This tool is responsible for procedurally scattering actors/blueprints across any number of vast open world terrains.

The following plugins/features are required.

• Unreal Engine 4.27

• GoofishOptimization plugin

• Enable Experimental feature: “Procedural Foliage” as the tools will respect any ProceduralFoliageBlockingVolumes in order to protect areas of the landscapes from foliage/scattering.

• In order the for ProceduralFoliageBlockingVolumes to be detected via physics queries, ensure they are set to Overlap with WorldDynamic

• Open

  

Custom Spawner

Spawns actors on the landscape ( only )

• Open

  

  Place this actor in the scene, and use it as editor tool, as code would be commented at runtime.

• Set the various properties including desired Maximum Spawn, Slope Angle min-max, whether to align to hit surface and to perform min/max ZOffset ( height ) adjustments.

• Then choose

  • Run Simulation

    • This will scatter the terrain with the desired spawn classes, using the random seed specified, to be able to get the same spawn locations when rerunning.

  • Remove All

    • Remove any instances that this specific spawner created. ( they may have moved to tiled levels, so be sure to load all tiles )

• Inherits from CustomSpawner c++ class.

• Is meant to be used in editor only, by dragging into the scene, and using the functions as described below.

• BoxComponent

  • After placing in the scene, size up to the desired area where scattering should occur.

• SpawnClasses

  • Add actors from the content browser to this list to scatter across the landscape.

• Set desired random Scale min-max, Rotation ( max Pitch, Yaw and Roll )

• Landscape Layers

  • This should match the landscape material layerInfo physical material name by ‘StartsWith’ ( empty to spawn anywhere on landscape )

Vine Draper

Drapes SplineActors ( such as vines ) across actors, spawned by the CustomSpawner.

• This actor is meant to be placed in the scene, and used only in the editor.

• Run Simulation

  • Will scan for any actors, matching the match tag, and attempt to procedurally drape a random spline actor across them, from the center. Can also drape off of a detected edge/drop.

• Remove All

  • Removes all vines created by this spawner. ( ensure to load all tiles, as instances may live in other levels )

• Inherits from VineDraper c++ class.

• Random Seed

  • Ensures splines are draped in the same manner everytime the simulation is run

• Spawn Classes

  • Must inherit from SplineActor custom c++ class.

• Actor Match & Remove Tag

  • Leave these alone, they are used to tag and match/remove spawned instances, as these may live across worlds/tiles.

Spline Actor

This actor is meant to be used with the Vine Draper procedural draper.

• Spline Mesh Class is typically a static mesh that supports wind/vertex animation.

• These are typically made using SpeedTree.

• Inherits from SplineActor c++ class.

• Forward Axis

  • Can change the “stretching” axis of the spline mesh accordingly, usually defaults to Z. ( does not have to )

• Extend and Offset

  • Used to lengthen/shorten the spline mesh segments for better reaching, usually set per mesh, then not touched again.

Custom Spawner

A demo of some of the spawners being used to quickly place terrace actors across grass and snow on the landscape.

Vine Draper

A demo of the vine draper in action on the terrain at scale.