Hello! I’d like to put in a request for an addition to the static mesh editor (and others that apply) in regards to setting LOD distances. To me, an LOD distance setup is something that should be visually gauged per object ideally. While this often doesn’t happen and there are groups - there are always refinements that could improve things/reduce popping etc on an asset by asset basis. Using the numbers though is very un-intuitive, especially since it is not camera distance but screen size (right?).
To make this a much easier and faster process and simplified process I would like to see the following two changes:
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Under the LODs in the example of the static mesh editor, right next to the screen size input field - just add a little camera button that takes the relevant value for where your camera is at now when pressed and makes that where switch to that LOD will happen. Since this value is now screen size instead of camera distance I am not sure what would be involved but imagine that it is something that the engine would know if there is a value for it. This makes the workflow of editing these values intuitive rather than trying to minutely tweak abstract numbers.
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Instead of/in addition to the drop down for auto LODs or selecting one - if a mesh has LODs it would be nice to have in the top right corner of the static mesh viewport a button for each LOD (just a number, 0,1,2, etc) as well as a toggle button for auto swapping or not. This would allow you to zoom the camera out and toggle between LODs to find the sweet spot for swapping each one, and since it would take iteration and refinement exposing these things as easy buttons rather than a dropdown to go to so many times would make it far nicer. The auto LOD toggle would make it so that when using this method lod swaps aren’t happening in the mix of your toggling, and then when re-enabled allows you to easily check everything by just moving closer and farther away.
If these two things are combined and refined, I think it would make the process of setting LOD swap values **the way it should be, easy and visual. **
To illustrate: Lets say I have two LODs below the default on a static mesh. I’d turn off auto LOD then move backwards and toggle between 0 and 1 until I find the distance that minimizes the chance of noticing the swap, which is easy to tell by eye (but not easy to understand as a number/value). Once I find the spot - I’d just mouse over to LOD1 and hit the camera button, setting that value - Bam. Now when the object is this size/distance (however that is figured out) it uses the first LOD. Then I move back further and repeat the process for the next LOD, swapping back and forth, moving a bit, toggling again, then just locking it in where I want it. Then I can re-enable Auto LOD and just use W and S to move forward and back and check how it works in motion.
I hope for consideration of this, it is not a major change in process - but would be a refinement of the workflow that I think is sorely needed. Thanks for reading! If you want any clarification, please let me know.