Borrow some ideas from Houdini Node Graph

General Feedback & Requests
1

As Doctor Ergot pointed out, many of the features i suggest come as part of this plugn: Node Graph Assistant in Code Plugins - UE Marketplace

Also, it is possible to disable sections of node graph by setting the “disable nodes” hotkey in keyboard shortcuts section of preferences.

So for some background. I’m a freelance technical artist, I have used Unreal or a long time, I’ve also recently started using Houdini. I spend a lot of time using Node Graphs during professional work.

I find working in Houdini to be more comfortable, despite my relative lack of experience, because the way the user can interact with their graphs is a much richer, more tactile experience. I find it both faster, and more conducive to reaching a state of flow while working .

Some of the features I attribute this to are:

  1. Alt-click-and drag to cut through wires and break connections
  2. “Auto-connect” nodes that are dropped on wires connecting nodes
    ​3. When a node is deleted, connect the input node to the output node automatically.
    ​​​4. Disconnect nodes by shaking them with mouse
  3. The ability to disable (comment out) sections of nodegraph, without breaking connections. Could be shift-click.

I hope that some of these suggestions will be considered, as I believe they will improve the unreal user experience for everyone who uses blueprints, materials and Niagara.

2

Yeah, would be awesome to transfer some usability from Houdini to Unreal… :slight_smile:

Meanwhile, try this plugin, it removes some pain :slight_smile:

3

been using that plugin since it was released.
Best money spend ever.

4

I’ll definitely be picking this up, thanks! but I hope it’s just a stopgap until these things become first class engine features. Some other things that would be very nice:

  1. Bring able to custom colour nodes, and wires.
  2. Being able to set different node shapes