Medium - Feature Request: Allow move/rotate/hide custom props at runtime

( Update: Rynex was right, I needed to convert my asset into a Building Prop using a blueprint, in order for the asset to be used with devices like the Prop Mover.

I think this is something that could be clearer in the docs, because to me the documentation on adding custom content made it seem like the only reason for creators to convert assets into props is so that the prop can be destroyed with a pickaxe and harvested for resources, which not every creator desires for their game. Some creators might specifically NOT want players chopping up their nice coffee table or whatever. I know you can uncheck ā€œCan Be Destroyedā€ but the tutorial is based on the assumption that you do want players to destroy your prop. There was no mention in docs of other reasons like being able to move or rotate props. Even the name, ā€œBuilding Propā€ implies that this is a class of props that are meant to be harvested and built with. Not rotated or moved etc. )

Update: Rynex in Discord pointed out that the Prop Mover and Prop Manipulator might work on my assets if I convert them into props like this: https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/creative/docs/uefn/UEFN/creating-a-building-prop-blueprint-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite and https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/creative/docs/uefn/UEFN/converting-assets-into-props-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite. So Iā€™m going to try that!

Currently (from what I can tell? ) there is no way for me to manipulate my custom props at runtime in response to an event. Imported models, or models created in UEFN. Aside from running several Cinematic Sequences at the same time, when a lot of what I want to do is just simple stuff like showing or hiding an object. If the Prop Mover and Prop Manipulator worked on custom props, this could be a short term fix.

Am I missing a solution that already exists?

I would love to use Verse for transforms, and I do see functions like rotation in the Verse API Digest, so I assume theyā€™re planned. But for now if we could even use the Prop Manipulator or Prop Mover on custom props it would help a lot. Spawning and destroying in Verse would be great too but if changing visibility is easier then I would be happy with that.

Use case: a custom ā€œWeā€™re Openā€ sign in a shop window that appears during the day and disappears at night. All we need to do is make it visible and invisible. Yes there are workarounds for some cases, like hiding it by moving a FN prop in front of it, but itā€™s inconvenient. Or what if I have a custom treasure that I want to disappear after the player finds it and ā€œcollectsā€ it? What if I want a custom sliding door?

Hi there, we are indeed planning a Verse API to move/rotate (and spawn) props at runtime. Weā€™re hoping to deliver this by the end of the year and are on track so far. :slight_smile:

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Nice! Thatā€™s what I figured! For now Iā€™m happy to use the Prop Manipulator and the Prop Mover on my custom assets. Is that possible? Imported models not just Fortnite models?

I tried converting my asset into a prop using this tutorial Epic Games, and I still couldnā€™t get the Prop Mover and Manipulators to work on my custom prop the way they work on Fortnite props. Although I was able to make it so that the player can destroy my prop with their pickaxe. Iā€™m going to go back through the tutorial again and make sure I didnā€™t miss anything.

The tutorial didnā€™t mention whether converting an asset to a prop makes it work with devices like the Prop Mover, it was more about how to make your prop destructible so that resources can be harvested from it.

Oops my last post was supposed to be a reply to you but I think it posted as just a general reply? Iā€™ve been having this problem a lot in the Forums. Are you seeing my longer response as a reply or as a general post?

Heh it kinda looks like itā€™s both things. Iā€™m new to this new forum format as well. :stuck_out_tongue:

I would expect that if you made a real ā€˜propā€™ that the prop mover should work on it, but I am not an expert there unfortunately, just your friendly neighborhood Verse-man. But Iā€™ll prod some folks who ought to know.

I was just chatting with a friend earlier who says that she thinks itā€™s possible to use the prop mover with a custom prop, so I think it might be that I didnā€™t complete the tutorial correctly. Iā€™ll take a look at it again when I get a chance. Thanks for your responses!