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Technical Artist @ Criterion
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Along Edge Mesh Placer

This tool allows the user to select edges within Maya and have meshes placed along the edge within UE4, my example here shows how it can be used to create stands of crowds. This tool allows for the actors created to be edited at runtime allowing for mesh changes, the number of meshes spawned and the distance in which these meshes are culled to be changed dynamically.

This tool takes selected edges in Maya and outputs positions that are equally spaced along said edge. The spacing is based on the length of the mesh you provided to the tool. This should be the mesh that you want to be placed along the edge.

This tool takes selected edges in Maya and outputs positions that are equally spaced along said edge. The spacing is based on the length of the mesh you provided to the tool. This should be the mesh that you want to be placed along the edge.

Here is an example of what mesh I will be using.

Here is an example of what mesh I will be using.

To begin I select the edges I want, then I provide the required information to the tool, these being; the Name I want the data to be called, the save location and the length of the mesh that I will be placeing along the edge. After this I press Run.

To begin I select the edges I want, then I provide the required information to the tool, these being; the Name I want the data to be called, the save location and the length of the mesh that I will be placeing along the edge. After this I press Run.

Now that the data has been exported I move to UE4, here is the mesh from before.

Now that the data has been exported I move to UE4, here is the mesh from before.

Importing the Data is done the same way all other files are imported except it then must be assigned the data type of TransfromData. This will tell the Engine how to read this information.

Importing the Data is done the same way all other files are imported except it then must be assigned the data type of TransfromData. This will tell the Engine how to read this information.

The UE4 side of this Tool has a set of requirements these are; The Static Mesh Collection UAsset & the Transform Data imported. These are needed for this to work. Where as, Cull Distance and Frequency are optional, from here I hit run.

The UE4 side of this Tool has a set of requirements these are; The Static Mesh Collection UAsset & the Transform Data imported. These are needed for this to work. Where as, Cull Distance and Frequency are optional, from here I hit run.

The static mesh collection contains an array of static meshes as shown above.

The static mesh collection contains an array of static meshes as shown above.

Now that the tool has been run, a new actor has been created. This actor creates an instance of the meshes you provided and allows for the changing of, Cull distances, Spawn frequency and Static mesh collection.

Now that the tool has been run, a new actor has been created. This actor creates an instance of the meshes you provided and allows for the changing of, Cull distances, Spawn frequency and Static mesh collection.

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