blueprint

[split orbit]

@maiden wadi https://youtu.be/0JbgHwU2YY4?t=853

So I was basically trying to recreate/imitate what this person is doing. He seems to pull in a JSIContainer Widget and sets everything from that

Or is that NOT a widget and something else he pulls in...

[grim peak]

Hi all.. I'm new to BP... Does anyone know why its not playing my coin sound? Thanks .

[gentle urchin]

destroy actor, destroy actor

attached to a destroyed actor

Remove the first destroy actor

can you get lenght of the spawned sound?

if so use that to "set lifetime"

and set self to invisible and no collision 🙂

you probably want overlap and not hit aswell.. i'd think

[gritty elm]

you are trying to destroy self actor first. When an object is destroyed, The rest of code may not get executed.

[remote meteor]

always destroy at the end
also do you need your sound to be attached? if not, use spawn sound at location instead

if you attach the sound, the destroying actor will also bring the attached sound down

[maiden wadi]

I'm not normally one to openly flame someone in public so directly, but this person does not understand OOP practices or how to use Unreal classes correctly. First, the tutorial you're following does not follow correct conventions. They're storing everything in a Widget. Which is terrible and not networkable. Even if you're doing a singleplayer game, this route is just simply wrong. They then made another tutorial about networked inventory and made it very easily hackable from the client side. I would not consider this person's tutorials valid in the slightest.

[remote meteor]

oof

[maiden wadi]

Put simply, I'm not at all surprised that you're lost.

[umbral galleon]

How does one remove an input from a Blueprint Interface... I don't see any way to remove it after having added one.

[grim peak]

Thanks,, I removed the first destroy and also put in the spawn at location... any chance of showing it... screengrab/comment?

[remote meteor]

Should be on the interface blueprint itself

[umbral galleon]

That's what I'm in

[remote meteor]

Hmm

[split orbit]

Well that atleast reassures me that I am not the problem in this situation XD

What would you suggest I do from this point forward then.

I would like for it to be "easy" for me to make new "Containers" going forward.

How would I get the Component, to change it size based on what is needed? And then store that within the Container itself.

Cause I need to differentiate the Containers from each other as well...

As it currently stands my "Inventory" is a Container with a set size of 12x5

[remote meteor]

Havent use ue5 yet, anyone else? Usually its just there in ue4's

[umbral galleon]

I found it - if you expand the window over to the right more there is an X you can click to clear

[remote meteor]

Oh..

[umbral galleon]

The window does not handle resizing well

[remote meteor]

🤦‍♂️

[maiden wadi]

I dunno. Basically the issue is is that you need to understand how to correctly work with the data. The data itself should exist on the InventoryComponent. Then that component can exist on multiple things like the character, the chest, shelves, etc. The component itself can transfer data between itself and other components and everything else is just flavor. I do this by having a component on the character, and then having a base class that is an actor with the component on it. Line trace gets the actor, calls an interface message on it. The actor gets the local player character and passes the character's and it's own inventory component through to the HUD, which then spawns or initializes a widget with the two components. Widget allows transfer requests, but all of the code for moving and data is still on the components, widget is just a visual interface.

[split orbit]

I reverted my changes back to a previous version where I did handle all data in the Component

[maiden wadi]

Well, for example. If your grid in that inventory is 12x5. Then put that in the Component. Make an IntPoint variable that has X and Y integers and set it to 12 x 5. Then get that when you send the inventory component into the InventoryWidget, the Widget can get that value from the component and set it's grid up.

[split orbit]

Oh it does

I have it storing and arraying and picking up/dropping items

I just broke it trying to make it "modular"

I just don't know how to handle using this to make another "Container"

[dim robin]

can i move static mesh vertex at runtime somehow?

[maiden wadi]

Materials usually. Vertex Offsets.

[maiden wadi]

Basically your InventoryComponet should be set up to be able to exist on any actor. Like one on the PlayerCharacter, then one on the Chest actor you have.

[split orbit]

Currently, it "can" it just will always be the same size inventory of 12x5

[maiden wadi]

It might be easier to find examples of correct inventory container use with different inventory types like a normal grid or list inventory. Converting it to a spatial inventory style is fairly easy after that.

[maiden wadi]

The inventory component's variable that controls this just needs set to InstanceEditable, and altered on that actor blueprint.

[split orbit]

I've been trying XD

[split orbit]

This correct then?

[maiden wadi]

Should be. You should be able to pull that varaible from the inventory component and use it in the widget.

[split orbit]

Yeah thats what I do to make the Grid Widget

InventoryComponent only sets up the "Inventory Container" right now though

I need to figure out how to make InventoryComponent make just more than one container...

[graceful holly]

how can i write something with this logic? "during this time if colliding with that actor do this"
this is where i am now

[grim peak]

Hi, and thanks form your help. Is that Spawn at Location correct?.. or does it need to be set s else where? **** I got it working moved the Spawn Sound at location...after the destroy... Not sure if its right... but it works 🙂

[trim matrix]

Just get horizontal and vertical then use input.

[zealous fog]

Set a bool to true when its colliding

Set it to false when you stop colliding

Whatever you wanna do, have it check the bool

As soon as bool=false stop the function

Or you can have it running on a timer and then clear the timer

[spice lynx]

Like a sub-inventory container? Like the magic cube in diablo?

[topaz plover]

is there a way to dynamically pick which fields to update in a struct instead of ticking boxes in the editor like this?

[split orbit]

That and more technically

[topaz plover]

i'd love some node like this instead

[spice lynx]

I mean high level speaking, without knowing more context that's pretty simple to do:
You have an inventory management system, that knows these things: InventoryID, Inventory Size ( 12x5 ), InventoryContents

[gentle urchin]

Could make a function for it

[split orbit]

It doesn't know the Inventory ID

It does know the rest of what you said though

Currently there is no ID system, thats what I guess I need to make?

[spice lynx]

As long as your inventory management system is built so you can customize it, you can store items that store a different inventory, and they know which it is by InventoryID, which is how you manage it

[split orbit]

This is what I am trying to do next.

No idea how to do it based on what I currently have

[spice lynx]

It's easy on the data level if you have it setup with an ID and one handler for all, but this can be implemented in different ways, like having a separate BP/Class instance that handles a particular inventory

[topaz plover]

😮 whats the node called?

[odd ember]

I think there's a specific node in BP called SetStructMembers

[topaz plover]

so here's my struct 😄

i cant find anything on/off that node called "set" or "by reference" 😭

ohhh i found "set by-ref var", is that it?

[near wolf]

thanks, ill try to recreate this when im on my pc

[odd ember]

@topaz plover

[topaz plover]

doesn't exist exactly, "set members in struct_name" exists, but that doesn't have dynamic field setting

[odd ember]

it does if you look in the details panel

[remote meteor]

why do you need a dynamic field setting

🤔

[topaz plover]

yeh that's not dynamic though. sorry to clarify, i am recieving a bunch of data from an outside source. it could be {name:"bob", email:"blabla"} OR it could just be {age:27}. I'd like to take whatever input i get and dynamically set it in a struct

[odd ember]

generally structs in BP are meant to be static read only data

[remote meteor]

json?

[odd ember]

so you may be better off doing all of this in either cpp or use a different way of adding dynamic data

[topaz plover]

im making a moddable game with potentially hundreds of small modifiers, i would prefer not to map by hand each field to each member 😄

yeh i might just ditch structs and go with a map datatype instead

[odd ember]

with this level of generics

ditch BP

you'll get better mileage in cpp

[open sedge]

how can i tell a widget to play a sequence in the level?

[odd ember]

you shouldn't

[open sedge]

why?

[odd ember]

because widgets are cosmetic

[open sedge]

i have a main menu when i click a button i want it to switch cameras and zoom in on an object

[odd ember]

the widget should let a controller know that a button has been pressed

[remote meteor]

perhaps using json plugins will be better for your usecase?

[topaz plover]

@odd ember please could you elaborate? are there struct methods that are not exposed via bp or something? otherwise im happy doing dumb loops in BP for now. VS gives me heebiegeebies 😳

[remote meteor]

since your structure itself has to be dynamic?

[odd ember]

structs in BP != structs in cpp

structs in BP are extremely limited

because BP as a whole is extremely limited

[topaz plover]

🤯

[odd ember]

in cpp you have access to generics

as well as struct functions

which give you much more leeway

[topaz plover]

ive never heard the term generics, will google

[topaz plover]

ironically the modding serialised format isnt JSON but i could load it up and parse it into that i guess 😂

lots of cool advice so far, thanks

[odd ember]

basically what you're trying to do isn't really available in BP

[open sedge]

@peak wedge is there a tutorial for this?

[odd ember]

it's too low level

[odd ember]

look up event dispatchers and widgets

[open sedge]

so use a bpi?

to trigger the event in the widget

[odd ember]

did I say BPI?

I said event dispatcher

what I mean was: event dispatcher

[open sedge]

okay you dont have to be a dick

[odd ember]

I'm not

[open sedge]

i assumed that is what a event dispatcher was

im learning still

[odd ember]

that's your assumption

not mine

[open sedge]

okay lmao

[topaz plover]

just to let you know and be disappointed, i am going with a map type full of strings even though input vals arent strings 😂

[odd ember]

up to you

[topaz plover]

one day will get more into C++ for sure

[remote meteor]

technically its okay

🤷‍♂️

[odd ember]

it's your fire to put out later 🙂

[topaz plover]

i know what each field is supposed to be so should be fine 😄

[remote meteor]

not really a fire

[odd ember]

(yet)

[remote meteor]

you just need to know exactly what field you need

and have a default value on site

[topaz plover]

yeh

[remote meteor]

if it doesnt exist

[topaz plover]

i have another awful follow up question

is it possible to add fields dynamically to a map

[remote meteor]

the json type from varest will setle this just nice though

[topaz plover]

because now im regretting saying id do this if i gotta use this UI to add a million fields

[odd ember]

a map can be updated dynamically with a key, value pairing

as long as key and value are consistent

[topaz plover]

oh 🙈 right yeh thats right in front of me, thx

[topaz plover]

yeh thats a great suggestion thanks, i love the plugin generally

[proud portal]

I'm kind new to Unreal, so I don't know if I'm missing something obvious. Every time I spawn an enemy and damage it, only the first instance of the enemy is damageable, and all other enemies that get spawned also take the first enemies damage. Is there something special I need to do to make a separate instance of an enemy?

[gentle urchin]

Show how you do dmg :)

I smell get all actors of class

But my smell is off these days

[topaz plover]

i decided to go with a much denser format though for mod configs, so that people can just comment in chats like this "hey lol try this mod bob's mod, 0,1,20,201,1,0,2,1,,3,4,,,6,3,,0,"

basically one dimensional csv i guess

[remote meteor]

theres this string node call parse into array

with delimiter

technically you can split them into an array

[topaz plover]

that's exactly what im doing thanks @remote meteor 😄

[proud portal]

@gentle urchin I spawn enemies with SpawnAIFromClass. Is there a way around this?

[gentle urchin]

Not really seeing anything that would damage all enemies

:-/

[proud portal]

Wouldn't sphere trace let me deal damage to the specific enemy I want to deal damage to?

[gentle urchin]

With such a small radius yes

Should probably sweep trace but oh well

Can you see the trace sphere?

Is it correctly located?

[proud portal]

I hit the front one but it damages the back two too

[topaz plover]

its a mastapiece 🤩

thx for help peeps

[gentle urchin]

How is the widget set up

Or rather

What happens when you kill it

Does all of them die?

[proud portal]

none of them die

[gentle urchin]

Gotnlogic for death?

[proud portal]

and I have destroy actor when health reaches 0

[gentle urchin]

If not just do a dirty branch and hp <= 0 -> destroy actor

Ah

[dusky harbor]

Hi, Does anybody know what executes nodes on the same time.
Right now i am using "Sequence", but this executes in the order.
I would like to know what i could use if i want the execution at the same time

[gentle urchin]

Cant

Bp cant parralell execute

[dusky harbor]

ok

[gentle urchin]

What wpuld you need that for anyways

[dusky harbor]

just i am using a OnComponentBeginOverlap and when the object overlaps it executes 3 different blueprints with sequence. I am not sure if it is the right way

[gentle urchin]

Whats the issue?

Doing them in sequence is your only option if thats what you need it to do

[gentle urchin]

Sounds like health is not actually depleted then? 😅

[dusky harbor]

just i wanted to know. Thank you 😃

[remote meteor]

technically theres no "at the same time" in computer world ever

🤔

something needs to execute first

[proud portal]

Only the first enemy I drag and drop into the level gets destroyed when health goes to zero

[remote meteor]

unless we are talking about asynchronous, but then, there is no guarantee things will run at the same time

[gentle urchin]

Exactly. Havnt dipped my toes enough in it to know if you can synchronize async stuff like that

Even in theory

[proud portal]

nvm it doesn't

[remote meteor]

i dont think you can control them 🤔 atleast not at unreal's level

[proud portal]

Is there a channel where I can stream to better show my issue?

[gentle urchin]

If i didnt have baby at my hands id watch lol

[proud portal]

Wait, I did a print string and health only goes down for one of the spawned enemies.

I guess it's a widget issue

[gentle urchin]

I would think so too

Print string is your best friend in bp debugging 😄

[proud portal]

So get all actors of class is bad if I'm trying to get a reference?

[gentle urchin]

Depends on the situation

Could be fine

But often there are other methods

In which case did you use it here tho? Or was it just a general question?

[proud portal]

I used it like this to get a ref to my enemy's health

[gentle urchin]

This is the issueee

Getting first ref

And no, you dont

Enemy can have a widget component

And on beginplay create the widget for said component

[proud portal]

Do I make a health var in widget and set the widget's health with my enemy's health in enemy bp?

[gentle urchin]

No,

Make healthvar in enemybp

Create healthbar widget in enemy

Input a referense to the enemy, or create a generic "updatehealth" function in the widget

Depending on which you select you can call the event update from the widget ref in the enemybp every time the enemy takes damage

Or you can bind the widgetsnupdate function to the event any damage

[graceful holly]

The event doesn't get called. Why? it looks like something stupid but ti can't solve it

[proud portal]

I got it. Thanks for helping out Squize.

[gentle urchin]

Np Squaids

[odd ember]

tag team duo

squize and squaids

[lyric urchin]

how would u set a vectors decimal precision? im trying to strip a vector down to hundredths

[remote meteor]

almost there 😆

split them into individual float and go from there i assume

[gentle urchin]

(Vector * 100) -> Floor -> To float -> float x.y.z / 100 -> Make VEctor

[zealous fog]

Multiply it by 100, floor it, then divide it again

[odd ember]

that won't work

float imprecision won't get you correct results

you need ToDecimal or equivalent

[gentle urchin]

depends on the size

but correct, it's not a very viable generic solution for any possible vector

[prime stump]

Hi, is the IsLocallyControlled node and IsLocalController node any different from eachother?

[odd ember]

I would assume so

only one of them points to a controller

[remote meteor]

i remember the things they check is slightly diff but i cant exactly remember IsLocallyControlled's method

IsLocalController only check if there is a LocalPlayer ref and valid in the Controller

[prime stump]

So the player character has the IsLocallyControlled node, but the player controller doesn't, would using HasAuthority be the equivalate to IsLocallyControlled?

[odd ember]

the controller is the local control

[vagrant flicker]

Hey guys. Can I get a little help?

I have 3 separate BP actors.
The first one is the chaos destructible mesh that I've made on actor.

The second one is my player and the third is a rock that I am spawning when my player cast a spell.

Now, since CHAOS destructed meshes cannot fade or despawn over time I need to access the actor and destroy it myself.

So, I am trying to do an event hit in the chaos mesh actor but then If I hit it with anything it will response.. I wanna to link somehow my rock actor (the mesh itself) with the mesh to the chaos actor and if they both collide then destroy the chaos actor.

[odd ember]

like you're trying to equate apples with oranges

[vagrant flicker]

I am experiencing troubles to link the rock actor with the chaos actor and get the information from there

I made a reference to the flying rock actor inside the chaos actor, but cannot find a way to access it

[open sedge]

i figured out how to play a sequence in the widget bp how do i stop one

idk what the target needs to be

i would think it would be get current sequence or something

[gentle urchin]

Yepp

[open sedge]

it doesnt let me do that tho

[gentle urchin]

No

Sequence player

😄

[open sedge]

?

this?

[gentle urchin]

I think you got the wrong stop node

Why stop on initialize btw

[open sedge]

so i have a main menu sequence palying

camera flying around the room

when i open this widget i want it to stop that sequence and play this other one

[raw orbit]

any way to swap keys in a map?

key 1 with key 3 or whatever

[open sedge]

it works perfect to play it

but i cant find out how to stop the previous one playing

[odd ember]

not really, maps aren't the same as arrays

it doesn't make sense to "swap" them

[remote meteor]

you need the reference from you playing the previous one to stop it

[open sedge]

no this is the right stop

thats what i cant figure out

it only gives you limited option

and there is no way to plug in "get sequence"

[remote meteor]

if this is where you play the first sequence

you need to make the returned reference a variable

and you stop it from the stored variable

[wary shadow]

Hi, why the custom event “Training” is not called without the AddToViewport block?

[maiden wadi]

How are you going to click on the button to call that without adding it to the viewport?

[wary shadow]

I’d like to access the variable start training set equal to True before the new level is loaded

[wary shadow]

Sorry, the main menu is added in the viewport before, then depending on the button a new level is loaded

But I cannot call the desired custom event once the new level is loaded

[remote meteor]

hm i dont think widgets can survive a open level doesnt it?

[gentle urchin]

Nah

It dies

[maiden wadi]

Not unless it's a seamless, which OpenLevel is not.

[gentle urchin]

Gameinstance can help you keep a variable set

[remote meteor]

you see the option thing there

[wary shadow]

Maybe the easy solution is to add a new widget once the level is loaded?

[maiden wadi]

When you call OpenLevel, pretty much everything is delete and removed. Then a whole new world with new actors is instantiated.

[remote meteor]

maybe you can use that to pass parameter between open levels

[gentle urchin]

Options is also a way yes

[remote meteor]

or use a game instance

i guess

[maiden wadi]

Personally, I'd just pass it as an Options parameter.

[gentle urchin]

Or even a savegame

Depends on amount imo

[wary shadow]

It’s just simple flag

However thank you all

[gentle urchin]

Is this when we say pass it as a gameplaytag

😂

[remote meteor]

talking about seamless travel

[remote meteor]

how would you do a seamless loading screen in a single player game?

[maiden wadi]

Seamless just means there's a persistent world always loaded. Nothing to do with multiplayer.

If you want a moving widget loading screen, the MoviePlayer is the best option in normal games. Needs a small amount of C++ though. Otherwise you can do the seamless travel add widget to viewport, change map, remove widget.

[remote meteor]

hmm, my current implementation is like have an empty persistent level, and use load level instance to load level i want, then i have a manager(game mode) to settle the loading and unloading of maps

[wary shadow]

Thank you for these advices

[gentle urchin]

Got any good pointers at organizing tags? 😅

[maiden wadi]

Organizing how?

[vagrant flicker]

Still cannot get the info from Rock actor to pass it into the other actor
https://blueprintue.com/blueprint/sav_hbq9/

[maiden wadi]

Also don't forget that you can put a category marker on tags to force it to a specific parent.

[gentle urchin]

How to structure them really. Currently its like
NPC.Occupation.X
NPC.Education.X
Item.Wood.Plank
Item.Wood.Log

Feels very inconsistent?

Or like digging a pit.. 😂

[odd ember]

just FYI since game mode is an actor, it flushes every time you load a new level

[maiden wadi]

https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/API/Runtime/GameplayTags/FGameplayTag/ The Meta specifier here also works in the Blueprint Categories. Makes picking specific properties nice in Datatables, DataAssets, and child blueprints. Just hides all other tags.

As for how to parent them, just depends. What you're doing looks relatively fine. Depends on your requirements.

[gentle urchin]

Ohh. Sweet, thanks !

Had some 'trouble' comparing them also, but guess i wont get around having another tag to check that thr incoming tag is part of the educations list

[maiden wadi]

How do you mean on this? Any GameplayTag comparisons should usually be done with MatchesTag. There's an Exact input on that which will return false if the tag is not a perfect match. If not comparing exact, then any parent can match. For example Parent1.Parent2 Matches tag Parent1.Parent2.ChildTag

[viscid python]

Can I change the the main camera the game is using to a different one while a certain menu widget is opened? Or can I change values of a post processing volume while a menu widget is opened? (What I want is to change the depth of field as long as my menu is open)

[remote meteor]

you can use a background blur instead

i think

[viscid python]

But I want to see my character in the center in the focus 😉

If I do that, the whole screen gets blurred.

I would like to achieve the effect that everything in front of the character is out of focus while this screen is open.

[remote meteor]

hm then you can always get a reference to your camera and change its pp settings there

it will reflect realtime

[viscid python]

A reference to my camera?

[remote meteor]

the camera should be in your character

[gentle urchin]

I need to make the tag to compare it to (e.g NPC.Education)

So only childs of it get accepted

Same with occupation (for the SetOccupation())

[remote meteor]

MatchesTag does that i believe

[gentle urchin]

Also made a custom "getChildest" 😆

Yeah it does

But it requires a second tag to compare to (which obv is fine and expected )

[dim robin]

can anyone help me fixing this splinemesh at runtime? the mesh breaks somehow, and i can't debug it.. I can post the blueprints if needed but basically this is what i do:

• set spline with 2 points at construction, adding the splinemesh component
• at runtime at tick (1 sec) i set location at spline point moving the spline points according to a random int (if > 0 moves spline point index 0, else moves spline point index 1)

[novel rock]

Is there a more efficient way to check if vehicle has flapped over or not with out checking every frame?

[gentle urchin]

Not really

Its movement tho, a rotation check on tick should be fine

[sturdy herald]

U can create another camera, change its settings how u want to be in widget, and call event when u want to blue like at the photo. Dont forget to get ur main camera initial settings before u change (in begin play) to add that back.

[novel rock]

thanks @gentle urchin

[sturdy herald]

this is what u need to change i think

[viscid python]

Oh that sounds good, too! I will try this, thank you 🙂

[charred grove]

hello guys

whenever i draw widget

to deploy a unit

it always spawns there to the left

where theres a warrior looking to the right

i cannot place it anywhere else

this is the bp

[iron bobcat]

Honestly don't know, if this is the right place, but I need my sanity back.
I am in the middle of fixing a few bugs and have to test how far in the code breaks. Unfortunately UE4 insists on stacking these messages up while I do that. Is there a way to (at least temporarily) turn these off or make them time out on their own? (I swear, they used to do that)

[sturdy herald]

U should check the message log

[iron bobcat]

As mentioned in my text. I am bugfixing atm. I am aware of what the message log says, but I am simulating to test behaviours and every time I do that, these messages keep stacking up and I have to close them manually. If I don't do that every time, I end up with something like this.

I also can only fix one issue at a time and it's really irritating to see the other one blocking my outliner.

[icy dragon]

Have you tried shooting the magic bullet? ||a.k.a. restarting||

[languid hemlock]

how do i add a set command?

[iron bobcat]

Eh. I don't really want to restart the engine each time this happens. I am just looking for a way to disable the additional pop up messages so I only have the log.

[trim matrix]

Steam doing so much nitro give away lately

[trim matrix]

You really have to be more specific with your questions

[near wolf]

guys how can I make a rotating wheel come back to it's original position with timer with minus value until relative rotation is zero?

when a button is released*

[random plaza]

how do i have a widget in a scenecapture2d window?

[trim matrix]

How does your rotating wheel work already?

Are you using an event tick that adds rotations each frame? A timeline? Rotating movement componet?

[near wolf]

i added addrelativerotation function

and removed the x90 degree one

now it rotates, but just keeps spinning and doesnt come back

[trim matrix]

Is this rotating wheel an existing class within unreal?

You added something to it, and removed something else?

Sounds like your talking about an existing class that you modified?

Or did you make this rotating wheel class from scratch

[near wolf]

now I need to make it rotate to 90 degrees and make it come back on release button

im trying to figure out how

[trim matrix]

Oh ok

What I would do is use an Interp

Have you ever used an FInterp?

[near wolf]

nope

[trim matrix]

Interp means interpolation

To be honest just go look up a unreal tutorial for FInterps

I’m sure there is one

[near wolf]

but what is it doing

[trim matrix]

It transitions from one number to another

0-90

Each frame it adds a little bit more

Until 0 = 90

More like..

Each frame it adds a little bit more

Until Value = Target

You should really go learn about those. They are very important

[near wolf]

im just watching a tutorial

[trim matrix]

Ok

[near wolf]

but seems a bit confusing how to use this in my case

[trim matrix]

If you are steering right, set Target = 90

If steering left, set Target = -90

If not steering, set Target = 0

Then each frame,

Set SteeringWheelRotation to the Interp value

[near wolf]

so i need 3 Finterps?

for all values?

[trim matrix]

No only 1

All you are changing is the Target value

You can promote Target to a variable

[near wolf]

im a 3d artist, i don't usually deal with blueprints, so that's why im having a hard time lol

[trim matrix]

Make two variables

CurrentInterp (Float)

TargetInterp(Float)

[near wolf]

ok

[trim matrix]

Ok now

Plug TargetInterp into Target

GetTargetInterp -> FInterp Target

Same with CurrentInterp

GetCurrebtInterp -> FInterp Current

[near wolf]

ok

[trim matrix]

Ok

Now

[near wolf]

it actually converts them from boolean to float

if it matters

[trim matrix]

Oh yes

[trim matrix]

You need to make CurrentInterp and TargetInterp float type variables

Not Boolean types

[near wolf]

when I click add new variable

it makes them booleans

I don't see option for floats

[trim matrix]

Oml then change the type…..

F

[languid hemlock]

like uh theres a blueprint simply called set as seen in here #blueprint message and i cant seem to find it as i need it for my project

[trim matrix]

Click on the variable

Then in the Details Panel

You can change a variables type

[near wolf]

oh yes i found it

go on

[trim matrix]

Remember that

It’s blueprint 101

Ok tho

So get those plugged in correctly

Now

We want to get a SetCurrentInterp variable node

you are going to plug the ReturnValue on the FInterpTo node into SetCurrentInterp

[brazen merlin]

that Set node is from the variable in question. You need to make the variable in your BP_Kart class so that when you cast to BP_Kart in your HackerItem class you can access that variable. From the cast, you drag off the return and type "set variable" (whatever the name of the variable is that you put) that get's you the Set node

[trim matrix]

FInterpTo(ReturnValue) -> SetCurrentInterp

[near wolf]

ok

done

[trim matrix]

Make this SetCurrentInterp node run first thing after InputAxisMoveRight

[brazen merlin]

@near wolf @languid hemlock I think you've both jumped the gun with BPs and skipped some of the basics which is causing you more trouble than the task you are trying to achieve

[trim matrix]

Now

This is true lol

[tidal wren]

is bluerint easy?

and

[brazen merlin]

compared to?

[near wolf]

yeah but as I said i don't usually deal with blueprints, it's just that case now

[tidal wren]

other prog. languages

[near wolf]

anyway, done that

what's next

[trim matrix]

For DeltaTime, plug in GetWorldDeltaSeconds

[tidal wren]

for example c# java cpp

[trim matrix]

And for InterpSpeed, you can just hard code in a value of 1.0 for now

[brazen merlin]

its a visual scripting language - you focus on the concepts behind programming, but you are interfacing with visual elements - you are not typing lines of text

[near wolf]

done

[trim matrix]

ok

So this should be all for the FInterp

Go ahead and SS the code for me

I will explain whats happening

[brazen merlin]

BP would be most closely tied to cpp since that is what they're built from, Unreal can do cpp or BP, depending on what you want to do

[trim matrix]

Perfect

InputAxisMoveRight fires each frame

Each frame

[tidal wren]

i know. i just wonder is blueprint complicated?

[trim matrix]

We are updating the value of CurrentInterp

This FInterp node will take the value of CurrentInterp and move it closer to TargetInterp

The InterpSpeed is the speed in which CurrentInterp reaches TargetInterp

[brazen merlin]

it can be because it is the interfacing of the tools. like i said, you are not just typing out syntax, you have to work in an interface and read what is going on in a visual way, not text based way

[near wolf]

hmm

[tidal wren]

ok thanks :)

[trim matrix]

Next, you have to use the CurrentInterp value to set the SteeringWheelRotaion.

[tidal wren]

and i have one more question

[trim matrix]

So what you want todo, is get a SetRelativeRotation for the steering wheel.

And plug CurrentInterp into that

You dont want a AddRelativeRotation like you have, get a SetRelativeRotation.

[near wolf]

like this?

[trim matrix]

yep

Plug up the execution

The next step is to now determine the TargetInterp value.

We can use AxisValue to figure out TargetInterp.

Like I said before.
Steering Right = TargetInterp 90
Steering Left = TargetInterp -90
NotSteering = TargetInterp 0

That will translate into..

AxisValue(1.0) = TargetInterp(90)
AxisValue(-1.0) = TargetInterp(-90)
AxisValue(0) = TargetInterp(0)

The formula to turn AxisValue into TargetInterp is, AxisValue*90

[near wolf]

how do i set this axis value

[trim matrix]

You do not want to set AxisValue

You want to set TargetInterp

TargetInterp = AxisValue*90

like that

[near wolf]

so I just enter the numbers

got a bit confused here

[trim matrix]

one sec

TargetInterp = AxisValue * 90

and make this run BEFORE SetCurrentInterp.

[near wolf]

oh so what I was missing is

[trim matrix]

SetTargetInterp needs to happen first, right after InputAxisMoveRight.

[languid hemlock]

well ye qwq our school never told us to get any experience with unreal i only know godot and unity so then they said at monday to do unreal and i was like frick

[near wolf]

that middle node

[trim matrix]

oml

its multiplication...

just right click anywhere

and type

float*float

Blueprint 101 xD

but its ok

[brazen merlin]

ah thats harsh, those are good engines to know though, i guess just endure and hope that you continue work in one of those engines

[near wolf]

yeah did that

[trim matrix]

ok good

So SS me your code.

Lets make sure everything is correct

but that should be about it

[near wolf]

where do i plug that

set targetinterp

[trim matrix]

In between InputAxisMoveRight and SetCurrrentInterp

[near wolf]

yes

[trim matrix]

ok try that in game

We may need to make some adjustments though.

[near wolf]

yeah, it's working but a bit odd

[trim matrix]

yep

[near wolf]

rotates slow and not really with the tires

[trim matrix]

A couple adjustments you can try are

number 1.

Changing the InterpSpeed

[near wolf]

yeah that's better

[trim matrix]

It will change the speed in which Value reaches Target

The other Adjustment you can make is using FInterpToConstant instead of FInterpTo

So

FInterpTo tries to smoothly transition Value -> Target

[dire frigate]

Is there any way to make a snippet of a blueprint reusable or generic so that I can just reference it in various other blueprints without having to copy and paste over and over?

[near wolf]

I see

[trim matrix]

FInterpConstant

will litteraly add the same amount each frame

so Value -> Target

is constantly increaseing at the same rate each frame

Instead of trying to smoothly incease

[near wolf]

ok let me try

[trim matrix]

Constant looks the exact same

so litteraly just swap it out

see which ones works better for you

[near wolf]

it's not working

with this

and i just plugged in the same way

[trim matrix]

will you SS the code?

[trim matrix]

oh I wonder then

try inceaseing the InterpSpeed to something really high

just try like 1000

or something

[near wolf]

yes it works now

[trim matrix]

ok so Constant just needs a higher InterpSpeed

[near wolf]

can't really figure out the difference lol

[trim matrix]

you may have to play around to figure out exactly what it is

well the difference may not be to noticeable in this situation

In certian situations there is a major difference though.

Anyways that is another way to adjust it, so just play around with those nodes/values

and you can perfect it.

to your liking

[flat coral]

What's the difference between AddRelativeLocation and AddLocalOffset?

[last abyss]

that's what you would use function/macro libraries for

[near wolf]

yeah i will

anyway, thank you very much for the help, i appreciate it

[dire frigate]

will look into this, appreciate it

[near wolf]

i wouldn't have done that alone lol

[trim matrix]

If there is anything to take away, remember that you can change Variable types by clicking the variable and looking at it details

Also remember how to get those mathmatical nodes as well.

I would recommend looking into some gerneal blueprint tutorials as well.

[brazen merlin]

iirc correctly, local offset didnt make it trigger killz? one of them was a little different like that, like maybe overlaps or something. i know they have the checkboxes.............. maybe it was both of them....

[near wolf]

yeah I will

thanks again

[brazen merlin]

youd need to check the code

[flat coral]

WAIT does maybe one use the parent rotation and one use the world rotation?

[brazen merlin]

read above

[winter garnet]

Hey, reading from datatable in runtime is bad? Should I read at game start and store the results in memory?

[trim matrix]

Nothing wrong with reading the data table at runtime

[brazen merlin]

im reading data tables throughout play, but not on tick or anything, just at certain moments, it should be fine

[languid hemlock]

i primarly use godot and sfml for my games but ugh unreal is a bitch like unity was easy even tho the last time i worked with it was 2013

[trim matrix]

It is actualy advised to read things at runtime rather then having them as class defaults.

[winter garnet]

Yeah, nope - I won't be reading from DT through tick

[brazen merlin]

those engines are like a blank canvas so there is not much to learn from the start. Unreal is a fully loaded truck, you need to explore it all and understand what's already in place to know how to work with it

[brazen merlin]

lol good, then you should be fine

[winter garnet]

It's just a small shop with items; the DT itself has not more than 15 rows

[trim matrix]

thats perfectly ok

[winter garnet]

👍 Thanks

[fair magnet]

in my blueprint function library I have a function parameter for an actor.
Can I default that to self? :o

I know I can do in cpp but idk about bp

[trim matrix]

I believe it does if it’s not a pass by reference?

[fair magnet]

I mean... I can make it one... doesn't matter :o

[trim matrix]

I thought you could get self inside of a function library to

Like get a reference to self

[fair magnet]

Yea I just tried that but it's not allowed on static functions

Well I guess it's not possible then :o

[trim matrix]

Maybe not

Not sure

[languid hemlock]

ye i noticed qwq theer arent even really as many tutorials compared top something like sfml or unity or godot

[last abyss]

local offset makes the door move in local space, relative location makes it move relative to it's parent. a good way to visualize it is if you take 2 cubes, rotate both of them 90 degrees and then do the same movement on both the addrelativelocation and addlocaloffset.

[rancid quartz]

Hello, I have a question about blueprint components.

If I'd like to make a custom child of SceneComponent, and give it an icon of any kind that the designer could use to visualize the component similar to the Arrow component, how might I do that?

The only solution I've thought of is using StaticMeshComponent, but is there a better way? Just a little dot would do, anything to show where the component is in the editor.

Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers.

[odd ember]

you can inherit from scenecomponent freely?

[rancid quartz]

Yeah, that's fine.

[odd ember]

oh wait I get it

you want a billboard

[rancid quartz]

Yeah, basically.

But I need to add some custom variables to it and I can't seem to inherit from Billboard.

[odd ember]

then you might need to expose that in cpp

I did that for one of the collision components

[rancid quartz]

I'm working in a pure blueprint project at the moment. 😅

[odd ember]

I don't know what the alternative is then

[rancid quartz]

I see. Well, thanks for your time anyways. It was a valid suggestion.

[hexed glade]

Just ran into a strange problem. I've set a branch to check if my inventory structure contains an item that is picked up and when the 3rd (and only the 3rd) of the item is picked up it counts as false. Any idea what might be happening here?

[trim matrix]

what does your inventory struct look like

contains is looking for an exact match off every property within the structure

[hexed glade]

The items in question is are duplicates using the same inventory structure. They will stack up to the current max of 8, but every 3rd will create a new stack instead of getting added to the current stack.

[odd ember]

not sure how struct equivalence happens in BP defined structs

usually you have to write your own operator for it to function properly

[gentle urchin]

Yeah not sure i'd count on a struct comparator like that ..

[trim matrix]

yes, you need to write your own way of finding the correct value within the inventory array.

[gentle urchin]

This to me looks like something that would fit nicely in a DB or data asset with gameplaytags 😄

but thats out of scope of the question

[odd ember]

you could also write your own Equals or FindStructInArray functions and put them in a function library

[faint pasture]

@hexed glade why does your struct not contain current stack size?

Would a stack of 8 apples be a single struct or 8 of them in your design?

[hexed glade]

Ah, yes. The tutorials I've been using led me to create a slot structure which contains the item structure and the stack quantity.

[flat coral]

I give all my items a GUID for exactly this reason. Then I can just compare that

[faint pasture]

Ok that should be aight. I wouldn't do a direct comparison tho or else apple and apple on cooldown would not be equal

[odd ember]

tutorials 😔

[odd ember]

I thought that said noobium for a second

[faint pasture]

@hexed glade you should find slot by item name or ID

[hexed glade]

Okay. Will give that an attempt. Thanks 🙂

[faint pasture]

Or something else other than a full compare.

[flat coral]

hah I did typo it on the description though now that you mention it

[soft peak]

can i ask smbdy about "LineTraceByChannel"?

[flat coral]

You can ask, but you might not like the answer.

[soft peak]

😄 well ok....

i setup to "shoot" a trace line from center of cam to the world

[faint pasture]

Don't ask to ask, just ask.

[odd ember]

can I ask if I can ask about asking a question?

[soft peak]

now when i test it, it looks like its not quite the center somehow

https://i.gyazo.com/85c5834636e8829abdc9cb614a9edabe.mp4

[runic parrot]

• Can't resolve reference to self

[faint pasture]

Shrooms will do that.

[soft peak]

in the vid i shoot the upper left and right corner of the cube, but when i move you clearly see its not the postion where i aimed

[odd ember]

well your setup seems mostly correct, but we don't know where that camera variable is from

[maiden wadi]

Welcome to programming. You're about to find out that the thing you think is the problem is correct and the thing you haven't considered is the problem. 😄

[soft peak]

xD

[dusk dust]

is there a way to get the number of sections from an instanced static mesh/get the vertice and triangle arrays?

[maiden wadi]

To be less useless. Your trace and camera are fine. Your reticle is fucked.

[odd ember]

looking at the video the second shot seems correct

[maiden wadi]

Default template reticle isn't centered on screen. It's a little lower.

[faint pasture]

Specifically it's top left corner is centered on screen. They didn't account for the width of the texture

[flat coral]

Is there an equivalent to FInterpTo which moves with a constant speed, instead of relative to remaining distance? I know there's Lerp but that would require saving a bunch of context variables that FInterpTo doesn't.

[maiden wadi]

InterpToConstant

[last abyss]

how can I re-order map type elements?

[soft peak]

i used the default hud crosshair:

[odd ember]

you can't... it doesn't make sense to reorder them because they aren't actually ordered

[faint pasture]

@soft peak yes and you didn't account for the width of the crosshair texture

[soft peak]

ohhh....

[faint pasture]

The top left corner of that crosshair texture is centered on screen. Not the middle of it

[soft peak]

now i get what you mean 😄

[last abyss]

damn :/ that sucks.. I'm betting there's no way outside of c++ to make it fill the entire map with all available keys? (I'm using an enum key and float value)

[odd ember]

you can use foreach enum

on something like beginplay

[frank nest]

Guys I am having a brain fart... What node makes all vectors or floats positive? like if z was -120 how do I make it 120? If i multiply everything by -1 then it will turn positive to negative

[gentle urchin]

Abs

[last abyss]

yeah but this is for a data asset ):

[odd ember]

if it's static data then... keep it in a table and just grab it from the table?

[maiden wadi]

@soft peak
If screen is 1920 wide. Half of that is 960. +16 width is 976.
If screen is 1080 high, Half of that is 540. +16 height is 556.
Crosshair is drawing from 960 to 976 wide and 540 to 556 tall.
It should be drawing from 960-(16/2) to that +16 width and 540-(16/2) to that +16 height

[sonic crescent]

Hi there, i put my Vfx message here too, because it may be blueprint related:
#visual-fx message

[last abyss]

sorry, it's not in game it would be for editor I get OCD when I see this ordering

[frank nest]

Thank you haha

[soft peak]

@maiden wadi oh wow thanks alot! i will have to reread it a couple of times until i get it xD

[odd ember]

yeah sorry I can't really help you with that. a map doesn't actually contain an order. all the elements are just paired up in a free floating soup

that's why you need a key to access the value

[last abyss]

thanks anyways, I think I'll just dip my toes in c++ and attempt to get it how I want it

[odd ember]

good luck. the people over at #cpp are very friendly

[maiden wadi]

Haha. Yeah. No.

[odd ember]

well it depends

if you know dragonHell or have 32gb data tables or try to inherit from ALandscape you're fresh outta luck

[maiden wadi]

Wait. 32gb Datatables? The fuck?

Sounds like a prime candidate for a job at Studio Wildcard. 😄

[odd ember]

the #cpp lore is deep

[lime fulcrum]

Hi!
Anyone had the issue where holding "SHIFT" as a key, can't use another key like "F" to interact

[maiden wadi]

In PIE or Standalone?

[lime fulcrum]

PIE

is it a shortcur for something?

[maiden wadi]

Editor hotkeys are overriding your game's. Editor's slate takes precedence.

[lime fulcrum]

I imagined 😄

what is SHIFT + F for? 🧐

Find...

wait, no 😄

[soft peak]

@maiden wadi thanks a ton!
i ended up making a variable for the width/height of that crosshair and adjusted the blueprint, works perfect now

[flat coral]

FYI press Q when selecting nodes to straighten any lines between them

Or maybe that's just something I'm personally neurotic about?

[maiden wadi]

That would ruin half of my blueprints. 😄

[crisp lance]

There are so many different places where you can put a Day/Night cycle logic, it's hard to get a definitive answer on where is the best one to do it elegantly (and MP compatible). Every tutorial has a different take on this.

[soft peak]

like when hovering over the lines pressing Q?

[flat coral]

I only straighten lines that are already close to straight

[flat coral]

Nah, if the line you wanna straigten is between Node A and Node B, select both nodes and press Q

[maiden wadi]

GameState. All you need is a float. Everything else can be seeded from a replicated float.

Okay. Maybe like DateTime or something. But either way. You can replicate something as simple as that and run everything else on it.

[flat coral]

Also depends if you want current time of day to be in save games

[crisp lance]

I do.

[gentle urchin]

GameState sounds very reasonable for something like TOD yes

[odd ember]

I do this all the time, but recently the screwed up this functionality

[crisp lance]

Interesting, so the replicated float/DateTime in the GameState. Good. Should the logic that uses that value to rotate the light source and update the sun position also be there?

[maiden wadi]

That can just be an actor in the world. GameState has a global getter, so it's easy to get from anywhere. No need to make GameState directly responsible.

This also allows you to have other managers. Weather, Sunlight, Seasons, etc. You can split it up all you like and all you need to do is GetGameState to access the value they need to seed themselves.

[gentle urchin]

Is there a method for checking for child tag? I only want to accept tags that are children of a given parent gameplaytag

if (InEducation.MatchesTag(EducationTags) && !InEducation.MatchesTagExact(EducationTags))
``` Or is this the way

[maiden wadi]

If you want to know if it's an education child tag, but not the exact education tag parent, then yeah, that'd be the way to go.

[gentle urchin]

Yeah i dont want to mistakenly accept the parent tag since its not a valid education

[willow cedar]

Is using Actor Components and Interfaces combined a good idea?

[maiden wadi]

Not sure of the correlation required for the two?

[willow cedar]

Like a Actor Component gets added to a Player, and an Interface from another actor can send events to the Actor Component?

[maiden wadi]

But why? Why not just call FindComponent on the actor and use it directly? Why do you need an interface?

[willow cedar]

That's why I'm asking

I don't know of other methods yet

[maiden wadi]

I've rarely found a valid use for interfaces. They're terrible disgusting things that people use way too liberally and pretty much never for the right reason.

[willow cedar]

Isn't it better than Casting though?

[maiden wadi]

NO I KEE U

[willow cedar]

?

Yeah, that's what I'm avoiding

[lime fulcrum]

I use interfaces a lot and it's so flexible

[maiden wadi]

The shortest answer is that if someone has told you that casting is bad, they do not in the slightest understand how Unreal handles default object instantiation and memory management, and they need their Youtube or Reddit rights revoked.

[willow cedar]

Nobody told me casting was bad. For my purpose, Interfaces would be better than a hard reference to something.

[soft peak]

is there a key i can press while adjusting values for a slider to "slow down" the speed of a slider?

(gif creating...)

https://i.gyazo.com/dea456c95543a2874b89f94d5d702028.gif

[maiden wadi]

But why? The only hard reference is to an Actor Component, which shouldn't have a large memory footprint. So the hard reference to it has no actual cost.

[sturdy herald]

i think the best is to cast to use "get player charachter", connect it to Cast to ThirdPersonCharachter (or the character u use) and u can get components from the blue output of the Cast

[odd ember]

generally people overuse interfaces

[willow cedar]

People swap between different characters though, I want the same functionality for those other characters

[sturdy herald]

i dont think so, but u can write any number

[lime fulcrum]

@willow cedar I usually use Casting for a few things in the level, like my custom gamemode stuff. Not something I keep casting all the time. I usually save the reference of such class to something I can always access, either game state or game mode

[willow cedar]

What about Dynamically Added Components?

[odd ember]

you can still cast and save them

[maiden wadi]

@lime fulcrum Saving the reference is usually pointless upkeep unless you're using the pointer in a heavy tick function. Casting itself has nearly no cost, it's just converting a pointer type. In fact, you could remove that cast from your blueprint and just keep the blank reference there and you're still doing the same harm to your memory footprint that a cast does.

[odd ember]

like rarely do you actually ever need to use interfaces

[lime fulcrum]

I understand, but I only cast the player class once on a function I called "GetPlayer"

[willow cedar]

What about if you want to call an event from another BP

[odd ember]

it makes sense if you want to save having to recast it every time. I have a precast version of GetGameMode in a function library so I don't have to cast it whenever I need it

[willow cedar]

Event Dispatchers are a bit tedious to setup imo, unless there is another way

[cerulean fog]

Is it possible to figure out how strong a GPU and CPU are so you can set a games Automatic Graphic Settings?

[odd ember]

static dispatchers can be done more easily than dynamic dispatchers

[maiden wadi]

Definitely in this case, but I mean saving a GameMode pointer in every single class you use it in and setting it on beginplay. It's pointless upkeep and wasted effort when you can just do like you did and call the static where you need it.

[odd ember]

oh yeah sure, genericize it

don't make 10 functions do what 1 can do

[willow cedar]

What would be a Static Dispatcher/Dynamic dispatcher

[odd ember]

dynamic dispatcher is the one you usually have to manually Bind

but let's say you have a setup of an actor with a component that does not change during the game, and the component has a dispatcher. you can right click the component and go to Add Event and find your dispatcher, which then covers all the bindings behind the scenes

but this only works for components where they start on the actor

[willow cedar]

I'm trying to figure stuff out for components that can be added and removed in game

[odd ember]

then you need dynamic dispatchers

[willow cedar]

I was thinking of using an BPI to do that instead. Which I have no clue if it would work, or be a good idea

[odd ember]

it wouldn't, no

[maiden wadi]

Dispatchers and Interfaces do not do the same thing.

[willow cedar]

But can't you interface call and set off an event that way?

Or is that bad?

[sturdy herald]

Are adding component with this node?

[willow cedar]

This

[odd ember]

it's not good practice to do it because you end up with circular references. communication in general flows one way, not two ways

an event dispatcher "listens" for certain things to happen and acts accordingly

[willow cedar]

Hm. I want to put my Movement System onto an Actor Component, but all the inputs need to get passed along because it will be dynamic if a player can have it or not.

It's an extension of movement, not base movement. Kind of like flying.

[odd ember]

sounds like #cpp territory

[willow cedar]

I can only use Blueprint though because I'm not knowledgeable in cpp.

[odd ember]

well then consider that you may be overscoping for your ability

try and see if you can repurpose the character movement component

[willow cedar]

It's nothing I don't already have created and working on one Character BP right now

What I want to do is take it off the Character BP, and put it into a component. It doesn't use Character Movement at all. It's all add force stuff.

The idea is that I want to easily reuse the code and put it on other things instead of re-writting the code. so I figured the Actor Component allows me to dynamically add it to other types of BPs. I just need to figure out an interaction method.

Would there be a way to check for Actor Component, and then change Variables on an Actor component?

It's an overlap event from a different BP

[flat coral]

I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish but it kinda sounds like you're overcomplicating it?

Like is this "getting into a mech"? "Putting on a jetpack"? "Deploy parachute"? I wouldn't hesitate to do any of those with blueprints myself honestly

[willow cedar]

Yes, basically

I think this is kind of what I'm trying to do

But I need to find if Overlapping Actor has a component, and if they do, change a value of the component.

Would this be how to do it?

[odd ember]

why would you want it dynamically added?

[willow cedar]

Because its a pickup item

[odd ember]

why not just enable or disable it?

sounds like you're overthinking this

[willow cedar]

Like start the component on the actor and turn it on and off?

[odd ember]

yes

[willow cedar]

Because its not something always used. Could also be completely non existent in certain gamemodes

[maiden wadi]

I do that with custom UObjects added to an array in an actor component that acts as an abilities manager. But adding an actor component on the fly can be fine.

[willow cedar]

Yeah, same kind of idea as what I'm doing.

[odd ember]

if you really want to add it dynamically, you also have to specify behaviors dynamically

including event dispatchers

[desert juniper]

haven't read through the whole convo, but I'm using a global one i found on the marketplace that I quite like.
There's also a free one on github that looks interesting

[odd ember]

these are default types available in the engine

[willow cedar]

I'm curious what you're talking about.

[desert juniper]

I built something like it in unity and it worked so well to decouple my code

much harder to do it yourself in unreal

[odd ember]

do what?

[desert juniper]

Here's the one i found on github
https://github.com/getnamo/global-event-system-ue4

[willow cedar]

What I have in place is an overlapped actor gives the player a component on the server for multiplayer, and it works fine.

[desert juniper]

To create a global event system in unreal/c++

yeah, I don't think I'd use anything complicated for that

you already have the actor you're interacting with, so why complicate it. cast to your actor or interface

[maiden wadi]

That is a lot of strings. So many strings. :/

All of the designer typos. The fire burns.

[desert juniper]

Yeah, that's why I didn't go with that one.
I'd rather have a 'type safe(?)' system
the one I'm using uses data assets for the events themselves, and an object for the payload

[maiden wadi]

O.o It uses data assets for events? Like Dispatchers, or?

[desert juniper]

though I've tried to implement it in cpp and having trouble since some of the classes aren't exposed.
reeeeallly don't want to make my own system.

[desert juniper]

I don't know how it functions under the hood, but from what I can see, the DataAsset functions as a event type.
The listeners bind to the data asset event type

it has the ability to instead pass a string as the event type, but the other is to use data assets

(there's a parent DA class that these are a child of)

[maiden wadi]

That is really odd. DataAssets aren't usually instantiated objects. They just exist as static data. Personally, I would really rather just make some form of GameState ActorComponent.

[languid hemlock]

i got an issue theres no X Y or Z button in the blueprints :(

[maiden wadi]

Not following?

[topaz badger]

you need to use the actors forward vector as your x, y, z and use the movement input as your scale

maybe i misunderstood your question, let me know if that helps

is there a way to switch on class? this is an example outlining items off of a linetrace but i feel like its such a terrible way to do it. (this is just an example with two "items" but I will be using a lot more than two items, so casting like this will become a big issue, i think?)

Ignore the blatant bp error ;)

[earnest tangle]

You could probably use an interface

have the interface include a function which returns the mesh that needs to be assigned into the variable

[soft peak]

dumb question but:
when i have 2 Locations, "A" and "B"
how can i get the rotation value for "A" so it will rotate towards "B"?
(i hope that makes any sense at all)

[topaz badger]

ah i feel dumb now, thank you!

[maiden wadi]

(TargetLocation - StartLocation).Normalize > VectorToRotator.
AKA FindLookAtRotationFunction

Or wait. My bad, read too fast.

I think.. Is that what you were after?

[soft peak]

i think it is that yeah, thanks i will give it a try

[sturdy herald]

hello. How can my actor draw a line in world with movement?

[faint pasture]

Wouldn't dispatchers on a global object do that?

[soft peak]

@maiden wadi yes, FindLookAtRotationFunction was the key word here, thanks so much

[viscid python]

I have a menu widget that highlights when I move the mouse cursor over an element. How can I make a "copy" of that menu that "inherits" that highlight, so that when I show both menus ingame, both selected menu items will be highlighted?

[versed sun]

i would say and event dispatcher in the element and any widgets that you want to highlight will listen for it

[willow cedar]

So, you can't use Inputs/Keyboard Events in Actor Components. So what would be the best way to allow yourself to.

[viscid python]

Sounds good, thanks for the advice, I'll see if I will get it to work 😉

[viscid python]

Can you point me to a site or tutorial to learn more about "event dispatchers"?

[tawdry surge]

Have the input event call a custom event inside the component

[willow cedar]

Is there a way to get components to send events to eachother?

[versed sun]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEcoWGrF1Hg&ab_channel=MathewWadstein

my first stop when learning anything in blueprints is Mathew Wadstein

[faint pasture]

You mean call events on each other? Sure, ez

[willow cedar]

Eachother

[willow cedar]

Yeah

[faint pasture]

Just get a ref to the other component and call the event. What's the problem?

[willow cedar]

Sweet, that'll do.

[faint pasture]

#animation

[thorny lily]

sorry and thanks 😅

[desert juniper]

yeah I'm probably not explaining it right. I doubt they're instantiated, more of so to type check the DA class. event identifiers

[desert juniper]

I did think about that, but it just takes away from trying to decouple. every level has to have that replicated global object, and you have to find it on each object you want to dispatch, as well as looking for that object each time you want to register a listener
That's what I like about a global/static system instead. completely decoupled.

[faint pasture]

World subsystem

[desert juniper]

haven't yet learned of that

[faint pasture]

Look into it. They are incredible.

[desert juniper]

thanks! looking into it now

[faint pasture]

It's basically an object that has a managed lifetime and is globally getable

So you would just get the global message bus subsystem or whatever you call it and call some register function

[timber otter]

hi all, is it possible to edit splines in runtime? any tips? i want to make a wall that is deformable by the player using a pre-defined set of spline points. imagine a boundary they can reshape in the game. can't seem to find any solution... i know landscape splines cannot be edited at runtime, but normal ones..?

[dire frigate]

I'm building out a sample interaction prompt/dialogue box system in this sample project.
Can I share how my bp looks for this and get some input on if I've done it in a decent way?

[umbral ginkgo]

How would you call an event for as long as the player is in a collider if that makes any sense?

[icy dragon]

Gate control with OnBeginOverlap and OnEndOverlap.

[versed sun]

would you call it on tick or call once when you enter and again when you leave ?

[umbral ginkgo]

On tick

[versed sun]

then i would make a Timer by Function Name, Pause it, and unpause when you enter the area , and pause when you leave

[umbral ginkgo]

Thank you so much!

[maiden wadi]

You really need to be careful with timers like this. Do be aware that this is going to be called 100 times per second regardless of your framerate. Not the greatest design

[icy dragon]

Or use Gate control I pointed out earlier.

[umbral ginkgo]

I think gate control makes more sense to me in this use case

[icy dragon]

Some might consider this evil hack, but this doesn't resort to heresy overcoming with timers.

Now to think about it, how many people actually abuse Timers just because "Event Tick is bad no matter what" stigma? 🤔

[maiden wadi]

Way too many.

[icy dragon]

Oh, the ironic misinformation on Event Tick spreading around

"Don't use Event Tick at all cost! Use looping Timers with 1/1000 second duration instead!"

[maiden wadi]

Yeah. Which if you know how timers works translates directly to "Don't do this overbearing function 60-120 times a second, do it 1,000 times a second!" 😄

I vaguely understand the tick issue. Designers are bad at programming. Much easier just to check things on tick, cause it works. But an actual programmer should know better.

When you're working in a team of 20+ people messing with tick in objects that don't need it, I can see it being a problem, but in a personal project? Nah.

[flat coral]

People hear that tick is often overused, and it is. But among people who have heard that, it's often underused too

A big part of programming, in any sense, is recognizing when the thing you're trying to build is pretty similar to a thing that exists

[maiden wadi]

Some people would lose their minds if they saw some of my UserWidget tick functions. 😄 But I'm wholly aware that those widgets remain on screen for about 2-20 seconds and not during complex gameplay. I have a few progressbars that tick constantly, never stop, on screen all game long. But they move often. The few seconds they don't move isn't worth bothering with the complexity of messing with UMG animations when the tick works beautifully and never breaks. It's constantly in use and lightweight math. Like, we have tick functions at work that are super branchy and complex. AI ticks. Every time you add an animated character, it ticks. The engine ticks to see if it should split the viewport for a second local player. The engine literally runs on tick.

[flat coral]

Tick function I have on an automated turret that attacks the player. This thing is HUGE, it's got multiple branches and some of those functions are massive and contain nested functions in themselves.

But like, this is a living, dynamic thing. It's going to need to do a fair bit of thinking all the time just to function, even if all it's doing is "point and shoot"

And also? I can set that IsAlive to false and suddenly this thing does not exist as far as optimization is concerned.

[willow cedar]

Is there a way to get Character Movement inside an Actor Component without using Casting?

[flat coral]

What's wrong with using casting?

[willow cedar]

I want to be able to get Character Movement from other Blueprints

Not just one type of character

[flat coral]

But like, it has to be a Character to have Character Movement right?

[maiden wadi]

You don't have to cast to the other types. You can cast anything that inherits from Character to Character.

[faint pasture]

I have a full tire friction model and drivetrain on tick doing gobs of math. Runs in like 1ms in BP. Tick is fine when used for things it has to be used for.

[flat coral]

Math is fast, computers are great at math.

[willow cedar]

But what if I have two characters that are different Blueprints that both have a Character Movement

[maiden wadi]

They're still characters. Cast to Character.

[flat coral]

This is a good time to say I dont know what you're referring to by Character Movement. Is that a variable? Function?

[flat coral]

What he said

[willow cedar]

I didn't know you could cast to just character

I thought it had to be a specific Blueprint

That fixes my issue

[maiden wadi]

This is what I was saying about base classes earlier.

You do the important logic or at least the calls in a base class. Then you make other classes inherit from it. And now you can interact with every one of those other classes by casting to the base class.

In this case, Character is your base class, since it's the first in the line of inheritance that has the CharacterMovementComponent. So you can freely cast to Character to get it, if the cast fails, it won't have that component anyhow.

[willow cedar]

This makes a lot more sense than what I've understood. What type of calls would you make in the base class?

And how would you make a class inherit from it too?

I think I've been trying to do this, but with components

[maiden wadi]

That is an extremely complex question that has to be semi tailored to the program it needs to fit in. But in short, anything you can. It's okay to have multiple inheritances of base classes as well.

[trim matrix]

Hi, does someone know how to separate the camera rotation from the mesh rotation ? i'm using this setting from CMC so my character move to the rotation when its reached, the problem i got is i don't want my character mesh to move with the camera until it needs to with the rotation rate, smth like fortnite does (and no it's not attached to the camera.)

[umbral ginkgo]

This worked the first time I tried it but now it doesn't. Any idea why?

[umbral ginkgo]

What you have rn looks a lot like fortnite

[trim matrix]

what ?

it doesn't, fortnite mesh don't move with the camera

[umbral ginkgo]

Ohh you mean the lower body

[trim matrix]

nooo

i'll try to show u

i'm starting the game

[umbral ginkgo]

Oh I see now

[trim matrix]

that's like bUseControllerDesiredRotation and bOrientRotationToMovement combined

[chilly geyser]

How do I prevent a spring arm from getting twisted? (I.E. spring arm is only inheriting the yaw, but it gets twisted sometimes)
{camera component}

[maiden wadi]

A good example might be Affects. I have a status affect system that basically boils down to an ActorComponent that instantiates Objects and holds them in an array. These Objects are the Affects on that actor component and affect that component's owner actor. I have a base class that the actor component interacts with. Say UMyAffectsBase. MyAffectsBase has a bool on it that says whether it is instant. And child class can change this. If it is instant, the component just calls an event on MyAffectsBase called StartAffect. Instant abilities use this to do things immediately and are discarded. But I have a subclass that I use for ticking affects, I toggle the bool here so that anything inheriting from this new UMyTickingAffectsClass can tick. The tick is ran from the actor component, it places this object in an array of objects and iterates through them in it's own tick and calls TickAffect in UMyAffectsBase that UMyTickingAffectsClass overrides and uses. Subclasses of UMyTickingAffectsClass can override that from UMyTickingAffectsClass and do things. So like.. UAbilityDamageOvertime inherits from UMyTickingAffectsClass and will tick and deal a damage type to the owner actor of the component. It gets that damage type from a datatable via a GameplayTag that is specified on UMyAffectsBase and set on instantiation from a function call. Meanwhile the entire time, my ActorComponent which instantiates all of these, calls starting functions on them and ticks them doesn't use a single pointer type other than UMyAffectsBase. It has no idea that UMyTickingAffectsClass or UAffectsDamageOvertime exist.

[trim matrix]

definitely not

I know all their camera logic is on PCM, they have nothing like spring arm comp

it's all on the pcm

just wondering if THIS thing i showed is smth custom or can be achieved with what CMC/PCM provides

and also this is only effective when idle, if moving and rotating that's acting like UseControllerRotationYaw is enabled (so mesh following the rotation)

[willow cedar]

I am doing a bit of research on Child/Parent stuff. I wish I understood enough Unreal to get what a lot of what you said to me. I'll save it so maybe I'll understand down the line. Thank you for taking a bunch of time to help though.

[pallid axle]

how do you get a variable from another blueprint

[trim matrix]

@worthy frost sry for the ping, but i saw you achieved smth like that, can u maybe help me pls ? 😄

[worthy frost]

turn in place?

[grim heath]

Hi:) I'm new to UE and trying to implement a hint system with SFX. The sounds should play a certain amount of time after the player finds an object. For example, the player finds an book in a safe, if the player doesn't do what he's supposed to within 5 minutes, he should hear "Try reading the book you found in the safe". I don't understand how to do this or where where in the BPs I should add the sound... Any solutions? I'm a total beginner, so please explain as if I'm the most stupid person on the planet

[trim matrix]

yeah

[trim matrix]

smth like that

[chilly geyser]

the game doesnt know that the spring arm is twisted. it still thinks its right

[trim matrix]

yeah that might be that idk lol

Fortnite doesn't have spring arm at all

so that might be why..

[chilly geyser]

what alternatives can i use?

so that camera only inherits yaw

[trim matrix]

what ??

oh i thought u was answering me lol x)

[trim matrix]

what's your issue ?

[chilly geyser]

spring arms yaw is getting twisted

[trim matrix]

send code or/and video ?

[chilly geyser]

and the game thinks its still right

it works on some of them, but some it gets twisted like that

[worthy frost]

@trim matrix the capsule always rotates, camera always follows the capsule rotation (so pawn forward is always forward). Then you counter rotate the root bone in the animinstance, with the yaw offset, when you hit the limits, you interp the root bone back to 0, and use AimOffset to handle the upper body rotating

[chilly geyser]

so use a capsule component instead of spring arm?

[worthy frost]

?

[chilly geyser]

whops wrong person,

[trim matrix]

what about the mesh ?

so it don't rotate at all

[worthy frost]

i mentioned that

you counter rotate the root bone

in the anim instance

[pallid axle]

how the f do you access a variable from another blueprint

[trim matrix]

alright, thx 😄

[worthy frost]

do you understand or need more help?

[faint pasture]

Are you basically remaking GAS or what?

[trim matrix]

well i don't get the anim instance things but i'll try

[faint pasture]

From Actor A, get a reference to Actor B, cast that reference to the class that holds the variable you need to get (if necessary), then get the variable.

[trim matrix]

Oh, there is everything i needed there https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/tech-blog/animation-blueprint-setup-walkthrough-stream-recap?sessionInvalidated=true

link it in case anyone want it

[worthy frost]

not a fan of that

but it will work

[trim matrix]

nice

[faint pasture]

@trim matrixStart by visualizing the yaws that are in play. For turn in place you'll have at least 2 yaws to keep track of.

[worthy frost]

thats not TIP though

[trim matrix]

well in the thing i linked they keep the mesh attached to the capsule.

there is just different ways

[faint pasture]

Doesn't need to be detached from anything, there just has to be a yaw offset somewhere in the rotation chain from capsule to feet/head

[worthy frost]

http://thegames.dev/snaps/UnrealEditor-Win64-DebugGame_WEhlrm7Q1v.png

http://thegames.dev/snaps/UnrealEditor-Win64-DebugGame_6ikUK0zz5D.png

[trim matrix]

And RootYawOffsetInverse ? 🤔

[worthy frost]

http://thegames.dev/snaps/UnrealEditor-Win64-DebugGame_YMebEFdGv9.png

[faint pasture]

Start by having 2 static meshes pointing in the facing and foot directions and get the mechanics right regarding them. Then just make the anim BP translate that state into its pose.

[worthy frost]

http://thegames.dev/snaps/UnrealEditor-Win64-DebugGame_BX6GHxfqdH.png

http://thegames.dev/snaps/UnrealEditor-Win64-DebugGame_EKwO5yzv3f.png

when you hit the limit (how ever you define that)

you just need to interp the RootYawOffset back to 0

http://thegames.dev/snaps/UnrealEditor-Win64-DebugGame_rbqrSeuker.png is an example, but 🤷

[trim matrix]

and when those 2 functions enters in action ?

[worthy frost]

http://thegames.dev/snaps/HPZb1uIY8i.mp4 result here

[trim matrix]

and when running ?