How to enable HLOD on import for RailClone?

Development Pipeline & Plugins
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1

I just upgraded to 4.22 both for Unreal Engine and the 3D Studio Max Datasmith export plugin.

Now, when I import a RailClone object, it becomes an “Actor” instead of a static mesh.

How can I check to see if this is an HLOD?

If I choose the HLOD Coloration optimization view mode, everything is grey, including the RailClone object, at any distance.

If I double click the Actor, nothing happens. I cannot open an editor for it. There are no options for it. In the components list on the Details panel, I can see the two meshes which makes up my RailClone object, but if I click to select them, the entire actor gets highlighted in the viewport, which I find weird (shouldn’t it just highlight the instances of that mesh?)…

Super confusing UI, which seems to be par for the course when it comes to Unreal, but I’m hoping I’m missing something and also, that this will improve in the future.

2

Forest Pack and Railclone entities are converted as HISM (Hierarchical Instanced Static Mesh) where each sub object instanced inside 3ds Max will become a unique Static Mesh asset, that is instanced inside the Actor. This reflects more/less the same structure that you have in 3ds max.

Is there a specific reason why you want them to HLODs?

3

Sorry, I was confused with the terminology there, thank you for clarifying!

So, what my question really should be is, where is the level of detail coloration view mode for HISM, and are there any settings for HISM in the editor UI?

4

The actor is pointing at sub components that are scattered in the scene following a list of transformations. They are however regular static meshes assets that you can create LODs for. The regular level of coloration for LODs will apply, assuming you created LODs for them.

Tip: the bulk editor in the asset browser can let you apply LOD groups in a batch:

5

Thank you for the reply, although the screenshot you posted seems a bit cut off on the left. How do you get a list of all instanced meshes like that?

Also, how come you don’t seem to get the drop down list of existing LOD group names in that menu, like you do in the static mesh editor?

6

Select the assets you want to modify in your content browser, then right click on your selection, then “Asset actions”, and finally “Bulk Edit via Property Matrix” to display that window.

You’ll indeed have to remember the name of the LODgroup you want to assign to your selection (its case insensitive afaik).

7

Thank you!

Unreal’s reoccurring reliance on you knowing, remembering and typing a correct string without misspelling it or messing it up in some other way is still very baffling…

8

They do keep improving it though, at some point they’ll appear to be strongly typed in the UI like gameplay tags (I hope)