Beginning my first real gameplay experience and was wondering if it’s necessary to add an actor for every prop? Or can we skip those to save space if we plan for props to just be part of the background experience? Can we just import them in and assign collision and LOD properties? Essentially just eliminating the ability for them to be destroyed within the game mode with less steps.
I know I will not be able to move them within the Fortnite client, but if I plan to build majority of the experience strictly in UEFN is that a problem?
The game mode I plan to create is a Fortnite version of Stardew Valley, so an RPG.
I believe the whole reason for turning props into Actors is you can change certain properties like the material they give when destroyed, if they can be picked up using the phone, etc.
That being said, if you’re planning on building it all inside UEFN I don’t really see a point in making them actors unless some of them are able to be interacted with by the player. For example if you have a Sand floor, it might be worth it to change it to an actor so when walking on it it creates a Sand sound.
I’ve been making all my personal projects using mostly custom props without ever making them into Actors and haven’t run into any issues yet.
I believe some of the other limitations are you won’t be able to use Prop Manipulators or Movers on them, but since you can do better movement through Sequencer I’ve honestly just been using that, I don’t see myself ever using the Prop Mover again.
This is exactly what I wanted to hear! Thank you @Rynex_FNC!
I’ll keep in mind using actors for specific things! Didn’t even consider having them as actor assets for their default sounds! Brilliant and time saving!
Hey @Rynex_FNC ! When you mention changing the footsteps sound on a Prop, are you talking about the “Primary Surface Type” parameter under Damage Settings its BluePrint? Paired with Use Physical Surface for Footsteps? I was messing with this setting earlier this week, but it didn’t seem to make a difference in the footstep sound.
It did change the sound of the pickaxe hit, which is great. Sand sounds a lot softer than the Default sound. Even when I change the audio file for the Play Hit Sound, I can’t get rid of the underlying pickaxe hit sound tied to the surface, so I’m glad I can change the surface type.
Could it be that the difference between footstep sounds is too subtle for me to notice in gameplay? I thought I might have noticed a tiny difference but the difference was so tiny it didn’t seem worth it to try all the surfaces. I might try them all later. You haven’t found a way to upload custom footsteps, have you?
Have you noticed any Surface types that have particularly distinctive footstep sounds? I tried Default, Sand, Grass, Wood, Chrome, and Water. In my environment I would love distinctive footstep sounds for wood, carpet, tile/glass, dirt/grass, and water. But in play mode FN’s footsteps sound basically the same to me regardless of surface type. In Core, the footstep sounds are baked into Core’s materials, and they’re super distinctive - like, swishy grass, crunchy snow, even clacky broken bones. I miss that feature
The footsteps sounds are actually tied actor attributes. Example selecting “prop metal” will change footsteps to metal sounding. I believe surface changes the sound of projectile hits from bullets.
Ohhhhh this is interesting, thanks!!! I’m gonna test that!
But what about the “Use Physical Surface for Footstep” parameter in the BluePrint? My assumption was that if I check that option, the Primary Surface Type I choose would affect the footstep.
If I’m remembering correctly, the Primary Surface Type affected the sound of the pickaxe hit. But I did change the resource type at some point too so maybe that affected it. Not sure how it affected bullet hits cause I’m not using guns in my game.
If I can change the footstep sound by changing the resource type, this would be great. The props I would use this for wouldn’t give resources anyway because it’s just floor tiles, so I could assign resource types purely for the footstep type I want.
Ok, so I did some tests, and the Resource Type does determine the footsteps, like @AxelCapek said. Primary Surface Type with “Use Physical Surface for Footsteps” doesn’t have any effect.
Also “Primary Surface Type” appears to affect the sound that the pickaxe makes when it hits the prop, and the VFX that is generated when the pickaxe hits. Like, little grass sprites, or wood sprites, etc. Makes sense, because that setting falls under the Damage section.
These Surface-Type-dependent VFX and SFX are different from the slots that we can replace with our own assets. They’re layered underneath whatever custom effects we choose to add to the BluePrint. I changed the Death Sound, Hit Sound, and Death Particles, and I do hear and see my custom effects. But there are also Surface Type ones. I find this a little annoying, actually, because ideally I would want full control over the audio especially. At least I can choose from a variety of damage VFX, the grass is cute.
Partly related question: Anyone know how to override/toggle the setting that causes a little holographic circle to appear when the player is targeting my prop, and the booming sounds when the player hits the circle? The sci fi vibes don’t make sense in my cozy flower shop, and the booms are too loud for my quiet gameplay. Kinda nitpicky but it’s not ideal.
