Simple random explosion event

Development Programming & Scripting Blueprint
1

I have a very simple event and through my searches here I’ve only found complicated solutions to complicated problems. All I want to do is have P_Explosion happen at a random rate. I don’t want it to change location, but that would be okay as well. I just want it to explode randomly within 5 or 10 second intervals.

Thanks for any help.

2

Hello,
Before your “spawn emitter” P_Explosion, add a “delay” with a “random float in range” min 5 / max 10.

3

Thanks for your reply, Fen. My next question is, where can I find “spawn emitter?” When I double-click the effect, I get a window that has a “Delay” selection but I can’t add anything extra:

delay.png
delay.png820×1074 161 KB

How do I access the place where I will find “spawn emitter” so I can add a delay.

Thanks.

4

You have to use a blueprint to spawn your emitter. At least, the level blueprint : Spawning and Destroying an Actor | Unreal Engine Documentation
Instead of “SpawnActor”, you’ll use the nodes “delay” Delay | Unreal Engine Documentation
and “spawn emitter attached” Spawn Emitter Attached | Unreal Engine Documentation
or “Spawn emitter at location” Spawn Emitter at Location | Unreal Engine Documentation .

5

Okay thank you. This is very helpful!

6

I think I just about have it, but I can’t seem to figure out where to attach the nodes. Here’s a screen shot of what I have so far:

nodes.png
nodes.png921×540 58.4 KB

What do I need to connect here?

Thanks.

7

You have to do as in the first link i gave you : Create an event when the explosion happens and link it to the delay.
There are a few things to learn (not so much) to be able to use blueprint : Blueprint Visual Scripting | Unreal Engine Documentation
and the videos : A new, community-hosted Unreal Engine Wiki - Announcements and Releases - Unreal Engine Forums

Now, if you want a permanent random explosion from beginning you can do :
2bcfb3ba15509909493fdc348a900333ee57ea81.jpeg

You can set your emitter in level blueprint and activate it too.

8

Excellent! This works. Thank you so much.

9

Just one last question regarding a different fire (VFX_fire)… I have flames on the ground and I want them to grow bigger over 2 minutes. Is that as easy to do in the blueprints? Once I get this done I will be finished with my project.

I have just found “Set Actor Relative Scale 3D” and I will play around with that, I need to figure out how to add that over time. If there is a better method please let me know.