Hi everyone!
I’m trying to define a workflow for importing 3D models from the 3D Software (Blender in this case) to UE5, and I need help with Distance Fields generation.
Everything goes fine when it comes to import props and create its Mesh Distance Field (DF), but eventually I encountered difficulties to generate the proper DF for thin objects in order to allow Lumen working as intended. This has a pretty simple fix, and that is creating a simpler version of the mesh avoiding holes or placing caps to cylindrical thin pieces, and then using the “Distance Field Replacing Mesh” field in the static mesh settings in Unreal.
Well in the image below you can see on the left the main prop that will be placed in the scene, and on the right the replacing mesh.
The thing is that if I try to follow this asset importing pipeline and generate Nanite meshes with the Distance Field Replacing Mesh option enabled, it ignores the indicated mesh and generates the DF according to the original one. As I mention, this only happens while using Nanite meshes.
In the first image below you can see the DF Unreal generates when using Nanite and replacing mesh and in the second one what it outputs when Nanite is disabled.
I would be very grateful if you could give me some indications for a workaround, or maybe keep this into account for future engine updates.
Thank you all in advance!