Unreal Engine 4.17 Released!

Great update as always.

Did you fix bug with MSAA?
The bug is critical, when you develop for VR you have few Antialiasing options, either blurry but good looking edge or sharp image, clear quality, but all edges and normal maps on the model would look over sharp, basically no AA on edges and great AA on the “surface”. While this bug or limitation is exists, all VR experieences won’t look great.

Correct link for VR Spectator Screen:
https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Platforms/VR/VRSpectatorScreen/index.html

Great update!

Any changes that should be done to code from 4.16 to 4.17?

Thanks for the link!

Can’t seem to compile my project in 4.16. I’m using the Release branch but packaged into a binary build. Never seen this issue before… tried regenerating. clearing cached files etc. No luck :confused:

Default 4.17 project compiles fine.



1>------ Build started: Project: UE4, Configuration: BuiltWithUnrealBuildTool Win32 ------
2>------ Build started: Project: ECGame, Configuration: Development_Editor x64 ------
2>  Creating makefile for ECGameEditor (no existing makefile)
2>  Performing full C++ include scan (no include cache file)
2>EXEC : error : System.ArgumentException: An item with the same key has already been added.
2>     at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentException(ExceptionResource resource)
2>     at System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2.Insert(TKey key, TValue value, Boolean add)
2>     at UnrealBuildTool.UEBuildTarget.Build(BuildConfiguration BuildConfiguration, CPPHeaders Headers, List`1 OutputItems, List`1 UObjectModules, ActionGraph ActionGraph)
2>     at UnrealBuildTool.UnrealBuildTool.RunUBT(BuildConfiguration BuildConfiguration, String] Arguments, FileReference ProjectFile)
2>C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\V140\Microsoft.MakeFile.Targets(41,5): error MSB3075: The command "C:\UE4_Builds\UE4_Eclipse\Engine\Build\BatchFiles\Build.bat ECGameEditor Win64 Development "E:\P4\JBaxter_Work\Eclipse\Eclipse_Steam\ECGame\ECGame.uproject" -waitmutex" exited with code 5. Please verify that you have sufficient rights to run this command.
========== Build: 1 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========


Answerhub: https://answers.unrealengine.com/questions/666969/cant-compile-in-417.html

Amazing update! But still having issues with ARKit =(
Here’s a bug report: 4.17 - ARKit - Editor Crashes on Launch to iPhone 7 - Programming & Scripting - Epic Developer Community Forums

I’m getting something similar with my project where UnrealBuildTool fails (with an ArgumentNullException in my case). Not sure if they’re related since I’m able to compile if I do a rebuild but here’s my AnswerHub post anyway in case you want to monitor that as well: UnrealBuildTool fails with null argument - Programming & Scripting - Epic Developer Community Forums

Are the Bent normal map support and Multibounce AO approximation intended mostly for skeletal/dynamic models, or is there a benefit to static/baked static meshes as well?

Very happy about the 2-bone ik update!!

I’m working on a VR project and am wondering how expensive reflection occlusion is?
I’m not too bothered about the bent normal but would love to be able to use reflection occlusion.

Cheers

Hmm, not getting the fbx import dialog when importing and overwriting skeletal mesh in it’s folder, breaks the mesh and rig.

Well, looks like a great release. Two things:

  1. What is “Texture-based Importance Sampling Blueprint nodes” for? How can it be used? Docs? I think in general, there should be a link to the docs for every feature presented.

  2. It’s kind of unfortunate that even bugs reported in Preview 1 are not fixed. https://issues.unrealengine.com/issue/UE-47695 Especially since it’s not something hard to track down but just a small fix where existing functionality has to be bound to a UI. And furthermore because there is even a video presenting the new feature but not showing the bug… :rolleyes:

In the list of Composure features there’s “Sample project”. I’d love to get my hands on it, but where can I find this?

I’ve managed to resolve my issue after stepping through UBT. It looks like changes to Plugin dependencies in 4.17 means lot’s of changes to UBT, and in this case UBT doesn’t handle the exception:

Just encountered annoying blueprint issue. It disappears after turning off Blueprint Compilation Manager. It would be great to fix it in patch :slight_smile:
https://answers.unrealengine.com/questions/678150/bp-compilation-manager-worldcontextobject-is-null.html

These new sequencer improvements and video creation features look great but how do we use them?

I couldn’t find any documentation or much on the forums from searching. :frowning:

With regards to the documentation for these features, we attempt to get the major features completed as much as possible, and mostly this is determined by the priority of the feature that needs to be documented. So for instance, documents for Slate Clipping 2.0 or Shaders in Plugins will be done ahead of some due to priorities and all. Rest assured though that we plan to work on these major features and document where we can. Unfortunately, it’s not always right at release for every feature, though.

Keep an eye out on the New & Updated page for all the latest documentation that has been updated or any new pages that have been published.

Some that I’m aware of that will be coming very soon or have been posted specific to 4.17’s release:

  • VR Spectator Screen
  • Clothing Tool Updates sepcific to 4.17 (Updates will include new UI, newly added features, and a reference page for all the properties. This should be updated very soon!)
  • UMG / Slate Clipping System 2.0 (2 pages, UMG tutorial and Slate Clipping System 2.0 technical overview, are in review and should be updated published soon-ish. 's forum post should get anyone by until these are published.)
  • Shaders in Plugins (In the final review edits. This includes an overview and Quick Start tutorial to get everyone started.)
  • Composure Compositing - (no real ETA, but it’s being actively worked on)

There are probably some others I’m not aware of that are being worked on as well, but don’t worry we try to get these out as quickly as possible, but it simply takes time to write and go through our review process.

Pro tip: Don’t use Hierarchical Instanced Static Mesh Components in 4.17, it can erase your mesh data.
I’ve reproduced and reported this bug here (still ‘waiting approval’ though for some reason):
https://answers.unrealengine.com/questions/678175/417-severe-mesh-killer-bug.html




This bug erases all the mesh data if mesh is used as instance in Hierarchical Instanced Static Mesh Component. Mesh data is completely removed after editor restart. Repro steps:

1. Create a blueprint, place it in scene and in Construction Script add 'Add Hierarchical Instanced Static Mesh Component', then add at least one instance to it via 'Add Instance World Space'.
2. In the 'Add Hierarchical Instanced Static Mesh Component' node, select any Static Mesh. Then compile the blueprint.
3. Restart the editor. The previously selected static mesh will be erased, with empty thumbnail and data like 'Vertices: 0', Size: 0 Kb', etc.

This bug deletes all the static mesh data, along with all LOD setup, etc. There is no way to somehow restore the 'erased' mesh other than re-importing it again.


Wow! That’s a really nasty bug. Something like that should never happen in a final release :eek:

Great update!

Point Lights are now occluded incorrectly. I didn’t see this in 4.16…

Not sure if this also happens with other light types - but you can clearly see the Point Light is being occluded even though it’s area of effect is still on-screen.

Answerhub: [Resolved] 4.17: Particle Light Bounds Computed Incorrectly - Rendering - Epic Developer Community Forums