How do I make the "Spawn system at location" node work? How to spawn a niagara system at location?

Development Asset Creation FX
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1

Hello.
I want to spawn a niagara particle effect at a specified location.

  • The “Spawn system at location” node does nothing. (The location is set up correctly). Does anyone have an idea why?
  • There’s “Spawn system attached”, but I’m not trying to attach it to an actor, just place it in the world at runtime.
  • There’s “Spawn emitter at location” which only works with the old particle system apparently? Is that correct? Because if I make a niagara emitter (not a system), I can’t plug that into that node.
  • I suppose I could make a new actor that only holds the niagara system, and spawn that in. But what’s the point of Spawn system at location? How does that work? I’ve found comments online by others saying they couldn’t make it work.
2

The Spawn System At Location should work simply by adding a Niagara System into the node.
You are right, the SpawnEmitter function is for Cascade only. In Niagara, only systems get spawned.
Does your System look ok in the Niagara editor?

3

Yes, and I have tried it with multiple Niagara systems as well. Tried to spawn it at 0;0;0 world position, at another actor’s position, tried to add the node in multiple places (my Game mode at Event begin play, and in an actor’s function), none seem to work.

4

The Niagara system works if I use Spawn system attached, and attach it to the player’s mesh by the way. But not if I’m just trying to spawn it in the world.

5

Is it possible, that you did not check the Auto Activate Checkbox in the Spawn Node? Normally, it is checked by default.

6

I tried that as well. Also unchecking Auto destroy.

7

That’s strange. That’s the only way I can reproduce the issue that nothing happens. If you spawn it in front of the camera like so

grafik
grafik955×342 77.3 KB

and make it happen on a key press - this could help debugging. Is it permamently looping or just a short one time effect?

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8

Hah, I’m getting somewhere. I set it up like this, still nothing, but now I made a new system with the fountain emitter template, and that (and only that one) shows up correctly. So it looks like something is wrong with my Niagara systems.

The one I’m trying to use is a one time effect, but my looping ones don’t work either.

Strange that they work if I use the Spawn system attached node.

9

Just wanted to propose to you creating a new one based on Directional Burst to compare results with the camera relative code I sent you…
So if this works, there must be something special with your other systems. Yes, it is strange, that the “attached” version works.
Maybe some orientation stuff that does not work? If you have own sprite materials, are they two sided? Just some ideas…

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10

Thank you for the help!

I found the culprit. The effect I’m trying to use uses Initialize Mesh Reproduction Sprite, and apparently that requires to be attached to an actor.

So it looks like I’ll have to spawn another actor and attach it to that.
I’m still not sure why some of my other Niagara systems don’t work, because not all of them use this module, but it’s been enough experimentation for me for now. :slight_smile:

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