneath to Cube Map. Set MIP Map Generation group to No MIP maps.
5. Click Save.
Images used here are derived from light probes originally from Paul Debevec's website http://www.pauldebevec.com.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Importing Cubemaps

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

This document goes over how to import cubemaps into Unreal Engine 4.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Importing Cubemaps
Components
To import your Cubemap image, go to the Content Browser and click Import. Find your file and click Open.
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types
Static Meshes
Textures
Texture Properties
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Creating Cubemaps
Cubemap Tools
Exporting Cubemaps
Importing Cubemaps
Using Cubemaps
Texture Streaming
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure Alternatively, you can click and drag images directly into the Content Browser.
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming

Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

elsewhere.
Release Notes TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

INT

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Using Cubemaps

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

This document goes over how to utilize cubemaps once you have imported them into the engine.
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry

Using Cubemaps
Components
There are multiple ways to apply cubemaps in Unreal Engine 4. Two popular uses are via ambient cubemaps and cubemaps within
Managing Content
materials.
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Ambient Cubemaps
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types The Ambient Cubemap lights the scene from a provided image. The image is mapped to a sphere in the far distance (implemented as a
Static Meshes cubemap texture with the mip maps storing preblurred versions of the image).
The blurry versions are computed in a way that they can be
Textures used for specular lighting with varying glossiness (sharp vs. blurry reflections) and they can be used for diffuse lighting as well. This effect is
Texture Properties independent of the position a material is lit from. Viewer position, material roughness (for specular effects), and the material surface normal
Texture Import Guide are all taken into account.
NormalMaps
Composite Texture The Ambient Cubemap has very limited local shadowing (SSAO only). Use a Sky Light instead when representing the sky's
Cubemaps lighting.
Creating Cubemaps
Cubemap Tools
The Ambient Cubemap is only intended to be used for a subtle directional ambient term (useful in games with completely dynamic lighting),
Exporting Cubemaps
or for model viewer applications.
Importing Cubemaps
Because light comes from many directions, we cannot simply use shadow maps for this light type. SSAO is applied to get contact shadows
Using Cubemaps
from nearby geometry (see Ambient Occlusion ).
Texture Streaming

The show flag "Lighting Image Based Lighting" can be used to toggle the rendering of Ambient Cubemaps.
Skeletal Meshes
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
In this image, a cubemap image has been automatically laid out into a "longlat" format.

Property
Description
Cubemap
The cubemap used for ambient lighting. The texture should be created by importing a .hdr image in the longitude/latitude
Texture sphere unwrapping format. The engine automatically precomputes blurry versions of the texture and stores the result in one
cubemap texture. The lower resolution mips of the texture store the diffuse preconvolved version of the HDR environment.
Intensity
A scaling factor for the brightess of the effect. Possible uses: brightness tweak existing cubemaps.
Tint
A filter color to apply to the cubemaps. Possible uses: colorize existing cubemaps, animate a sky color change.
The cubemap in this image is derived from a light probe by Paul Debevec. http://gl.ict.usc.edu/Data/HighResProbes/
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Texture Streaming

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Streaming Type
Actors and Geometry StreamType Static
Components StreamType Dynamic
Managing Content StreamType Forced
Artist Quick Start StreamType LastRenderTime
Content Browser StreamType Orphaned
Assets and Packages Decals
Content Asset Types Pre-streaming Textures
Static Meshes Boosting
Textures TexelFactor
Texture Properties Cinematic Mip-Levels
Texture Import Guide Special Texture Groups
NormalMaps Panic Stream Out
Composite Texture Optimizing and debugging texture streaming
Cubemaps Some .ini Settings
Texture Streaming Stat Streaming
Texture Support and Settings Stat StreamingDetails
Skeletal Meshes Console commands
Asset Creation
The texture streaming system is multi-threaded and priority-based. When using a texture pool (i.e. on consoles), it will not stream out a
Starter Content
texture until that memory is needed by another texture with higher priority, which makes texture quality more stable and prevents
unnecessary disk access.
Tools & Scripts The priority of a texture is primarily based on distance but it also takes other factors into account, such as time, wanted resolution, and
Directory Structure whether it is forced (flagged to be fully streamed in).
Derived Data Cache
External Content Development Standards The system periodically calculates two values for each streaming texture: the wanted number of mip-levels and the priority. It then sorts all
Content Programming textures based on their priorities and tries to make sure that all textures have at least the number of wanted mip-levels in memory, starting
Unreal Game Projects with the texture with the highest priority. If a texture needs to stream in more mip-levels and there is not enough memory available at the
Engine Features time, it will start to stream out mip-levels from low-priority textures and try again next time.
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Streaming Type

Programming Guide
Platform Development The streaming system uses several different types of heuristics when it determines how many mip-levels a textures wants to have in
Samples and Tutorials memory. Normally a texture uses only one heuristic but in some cases it can use multiple, such as when the same texture is used on a
Release Notes Static Mesh as well as a Skeletal Mesh. In that case, it will pick the highest result (the highest number of wanted mip-levels) among the
Site Map heuristics used.
The number of wanted mip-levels is clamed to a certain valid range. This range is derived from a number of different factors, such as texture
group LOD settings, cinematic mip-levels, packed mip-tails on Xbox, global min and max settings (GMinTextureResidentMipCount and
GMaxTextureMipCount) and whether the texture is forced to be fully loaded.
Some types of textures are not handled by any of the normal heuristics because they are not actively tracked by the streaming system. This
applies in particular to effect textures. These textures are handled by a fallback heuristic that basically results in all-or-nothing, based on
whether it has been rendered within the last 90 seconds. Since the streaming system does not track these textures, it can cause a problem
if such a texture is also used by some other geometry. The streaming system will only know about the other geometry and will stream the
texture solely based on that heuristic. The number of wanted mip-levels will be low when that geometry is far away, even if an effect that
uses the same texture is close to the camera. Avoid sharing textures in these cases.
StreamType Static
This stream type is used for all static objects that are placed in a level in the Unreal Editor. It is essentially distance-based, where it
calculates approximately how many pixels the texture occupies on the screen and derives what mip-level it needs to match that resolution.
StreamType Dynamic
Textures on dynamic objects like Skeletal Meshes or spawned objects uses a dynamic heuristic. It is very similar to the static stream type,
but the streaming system keeps track of attach/detach and position and bounding box changes and updates the calculations accordingly.
StreamType Forced
Textures on objects that has the bForceMipStreaming flag set, or are forced by a Blueprint action or game code, will set its WantedMips to
the maximum value. They will have a higher-than-normal priority and will be stream in all their mip-levels as soon as possible. Forced
textures normally use a timer and will automatically go back to normal streaming behavior when the timer expires. This timer is provided for
convenience and as a safe-guard against forgetting to turn off the forced flag. Set the timer to a comfortably large number so you are sure
to cover the intended period of time, but it is still a good idea to manually disable it as soon as you know you will not need it anymore. It is
very important to turn off Forced as soon as it is not needed anymore since a lot of these Forced textures will use up a lot of texture
memory and can cause other textures to be streamed out. You can monitor the Forced texture usage with STAT STREAMINGDETAILS or
LISTSTREAMINGTEXTURES.
StreamType LastRenderTime
When a texture is not tracked by the streaming system and is not handled by one of the normal heuristics, it will fall back to the
LastRenderTime heuristic. This is a very simplistic heuristic that will stream in all mip-levels when a texture is rendered, and basically keep
them in memory for 90 seconds after it is not rendered anymore (e.g. the texture may behind the camera, occluded by other geometry, or
not part of the scene anymore).
This stream type is normally used only by particle effect textures and should be used with care. Monitor memory usage with STAT
STREAMINGDETAILS and LISTSTREAMINGTEXTURES.
StreamType Orphaned
If streaming system recently lost track of a texture (e.g. because we are in a level transition or a dynamic object just despawned) but the
texture still exist, it becomes Orphaned for a while instead of immediately falling back to the LastRenderTime stream type. During this time,
it will keep the mips it currently has (or one less of maximum, whichever is lower). This prevents textures from temporarily stream in all mip-
levels in a transitional case, since LastRenderTime would stream in all mips if the texture has been rendered recently. The idea is to freeze
the texture in its current state until it gets tracked again or deleted from memory.
Decals
Static decals that are placed in the level use the Static stream type. Dynamic decals that are spawned at run-time use LastRenderTime.
Special care is taken to cases where a decal texture is used on both a static and dynamic object, such that LastRenderTime will take
precedence in this case to avoid the problem particle effects have with texture sharing.
Pre-streaming Textures
There are several ways to start streaming in textures before they are needed. When a level is loaded with a fullscreen loading movie and
the loading movie is stopped, the streaming system will automatically block the CPU and stream in all textures it wants based on the
current settings at the time (camera/player position, loaded and visible geometry, etc). It will add a line to the log on how long this took and
how many textures was streamed in during this time. There is an .ini setting to set a time limit for this blocking operation (TextureStreaming
-> LoadMapTimeLimit). This can be called manually at any time if necessary (IStreamingManager::Get().StreamAllResources).
Specific textures or meshes can be streamed in ahead of time by forcing them into memory in the game code, by calling one of the
PrestreamTextures() functions. For a specified time, all their mip-levels will be loaded even if nothing is using those textures yet. Once they
start to get used, they can go back to be handled by the streaming system in the normal way again.
It is also possible to add an additional view location to the streaming system, if the game code knows that we may be about to teleport to a
new location soon, by calling IStreamingManager::Get().AddViewSlaveLocation(). The streaming system will treat both these locations and
the normal camera view location the same way, streaming textures based on all locations.
During gameplay and level are being streamed in and out by Blueprints, pre-streaming must be handled carefully in Kismet by using the
Stream-In-Textures Kismet action node. This node can be used exactly like the PrestreamTextures() and AddViewSlaveLocation()
functions. Keep in mind that a level must be loaded and visible to be taken into account by the streaming system.
The Stream-In-Textures Blueprint node also has an "All Loaded" output, which is triggered when all wanted textures have been loaded or
the specified duration has passed, whichever comes first. This can be used to trigger a loading screen, if necessary. Note that if you are
over the texture budget, all wanted textures will not fit in memory and will never be loaded so make sure you have a reasonable time limit.
(It is possible that this behavior will change in the future, so that it will instead be triggered when all textures that can be loaded has been
loaded, to avoid this special case.)
Boosting
A specific view location or Actor can be boosted. A boost factor of 1.0 means normal operation, whereas a higher number will be more
aggressive and boost the number of wanted mip-levels of the associated textures, as if they were closer to the camera, and a lower number
will be less aggressive and keep the number of wanted mip-levels lower.
Boost factors are automatically reset to 1.0, so you should keep setting the boost factor every frame and simply stop doing that when you do
not need the boost factor anymore.
This can be used to boost specific important characters, or to pre-stream textures more aggressively for a view that may be zoomed in soon
(or is already zoomed in).
TexelFactor
The TexelFactor directly affects the number of wanted mip-levels. The higher value, the more mip-levels will be streamed in. It is
automatically pre-calculated during cooking where it looks at all triangles in the mesh and compares the ratio between the UV map and the
size of the triangle. However, it can be adjusted manually by setting the StreamingDistanceMultiplier property on the component. Again, the
higher value, the more mip-levels will be streamed in. A StreamingDistanceMultiplier of 2.0 will double the TexelFactor. A
StreamingDistanceMultiplier of 0.5 will reduce the TexelFactor by half. The effect can be seen in the TexelFactor at run-time, using the
InvestigateTexture or ListStreamingTextures console commands.
Cinematic Mip-Levels
A texture can have extra high-resolution mip-levels that are only used for a cinematic, not during normal gameplay. The number of cinematic
mip-levels is set in the texture properties. To enable these cinematic mip-levels, you must use the Stream-In-Textures Blueprint action to
enable it for the texture group and force-stream the texture. It can also be enabled by calling
UTexture2D::SetForceMipLevelsToBeResident() in C++.
Special Texture Groups

A few texture groups are handled specially. TEXTUREGROUP_Skybox textures are always fully streamed in, they are automatically marked
Forced. TEXTUREGROUP_UI textures have all their mip-levels removed during cooking, so they will never be streamed.
TEXTUREGROUP_Lightmap and TEXTUREGROUP_Shadowmap use extra boost factors from .ini settings ("LightmapStreamingFactor"
and "ShadowmapStreamingFactor"). Textures using one of the three TEXTUREGROUP_Character groups has a slight preference in that
they can be the first ones to stream in when loading a map and will be the last textures to stream out in a panic stream out.
Panic Stream Out

When a texture is initially created synchronously (normally with just the smallest mip-levels), it must fit in memory or the game will go Out Of
Texture Memory. If there is not enough memory, the streaming system can try to stream out texture data to make room. There is no time to
be play nice here, and it will brutally stream out whatever it can to make room in the texture pool. The operation can take a little time
because it will have to scan a lot of textures and defragment the texture pool memory to create a contiguous free space. There will be a line
in the log whenever this happens.
Optimizing and debugging texture streaming

The first thing to look at is the "Over Budget" value in STAT STREAMING. If it is 0, you are ok. If it is non-zero, you are using more textures
than can fit in the texture pool and you should reduce memory usage and/or increase the texture pool size. In some cases, it can be
acceptable with a non-zero "Over Budget", since the streaming system is priority-based and the visual quality may be ok anyway.
To find candidates for reducing memory usage, use the "ListStreamingTextures" and "ListTextures" console commands. Note that the
texture pool memory is used for both streaming textures (usage various over time) and non-streaming textures (usage is more constant).
The ListStreamingTextures command lists streaming textures and information from the streaming system. ListTextures lists all textures, but
more generic information.
Check ListStreamingTextures for textures that are unnecessarily marked as Forced or LastRenderTime, and textures that are unnecessarily
large. Check if you can share more textures and remove unique textures that are not really needed. Textures that are unnecessarily large
could be adjusted by modifying the LODBias or the StreamingDistanceMultiplier property. Check for unnecessary use of memory-heavy
cinematic mip-levels (the texture will be marked as Forced).
Check ListTextures for textures that are not streamed and use a lot of memory and optimize as needed.
To investigate a particular texture, use the "TrackTexture " and "InvestigateTexture " console commands. Check for unexpected stream outs
or if it misses to detect a change. Check that WantedMips is what you expect. Check that it is using the expected stream type. Check that
all texture instances (everywhere the texture is used) are accounted for. Check that it is not a case where a untracked texture (e.g. particle
effect texture) is shared by a regular tracked instance (e.g. Static Mesh).
If textures are blurry when loading a new map, check that the View Location is at the correct spot when
FStreamingManagerCollection::StreamAllResources() is called when the loading screen is turned off (make sure you use a fullscreen
loading movie). Make sure all your data has been fully loaded at that time.
Some .ini Settings

The .ini settings are all contained under the TextureStreaming section.
Property
Description
PoolSize
The size of the texture pool, in MB.
MemoryMargin
Amount of memory to keep free, to be used as temp memory when streaming in new data, in MB.
LoadMapTimeLimit
Maximum number of seconds to block when streaming in all textures at the end of the loading screen.
LightmapStreamingFactor
Extra boost factor for TEXTUREGROUP_Lightmap textures.
ShadowmapStreamingFactor
Extra boost factor for TEXTUREGROUP_Shadowmap textures.
BoostPlayerTextures
Boost factor that will be applied automatically to all textures on player characters.
Stat Streaming

Property
Description
Game Thread Update Time

Time used per frame, on the game thread.
Pool Memory Used

Total amount of memory currently allocated from the texture pool (not just streaming textures).
Required Streaming Textures

Total memory wanted for all streaming textures.
Streaming Textures
Total memory currently allocated from the texture pool, counting streaming textures only.
Over Budget
Estimated amount of over budget texture memory (streaming textures only).
Num Wanting Textures

Number of textures that currently wants to stream in mip-levels.
Streaming Textures
Total number of streaming textures in memory.
Stat StreamingDetails
Property
Description
Under Budget
Estimated amount of under budget texture memory (streaming textures only).
Rendering Thread Update Time

Time used per frame to update a texture, on the render thread.
Rendering Thread Finalize Time

Time used per frame to finalize a texture, on the render thread.
Static Textures In Memory

Current total memory usage for Static textures.
Dynamic Textures In Memory

Current total memory usage for Dynamic textures.
LastRenderTime Textures In Memory

Current total memory usage for LastRenderTime textures.
Forced Textures In Memory

Current total memory usage for Forced textures.
Lightmaps In Memory
Current total memory usage for lightmaps and shadowmaps.
Lightmaps On Disk
Total amount of lightmap and shadowmap data available on disk, for the currently active
textures.
Intermediate Textures Size

Current amount of temp memory used for streaming textures in/out.
Textures Streamed In (Frame)

Number of textures streamed in this frame.
Textures Streamed In (Total)

Number of textures streamed in since launch.
Lightmaps Streamed In (Total)

Number of lightmaps and shadowmaps streamed in since launch.
Intermediate Textures
Current number of temp textures used for streaming in/out.
Requests In Cancelation Phase

Number of requests in cancelation phase.
Requests In Update Phase

Number of requests in mip update phase.
Requests In Finalize Phase

Number of requests in mip finalization phase.
Streaming Latency, Average (sec)

Average of all latency samples in the ring buffer, in seconds.
Streaming Bandwidth, Average

Average bandwidth usage, in MB/sec.
(MB/s)
Growing Reallocations
Total number of growing in-place reallocations, since launch.
Shrinking Reallocations
Total number of shrinking in-place reallocations, since launch.
Full Reallocations
Total number of full reallocations (involving a texture copy), since launch.
Failed Reallocations
Total number of failed reallocation (stream operation silently ignored), since launch.
Panic Defragmentations
Total number of panic defragmentations, since launch.
Num Textures Instances

Current number of texture instances.
Num Lightmap Instances

Current number of lightmap and shadowmap instances.
Dynamic Streaming Total Time (sec)

Accumulated total time spent on dynamic primitives since launch, in seconds.
Console commands
Property
Description
STAT Streaming
Displays information about the texture streaming system.
STAT StreamingDetails
Displays additional detailed information about the texture streaming system.
ListStreamingTextures
Prints a list of all streaming textures that matches . The list contains information such as current size, how
many seconds ago it was rendered, which streaming heuristic it is using, etc. The format is CSV so it can
be copy/pasted into Excel for further investigation.
InvestigateTexture
Prints all information the streaming system has about all textures that contain the specified string.
TrackTexture
The streaming system will start to track textures that contain the specified string and log out any status
changes.
UntrackTexture
Removes the specified textures from the list of tracked textures.
ListTrackedTextures
Prints the list of currently tracked textures.
TextureGroups
Prints memory information for all texture groups.
DumpTextureStreamingStats
Prints memory information for the texture streaming system.
English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Texture Support and Settings

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Texture Resolution
Actors and Geometry Engine Texture Resolution Limit
Components Compressed Texture Memory Requirements
Managing Content Engine Config TextureGroup Properties
Artist Quick Start PC AppCompat Buckets
Content Browser TEXTUREGROUP Properties
Assets and Packages Filtering
Content Asset Types TextureGroup, LODGroup and LODBias
Static Meshes Texture Properties
Textures
One of the biggest contributors to any digital projects memory footprint comes from the size and amount of Textures used. Luckily Unreal
Texture Properties
Engine 4 has a very robust system for non-destructively reducing Texture size across all your projects Textures. In the following page we
will take a look at these systems and how you can use them to reduce your projects Texture memory requirements.
NormalMaps
Composite Texture
Cubemaps
Texture Resolution
Texture Streaming
Unreal Engine 4 supports texture resolutions from 1x1 up to 8192x8192 with some slight modifications to .INI files.
Current DirectX video
adapters and game consoles support various texture resolutions from 1x1 to 2048x2048 and up to 8192x8192.
The highest texture
Skeletal Meshes
resolution supported by a specific hardware device varies by manufacturer, model and available texture memory.
There are a number of
Asset Creation
features and settings in Unreal Engine 4 for managing the texture resolutions that are rendered for various areas such as world geometry or
Starter Content
the user interface.
Tools & Scripts

Engine Texture Resolution Limit
Directory Structure
Unreal Engine 4 defaults to limiting the maximum number of texture mips to 14, which effectively limits the largest rendered texture to 8192
Derived Data Cache
(1x1 to 8192x8192 is 14 mips).
This has the side-effect that imported 8192 textures will only render up to mip1 of 4096.
The constant MAX_TEXTURE_MIP_COUNT which
Content Programming
defaults to 13 in the engine source files can be modified to a value of 14 to support 8192 texture rendering. This constant is defined in the
following source files (as of QAMar09, be sure to verify on other QA versions).
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Src\D3D10Drv\Src\D3D10Device.cpp
Blueprints Visual Scripting Src\Engine\Inc\RHI.h
Src\Engine\Inc\UnTex.h
Programming Guide Src\Engine\Src\RHI.cpp
Src\Engine\Src\TextureCube.cpp
Samples and Tutorials With the release of UE 4.8 you can now modify your projects to use Textures up to 8192 in size without having to modify the C++ code by
Release Notes adding the following text to your projects DefaultEngine.INI file and setting the MaxLODsize to 8192
Site Map
New and Updated Resources [SystemSettings]

TEXTUREGROUP_World=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=8192,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
Once you have added the section you want to increase the size for, save the file and restart the Editor. When the Editor restarts any
Textures that were imported at a size of 8192 should now show 8192 as the size of LOD 1, instead of being clamped to a maximum of
4096. In the following example image we have modified the DefaultEngine.INI file in a UE 4.8 project to allow for the use of Textures that
are up to 8192 in size. When the texture, T_8K_Test is loaded in UE4 we can see that both the imported and displayed texture size are at
8192.
Compressed Texture Memory Requirements
DXT uses lossy compression based on packing pixels into 4x4 blocks with paletted colors and interpolated colors. This results in an 8:1
DXT1 and 4:1 DXT5 constant compression file size. Since video memory and texture pool resources are fixed for a specific platform and
hardware, a balance must be struck between texture resolution and resource usage. The following table lists the texture memory
requirements for DXT1 and DXT5 textures at various common resolutions with full mips (1x1 up to full native mip0). Note that the memory
requirements are near-constant multiples of the texture resolution ratio, and that DXT5 textures require near-twice the memory of their
DXT1 counterpart.
Since the resolution to compression ratio is a constant, to calculate the memory requirements for a texture resolution not listed here, simply
multiply the resolution ratios. For example, a 1024x512 texture would be one-half the memory requirements of a 1024x1024 texture.
The table data was compiled from textures created by ATI's Compressonator using Box-Filter mip generation and DirectX Texture
Compression.
Resolution
Total Mips from 1x1
DXT1
DXT5
16x16
5 mips
312 bytes
496 bytes
32x32
6 mips
824 bytes
1.48kb (1,520 bytes)
64x64
7 mips
2.80kb (2,872 bytes)
5.48kb (5,616 bytes)
128x128
8 mips
10.8kb (11,064 bytes)
21.4kb (22,000 bytes)
256x256
9 mips
42.8kb (43,832 bytes)
85.4kb (87,536 bytes)
512x512
10 mips
170kb (174,904 bytes)
341kb (349,680 bytes)
1024x1024
11 mips
682kb (699,192 bytes)
1.33MB (1,398,256 bytes)
2048x2048
12 mips
2.66MB (2,796,344 bytes)
5.33MB (5,592,560 bytes)
4096x4096
13 mips
10.6MB (11,184,952 bytes)
21.3MB (22,369,776 bytes)
8192x8192
14 mips
42.6MB (44,739,384 bytes)
85.3MB (89,478,640 bytes)
Engine Config TextureGroup Properties

The minimum and maximum LOD (mip) supported for specific game TextureGroups is defined in a number of engine configuration files.
The source set of configuration settings files is located in the [Unreal Engine 4 Install
Location]\Engine\Config\BaseEngine.ini file under the [SystemSettings] section.
For developing games, the [your_game]\Config\DefaultEngine.ini file also contains a mirror set of the base properties in the
Engine\Config\ folder and should be the copy that is normally modified for your game's specific settings.
Note that there are independent sets of TextureGroup entries for the Unreal Editor and in-game. These two sets are respectively located in
the [SystemSettingsEditor] and [SystemSettings] sections in the config files.
The TextureGroup settings entries in the BaseEngine.ini file will look similar to this. Note that older QA versions may not include the
MinMagFilter and MipFilter properties for each setting.
[SystemSettings]
; NOTE THAT ANY ITEMS IN THIS SECTION WILL AFFECT ALL PLATFORMS!!!
TEXTUREGROUP_World=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_WorldNormalMap=
(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_WorldSpecular=
TEXTUREGROUP_Character=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_CharacterNormalMap=
TEXTUREGROUP_CharacterSpecular=
TEXTUREGROUP_Weapon=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_WeaponNormalMap=
TEXTUREGROUP_WeaponSpecular=
TEXTUREGROUP_Vehicle=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_VehicleNormalMap=
TEXTUREGROUP_VehicleSpecular=
TEXTUREGROUP_Cinematic=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_Effects=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=linear,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_EffectsNotFiltered=
TEXTUREGROUP_Skybox=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_UI=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_Lightmap=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_Shadowmap=
(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point,NumStreamedMips=3)
TEXTUREGROUP_RenderTarget=
TEXTUREGROUP_MobileFlattened=
TEXTUREGROUP_Terrain_Heightmap=
The TextureGroup settings in the [your_game]\Config\DefaultEngine.ini will usually look something like this. Note that the LOD
TEXTUREGROUP_Terrain_Weightmap=
settings are normally set to the range limits required by the game design and target platform.
TEXTUREGROUP_Bokeh=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=256,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=linear,MipFilter=linear)
[SystemSettings]
TEXTUREGROUP_Character=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_CharacterNormalMap=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_CharacterSpecular=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Cinematic=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Effects=(MinLODSize=128,MaxLODSize=512,LODBias=1)
TEXTUREGROUP_Lightmap=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Shadowmap=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,NumStreamedMips=3)
TEXTUREGROUP_RenderTarget=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Skybox=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=2048,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_UI=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1)
TEXTUREGROUP_Vehicle=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_VehicleNormalMap=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_VehicleSpecular=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_Weapon=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_WeaponNormalMap=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_WeaponSpecular=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0)
TEXTUREGROUP_World=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1)
TEXTUREGROUP_WorldNormalMap=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1)
TEXTUREGROUP_WorldSpecular=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1)
TEXTUREGROUP_MobileFlattened=(MinLODSize=8,MaxLODSize=256,LODBias=0)
r.setres=1024x768
PC AppCompat Buckets
AppCompat is used to override various SystemSettings based on objective and empirical evidence gathered at startup. When app
compatibility is enabled (PC only), the system measures machine capability, and then overwrites the Engine.ini values with preset values
from one of 5 "buckets". See BaseCompat.ini in the Engine\Config\ folder for an example of this usage.
AppCompat is intended to only be checked ONCE when the game is first run (not the editor). It detects this by checking for the existence of
an [AppCompat] section in [game]Engine.ini, which contains the previously computed scores for the machine. If AppCompat has already
been applied once, it is not changed again to allow custom changes to be made by users without being overwritten every time.
AppCompat is specifically disabled for the editor so machine specs do not affect how assets are viewed on various machines during
development. This is the reason for the split between SystemSettings and SystemSettingsEditor.
You can effectively disable AppCompat by supplying an empty DefaultCompat.ini for your game, which causes it to initialize all buckets from
[SystemSettings] in Engine.ini. In this case, the system operates exactly as it did before AppCompat was introduced.
TEXTUREGROUP Properties
Each TextureGroup entry defines the texture properties for a specific texture set as used in the game rendering. Grouping textures into
common sets allows for better control over the texture memory pool use by various game texture resources.
Property
Description
MinLODSize
Minimum mip size that will be rendered, specified in pixels, range of 1 to 8192 as power-of-two's, must be less than
MaxLODSize.
MaxLODSize
Maximum mip size that will be rendered, specified in pixels, range of 1 to 8192 as power-of-two's, must be greater
than MinLODSize.
LODBias
A negative or positive value that determines the number of mip levels to offset prior to uploading for render, clamped
within MinLODSize and MaxLODSize.
MinMagFilter
Specifies the texture filter type when textures are minified or magnified by the GPU. See the chart below.
MipFilter
Specifies whether the GPU should blend two mips together when viewing the texture from a distance or at a grazing
angle. See the chart below.
NumStreamedMips
The number of mips that are allowed to be streamed in or out. If a texture has 10 mips and NumStreamedMips is 2,
only the 2 highest mips will be allowed to stream in or out. The texture will therefore have 8-10 mips in memory at
any given time. Setting NumStreamedMips to 0 means that no mips will be streamed and the textures using this LOD
group will always be fully loaded. Setting NumStreamedMips to -1 means that all mips are allowed to be streamed in
or out (there are still other restrictions that apply though). NumStreamedMips is an optional setting that defaults to -1.
Filtering
MinMagFilter
MipFilter
filter type
point
-
Point
linear
point
Bilinear
linear
-
Trilinear
aniso
point
Anisotropic Point
aniso
-
Anisotropic Linear
TextureGroup, LODGroup and LODBias

The TextureGroup and LODBias settings specified in the config ini files, along with the LODGroup and LODBias settings specified in the
Texture Properties determine the final set of texture mips used for an individual texture.
An example TextureGroup entry in the [your_game]Engine.ini may look like this:
TEXTUREGROUP_World=
(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point,NumStreamedMips=3)
Any textures assigned to the TEXTUREGROUP_World LODGroup will use these settings to determine the mip range used for rendering.
The additional LODBias setting in the Texture Properties is additive with the LODBias specified in the config ini file TextureGroup.
The LODBias biases or offsets which mip is chosen for rendering. The LODBias is calculated before the LODGroup Min/Max range. The
LODBias in the Texture Properties is added to the LODBias in the TextureGroup to determine the final LODBias value used.
A LODBias of 0 is the main (native) texture resolution. A LODBias of 1 is the first mip down for the texture, a LODBias of 2 is the second mip
down, etc. For example, a 1024x1024 texture that has a LODBias of 1 results in the 512x512 mip being chosen for rendering.
The LODBias specified in the Texture Properties for each individual texture can be positive or negative, so that it can offset the
TextureGroup's default LODBias to either higher or lower mip values.
For example:
A TextureGroup LODBias of 0 and a Texture Properties LODBias of 0 would result in a final LODBias of 0.
A TextureGroup LODBias of 1 and a Texture Properties LODBias of -1 would result in a final LODBias of 0.
After the final LODBias is calculated, then the texture mip is checked to see that it fits into the TextureGroup's Min/Max LODSize range, and
it is adjusted if necessary. This allows a simple config ini file change to effectively clamp a specific TextureGroup to within a set min/max
LOD range.
For example, a 1024x1024 texture with LODBias of 1 uses the 512x512 mip, if it is in the TEXTUREGROUP_World LODGroup as shown
above, it is then checked to see if it fits within the TextureGroup's Minimum and Maximum LODSize range, which in this case is 256 and
1024.
Since each game title will have its own unique TextureGroup settings, artists and level designers should be aware of the MinLODSize
and MaxLODSize for each group.
It would increase distributable package size with no rendering quality benefit if a game shipped with 2048
textures assigned to a TextureGroup with a MaxLODSize of 1024.
Texture Properties
For an explanation of the meaning of the various texture properties, see the Texture Properties page.
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Skeletal Meshes

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types

Skeletal Meshes are built up of two parts; a set of polygons composed to make up the surface of the Skeletal Mesh, and a hierarchical set
Static Meshes
of interconnected bones which can be used to animate the polygons.
Textures
Skeletal Meshes Skeletal Meshes are often used in Unreal Engine 4 to represent characters or other animating objects. The 3D models, rigging and
SkeletalMeshSockets animations are created in an external modeling and animation application (3DSMax, Maya, Softimage, etc), and are then imported into
Asset Creation Unreal Engine 4 and saved into packages by using Unreal Editor's Content Browser.
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming

Engine Features
Gameplay Guide Setting up, exporting, and importing Skeletal Meshes using the FBX content
pipeline.
Programming Guide
Platform Development Content Creation

Samples and Tutorials SkeletalMeshSockets
Release Notes
Site Map
New and Updated Resources Extras

Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English
Level Designer Quick Start Skeletal Meshes

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology SkeletalMeshSockets

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Creating a Socket
Actors and Geometry Socket Editing
Components Viewing sockets
Managing Content Using sockets
Artist Quick Start Permanent Attachment
Content Browser Socket Snapping
Assets and Packages Context Menu Attachment
Content Asset Types Blueprint Attachment
Static Meshes
Commonly in games, you will want to attach an object to the bone of a character. This might be a weapon attached to a hand, or a hat
Textures
attached to the head. For this purpose, Unreal Engine allows you to create Sockets in its animation toolset - Persona - which are offset
Skeletal Meshes
from a bone within the Skeletal Mesh. Sockets can then be translated, rotated, and scaled relative to the bone. Static Meshes and/or
SkeletalMeshSockets
Skeletal Meshes can also be previewed attached to sockets. This allows content creators to easily set up sockets for a Skeletal Mesh, and
Asset Creation
then tell the programmer the names of the sockets to attach objects to.
Starter Content

Creating a Socket
Tools & Scripts
To add a Socket to a Skeletal Mesh, you must first open that mesh in Persona. This is done by Double-clicking on a Skeletal Mesh within
Directory Structure
the Content Browser.
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Sockets can be easily added onto joints within the Skeleton Tree panel by Right-clicking on the appropriate joint and choosing Add
Socket from the context menu.
Sockets appear next to the name of a bone as a red socket icon, as shown in the image below.
Once a socket is named, it will immediately be created and its properties will appear in the Persona Details panel.
Socket Editing
Sockets can be edited directly within Persona by way of the Skeleton Tree, the Details panel, and the Viewport window.
By clicking on a socket within the Skeleton Tree, a translation or rotation widget becomes available in the viewport. You may use these to
reposition the socket relative to the bone.
You can also edit the location of sockets numerically using the Details panel.
Viewing sockets
Along with the pink socket icon in the Skeleton Tree hierarchy, you can also view sockets directly on a mesh within the Viewport by using
the Show menu and choosing Sockets.
Using sockets
Actors can be attached to Skeletal Mesh Sockets in a few ways, depending on your needs.
Desired type of attachment Method
Permanent attachment. Always part

Done via Persona and then saved as part of the Skeletal Mesh. Uses the Skeleton Tree, the
of the Skeletal Mesh. Content Browser, and the Viewport. See Drag & Drop Assets below.
Per-instance attachment on Skeletal

Can be done in the main editor within the Viewport, using the Content Browser. See Socket
Mesh placed within a level. Snapping and Context Menu Attachment below.
Snapping Based on Gameplay

This should typically be done by way of a Blueprint. See Blueprint Attachment below.
Permanent Attachment
If you would like to permanently attach an Actor to a Socket so that it is always part of the Skeletal Mesh, you can do so via Persona.
Meshes and other assets can be dragged and dropped directly onto sockets in the Skeleton Tree. The following types of assets are
supported:
Static Meshes
Skeletal Meshes
Particle Systems
Socket Snapping
You can attach Actors to Skeletal Mesh Sockets within the editor via Socket Snapping. This is useful when you need to make an attachment
to a particular Skeletal Mesh that is already placed in the level.
First, enable socket snapping from the Settings Menu of the Level Editor Toolbar.
The viewport will then render all sockets visible. Select the Actor you wish to attach. Click on the socket that you wish to attach to.
The Actor is now at the location and rotation of the socket and is attached to the Actor who owns the skeletal mesh component of the target
socket.
Context Menu Attachment
You can also attach Actors to Skeletal Mesh Sockets by way of the context menu within the main editor viewport. This does not require
Socket Snapping to be activated, and as long as you know the name of the Socket you want to attach to, this can be a very fast way to
make the attachment. As with the Socket Snapping technique, this is best suited to making attachments on Skeletal Meshes that have
already been placed in the level.
Right-click on the mesh you want to attach. Choose Attach To > :
From the flyout menu that appears, choose the name of the desired Socket.
The Actor snaps to the location of the Socket.

This method only works for attaching to a Skeletal Mesh asset and will not work for attaching to a socket located on a
Blueprinted asset.
Blueprint Attachment
There will almost certainly come times when you want a Skeletal Mesh to receive an attachment that is determined by gameplay in some
way. For instance, maybe a character needs to pick up a weapon when they run across it. This can easily be done in Blueprints. Since
there are myriad ways in which this could be applied, we will simplify our discussion here to simply pointing out useful nodes, from which
point you may create whatever type of logic needed to make the attachment happen when and how you desire. For more information on
Blueprint, please see the Blueprint documentation pages.
Attach Actor to Actor

Attach Actor to Component
Attach To
Full Topic Index

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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Asset Creation

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types
Asset Creation Editor-Created Content Vs. Imported Content

Starter Content
Not all of the content you need for your game is intended to be created within the Editor. Most of your artistic assets will be created
externally, using such tools as 3ds Max, Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush, and others. Below is a very general breakdown of the types of assets
that will be created in the Editor versus those that will be created externally.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure

Asset Creation Locations
Derived Data Cache

Created in Unreal Editor Created Using External Application
Content Programming Game Levels Static Meshes

Unreal Game Projects Materials Skeletal Meshes
Engine Features Particle Systems Skeletal Animation
Gameplay Guide Cinematic Sequences Textures
Blueprints Visual Scripting Blueprint Scripts Sounds (WAVs)
Programming Guide AI Navigation Meshes IES Light Profiles
Platform Development Precalculated Light Maps Nvidia APEX files (APB and APX)
Samples and Tutorials Level Lights
Release Notes
Site Map
External Asset Creation
Below are some links to creating external assets for Unreal Engine 4.
FBX Content Pipeline Textures

Content import pipeline using the FBX format for meshes, animations, Image assets used in Materials to apply to surfaces or drawn on-screen by
materials, and textures. the HUD.
Static Meshes Skeletal Meshes

Static geometry which can be cached in video memory and rendered by the Meshes bound to a hierarchical skeleton of bones which can be animated
graphics card. for the purpose of deforming the mesh.
IES Light Profiles Audio Files
Using IES Light Profiles in Unreal Engine 4. The basic requirements for getting sound files into Unreal Engine 4.
APEX Types External Content Development Standards

Nvidia APEX Physics Lab APX and APB files. Image assets used in Materials to apply to surfaces or drawn on-screen by
the HUD.
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Starter Content

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

When you create a new project from a template, you will have the option to include the starter content in your project. This will copy all of
Level Editor
that content into your project so you have your own personal copy to use and begin prototyping your game idea quickly.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

To include starter content in your project, just make sure that you have With Starter Content enabled in the New Project wizard. If it is
Components
currently set to No Starter Content, click on the Starter Content box and select
With Starter Content.
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Content Asset Types
Asset Creation
Starter Content
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
The Starter Content pack includes a wide range of assets to get you going. Everything from materials to particle effects to primitive shapes
and even a few props you can use to make sure your project is set to the right scale. Also, a number of video tutorials and quick start
guides use the starter content as assets to work with.
Once you have added Starter Content to your project, you can find it in the StarterContent folder in the Content Browser.
To see the Starter Content in use, open the Starter Map level. Here, you can see many of the Particle Systems, Materials, and Static
Meshes placed throughout the level.
Advanced Lighting Map

Also included in the Starter Content is the Advanced_Lighting map, which is set up to enable artists to quickly and easily see their
creations in an ideal lighting setup.
Once you have opened the Advanced_Lighting map, you can begin placing assets onto the SM_AssetPlatform stage. The bulk of the setup,
however, is done by the BP_LightStage Blueprint.
This Blueprint behaves like a Directional Light, skybox sphere, HDRI background,
atmosphere, height fog, Sky Light, and lightshafts all together. It allows artists to have one location for most of their lighting settings.
Rotating the BP_LightStage Actor in the level defines the sun direction and HDRI rotation. The atmosphere will also respond to the Actor's
rotation.
There are a number of properties you can set on the BP_LightStage, either as defaults for the Blueprint or on the placed instance in the
level.
Property
Effect
Global
Adjusts a global multiplier on all brightness values.
Brightness
Use HDRI
Whether or not to use HDRI as background. If using HDRI, there are additional settings for setting brightness,
contrast, tint, cubemap, and rotation.
If you want to use an HDRI with a directional light, you may want to paint out the sun in your HDRI before
importing and then line up the sun rotation with the one in the HDRI. Shooting reference objects will help
you match the direct vs. indirect light ratio.
Use Sun Light

Enables the Directional Light, which is movable by default.
Stationary Light
Makes the Directional Light stationary.
for Sun
Override Sun
By default, the sun gets its color from the angle to match atmospheric scattering. When this option is set to true, this
Color behavior is disabled and Tint is used instead.
Disable Sun Disk
Causes the Directional Light to not put a sun disk in the atmosphere.
Shadow
Sets how far out the dynamic shadow will draw.
Distance
Use Atmosphere
Enables atmospheric scattering. Most settings on the BP_LightStage for the atmosphere correspond to the same
ones on an Atmospheric Fog Actor.
Use Fog
Enables exponential height fog.
Altitude
Sets the height of the fog, so you do not have to move the Actor.
Light Shaft
Toggling these enables or disables postprocess light shafts from the sun direction.
Bloom and Light
Shaft Occlusion
To use the Advanced Lighting assets in an existing project, you can Migrate the Advanced_Lighting map, and all associated assets will also
be migrated.
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Content Pipeline

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages

FBX is a file format owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to provide interoperability between digital content creation applications
such as Autodesk MotionBuilder, Autodesk Maya, and Autodesk 3ds Max. Autodesk MotionBuilder software supports FBX natively, while
Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max software include FBX plug-ins.
FBX Morph Target Pipeline Unreal Engine features an FBX import pipeline which allows simple transfer of content from any number of digital content creation
FBX Material Pipeline applications that support the format.
FBX Best Practices The advantages of the Unreal FBX Importer over other importing methods are:
Viewing FBX with QuickTime

Static Mesh, Skeletal Mesh, animation, and morph targets in a single file format.
Tools & Scripts

Multiple assets/content can be contained in a single file.
Directory Structure
Import of multiple LODs and Morphs/Blendshapes in one import operation.
Derived Data Cache

Materials and textures imported with and applied to meshes.

Content Programming
Engine Features
Content Import Reference
Gameplay Guide
Artist Quick Start
Programming Guide
Platform Development FBX Best Practices

Release Notes
Site Map
New and Updated Resources Content Import Guides

Additional Resources
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English
Level Designer Quick Start FBX Content Pipeline

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Static Mesh Pipeline

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels General Setup
Actors and Geometry Pivot Point
Components Triangulation
Managing Content UV Texture Coordinates
Artist Quick Start Creating Normal Maps
Content Browser Materials
Assets and Packages Collision
FBX Content Pipeline Caveats and Considerations
FBX Static Mesh Pipeline Vertex Colors
FBX Skeletal Mesh Pipeline Export Mesh
FBX Animation Pipeline Import Mesh
FBX Morph Target Pipeline Static Mesh LODs
FBX Material Pipeline LOD Setup
FBX Import Options Reference Export LODs
FBX Best Practices Import LODs

The StaticMesh support in the FBX import pipeline makes getting meshes from 3D applications into Unreal Engine 4 a simple, painless task.
When meshes are imported, the textures used in the materials applied to those meshes in their respective 3D application (diffuse and
Tools & Scripts
normal map only) are also imported and, in turn, used to generate the materials applied to the mesh in UE4.
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache Features supported for importing Static Meshes using FBX:
Content Programming Static Meshes with materials including textures

Unreal Game Projects Custom collision
Engine Features Multiple UV sets
Gameplay Guide Smoothing groups
Blueprints Visual Scripting Vertex colors
Programming Guide LODs
Platform Development Multiple separate Static Meshes (can also be combined into a single mesh at import)
Release Notes Currently, when importing multiple meshes with custom collision in a single file, only the first mesh's collision will be imported.
Site Map
New and Updated Resources The UE4 FBX import pipeline uses FBX 2014. Using a different version during export may result in incompatibilities.
This page includes information on both Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max, please choose your preferred content creation
tool below and the information relevant only to the chosen tool will be displayed:
Autodesk Maya Autodesk 3ds Max
General Setup
In general, you are free to create Static Meshes using any tools and methods you want. There are some stipulations as far as setting up
UVs, placement of the mesh, etc. that you need to account for in order for the exporting and importing to go smoothly and for the mesh to
work properly in Unreal Editor.
Pivot Point
The pivot point of the mesh in Unreal Engine determines the point around which any transformations (translation, rotation, scale) will be
performed.
The pivot point is always located at the origin (0,0,0) when exporting from a 3D modeling application. Because of this, it is best to create
your meshes at the origin, with the origin generally being located at one corner of the mesh to allow for proper alignment when snapping to
the grid inside of Unreal Editor.
Triangulation
Meshes in Unreal Engine must be triangulated as the graphics hardware only deals with triangles.
There are several ways you can ensure your mesh is triangulated.
Model the mesh with only tris - best solution, provides the most control over the end result.
Triangulate the mesh in the 3D app - good solution, allows cleanup and modification before export.
Allow the FBX exporter to triangulate the mesh - okay solution, allows no cleanup but can work for simple meshes.
Allow the importer to triangulate the mesh - okay solution, allows no cleanup but can work for simple meshes.
It will always be best to manually triangulate the mesh in the 3D application, controlling the direction and placement of edges. Automatic
triangulation can lead to undesirable results.
UV Texture Coordinates
The import of multiple UV sets is supported by the FBX pipeline in Unreal Engine 4. For Static Meshes, this is generally used to handle one
set of UVs for the diffuse. There are no special requirements for setting up the UVs for Static Meshes using the FBX pipeline.
Creating Normal Maps
Normal maps can be created for your meshes directly inside of most modeling applications by creating both a low-res render mesh and a
high-res detail mesh.
The geometry of the high-res detail mesh is used to generate the normals for the normal map. Epic uses a workflow internally that
introduces XNormal into the process and generally results in much better normals when rendering inside of Unreal Engine 4. For details on
this process, see Normal Map Creation Guide.
Materials
The materials applied to meshes modeled in external applications will be exported along with the mesh and then imported into Unreal. This
streamlines the process as textures do not need to be imported separately in Unreal, materials do not need to be created and applied, etc.
The import process is capable of performing all of these actions when using the FBX pipeline.
These materials also need to be set up in a specific way, especially when the mesh has multiple materials or the order of the materials on
the mesh is important (i.e. for character models where material 0 needs to be the body and material 1 needs to be the head).
For complete details of setting up materials for export, see the FBX Material Pipeline page.
Collision
Simplified collision geometry is important for optimizing collision detection in-game. Unreal Engine 4 provides basic tools for creating
collision geometry within the Static Mesh Editor. Some circumstances, though, are best handled by creating custom collision geometry
within your 3D modeling application and exporting it with the render mesh. Generally, this is true for any mesh with an opening or concave
area that objects need to not collide with.
For instance:
Doorway meshes
Walls with window cutouts
Oddly shaped meshes
Collision meshes are identified by the importer based on their name. The collision naming syntax should be:
Mesh Prefix and Name Description
UBX_[RenderMeshName]_##
Boxes are created with the Box objects type in Max or with the Cube polygonal primitive in Maya. You
cannot move the vertices around or deform it in any way to make it something other than a rectangular
prism, or else it will not work.
USP_[RenderMeshName]_##
Spheres are created with the Sphere object type. The sphere does not need to have many segments (8
is a good number) at all because it is converted into a true sphere for collision. Like boxes, you should
not move the individual vertices around.
UCX_[RenderMeshName]_##
Convex objects can be any completely closed convex 3D shape. For example, a box can also be a
convex object. The diagram below illustrates what is convex and what is not:
Caveats and Considerations
RenderMeshName must be identical to the name of the render mesh the collision mesh is associated with in the 3D application. So if
you have a render mesh named **Tree_01** in your 3D application, your collision mesh should be in the scene with that mesh and
named UCX_Tree_01, and then exported along with the render mesh to the same FBX file. If you need more than one collision
object for a mesh, you can extend their names with further identifiers, such as: UCX_Tree_01_00, UCX_Tree_01_01,
UCX_Tree_01_02, etc... and they all will be associated as collision for that mesh.
Currently, spheres are only used for rigid-body collision and Unreal's zero-extent traces (e.g. weapons), not non-zero extent traces
(e.g. Player movement). Also, spheres and boxes do not work if the StaticMesh is non-uniformly scaled. In general you probably want
to create UCX primitives.
Once your collision objects are set up, you can export both the render and collision mesh in the same .FBX file. When you import the
.FBX file into Unreal Editor, it will find the collision mesh, remove it from the render mesh, and turn it into the collision model.
Breaking up a non-convex mesh into convex primitives is a complex operation, and can give unpredictable results. Another approach
is to break the collision model into convex pieces yourself in Max or Maya.
In the case of an object whose collision is defined by multiple convex hulls, results are best when the hulls do not intersect with one
another. For example, if the collision for a lollipop were defined by two convex hulls, one for the candy and one for the stick, a gap
should be left between the two as in the following illustration:
1. UCX_Candy
2. Small gap between collision surfaces

3. UCX_Stick
Vertex Colors
Vertex colors for Static Meshes can be transferred using the FBX pipeline. No special setup is necessary
Export Mesh
Static Meshes can be exported individually or multiple meshes can be exported to a single FBX file. The import pipeline will separate
multiple Static Meshes into multiple assets within the destination package unless specified to combine the meshes by enabling the
Combine Meshes setting at the time of import.
1. Select the mesh(es) to be exported in the viewport.
3. In the Export dialog box:
Choose the Content folder inside your UE4 Project (1)
Enter a name for the file and set it to FBX Export (2)
Set your Export Options (3)
Click Export All (4)
The settings in the Geometry category above are the most basic requirements for exporting Static Meshes to Unreal Engine 4.
4. On your disk, browse to the Content folder of your Project. You will see that your FBX file has been added.
5. If you have the UE4 Editor open (or next time you run it) you will be prompted with an FBX Import Options dialog, click Import or
Import All.
You can leave the default options for importing. Refer to FBX Import Options Reference for more information on each option.
6. Your asset has now been imported and you can drag-and-drop it from the Content Browser into your level.
In the example above (as part of our Import Options), we imported Materials and Textures.
Import Mesh
1. Click the button in the Content Browser and choose Import. Navigate to and select the FBX file you want to import in the
file browser that opens. Note: you may want to select in the dropdown to filter out unwanted files.
The path of the imported asset depends on the current location of the Content Browser while importing. Make sure to
navigate to the appropriate folder prior to performing the import. You may also drag the imported assets into a new folder
once import is complete.
2. Choose the appropriate settings in the Import dialog. The defaults should be sufficient in most cases. See the FBX Import Dialog
section for complete details of all of the settings.
3. Click the button to import the mesh(es). The resulting mesh, material(s), and texture(s) will be displayed in the Content
Browser if the process was successful.
Although textures and materials can be imported with a Static Mesh, only Color and Normal will automatically be
connected (assuming a supported material was used in Max/Maya), Specular maps will be imported but not connected,
other maps, like Ambient Occlusion map in the Diffuse slot of a maya material, would not even be imported; it is best to
check your materials and connect any unconnected maps and check which maps did not import. Simply double-click the
new material and connect the available textures into their appropriate inputs.
By viewing the imported mesh in the Static Mesh Editor and enabling the display of collision, you can determine that the process
worked as expected.
Alternatively, you can actually just click and drag an FBX file from Windows into the Content Browser and it will bring up the
import dialog for you.
Static Mesh LODs

Static Meshes can make use of levels of detail (LODs) in-game in order to limit the impact of meshes as they get farther from the camera.
Generally, this means each level of detail will have a reduced number of tris and, perhaps, a simpler material (or materials) applied to it.
The FBX pipeline can be used to export/import these LOD meshes.
LOD Setup
General
In general, LODs are handled by creating models of varying complexity going from the full-detail base mesh to the lowest-detail LOD mesh.
These should all be aligned and occupying the same space with the same pivot point. Each LOD mesh can have completely different
materials assigned, including different amounts of materials. This means the base mesh could use multiple materials to give the desired
amount of detail up close, but the lower-detail meshes could use a single material since details will be less noticeable.
1. Select all of the meshes (base plus LODs) in order from the base LOD down to the last LOD. This is important so that they are
added in the correct order in terms of complexity. Then select the Level of Detail > Group command from the Edit menu.
2. You should now have the meshes all grouped under the LOD Group.
Export LODs
To export the StaticMesh LODs:
1. In Maya: select the LOD Group and any collision geometry.
2. Follow the same export steps used for the base mesh (described above in the Export Mesh section). Make sure to enable export of
animations in the FBX exporter properties. This is required for LODs to be exported.
Import LODs
Static Mesh LODs can be imported along with the base mesh in the Content Browser or they can be imported individually through the
Static Mesh Editor.
Mesh with LODs
1. Click the button in the Content Browser and choose Import. Navigate to and select the FBX file you want to import in the
file browser that opens. Note: you may want to select in the dropdown to filter out unwanted files.
The imported path of the imported asset depends on the current location of the Content Browser while importing. Make
sure to navigate to the appropriate folder prior to performing the import. You may also drag the imported assets into a new
folder once import is complete.
2. Choose the appropriate settings in the Import dialog. The defaults should be sufficient, but also make sure that Import LODs is
enabled. Note: When importing LODs, the name of the imported mesh will follow the default Naming Rules. See the FBX Import
Dialog section for complete details of all of the settings.
3. Click the button to import the mesh and LODs. The resulting mesh, material(s), and texture(s) will be displayed in the Content
Browser if the process was successful.
Although textures and materials can be imported with a Static Mesh, only Color and Normal will automatically be
connected (assuming a supported material was used in Max/Maya](Engine/Content\FBX\Materials)), Specular maps will
be imported but not connected, other maps, like Ambient Occlusion map in the Diffuse slot of a maya material, will not
even be imported; it is best to check your materials and connect any unconnected maps and check which maps did not
import. Simply double-click the new material and connect the available textures into their appropriate inputs.
By viewing the imported mesh in the Static Mesh Editor, you can cycle through the LODs using the dropdown at the far
right side of the toolbar.
Full Topic Index
elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Skeletal Mesh Pipeline

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels General Setup
Actors and Geometry Single Mesh vs Multi-Part Mesh
Components Rigging
Managing Content Skeleton
Artist Quick Start Binding
Content Browser Pivot Point
Assets and Packages Triangulation
FBX Content Pipeline Creating Normal Maps
FBX Static Mesh Pipeline Materials
FBX Skeletal Mesh Pipeline Vertex Colors
FBX Animation Pipeline Export Mesh from 3D App
FBX Morph Target Pipeline Import Mesh
FBX Material Pipeline Skeletal Mesh LODs
FBX Import Options Reference LOD Setup
FBX Best Practices Multi-Part LODs
Viewing FBX with QuickTime Export LODs
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 Import LODs
Tools & Scripts Export to FBX from Unreal Editor
Directory Structure Physics Assets
Derived Data Cache Animations
External Content Development Standards Morph Targets
Content Programming
Skeletal Mesh support in the FBX import pipeline provides a streamlined workflow for getting animated meshes from 3D applications into
Unreal for use in games. In addition to the meshes being imported, animations and morph targets can be transferred using the FBX format
Engine Features
all within the same file if desired. Also, the textures (diffuse and normal map only) used in the materials applied to those meshes in the 3D
Gameplay Guide
application will be imported and materials will be automatically created and applied to the imported meshes.
Programming Guide Features supported for importing Skeletal Meshes using FBX:
Samples and Tutorials Materials including textures

Release Notes Animations
Site Map Morph Targets
New and Updated Resources Multiple UV sets
Smoothing groups
Vertex colors
LODs
Currently, only a single animation for each Skeletal Mesh can be imported in a single file. Multiple morph targets can be
transferred for a Skeletal Mesh in one file, though.
This page is a technical overview of using the FBX content pipeline to import Skeletal Meshes into Unreal. See the FBX Best Practices
page for more information, tips, and tricks on working with the FBX content pipeline in a development environment.
In any case below where the document tells you to use the Import Asset button, you can also just click and drag an FBX file in
from your OS's file browser.
General Setup
Single Mesh vs Multi-Part Mesh
Skeletal Meshes can be comprised of a single, contiguous mesh or they can be made up of several separate meshes all skinned to the
same skeleton.
Using multiple meshes makes it possible to LOD individual parts differently as well as exporting parts separately for use in modular
character systems. There is no performance penalty for creating your Skeletal Meshes this way. The individual parts are all combined when
being imported into Unreal Editor.
Rigging
Rigging refers to the binding of a mesh to a skeletal hierarchy of bones/joints. This allows the bones/joints of the underlying skeleton to
influence the vertices of the mesh, deforming it as they move.
For Maya, you can find the Animation & Rigging Tools in your UE4 Install Path\Engine\Extras\Maya_AnimationRiggingTools\MayaTools.
These tools include a very in-depth character rigging and animation solution for Maya.
Skeleton
In Maya, you will generally use the Joint Tool to create the skeleton for your Skeletal Mesh. Again, there are endless tutorials on using this
tool and creating rigs in Maya. The Maya help is also a good source of information on the subject.
Skeletal density has increased dramatically since Unreal 3
Binding
In Maya, the mesh(es) are bound to the skeleton using the Smooth Bind command. The process is the same whether the Skeletal Mesh
consists of a single complete mesh or is made up of multiple mesh parts.
1. Select the mesh(es) to be bound.

2. Shift + Select the root joint of the skeleton.
3. Select Smooth Bind from the Skin > Bind Skin menu.
4. Now you can adjust the weights of the vertices of the mesh for each joint to determine which vertices are influenced by which bones
and to what degree. This can be done using the Paint Skin Weights Tool or whichever method you prefer.
Pivot Point
The pivot point of the mesh in Unreal Engine determines the point around which any transformations (translation, rotation, scale) will be
performed.
The pivot point of a Skeletal Mesh is always located at the root bone/joint of the skeleton. This means it does not matter where the root of
the skeleton is located within the scene. It will be as though it is at the origin (0,0,0) when exporting from a 3D modeling application.
Triangulation
Meshes in Unreal Engine must be triangulated as the graphics hardware only deals with triangles.
There are several ways you can ensure your mesh is triangulated.
Model the mesh with only tris - best solution, provides the most control over the end result.
Triangulate the mesh in the 3D app - good solution, allows cleanup and modification before export.
Allow the importer to triangulate the mesh - okay solution, allows no cleanup but can work for simple meshes.
Allow the FBX exporter to triangulate the mesh - okay solution, allows no cleanup but can work for simple meshes.
Note: Allowing the FBX exporter to triangulate the mesh results in completely random smoothing when Split Non-Matching Triangles is
checked. Importing an FBX-triangulated mesh back into Maya and re-exporting shows proper smoothing.
It will always be best to manually triangulate the mesh in the 3D application, controlling the direction and placement of edges. Automatic
triangulation can lead to undesirable results.
Creating Normal Maps
Normal maps can be created for your meshes directly inside of most modeling applications by creating both a low-res render mesh and a
high-res detail mesh.
The geometry of the high-res detail mesh is used to generate the normals for the normal map. Epic uses a workflow internally that
introduces XNormal into the process and generally results in much better normals when rendering inside of Unreal Engine 4. For details on
this process, see Normal Map Creation Guide.
Materials
The materials applied to meshes modeled in external applications will be exported along with the mesh and then imported into Unreal. This
streamlines the process as textures do not need to be imported separately in Unreal Ed, materials do not need to be created and applied,
etc. The import process is capable of performing all of these actions when using the FBX pipeline.
These materials also need to be set up in a specific way, especially when the mesh has multiple materials or the order of the materials on
the mesh is important (i.e. for character models where material 0 needs to be the body and material 1 needs to be the head).
For complete details of setting up materials for export, see the FBX Material Pipeline page.
Vertex Colors
Vertex colors (one set only) for Skeletal Meshes can be transferred using the FBX pipeline. No special setup is necessary.
Export Mesh from 3D App

Skeletal Meshes can be exported individually or multiple meshes can be exported to a single FBX file. The import pipeline will separate
multiple Skeletal Meshes into multiple assets within the destination package.
1. Select the mesh(es) and joints to be exported in the viewport.

2. In the File menu choose Export Selection (or Export All if you want to export everything in the scene regardless of selection).
3. Choose the location and name for the FBX file to export the mesh(es) to and set the appropriate options in the FBX Export dialog
and then click the button to create the FBX file containing the mesh(es).
Import Mesh
1. Click the button in the Content Browser. Navigate to and select the FBX file you want to import in the file browser that
opens. Note: you may want to select in the dropdown to filter out unwanted files.
The path of the imported asset depends on the current location of the Content Browser while importing. Make sure to
navigate to the appropriate folder prior to performing the import. You may also drag the imported assets into a new folder
once import is complete.
2. Choose the appropriate settings in the FBX Import Options dialog. The defaults should be sufficient when importing a mesh that
does not share an existing Skeleton. See the FBX Import Dialog section for complete details of all of the settings.
If the Skeletal Mesh being imported shares an existing Skeleton, click the Select Skeleton dropdown menu and select the Skeleton
asset from the list.
3. Click the button to import the mesh(es). The resulting mesh (as well as materials and textures if those options were enabled)
are displayed in the Content Browser if the process was successful.
By viewing the imported mesh within Persona, you can determine that the process worked as expected.
Skeletal Mesh LODs

Skeletal Meshes can make use of levels of detail (LODs) in-game in order to limit the impact of meshes as they get farther from the camera.
Generally, this means each level of detail will have a reduced number of tris, simpler skeleton, and, perhaps, a simpler material (or
materials) applied to it.
The FBX pipeline can be used to export/import these LOD meshes.
LOD Setup
In general, LODs are handled by creating models of varying complexity going from the full-detail base mesh to the lowest-detail LOD mesh.
These should all be aligned and occupying the same space with the same pivot point and should all be skinned to the same skeleton. It is
also possible for Skeletal Meshes to be made up of multiple individual meshes within the 3D application. Each of these parts can have
LODs independent of the rest of the mesh. This means that some parts can have simplified versions in different LODs while other parts
continue to use higher detail versions. Each LOD mesh can have completely different materials assigned, including different amounts of
materials. This means the base mesh could use multiple materials to give the desired amount of detail up close, but the lower-detail
meshes could use a single material since details will be less noticeable.
1. Select all of the meshes (base plus LODs) in order from the base LOD down to the last LOD. This is important so that they are
added in the correct order in terms of complexity. Then select the Level of Detail > Group command from the Edit menu.
2. You should now have the meshes all grouped under the LOD Group.
Multi-Part LODs
Setting up LODs for multi-part Skeletal Meshes is almost identical to setting up LODs for a full mesh with the exception that each individual
part that has LODs will have an LOD group created for it. The process for setting up those individual LOD groups is identical to the process
outlined above.
Export LODs
To export the Skeletal Mesh LODs:
1. Select the LOD Group(s) and the joints to be exported.

2. Follow the same export steps used for the base mesh (described above in the Export Mesh section).
Import LODs
Skeletal Mesh LODs can be imported easily through the Mesh Details panel in Persona under LOD Settings.
1. Open the Skeletal Mesh you wish to apply an LOD to in Persona and go to the Mesh Tab.
2. In the Mesh Details panel, scroll down and find the LOD Settings section and click the LOD Import option.
3. Navigate to and select the FBX file you want to import in the file browser that opens.
4. The imported LOD will be added to the Mesh Details panel.
5. Under each LOD, the Screen Size setting indicates when to use the LOD.
Note: Using a smaller number means use the LOD when further away while larger numbers mean use the LOD when closer. In the
image above, LOD0 is used when closer to the Skeletal Mesh while LOD1 is used when further away.
6. When importing or adding LODs, Reduction Settings can also be adjusted for the LOD.
Export to FBX from Unreal Editor

Skeletal Meshes previously imported into Unreal Editor can be exported back to an FBX file from within the Content Browser.
Assets in cooked packages cannot be exported as the source data which has been cooked out is required for the export
process.
1. In the Content Browser, select the Skeletal Mesh you want to export.
2. Right-click on the Skeletal Mesh and choose Asset Actions > Export.
3. Choose a location and name for the file to export in the file browser that appears. Note: make sure FBX File (*.FBX) is selected as the
file type.
Physics Assets
For complete details on using the Physics Asset Tool (PhAT), see the Physics Asset Tool user documentation.
Animations
For complete details on using the FBX content pipeline to create and import animations, see the FBX Animation Pipeline page.
Morph Targets
For complete details on using the FBX content pipeline to create and import morph targets, see the FBX Morph Target Pipeline page.
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Animation Pipeline

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Naming
Actors and Geometry Creating Animations
Components Exporting Animations from 3D Apps
Managing Content Importing Animations
Artist Quick Start

Animation support in the FBX import pipeline provides a simple workflow for getting animations for Skeletal Meshes from 3D applications
Content Browser
into Unreal for use in games. Currently, only a single animation for each Skeletal Mesh can be exported/imported in a single file.
Assets and Packages
FBX Content Pipeline This page is a technical overview of using the FBX content pipeline to import animations into Unreal. See the FBX Best Practices page for
FBX Static Mesh Pipeline more information, tips, and tricks on working with the FBX content pipeline in a development environment.

FBX Material Pipeline This page includes information on both Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max, please choose your preferred content creation
FBX Import Options Reference tool below and the information relevant only to the chosen tool will be displayed:
FBX Best Practices

Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Naming
Content Programming When importing animations into Unreal using the FBX format, the AnimationSequence will be named the same as the name of the file.
Unreal Game Projects When importing animations along with a Skeletal Mesh, the AnimationSequence that is created will be taken from the name of the root
Engine Features bone in the animation sequence. This can easily be renamed after the import process is complete through the Content Browser.
Gameplay Guide

Creating Animations
Programming Guide
Platform Development Animations can be unique to a single Skeletal Mesh or they can be reused for any number of Skeletal Meshes as long as each Skeletal
Samples and Tutorials Mesh uses the same skeleton. All you really need to create an animation and export it into Unreal using the FBX pipeline is a skeleton that
Release Notes has been animated. Having a mesh bound to the skeleton is completely optional, though it makes the process of creating the animation
Site Map much easier as you can see how the mesh is deforming during the animation. At export time, only the skeleton is required though.
Exporting Animations from 3D Apps

Animations must be exported individually; one animation per Skeletal Mesh to a single file. The steps below are for exporting a single
animation into a file by itself. The mesh bound to this skeleton has been hidden as it is not absolutely necessary for exporting animations by
themselves.
1. Select the joints to be exported in the viewport.
3. Choose the location and name for the FBX file to export the animation to and set the appropriate options in the FBX Export dialog.
For the purposes of exporting animations, you must enable the Animations checkbox.
4. Click the button to create the FBX file containing the mesh(es).
Importing Animations
The FBX animation import pipeline allows for importing both a Skeletal Mesh and animation all at once, or importing one or the other
individually.
Skeletal Mesh with Animation
2. Choose the appropriate settings in the FBX Import Options dialog. The name of the imported mesh will follow the default Naming
Rules. See the FBX Import Dialog section for complete details of all of the settings.
3. Click the button to import the mesh and LODs. The resulting mesh, animation (AnimationSequence), material(s), and
texture(s) will be displayed in the Content Browser if the process was successful. You can see the AnimationSequence that was
created to hold the animation was named after the root bone of the skeleton by default.
Individual Animations
To import animations, you first need an AnimationSequence to import the animation into. This can be created through the Content Browser
or directly in the AnimationSequence Editor.
Unreal Editor supports importing multiple animations contained in a single FBX file; however, many DCC tools such as 3ds Max
and Maya do not currently support saving multiple animations to a single file. If you export from a supporting application such as
Motion Builder, Unreal will import all the animations in that file.
2. Choose the appropriate settings in the FBX Import Options dialog. The name of the imported mesh will follow the default Naming
Rules. See the FBX Import Dialog section for complete details of all of the settings.
When importing animation on its own, you must specify an existing skeleton!
3. Click the button to import the mesh and LODs. The resulting mesh, animation (AnimationSequence), material(s), and
texture(s) will be displayed in the Content Browser if the process was successful. You can see the AnimationSequence that was
created to hold the animation was named after the root bone of the skeleton by default.
Unreal Editor supports non-uniform scale animations. When importing an animation, if scale exists, it will also import without the
need for setting additional options. For memory reasons, the engine does not save scale for all animations and only saves it if it
has scale that is not 1.
Refer to the Non-Uniform Scale Animations page for more information and video samples.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Morph Target Pipeline

Advanced
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Naming
Actors and Geometry Setting Up Morph Targets
Components Exporting Morph Targets
Managing Content Importing Morph Targets
Artist Quick Start

A Morph Target is a snapshot of vertex locations for a specific mesh that have been deformed in some way. For instance, you can take a
Content Browser
character model, reshape their face to create a facial expression, and then save that edited version as a Morph Target. In Unreal, you can
Assets and Packages
blend the Morph Target to cause the character's face to make that expression. Morph Targets can be imported into Unreal via FBX, and will
be encapsulated within an Animation Sequence.
FBX Skeletal Mesh Pipeline This makes it very easy to import complex Morph Target animations into Unreal, since you can have any number of Morph Targets driving a
FBX Animation Pipeline single animation. For instance, you could use Morph Targets in your animation package to animate a character speaking some dialog. This
FBX Morph Target Pipeline animation may use any number of Morph Targets to capture the full motion of the face. However, when imported, the result will appear to
FBX Material Pipeline be just a single Animation Sequence. You still have access to the animation data for each Morph Target via Curves.
FBX Best Practices Morph Target support in the FBX import pipeline provides an easy method for getting morph targets for skeletal meshes from 3D
Viewing FBX with QuickTime applications into Unreal for use in games. The pipeline allows for any number of morph targets for any number of Skeletal Meshes to be
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 imported within a single file.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
This page is a technical overview of using the FBX content pipeline to import morph targets into Unreal. See the FBX Best Practices page
Derived Data Cache

for more information, tips, and tricks on working with the FBX content pipeline in a development environment.
Content Programming The UE4 FBX import pipeline uses FBX 2014. Using a different version during export may result in incompatibilities.

Engine Features
Gameplay Guide

Programming Guide
Platform Development Autodesk Maya Autodesk 3ds Max

Release Notes
Site Map Naming

When importing morph targets into Unreal using the FBX format, the individual morph targets will be named according to the names of the
blend shapes or morphs in the 3D application.
The name will be the name of the blendshape added to the name of the blendshape node, i.e.
[BlendShapeNode]_[BlendShape].
Setting Up Morph Targets

Setting up morph targets in Maya to be exported to FBX requires the use of blend shapes. The steps below provide a brief explanation of
the steps necessary to set up a morph target for export. Refer to the help files of the application for more detailed information.
1. Start with the base mesh.

2. Duplicate the mesh that will be modified to create the target pose. In this case, it is the head. Create the target pose. For this
example, the target pose is the character winking.
3. Select the target mesh and then the base mesh in that order.
4. In the Create Deformers menu of the Animation menu set, select Blend Shape. The target mesh can be deleted after this step if
desired.
5. The blend shape node is now visible in the base mesh's properties. These are the names that will be used in Unreal. You can
change the names of the blendshape node and the blendshape here.
6. Adjusting the blendshape's weight up to 1.0 causes the base mesh to interpolate toward the target pose.
Exporting Morph Targets
1. Select the base mesh(es) and joints to be exported in the viewport.
3. Choose the location and name for the FBX file to export the morph target to and set the appropriate options in the FBX Export
dialog. For the purposes of exporting morph targets, you must enable the Animations checkbox and all of the Deformed Models
options.
4. Click the button to create the FBX file containing the morph target(s).
Importing Morph Targets

The FBX morph target import pipeline allows for importing both a SkeletalMesh and morph target all at once, or importing one or the other
individually.
Skeletal Mesh with Morph Targets
1. Click the Import button in the Content Browser. Navigate to and select the FBX file you want to import in the file browser that opens.
Note: you may want to select in the dropdown to filter out unwanted files.
2. Choose the appropriate settings in the Import dialog. Make sure that Import Morph Targets is enabled. Note: The name of the
imported mesh will follow the default Naming Rules. See the FBX Import Dialog section for complete details of all of the settings.
3. Click the OK button to import the mesh and LODs. The resulting mesh, morph target (MorphTargetSet), material(s), and texture(s) will
be displayed in the Content Browser if the process was successful. You can see the MorphTargetSet that was created to hold the
morph target was named after the root bone of the skeleton by default.
By viewing the imported mesh in Persona and using the Morph Target Previewer tab, you can adjust the strength of the imported
morph target and see that it is working as expected.
The effect of Morph Targets is often subtle, but the control it offers the animator and the believability it adds to a character cannot be
overstated.
Full Topic Index
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Material Pipeline

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Material Support
Actors and Geometry Multiple Materials
Components Material Naming
Managing Content Material Ordering
Artist Quick Start Texture Import
Content Browser
The FBX pipeline has the ability to transfer materials and textures applied to meshes (both Static Meshes and Skeletal Meshes) in 3D
Assets and Packages
applications into Unreal. Simple materials can be converted by importing the textures used in those materials, creating materials in Unreal
with those textures hooked up to the appropriate channels, and then applying the materials to the imported meshes. This simplifies and
streamlines the mesh import process by automating what used to be a tedious manual process.


FBX Best Practices
Viewing FBX with QuickTime Choose Your 3D Art Tool

Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Material Support
Content Programming
Only basic materials are supported for importing through the FBX pipeline. The types of materials which can be transferred are:
Engine Features Surface

Gameplay Guide Anisotropic
Blueprints Visual Scripting Blinn
Programming Guide Lambert
Platform Development Phong
Samples and Tutorials Phone E
Release Notes
Site Map
In addition to these types of materials being able to be transferred, only specific features of those materials are transferred. The FBX

material pipeline does not transfer individual settings, but it does support the transfer of certain maps or textures used within the materials.
Currently, the supported maps (textures) which are imported with the mesh will be added to the material and even a few will be
connected to their default inputs on the material, but some will require manual connections. Further, the more uncommon map
types will not be imported such as using the Diffuse channel in Maya for Ambient Occlusion.
Multiple Materials
Meshes can have multiple materials applied to them, each covering certain faces of the mesh. The FBX pipeline has the ability to handle the
import of meshes with multiple materials, assuming they have been set up correctly in the 3D application.
Maya is pretty straightforward when it comes to the use of multiple materials on a mesh. You simply select the faces of the mesh you want
to have the material applied to and then apply the material.
A material will be created in Unreal Editor for each material applied to the mesh in Maya and the imported mesh will have material slots for
each of these materials. When applied to the mesh, the materials will only affect the corresponding polys of the mesh, just as they did in
Maya.
Material Naming
The materials which are created in Unreal Editor will be named the same as the materials in the 3D application. Where the name is pulled
from depends on which application the mesh is being exported from.
For Maya, the material name in Unreal Editor is transferred from the name of the shading engine applied to the mesh in Maya.
Material Ordering
When the order of the materials applied to the mesh is important, you can specify a particular order by using a special naming convention
for the materials. By default, the materials will be created in Unreal Editor randomly so there is no guarantee as to what order the materials
will be. This can be a problem, for example, when dealing with characters when your character system relies on the body material being the
first material, the head material being the second material, etc.
Unreal uses the skin## naming convention to specify ordering for materials. This can be the entirety of the name of the material or
appended onto the existing name of the material. It just has to be found within the name of the material.
So, if you have two materials that need to be ordered consistently, you might have them named:
M_ExampleMesh_skin00
M_ExampleMesh_skin01
Texture Import
If the material has a texture assigned as either the diffuse or normal map in the 3D application, those textures will be imported into Unreal as
long as the Import Textures setting is enabled in the FBX Import Properties.
A Texture Sample expression will be created in the newly created material in Unreal Editor and the imported texture will be assigned to that
Texture Sample. A Texture Coordinate expression will also be added to the material and connected to the UVs input of the Texture Sample.
However, you will need to connect some textures to their material slots.
If the textures applied to the material in the 3D application are in a format that is not compatible with Unreal or are connected to an unknown
material attribute (Diffuse in Maya for example), they will not be imported. In this case, and also if no textures we present in the material to
begin with, the material in Unreal Editor will be populated with a randomly colored Vector Parameter.
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INT

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Import Options Reference

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Static Mesh Options
Actors and Geometry Skeletal Mesh Options
Components Animation Options
Managing Content Naming Rules
Artist Quick Start

While importing FBX files into Unreal Engine 4 is a relatively simple procedure, there are quite a few options available for tweaking the
Content Browser
imported asset. This document will cover those options.
Assets and Packages
FBX Content Pipeline When you import content through the Content Browser using the FBX pipeline, the FBX Import Options dialog appears. The importer will
FBX Static Mesh Pipeline automatically detect what kind of file you are attempting to import and adjust its interface accordingly.

Static Mesh Options
FBX Material Pipeline The options available when importing a StaticMesh using FBX are explained below.
FBX Best Practices
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map

Option
Description
Mesh
Import as
For Static Meshes: This will attempt to import the FBX file as a Skeletal Mesh. The import options will switch to handle
Skeletal importing the FBX file as a Skeletal Mesh.
Auto
This will automatically generate collision for your Static Mesh. This will not be used if custom collision is detected in the
Generate FBX file.
Collision
Static Mesh
This dropdown allows you to choose the LOD group to which the mesh will be assigned. Mesh LOD groups define default
LODGroup level-of-detail settings, light map resolution, and permit global overrides (e.g. reduce all SmallProp LODs by 10%). Mesh
LOD group settings may be overridden per-platform / device profile. You may select an LOD group at import time and
change it at any time in the Static Mesh Editor.
Vertex Color
If enabled, vertex colors on an existing mesh are replaced with the vertex colors from the FBX file. Disable this to preserve
Import vertex colors painted within the editor using the Mesh Paint tool.
Option
Remove
If enabled, degenerate triangles found during import will be removed. Disabling this option will keep degenerate triangles
Degenerates found. In general, this option should be enabled.
Generate
If enabled, the importer will generate a set of unique, non-overlapping, UVs for use with static lighting.
Lightmap
UVs
One Convex
This option forces all UCX meshes to receive one convex hull. If disabled, then a UCX mesh could be decomposed by the
Hull per engine into a series of convex hulls to get the appropriate shape.
UCX
Import Mesh Creates LOD models for Unreal meshes from LODs defined in the file. Otherwise, only the base mesh from the LOD group
LODs is imported. For Skeletal Meshes, the LOD models can be skinned to the same skeleton, or a different skeleton. If the LOD
model is skinned to a different skeleton, it must meet the Unreal LOD requirements, with the exception that the name of the
root bones can be different since the FBX importer renames the root bones automatically.
Normal This import option adjusts how Normals will be handled. The options are as follows:
Import
Method Option Description
Compute Normals
The engine computes normals and tangents. Smoothing group and normal info is discarded
from the FBX info.
Import Normals
The normals are imported from the FBX file, tangents are computed by the engine.
Import Normals and

The normals and tangents are imported from the FBX file and nothing is computed by the
Tangents engine.
Normal
The option to choose between MikkTSpace or Built-in Normal generation method.
Generation
Method
Combine
If enabled, all Static Meshes contained in the FBX scene are combined into a single Static Mesh.
Meshes
Transform
Import
This will allow the mesh to be moved along the XYZ axis when imported. This will be the location of the mesh when
Translation imported offset from the world origin.
Import
This will allow the mesh to be rotated along the XYZ axis when imported.
Rotation
Import
This will allow the mesh to be scaled uniformly when imported.
Uniform
Scale
Material
Import Materials are created in Unreal for each of the materials found in the FBX file. Above and beyond this, textures referenced
Materials in the FBX material will automatically be imported and if an equivalent property exists, they will be connected to those
properties. Those that are not supported will be left floating free, awaiting hook up to the Unreal Material Editor.
Import
If enabled, Textures referenced in the FBX file are imported into Unreal. If Import Materials is true, textures are always
Textures imported regardless of this setting.
Invert
If enabled and textures are being imported, normal maps values will be inverted.
Normal
Maps
Miscellaneous
Override
If enabled and the FBX file only contains one mesh, the name specified in the import path field will be used as the full
FullName name for the imported mesh. Otherwise, the Naming Rules will be used.
Convert
If enabled, this will convert the scene FBX scene coordinate system to the Unreal Engine 4 coordinate system.
Scene
Skeletal Mesh Options

The options available when importing a SkeletalMesh using FBX are explained below.

Option
Description
Mesh
Import as
For Skeletal Meshes, disabling this will have the importer attempt to import the FBX file as a Static Mesh.
Skeletal
Skeleton
The Skeleton the SkeletalMesh should target. If no existing Skeleton is selected, a new one will be created from the
SkeletalMesh being imported. The new Skeleton's name will be that of the SkeletalMesh with Skeleton appended.
Update
If enabled, this will update the Reference Pose of Skeleton Asset of the Skeletal Mesh/Animation being imported, to the
Skeleton reference pose in the FBX file being imported.
Reference
Pose
Use T0As Ref

If enabled, the first frame (frame 0) of the animation track will be used to replace the Skeletal Mesh's reference pose.
Pose
Preserve
If enabled, triangles with non-matching smoothing groups will be physically split, duplicating shared vertices.
Smoothing
Group
Import
If enabled, meshes nested in bone hierarchies will be imported instead of being converted to bones.
Meshes in
Bone
Hierarchy
Import Morph
If enabled, MorphTargets will be imported from the FBX files along with the SkeletalMesh.
Targets
Keep
If enabled, do not filter same vertices. This will keep all vertices even if they have the exact same properties.
Overlapping
Vertices
Import Mesh
If enabled, creates LOD models for Unreal meshes from LODs defined in the file. Otherwise, only the base mesh from the
LODs LOD group is imported. For skeletal meshes, the LOD models can be skinned to the same skeleton, or a different
skeleton. If the LOD model is skinned to a different skeleton, it must meet the Unreal LOD requirements, with the
exception that the name of the root bones can be different since the FBX importer renames the root bones automatically.
Normal
Allows for control of how Normals will be handled. The options are as follows:
Import
Method Option Description
Compute Normals
The engine computes normals and tangents. Smoothing group and normal info is discarded
from the FBX info.
Import Normals
The normals are imported from the FBX file, tangents are computed by the engine.
Import Normals and

The normals and tangents are imported from the FBX file and nothing is computed by the
Tangents engine.
Create
If enabled, this will generate a new PhysicsAsset for the imported Skeletal Mesh. The PhysicsAsset will be composed of
PhysicsAsset mostly spheres (with the exception being the root which will be a capsule/SphrL object), with the constraints being
completely free on all rotational axis and completely locked on positional axis.
Select
If Create PhysicsAsset is disabled, you will be able to choose a PhysicsAsset that already exists or none to simply not
PhysicsAsset have the Skeletal Mesh associated with a PhysicsAsset.
Animation
Import
If enabled, Animations will be imported from the FBX files along with the SkeletalMesh. A name for the Animation can be
Animations entered in the text box to override the default naming.
Animation
Length Option Description
Exported
This option imports animation frames based on what is defined at the time of export.
Time
Animated
Will import the range of frames that have animation. Can be useful if the exported range is longer than the
Time actual animation in the FBX file.
Set Range
This will enable the Start Frame and End Frame properties for you to define the frames of animation to
import.
Start Frame
When Set Range is used in Animation Length, this will enable you to set the start frame of the animation you wish to
import.
End Frame
When Set Range is used in Animation Length, this will enable you to set the end frame of the animation you wish to
import.
Use Default
If true, the default sample rate of 30 frames-per-second is used for the animation. If unchecked, the system determines
Sample Rate the sample rate from the FBX file.
Import
This will import Custom Attributes as animation curves.
Custom
Attribute
Preserve
If enabled, this will import a curve within the animation.
Local
Transform
Delete
If enabled, this will delete this type of asset from the FBX.
Existing
Morph
Target
Curves
Animation
The name to assign the animation. If nothing is entered here, the Naming Rules will be used.
Name
Material
Import Materials are created in Unreal for each of the materials found in the FBX file. Above and beyond this, textures referenced
Materials in the FBX material will automatically be imported and if an equivalent property exists, they will be connected to those
properties. Those that are not supported will be left floating free, awaiting hook up to the Unreal Material Editor.
Import
If enabled, Textures referenced in the FBX file are imported into Unreal. If Import Materials is true, textures are always
Textures imported regardless of this setting.
Invert Normal
If enabled and textures are being imported, normal maps values will be inverted.
Maps
Miscellaneous
Override
If enabled and the FBX file only contains one mesh, the name specified in the import path field will be used as the full
FullName name for the imported mesh. Otherwise, the Naming Rules will be used.
Convert
If enabled, this will convert the scene FBX scene coordinate system to the Unreal Engine 4 coordinate system.
Scene
Animation Options
The options available when importing an Animation using FBX are explained below.

Option
Description
Mesh
Skeleton
The Skeleton the SkeletalMesh should target. If no existing Skeleton is selected, a new one will be created from the
SkeletalMesh being imported. The new Skeleton's name will be that of the SkeletalMesh with Skeleton appended.
Animation
Animation
Length Option Description
Exported
This option imports animation frames based on what is defined at the time of export.
Time
Animated
Will import the range of frames that have animation. Can be useful if the exported range is longer than
Time the actual animation in the FBX file.
Set Range
This will enable the Start Frame and End Frame properties for you to define the frames of animation to
import.
Start Frame
When Set Range is used in Animation Length, this will enable you to set the start frame of the animation you wish to
import.
End Frame
When Set Range is used in Animation Length, this will enable you to set the end frame of the animation you wish to
import.
Use Default
If true, the default sample rate of 30 frames-per-second is used for the animation. If unchecked, the system
Sample Rate determines the sample rate from the FBX file.
Import Custom
This will import Custom Attributes as animation curves.
Attribute
Preserve Local
If enabled, this will import a curve within the animation.
Transform
Delete Existing
If enabled, this will delete this type of asset from the FBX.
Morph Target
Curves
Animation Name
The name to assign the animation. If nothing is entered here, the Naming Rules will be used.
Miscellaneous
||
| Override FullName | If enabled and the FBX file only contains one mesh, the name specified in the import path field will be used as the
full name for the imported mesh. Otherwise, the Naming Rules will be used. |
| Convert Scene | If enabled, this will convert the scene FBX
scene coordinate system to the Unreal Engine 4 coordinate system. |
Naming Rules
The table below shows how the various content types will be named when Override FullName is enabled.
The table assumes the following:
%1 is the name of the asset being imported, i.e. the last part of the Import Path.
%2 is the mesh node name in the FBX file. For SkeletalMesh, if it is composed of multiple FBX meshes, the first FBX
mesh name is used as the part of FBX node name.
Content Type
Naming Rules
StaticMesh If Override FullName is:
Enabled
If single mesh in file - Named as %1

If multiple meshes in file and Combine Meshes is:
Enabled - Named as %1
Disabled - Named as %1_%2
Disabled
If single mesh in file - Named as %1_%2

If multiple meshes in file and Combine Meshes is:
Enabled - Named as %1
SkeletalMesh If Override FullName is:
Enabled
If single mesh in file - Named as %1

If multiple meshes in file - Named as %1_%2
AnimationSequence If importing Animation with SkeletalMesh:
If animation name entered (considered %1 in this case):
If single sequences in file - Named as %1

If multiple sequences in file - Named as %1_%2
If no name entered - Named as %1_%2
If importing only Animation:
If single sequences in file - Named as %1

If multiple sequences in file - Named as %1_%2
MorphTarget Uses the names of the MorphTarget nodes in the FBX file.
Full Topic Index

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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology FBX Best Practices

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Static Mesh Workflow
Actors and Geometry Useful Links
Components Skeletal Mesh Workflow
Managing Content Useful Links
Artist Quick Start Animation Workflow
Content Browser Useful Links
Assets and Packages Morph Target Workflow
FBX Content Pipeline Useful Links
FBX Static Mesh Pipeline Naming Schemes
FBX Skeletal Mesh Pipeline Scene Management
FBX Animation Pipeline Renaming Content in Unreal Editor
FBX Morph Target Pipeline Useful Links
FBX Material Pipeline Whole Scene Import/Export

This page contains tips, tricks, and best practices for working with the FBX content pipeline in Unreal Engine 4 used by artists at Epic
FBX Best Practices
Games.
Tools & Scripts

Static Mesh Workflow
Directory Structure
Export the mesh to an FBX file from your 3D application.
Derived Data Cache
Common export settings used by artists at Epic include:
Content Programming Smoothing Groups enabled

Unreal Game Projects Tangents and Binormals disabled
Engine Features Preserve Edge Orientation enabled
Gameplay Guide Import the FBX file using the Content Browser in Unreal.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Useful Links
Exporting Static Meshes

Skeletal Mesh Workflow

Export the mesh and skeleton to an FBX file.
Select the items you want to export (mesh and joint chain root) and 'export selected'.
Common export settings used by artists at Epic include:
Smooth Mesh disabled
Smoothing Groups enabled
Import the FBX file using the Content Browser in Unreal.
Useful Links
Exporting Skeletal Meshes

Importing Skeletal Meshes
Animation Workflow
Export the animation to an FBX file.
Select the items you want to export (joint chain root, mesh if desired) and 'export selected'.
Export settings:
Animation enabled
Import the FBX file as an animation into the Content Browser.
Useful Links
Exporting Animations
Importing Animations
Morph Target Workflow

Export the morph target(s) to an FBX file.
Select the items you want to export (mesh with blendshapes/morpher modifier) and 'export selected'.
Export settings:
Animation enabled
Deformed Models/Deformations enabled - all options
Import the FBX file as an animation into the Content Browser.
Useful Links
Exporting Morph Targets

Importing Morph Targets
Naming Schemes
Epic's artists typically follow the following naming schemes for exported files:
Static Meshes: SM_<PackageName>_<AssetName>_<Index>

Skeletal Meshes: SK_<PackageName>_<AssetName>_<Index>
Using a project-wide naming scheme makes it easy to organize and identify asset files.
However, the concept of a "Package", that many long time Unreal users will be intimately familiar with, has changed dramatically in Unreal 4
versus previous incarnations. Package files now only contain one file, and the directory structure of the game defines the various levels of
what you would find in an old .upk file. See Assets and Packages for more information.
In this image, the StoneBox is in a folder called Meshes, much in the same way UE3 would have a package (Game) with a grouping
(Meshes) that contains the asset (StoneBox).
Scene Management
Epic's artists usually store similar assets in a single file. For example, for a Static Mesh that has three different states: normal, damaged,
and broken; all three are in the same file. However, each mesh is exported as a single FBX file.
It is easier to have a clean "export" file which is the mesh bound to the skeleton. This mesh will only be used for exporting. The rig is built
from this file, but saved into a separate rig file.
Separate rig file.

Each animation is usually stored in its own file as well so that it is simple to keep track of all the different animations in the file system.
Renaming Content in Unreal Editor

You can rename any object in the Content Browser either by selecting the item you wish to rename and hitting F2 or by Right-Clicking it
and selecting Rename. This will highlight the object's name in the Content Browser and allow you to type in a new name, just like editing a
file name in Windows.
You will probably get a notification about the undo cache. This is normal as the object in the cache is listed under the old name and it will
need to be cleared as to not to cause an issue later.
Useful Links
Naming conventions when importing FBX
Whole Scene Import/Export

This is useful for exporting out cameras that have been created in Matinee, or vehicle paths that have been animated in Matinee, as well as
all of the information is needed to recreate a cinematic in a 3D content creation package. After tweaking is done inside a 3D content
creation package, it can then be exported out as a FBX and imported back into Unreal Engine 4.
Exporting out from Matinee.

FBX is currently the only supported export type for Export All so just give it a name and click OK.
From within the Matinee interface, you can also import FBX data (presumably after tweaking has been done in the 3rd party package).
Full Topic Index
elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Viewing FBX with QuickTime

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Downloading the plug-in and QuickTime
Actors and Geometry Opening the FBX file
Components Playing back animations
Managing Content Other controls
Artist Quick Start

Viewing FBX files often involved importing it into your favorite 3D content creation package and then viewing it from there. However, this can
Content Browser
be tricky if you normally do not work with 3D models (that is, if you are mostly a programmer). Fortunately, Autodesk has made a plug-in for
Assets and Packages
QuickTime which allows you to view FBX files without having those 3D content creation packages installed.

Downloading the plug-in and QuickTime
You can download the latest plug-in from Autodesk's website. The plug-in is available for both Windows and Mac.
FBX Material Pipeline If you do not have QuickTime installed, then you will need to download it from Apple's website and then install it.
FBX Best Practices

Opening the FBX file
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 The plug-in does not add an extension to the list of files that QuickTime can view. To bypass this, select the "All Files(.)" option. Your FBX
Tools & Scripts files should then appear, then double-click your FBX file or select your FBX file and then press Open.
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Playing back animations

Viewing FBX files within QuickTime also allows you to play back animations by either scrubbing the timeline or by pressing the Play button.
Other controls
More control information can be found within the plug-in's read me. However some will be listed here for your convenience.
Rotating the camera - Mouse left-click and hold within the viewport. Dragging the mouse around will rotate the camera.
Panning the camera - Hold the Shift key, and then mouse left-click and hold within the viewport. Dragging the mouse around will
pan the camera.
Zooming the camera - Hold the Z key, and then mouse left-click and hold within the viewport. Dragging the mouse forward and
backwards will zoom the camera.
Cycling between camera views - Press the C key to switch between camera view modes.
Getting more help - Press the H key to bring up more help options.
Full Topic Index
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Unreal Engine 4 comes with two fully-integrated methods that allow people to work together on their projects using version control software
Level Editor
like Perforce and SVN. Version control allows users on your team to share assets and code with one another, as well as providing a backup
Levels
and history of changes so any files can be rolled back to an earlier version if something went wrong with the file.
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Source Control Software
Artist Quick Start
Source Control Inside Unreal Editor
Content Browser
Using Perforce as Source Control
Assets and Packages
FBX Content Pipeline Using SVN as Source Control

Using SVN as Source Control
Tools & Scripts Full Topic Index

Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Content Programming
elsewhere.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map

English
Level Designer Quick Start Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Source Control Inside Unreal Editor

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Collaboration Workflow inside of Unreal Editor
Actors and Geometry Checking Out Files in Unreal Editor
Components Submitting to Source Control
Managing Content Syncing Files
Artist Quick Start Adding Files
Content Browser Deleting Files
Assets and Packages Level Files
FBX Content Pipeline Config (.ini) Files

No matter which Source Control software you end up using, the manner in which you interface with that software from inside of UE4 is the
same. The following guide will detail everything you need to know about using Source Control inside of UE4.
Tools & Scripts

Collaboration Workflow inside of Unreal Editor
Directory Structure
Unreal Engine 4 makes it very easy for multiple user collaboration on projects. In the following section, we will be going over how all of the
Derived Data Cache
various collaboration tools work inside of the Unreal Editor.
Content Programming
Checking Out Files in Unreal Editor
Engine Features The main way to share content with collaborators is via the Content Browser. All source control operations are accessible via the context
Gameplay Guide menu for files and folders. For instance, to Check Out a file (i.e. lock it for editing), Right-click on the asset in the Content Browser and
Blueprints Visual Scripting then select the Check Out option.
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
New and Updated Resources You can set the editor to automatically check out files on save by enabling Prompt for Checkout on Asset Modification. You can find
these options by going to Editor Preferences -> Loading & Saving -> Source Control.
You can also set the Unreal Editor to automatically add new files to Source Control when they are first saved inside of the Editor. You can
find these options by going to Editor Preferences -> Loading & Saving -> Source Control. To do this, all you have to do is enable the
Add New Files when Modified option which is on by default.
When you start editing an asset, you will be presented with a notification in
the bottom-right hand corner of the screen asking you whether you want to check the file(s) out:
This allows you to check out assets in advance of editing them. If you click the Check-Out link, then you will be presented with this dialog:
Number
Property Name
Description
1: Check Out Selected

Checks out the files that are checked in the list.
2: Make Writable
Clears the read-only flag (if one exists) allowing local edits to a file.
3: Ask Me Later
Allows you to carry on working and check files out at a later time.
When you Right-click on an object in the Content Browser and then go under the Source Control option, you will see various symbols
that show the current state of the assets.
Icon
Description

Checks out the files that are checked in the list.

Marked for addition to source control.

A newer version of a file exists in source control.

File is not under source control.

Checked out by anther user (hover over the asset to see who has the file checked out).

File is checked out for branch/copy (displayed with some providers when the file has been copied from another location
Submitting to Source Control
Submitting to Source Control inside of Unreal Engine 4 is a vital part of the Source Control process as if you do not submit anything to
Source Control, other users will not be able to see what you have been working on/created. A workflow that is convenient if you are working
on many changes, or you are not tracking changes you are making too closely, is to make use of the Submit to Source Control option in
the File menu of the Editor.
This will scan your project and the Engine for changes made to assets that can be submitted and then present you with the Submit Files
dialog.
You can then enter a description of your changes and then click OK and you will then commit/submit the files to Source Control.
Syncing Files
If you want to get changes that other people have made, you can Right-click on files or folders in the Content Browser and select the
Sync option. Alternatively, you can Sync using an external program such as Perforce (P4V). However, it is recommended that you shut the
Editor down if you do this as it may lock some files for editing while open.
When a file is Out of Sync (i.e. a newer version exists on the Source Control server to the one you have locally), the following
icon, ,
will be displayed by the asset in the Content Browser.
Adding Files
Similar to the Check-Out workflow, you can auto-add new files to source control using the Add New Files When Modified option in the
preferences.
Files that are added appear with a symbol on them in the Content Browser and can also be checked in, in the same
manner that files are checked out.
Deleting Files
Deleting assets that are already in Source Control is more complex as they are usually referenced by other assets. If you select a file in the
Content Browser and press Delete (or select it from the Right-click menu), you will be presented with the Delete Assets dialog.
Number
Name
Description
1 Pending Deleted
This is the asset(s) that you are going to delete.
Assets
2 Assets Referencing
This shows asset(s) that are referencing the assets you are about to delete.
the Pending Deleted
Assets
3 Replace References
Here you specify what assets you want other assets that reference this asset(s) to reference
when this asset is deleted.
4 Force Delete
Here you can force delete an asset. However be very careful doing this as it can have a very
negative impact on your project. You should only use this option as a last resort if nothing else
works.
5 Cancel
This will cancel the delete operation.
Once you have chosen how to handle the deletion, the file will generally be replaced by a hidden Asset known as a Redirector. If you want
to clean up the Redirector that is created when deleting assets, you can Right-click on a folder in the Content Browser and select the Fix
Up Redirectors in Folders. This will fix up the references in your project and permanently delete the redirectors, marking the files for
delete in source control. Presently, to commit these deletions, you need to use an external tool such as P4V or TortoiseSVN.
Level Files
Levels can be managed in source control just like any other asset via the Content Browser. However levels can also be worked with via
the Level Browser's menu, which contains options for source control in the Source Control sub-menu.
Config (.ini) Files
Many configuration options for the Editor and Projects are stored in Configuration Files, or Config files for short. Some of these will need to
be kept under source control (see above when adding the Config/ directory to source control). The settings editor provides a way to check
these in and out so team members can share various settings. For example, in Edit -> Project Settings you will see the following indicator.
Checking out the file allows these settings to be edited. Unfortunately there is currently no way to check these files back into source control
via the Editor, so you will need to use an external tool such as P4V or TortoiseSVN to check these files in outside of your Unreal Editor
session.

Related Topics
Source Control
Content Browser
Redirectors
Project Settings
Configuration Files
Full Topic Index

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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Using Perforce as Source Control

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Workflow
Actors and Geometry Using Perforce with Unreal Engine 4
Components Setting up a Perforce server on your Local Machine
Managing Content P4 Typemap
Artist Quick Start Server on your Local Network
Content Browser Cloud Provider
Assets and Packages Setting up a Local Workspace
FBX Content Pipeline Adding Files to Perforce
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 Connecting from Unreal Editor

Unreal Engine 4 comes with an integrated method that allows people to work together on their projects using version control software called
Perforce. Source Control allows users on your team to share assets and code with one another, as well as providing a backup and history
of changes so any files can be rolled back to an earlier version if something went wrong with the file.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Workflow
In general and mostly for historical reasons, working with assets in the Unreal Editor follows the workflow of Perforce. Files known as Assets
Content Programming
(extension .usasset and .umap) are mainly what the Editor works with. These files are binary, so cannot be opened as text or merged in a
text-based merge tool. For this reason, when working on a file the Editor will lock that file (this is known as Checking Out in Perforce
Engine Features
nomenclature) so that other users cannot concurrently edit it. When the user is done with editing the file(s) they have locked, they check in,
Gameplay Guide
or commit those files, uploading the changes to the server and releasing the lock on the file.
Programming Guide
Using Perforce with Unreal Engine 4
Setting up a Perforce server on your Local Machine
Release Notes
Site Map
You can download the Perforce server tools from here. Once downloaded, run the installer and choose a location and name for
your server.
There are two ways of running the Perforce server, P4D and P4S. P4D runs while an instance of the command line is running, so it is
usually only used for spot-maintenance tasks. P4S is the service-based equivalent of P4D as it allows you to run the server in the
background. The service is usually installed and started when you install the Perforce server tools.
Sometimes the service does not get run automatically. To turn the service on first go into the Control Panel -> Administrative
Tools ->Services applet.
Then find the Perforce service in the list and start it:
Once the service is running, you can connect to your server using P4Admin. If this is the first connection to your server, then you can make
a new user in the initial connection dialog:
Fill in the connection information for your Perforce server and press okay. Once you have connected to the server in P4Admin, you can
make new depots, users, and groups pretty easily. Use P4V and the Unreal Editor to connect to the server with the credentials you supplied
in the initial connection dialog.
Check out the P4Admin Documentation for more in-depth information on the ins and outs of Perforce.
P4 Typemap
Before you start adding files to your depot, you should set up your P4 Typemap so Perforce knows how to treat Unreal file types. Setting
the typemap will affect how files get set to read only or writable inside of Perforce. However to do this, you will need to open a new
command prompt and set up some p4 environment variables.
p4 set P4USER=your.username
p4 set P4PORT=localhost:1666
Replace the values above with your respective username and connection address.
Open the typemap by entering the following in the
command prompt.
p4 -P YourPassword typemap
You will then see a text window open; this is your server's typemap. The typemap below is an example that we have used in the past:
# Perforce File Type Mapping Specifications.

#
# TypeMap: a list of filetype mappings; one per line.
# Each line has two elements:
#
# Filetype: The filetype to use on 'p4 add'.
#
# Path: File pattern which will use this filetype.
#
# See 'p4 help typemap' for more information.
TypeMap:
binary+w //depot/....exe
binary+w //depot/....dll
binary+w //depot/....lib
binary+w //depot/....app
binary+w //depot/....dylib
binary+w //depot/....stub
binary+w //depot/....ipa
binary //depot/....bmp
text //depot/....ini
text //depot/....config
text //depot/....cpp
text //depot/....h
text //depot/....c
text //depot/....cs
text //depot/....m
text //depot/....mm
text //depot/....py
binary+l //depot/....uasset
binary+l //depot/....umap
binary+l //depot/....upk
binary+l //depot/....udk
Once edited, save the file by pressing Ctrl+S on your keyboard and then exit. The command prompt should then show Typemap saved.
Server on your Local Network
You can set up a server on your local network for people to use to collaborate with one another. To do this, follow the steps above on the
server and connect using the server's name or IP from your clients.
Cloud Provider
There are various cloud providers that allow you to host Perforce servers off-site and to collaborate remotely. A quick search online for
Perforce Hosting should turn up a few results. Each hosting provider is different, but all should end up with a set of credentials that you
can use to connect. See also Connecting from Unreal Editor below for a note about connecting to Perforce cloud providers.
Setting up a Local Workspace
To work with files that are under Perforce control, you will need to set up a Workspace so that the files can be managed on your local
machine. You can do this via P4V by opening up the Workspaces tab in the View dropdown:
To create a new workspace, Right-click in the Workspace window and select the New Workspace option. Then enter a name for your
workspace and a location where you want the files to be on your local machine, the Workspace Root.
Once you have a server and a workspace, you will want to start adding files to it. For the moment, this needs to be done initially outside the
Editor via P4V. If you already have a workspace that someone else has set up with some files already, you can skip ahead.
When you
create a new project, you can choose whether it incorporates C++ code and Blueprint elements. If you are using C++ code in your project,
you will see a Source/ directory as well.
You should initially add only the following directories of your project:
Folders and files highlighted in Green should be added to your depot. The Binaries folder in Yellow is optional, depending on how your
team wants to work together. It is not required if every team member is going to compile their editor/game themselves, but should be
included in the initial add if any team members will just be grabbing a version from the depot to create content. Note that the server
typemap setup above should mean that coders can compile their binaries without them being set to be Read-Only by Perforce.
Adding Files to Perforce
Adding files to Perforce is something that can be accomplished in the few following steps.
1. To add files/folders to Perforce, first select the files/folders in P4V and then Right-click and select the Mark For Add option.
2. This will add the files to your default change list. All files that you add can be seen in the Pending change lists tab:
3. To submit something, first Right-click on the change list and then select Submit. Then enter a change list description and click the
Submit button.
If you want to start work on a project that someone else has already started, you will need to get the latest revision from Perforce using P4V.
To do this, find the project in the Depot View in P4V and then Right-click on the project you want to get and select Get Latest Revision.
This will download all the files to the location you specified for your Workspace Root above.
Connecting from Unreal Editor

You can connect to your Perforce server right from the Editor by clicking on the Source Control icon on the Toolbar:
Once open, choose Perforce as the provider from the Source Control Login dialog and enter your login credentials. If you have a workspace
already set up (that the current project is inside of), your login credentials should be populated automatically.
When using some servers, including many cloud providers - you may need to enter the Host and Password to access your depot
from the Editor. You can do this by opening the advanced field at the bottom of the Perforce login dialog:

Related Topics
Source Control
Content Browser
Redirectors
Project Settings
Configuration Files
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Using SVN as Source Control

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Using Subversion (SVN) with Unreal Engine 4
Actors and Geometry Setting Up a SVN Server
Components Setting up a SVN server on your Local Machine
Managing Content Server on your Local Network
Artist Quick Start Secure Access
Content Browser Cloud Provider
Assets and Packages Checking Out to a Local Working Copy
FBX Content Pipeline Adding files to Subversion
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 Connecting to Subversion from Unreal Editor
Source Control Inside Unreal Editor Using SVN on Mac OSX with Secure Connections

Unreal Engine 4 comes with an integrated method that allows people to work together on their projects using version control software called
Subversion or SVN for short. Version control allows users on your team to share assets and code with one another, as well as providing a
Tools & Scripts
backup and history of changes so any files can be rolled back to an earlier version if something went wrong with the file.
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Using Subversion (SVN) with Unreal Engine 4
Content Programming
If Perforce is not an option for you, then you can use Subversion (SVN). SVN is similar to Perforce in how users handle data. The following
guide will walk you through how to setup a SVN source control server for your UE4 projects.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Setting Up a SVN Server
Programming Guide Setting up an SVN server can be done using the Subversion command-line tools, but in this case for ease of use, we are going to describe
Platform Development how to set up a server using VisualSVN on Windows.
Release Notes You can download SVN for Windows by clicking here and downloading the program from the SVN website.
Site Map

Setting up a SVN server on your Local Machine
1. After SVN had been installed, open SVN up and in VisualSVN, Right-click on the Repositories tree item and select Create New
Repository:
2. If asked, choose a Regular Files System for now.
3. Then enter a name for your repository.

4. Next choose whether you want some initial folders adding to the repo:
Adding the Trunk, Branches, and Tags directories can be useful if you plan on doing concurrent C++ code development with other people.
Initial security settings can also be set up at this time. If you are unsure of what to set here, leave it as the defaults and all Subversion users
have Read/Write access.
Once created, you should see your repository in the tree view.
Server on your Local Network
You can set up a server on your local network for people to use to collaborate with one another. To do this, follow the steps above on the
server and connect using the server's URL from your clients.
Secure Access
Many users like to use a secure connection to access their repositories. These connections have URLs starting with https:// and have a
number of things to be aware of when setting them up.
To use HTTPS, the server needs to provide a trusted certificate so that clients
know that they are connecting to a secure server. VisualSVN can issue a local certificate so that internal users can connect securely.
You
can find details of this by Right-clicking on the root of the tree view, selecting Properties, and navigating to the Certificate tab:
Note that to connect to an SVN server using a secure connection, the certificate issued by the server needs to be issued to the
same name that users use to connect to it. For example; if users access the server using the URL https://my-server/svn, then
the certificate needs to be issued to "my-server" (without quotes), similarly if users connect via IP address
https://192.168.0.1/svn then the certificate should be issued to "192.168.0.1" (without quotes).
Cloud Provider
There are various cloud providers that allow you to host SVN servers off-site and to collaborate remotely. A quick search online for SVN
Hosting should turn up a few results. Each hosting provider is different, but all should end up with a URL, username, and password that
you can use to connect to the server.
Checking Out to a Local Working Copy
To work with files that are under SVN control, you will need to set up a Working Copy so that the files can be managed on your local
machine. For the moment, you cannot do this inside of the Unreal Editor. You can do this via the SVN command line tools, but in this case
for ease of use, we are going to describe how to set up a working copy using TortoiseSVN on Windows.
You can download TortoiseSVN for Windows by clicking here and downloading the program from the TortoiseSVN website.
When you create a new project, you can choose whether it incorporates C++ code and Blueprint elements. If you are using C++ code in
your project, you will see a Source/ directory as well.
You should initially add the following directories of your project:
Folders and files highlighted in Green should be added to your depot. The Binaries folder in Yellow is optional, depending on how your
team wants to work together.
It is not required if every team member is going to compile their editor/game themselves, but should be
included in the initial add if any team members will just be grabbing a version from the depot to create content.
If you are trying to edit a project that someone else has already created, you can skip ahead as the following will not apply to
you.
To create your working copy, you should Check Out the (assumed empty) root of your repository. To do this, Right-click on your project's
folder in Windows Explorer and select SVN Checkout.
Then enter the URL of your repository and where it should be checked out (make sure this is not creating a subdirectory you do not want).
Next click OK and it should create a hidden .svn directory that SVN uses to store information about the working copy.
Adding files to Subversion
1. To add the files to your repository, select the items in Windows Explorer and then Right-click to add and select the TortoiseSVN-
>Add option.
2. When you do this, SVN will mark the files you selected for addition to the repository.
Next, Right-click in the directory containing your
project and select TortoiseSVN->SVN Commit.
3. This will scan the directory for any changes/adds that you have made and display them in the Commit dialog.
4. Now enter a commit message and click OK to upload your additions to the server. If you want to start work on a project that someone
else has already started, you will need to get the latest revision from SVN using TortoiseSVN. To do this, you should perform the
SVN Checkout stage above and make sure you have Fully Recursive
set for your checkout depth. This should download the all the
existing files to your local machine.
Connecting to Subversion from Unreal Editor
You can connect to your SVN server from the Unreal Editor by clicking on the Source Control icon in the Toolbar.
Once open, choose Subversion as the provider from the Source Control Login dialog and enter your login credentials. The password field
is optional and does not need to be filled in every time. If it is entered correctly once, SVN will remember it.
Using SVN on Mac OSX with Secure Connections
Because of how the Mac stores security information such as passwords, you may need to perform some extra steps to get your Editor to
connect to servers via https:// connections.
You may need to perform these steps if you see errors in your logs like:
E175002: Unexpected HTTP status 400 'Bad Request' on '/projectname/'

E175002: Unexpected HTTP status 405 'Method Not Allowed' on '/projectname/'
E215004: Authentication failed and interactive prompting is disabled; see the --force-interactive
option
E215004: No more credentials or we tried too many times.
To fix this, first open a command prompt and type.
cd [Engine Installation Directory]/Engine/Binaries/ThirdParty/svn/Mac/bin
This will change the directory to where the SVN binaries that are shipped with UE4 are found (substituting the engine installation directory).
Then type the following.
svn info --username=me https://example.com/svn/repo
Substituting your username and repository URL appropriately. This should then present you with a password prompt:
Authentication realm:
Password for 'me':
Enter your password and it will be stored in the keychain. After this, the Editor should be able to connect correctly to your server following
the regular instructions above.
English
Level Designer Quick Start Content Tools and Scripts

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Maya Animation Rigging Toolset

Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Animation Tools
Rigging Tools
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
The Animation and Riggings Toolset (ART) is a comprehensive toolset that takes a character through skeleton creation, skeleton
Site Map
placement, and rig creation, as well as many animation tools to speed up your animators' workflow, currently tested and confirmed in Maya
2013 and up. Features include:
Intuitive user interfaces guide the user through every process.

Complete skeletal creation.
Custom skeleton placement via an intuitive positioning rig.
An entire rig can be published and sent to the animation team in under a minute!
Ability to provide simple skinning to your final character.
A full suite of animation tools complete with user interface, including importing mocap or animation data, exporting to FBX, pose tools,
mirroring, space switching, and more!
The ART originally started as an in-house tool set for Epic's animation team. Currently, it is optimized primarily for bipedal
humanoid characters. However, the toolset will continue to grow allowing for a wider range of characters.
Installation Instructions
1. Locate the file in your UE4 install, typically under UE4/Engine/Extras/Maya_AnimationRiggingTools.
2. Copy the userSetup.py file (located in Engine\Extras\Maya_AnimationRiggingTools\MayaTools) into your Maya scripts
directory (typically C:\Users\user.name\Documents\maya\scripts). You will most likely be asked to overwrite the existing file.
Unless you have modified something yourself, then overwriting is fine. If you have any other instances of userSetup.py in any of your
other scripts folders, please delete them.
If you are already using a custom userSetup.py file, have your TD merge the contents of the one supplied with this toolset
with your own.
3. Launch Maya.
4. The first time through, you will be presented with a Maya Tools Install dialog asking you to locate your MayaTools directory. This is the
same place you found the userSetup.py file: UE4/Engine/Extras/Maya_AnimationRiggingTools.
5. You will now see an Epic Games menu at the top of your maya menu bar. Enjoy!
Using the Toolset

The ART is split into two modes: Rigging and Animation, each with their own distinct interfaces. For a character to use the ART Animation
interface, it must be produced from the Rigging interface.
Animation & Rigging Tools

Animation Tools - Animation assistance tools included within the Animation & Rigging Toolset (ART).
Rigging Tools - Rigging tools included within the Animation & Rigging Toolset (ART).
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English
Level Designer Quick Start Maya Animation Rigging Toolset

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Animation Tools


On this page:
Basic How To's Adding a Character
Level Editor Rig Features
Levels Animation Interface
Actors and Geometry Tool Bar

Components Switching Characters
Managing Content Tabs
Artist Quick Start Joint Chain Rigs and Settings

Content Browser Select and Reset Tools
Assets and Packages Export Motion
FBX Content Pipeline Import Motion
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 Space Switching
Tools & Scripts Pose Editor
Maya Animation Rigging Toolset Matching
Animation Tools Menus
Rigging Tools Miscellaneous

Render To Texture Blueprint Toolset Additional Resources
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Welcome to the Animation & Rigging Tool Animation Interface. From here, you will be able to access your characters controls to rapidly
animate the character created by the ART Rigging Toolset. Everything in this interface is to enable the user to quickly change every aspect
of how they are animating the character.
Adding a Character
If you want to poke around with the tool while reading, you will need a character to work with, if you do not have a character ready to
animate, run through the Rigging Tools documentation to see how you can create a quick proxy character.
But if you have a character available, either by creating it yourself or receiving it from your rigger, you will need to bring it into a scene before
you can start using it.
1. To add a character to a scene, use the Epic Games menu -> Animation Rigging Toolset -> Add Character menu item.
1. Simply choose the project your character is in, and then the character itself and choose either Add or Add and Close to close the UI
afterwards.
Rig Features
Most of the rig should be fairly straight forward to use, but there are a few attributes on some controls that you may find useful.
Hips
Let us start with the hip_anim control and the Auto Hips attribute:
Turning this attribute on and moving a leg in either FK or IK mode will orient the hips so that they remain balanced and averaged
automatically:
Squash and Stretch
Squash and Stretch attributes exist on the IK hands and feet controls as well as the ik_chest_anim control:
They are independent of each other so you can decide how much of each to have in your animation.
IK Spine
The chest_ik_anim has a few unique attributes.
Attribute Description
Twist
Twist Amount is the multiplier for how twist of the chest_ik_anim control travels down the rest of the spine joints. This attribute
Amount works in conjunction with the Spine XX Twist Amount attributes, by multiply that value by this value. For example, I twist my
chest_ik_anim control 30 degrees. Spine_02_Twist_Amount is set to .5, and twist_amount is set to 1.0. This means spine 2
will receive a value of 15 for it's twist (30 0.5 1)
Spine XX
This attribute is the percentage of twist this joint will recieve from the chest_ik_anim control. This value gets multiplied by the
Twist Twist Amount value to give the total twist result for that joint.
Amount
Stretch
This attribute is not keyable or useable in any way, it is simply a readout that will tell you how much your spine is stretching or
Factor compressing.
Auto
Auto Spine automates the mid_ik_anim control's translation, so that the mid_ik_anim control stays averaged between the hips
Spine and the chest_ik_anim.
Rotation
This attribute is a multiplier for how rotation of the chest_ik_anim affects the mid_ik_anim control.
Influence
Hands and Fingers
The hands have a few helpful attributes on the IK hand controls:
Side
Side allows your hand to roll side to side. For best results, turn the sticky attribute on, found on the first knuckle controls. (more on that
below, under the fingers section)
Mid Bend
Essentially a hand roll. For best results, turn the sticky attribute on, found on the first knuckle controls. (more on that below,
under the fingers section)
The remaining attributes allow for rotation from different pivot points.
Sticky Fingers
Yes, an unfortunate name for an attribute, but it exists nonetheless. You can find the sticky attribute on the first knuckle of each finger:
Turning sticky on will activate IK -like behavior, where the fingers will stay oriented to the world. This behavior is great when using the above
hand attributes or when animating metacarpal bones.
Twist Controls and Attributes
The arms and legs may have twist controls (depending on if the character was created with them). There are some default settings that
should provide good results, but if you want to change the settings or manually animate the twist, you will need to know how to view the
twist controls.
The twist controls actually show up in the character picker as purple controls. If you would like to see them in the viewport
however, you need to turn Twist Control Vis on. This attribute exists on the following controls: Clavicles, FK Thighs
To change the settings of how twist is being calculated, head over to the Rig Settings tab, and open up the arm section:
The default value of 0.9 in the upper arm twist means that the arm roll bone will cancel out 90% of the twist. Setting this to 1.0 would cancel
out 100% of the twist.
For the lower arm, 0.5 means that the lower arm will inherit 50% of the twist from the hand.
Custom Modules
Custom Chain modules have three modes available to you: FK, Spline IK, and Dynamic.
The FK and IK rigs are pretty straight forward. The Dynamic setting however, turns on physics simulations on the chain.
The physics
settings are located on the control when in Dynamic mode. This system uses Maya's hair follicle system, which means fields in Maya can
be added to affect the chains (Gravity, Turbulence, etc).
Also of note, is the Lag Mode feature on the FK controls. Lag Mode takes the animation from the first FK control, and applies that data
down the chain with a latency of 3 frames for each control.
In the above image, only the first FK control has any animation data. The rest of the controls are being driven by that value over
time.
Head, Neck, and Arm Orientations
The head, neck, and FK arm controls have orientation options. For example, you can set the head_anim control to be oriented to the world:
To access these attributes, you can find them on the following controls: head_anim, neck_01_anim, and for the FK Arm Orientation, the
Rig_Settings node.
You can also access these in the picker by right-clicking on the head, neck, or any arm bone:
Animation Interface
1. Select Character - Left-clicking your character's portrait will bring up a list of characters in the scene for you to select and take
control of using the Animation Interface.
2. Body Control Selector Interface - Controls for the current character's body are selectable from here. This window will also change to
the List View and Rig Settings interfaces if the appropriate tab is selected.
3. Finger Control Selector Interface - Easy access to the current character's finger controllers.
4. Tool Bar
5. Tabs
Picker - The default view, rapid access to most rig functions.
List View - Operates like the Outliner but without all the extra nodes.
Rig Settings - Specialty functions like dynamics and stretchy IK.
6. Menu
Animation
Settings
Tool Bar
Button Description

Brings up the selection menu, enabling you to select all controllers, select everything, select the rig settings, create a selection
set, or select a selection set.

Opens the reset menu, allowing you to Zero everything out or just what is selected. Non-Destructive: no key-frames are
deleted.

Accesses the Import Motion functions.

Reveals the Export Motion interface.

Shows the Space Switcher window.

Engages the Pose Editor.

Enables the Match Over Frame Range interface.

Creates a small window with a grow button and shrink button to increase or decrease the size of the selected controller.
Hides or Shows the rig. Right-Clicking will show the ISO (Isolation) Select Tool menu.
Left-Click to bring up any selection sets you have created and their options. If you have not created a selection set yet, it will
probably open the Scale Controls interface.

Brings up the Help for the ART.
Switching Characters
Left-Clicking on the Character Portrait will bring up a list of characters in the scene for you to select. Only the currently selected character
can use the Animation Interface.
Though only the currently selected character can use the Animation Interface, other characters in the scene can still be
animated by directly selecting their controllers in the viewport.
Tabs
Picker
The character picker is the default tab upon opening the UI. This is where you can select the majority of the controls in a clean, visual
fashion. The controls not included on the character picker are any toes you may have, as well as custom controls (ponytails, accessories,
etc.). The upper section is devoted to the Body of the character while the lower is for the Fingers of the character.
While most of the Picker interface gives solid feedback on what you are selecting and doing, let us step through the interface and touch on
everything.
Basic Selection Functions
Mouse Controls
Action Description
Left Left-Clicking a button will select the control and replace whatever you had previously selected.
Mouse
Button
Shift + Shift + Left-Clicking a button will add or remove it to the selection. It mostly works like Ctrl + Shift + Left-Click in the Maya
Left interface so if you click some controls then Shift + Left-Click the background of the hand interface, it will invert your
Mouse selection.
Button
Right Right-Clicking a button will bring up the context sensitive menu based on the body part, such as rig modes(FK/IK) or use
Mouse Space Switching.
Button
When Right-Clicking on a selection button, there are a myriad of options that can be found in the resulting menu. This is a list of all the
options and what they do:
Menu Item Description
FK Mode
Sets the control set to FK Mode.
IK Mode
Sets the control set to IK Mode.
Matching
Will allow you to match an IK to a FK pose or a FK pose to an IK pose.
Arm FK
This will keep an FK arm oriented in relation to the selected space when rotating the Body or Roots of the character. It
Orientation does not do any fancy IK but it will at least keep the arm facing in the right direction.
Space
Space
Allows you to choose the space the IK Controller is operating in.
Switching
Button Colors
The controller button's color denotes their function.
Button Color Description

Blue
Blue buttons are associated with FK controls.
Orange
Orange buttons are associated with IK controls.
Purple
Purple buttons are associated with twist controls and other special controls.
Green
Green buttons select entire groups of controls.
White
White buttons are controls that are currently selected.
Dark Gray/Empty
Technically, there is no button there, but in this case, those are disabled controls, mostly on the hands if you reduce
Space the number of finger joints.
Body Selectors
It is pretty straight forward. Each button corresponds to a controller on the rig and can be easily selected here. Refer to the above table for
what the colors of each button represent.
ROM
At the bottom of the Body interface, there is a stack of buttons labeled "R", "O", and "M". These are for selecting the three main Roots of
the rig:
Button
Description
R
Selects the Root Anim Joint of the rig. This is a special joint that represents the Root Joint of the character, specifically used to
offset the collision capsule of the character.
O
Selects the Offset Animation root of the rig.
M
Selects the Master Animation root of the rig. While this button is orange, it has no IK controls.
Leg Pole Vector Angle
Worth special mention are the Leg Pole Vector Angle controls located in the knee position on the Body picker. It currently is not possible
to directly control the leg pole vector constraints, these fields will allow you to change the orientation of the leg while in IK mode.
Finger Selectors
There are a ton of selection points for the hands. This interface makes it easier to grab what controls you need without fiddling around trying
to find them buried in the hands.
Pole Vector Group
The upper left and upper right corners select the Global Pole Vector controller for the fingers. This is used to change the facing of all the
fingers in IK mode. Each finger also has an individual pole vector for fine tuning finger facing.
FK Selectors
Any of the blue buttons can be used to select a single FK controller. You can use Shift + Left-Click to select multiple controllers.
IK Selectors
The larger orange buttons are the IK Control Selectors while the smaller ones are for the individual pole vectors for the finger. You can
Right-Click the large buttons to switch to and from IK and FK modes.
Line Selectors
Left-Clicking any of the green buttons will select a row or a column of controllers. The thumb FK controllers are not included in the row
selection nor are the IK controllers included in any column selections.
Group Selection
By Left-Clicking in the background of the hand interface (highlighted in green above), you can select all of a hands FK controllers, or if you
Right-Click, you will get an option to select all FK and IK controllers. If you have some FK controllers selected and you Shift + Left-Click
in this zone, you will invert your selection.
List View
This is another way to look at the rig and select the controllers. While the Picker is a visual selection tool, others prefer the Outliner and this
replicates that but without all the intermediate nodes and messy hierarchy that comes with complicated rigs. Further, all controllers appear
in this list, not just the core "human" controllers. You can select all controls in a group by Left-Clicking the boxes on the right side of the
interface.
However, you cannot Right-Click anything in here to switch spaces or toggle IK/FK, for that you will need to go into Rig Settings or back
into the Picker.
There are also two buttons beside the different categories:
The S button will select all controls in that category.

The V button will hide all of the controls in the viewport in that category.
Rig Settings
Need to engage Stretchy IK? Maybe you prefer to punch in numbers for the various limb twists. Or even having the clavicles automatically
raise as you animate the arms. You will find all this in Rig Settings.

Section
Options
Arms IK/FK Mode toggle, FK Arm Orientation Space, Stretchy IK, Bias is essentially the "squash" of the squash and stretch
portion of the rig, Upper Arm Twist and Lower Arm Twist controls.
Legs IK/FK Mode toggle, Stretchy IK, Bias is essentially the "squash" of the squash and stretch portion of the rig, Upper Leg
Twist and Lower Leg Twist controls.
Spine IK/FK Mode toggle, Stretchy IK, and Twist which controls the automatic twist of the spine as you rotate the spine around
the X axis.
Head Head Orientation Space will lock the head's orientation to a body part or the world (owl mode engage).
Neck Neck Orientation Space will lock the neck's orientation to the chest, body, or world.
Auto Auto Hips as you animate the legs the hips will automatically react, Auto Spine, Auto Clavicles.
Controls
Fingers FK Sticky, IK/FK Mode toggle.
Custom IK/FK Mode toggle, Stretchy IK, Lag Mode sends animation down an joint chain in FK mode with a frame delay to
Joint automatically animate overlap, Dynamics: see below.
Chains
Joint Chain Rigs and Settings
Dynamics
Dynamics mode will put the joint chain into a physics simulation. There is only 1 control in dynamics mode, and it holds all of the physics
settings:
You should also add a gravity field to your scene if you want better simulations. The easiest way to do this is to find the group under the
rig_grp named something like: :dynHairChain. Select that group's hierarchy and then add the field. You can also rotate and translate
that control to influence the simulation.
Baking Dynamics to FK Controls
You can bake your chain dynamics to the FK controls of the chain to further edit if you like using the menu option under the Animation
menu:
This will bring up an interface to choose which dynamic chain you would like to bake down to the FK controls:
Your Dynamics themselves will not be baked. At any time, you can go back to Dynamic Mode and tweak settings and rebake to
the FK controls.
Select and Reset Tools

Left-Clicking on the Selection Tool icon will bring up a menu with the following options:

Description
Select All Controls Select All Controls will select all rig controls.
Select All (Controls

This will select all rig controls and space nodes for the current active character.
and Spaces)
Select Rig Settings
Select Rig Settings will only select the rig settings node which can be useful for viewing keys of rig modes and
such.
Create Selection Set

Create Selection Set will take your currently selected controls, and create a selection set of those controls that will
work with any character.
Selection Sets
Once you have created a selection set, the set will appear in the Selection Sets menu. Selection sets are
permanently saved to disk and will always appear in the menu.
Once you have created a selection set, the set will appear in the Selection Sets menu. Selection sets are permanently saved to disk and will
always appear in the menu. Further, once you have a selection set, the Sets button will become useful as a short cut to access your
selection sets.
Selection Set Options
If you look at a selection set in the menu, you will notice there is an option box beside the name of the set. The options box will open a new
window that will show you which controls are contained in the selection set as well as the option to permanently remove the selection set
from the menu:
Reset Tools

Description
Zero Out
Will "Zero Out" the entire rig, returning it to the position it was in when you first added it to the scene. It is Non-Destructive,
All no key-frames are lost.
Zero Out
Will "Zero Out" only the controls selected, returning them to the position they were in when you first added the character to
Selected the scene. It is Non-Destructive, no key-frames are lost.
Export Motion
Export FBX
Export FBX is used to export your animation to the Unreal Editor. It will create a duplicate skeleton, and bake all of the data down onto those
joints, leaving your current scene untouched. You can choose whose motion you would like to export with the character dropdown menu.
If you want to export the entire animation, simply give it a path and name, as well as the frame range. If you would like to export your
animation in multiple chunks, left-click Add Sequence to add more sequences to export. This is useful for exporting an animation that has
a start, loop, and an end.
To remove a sequence, Right-Click on the sequence and select remove.
If your character has morph targets, and you would like to export the morph target animation, check the Export Morphs checkbox to see a
list of all of that character's blendshape nodes. Select the ones you would like to export to have it included in the FBX file.
There are a few other settings and features you can set, such as the framerate and the rotation interpolation:
Unreal Engine uses "Quaternion Slerp" as its' rotation interpolation method.
Exporting Weapon Animation
You can also have the tool export weapon or prop animation along with the character. This is useful for weapon reload animations where
the character and weapon both need to sync up.
To use this feature, just select the weapon or prop from the dropdown, and then choose
what the animation suffix will be (the default is ""Weapon""):
In order for the weapon or prop to show in the drop down, they must be referenced into the scene or have a namespace.
Export Animation
Export Animation will export out your character's animation curves for all of that character's rig controls.
It is very straight-forward to use. Give your animation a name, and select a category to export to. You can add new categories by left-
clicking on the "+" button on the right.
If your scene has any custom spaces setup, or any controls with constraints, you will get asked upon export if you would like to bake this
data down onto the controls, as it will not be exported. You can ignore if you wish, just know that any data on controls the tool warns you
about will not be exported.
Exporting animation also will handle animation layers just fine and re-create them upon import.
Import Motion
Import Mocap
The Import Mocap button takes an FBX file that is the same as the base skeleton of the rig, and allows you to import it on to a character in
the scene, either in its entirety or to selected body parts.
This means that you could import mocap only onto the lower body, and choose an entirely different animation to import mocap onto the
upper body, or arms.
Then choose the import method:
Option
Description
FK
All motion will be imported and baked onto the FK rig controls.
IK
All motion will be imported and baked onto the IK rig controls.
Both
It will do each method listed above, giving you the option to switch rig modes per limb and still have all of the mocap data.
Solve Foot Roll and Solve Knee Vectors:
These options apply only to importing mocap on the IK controls (IK or Both method) and will increase the amount of time it takes
to import the motion capture.

Option
Description
Solve
Attempts to calculate foot angles and apply the rotations to the reverse foot controls.
Foot
Roll
Solve
Since the knee controls on the rig are attributes instead of pole vector controls, this option will calculate the value
Knee needed on the twist attribute for it to match the motion capture data on each frame.
Vectors
You can also choose to apply a frame offset if you like. That is all there is to importing mocap onto the rig!
Import Anim
The import animation method imports animation curve data exported by the Export Animation feature in the Export Motion Tool.
Currently, it imports that data as it was with no modifications (no retargeting to account for scale for example). You can choose to either
load all of the data, or load data onto selected controls.
Space Switching
The Space Switching Toolset allows the animator to forego the use of constraints. Instead they can put controls in custom spaces or
preset spaces to have other objects drive a control.
For example, a classic example of this is space switching on IK hands, where the hand can be put in hip space to follow the hip, or head
space to follow the head.
When you put a control in a space, you still have full access on that control. Any keys that were set to avoid a pop are set on a separate
space switch node that each control has.
Spaces will switch on whatever frame you are on when you change the space for a control. Keep that in mind. You can also
switch spaces by Right-Clicking on a valid control in the character picker UI.
Space Switcher Interface
Button
Description

With a Space Object and Controller selected (Space Object first then Controller), this will create a new space for
that controller.

This button is the match button. It is selected by default. If it is on, anytime a user changes space, keys will be set on
a space switch node so there is no pop. If for some reason, you would not like this behavior, turn match off.

This button is used to determine where the tool will put keyframes when using match. By default, it is set to put these
keyframes on the control. However, you can set it to put the match keyframes on the space switch node.

This button appears beside each control and is used to select the space switch node for that control. This button also
exists at the top of the interface, and selecting it will grab all of the space switch nodes.

This button appears beside each control and is a toggle for marking that control for bake. Any controls that are
marked for bake, when selecting the very top bake button, will bake all of the space switching on those controls
down onto the default space. This is a good way to clean up your scene if things start getting confusing.
Space switching, just like constraints, needs to be used with caution. If you change a pose after you have switched spaces, you
will notice a pop. This is because that space switch matched a pose that is no longer the same. You definitely have to give it
some thought when using space switching and keep track of what you are doing to not get yourself into a mess. Worst case
scenario, you can just delete all space switch keys or bake everything down using the Bake button.
Nail down your poses first then use space switching at the end, during the polish phase of your animation. You are much less
likely to run into issues this way.
Creating a Space
To create a custom space, left-click the Create Space button to bring up the following interface:
1. Select the control you want to create the space on (must be a valid space switching control) and slot it into the control slot using the
<< button.
Do the same with the object you want as the Target Space, slotting it into the Target Space slot using the << button.
2. Once you have those fields filled out, go ahead and click Create Space to add that space object to the list of available spaces on the
control:
Putting a Control into a Space
The easiest way is to Right-click the control in the Picker interface and select which space you want from the Space Switcher menu item:
Or you can open the space switching interface and choose the desired space from the drop down next to the control.
Pose Editor
Quick Pose Tools
To access the quick pose tools, right-click on the pose editor icon:
With quick pose tools, you can copy a pose from a selection of controls, paste that pose on a later frame on the same set of controls, or
paste it to the mirror of those controls. For example, if you have a nice hand pose, you can select all of your hand controls, copy the pose,
and paste it onto the other hand using "paste opposite".
The tooltip for the pose editor will also display what is in your pose clipboard.
Pose Editor Interface
The pose editor is where you can save custom poses and load those poses on your characters. Saving a pose will always save the pose on
all controls, no selection is required. However, if you want to save a pose only on your selected controls, you can do that as well. Loading a
pose can be done in many ways. You can load the pose as it was saved, load it onto selected controls, load a ghost of the pose to snap the
rig to, load the pose mirrored, or load a mirrored ghost. More on the load pose functions later, but first let us take a look at the creation of
poses.
Creating A Pose
You will get a warning if you try to save a pose that has constraints or custom spaces set. Since it is a pose, everything should
be in default spaces before saving. If you get this warning, open up the script editor to see the list of controls that are not
compliant with the tool.
The Save Pose interface will not appear if you have custom constraints or spaces set.
To create a pose, left-click the "Save Pose" button (or the Save Pose (Selection) button for partial poses, like hand poses). The following
interface will appear where you can give the pose a name, a category, and a custom thumbnail.
The thumbnail is an active viewport, so you can zoom in, pan, and rotate the camera around just like normal Maya viewports to
get the perfect thumbnail for your pose.
Loading A Pose
If you are using source control, like Perforce, you will need to edit your client spec line endings setting to be unix instead of local.
For some reason, having it set to local will break the text file formatting which will result in an error. You can force sync
afterwards to apply those changes.
In P4V Connection -> Edit Current Workspace:
There are five ways to load a pose. The first way is to left-click on the thumbnail, which will load the pose exactly as it was saved.
The other four ways of loading a pose can be accessed by Right-Clicking on the pose thumbnail:

Menu Option
Description
Load Pose on
Loads the pose only on the selected controls.
Selected Controls
Load Mirrored
Will load the full pose, but mirrored.
Pose
Load Ghost Pose

The ghost pose brings in a ghost of the pose as a mesh, which you can move around in the viewport. When ready,
you can snap your character to the ghost pose using the Snap button.
Load Mirrored
Same as Ghost Pose, but mirrored.
Ghost Pose
Delete Pose
Deletes the pose.
Find on Disk
Browses to the pose on disk.
Ghost Poses:
Ghost poses are a unique way of applying a pose in 3d Space. When you choose one of the Ghost Pose options, you will be
given a mesh of your pose to translate and rotate around in space:
When you have placed the ghost where you want your pose to be stamped, click on the Snap button in the floating window:
Matching
To match on a single frame between two rig modes, you can achieve this by Right-Clicking on a valid control in the character picker and go
to the matching menu:
However, if in your settings, you have match on switch checked, all you need to do is switch modes, and the matching will happen
automatically. No need to match and then switch.
You can find this option under the Settings menu at the top of the animation UI:
Matching Over A Frame Range
To match over a frame range, you will want to open the tool from the toolbar:
This will bring up a simple interface where you can select the limbs, set the frame range, and what you would like to match. The biggest
thing to remember is if you have switched between IK and FK and have match on switch checked, the limb position may already be
matched so no movement will occur.
Menus
Settings
In the Settings Menu there are four options:
Option
Description
Show
This will move Maya's channel box and layer editors and put them directly into the animation interface.
Channel
Box
Match On
If you swap between IK and FK modes on a limb, the tools can automatically match the poses.
Switch
Match?
Having this option on will automatically match when switching spaces so there is no pop from the space switch. You can also
change this setting in the Space Switcher UI.
Match To
Having this option on will set the matching key frames onto the control instead of the space switch node when switching
Control? spaces. You can also change this setting in the Space Switcher UI.
Switching a mode or a setting in the channel box will not trigger any of the matching functionality. If you want to match a mode, it
is recommended you do so through the Right-Clicking menu or the rig settings tab.
Animation
The Animation Menu has two options pertaining the Euler Filter and a third option for Baking Dynamics to FK Controls.
Option
Description
Run Euler Filter

Runs the FilterCurves Maya command on every control. FilterCurves "... demangles discontinuous rotation
on All anim curves into smooth curves."
Run Euler Filter

Runs the FilterCurves Maya command on the selected controllers.
on Selected
Bake Dynamics
Launches an interface that lists any dynamic controls you have in the scene for you to bake their motion onto the FK
to FK controls of that module. For more information, see Dynamics
Miscellaneous
ISO Select Tool
ISO select is a tool that generates selection sets of polygon faces for isolating elements of your character. Want to just work on the arms of
your character and hide the rest of him/her? This is the tool you want.
To get started using it, right-click on the Visibility Icon to view the ISO Select Menu:
From here, you must Generate ISO Selection Sets. This is an automated task that looks at polygons and their weights, and sorts out what
faces belong to which body part.
From there, you can now uncheck parts you do not want to see. There are two isolation methods:
Method
Description
Classic
The same effect as going to isolate selection in the viewport display menu. It will hide everything in the scene, including the rig
controls and only leave you with the polygons that are weighted to parts that are still checked.
Material
Material assigns a transparent material to parts that are unchecked, which leaves the rest of your scene visible, including rig
controls, etc. This function also remembers what materials were originally assigned to those polygons so when you uncheck a
box, or show all, it will revert to what it had originally.
As with everything that uses Isolation Select, if some things do not re-appear, check the viewport Show -> Isolation Select -> View
Selected and uncheck it.
Animation UI Banner
The animation UI has a banner that gets displayed at the top:
You can create custom, project-specific banners if you like as well. To do so, create an image that is 400 x 60 pixels in dimensions, and
save it as banner.jpg to your project's folder located here:
Engine/Extras/Maya_AnimationRiggingTools/MayaTools/General/ART/Projects/YOUR_PROJECT/banner.jpg
It is recommended to use the default banner as a template (for the thumbnail layout) which is located here:
Engine/Extras/Maya_AnimationRiggingTools/MayaTools/General/Icons/ART/banner.jpg
Notice the square on the far right. This is where the character thumbnail will be placed on the Animation UI.
For additional help, check out the Learning Videos located in the Epic Games -> Help -> Learning Videos section:
This will bring up a list of videos covering topics on both rigging and animation:
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English
Level Designer Quick Start Maya Animation Rigging Toolset

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Rigging Tools


On this page:
Basic How To's Skeleton Creation
Level Editor Initial Character Setup
Levels Adding Extra Joints
Actors and Geometry Using Templates

Components Skeleton Placement
Managing Content Joint Mover UI
Artist Quick Start Outliner View

Content Browser Locking
Assets and Packages Joint Positions
FBX Content Pipeline Bake To Global
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 Hands and Feet Pivots
Tools & Scripts Creating the Final Skeleton
Maya Animation Rigging Toolset Rig Pose
Animation Tools Skinning a Character
Rigging Tools Skin Weight Tools

Render To Texture Blueprint Toolset Skin Weight Tools Toolbar
Pivot Painter Tool Paint Skin Weights

Directory Structure Modes
Derived Data Cache Range of Motion Tool

External Content Development Standards Reference Pose Manager
Content Programming Building the Control Rig

Unreal Game Projects Adding Characters
Engine Features Editing Characters
Gameplay Guide Customization
Blueprints Visual Scripting Additional Resources

Programming Guide
The first part of the process of using the Animation Rigging Toolset is the creation of your initial skeleton. The ART allows for the skeleton to
be quickly generated and adjusted to fill the volume of a character, or even just as a way to "sketch out" what a character will look like so
you can start animating right away.
Release Notes
Site Map

Skeleton Creation
The following steps walk you through the creation of your character's skeleton.
Initial Character Setup
1. To create a character, go to the Epic Games menu in your Maya interface and choose Character Rig Creator.
If your settings are set to use Y up in Maya(default), you will be shown a dialog letting you know that the world settings
have been adjusted to Z-Up. This is just to match Unreal's coordinate space. However, it is possible that the viewport may
start navigating strangely. This is a Maya behavior and is unrelated to this toolset. To fix it, press Alt-Home, or
alternatively you may left-click the Home button, which is visible when you mouse over the View Cube.
1. The character rig creator interface has a flow chart at the top of the UI that shows what step you are on, and what steps come next:
2. During the Skeleton Creation phase, you can define the joint setup for your character by entering in values for the various fields for
each limb. If you need to add extra joints, fear not! That will be covered shortly. Most of this interface is fairly straight forward. Type in
the number of spine joints you would like, the number of finger joints, etc. There are a few neat things that can speed up your creation
process. The right leg and right arm both have checkboxes to mirror the left limb settings:
When a field turns orange, it means that the value has been changed from the defaults of the tool. It is just an easy way to
identify what is different that the default. At any time, you can reset to default by right-clicking on a limb area, and choosing
Reset to Defaults.
Adding Extra Joints
To add extra joints to your character, scroll through and select a rig module to add in the Add Rig Modules section:
Currently, there are three types of extra joints you can add to your character. (This list will grow over time)
Leaf Joint: Leaf Joints will probably be the most used option since it has so many uses. Leaf joints are single joints that can
be placed anywhere. To create one, left-click the button and fill out the information in the interface. Choosing Translation and
Rotation are used to determine how it will be rigged. If the bones need only rotate, you can just have Rotation checked. Otherwise, it
will be built with its translation channels unlocked as well, for example.
Jiggle Joint: A jiggle joint is just like a leaf joint, except it has built in physics simulations. Jiggle joints are great for adding
secondary motion to your character. Just like the leaf joint, to add, just fill out the interface with the name for the joint and the joint's
parent.
Dynamic Joint Chain: With the last of the extra joint options, you can create a joint chain with however many joints you
would like. The joint chain will be rigged with an FK setup, a Spline IK setup, and a physics rig using hair follicles. When you add a
dynamic joint chain, you will need to specify the base name (for instance, ponytail), the parent of the root joint of the chain, and how
many joints are in the chain.
Once you create one of these custom joints, it will appear in the Added Modules list at the bottom of the Skeleton Setup panel. To the right
of Added Modules are the settings for the selected module. This allows you to change the initial settings you had entered, like the parent, or
the number of joints for example.
To remove any of your added modules from the list, simply hit the [Delete] key on the one you want to remove.
You can also specify a prefix or suffix naming convention for your modules. This will allow the joint mover symmetry mode(Next Step) to
work on modules you name with the convention you specify.
For example, I have added two leaf modules that are children of the pelvis: [pouch_a_l] and [pouch_a_r]. Since I have used the
convention I specified in the mirror settings, when I turn on symmetry mode in the next step, those modules will know that they
are mirrors of each other!
Using Templates
You can save out and load in templates for your skeleton creation settings.
1. To save a template, set up your settings the way you would like, and left-click on the Template button and choose Save.
2. To load a template, choose the load option and then choose the template from the UI:
3. If you ever want to remove a template, select the template to remove, and go to File -> Remove Selected Template:
Skeleton Placement
Once you are pleased with your skeleton settings, it is time to build the skeleton and place the joints to your mesh.
1. Left-click on the Skeleton Placement button at the top of the UI:
2. This will build what is called the Joint Mover. The joint mover is a rig of sorts that will allow quick placement of your joints in your
mesh. You will notice that in your viewport, instead of seeing the typical Maya joints, instead is a proxy mesh. The proxy mesh is
there to rough out a character without having to have final assets so animators can start working.
Joint Mover UI
The Joint Mover comes with a control picker and a custom outliner view as well as many useful tools to help speed up the process. We will
cover each of the tools on the left toolbar as well as a brief description of the controls and the picker.
Toolbar
The Toolbar contains all of the necessary function for the setup of your character's skeleton and proxy geometry.
Button Name Description
Save/Load
Just like on the skeleton creation tools, you can save out a template for your joint positions and load them
Templates back onto other characters. This is really useful when you have a project where characters need to share a
skeleton.
Aim Mode
Aim Mode will aim each parent mover at the child, allowing you to translate the movers and keep the parent
pointing at the child at all times. Disabling aim mode will keep the entire joint placement that was affected.
Symmetry
This causes your movements to be mirrored across to the other side of the character. This can be turned on
Mode after you have placed your left side to mirror over your placements to the right side, or it can be turned on from
the start for real-time symmetry during placement. You will notice when Symmetry Mode is on, many other
modes become disabled. Disable Symmetry Mode to get access to the other tools again. Disabling symmetry
will keep the entire joint placement that has been mirrored.
Reset to
This will reset the entire joint mover back to the original creation pose (how it came into the scene). Ctrl + Left
Defaults Mouse Button will reset only your current selected controls, while Alt + Left Mouse Button will reset your
selection and the hierarchy below.
Global
In this mode, the Joint Mover will move the selected joint and everything below it in the hierarchy.
Mover
Mode
Offset
In this mode, the Joint Mover will only move the selected joint and nothing else.
Mover
Mode
Geometry
In this mode, the Joint Mover will only affect the proxy geometry and not any joint placement. Geometry
Mover movers are there for blocking out proportions and volume of your character.
Mode
Proxy
This displays a series of sliders allowing you to reshape the proxy geometry. Each part of the body can be
Physique modified in this manner. This is useful for highly specialized humanoid shapes.
Shaper
Toggle
This shows and hides the proxy geometry, which is useful for visualizing joint orientations.
Proxy
Mesh
Visibility
Help
This opens the help documentation on docs.unrealengine.com.
Joint Mover Selection
The large character graph next to the toolbar is designed to simplify the selection process for the Joint Mover. Left-click on the location of
the control you wish to move and it will be selected.
Note that when clicking on the yellow control selection boxes, such as the hand or foot, the control window will update to show that joint
chain, allowing you to quickly select extremities and joint chain portions such as spine segments, toes, and fingers. Note that when you do
this, a blue arrow will appear in the upper left corner allowing you web browser style navigation back to the base selection screen.
Outliner View
By clicking on the Outliner tab in the UI, you will gain access to the custom outliner for our joint mover rig. Clicking on any entry will select
the Global Mover control. Clicking on the blue box to the right of the selection will select the Offset Mover control. Clicking on the pink box
will select the Geometry Mover control of that selected item.
Locking
There will be times when you want to use symmetry mode or aim mode, but do not want these features to affect certain joints. Luckily, there
is a built in lock feature you can use to prevent this from happening. Simple select whichever joints/movers you do not want to be affected
in the outliner, right-click and choose "Lock Selected":
Once you have chosen locked on a selection, you will notice the text becomes italicized, and a red circle will appear next to the name,
indicating it is now locked. To unlock, you can either right-click and choose "Unlock Selected" or "Unlock All".
Joint Positions
There is actually no skeleton in the scene at this point of the process. Only the representation of what will eventually be a skeleton. The
controls you see here on each joint will tell you exactly where the final joint will be created and what its local rotation axis will be.
If you would rather see joints, there is an option in the Joint Mover Tools menu to build a preview skeleton:
This will run the same code that is used to create the final skeleton to create a temporary preview of the joints. You can go to the same
menu to delete or rebuild the preview skeleton if you wish.
Bake To Global
You can find this tool under the Joint Mover Tools menu:
What this will do is take any values you have on your offset movers, and bake them to your global movers instead, leaving your offset
movers now zeroed out. This can be handy if you want to have clean offsets to work with again.
This feature also will automatically happen
if you use Aim Mode. Once you turn off Aim Mode, it will automatically run Bake To Global to put the values from the offset controls onto
the global controls.
Hands and Feet Pivots
You may notice some controls that do not seem to affect any joint positions on the joint mover rig. These controls are for the pivots of the
hands and feet that the tool will use when building the rig:
These pivots get used for attributes on the rig like hand and foot rolls, side to side rolls, and different pivot swivel points:
Creating the Final Skeleton

Once you are finished with placing joints with the Joint Mover, you will want to hit the Deformation Setup button at the top of the UI to have
the tool create the final skeleton, allow you to create a Rig Pose, and then present you with some skin weighting tools.
Rig Pose
When you left-click on the Deformation Setup button, you will be presented with a few dialog boxes. The first is the Rig Pose dialog:
A Rig Pose is the desired pose that the animator would like to work from, which is most often a T-Pose - at least here at Epic. Sometimes,
this differs from the modeled pose of the character due to topological flow, reference material, texturing, or even just the modeler's personal
preference. The purpose of creating a rig pose is to alleviate the problem of having one pose preferred by modelers and another pose
preferred by animators.
If your model is already in the preferred pose for rigging, go ahead and still click on Create Rig Pose, but on the next dialog
when it asks you if you would like the tool to put the character in a T-Pose, just hit "No".
Once you have selected Create Rig Pose, another dialog box will come up asking if you would like the tool to try to put your character in a
predefined T-Pose:
You will still be able to edit the rig pose after this, it will just give you a good starting point. You can also hit "No" and define the
rig pose the way you want it from scratch.
When finished creating your pose, left-click the Save Rig Pose button, which will be floating in its own dialog.
You will use the Joint Mover tools to create the rig pose. Do not worry, your original placements are still stored and preserved
into what is called the Model Pose. You will have access to both the Model Pose and the Rig Pose within the tool via the
Reference Pose Manager menu during the skin weighting process.
After you have saved the rig pose, another dialog will come up asking if you would like to have the proxy mesh weighted for you. This is
optional and recommended if you have no final model yet and will be using the proxy mesh for prototyping purposes:
Skinning a Character
Skinning a character is the default Maya work flow. Select the newly created ART joints (or root joint) and mesh (or meshes) you want to
bind and select Skin menu -> Smooth Bind -> Smooth Bind from the Animation menu set.
In Maya 2013, the default Normalize Weights setting in Skin menu -> Smooth Bind -> Smooth
Bind Options is set to Post, which can have some frustrating behavior; to minimize frustration or if you prefer the way it worked
in previous versions of Maya, set the option to Interactive.
Skin Weight Tools

For the most part, the skin weight UI is very similar to Maya's default, except there are many added tools and features to speed up your
workflow.
Skin Weight Tools Toolbar
Paint Skin
This engages the paint tool, which allows you to paint skin weights on your mesh. This is essentially the same
Weights as Maya's Paint Skin Weights Tool.
Range of
This brings up the Range of Motion dialog, which allows you to quickly create range of motion key-frames to
Motion test out your skinning. See the Range of Motion section below.
Toggle
This toggles whether Paint Mode will make use of tablet sensitivity.
Tablet
Sensitivity
Mirror
Brings up the dialog for Maya's Mirror Skin Weights command.
Skin
Weights
Prune
Opens Maya's Prune Weights command options, allowing you to eliminate trivial weight values. This cleans up
Skin tiny skinning errors.
Weights
Add
Used to add skinning influences to a piece of geometry. For instance, if you need more joints to affect the
Influence geometry than are available by default.
Remove
This allows you to remove unwanted influences from a piece of geometry, such as bones that should not be
Influence deforming the surface. Also includes the ability to automatically remove influences that have zero weight.
Export
This exports out your skin weight maps. Exporting skin weights requires a name for the file, and it will store out
Weights each vertex's weighting information.
Import
This will bring up an interface for selecting a skin weight file and import those weight values onto the
Skin corresponding vertices.
Weights
Help
This opens the help documentation at docs.unrealengine.com.
Paint Skin Weights
Tool Settings
The Tool Settings area contains 3 key areas: Profile, Skin Tools, and Mode.
Profile The Profile controls the shape of your paint brush. You have 3 round brushes with varying falloff shapes and one solid square
one.
Skin Tools - The Skin Tools include a variety of specialized tools to speed up the skinning process. See the Skin Tools section below.
Mode - This allows you to switch between Weight Painting Mode and Selection Mode. See the Modes section below.
Skin Tools
Copy Skin
This copies the skin weight from a single selected vertex.
Weight
Paste Skin
This pastes the copied skin weight from a single selected vertex onto any number of selected vertices.
Weight
Hammer
This tool will quickly clean up rogue vertices that are exhibiting unexpected behavior by giving the selected
Weights vertex a new weight value that is an average of the surrounding vertices.
Tool
Move
This allows for weights to be transferred from one influence to another.
Influences
Tool
Show
This will highlight any vertices affected by the selected influence.
Influenced
Vertices
Modes
There are two modes, Paint, and Select. Unlike Maya's paint weights tool, Select will give you more UI options that are incredibly useful.
Most of these selection tools are for selecting an element on a mesh and either converting that selection to vertices for easy flooding, or
isolating that element and going back to paint mode to only see that.
Select
In this mode, you will have the full range of Maya's polygon selection tools.
Name Description
Isolate
With a component selected, this will select the Element (set of attached faces) and toggle View -> Isolate Selection ->
Element View Selection. Once clicked, the button will change to Exit Isolation Mode.
From
Selection
Select
Based on any selected components, this will select the Element or Elements.
Element
Isolate
Like Isolate Element From Selection but it will not select the entire Element, just the faces connected to the component,
Selection then it will toggle View -> Isolate Selection -> View Selection. Once clicked, the button will change to Exit Manual
Isolation Mode.
Convert
With faces, edges, or UV's selected, this will convert the selection to vertices.
Selection
To Verts
Do not Undo out of any of the isolate select modes, use the Exit Isolation Mode or Exit Manual Isolation Mode buttons.
Undoing will end Isolate Selection -> View Selected but will not Undo the click of the button, leaving you with the Exit button,
which if you click it will toggle back on Isolate Selection -> View Selected but with nothing selected it will appear has if
everything in the scene is hidden. At which point you can Undo again to show everything.
Influences (Paint)
The Influence List does not populate until you are in Paint Mode and have skinned geometry selected.
The Influence List can be sorted in many ways, including by influence name or only showing locked or unlocked influences:
The Paint Operations are exactly the same as they are in Maya.
Other changes to the tool were adding in quick buttons for the opacity and value sliders. These buttons are just quick ways to set common
values on those attributes.
Display Settings
Name Description
Draw Brush
Toggles visibility of the weight brush.
Show Wireframe
Toggles visibility of the model's wireframe.
Color Feedback
Toggles visibility of the color feedback on skinning.
Range of Motion Tool
The Range of Motion button opens the Range of Motion Tool, which deserves special mention. The tool automatically creates range of
motion animation for your model, allowing you to test skin weighting quality by dragging the time slider.
The interface consists of a list of all the joints in your skeleton. Choose the joints you wish to animate and left-click the Generate Range of
Motion Keys button.
If you want some joints to rotate as a unit - such as the joints of a spine, which generally will not need to rotate individually - then select
those joints and check the Solve as One Item checkbox. This ensures that each key that is set is for an entire spine pose rather than just
one joint.
To Remove a Range of Motion animation, which you should always do before Building the Control Rig, right-click on the Range
of Motion button and choose the clear option:
Reference Pose Manager
Name Description
Assume
The skeleton will assume the Model Pose, which can be set by editing the rotation of the control objects in Edit Placement
Model mode and using Reset Model Pose.
Pose
Assume
The skeleton will assume the Rig Pose, which can be set by editing the rotation of the control objects in Edit Placement mode
Rig and using Reset Rig Pose.
Pose
Reset
Will set the Model Pose to the pose the control objects are currently in. Most useful in Edit Placement mode.
Model
Pose
Reset
Will set the Rig Pose to the pose the control objects are currently in. Once leaving Edit Placement mode the system will ask if
Rig you want to use the current pose as the rig pose and note best practices. Most useful in Edit Placement mode.
Pose
Building the Control Rig

At this point you may just have a bunch of proxy shapes in the rough shape of a hulking brute or you may have a fully realized character
skinned to your joints. Either way, it is time to create the Control Rig.
1. Left-click the Build Control Rig Button.
2. The Publish Character interface will appear.

You can now choose a project to publish your character to, or if you have no project yet, simply click on the new project button to the
left of the projects drop down:
Then give your character a name or choose from a name in the list to overwrite that character instead:
The advanced section is there for users who would like to add their own additions to the rig via MEL or Python script.
These could be simple alterations, like scaling the CVs on a curve, to anything more custom or complicated. Simply load
in your script file and the tool will execute it after it finishes building the rig. If it fails to execute for any reason, you will get
a notification, but the rig will still be built, just without your script.
1. The next step is to give your character a thumbnail. Manipulate the mini viewport using the standard Maya camera controls or use the
control buttons on the left side to get the thumbnail you would like to use. Once satisfied, left-click the Camera button to capture the
thumbnail. This will kick off the rig building process.
2. The entire process takes usually under 1 minute and it will display the Operation Complete dialog when it is finished.
You can view the files that were created on your drive by clicking the magnifying glass icon next to each file path. You can also
choose to go directly into editing the rig file to make any manual adjustments you would like.
3. After you left-click Close, this scene will clear, this is as intended.
At this point the character is ready to be animated, and its files can be found in:
/MayaTools/General/ART/Projects/YourProject/ExportFiles
An animation rig file has been created that references in the export file and can be found here:
/MayaTools/General/ART/Projects/YourProject/AnimRigs
Adding Characters
With your character published or if you are an animator pulling it down from source control, you can bring it into a scene to start animating.
To add a character to a scene, use the Epic Games menu -> Add Character For Animation menu item.
Simply choose the project your character is in, and then the character itself and choose either Add or Add and Close to close the UI
afterwards.
For more information on how to use the ART Animation Interface, see: Animation Tools
Editing Characters
At any point, you can go back in the pipeline and edit either the placement of your joints, or even your skeleton settings, adding or removing
joints.
Furthermore, you can edit a character that has already been published through the Build Control Rig process.
If you are working on a scene, and need to edit a character using the Epic Games menu -> Edit Existing Character option,
remember to save your scene. The character you choose to edit will force load into Maya to the determent of any progress
made in the current scene.
SAVE YOUR WORK BEFORE CONTINUING
To edit a character that has been published, go to the Epic Games menu -> Animation Rigging Toolset -> Edit Existing Character:
This will bring up an interface for you to select a character to edit. The list is a list of all of the export files created by the tool:
Once you select a character and left-click Edit Export File, it will open the Character's export file and bring up the UI used for the rigging
pipeline. Once loaded, you can make any changes you wish using the ART Rigging Toolset interface. Just make sure to re-build the control
rig again if you have made any changes beyond skin weighting, once you are finished editing by using the Build Control Rig button.
Maya's referencing system is robust, you can make all the changes you want to and it will have a minimal impact on any work
down the line (animation, skinning, etc...). This assumes no major changes are made to the naming and organization of the rig,
otherwise changes will propagate up the reference chain.
An example of a major change would be if a character had a tail and you rebuilt the tail but with a new name, you would lose all
animation and skinning data for those joints.
Other minor changes may still require the rework of animation.
Once the character is loaded, the ART Rigging Toolset will be in Deformation Setup mode, but you can cycle back to Skeleton Placement
or Skeleton Creation and make any changes you want.
When entering Skeleton Placement mode from Skin Weight mode and you have a mesh skinned to the skeleton (the proxy geometry that
is auto skinned does not count), you will get a prompt letting you know the tool will do its best to store skin data but it is not fool proof.
Joints added in Skeleton Creation mode will not automatically add themselves to the skinning data of the character mesh that was
previously skinned to the skeleton. To add them just use the Add Influences button then select the new joints from the list.
New joints start locked and have no influence on the mesh.
Upon returning to Deformation Setup mode, saved skin data that was saved will be re-applied to the skinned mesh.
Customization
To help in visualization, the tool allows for customization of both the proxy geometry and the user interface graphics.
Custom Color Palette for Joint Mover Proxy Geo
The joint mover proxy geometry is UVed so you can quickly prototype color palettes for your characters. You can find the PSD in the
following location:
/UE4/Engine/Extras/Maya_AnimationRiggingTools/MayaTools/General/Icons/ART/jointMover.psd
The PSD has all the parts labeled and color coded for easy selection and bucket fills:
This will allow you to add custom color swatches to parts of the joint mover to customize the look or add emblems and such:
For additional help, check out the Learning Videos located in the Epic Games -> Help -> Learning Videos section:
This will bring up a list of videos covering topics on both rigging and animation:
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Render To Texture Blueprint Toolset

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Render to Texture Blueprint is a tool that has several different texture baking functions built in. It makes use of the editor's ability to
Level Editor
save high resolution screenshots including visualization buffers such as base color and world normal.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

To get started with using the tool, you should read the Setup Guide and then dive into the individual functions the Render to Texture Toolset
Components
includes.
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser Start Here: Render to Texture Toolset Setup

Assets and Packages Render to Texture Toolset Setup
Tools & Scripts Render To Texture Blueprint Toolset

Maya Animation Rigging Toolset Render a Tiling Material to Textures
Render To Texture Blueprint Toolset Render an Unwrapped Static Mesh Material to Textures
Render to Texture Toolset Setup Render 3D Imposter Sprites
Render a Tiling Material to Textures Render a Normalized Depth Map
Render an Unwrapped Static Mesh Render a Flipbook Animation
Material to Textures
Render 3D Imposter Sprites
Render a Normalized Depth Map
Render a Flipbook Animation
Pivot Painter Tool Full Topic Index

Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Content Programming
elsewhere.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

English
Level Designer Quick Start Render To Texture Blueprint Toolset

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Render to Texture Toolset Setup

The RenderToTexture Blueprint works by using a bare-bones GameMode setup. There is a companion asset called the
RenderToTexture_Game which references the RenderToTexture_Pawn. The Pawn is a very basic blueprint that has a Camera
Basic How To's
Component set to orthographic and a few event graph nodes to setup the rendering console commands.
Level Editor
Levels
The basic setup for using the Render to Texture tools is as follows:
Actors and Geometry
Components
1. Create a new blank level.
Managing Content
2. Place a Player Start from the Modes panel, Basic category, at location 0,0,0. Make sure the rotation on the Player Start is set to
Artist Quick Start
0,0,0.
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts

3. In the Content Browser View Options, enable Show Engine Content.
Render to Texture Toolset Setup
Render a Tiling Material to Textures
Render an Unwrapped Static Mesh
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features 4. Browse to Engine -> ArtTools -> RenderToTexture -> Blueprints in the Content Browser.
Gameplay Guide 5. Place a RenderToTexture_LevelBP Blueprint at location 0,0,0 in the world
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
6. Click the World Settings button. The World Settings panel will open where the Details panel is docked (by default).
7. Assign the *enderToTexture_GameMode Blueprint (found in RenderToTexture/Blueprints/) as the **GameMode** in the **World
Settings**
8. You must enable the ability to export buffer visualization targets in the editor. To do this, click the upper-left Down-Arrow button in the
perspective viewport and select High Resolution Screenshot, then enable Include Buffer Visualization Targets.
Leave this window open! This window will move behind the editor and should not interfere. If you accidentally close the
window, the buffer images will not render.
9. Leave the High Resolution Screenshot dialog open.
10. Adjust the New Window Size property in Editor -> Preferences -> Play to a size that is a power of 2. A size of 512x512 is suggested
and will not affect the quality of the output images.
The setting to choose which type of basic function will be performed is located under the Default category:
Below this you will find categories that correspond to the values in the Render Type property.
The only Property category besides Default that is relevant to all functions is the Capture Settings category. This category enables you to
select which buffer targets you wish to save. For most cases, Base Color and Normal are sufficient. To render out opacity masks the
Decal Mask option works well.
The resolution multiplier will multiply the settings you entered into the New Window Size in the Editor Preferences. So if you entered
512x512, a multiplier of 2 would result in a 1024x1024 texture size. A multiplier of 4 would result in a 2048x2048 texture size. Depending on
the desired results, you may want to render textures as high as 4096 or 8192 in order to down-sample them in Adobe Photoshop. In those
cases, it is usually suggested that you add a post process volume and set the Anti Aliasing setting to "none" to get a more crisp result.
This method currently saves .bmp format images. It is currently necessary to open and resave as .tga using an image processing tool. In
practice, that is not a big deal since in most cases you will want to render at a large res and down-sample using an image processing pass
later.
Finally, you can add a light to the scene if you like, it has no effect on the visualization buffers that are rendered out.

Related Topics
Render an Unwrapped Static Mesh Material to Textures
Full Topic Index

elsewhere.

English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Render a Tiling Material to Textures

Unreal Editor Interface In UE4.3, this particular function is missing the setting to specify the material target. This is easily worked around by placing the
Basic How To's following mesh at 0,0,0 in the world, and setting the Scale to match the number specified in "Sheet Size" on the Blueprint
Level Editor (Defaults to 1000):
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Render a Tiling Material to
Textures
Render a Normalized Depth Map /Engine/ArtTools/RenderToTexture/Meshes/S_1_Unit_Plane.S_1_Unit_Plane

Then simply apply the desired material and it will work.
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache You must enable the ability to export buffer visualization targets in the editor. To do this, click the upper-left Down-Arrow button in the
External Content Development Standards perspective viewport and select High Resolution Screenshot, then enable Include Buffer Visualization Targets.
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Leave this window open! This window will move behind the editor and should not interfere. If you accidentally close the window,
the buffer images will not render.
Rendering the Textures

Select the desired buffer targets under Capture Settings; Make sure the High resolution screenshot window is open and the Include
buffer visualization option is enabled; Play the game in a New Window, bring up the console using the ~ key and type "ke *
rendertextures" at the console and hit enter.
You should get a popup message indicating that images were saved, the message is actually a clickable link to the folder location. If you are
not able to click the link in time, you can find the saved textures here:
\YourProject\Saved\Screenshots\Windows\
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Render an Unwrapped Static Mesh Material to


Textures
Basic How To's This function unwraps a Static Mesh in order to bake the result of a custom material using mesh UVs. This can be useful to optimize out
Level Editor complex material instructions that can sometimes be a useful way to texture assets.
Levels
Actors and Geometry

It unwraps a Static Mesh asset that is placed in the level. The mesh should have a material with the companion material function
Components
"UnwrapUVsforRender" hooked up to the WorldPositionOffset input. There must also be a few parameters hooked up to the material
Managing Content
function. A scalar parameter named "Size" should be hooked up to the Size input; a vector parameter named "RenderLocation" must be
Artist Quick Start

hooked up to render location, and a scalar parameter named "Unwrap" should be hooked up to the Unwrap input.
Content Browser
Additionally, the UV input allows you to specify which UV channel to unwrap. The default is 1 which is the lightmap UV channel for most
Assets and Packages
Static Meshes.

To unwrap the mesh, simply click the Eye dropper icon shown below and then select the desired mesh from inside the world (it does not
Tools & Scripts
matter where you place the mesh initially). Then check the "unwrap" box.
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map Rendering the Texture

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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Render 3D Imposter Sprites

Basic How To's
Level Editor
Levels
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts

Imposters are sprites that use flipbook style textures to store a view of a Static Mesh from every possible view - or at least the number of
Render to Texture Toolset Setup views you can comfortably fit onto your texture sheet. The result is a sprite that matches the original mesh very well in terms of the material
Render a Tiling Material to Textures and lighting; however, there will be some popping between frames. That means they are not perfect for all applications. When you need to
Render an Unwrapped Static Mesh render LOTS of objects that will not move slowly and closely past the camera, it can be very useful.

Initial Setup
Render a Flipbook Animation Before you can create an imposter sprite, you need to bake out a series of imposter textures. To do this, set the Render Type on your
Pivot Painter Tool RenderToTexture_LevelBP to Render 3D Imposter Sprites, choose your Capture Settings, and adjust the render 3D Imposter Sprite
Directory Structure settings.
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
Property
Description
Imposter
This is the Static Mesh you want to make an imposter for.
Static
Mesh
Imposter This is an array so that you can specify materials for each index for meshes that have more than one material ID.
Material
Array You need to use a Transform node set to "Tangent to Local" on the normalmap input for the materials in the
imposter material array . The reason for that is we want to represent the world normal as viewed from the direction
the camera would be, instead of all using the same camera which this top-down method forces. You can simple use
0,0,1 transformed Tangent->World if there is no normalmap texture.
Frames
This setting determines how many frames around Z your imposter will store. Higher numbers result in less 'popping' in the final
around result during motion but will either cause less texture resolution or require you to use very larger texture sizes.
Z
Mesh
This allows you to scale down the mesh slightly if you have any issues with edge bleeding in the final imposter sprite material.
Scale This is only necessary in rare cases where the mesh very closely matches its sphere bounds causing the meshes to get close
to the edge of each grid cell. Only adjust when necessary as the smaller the scale, the more resolution that is lost.
Aspect
This setting allows you to create nonuniform textures. At the default 1, the imposter grid will be square. If the setting is 2, the
Ratio 1 aspect ratio will be 2:1; if the setting is 4 it will be 4:1 etc. It is suggested to keep the aspect ratio square for "Full 3D Imposters"
by and to only modify it when "Single Rotation Axis" mode is used. Note: I only realized upon typing this doc how incorrect this
setting name is. Expect a more friendly name for this setting soon.
Imposter
This is a drop down that allows you to choose between two different types of Imposter baking: "Full 3D Imposters" and "Single
Enum Rotation" axis. Full 3D imposters get represented from all angles, including above and below. "Single Rotation Axis" only
rotates the mesh around Z which is ideal for distant LOD for things that are grounded on the horizon such as Trees, large
buildings or general skybox elements. Single Rotation axis allows for better use of texture memory as there are not as many
necessary to store.
Single
This setting is a start rotation setting that is only used when the single rotation axis option is selected. It allows you to orient the
Rotation mesh how you want relative to the camera.
Axis
rotation
Mesh Normals
The material on the mesh you are creating an imposter from will require a few tweaks.
1. Open the Material of the Static Mesh you are going to be creating an imposter from.
2. Select the material node.
3. Disable Tangent Space Normal.
4. Add a Transform Node to the Material Graph in between your normal map/calculation and the Normal input pin on the Material Node.
If you do not have a normal map or normal calculation, add a Vector 3 set to 0,0,1 (Blue) and use that instead.
5. On the Transform Node, set the Source property to Tangent.
6. On the Transform Node, set the Destination property to Local.
Render the Imposters

After you have configured your imposter with the desired number of frames, rendering the imposter textures is just like the original "tiling
material" step.
If your normal map looks mostly composed of blues and some light reds/greens, then you probably skipped a one of the steps for setting up
the Static Mesh's material to shift from Tangent to Local space normals.
Import the Imposters

As the High Resolution Screen Shot functionality in Unreal Engine 4 exports .bmp files, you will need to load them in an image editing tool
and save them as .tga files, then you can import them like any other texture.
Adjust the Normal Map Texture

You will need to change a few properties on the Normal Map Texture:
1. Open the Normal Map by double-clicking it in the Content Browser.
2. Disable the sRGB property.
3. Set the Compression Settings to TC_Default.
4. Save the texture.

Make The Imposter Material
Now you should have a series of rendered imposter images. To make use of these textures, you will need to create a material that uses the
ImposterUVs material function by clicking and dragging the function from the Content Browser into your Imposter Material Graph:
This function sets up the UVs, Normals, and WorldPositionOffset for your material. There are a few parameters you need to define to match
your Imposter setup:
Input Pin
Description
Frames X (S)
This should be the number of frames on the X axis for your imposter. For example if you specified 16 rotations
around Z there will be 16 frames on the X axis.
Fixed Z (B)
This is a Boolean option that should only be set to True when using an imposter with "Single Rotation Axis".
This makes the calculations much cheaper.
Frames Y (S)
This should be the number of frames on the Y axis. For square aspect ratios this should always match the frame
Y. If you entered an aspect ratio of 2:1, then the Y frames would be half of the X frames.
SpriteWidth (S)
This is how wide your resulting sprite will be.
SpriteHeight (S)
This is how Tall your resulting sprite will be.
Position (V3)
Defaults to AbsoluteWorldPosition and should be left untouched in most cases. Can be used if you want to trick
the function into displaying the imposter at a weird angle or if you want to use custom data to represent
locations.
VertexShaderZrotation
This is a debug only setting. What this feature does is break up the sprite's Z rotation into a set of discreet steps
(S) rather than smoothly interpolating across the entire range. This prevents popping from looking worse due to how
imposters are baked. With smooth sprite interpolation, the imposter appears to overshoot its rotation at each
frame transition. This fixes that when the value equals 1. You can set to 0 to see what it looks like disabled.
Mostly noticeable from above an imposter mesh.
Rotation (S)
The imposter sprites can be rotated around the specified axis. This allows you to randomly rotate various copies
of the same imposter sprite in the world so that they do not look the same.
Rotation Axis (V3)

This setting is currently disabled. The rotation axis always defaults to 0,0,1 or around Z. There were some
issues when trying to support any rotation axis but this support may be added in the future.
Normals (V3)
This should be your normalmap texture. What this does is rotate the normal to match your specified Rotation
value.
Output Pins
Description
TransformedNormals
Contains transformed normalmap, connect to material Normal input.
WorldPositionOffset
Contains WPO for camera facing sprite, connect to World Position Offset input.
UVs
This is the UVs for the Imposter textures. Any Imposter textures you place in the material should have this output
as the UVs. That includes the normalmap which will then appear to loop back into the function in the "Normals"
input.
Phase2UVs
This is an experimental feature that was not fully implemented. It is the start of the ability to have two or more
texture lookups that are one phase ahead and/or behind and fade/dissolve between them to reduce popping.
This is what your material should look like:
You probably noticed the Constant Bias Scale node that takes input from the normal map texture. This is needed to re-balance the colors
for world space normals.
Example Full Imposters:

Example Single Rotation Axis imposters:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Render a Normalized Depth Map


On this page:
Basic How To's Baking the Depth Map
Level Editor Using the Depth Map as a Shadow in a Material
Levels
This function renders a local depth map for a Static Mesh. This allows you to mimic the appearance of crisp dynamic shadows using an
Actors and Geometry
entirely unlit material.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Platform Development It renders the depth by basically taking a top-down screenshot of the mesh using a normalized depth material. Because the depth is stored
Samples and Tutorials orthographically rather than in UV-space, the amount of texture density is increased dramatically for dense trees.
Release Notes
This feature was used on the Cherry Tree in the Apple Metal API Zen demo.
Site Map

This technique offers several unique advantages as well as a few disadvantages.
Advantages:
1. For complex trees, the unwrapped UVs will have low resolution due to the amount of 'vertical overlap'. The Shadow Depth texture
does not lose resolution due to unwrapping thus gives far more resolution in this case.
2. You can easily bake correct lighting for things like camera facing sprites with vertex shaders that are otherwise impossible to get good
shadows for via lightmass. This is actually the primary reason this function even exists
3. The resulting depth texture allows fine tuning of depth biasing and transmission of light distance for some realistic effects.
4. The resulting texture can also be placed onto a no-collision hidden-game Static Mesh that acts as a shadow caster for the tree onto
other geometry including the ground and players. This offers a massive shadowing performance boost.
5. For massive forest scenes where you want to use very high poly trees, and lightmass rebuilding is problematic for some reason, and
cascade shadowmaps cannot provide the required quality, this offers a good alternative. You can fill a massive scene and trees look
equally good in the distance as soon as you place them.
6. The main computations are done in the vertex shader, and a good looking unlit material is cheap enough to run on mobile as
evidenced by use on Zen demo.
Disadvantages:
1. Somewhat high content creation cost as opposed to just using lightmass to bake the lighting for simple cases, but sometimes the
above reasons justify the extra work.
2. It is difficult to control the blur of the resulting shadows as they tend to appear sharp unless blurred manually or using LODbias.
3. It only works for static scenes, it is not possible to have the shadow actually change angles since it is baked from a single light view.
There are some parameters to 'fake' rotate the light if necessary but the resulting quality will be much lower, and that approximation
only works well for very spherical trees since in that case, rotating from the center does not change much.
4. You lose out on lightmass bounce lighting with the unlit material and end up tweaking it back in.
Baking the Depth Map
Light Vector: You can either specify a light vector to capture the view from, or you can link to a directional light Actor that you place in the
level.
To represent a 12 o'clock noon light vector, you would enter 0,0,-1.
Property
Description
Directional
If you select a directional light from your level to use, the light vector setting above will be disregarded and the light will be
Light used instead.
Depth Map
This is where you plug in the Static Mesh you want to capture.
Static
Mesh
Depth
You do not have to create or specify a material here, it auto creates one for each element in this array. If any element in the
Material array is blank, a while mask is used. If your Static Mesh has 3 sections, just add 3 empty items to this array and it will create
Mask the materials for you. Also, if any part of your mesh has as Mask Texture, you can specify that here. Specify the texture to be
Textures on the array item matching the desired material ID.
Mask
This setting allows you to specify which channel the mask is in. This is helpful if your mask was part of a channel packed
Channel texture and you need a specific channel.
Use Level
This is a separate and rarely-used case where instead of specifying a single mesh, the tool captures depth for a mesh or
Meshes group of meshes that are placed on top of the "background" sheet by the user manually. Or you can actually bring the
for Depth RenderToTexture_LevelBP into an existing level to capture a depthmap for a group of meshes. There are some more
advanced settings that must be used in the material when using this option as the bounds will have to be entirely custom.
Scale XY
This tool uses the object sphere bounds to attempt to best-fit the object within the capture region. For some cases this
leaves a bit too much dead space around the edge of the object. This setting allows you to fine tune that by manually scaling
the object a bit. Suggested to leave it at 1.0 as you must make sure material parameters match your input value if you
change this here.
Scale Z
Similar to above, this function uses the object sphere-bounds to determine the Local depth range which is used in generating
of the normalized depth results. In most cases, the default value of 1 should be used, but if you want to 'clip' the range a bit
to make sure you use the full 0-1 range for more precision, you can reduce this setting until you start to see Red show up
(that indicates pixels are outside of the local 0-1 range and will be flattened!). If this setting is changed here, it relies on the
matching value being set later in the actual material so it is suggested you leave this alone unless there is a good reason to
change it.
Fit Vector
This option can be useful to make sure you remember what settings you used in the capture. If enabled, it will draw text with
and Scale the above values onto the sheet. The next two settings let you scale and move the text.
Info Onto
Texture
Text Size
Indicates the size of the info text.
Text
This is an array so you can move each text element to a custom location wherever there is room. There are two text lines so
Locations you need to add two items to move both.
With a mesh specified and a mask texture specified for the Leaves material ID, you should see something like the following:
To render the depth map, the steps are slightly different than before.
This function does not care about the selected buffers in "Capture Settings," only the resolution multiplier.
You must play the game in a New Window and then type "renderdepth" at the console and hit enter.
The command is different for this because the Pawn Blueprint must also set "viewmode unlit".
Using the Depth Map as a Shadow in a Material

To use the Depth Map, you must create a new material. Inside of that material you must place a "VolumeShadowMap" material function:
MaterialFunction'/Engine/ArtTools/RenderToTexture/MaterialFunctions/VolumeShadowMap.VolumeShadowMap'
It is worth noting that this material function is mostly set up for foliage at the moment. There is no direct lighting component calculated, only
a shadow. As such, shadows on solid geometry that curve away from the light will not look as good as they could. You can fix this by doing
a manual DotProduct with the "Projection Vector" and the vertex normal and clamping at 0-1.
Here is an example of the shadow being used on a regular Static Mesh. This Static Mesh is just a few cylinders, boxes, and spheres on top
of each other.
Left: From top view, Right: from a lower side view, you can see the shadows as well as the accuracy of the self shadows (or lack thereof
due to the missing direct N dot L component).
Input Pins
Description
Position (V3)
Only used when baking a group of level-placed Static Meshes. This option is somewhat experimental so it is suggested to
leave it disconnected.
Range (S)
This is the setting to clip the range. You need to make sure that this value matches the value that was set as "Scale Z"
during the depth map rendering.
Transform
Whether to transform into a custom light vector. The default is False which means the default local position for a noon
Position (B) 0,0,-1 light will be used.
Projection
This is the light vector your depth map is rendered from. If you opted to render debug text with light vector and scale info
Vector (V3) on the texture, you should have the light vector value on the texture to use. Otherwise use the light vector specified
during the rendering process or simply leave it alone if you are not overriding the default direction of noon.
Use Custom
Defaults to FALSE. If this is TRUE, the function will calculate the internal UVs using the CustomUVs which are computer
UVs (B) on the vertex shader. This is mostly important for mobile but can save pixel shader instructions on any platform. If True,
you must plug in the X,Y, and Z outputs of the function into appropriate custom UVs, and then plug the correct UV nodes
into the below two inputs.
Custom UV,
If you specify CustomUVs, you must place a texture coordinate node that has the index set to the index where you
XY (V2) hooked up the "X,Y" output to your material CustomUV inputs.
Custom UV, Z
If you specify CustomUVs, you must place a texture coordinate node that has the index set to the index where you
(S) hooked up the "Z" output to your material CustomUV inputs. You may have to component mask to pass the correct
component.
Shadow
This is where you should hook up your Depth Map texture as a texture object or texture object parameter.
Volume
Texture (T2d)
Self Shadow
This should be set to a small negative number such as -0.01. What this does is bias the shadow to prevent objects from
Offset appearing to shadow themselves randomly.
Transmission
Currently disconnected but will later be reconnected. Allows you to MipBias the depthmap texture that is used for
Mip Bias transmission.
Opacity (S)
Used for Internal transmission only. This setting only affects the "Internal Transmission Mask" output, not the Shadow
output.
Shadow
This can be used to tweak how quickly the shadow builds to full blackness with distance. When set to 1.0, the shadow will
Accumulation be very harsh. As you decrease the value to 0, light will appear to pass through thinner objects.
Distance (S)
Blur using
Defaults to FALSE. When TRUE, this allows you to offset each of the R,G,B channels in the depth map texture similar to
offset RGB chromatic aberration. The function will then blend the result of each channel which allows for a wider/softer blur than is
texture (B) normally possible with this technique.
Output Pins
Description
Internal
This is the result of the internal transmission allows through via the "opacity" input. It is useful to have this as a separate
Transmission output. This allows you to multiply the Transmission by a custom color (I suggested a VectorParameter for tweakability),
Mask and then Add that result to the "Shadow" output below.
Shadow
This is the main shadow result. To use it, simply multiply this pin by your desired texture and/or any other material
instructions. You can tint the shadow several ways. One good way is be to use this Shadow output to Lerp between a "Lit"
color and a "Shadow" color which would give you direct control of each.
XY
This only needs to be used if you want to use CustomUVs to perform the calculations in the vertex shader. If you do, plug
this pin into one of the available CustomUV inputs on your material.
Z
This only needs to be used if you want to use CustomUVs to perform the calculations in the vertex shader. If you do, plug
this pin into one of the available CustomUV inputs on your material.
Example of Internal Transmission settings:

Left: Opacity = 1 ; Middle: Opacity = 0.2 ; Right: Opacity = 0.1
Example of transmission on leaf material:
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Render a Flipbook Animation


On this page:
Basic How To's Using the flipbook Textures
Level Editor
This function is similar to the Imposter sprite function. It uses a series of mesh rotations but this time they are specified by user input rather
Levels
than pre-set by the blueprint.
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start
Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

Pictured: Example of leaf mesh with a few rotations
Content Programming It renders a series of image as flipbook textures. You can use them anywhere in the engine such as in a particle system. To use the
Unreal Game Projects resulting flipbook you simply use the "Flipbook" material function.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide Setting up the Flipbook blueprint settings:

Programming Guide
Property
Description
Platform Development Flipbook This is a dropdown list that lets you choose between three types of flipbook.
Samples and Tutorials Type
Release Notes 1. Simple Mesh Rotation : It will rotate the mesh the specified number of times along the specified axes.
Site Map
2. Material Instance Interpolation : This will not rotate the mesh but will instead increment a Scalar Parameter called
"Animation Phase" over the 0-1 range divided between all frames. This method relies on the user replacing every
instance of the "Time" node in the asset material with the "Animation Phase" scalar parameter.
3. Both Mesh Rotation and Material Instance Interpolation : Does both operations. You must also use this option if you
want to adjust the starting rotation of a material instance interpolation flipbook even if you do not want it to rotate inside
the flipbook. You will simply keep the number of rotations at 0.
Flipbook
This is the start rotation of the flipbook animation.
Start
Rotation
Flipbook
This is the axis to rotate around for rotation 1. This gets normalized so 0,0,1 is the same as typing 0,0,100.
Rotation
Axis 1
Flipbook
This is the axis to rotate around for rotation 2. This gets normalized so 0,0,1 is the same as typing 0,0,100.
Rotation
Axis 2
Axis 1
The number of rotations around Axis 1. Normally going beyond 1 rotation would actually reduce the framerate by causing
Rotations duplicating frames in the texture. The only time that this is not true is when you are using both rotation axes and want to get a
crazy meandering rotation.
Axis 2
The number of rotations around Axis 2. Normally going beyond 1 rotation would actually reduce the framerate by causing
Rotations duplicating frames in the texture. The only time that this is not true is when you are using both rotation axes and want to get a
crazy meandering rotation.
Flipbook
The number of Y frames in your texture.
Rows (Y)
Flipbook
The number of X frames in your texture.
Columns
(X)
Flipbook
Currently the flipbook tool only assigns one material. This should be improved soon.
Material
Flipbook
This is where you specify the mesh to use.
Static
Mesh
Flipbook
This allows you to scale the mesh manually in case there is some edge-bleeding between frames. Leave this setting alone
Mesh unless you are trying to solve a specific issue as you will either lose resolution or make the mesh too large.
Scale
Preview
With this option checked, you can press the editor's "Simulate" button to see a little preview mesh that will spin with motion
Motion that is based on your rotation settings. The preview motion does not match exactly when the two axis rotations are wildly
On Mesh different. It is generally a good idea to keep them fairly similar or just use one axis when possible.
Preview
Allows you to adjust the spinning speed of the preview mesh.
Speed
Rendering the Flipbook textures uses the same process as the first three functions:
Choose the desired buffers from "Capture Settings", then play the game in windowed mode and type "ke * rendertextures" at the console
and hit enter. You must also remember to have the "Include Buffer Visualization Targets" box checked with the window still open.
Using the flipbook Textures

To use the flipbook textures, you must simply use the "Flipbook" material function.
Function Inputs:
Property
Description
Animation
The default value here is the "Time" node. If you want to change the speed, you will need to hook up Time*Speed
Phase (0- (scalarparameter) here.
1) (S)
Number
Number of Rows Y in your texture.
of Rows
(S)
Number
Number of Columns X in your texture.
of
Columns
(S)
Texture
You can hook up a texture here if you want to use the "Result" pin. In most cases, it is suggested to leave this input blank and
(T2d) instead use a regular texture sample and plug the "UVs" output of this function into the texture UV's. That way you can re-use
the same UVs for several textures.
UVs (V2)
This allows you to specify which UVs you want to use. Whatever UV's they are, they should cover the entire 0-1 range.
MipBias
This lets you Bias the mips of the texture to either make it sharper or blurrier. Only affects the Texture (T2d) input texture.
(S)
Clamp
A frac operation is applied to the animation phase. This causes a value of exactly 1 in the animation phase input to return 0.
Anim Enabling this feature will clamp the animation phase value from 0 to .9999 which avoids the issue.
(See
tooltip)
(B)
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Pivot Painter Tool


On this page:
Basic How To's Installation
Level Editor Prep Tools
Levels Hierarchy Painter
Actors and Geometry Per Object Painter

Components 3D Studio Max Example File
Managing Content Requirements
Artist Quick Start Other Notes

Content Browser
Assets and Packages
Tools & Scripts
Pivot Painter Tool
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache
Content Programming
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting Pivot Painter is a MAXScript that stores model pivot and rotation information in the model's vertex data. That information can then be
Programming Guide referenced inside of Unreal's shader system to create interactive effects.
The motion shown in the sample video is generated in real-time using vertex shaders. Each blade of grass rotates and bends around its
root. The trees branches and leaves form a hierarchy and animate around their individual pivots points, while inheriting the parent's motion.
Release Notes
The sub-objects rotation is stored as well, which allows for realistic dynamic reactions to wind forces.
Site Map

Creating these shaders has been made much simpler with the addition of the Pivot Painter material functions. Sample content also helps by
showing how an animation, like the one featured above, can be generated. Retrieving sub-object pivot points is now simply a matter of
processing a mesh in 3D Studio Max with the Pivot Painter script, importing the file and creating a material using the Pivot Painter
functions. The material functions contain pivot point outputs for both two level hierarchies and single level hierarchies.
Creating motion this way has its benefits. A model processed using this technique is only 18% larger in terms of memory than a standard
Static Mesh. Animations are far less expensive than skeletal animations because they do not need to be stored as they are calculated on
the fly. Vertex shader instruction counts are generally less of a performance concern than pixel instruction counts, due to the number of
vertices on a model compared to the number of pixels on the screen.
The example shaders in the link below are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is possible. Experimenting with the information
available may entice one to explore the other possible uses. Player interaction, interesting wind sources, non-foliage related motion and
other effects are all possible when given access to sub-object level information.
Installation
You can find the Pivot Painter script in the following location:
[UE4Directory]/Engine/Extras/3dsMaxScripts/PivotPainter.ms
This video covers installing the script and creating a keyboard shortcut and menu to open the Pivot Painter tool.
Prep Tools
This video will cover the "Prep Tools" section of the script as well as workflow tips and information about the overall process. Prep Tools
contains options to detach model elements as separate objects and several tools to help create new pivot points easily.
The Prep Tools are designed to separate a given models elements into a series of new models and to move their pivots into
ideal locations. It is not necessary to use these tools. They are simply provided for convenience. If the model being processed is
already separated, its pivot is located at the point from which it is supposed to rotate, and the models X axis is facing down the
length of the model, then your model is good to go to the next step.
Example: A clump of grass should be separated into its individual blades. A given blade of grass should rotate around its base
when blown around by wind. So its pivot point should be located at the grass models base and the x axis of the pivot should
point down the length of the model - in most cases with grass that would be upward.
Hierarchy Painter
This video covers the "Hierarchy Painter" segment of the script. This portion of the tool is used to store child parent relationships like the
relation between a branch and leaf for instance, as well as the model pivot and rotation information in the meshes.
Models should only be processed with the "Hierarchy Painter" section of the script if the model requires a hierarchy. A tree with
leaves is a good use case whereas grass is not. Grass should be painted with the "Per Object Painter" section.
Also, branches/parent pivots need to be positioned within a box as described by "Max dist for parent piv". For instance: if "Max
dist for parent piv" is set to 4096 when the model is painted, then a branch/parent objects pivot point can be located anywhere
within negative or positive 2048 in x and y and from 0 to 4096 on the z axis. Additionally, if "Max dist for parent piv" is set to
anything other than 4096 during the model processing stage, that same number should be used within the models shader in
unreal.
Per Object Painter
This video goes over the options available under the "Per Object Painter" script section. It also discusses some of the possible uses and
some information about how the data is stored on the model.
3D Studio Max Example File

The file contains a copy of the tree used in the video tutorials.
Tree.max (right-click, save as to download)
Requirements
3D Studio Max - The script has been tested using 3D Studio Max versions 2010 and 2012.
The Pivot Painter material functions. It is possible to use the script without the functions but they make the data far easier to use.
Other Notes
You should only process your models with either the "Hierarchy Painter" or "Per Object Painter" section of the script but not both. If you
paint your model with "Hierarchy Painter", then the "PivotPainter_HierarchyData" material function should be used within the objects
material. If the "Per Object Painter" section of the script is used, then "PivotPainter_PerObjectData" should be used to decode the pivot
information within the material.
3DS Max's world unit settings should be set to centimeters when painted and not scaled/changed on export. It is important to maintain scale
between 3ds Max and Unreal. Not doing so will produce undesirable results.
The Wind Actor is now deprecated in UE4 and can be replaced using Material Parameter Collections and Blueprints. You can create a
Blueprint that updates a Material Parameter Collection with a float 4 Wind Actor Parameter. That Material Parameter Collection can then be
referenced within a given foliage material in place of the Wind Actor.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Directory Structure

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Root Directory
Actors and Geometry Common Directories
Components Engine-specific Directories
Managing Content Game Project Directories
Artist Quick Start Solution Directories
Content Browser
At the top level, there is the Engine directory as well as any game projects you have. The Engine directory contains the engine itself and all
Assets and Packages
of the tools that come with it. Each game folder contains all of the files pertaining to that game. There is a much greater separation between
the engine and game projects in UE4 than in previous versions of the engine.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
Root Directory
Derived Data Cache
Engine - Contains all source code, content, etc. that makes up the engine.
Templates - Collection of project templates available when creating new projects.
Content Programming
GenerateProjectFiles.bat - Used to create the UE4 solution and project files necessary for working with the engine and your game(s)
in Visual Studio. See Automatic Project File Generation for details.
Engine Features
UE4Games.uprojectdirs - Helper file that instructs the UnrealBuildTool where to look for projects by default.
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Common Directories
Some subdirectories are common amongst both the Engine and game project directories:
Release Notes Binaries - Contains executable files or other files created during compiling.
Site Map Build - Holds files needed for building the engine or game, including files necessary for creating platform-specific builds.
New and Updated Resources Config - Configuration files for setting values that control engine behavior. Values set in the game project Config files override the
values set in the Engine\Config directory.
Content - Holds content for the engine or game, including asset packages and maps.
DerivedDataCache - Contains derived data files generated on-load for referenced content. Not having cache files present for
referenced content can increase load times dramatically.
Intermediate - Contains temporary files generated during building the engine or game. In game directories, Shaders are stored in the
Intermediate directory.
Saved - Contains autosaves, configuration (.ini) files, and log files. Additionally, the Engine > Saved directory contains crash logs,
hardware information, and Swarm options and data.
Source - Contains all of the source files for engine or game, including the engine source code, tools, gameplay classes, etc.
Engine - Source files in the Engine directory are categorized into the following:
Developer - Files used by both the editor and engine.

Editor - Files used by just the editor.
Programs - External tools used by the engine or editor.
Runtime - Files used by just the engine.
Game - Source files in a game project directory are organized by module; one directory per module. Each module contains the
following:
Classes - Contains all gameplay class header (.h) files.

Private - Contains all .cpp files including gameplay class implementation files and the module implementation file.
Public - Contains the module header file.
Engine-specific Directories
Some subdirectories are specific to the Engine directory.
Documentation - Contains the engine documentation, both source and published files.
HTML - Published HTML documentation files.

Source - Source markdown documentation files.
Extras - Additional helper and utility files.

Plugins - Contains plugins used in the engine.
Programs - Contains configuration files and log files for projects stored in the UE4 root directory and other Unreal programs such as
UnrealFrontend and UnrealHeaderTool.
Shaders - Holds the shader source files (.usf) for the engine.
Game Project Directories
Directory
Description
Binaries
Contains executable files or other files created during compiling.
Config
Default project settings for your game.
Content
Contains content for the engine or game, including asset packages and maps.
External
Displays the public engine header files (only visible in Visual Studio).
dependencies
Intermediate
Contains files that are generated by UnrealBuildTool such as Visual Studio project files. These files can be deleted
and rebuilt.
Saved
Contains files that are generated by the engine such as config files and logs. These files can be deleted and
rebuilt.
Source
Contains game module object class files.
Classes
Contains game object class definitions (.h files).

Private
Contains private game object class implementation files (.cpp
files).

Public
Contains public game object class implementation files (.cpp files).
Solution Directories
Directory
Description
Classes
Contains game object class definitions (.h files).
Config
Default project settings for your game.
External dependencies
Displays the public engine header files (only visible in Visual Studio).
Private
Contains private game object class implementation files (.cpp files).
Public
Contains public game object class implementation files (.cpp files).
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Derived Data Cache

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Derived Data Cache (DDC) stores versions of assets in the formats used by the engine and its target platforms, as opposed to the
Level Editor
source formats artists create that are imported into the editor and stored in .uasset files. Content stored in the DDC is disposable in that it
Levels
can always be regenerated at any time using the data stored in the .uasset file. Storing these derived formats externally makes it possible
Actors and Geometry
to easily add or change the formats used by the engine without needing to modify the source asset file.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start Using a Shared DDC

Content Browser
Studios should use a shared DDC that all users in a particular location can access. This way, only one person needs to build the derived
Assets and Packages
asset format(s) and they are automatically available to all other users. There will occasionally be stalls when assets need to be processed,
but the results are remembered and shared. So with a handful of developers or more, most people will not notice any impact.
Tools & Scripts

Never copy an entire DDC across the internet, back up your DDC, or restore a DDC from a backup. This will not do any harm,
Directory Structure
but it is a waste of time as it generally takes longer to transfer the amount of data stored in the DDC than it would to simply
Derived Data Cache
generate it from scratch locally.
Content Programming To set up a shared DDC, override the paths for the [DerivedDataBackendGraph] by declaring this section in your game's DefaultEngine.ini.
Unreal Game Projects This section is originally declared in the BaseEngine.ini where the paths are set to Epic's internal DDC share. Re-declare the section and
Engine Features change the paths to point to a share on your network (e.g. Path=\\mystudio.net\DDC):
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting [DerivedDataBackendGraph]

MinimumDaysToKeepFile=7
Programming Guide Root=(Type=KeyLength, Length=120, Inner=AsyncPut)
AsyncPut=(Type=AsyncPut, Inner=Hierarchy)
Hierarchy=(Type=Hierarchical, Inner=Boot, Inner=Pak, Inner=EnginePak, Inner=Local, Inner=Shared)
Samples and Tutorials Boot=(Type=Boot, Filename=%GAMEDIR%DerivedDataCache/Boot.ddc, MaxCacheSize=256)
Local=(Type=FileSystem, ReadOnly=false, Clean=false, Flush=false, PurgeTransient=true,
Release Notes DeleteUnused=true, UnusedFileAge=17, FoldersToClean=-1, Path=../../../Engine/DerivedDataCache)
Shared=(Type=FileSystem, ReadOnly=false, Clean=false, Flush=false, DeleteUnused=true,
Site Map UnusedFileAge=19, FoldersToClean=-1, Path=\\mystudio.net\DDC,
EnvPathOverride=UE-SharedDataCachePath)
New and Updated Resources AltShared=(Type=FileSystem, ReadOnly=true, Clean=false, Flush=false, DeleteUnused=true,
UnusedFileAge=19, FoldersToClean=-1, Path=\\mystudio.net\DDC2,
EnvPathOverride=UE-SharedDataCachePath2)
Pak=(Type=ReadPak, Filename=%GAMEDIR%DerivedDataCache/DDC.ddp)
EnginePak=(Type=ReadPak, Filename=../../../Engine/DerivedDataCache/DDC.ddp)
Satellite studios working out of a single shared code base can set the UE-SharedDataCachePath environment variable to a path that all
users at each location can read and write to. This allows each location to have its own shared DDC.
For example:
UE-SharedDataCachePath=\\mystudio.net\DDC
Using a Local DDC

Lone developers or developers working remotely generally just use a local DDC. To tell the engine not to try and use a shared DDC, use
one of the methods below:
Pass -ddc=noshared on the command line.

Set the environment variable to a local drive hard drive:
UE-SharedDataCachePath=c:\DDC
Building Derived Data

Generally, the user who imports the asset is the one who builds the derived data since they will most likely be using and testing them out in
the engine. However, there may be occasions when a new asset needs to be processed. This happens automatically on an as-needed
basis and should not result in much of an impact when running fast hardware, though there may be occasional stalls.
You can fill your derived data caches at any time by passing the arguments below to the executable:
UE4\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor.exe MyGame -run=DerivedDataCache -fill
We do this on a nightly basis to ensure the DDC is always primed, but it is not necessary in general as the automatic caching should just
work.
Distributing with a DDC

Cooking is generally the preferred method for packaging games since cooked builds do not need nor use a DDC. However, DDCs can be
packaged for distribution if the need arises.
To package a DDC:
1. Run the UE4Editor.exe from the UE4/Engine/Binaries/Win64 directory passing it the arguments shown below:
UE4Editor.exe [GameName] -run=DerivedDataCache -fill -DDC=CreatePak
2. This creates a DDC.ddp file in the UE4[GameName]\DerivedDataCache
3. The engine automatically detects and uses the .ddp file.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology External Content Development Standards

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Static Mesh (3D Models) Standards
Actors and Geometry Skeletal Mesh (Meshes animated via a skeleton) Standards
Components Textures
Managing Content
The following list should be considered construction standards for Unreal Engine content. Although your personal projects may use any
Artist Quick Start
standard that you like, any content that you wish to distribute should follow these standards.
Content Browser
Assets and Packages

Static Mesh (3D Models) Standards
File Format: FBX.
Tools & Scripts
Scale: 1 Unreal Unit = 1 centimeter (cm).
Directory Structure
Origin (pivot): Should be located at a spot convenient for placement, generally at the center bottom of the object.
Derived Data Cache
Orientation: All models should have their forward dimension facing in the direction of the positive X-Axis.
External Content Development
UV Layout (Texture coordinates): Meshes may use overlapping UV patches to maximize texture usage. However, they should also
Standards
have a separate UV channel, specifically for light maps, in which all UV patches are uniformly laid out without any overlapping. Note
Content Programming
lightmap UVs can be generated within the Static Mesh Editor, though creating them in your 3D package will provide extra editability.
Materials: All meshes should have a corresponding Material applied to them.
Engine Features
Vertex Normals: If the visual quality of your model requires custom vertex normals (a.k.a. Smoothing Groups), make sure those are
Gameplay Guide
exported from your 3D package and that you import them into UE4 when importing your content.
Max Vertex Count: For mobile devices, each mesh should have a maximum of 65,535 vertices. On other platforms, such as PC, you
Programming Guide
are limited by console and should test accordingly.
Collisions: Wherever applicable, meshes should have collisions applied to them. See the Static Mesh Collision Reference for
further details.
Release Notes
Site Map

Skeletal Mesh (Meshes animated via a skeleton) Standards
File Format: FBX.
Skeleton: All Skeletal Meshes should have a corresponding compatible Skeleton asset. Skeletal Meshes with the same bone
hierarchy may share a Skeleton asset, however.
Scale: 1 Unreal Unit = 1 centimeter (cm).
Origin (pivot): Should be located at a spot convenient for placement. For Skeletal Meshes, this is typically right between the feet.
Orientation: All models should have their forward dimension facing in the direction of the positive X-Axis.
UV Layout (Texture coordinates): Meshes may use overlapping UV patches to maximize texture usage.
Materials: All meshes should have a corresponding Material applied to them.
Vertex Normals: If the visual quality of your model requires custom vertex normals (a.k.a. Smoothing Groups), make sure those are
exported from your 3D package and that you import them into UE4 when importing your content.
Max Vertex Count: For mobile devices, each mesh should have a maximum of 65,535 vertices. On other platforms, such as PC, you
are limited by console and should test accordingly.
Collisions: All Skeletal Meshes should have a corresponding Physics Asset. These can be generated during import into UE4. See
the Physics Asset Tool documentation for more information.
Textures
Formats:
.bmp
.float
.pcx
.png
.psd
.tga
.jpg
.exr
.dds - Cubemap Texture (32bits/Channel, 8.8.8.8 ARGB 32 bpp, unsigned) See Cubemap Tools for more information.
.hdr - Cubemap Texture (LongLat unwrap)
Dimensions:
All textures should have dimensions that are powers of two (32, 62, 1024, 2048).
If you want to make use of mipmaps, your texture should not exceed 4096px (4K).
Keep in mind that some GPUs have hardware limits of 8192px (8K).
Epic authors most of its texture content at 2048px.
Tips:
It is often useful and efficient to store masking information in the alpha channel of your textures.
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Level Designer Quick Start Programming Guide

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Referencing Assets

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

Unreal Engine 4 provides a number of mechanisms to control how an asset is referenced and by extension loaded into memory. You can
Level Editor
think of references in two ways: a hard reference where object A refers to object B and causes object B to be loaded when object A is
Levels
loaded; and a soft reference where object A refers to object B via an indirect mechanism such as the string form of the path to the object.
Actors and Geometry
The first two sections following cover hard references with the remaining sections exploring soft references.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start Direct Property Reference

Content Browser
This is the most common case for asset references and is exposed via the UPROPERTY macro. Your gameplay class exposes a
Assets and Packages
UPROPERTY that lets your designers specify a particular asset on either the archetype via Blueprint inheritance or via an instance placed
in the world. For instance, the code below is from the AStrategyBuilding contained in the StrategyGame sample and allows the designer to
select which sound is played when a building of a type is constructed.
Tools & Scripts
Directory Structure
/** construction start sound stinger */
Derived Data Cache
UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, Category=Building)
USoundCue* ConstructionStartStinger;
Content Programming
Referencing Assets
This property can only be set as part of the default properties for an object (the EditDefaultsOnly keyword controls this). The designer
Asynchronous Asset Loading
creates a new Blueprint class that extends from AStrategyBuilding. Then the sound the designer wants can be saved for that Blueprint.
Asset Registry
Whenever that designer created Blueprint is loaded, the sound that it references as part of that UPROPERTY is automatically loaded too.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Construction Time Reference
The second type of hard reference you'll encounter is when the programmer knows the exact asset that needs to be loaded for a given
Programming Guide
property and sets that property as part of the object's construction. This is done using a special class, ConstructorHelpers, which finds
objects and classes for an object during the construction phase. Again from the StrategyGame sample, here's a snippet of the HUD
assigning assets that it wants to use as part of its rendering.
Release Notes
Site Map /** gray health bar texture */

UPROPERTY()
class UTexture2D* BarFillTexture;
AStrategyHUD::AStrategyHUD(const FObjectInitializer& ObjectInitializer) :
Super(ObjectInitializer)
{
static ConstructorHelpers::FObjectFinder<UTexture2D> BarFillObj(TEXT("/Game/UI/HUD/BarFill"));
...
BarFillTexture = BarFillObj.Object;
...
}
In the constructor above, the ConstructorHelpers class attempts to find the asset in memory and loads it if not found. Note the full path to
the asset is used to specify what to load. If the asset doesn't exist or can't be loaded due to an error, the property will be set to nullptr.
When this happens, the code that tries to access the texture will crash. It's better to assert that the asset loaded correctly if the later code
assumes the reference is valid.
The declaration of the UPROPERTY appears the same as the previous hard reference example. They function the same way with the only
difference being how they are initially set. One consideration about hard references is that as objects are loaded and instantiated the hard
referenced assets are loaded too. Careful consideration needs to happen or your memory footprint can balloon due to many assets being
loaded at once. If you want to defer that loading or determine what to load at runtime, then the following sections help with that.
Indirect Property Reference

One easy way to control when an asset is loaded is to use a TAssetPtr. To the designer, they can work with it just like the direct property
reference. However, instead of a direct pointer reference, the property is stored as a string with template code to enable safe checking of
whether the asset has been loaded yet or not. Use the IsPending() method to check if the asset is ready to be accessed or not. Note that
using TAssetPtr requires you to manually load the asset when you want to use it. You can use the templated LoadObject<>() method,
StaticLoadObject(), or the FStreamingManager to load your object (see Asynchronous Asset Loading for more information). The first two
methods load the asset synchronously which can cause frame rate spikes, so should only be used if you know it won't affect the gameplay.
UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadWrite, Category=Building)

TAssetPtr<UStaticMesh> BaseMesh;
UStaticMesh* GetLazyLoadedMesh()
{
if (BaseMesh.IsPending())
{
const FStringAssetReference& AssetRef = BaseMesh.ToStringReference();
BaseMesh = Cast< UStaticMesh>(Streamable.SynchronousLoad(AssetRef));
}
return BaseMesh.Get();
}
The code above uses a TAssetPtr of UStaticMesh to lazy load the mesh at runtime. The asset is checked to see if the object has been
loaded or not. If it has not, a synchronous load happens using the FStreamingManager. Otherwise, the UStaticMesh pointer within the
TAssetPtr is returned to the caller.
If you want to defer loading a UClass, you use the same approach as the TAssetPtr substituting the class specific version
TAssetSubclassOf template type. This functions the same as referring to a specific asset, but instead refers to the UClass for the asset
instead of an instance.
Find/Load Object
So far these examples have all been UPROPERTY based. However, what if you want to build a string at runtime and use that to get a
reference to an object? There are two options that you can use. If you want to use the UObject only if it has already been loaded or created,
then the right choice is FindObject<>(). If you want to load the object if it is not already loaded, then using LoadObject<>() is the right
choice. Note that LoadObject<>() does the equivalent of FindObject under the covers, so it's not necessary to try to find the object first and
then load it. Here are some examples of using each function.
AFunctionalTest* TestToRun = FindObject<AFunctionalTest>(TestsOuter, *TestName);

GridTexture = LoadObject<UTexture2D>(NULL,
TEXT("/Engine/EngineMaterials/DefaultWhiteGrid.DefaultWhiteGrid"), NULL, LOAD_None, NULL);
There is a specialization of LoadObject available when loading a UClass. This is just an easier way to load the class and provides an
automatic verification of the type. The code snippet below illustrates this.
DefaultPreviewPawnClass = LoadClass<APawn>(NULL, *PreviewPawnName, NULL, LOAD_None, NULL);
Is the same as
DefaultPreviewPawnClass = LoadObject<UClass>(NULL, *PreviewPawnName, NULL, LOAD_None, NULL);

if (!DefaultPreviewPawnClass->IsA(APawn::StaticClass()))
{
DefaultPreviewPawnClass = nullptr;
}
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Asynchronous Asset Loading

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels FStringAssetReferences and TAssetPtr
Actors and Geometry The Asset Registry and Object Libraries
Components StreamableManager and Asynchronous Loading
Managing Content
There are several new systems in UE4 that make it much easier to asynchronously load asset data, and they replace a lot of the
Artist Quick Start
functionality that existed for seekfree content packages in UE3. These new methods work identically in development and with cooked data
Content Browser
on devices, so you do not need to maintain two code paths for loading data on demand. There are two general methods you can use to
Assets and Packages
refer to and load data on demand:
Tools & Scripts

FStringAssetReferences and TAssetPtr
Directory Structure
The easiest way to have an artist or designer reference an asset is to create a UProperty of a hard pointer and give it a category. In UE4, if
Derived Data Cache
you have a hard UObject pointer property referencing an asset, that asset will be loaded when the object containing the property is loaded
(either by being placed in a map, or referenced from something like a gameinfo). If you are not careful, you can end up loading 100% of
Content Programming
your assets at game startup time. If you want artists/designers to be able to make references to specific assets using the same UI as a hard
Referencing Assets
pointer, without always loading the referenced asset, use a FStringAssetReference or TAssetPtr.
Asset Registry A FStringAssetReference is a simple struct that contains a string with the full name of an asset. If you make a property of that type in
Unreal Game Projects your class, it shows up in the editor as if it was a UObject * property. It also properly handles cooking and redirects, so if you have a
Engine Features
StringAssetReference, it is guaranteed to work properly on a device. A TAssetPtr is basically a TWeakObjectPtr that wraps around a
Gameplay Guide
FStringAssetReference, and will template to a specific class so you can restrict the editor UI to only allow selecting certain classes. If
the referenced asset exists in memory, TAssetPtr.Get() will return it. If it does not, you can call ToStringReference() to find out the
Programming Guide
asset that it refers to, load that using the method described below, then call TAssetPtr.Get() again to dereference it.
Samples and Tutorials TAssetPtrs and StringAssetReferences are great if an artist or designer is setting up references manually, but if you want to do something
Release Notes like a query to find an asset satisfying certain requirements, without loading all of those assets, you want to use the asset registry and
Site Map object libraries.
The Asset Registry and Object Libraries

The asset registry is a system that stores metadata about assets and allows searches and queries about those assets. It is used by the
editor to display the information in the Content Browser, but you can also use it from gameplay code to query metadata about gameplay
assets that are not currently loaded. To make data about an asset searchable, you need to add the "AssetRegistrySearchable" tag to the
property. Queries to the asset registry return objects of type FAssetData, which contains information about the object as well as a map of
key->value pairs containing the properties marked as searchable.
The easiest way to work with groups of unloaded assets is with an ObjectLibrary. An ObjectLibrary is an object that contains a list of
either loaded objects or FAssetData for unloaded objects, that inherit from a shared base class. You load an object library by giving it a
path to search, and it will add all assets in that path. This can be very useful, because you can designate parts of your content folder for
different types, and artists/designers can add new assets without having to edit some manual master list. Here is an example of how you
would load AssetData off disk using an object library:
if (!ObjectLibrary)
{
ObjectLibrary = UObjectLibrary::CreateLibrary(BaseClass, false, GIsEditor);
ObjectLibrary->AddToRoot();
}
ObjectLibrary->LoadAssetDataFromPath(TEXT("/Game/PathWithAllObjectsOfSameType");
if (bFullyLoad)
{
ObjectLibrary->LoadAssetsFromAssetData();
}
In this example, it creates a new object library, associates a base class, then loads all asset data in a given path. It then optionally loads the
actual assets. You want to fully load the assets either if the assets are small, or if you are cooking and need to make sure that they all get
cooked. As long as you perform an asset registry query during cooking, and load the assets returned, your object library will work identically
with cooked data on a device as in development. Once you have the asset data contained in an ObjectLibrary, you can do queries and
selectively load certain assets. Here is an example of how you would do a query:
TArray<FAssetData> AssetDatas;
ObjectLibrary->GetAssetDataList(AssetDatas);
for (int32 i = 0; i < AssetDatas.Num(); ++i)
{
FAssetData& AssetData = AssetDatas[i];
const FString* FoundTypeNameString =
AssetData.TagsAndValues.Find(GET_MEMBER_NAME_CHECKED(UAssetObject,TypeName));
if (FoundTypeNameString && FoundTypeNameString->Contains(TEXT("FooType")))
{
return AssetData;
}
}
In this example, it searches the object library for anything that has a TypeName field containing "FooType", then returns the first it finds.
Once you have that AssetData, you can call ToStringReference() to convert that to an FStringAssetReference, which you can
then load asynchronously using the next system:
StreamableManager and Asynchronous Loading

Now that you have a FStringAssetReference that refers to an asset on disk, how do you actually load it asynchronously?
FStreamableManager is the easiest way to do this. First, you will need to create an FStreamableManager, I would suggest putting it in
some sort of global game singleton object, such as one specified using GameSingletonClassName in DefaultEngine.ini. Then, you
can pass your StringAssetReference into it and start a load. SynchronousLoad will do a simple, blocking load and return the object.
This method may be fine for smaller objects, but it could potentially stall your main thread for too long. In that case, you will need to use
RequestAsyncLoad, which will asynchronously load a group of assets and call a delegate after completion. Here is an example:
void UGameCheatManager::GrantItems()
{
TArray<FStringAssetReference> ItemsToStream;
FStreamableManager& Streamable = UGameGlobals::Get().StreamableManager;
for(int32 i = 0; i < ItemList.Num(); ++i)
{
ItemsToStream.AddUnique(ItemList[i].ToStringReference());
}
Streamable.RequestAsyncLoad(ItemsToStream, FStreamableDelegate::CreateUObject(this,
&UGameCheatManager::GrantItemsDeferred));
}
void UGameCheatManager::GrantItemsDeferred()
{
for(int32 i = 0; i < ItemList.Num(); ++i)
{
UGameItemData* ItemData = ItemList[i].Get();
if(ItemData)
{
MyPC->GrantItem(ItemData);
}
}
}
In this example, ItemList is a TArray< TAssetPtr<UGameItem> > that was modified by designers in the editor. The code iterates that
list, converts them to StringReferences, and queues up a load of them. When all of those items are loaded (or fail to load because they
are missing), it calls the passed in delegate. That delegate then iterates the same list of items, dereferences them, and gives them to a
player. StreamableManager keeps hard references to any assets it loads until the delegate is called, so you can safely know that none of
the objects you wanted to asynchronously load will be garbage collected before the delegate is called. It releases those references after the
delegate is called, so you need to hard reference them somewhere else if you want to ensure they will stay around.
You can use the same method to asynchronously load a FAssetData, just call ToStringReference on them, add them to an array, and
call RequestAsyncLoad with a delegate. The delegate can be anything you want, so you can pass along payload information if you want.
By combining the methods described above, you should be able to set up a system that allows efficient loading of any asset in your game.
It will take some time to convert your gameplay code that does direct memory accesses to handle asynchronous loading, but afterwards,
your game will have far fewer stalls and much lower memory usage.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Asset Registry

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

The Asset Registry is an editor subsystem which gathers information about unloaded assets asynchronously as the editor loads.
This
Level Editor
information is stored in memory so the editor can create lists of assets without loading them.
The information is authoritative and is kept up
Levels
to date automatically as assets are changed in memory or files are changed on disk.
The Content Browser is the primary consumer for
Actors and Geometry
this system, but it may be used anywhere in editor code.
Components
Managing Content
Artist Quick Start Obtaining a List of Assets

Content Browser
To form a list of assets by class, simply load the Asset Registry module then invoke Module.Get().GetAssetsByClass()
Assets and Packages

FAssetRegistryModule& AssetRegistryModule = FModuleManager::LoadModuleChecked<FAssetRegistryModule>
Collaboration in Unreal Engine 4 ("AssetRegistry");
TArray<FAssetData> AssetData;
Tools & Scripts const UClass* Class = UStaticMesh::StaticClass();
AssetRegistryModule.Get().GetAssetsByClass(Class, AssetData);
Directory Structure
Derived Data Cache

This will return a list of FAssetData objects which describe assets that may be loaded or unloaded. FAssetData objects hold information
about an asset that can be determined before it is loaded.
Content Programming
Referencing Assets Here is a list of its members and descriptions:

Asset Registry
Member
Description
FName ObjectPath
The object path for the asset in the form Package.GroupNames.AssetName.
Engine Features
FName PackageName
The name of the package in which the asset is found.
Gameplay Guide
Blueprints Visual Scripting FName PackagePath

The path to the package in which the asset is found.
Programming Guide FName GroupNames

The '.' delimited list of group names in which the asset is found. NAME_None if there were
Platform Development no groups.
FName AssetName
The name of the asset without the package or groups.
Release Notes
FName AssetClass
The name of the asset's class.
Site Map
New and Updated Resources TMap<FName, FString> TagsAndValues

The map of values for properties that were marked AssetRegistrySearchable. See
Tags and Values for more information.
You can also form lists using other criteria by invoking one of the following functions:

Function
Description
GetAssetsByPackageName()
Returns a list of assets from a particular package.
GetAssetsByPath()
Returns a list of assets in a specified path.
GetAssetByObjectPath()
Returns a list of assets with the specified object paths.
GetAssetsByTagValues()
Returns a list of assets with the specified set of tags and values.
GetAllAssets()
Returns a list of all assets. This can be slow.
If you need to form a list of assets using multiple criteria, use GetAssets() and supply a FARFilter struct as described in the
Creating a Filter section.
Converting FAssetData to UObject*

FAssetData objects have a function named GetAsset() which will return the UObject* that the FAssetData represents. This will load
the asset if needed then return it.
If you just want to check if an asset is loaded, use IsAssetLoaded() instead.
Creating a Filter
A FARFilter can be supplied when invoking GetAssets() to create a list of assets which are filtered down by multiple criteria. A filter is
comprised of multiple components:
PackageName
PackagePath
Collection
Class
Tags/Value pairs
A component may have more than one element. An asset passes a filter if it satisfies ALL components. To satisfy a component, an asset
must match ANY of the elements within.
For example, if a StaticMesh asset exists whose path is /Game/Meshes/BeachBall:
The asset will pass if the filter includes only the PackagePath /Game/Meshes. There is only one component which has one element.
The asset will pass if the filter includes the PackagePath /Game/Meshes and Classes UParticleSystem AND UStaticMesh.
There are two components where the first has one element and the second has two.
The asset will fail if the filter includes the PackagePath /Game/Meshes and ONLY the Class UParticleSystem. There are two
components that each have one element.
The asset will fail if the filter includes the PackagePath /Game/NotMeshes and the Class UStaticMesh. This filter also uses two
components that each have one element.
An example of using a filter with two components, Class and PackagePath:
FAssetRegistryModule& AssetRegistryModule = FModuleManager::LoadModuleChecked<FAssetRegistryModule>

("AssetRegistry");
TArray<FAssetData> AssetData;
FARFilter Filter;
Filter.Classes.Add(UStaticMesh::StaticClass());
Filter.PackagePaths.Add("/Game/Meshes");
AssetRegistryModule.Get().GetAssets(Filter, AssetData);
Tags and Values

FAssetData objects returned from the Asset Registry contain a name and value map called TagsAndValues.
This is a list of property
names and associated values for the asset the FAssetData represents.
This information is gathered when an asset is saved and stored in
the header of the UAsset file that contains the asset.
The Asset Registry reads this header and fills out the TagsAndValues map
accordingly.
The Asset Registry only gathers properties that are marked with the AssetRegistrySearchable UPROPERTY() flag.
For example (from UTexture):
/** The texture filtering mode to use when sampling this texture. */
UPROPERTY(Category=Texture, AssetRegistrySearchable)
TEnumAsByte<enum TextureFilter> Filter;
Once this flag was added to the Filter property of UTexture, all UTextures that were saved thereafter now have an entry in their
FAssetData's TagsAndValues map whose key is Filter and whose value is the string representation of the enum value, such as
"TF_Linear".
This requires assets to be resaved before their properties will be discovered by the Asset Registry.
If you want the Asset Registry to be able to search for information that is not directly a UProperty, your asset's class can implement the
virtual function: GetAssetRegistryTags() to manually add key/value pairs to the TagsAndValues map. GetAssetRegistryTags is inherited
from UObject.
Asynchronous Data Gathering

The Asset Registry reads UAsset files asynchronously and may not have a complete list of all assets at the time that you request it. If your
editor code requires a complete list, the Asset Registry provides delegate callbacks for when assets are discovered/created, renamed, or
removed. There is also a delegate for when the Asset Registry has completed its initial search which is useful for many systems.
You may sign up for these delegates by loading the Asset Registry module, then using the functions provided in IAssetRegistry:
/** Register/Unregister a callback for when assets are added to the registry */
virtual FAssetAddedEvent& OnAssetAdded() = 0;
/** Register/Unregister a callback for when assets are removed from the registry */
virtual FAssetRemovedEvent& OnAssetRemoved() = 0;
/** Register/Unregister a callback for when assets are renamed in the registry */
virtual FAssetRenamedEvent& OnAssetRenamed() = 0;
/** Register/Unregister a callback for when the asset registry is done loading files */
virtual FFilesLoadedEvent& OnFilesLoaded() = 0;
/** Register/Unregister a callback to update the progress of the background file load */
virtual FFileLoadProgressUpdatedEvent& OnFileLoadProgressUpdated() = 0;
/** Returns true if the asset registry is currently loading files and does not yet know about all
assets */
virtual bool IsLoadingAssets() = 0;
For example:
void FMyClass::FMyClass()
{
// Load the asset registry module to listen for updates
FAssetRegistryModule& AssetRegistryModule =
FModuleManager::LoadModuleChecked<FAssetRegistryModule>("AssetRegistry");
AssetRegistryModule.Get().OnAssetAdded().AddRaw( this, &FMyClass::OnAssetAdded );
}
FMyClass::~FMyClass()
{
// Load the asset registry module to unregister delegates
FAssetRegistryModule& AssetRegistryModule =
FModuleManager::LoadModuleChecked<FAssetRegistryModule>("AssetRegistry");
AssetRegistryModule.Get().OnAssetAdded().RemoveAll( this );
}
void FMyClass::OnAssetAdded(const FAssetData& AssetData)
{
// An asset was discovered by the asset registry.
// This means it was either just created or recently found on disk.
// Make sure code in this function is fast or it will slow down the gathering process.
}
The Asset Registry can be used in commandlets, but gathers information synchronously instead. The LoadModule() call will block until
the gather is complete.
If your code waits for assets to be discovered asynchronously and has a Slate UI frontend, it should contain an
SAssetDiscoveryIndicator widget to convey progress to the user.
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English

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Unreal Game Projects

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

A Project is a self-contained unit that holds all the content and code that make up an individual game and coincides with a set of directories
Level Editor
on your disk. For example, in the image below the Hierarchy Tree of the Content Browser contains the same directory structure found
Levels
inside your Project folder on your disk.
Actors and Geometry
Components
Managing Content
Project Browser
Packaging Projects
Converting a Project to a Template
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide

Although a Project is often referenced by the .uproject file associated with it, they are two separate files that exist alongside each other. The
Release Notes
.uproject is a reference file used to create, open, or save a file, whereas the Project contains all of the files and folders associated with it.
Site Map
New and Updated Resources You can create any number of different Projects which can all be maintained and developed in parallel. Both the Engine (and Editor) can
easily switch between them which will allow you to work on multiple games at once or have several test projects in addition to your main
game Project.
Project Browser Packaging Projects

Illustrates using the Project Browser to create new projects, open existing Packaging Unreal game projects for distribution.
projects or downloaded sample projects.
Related Topics
Compiling Game Projects
Managing Game Code
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English
Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Game Projects

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Project Browser

Beginner
Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Opening Projects
Actors and Geometry Creating New Projects
Components Project Settings
Managing Content
When you first run Unreal Editor, the Project Browser will appear.
Project Browser
Packaging Projects
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide
Programming Guide
Release Notes
Site Map
The Project Browser provides a jumping off point from which you can create projects, open your existing projects, or open sample content
like sample games and Showcases.
To bypass the Project Browser and instantly open the editor for a specific game, you can pass the name of the game as a
command line argument to the executable.
Opening Projects
The first tab in the Project Browser is the Projects tab.
This shows a thumbnailed list of all the projects that have been discovered by the editor. By default, this includes all projects in the
installation folder, any projects created with the Editor, or any projects that have been previously opened.
Double-click any thumbnail to open that project.
The thumbnail for a project is a 192x192 .png file with the same name as the project in the project folder. It is possible to bind a key to
"Update Project Thumbnail" to quickly take
a screenshot to be the thumbnail of your project. If you do not supply a thumbnail for your
project, a screenshot is automatically taken every time you exit the editor for that project.
To search for projects, enter text in the Filter Projects... search box.
You can also click on the Browse... button to navigate your computer and select a .uproject file to open manually.
In the Projects tab, you can check the Always load last project on startup checkbox to automatically open your most recent
project and skip the Project Browser. To change
this setting in-editor:
1. Open the Editor Preferences window.
2. Navigate to General > Loading & Saving.
3. Under the Startup heading, toggle Load the Most Recently Loaded Project at Startup.
This tab also opens when you select File > Open Project from within Unreal Editor.
Creating New Projects

The second tab in the Project Browser is the New Project tab.
The New Project tab gives you starting templates for your projects. The Blank project creates a completely empty project. The other
templates fall into two categories: Blueprints Only and C++.
For example, there is a Side Scroller (Blueprints Only) template and a Side Scroller (C++) template. The games generated by these two
templates play the same way, with the same level design,
character behavior, and camera layout. The difference is how the initial
framework for the projects is created:
Blueprints Only - The initial gameplay is defined with Blueprints. Blueprints are Unreal Engine 4's visual scripting assets. With
Blueprints, it is possible to create gameplay behavior in Unreal Editor without needing to write C++ code. However, starting from a
Blueprints Only template does not mean that you can never include C++ code in your project. It simply means that the initial
examples provided will be in Blueprints.
C++ - The initial gameplay is defined with C++ code. Projects created with C++ templates can be managed through the Unreal Editor,
but they can also be edited in Visual Studio. Just like Blueprints Only projects can be extended with C++ code, it is simple to add
Blueprints to a project that began as a C++ template.
To create a new project:
1. Select a template from the list.
2. Select whether or not to copy Starter Content into your project.
3. Enter a name for your project.
4. Click Create.
To save your project outside of the default save location, you can click on the arrow icon to toggle display of the full path and file creation
preview.
Your new project will open in the editor if it is based on the Blank template or a Blueprints template, and in Visual Studio or XCode if it is
based on a C++ template.
This tab also opens when you select File > New Project from within Unreal Editor.
Project Settings
Project Settings allows you to setup different performance options for your project depending on what type of hardware you are targeting.
Do not worry if you do not know what settings you want as you can change them at any time in the [Project Settings - Target Hardware].
Icon
Description

Use this option if the game you are making is going to target Desktops or Consoles.

Use this option if the game you are making is going to target Mobile devices.

Use this option if the game you are making is going to target high end devices like Desktops or Consoles.

Use this option if the game you are making is going to target Mobile devices.

Use this option if you want to include the Starter Content with your game.

Use this option if you do not want to include the Starter Content with your game.
Please note that the Starter Content is not optimized for mobile devices and could cause performance issues if used with mobile
devices.
Related Topics
Basic How To's
Starter Content
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Packaging Projects

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's
Level Editor
On this page:
Levels Setting A Game Default Map
Actors and Geometry Creating Packages
Components Running Packaged Games
Managing Content Distribution
Unreal Game Projects Advanced Settings
Project Browser Content Cooking
Packaging Projects
Before an Unreal project can be distributed to users, it must be properly packaged. Packaging ensures that all code and content is up to
date and in the proper format to run on the desired target platform.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide A number of steps will be performed during the packaging process. When a project has custom source code, this code will first be compiled.
Blueprints Visual Scripting Then, all required content needs to be converted into a format that can be used by the target platform (so called content cooking). After
Programming Guide that, compiled code and cooked content will be bundled up into a distributable set of files, such as an installer for Windows.
Samples and Tutorials Under the main File menu, there is an option called Package Project, with a submenu. This sub menu shows all the platforms that you can
Release Notes prepare a package for. The purpose of packaging is to test your full game instead of a single map, or to prepare your game for
Site Map submission/distribution.
For Android, there will be multiple selections. See the Android Texture Formats page for more information.
There are also some Advanced options you can set before packaging.
Once you select the platform, the editor will compile your game if it contains code, cook all of your game data, and then package the
content. This can end up being a slow process if you included the Starter Content in your project, or if you have made a lot of
test/temporary content and maps.
Setting A Game Default Map

Before you package your game you will first need to set a Game Default Map to load when your packaged game starts. If you do not set a
map and are using a blank project you will only see a black screen when the packaged game starts. If you have used one of the template
maps, like the First Person template or Third Person template the starting map will be loaded.
To set the Game Default Map click on Edit > Project Settings > Maps & Modes in the Editor's main menu:
Creating Packages
To package a project for a specific platform, click on File > Package Project > [PlatformName] in the Editor's main menu:
You will be presented with a dialog for selecting the target directory. If packaging completes successfully, this directory will then contain the
packaged project.
Confirming the target directory will then initiate the actual process that packages the project for the selected platform. Because packaging
can be very time consuming, this process is executed in the background, and you can continue to use the Editor. A status indicator will be
displayed in the bottom right corner of the Editor to indicate the progress:
The status indicator provides a way to cancel the active packaging process by clicking the Cancel button. It is also possible to display
extended output log information by clicking the Show Log link. The output log is useful for figuring out what went wrong in case a
packaging process did not complete successfully:
For less experienced users, the most important log messages, such as errors and warnings, are logged to the regular Message Log
window:
If neither of these windows are visible, they can be accessed by the Window > Developer Tools > Output Log / Message Log
options.
Running Packaged Games

When you packaged, you selected a directory for the output. If packaging completes successfully, your packaged game will be in a platform-
specific subdirectory. For instance, if you selected TappyChicken/Final, then the iOS build would be in TappyChicken/Final/IOS and an
Android build would be in TappyChicken/Final/Android. When you go to that subdirectory, you will see the packaged game, in a format
appropriate for the platform. For Android, you will see .apk, .obb, and .bat files (run the .bat to install the game on your device). For IOS,
you will see an .ipa file. This can be installed via iTunes or Xcode.
The number and type of files created will vary depending on the target
platform. The following image shows example output for a Windows project:
To run your packaged game:
1. Find the executable for your packaged game using the table below:

Configuration
EXE Name
EXE Location

Development
[ProjectName].exe
[PackageDirectory]\WindowsNoEditor

Shipping
[ProjectName]-Win32-Shipping.exe.exe
[PackageDirectory]\WindowsNoEditor
2. Double-click the executable to run the game.
Distribution
To submit an IOS or Android game to the App Store or Google Play Store, you need to create your package in Distribution mode. To do this,
go to the Packaging Settings option in the Packaging menu, and check the Distribution check box. This will sign the final package
appropriately.
On IOS, you will need to create a distribution Certificate and MobileProvision on Apple's developer website. Install the certificate the same
way as your Development certificate, and name your distribution provision with a Distro_ prefix, next to your other one (so you would have
Distro_MyProject.mobileprovision and MyProject.mobileprovision).
On Android, you will need to create a key to sign the .apk, and give some information to our build tools with a file called SigningConfig.xml.
This file exists in the installed Engine directory (Engine/Build/Android/Java). If you edit this file, it will apply to all your projects. However,
you can copy this file to your project's Build/Android directory (no Java directory), and it will be used for just that project. Directions for how
to generate the key and fill out the file are found in the file itself.
Advanced Settings
Clicking File > Package Project > Packaging Settings... or Edit > Project Settings > Packaging in the main menu will present you with a
number of advanced configuration options for the packaging feature.
Currently, these include:
Option
Description
Build
The build configuration to compile your code-based project with. For debugging select Debug, for most other development
Configuration with minimal debugging support, but better performance select Development, and for the final shipping build select
Shipping.
Staging
The directory that will contain your packaged build. This will be updated automatically when you pick a different directory in
Directory the target directory selection.
Full Rebuild
Whether all of your code should be compiled. If disabled, only the modified code will be compiled. This may speed up the
packaging process. For shipping builds you should always do a full rebuild to make sure nothing is missing or outdated.
This option is enabled by default.

Use Pak File
Whether to package your project's assets as individual files or a single package. If enabled, all assets will be put into a
single .pak file instead of copying out all the individual files. If your project has a lot of asset files, using a Pak may make it
easier to distribute it, because you do not have to transfer so many files. This option is enabled by default.
Generate
Whether to generate .pak file chunks that can be used for streaming installs.
Chunks
Build Http
Whether to generate data for HTTP chunk installer. This allows this data to be hosted on a webserver to be installed at
Chunk runtime.
Install Data
Http Chunk
This is the directory where data will be built to.
Install Data
Directory
Http Chunk
This is the version name for HTTP chunk install data.
Install Data
Version
Include
This specifies whether to include prerequisites of packaged games, such as redistributable operating system components.
Prerequisites
Content Cooking
As a developer, when iterating over new or modified game content, you may not always want to go through the lengthy process of
packaging everything into the staging directory and then running it from there. It is therefore possible to only cook the content for a
particular target platform without packaging it by clicking File > Cook Content > [PlatformName].
Please note that this feature will update the content in your project's local developer workspace, and it will not copy out any assets to the
staging directory. You can run your game directly from your local developer workspace for fast iteration.
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Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Converting a Project to a Template

Unreal Engine 4.9
Basic How To's

To convert an existing project into a template:
Level Editor
Levels
1. Move the project folder into the appropriate Templates directory:
Actors and Geometry
Components

Engine Version
Path
Managing Content

Launcher
C:\Program Files\Unreal Engine[Version]\Templates
Project Browser
Source
[ForkLocation]\UE4\Templates
Packaging Projects
Converting a Project to a Template 2. Open Templates\[ProjectName]\Config\DefaultGame.ini and add or update the ProjectName variable.
Engine Features
Gameplay Guide [/Script/EngineSettings.GeneralProjectSettings]

ProjectID=E6468D0243A591234122E38F92DB28F4
Blueprints Visual Scripting ProjectName=MyTestTemplate
Programming Guide
Platform Development 3. Copy Templates\TP_FirstPerson\Config\TemplateDefs.ini to Templates\[ProjectName]\Config\TemplateDefs.ini. You can use any

Samples and Tutorials existing template folder in place of TP_FirstPerson.
Release Notes
4. Open Templates\[ProjectName]\Config\TemplateDefs.ini and update the LocalizedDisplayNames and LocalizedDescriptions
Site Map
variables.
[/Script/GameProjectGeneration.TemplateProjectDefs]
LocalizedDisplayNames=(Language="en",Text="My Test Template")
LocalizedDescriptions=(Language="en",Text="A project including starter content and a first
person character set up in Blueprints.")
5. You may add an icon file in Templates\[ProjectName]\[ProjectName].png
You should now see the new template in the New Project dialog.
To see new templates, you only need to close and open the New Project dialog. However, if you make any changes to an
existing template (for example LocalizedDisplayNames), the change will not appear until you restart the editor.
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Get Started with UE4

Level Designer Quickstart

II. Unreal Editor Manual

Unreal Editor Interface

Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Engine 4 Documentation

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology Get Started with UE4

Blueprints Visual Scripting

Samples and Tutorials

New and Updated Resources

Click image for full view.

Level Designer Quick Start

Level Editor Walkthrough

Level Editor Toolbar

Intro to the UE4 Editor (v4.7)

Level Editor Modes

Actors & Geometry

Introduction to UE4 Level

Artist Quick Start

Assets and Packages

How bright the light is

Lighting Quick Start Guide

Materials & Shading

Essential Material Concepts

Blueprints Visual Scripting

Programming Quick Start

Learn About the Game Framework

3rd Person Power-Up Game

Playtest Your Game

In-Editor Testing (Play & Simulate)

iOS Quick Start

Android Quick Start

Oculus Rift Quick Start

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Level Designer Quick Start Unreal Editor Manual

2 - Navigating the Viewport Level Designer Quick Start

5 - Editing Placed Actors

Unreal Engine 4 Terminology

Unreal Editor Manual

Blueprints Visual Scripting

Samples and Tutorials

New and Updated Resources

How to navigate viewports.

Full Topic Index

TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

Level Designer Quick Start Level Designer Quick Start

2 - Navigating the Viewport 1 - Required Setup

5 - Editing Placed Actors

Gameplay Guide Steps

New and Updated Resources

Previous Step Quick Start Home Next Step

Installing Unreal Engine

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TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

Level Designer Quick Start Level Designer Quick Start

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Unreal Editor Manual

Blueprints Visual Scripting

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