Creating a Custom Animation Graph Node (4.20.3)

Development Programming & Scripting C++
1

Hey guys,

I’ve had the need to create my own animation node for a little project I’m working on. Looking through multiple forum posts, repo’s etc, I’ve finally managed to get my own node working in 4.20.

https://forums.unrealengine.com/deve…de-c-templates – This helped me a lot for the basis, but had to change some things, due to things being depricated. This one still does the same thing, just creates a blank one, consider this a more up-to-date version.

I’m just posting this here if others are struggling with the same thing, as there is a significant lack of documentation with custom animation graph nodes.

NOTE: I’ve only set this up as C++ classes within my project, I haven’t tested this as being a seperate plugin. Feel free to try and leave comments below if it worked/didn

MyAnimNode.h



// Fill out your copyright notice in the Description page of Project Settings.
#pragma once

#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Animation/AnimNodeBase.h"
#include "Hi5AnimNode.generated.h"

USTRUCT(BlueprintType)
struct FHi5AnimNode : public FAnimNode_Base
{
    GENERATED_BODY()
        UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = Links)
        FPoseLink IKinemaPose;

        // FAnimNode_Base interface
        virtual void Initialize_AnyThread(const FAnimationInitializeContext& Context) override;
        virtual void CacheBones_AnyThread(const FAnimationCacheBonesContext& Context) override;
        virtual void Update_AnyThread(const FAnimationUpdateContext& Context) override;
        virtual void Evaluate_AnyThread(FPoseContext& Output) override;
        virtual void GatherDebugData(FNodeDebugData& DebugData) override;
        // End of FAnimNode_Base interface

    FHi5AnimNode();
};

MyAnimNode.cpp



// Fill out your copyright notice in the Description page of Project Settings.

#include "Hi5AnimNode.h"

FHi5AnimNode::FHi5AnimNode()
{
}

void FHi5AnimNode::Initialize_AnyThread(const FAnimationInitializeContext & Context)
{
    IKinemaPose.Initialize(Context);
}

void FHi5AnimNode::CacheBones_AnyThread(const FAnimationCacheBonesContext & Context)
{
    IKinemaPose.CacheBones(Context);
}

void FHi5AnimNode::Update_AnyThread(const FAnimationUpdateContext & Context)
{
    EvaluateGraphExposedInputs.Execute(Context);
    IKinemaPose.Update(Context);
}

void FHi5AnimNode::Evaluate_AnyThread(FPoseContext & Output)
{
    IKinemaPose.Evaluate(Output);
}

void FHi5AnimNode::GatherDebugData(FNodeDebugData & DebugData)
{
    FString DebugLine = DebugData.GetNodeName(this);


    DebugData.AddDebugItem(DebugLine);

    IKinemaPose.GatherDebugData(DebugData);
}

MyAnimGraphNode.h



// Fill out your copyright notice in the Description page of Project Settings.

#pragma once

#include "Hi5AnimNode.h"
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "AnimGraph/Classes/AnimGraphNode_Base.h"
#include "Hi5AnimGraphNode.generated.h"
/**
 *
 */
UCLASS()
class UHi5AnimGraphNode : public UAnimGraphNode_Base
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:

    UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, Category = "Settings")
        FHi5AnimNode Node;

    //~ Begin UEdGraphNode Interface.
    virtual FLinearColor GetNodeTitleColor() const override;
    virtual FText GetTooltipText() const override;
    virtual FText GetNodeTitle(ENodeTitleType::Type TitleType) const override;
    //~ End UEdGraphNode Interface.

    //~ Begin UAnimGraphNode_Base Interface
    virtual FString GetNodeCategory() const override;
    //~ End UAnimGraphNode_Base Interface

    UHi5AnimGraphNode(const FObjectInitializer& ObjectInitializer);
};

MyAnimGraphNode.cpp



// Fill out your copyright notice in the Description page of Project Settings.

#include "Hi5AnimGraphNode.h"
#include "HI5TESTING.h"

#define LOCTEXT_NAMESPACE "A3Nodes"

UHi5AnimGraphNode::UHi5AnimGraphNode(const FObjectInitializer& ObjectInitializer)
    :Super(ObjectInitializer)
{
}

FLinearColor UHi5AnimGraphNode::GetNodeTitleColor() const
{
    return FLinearColor::Green;
}

FText UHi5AnimGraphNode::GetTooltipText() const
{
    return LOCTEXT("Hi5BlendNode", "Hi5BlendNode");
}

FText UHi5AnimGraphNode::GetNodeTitle(ENodeTitleType::Type TitleType) const
{
    return LOCTEXT("Hi5BlendNode", "Hi5BlendNode");
}

FString UHi5AnimGraphNode::GetNodeCategory() const
{
    return TEXT("Hi5BlendNode");
}

#undef LOCTEXT_NAMESPACE

MYPROJECT.Build.cs



// Fill out your copyright notice in the Description page of Project Settings.

using UnrealBuildTool;

public class HI5TESTING : ModuleRules
{
    public HI5TESTING(ReadOnlyTargetRules Target) : base(Target)
    {
        PCHUsage = PCHUsageMode.UseExplicitOrSharedPCHs;

        PublicDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string] { "Core", "CoreUObject", "Engine", "InputCore", "AnimGraph", "AnimGraphRunTime", "BlueprintGraph" });

        PrivateDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string] { "AnimGraph", "AnimGraphRunTime", "BlueprintGraph" });

        // Uncomment if you are using Slate UI
        // PrivateDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string] { "Slate", "SlateCore" });

        // Uncomment if you are using online features
        // PrivateDependencyModuleNames.Add("OnlineSubsystem");

        // To include OnlineSubsystemSteam, add it to the plugins section in your uproject file with the Enabled attribute set to true
    }
}
3 Likes
2

Freaking sweet, I just came upon this problem last week when I saw UE4’s IK was lackluster. Great timing and awesome work! :cool:

3

You safe my life man thank you.

1 Like
4

Would love to see an example of use. Like getting the anim sequence triggering the node and exporting something out of it. Am kind of behind on fully understanding this :slight_smile:

5

Deprecated again, in MyAnimNode.cpp


EvaluateGraphExposedInputs.Execute(Context);

is now


GetEvaluateGraphExposedInputs().Execute(Context);

.