Issues with Random Blink Setup in AnimBP Using Morph Targets – Need Help Debugging

Development Character & Animation
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Hi everyone,

I’m trying to set up a procedural, random eye-blink system in my character’s Animation Blueprint using morph targets, but I’m running into issues – nothing happens when I expect my character to blink.

Here’s what I’ve done so far:

  1. Morph Target Verification:
  • I confirmed that my Skeletal Mesh has a morph target named “Blink” in the Skeletal Mesh Editor. Moving the slider manually shows the eyelid movement.
  1. Timer Setup in the AnimBP Event Graph:
  • Added an Event Blueprint Begin Play node.
  • Connected it to a Set Timer by Function Name node.
    • Function Name: "TriggerBlink"
    • Time: Connected a Random Float in Range node with a range of 2.0 to 6.0 seconds.
    • Looping: Enabled looping so the timer repeats.
  1. Creating the Blink Sequence:
  • I created a Custom Event called "TriggerBlink" (since functions don’t allow latent nodes like Delay).
  • In this event, I added:
    • A Get Owning Component node to obtain the Skeletal Mesh Component.
    • A Set Morph Target node (Target: from Get Owning Component, Morph Target Name: "Blink", Value: 1.0) to close the eyes.
    • A Delay node set to 0.1 seconds.
    • Another Set Morph Target node (Target: from Get Owning Component, Morph Target Name: "Blink", Value: 0.0) to open the eyes.
  1. Testing:
  • I ensured the AnimBP is assigned to my character’s Skeletal Mesh in the Character Blueprint.
  • I ran the game (PIE mode), but I never see any blinking or see any Print String messages I’ve tried for debugging.

What I’ve Tried for Debugging:

  • Verified that the morph target exists and is working manually.
  • Confirmed that the Set Timer by Function Name is set up with the exact string "TriggerBlink".
  • Used Get Owning Component to ensure I’m targeting the Skeletal Mesh (instead of the Anim Instance).

My Question:
Has anyone successfully set up a random blinking system in an AnimBP using morph targets? What could be causing my blink event not to trigger or the morph target changes not to reflect? Any tips or suggestions for debugging this setup would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!