Community Guide - Make a creative prop from a static mesh

[Fresnella]

Thanks for this, @Cardin ! Tested it and it works for me. It’s very different from another working method I was using, which used to be in the UEFN docs. Actually yours is better because it’s simpler. Where did you find the instructions you used? I wish Epic would standardize these and publish them in the docs . I requested it in Feedback if anyone wants to upvote.

I understand Epic’s stated reasoning (Blueprints won’t be in Public Beta). However, in a creator community, when there is no official public source for a crucial piece of info, that info (or even incorrect/conflicting versions of it) spreads through word of mouth between creators instead. Creators who don’t have the social skills or time to make friends in the community are left out of the loop and their work is hampered. This preventable social dynamic could potentially turn toxic and insular as more and more creators from outside of Creative (e.g me, from Core) migrate to UEFN. Helpful, experienced creators can mitigate this by sharing info publicly, but Epic writes the docs and sets the tone.

Here are a few extra steps I remember, to make it so that players can destroy your prop and harvest resources.

1. In the Blueprint’s Details Panel, make sure “Allow Resource Drop” and “Can be Damaged” are checked. (They should be by default).

2. Type “resource” in the search bar in the Details Panel in your Blueprint window. In the dropdown menu for “Resource Type” choose a resource that best fits your prop. I’m choosing Wood for this example.

3. In the same Details Panel, search for “attributes”. Under Attribute Init Keys, for the Initialization Category dropdown menu choose PropWood (or PropStone or PropMetal if you choose Stone or Metal for your resource). For Initialization Subcategory choose 2 (choose 2 regardless of which resource you’re using). Do this for both Index 0 and Index 1.

4. Compile and Save.

5.In the Details panel again, search for “socket.” In the text box for “Death Particle Socket Name” , type in FX_Death.

6. Compile and Save. Exit Blueprint window.

7. In your Content Browser, open the window for the Static Mesh you used. Locate the Socket Manager tab. If you don’t see a Socket Manager tab, go into the toolbar and click Window > Socket Manager to add the tab.

8. Open the Socket Manager tab. Click the plus sign in the right corner to add a socket. Name your socket by typing “FX_Death” into the text box.

9. Adjust the gizmo labeled FX_Death to place it wherever you want the prop destruction particles to be spawned.

10. Save static mesh. Player should be able to destroy the prop using their pickaxe, which will make the prop disappear, spawn destruction VFX/SFX and particles shaped like whichever resource you chose, and grant that resource to the player’s inventory.

Bonus tip:
In the prop Blueprint, you can replace the default FN SFX and VFX for Death Particles, Death Sound, and Hit Sound with your own Niagara Systems or Sound Cues. I use this a lot.

Btw love the tip about adding Niagara FX as a child, I didn’t know that one!