Short Answer:
I think the function you are really looking for is a blueprint node called “IsServer” This will return whether you are on a Dedicated or Listen Server when true or if you are on a Client when false… and Get Player Controller with index 0 will always get the controller that belongs to the machine.
If you want the long winded explanation…
There is a way to determine if you are working with the “LocalController”. Forewarning My Replication-foo is strong but not expert, plus I am running off 100% memory at the moment with no method to actually test. I assume what you are searching for is a method to determine if you are dealing with the controller for that client. I’m not entirely sure why “Is Locally Controlled” is always true… But as a background to replication all controllers exist on the server and are replicated to THEIR respective clients. This means that in games where two people are connecting to a server who is also running the game (3 players total), there will exist 3 player controllers on the server but the two clients will only have 1 player controller. In a game with a dedicated server the (2 players total) two controllers will exist on the server and the clients will have only one. It maybe possible that Is Locally Controlled is meant to be used in the Dedicated Server senario.
There is a blueprint function called “IsServer” which determines if your code is currently executing on on the server. Now you need to get the controller for that machine so you can get the Pawn. When you are using a Listen server, (3 players, 2 networked clients), there is a function called “Get Player Controller” which takes an index of the player. This function can be called on the server and the client. In a Listen Server scenario Calling GetPlayerController(0) will always return the Player Controller that “belongs” to that machine. So on the server, index 0 will get the player who is running the server, on a client index 0 will get the player who is connected to the server. In a Dedicated Server Senario, on the server, it will get who ever is first, most likely the first client who connected, on the clients it will get the client who belongs to that machine.
So to answer your question completely… If you are on a dedicated server check to see if “Is server” is false, if so then hide the mesh of the Pawn owned by the player controller at index 0. If you are on a Listen Server than Player Controller at index 0 is always going to be the owning controller and you “simply” need to hide the mesh of the player at index 0… however… (I put simply in quotes for a reason)
I may be throwing a new wrench to your problem I am pretty sure the standard “Mesh” component that all Characters (and possibly Pawns) start with is automatically replicated. This means that any time you set properties to that mesh on the server… it’s going to replicate down to the client and poof you now have a visible mesh in your face again. (remember I’m running off 100% memory at the moment) If this is so you may need to leave the Mesh Component empty, and create a new Mesh component that replicates according to your specifications (“not owner” most likely) or not replicates at all and is set using a client/server or multi-cast function. If you are using a normal actor that does not start with a mesh component then you should be fine as you should be able to set it’s replication method or use a multi-cast or client function to update the mesh.