What is the least you need to do to make a movable character (fp, no mesh, gravity)?

**EDIT: I reply some of my own questions; replied ones in green.

Questions:**

  • If I need a walking character that collides, that reacts to gravity but without mesh, what is the minimum of steps I need to do?

I am very new to UE so I learn from testing around or by looking inside free projects from the marketplace.
This is what I have learned so far, lots of knowledge gaps here. Forgive me the many questions, but if you know the answer to any of them please help me fill up the gaps :slight_smile:
Thanks in advance!

:: Template: architecture > blank

Player start:

  • setting “active play mode > default player start” lets me spawn into it
  • setting “active play mode > current camera location” or having a player start functions similarly, except spawn is where my camera is
  • free fly, collides with the ground, no gravity

questions:

  1. why no gravity?

*Own reply:
This has to do with the type of actor.
I tried this in the ArchViz interior-project (Launcher > Learn-tab (Archviz Interior Rendering | Unreal Engine Documentation))

I migrated the FirstPersonCharacter blueprint from the First Person template into the ArchViz Interior-project. Using FirstPersonCharacter blueprint lets you walk around instead of flying around.*

Empty Character:

  • requires setting “Auto Possess Player: Player 0” to spawn into it’
  • no player movement once spawned into it.
    – saved input bindings from first person template and loaded here. Still doesn’t work.

questions:

  1. Why do key bindings not help here, but below?

Arch Vis Character

  • requires setting “Auto Possess Player: Player 0” to spawn into it’. Once done, it overrides Spawn Player At: Current Camera Location
  • no player movement once spawned into it.
    – saved input bindings from first person template and loaded here. It works but in a slowish manner. No jump. Some sort of gravity?

Questions:

  1. What is the difference between Arch Vis Character and Empty Character?
  2. Why slow movement compared to Player Start?
  3. Why does space (jump) not work?

:: Template: games > first person

  • Movement ok, jumping ok, gravity ok.
  • Everything still works even when I delete Player Start/NetworkPlayer Start and FirstPersonCharacter (gun, arm etc) - instead, I spawn wherever the camera is (with the gun+arm back).

Questions:

  1. Where is the setting for the character and its movement stored? Even when I create a new level, the arm with the gun is there.
  2. If I use the original FirstPersonCharacter, changing Spawn Player At doesn’t have any effect. Why?
  3. How can I add flying around?
  4. If I create an ArchVizCharacter, set Auto Possess Player 0, the movement are slow, like “elastic” - Why?

Own reply:
*1)
Project Settings > Maps & Modes
Default GameMode: change from GameMode to FirstPersonGameMode

I tried this on a new project and for above to work, I had to migrate both the FirstPersonCharacter and FirstPersonGameMode blueprint.

I was “wrong” here because I did not notice that the first FirstPersonCharacter actor/object had Auto Possess Player set to Player 0 which caused me to spawn there in the first place.
So, when I drag/drop a new one, I have to set the Auto Possess Player to spawn here instead.

  1. (partially solved)
    In a new project, this was no problem. I could simply revert the setting under Project Settings > Maps & Modes > Default GameMode from FirstPersonGameMode to GameMode (which is the original setting) and I can now start flying around again.

In the FirstPerson template, however, the behaviour was the same no matter the GameMode, ie I would spawn in the FirstPersonCharacter anyway.
My guess, this template has the FirstPersonCharacter blueprint set up in the GameMode itself. Anyone who knows how?*

Thank you very much for taking your time!!

I replied to some of the questions I had.
Still, I got some left so I would appreciate very much if anyone knows the answer to any of the questions.