Reasoning: Data tables are in serious need of some love. As most games rely on some type of data, using a data table would seem to be the “go to” without the need of having a standalone database, such as LocalDB or connecting to an online database such as MySQL. By expanding the capabilities of the data table object would help to decrease CPU load time from the need to process the data table object to a struct object during runtime, and would also alleviate the wires. Oh god, the wires.
Create fields and field types without the need for a Struct or CSV template
Read/Write to and from the data table during run-time (boolean value: Allow RW access, default: False)
Row Name should follow standard id fields (01,02,…,99,100,…,10000) and be auto created. Or allow the developer to custom name the fields. (Data Table Settings)
Perpetually Experimental Variable Type Changes
Reasoning: The Unreal Engine is now being used across multiple industries, not just the gaming industry. To accommodate even a wider range of industries, there is a need for a multitude of variable types and formats. The reason that this feature would be in a perpetual state of experimental-ism would be due to the nature of changing or adding variable types (this is a game engine, it is not meant to be controlling the manned mission to Mars by SpaceX!)
As an example, let’s take floats. In the project settings (not engine settings, we want these changes to be project specific), there should be a category named “Float Variables” with a *Note: These changes will allow the developer to create more accurate float variables and will also increase the amount of RAM that each float variable uses) In this category, we should see several radio buttons:
Half Precision (Default)
Single Precision
Double Precision
Quadruple Precision
Octuple Precision
Another way of doing this is would be to add an experimental feature: Allow non-standard variable types. When this is enabled, the developer will be able to create additional variable types “on the fly”. This would probably work better than the above due to having a better handle on resource management.
VR Project Template
Reasoning: Because loves VR.
Implement a headless blue-man. That rides a horse. No, not really, but a “true first person” avatar. The head should be detached from the mesh, invisible to the owner player, and attached to the skeleton. The hands should be similar (for motion controllers).
UMG menu (Perhaps this should be in the content example project?
@mike_fricker
I was going to suggest another stability release that I suggested last year, but I see you guys beat me to the punch! I am happy that there will be a release per quarter that focuses on stability of current features.
Don’t mean to be a buzzkill, but I wouldn’t count on any of those precision changes like ever… Epic has stated a few times in the past that they aren’t investigating support even for ‘Double’ precision accross the engine yet, because it’s such an enormous change and only benefits a tiny percentage of its users. Their time is better spent on things that will benefit larger chunks of the users, like new rendering features etc. Hell implementing dynamic GI is easier than switching engine precision format.
MOST of the time it’s irrelevant anyway. Standard precision is capable of supporting enormous world sizes (6-9 significant bits), it’s the amount of float-point ops you do that causes loss of precision. We got around this in our game by doing all of our movement code in doubles, and switching back to floats at the very last moment. The ‘issues’ presented for large-world games are often very workable, but do take a ltitle extra effort. There are also existing tools for assisting with this as well. IMO, if Kerbal Space Program can work on single precision, then so can 99% of other games.
Personally I can’t think of any situation where Quad or Octuple precision is neccesary, unless you’re trying to simulate the universe or something - and at that point you probably know enough to know you aren’t meant to be using Unreal Engine for that…
As for data tables, it’s important to remember that realistically, they’re just glorified TMaps (with FName keys for fast lookups). They just have some fancier accessor functions and their own editor panel. It’s an alternative to having hard-coded values that are shared amongst lots of items, and makes it a bit easier to tweak values. The name Data Table is possibly a bit misleading, but they’re not designed to replace databases like MySQL or others.
Since MySQL and various other database systems already exist, why reinvent the wheel? It’s quicker (and probably much safer) for the developer to implement an existing, proven library to access a huge database.
There is I believe a new VR Template coming, it was hinted at a little while ago.
If talking about DataTable overhaul, I’d like to see some way to make DataTables defined by DataAsset types. For now this two elements are close in spirit, bot can not be used together.
Easier access to DataAssets is something I’m working on for the 4.16/4.17 time frame actually. You can’t have a DataTable of DataAssets because DataTables are in memory as a single asset with multiple structs, whereas DataAssets are one “row” per file. When I’m done it will be possible to easily get a list of all DataAssets of a certain type, which you can then use to do various operations. I might be able to make a DataTable-like interface for DataAssets as part of that, it’s still in the planning stages.
Generally better access to Data is something I’m interested in, but nothing concrete is planned for DataTables specifically.
Cool, yes that flexibilty will be very usefull. Also do you plan to add export/import to json for DataAssets, or maybe Engine will use text form to store these two assets by defualt.
What else would be cool, Ben, is to be able to select many same type data assets in editor and edit them in table form. If you are making DataTable/DataAsset rewrite maybe you can consider making this feature.
This already works! Select multiple assets in the content browser, right click and go to asset actions, and look for Bulk Edit via Property Matrix. That will give you a table view that lets you easily modify many assets at once.
Text access to DataAssets is definitely on the tracking list, but there are no specific plans yet. I agree it would be very helpful.
Improvements in networking, large world support, server scalability, load balancing, redundancy, client handoff: sharding, zoning, instancing, and cloning - anything
Plain text notes in asset folders. I would like to be able to leave simple text files in projects inside the engine for future reference, regarding decisions and changes in the project with dates etc.
Currently I do this either as a comment (only useful for materials/blueprints) or a text asset directly in the scene, or else a text file where the actual project file is.
Alternatively some kind of simple comment in the window for every asset view.
Здравствуйте. Не знаю куда следовало бы написать об этом, поэтому, пишу сюда. Должно быть, это очень приятно — создавать продукт через инструментарий, в котором абсолютно всё написано на твоём родном языке. Но я родился не в англоговорящей стране и иностранный даётся мне с большим трудом. Честно говоря, ваш «Unreal Engine» воодушевил меня на новую попытку изучать английский. Потому что ваш продукт действительно замечательный и вызывает желание в нём работать. Но боюсь, я так и не изучу английский на должном уровне, и потому работа в вашей программе будет даваться мне очень трудно. А так хочется понимать всё полностью, и заниматься творчество, не отвлекаясь на дополнительные сложности. Очень прошу вас, сделайте локализацию для русских пользователей.
С уважением, Глойнус Алеос.
The translation has been done by my friend.
Hello. I don’t know for whom i can adress these words, to write about it, so I wrote to you. I understand, that its pleasing for you, to create a product using tools where absolutely everything is written in your native language. But I was not born in an English-speaking country and foreign language is a great difficulty for me. Frankly, your «Unreal Engine» has inspired me to try again to learn English. Because your product is really wonderful and now i have a great desire to take part. But I’m afraid I will never learn English at the proper level, and therefore my work in your program will be very difficult for me. I want to understand everything completely, and do the work without being distracted by additional complexity. I will be very glad if you make localization for Russian users.
Sincerely, Gloynus Aleos.
+1 for the RowName to work like a database auto ID. Also currently the RowName is not returned as part of the struct you get back with FindRow in c++. In other words FTableRowBase should have a RowName property and it should be auto populated when a row is found
An option for dynamic shadows actuallization out of frame loop. Like the dragon’s shadow in dark souls, that must run about 5 or 15 fps
This should be “1/2 actualization frecuency, 1/4, sync every frame”
Useful for sandboxes in mobiles but in pc usually shadows are the first option for downgrade. It should help too for 60 fps rate.
Same with reflections like in pc’s Forza with the mirrors at 30 fps while the game runs at 60.
I pressume that could cause frame pacing if simply skip in a frame and run at next frame, so must be partially processed every frame, but i am no programmer.
Sould be even better with distance option like LOD. As example in a MGS style game the near shadows of your character and enemies are important for know about your visibility but far shadows can run at 15 fps
A better “framework” for automated testing that aligned with the workflow developers usually have
Something like JUnit & mockito with less functionality for sure to begin with.
Right now Automation testing is kind of pain, but everybody should be aware of that it can save you a lot of time spending on bugs.
Proper support for other IDE´s (Clion) would be nice to have, but with precompiled headers VS 2017 + resharper is working like a charme right now.
Please, PLEASE, fix mesh decals; they just work on 4.13 (when they were implemented), but somehow wont work on 4.15.
Also, not know if possible, but it would be great if they worked with POM/bump offset or if you could add metallic channel (not only roughness, color and normal).
It’s very important for me, those are a big part of my asset workflow.
