OVERVIEW
Start your level from scratch or enhance an existing project with the versatile Public Hallway Pack. With advanced materials for ultimate design control, this guide helps you make the most of the settings and offers valuable tips to elevate your project.
Material Parameter Collections (MPCs)
Material Parameter Collections (MPCs) Basics
Simplify your design process by utilizing the Material Parameter Collection. With it, you can easily control wall color, trim color, accent color, damage level, grime level, and trim roughness universally across all props in your scene. No need to open each material instance individually—make changes efficiently through a single menu for swift iteration. Access the Material Parameter Collection by navigating to the 'MATPAR_UniversalControls' within the 'Materials' folder in the 'Hallway Props' root directory from the Content Browser.
Open the Scalar Parameters and Vector Parameters tabs, then expand the numbered tabs beneath them. Adjusting the 'Default Values' here will impact all relevant materials across the entire project. Be cautious not to alter the 'Parameter Name,' as it will disconnect the link to affected materials.
Note: Material Parameter Collections currently don't support clamped values. However, the values are automatically clamped within the materials. Changes outside the 0-5 range in the Material Parameter Collection won't have any effect.
Material Parameter Collection (MPC) Overrides
When you need to customize Material Parameter Collection settings for a specific asset, open the Material Instance of that asset. Locate the toggle related to the setting you want to modify (identified by the 'override' suffix). In the example below, the base color override is applied.
Once the toggle is on, activate the corresponding parameter and adjust its value. This specific material instance parameter will no longer be influenced by the Material Parameter Collection.
Note: If you're using the Material Parameter Collection to tweak values and notice that a particular asset isn't responding to changes, ensure that all 'override' toggles are switched off within the asset's material instance.
Material Parameter Collection (MPC) 'Prop' Pack Integration
If you've added the Public Hallway Props Pack, you can streamline control by using a single Material Parameter Collection for both packs. Follow these steps:
1. Open the MAT_props02 material in the HallwayProps02/Materials folder.
2. In the material graph, locate the Grime/Damage controls section.
3. Select the 'Damage' Collection Param; change the 'Collection' option to the alternative MATPAR_UniversalControls from the drop-down menu.
4. Repeat the same process for the 'Grime' Collection Param.
5. Apply these steps to MAT_props02_bulletinBoard (HallwayProps02/Materials/BulletinBoard) and MAT_Glass (HallwayProps02/Materials/Glass).
Now, both packs will dynamically respond to changes made in MATPAR_UniversalControls, located in the base HallwayProps/Materials folder.
Tips and Tricks
Lightmap Seams
When baking static light in Unreal Engine 4, lightmap seams are a common occurrence, especially on flat surfaces like walls. To address this, three meshes are provided: conduitWire in the 'Geometry' base folder, and pillar01 and verticalMoulding in the 'Structural' subfolder within the 'Geometry' folder. Blend these meshes strategically to conceal noticeable seams resulting from a light bake.
Additionally, wall segments of varying lengths are included. Choose the appropriate lengths to ensure optimal seam placement.
Pre-assembled Blueprints
A set of blueprints marked with the prefix BP_ can be found in the 'Geometry' folder and its 'Structural' subfolder. These blueprints are pre-assembled mesh collections designed for quick asset placement. When dealing with walls, doors, and windows, it's advisable to use these blueprints for efficiency rather than individual mesh assets.
Note: By default, doors placed within blueprints are configured to receive static lighting. This is suitable for stationary doors. However, if you want a door to respond to dynamic lighting during gameplay, open the blueprint actor, select the door mesh in the component tab, and, in earlier versions of Unreal, find the "Light as if Static" toggle in the details tab and uncheck it. In newer versions, locate the Lightmap Type setting in the details tab and switch it to 'default'.
Door Pivots and Door Initial Positions
Door blueprints are pre-configured with accurate pivot points located at the hinge for proper door rotation. If you wish to have a door start in an opened position, follow these steps:
1. In the editor viewport, select the door blueprint.
2. Navigate to the 'Details' tab, where you'll find the blueprint asset tree.
3. Choose the relevant 'doorPivot' component (not the mesh component nested under it).
4. Use the rotate tool to adjust the door's position, and it will rotate around the hinges accordingly.
Blueprint Animations
Certain blueprints, like doors and the light switch, come with built-in player-ready animations. These animations, driven by a straightforward timeline graph, trigger by default when the player hits the 'E' key within the designated collision box. Easily customize this interaction by modifying the event node responsible for triggering the animation.
Forward Rendering Support
To address texture sample limits in forward rendering, replacement materials have been included to overcome this issue. Here's how to apply them:
1. Open 'INST_TerrazzoFlooring01' in the 'Materials/Flooring' folder.
2. Change the parent material (Details Panel > General > Parent) to 'MAT_TerrazzoFlooring01_forwardRender'.
3. Apply the change to 'INST_flooringLevel01_base' in the same way.
4. Apply the same process to 'INST_wall01' and 'INST_wall02' (located in Material/Structural/Wall01) by updating their parent material to MAT_wall01_forwardRender.
Note: This feature is supported in engine versions 4.20 and above.
Custom Bulletin Board Clutter ('Props' Pack only)
To personalize the bulletin board posters, use the provided image file as a template. Copy or create new posters using your preferred image editor (a reference image is placed in the last layer for placement guidance). Save this as your new baseColor texture, preferably in PNG format. Import the image into the project and replace the baseColor texture parameter in Materials/BulletinBoard/INST_bulletinBoardClutter with your updated texture.
Technical Information
Triangle Count by Mesh (Public Hallway Pack)
.
Triangle Count by Mesh (Public Hallway 'Props' Pack)
