In this tutorial, we will explore the interface of Unreal Engine 5.7.

Outliner

The Outliner displays all actors within a scene in a hierarchical tree view. You also have an option to search for an actor element in the level and create folders to group actor elements together. 

Using the Outliner, you can select and modify Actors.

Left-clicking selects the actor.

Right-clicking displays the same context menu brought up by right-clicking an Actor in the Viewport. Use this to quickly modify an Actor without having to navigate to that Actor in the Viewport.

Left-click and dragging attaches the Actor being Dragged to another Actor.

Using the F-key with an Actor selected in the Outliner: Focuses that Actor in the Viewport.

Unreal Engine also allows you to customize the Outliner. You can Right-click any column header to bring up a context menu where you can select which columns to show or hide in the Outliner by enabling or disabling the checkbox next to the column name.

You can left-click and drag the edge of a column header to resize that column.

The Outliner will always scroll to an Actor when you select that Actor in the Viewport.

Details Panel

If you have an actor selected, the Details panel will show the settings and properties that affect the actor you selected. By default, it is located on the right side of the Unreal Editor window, under the Outliner panel.

Once you select an object in the Level it will be highlighted.

The object is also highlighted in the Outliner panel automatically. Selecting an object through the Level Viewport or the Outliner Panel highlights it the same.

The Details panel shows the components and properties of the object. You can modify the properties of an object through the Details panel.

You can filter the actor’s properties to view and change by selecting a specific Component at the top of the Details panel.

You can also lock the current selection in the Details panel. This permits you to highlight other objects while keeping the Details panel locked on the first object.

Content Drawer and Content Browser

The Content Browser is a file explorer for your project where you can organize all the assets.

The Content Drawer is located in the bottom-left corner of the Unreal Editor. This is where you can open a special instance of the Content Browser that automatically minimizes when it loses focus.

You can also use a combination of the CTRL key and Spacebar to open a Content Drawer. 

To keep it open, click the Dock in Layout button in the top-right corner of the Content Drawer. This will create a new instance of the Content Browser, but you are also able to still open a new Content Drawer.

Bottom Toolbar

The Bottom Toolbar contains shortcuts and settings to various elements of Unreal Editor. Depending on the Editor you are in, some of these options might not be available.

 The Content Drawer temporarily opens a content browser window which gets dismissed as it loses focus.

There’s an Output Log and Command Prompt. You’re able to open the Output Log and enter console commands including changing between executing Unreal Commands and Python scripts.

Tracing permits you to save a Snapshot of the Current Trace Buffer, and change Trace settings.

The Stall Log opens the Stall Log.

The Zen Server supports local, shared, or cloud storage.

Revision Control connects to Revision Control and View Changes, Submit Content, or Check Out Modified Files.

Conclusion

You have now started your journey into using Unreal Engine 5.7 with these interface tips. I hope you find them useful and continue to learn more about UE5.

In this tutorial, we will explore the interface of Unreal Engine 5.7. You will learn about the Unreal Engine 5.7 interface.

Menu Bar

Every editor you have open in Unreal Engine, will always have a menu bar located in the top-left of the editor window (for PCs) or the top-left of the display (Macs). Some of the menus, such as File, Window, and Help, are present in all editor windows. Other certain menus are specific to their own editors.

Main Toolbar

The Main Toolbar contains shortcuts to some of the most used tools and commands in Unreal Editor.

The Save Button - you click this button to save the level that is currently open.

Clicking the Select Open Level Button shows the currently loaded level in the Content Browser. This will open the most recently used content browser which can be docked in the Content Drawer or stand alone Content Browser Panel.

Mode Selection contains shortcuts for quickly switching between different modes to edit content within your level. These modes also change the primary behavior of the Level Editor, which can include toolbar options designed for each mode specifically.

Content shortcut contains shortcuts for adding and opening common types of content within the Level Editor. The Create button can be used to choose from a list of common Actor Types and Recently Used assets. The Blueprints button can be used to create and access blueprints. The Cinematics button can be used to create and access a Level Sequence or Master Sequence cinematic.

The Play Mode Controls contains the shortcut buttons Play, Skip, Stop, and Eject for running your game in the editor.

Viewport Toolbar

The Viewport Toolbar can be used to accomplish many different tasks when building levels. It is located at the top of the Level Viewport with its settings and tools grouped into different categories. 

The Transform and Snapping tools are the options to swap between different Transform tools and change the snapping options.

The Camera tools are the options to switch between Perspective and Orthographic views and change camera movement speed.

The View Mode and Show Flag options allow you to pick between different view modes like Lit, Unlit, and Wireframe, and show flags related to the current viewport to hide and reveal types of content in the Level Viewport.

The Performance and Scalability tools dropdown menu can be used to reveal settings like Viewport Scalability and Material Quality Level.

The Viewport options can be used to change viewport related settings, like mouse sensitivity in the Level Viewport.

Level Viewport

The Level Viewport displays the contents of the level that is currently loaded. When opening a project in Unreal Engine, the project's default level is loaded (such the first-person or third-person template). You will see a gray box area with some physics objects, floors, walls, and ramps.

The Level Viewport is where you can view and edit the contents of your Level.

The Level Viewport can generally display the contents of the Level in two different ways:

• Perspective is a 3D view you can navigate to see the contents of the viewport from different angles – meaning you have a sense of depth.
• Orthographic is a 2D view that looks towards a specific direction (top, bottom, left, right, front, back). This creates a view where the distance from the object doesn’t provide a sense of depth.

The Viewport Type can be changed between Default Viewport and Cinematic Viewport. Default Viewport displays gizmos and icons in the level like Camera actors, Collision Components, and the World Grid.

Additionally, you can change the View Mode of your viewport by pressing the Lit button in the top-right corner of the viewport. Lit is the default view mode used for real-time applications where you can preview your scene with normally rendered lighting.

To control the viewport camera, the perspective through which you view the Level, press and hold the Right Mouse Button (RMB) anywhere in the viewport. While holding down RMB, you can use the W, A, S, and D keys to fly through the scene. You can fly up and down with the E and Q keys.

Releasing RMB and holding down the Left Mouse Button (LMB) can be used along with dragging the mouse to move the camera forward, backward, and rotate it left or right. This provides an alternative method for navigating the environment with greater precision.

Clicking on an object in the Level with the LMB selects the object.

The selected objects can be manipulated using the Transform Tool gizmos. Gizmos are used to move, rotate, or scale the object along specific axes.

You can activate the Translate tool by pressing W, the Rotation tool by pressing E, and the Scale tool by pressing R. You can use the Toolbar located at the top-right of the Viewport to switch between Transform tools.

Once you have selected a tool, you can manipulate the object using the gizmo’s axes. With the Translate or Scale tools, you can also drag from the center of the gizmo to adjust all axes simultaneously.

The viewport will have snapping enabled by default for every way of transforming your object. You can turn these off or change their snapping values by using the individual settings on the top-left side of the viewport.

Conclusion

You have now started your journey into using Unreal Engine 5.7 with these interface tips. I hope you find them useful and continue to learn more about UE5.

In this tutorial, we will create a hologram shader in Unreal Engine 5.6. The shader will feature a series of animated bands that simulate the appearance of a hologram, complete with a glowing edge and a customizable texture.

Step 1: Create a New Material

1. You will need a plain white texture and a Perlin noise texture (can be found in the content starter pack or imported).

*NOTE: You can find the starter pack content by going to Add > Add Feature or Content Pack > Content > Starter Content

2. If you want to add a texture such as the Earth or Jupiter, you will also need the appropriate texture.

3. Right-click in the Content Browser and choose Material.

4. Name the material M_Hologram.

Step 2: Set Material to Translucent

1. Double-click the material to open it in the Material Editor.

2. In the Details Panel, change the Blend Mode to Translucent.

Step 3: Create the Bands

1. To create three bands that move vertically, right-click in the material graph and search for World Position.

2. Hold down the S-key and left-click to add a Scalar Parameter node and name it Spacing1.

3. Set the Default Value of Spacing1 to 10 (you can adjust this later).

4. Drag out the Z of the World Position node and add a divide node.

5. Connect the Spacing1 scalar.

6. Drag out from the Divide node and add a Component Mask.

7. In the Detail Panel, choose only the Blue Channel to make the bands move vertically.

8. Drag out from the Component Mask and add a Panner node. Set the Y Speed to 2.

9. Drag out from the Panner node and add a Generated Band node. Set its input to Input Coordinates.

*NOTE: You can disconnect the Width by holding down the ALT key and left-clicking.

10. Create a Scalar Parameter by holding down the S-key and left-clicking. Rename this parameter to LineWidth1 and set the default value to 0.7.

11. Connect the second Scalar node to the Width input of the Generated Band.

12. Connect the Generated Band to the Base Color to see your first set of bands.

13. BONUS TIP: If you select your nodes and use the Q-key, you can quickly align the nodes.

14. Select all the nodes from the first band (Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + V to paste) and adjust the following parameters:

Change the Parameter name to LineWidth2.Set the Default Value to 0.5  

Select the Panner node and set the Speed Y to 4.

Change the Spacing Parameter’s name to Spacing2.Change the Default Value to 20.

15. Select all the nodes from the second band (Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + V to paste) and adjust the following parameters:

Change the Parameter name to LineWidth3.

Change the Spacing Parameter’s name to Spacing3.Change the Default Value to 1.

Step 4: Create a Fresnel Effect (Glow on Edges)

1. Right-click and search for Fresnel Function.

2. Create a Scalar Parameter called GlowPower and hook it up to the Power input. Set its default value to 5.

3. Hold down the T-key to add a Texture node.

4. In the Details Panel select the Perlin Noise for the Texture.

5. Add a Panner node and connect it to the UVs input of the Texture Sample.

6. Hold down the 3-key to add a Constant 3 Vector.

7. Connect the Constant 3 Vector to the Speed input of the Panner node.

8. Right-click and convert this to a parameter named EdgeGlowSpeed.

9. Twirl open the Default Value section in the Details Panel and set the Green channel to 0.05.

Step 5: Final Adjustments

1. Drag out from the Fresnel Function and add a Multiply node.

2. Connect the Texture Sample to the Multiply node.

3. Drag out from the Multiply node and add a second Multiply node.

4. Hold down the S-key and left-click to add a Scalar Parameter.

5. Rename it to GlowSize and set the Default Value to 30.

6. Connect the Scalar Parameter to the second Multiply node.

7. Drag out from the second Generated Band and add a Multiply node.

8. Connect the third Generated Band to the new Multiply node.

9. Drag out from the first Generated Band and add an Add node.

10. Connect the new Multiply node to the Add node.

11. Drag out from the Add node and add a Blender Overlay node.

12. Hold down the ALT key and left click to disconnect the two nodes and then connect the Add node to the Blender (V3) input.

13. Drag out from the Blender Overlay and add a Multiply node.

14. Connect the Multiply node from the Fresnel Function to this new Multiply node.

15. Drag out from the new Multiply node and add an Add node.

16. Connect the Base (V3) from the Blender Overlay to the A-input and the Multiply node to the B-input.

17. Connect the Add node to the Emissive Color input.

18. Hold down the S-key and add a new Scalar Parameter.

19. Rename the Scalar Parameter to Opacity.

20. Connect the Scalar Parameter to the Opacity input and change the Default Value to 0.5.

21. Hold down the 3-key to add a Constant 3 Vector.

22. Change the color to whatever color you want for the hologram.

23. Hold down the T-key to add a Texture Sample.

24. Right-click on the Texture Sample and convert it to a Parameter named Texture.

25. Drag out from the UVs and add a Panner node.

26. Hold down the 3-key to add a Constant 3 Vector and connect the Constant 3 Vector to the Speed input of the Panner node.

27. In the Details Panel, twirl open the Constant section and change the Red Constant to 0.05.

28. Right-click on the Constant 3 Vector and convert it to a Parameter – renaming it to TextureSpeed.

29. Drag out from the Constant 3 Vector and add a Multiply node.

30. Change the Texture to your White texture (which can also be accessed from the Starter Pack).

31. Connect the Texture to the Multiply node.

32. Connect the Multiply node to the Base (V3) of the Blend Overlay.

33. Apply and Save the Material.

Step 7: Convert to Material Instance

1. Right-click on the material and select Create Material Instance. Name it MI_Hologram.

2. Drag-and-drop the Material Instance onto your mesh.

3.. Double-click the instance to open its properties.

4. You can now adjust any of the parameters you have set up.

5. If you have an external texture you want to use – this is where you will add it.

6. Save the Material.

Conclusion

You’ve now created a customizable hologram shader in Unreal Engine 5.6. You can tweak various parameters in the Material Instance to adjust the appearance of your hologram. You can modify the color, speed, opacity, and texture to suit your needs. With this shader, you can create glowing, animated holograms in your projects.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk through the process of creating 2D pixel art style isometric sprites from a 3D model using Blender. Isometric views are often used in games and applications for creating top-down, three-dimensional effects with a 2D representation.

Step 1: Preparing Your Model

1. Select the car model (or whatever model you are using).

2. Right-click and under the Object menu and choose Set Origin > Origin to Geometry. This will center the origin of the mesh to ensure proper rotation and scaling.

3. Open the Properties Panel (press N) and open the View tab.

4. Check the box for Lock Camera to View. This ensures that as you move around the viewport, the camera will follow your movements.

Step 2: Set Up the Camera for Isometric View

1. Select the camera in your scene.

2. In the Object Tab under Location, set the following values: X: 10, Y: -10, Z: 10. For the Rotation values: X: 54.736, Y: 0, Z: 45.

3. In the Object Data Properties tab, change the camera’s Type to Orthographic (this eliminates perspective and gives you a true isometric view).

4. Go to the Render Properties panel.

5. Under the Film section, check the box for Transparent so the background is transparent.

6. In the Output Properties tab, set the resolution to 256 x 256 for both the X and Y axes (or whatever size you need).

7. Press 0 on the numpad to enter Camera View.

8. Move and scale the car model so it fits comfortably within the camera view.

Step 3: Creating the Pixel Art Look

1. Select the model.

2. In the Shading Workspace, add a Shader to RGB node between the BSDF Shader and the Material Output. [convertor]

3. Add a Color Ramp between the Shader to RGB and Material Output nodes.

4. Change the interpolation mode of the Color Ramp to Constant for sharper shadows. You can use this to tweak the highlight intensity.

5. Under Render Properties, open the Film section and set the Filter Size to 0.01. Under the Color Management section, change the View Transform to “Standard”.

7. Set up your lighting and render your image so you can see it in the Compositing workspace.

8. Open the Compositing workspace and activate Use Nodes.

9. Add a Scale node between the Render Layers node and the Composite and Viewer nodes.

10. Add a Value node and connect it to the X- and Y of the Scale node. Change the Value to 0.2.

11. Add a Pixelate node between the Scale node and Composite node.

12. Duplicate the Scale and Value node and place them between the Pixelate and Composite and Viewer nodes.

13. Change the second Value node to 5.

14. Now, you can see the pixel art style being applied to your model.

Step 4: Animating the Car

1. In the Animation workspace, make sure you are on frame 1 on the timeline.

2. Select the model and insert a keyframe for Location, Rotation, Scale by pressing I.

3. Move to frame 2 and rotate the model 45 degrees along the Z-axis. Insert another keyframe (press I again).

4. Repeat this process through frame 8 to complete a full 360-degree rotation.

5. Under the Output Properties tab, set the End Frame to 8.

6. In the Output section, select PNG and RGBA to include transparency.

7. Choose the output folder where the frames will be saved.

8. Render the animation by going to Render > Render Animation.

Step 5: Setting Up the Sprite Sheet

1. Open Affinity Photo or any photo editor of your choice.

2. Make a new document that will be large enough to contain all the sprites. You can do this with columns and rows or just use one long sprite sheet. Make sure you are using a transparent background. [1024, 512]

3. Drag all 8 images into the editor.

4. Snap each separate image into place. Using guides will make it easier. [256, 512, 768]

5. Export the PNG for use in your game engine.

Conclusion

You’ve now successfully created 2D pixel art style isometric sprites from a 3D model in Blender. These steps can be adapted to any model, and you can tweak the settings to achieve different visual effects, such as adding more frames for smoother animations or experimenting with different shadow styles for pixel art. By mastering this technique, you can easily generate sprites for games, animations, or even digital art projects.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of creating a stylized smoke effect in Blender 4.5 using particle systems, metaballs, and shaders. This effect doesn't rely on simulations but instead uses particles to create a smooth, customizable smoke trail that can be animated and adjusted for a unique look.

Step 1: Setting up the Project

• Select the default Cube and use X to delete it.
• Make sure you have the Node Wrangler addon activated.

Step 2: Particle Emitter

• Use SHIFT + A to access the Metaball menu and then choose “Ball” from the submenu.

Step 3: Base Smoke Material

1. Split the Viewport using the LMB and open the Shader Editor.
2. Use the Z-key and switch to Material Preview so you can see the material.
3. Create a new Material and name it appropriately.
4. Delete the Principled BSDF shader and use SHIFT + A to add a Transparent BSDF Shader, Emission Shader, and Mix Shader.
5. Connect the Emission and Transparent nodes to the Mix Shader node. Connect the Mix Shader node to the Material Output node.
6. Add a Noise Texture and with the Noise Texture selected, use CTRL + T to add a Texture Coordinate and Mapping node.
7. Change the Texture Coordinate from Generated to Object.
8. Add a Value node and connect it to the Scale of the Mapping node. Change the Value to 1.
9. Select the Noise Texture and use CTRL + SHIFT + LMB to view it.
10. Change the Noise Texture Scale to 1, Roughness to zero, and Distortion to 2.
11. Add a Mix Color node and connect the Mapping node to the A input.
12. Duplicate the Noise Texture node and connect it to the B input of the Mix Color Node.
13. Use CTRL + SHIFT + LMB to view the Mix Color node and change the Blending Mode to “Linear Light”.
14. Connect the Mix Color node to the Vector of the first Noise Texture.
15. Use CTRL + SHIFT + LMB to view the first Noise Texture.

Step 4: Particle System

1. Use SHIFT + A to add a UV Sphere to be used as the emitter. Using the S-key, scale it down to about 0.1.
2. In the Particles tab, add a new Particle System by using the plus button.
3. Under the Render panel, change the “Render As” from Halo to Object. For the “Instance Object”, select the Metaball. Change the Scale to 1.
4. Open the Timeline if you don’t already have it open and play the animation.
5. Under the Field Weights panel, change the Gravity to zero so the particles will expand rather than fall.
6. Under the Emission panel, you can change the Lifetime of the particles. You can also change the End Frame as needed. [80, 250]
7. Changing the Frame Start to -80 will give you some warmup frames.

Step 5: Finalize Smoke Material

1. To make the smoke material transparent, select the Metaball, and use SHIFT + A to add a Math node and change the Function to “Greater Than”. [Convertor]

2. Connect the Math node to the Factor of the Mix Shader and connect the Mix Shader to the Material Output.

3. You can also change the color of the Emission Shader to whatever color you want.

4. Add a Fresnel node and use CTRL + SHIFT + LMB to view it. This will add highlights to the material. [input]

5. Add a Math node to the Fresnel and change the Function to “Power”. This will allow you to control the Fresnel node. [1]

6. Make sure to activate the Clamp option to keep the colors between a factor of zero and 1.

7. Use SHIFT + D and duplicate the Math node – changing the Function to Subtract.

8. Add a Color Ramp between the two Math nodes and change the Interpolation to B-Spline.

9. Make sure the Color Ramp is connected to the top Value of the second Math node and the first Math node is connected to the second Value.

10. Moving the White Color Stop will adjust the look of the Fresnel node.

11. Add a Mix Color node and connect it to the Factor of the Mix Shader.

12. Connect the second Math node (Subtract) to the A input and the Greater Than Math node to the B input.

13. Use the Factor of this Mix Color node to further refine the smoke Material.

14. *Make sure the first Noise Texture is connected to the Greater Than Math node.

Step 6: Finalizing the Emitter

1. To improve the look of the smoke emitter, lower the Value of the Value node.

2. Change the Dimensions of the first Noise Texture (the one connected to the Math node) to 4D.

3. To add a Driver to the new Float field, click in the Float field and use #frame/15. You can use whatever number fits your scene.

4. You can also do this for the second Noise Texture – just change the division number.

Conclusion

Creating a stylized smoke effect in Blender 4.5 is a fun and creative process that allows you to create dynamic visuals without relying on complex simulations. Experiment with the values, textures, and particle system settings to unlock even more possibilities for your smoke effects.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of importing a character from AccuRig into Unreal Engine 5.6 and retargeting animations to that character.

We’ll go step-by-step through the process, from exporting your character from AccuRig to Unreal Engine, and then applying motion animations from an existing Unreal Engine skeleton to your custom character.

Links for AccuRig and the Auto Setup for Unreal Engine 

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Step 1: Rigging the character in AccuRig

Open AccuRig and load the character you want to rig. This can be either and FBX file or an OBJ file. Link to the character from FAB.

Use the “rotate character” options to make sure the character is centered.

Activate “force symmetry” to make sure the rig is the same on both sides of the character.

In order to rig the character, click on “Rig Body”.

You are now able to see the joints. However, you need to make sure the joints are in the correct position – following the guide to the right.

Once you have the joints in the correct positions, choose “Rig Hands”. Choose the correct number of fingers in the menu for your character.

You are now able to see the hand joints. Make sure the hand joints are in the correct position – following the guide to the right

When you are done, select “Calibrate” to generate the rig.

Use the “Acting” tab to make sure the rig is working correctly.

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Step 2: Exporting the character from AccuRig

Make sure you use the A-Pose to export the character.

To export the character you need to click on “Add Motions".

You will now see an Export option. Choose “Export FBX”. The Target Application is Unreal.

For the purposes of this tutorial I’ll be “Character Only”. You can use the “Original” option for the textures.

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Step 3: Importing the character into Unreal

Download and install the Auto Setup for Unreal Engine (link in the description).

Create a folder for the character and import the AccuRig character.

Leave everything at default except under the Skeletal Meshes options, activate “Use TO As Ref Pose” to avoid any anomalies with the skeleton. [TIME ZERO]

Also make sure “Import Morph Targets” is activated.

Under the General options, I will change the “Offset Uniform Scale” for the character I’m using to 0.5 to make sure he doesn’t import too large.

Make a new folder for the textures and import the textures into the new folder.

Open each Material and connect the Texture to the Base Color.

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Step 4: Retargeting in Unreal

Open the folder containing your AccuRig character. Add a new folder for Animations.

Open the Mannequins folder and the Anims folder.

Select an animation, right-click, and choose “Retarget Animations”.

Change the “Target Skeletal Mesh” to your AccuRig character and make sure the “Auto Generate Retargeter” is activated.

Search for the Animation you chose from the folder and then choose “Export Animations” and choose the animation folder you just made.

When I play the game, I can now see the animation working as expected.

In this tutorial, we will explore how to model a Roman dome in Blender 3D. We will go over step-by-step instructions to create the unique shape.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Blender Scene

1. Press X and click “Delete” to remove the default cube.
2. Press Shift + A, choose Mesh → UV Sphere. This will be the base for the dome.
3. Using the pop-over menu, change the number of segments. 

Step 2: Creating the Dome Shape

1. Press Tab to switch to Edit Mode and use the 3-key to enter Face Select Mode.
2. Go into Top View by using Numpad 7.
3. Use the C-key for Circle Select and select the very top faces of the UV Sphere. Use the delete key to delete the selected faces.
4. In Front View (1-key), use the Z-key to switch to Wireframe Shading.
5. Left-click and drag over the bottom half of the UV Sphere and delete the selection.
6. Use the Z-key to switch back to Solid Shading.
7. In Object Mode, add a Subdivision Surface Modifier with 3-Levels.
8. Right-click on the Dome and choose Shade Smooth.
9. Add a Solidify Modifier using ‘Even Thickness’ and adjust the Thickness.

Step 3: Creating the Decorative Ceiling Structure

1. Add a Plane using Shift + A and rotate it around the X-Axis by 90-degrees.
2. In Edit Mode, use simple Insets (I-key) and Extrusions (E-key) to make a simple decorative pattern.
3. In Object Mode, use CTRL + A to apply all the Transforms. This will help when using the Array Modifier.
4. Add an Array Modifier along the Z-Axis with a count of 5 or 6.
5. With your Cursor hovering over the Modifier, use CTRL + A to apply the Modifier.
6. Add a second Array Modifier along the X-Axis – increasing the count to around 25.
7. Add a Simple Deform Modifier using Bend as the Type. Change the Axis to Z and the Angle to 360.
8. Add the Weld Modifier to connect the two ends of the Array Modifier.
9. Add a Simple Deform Modifier using Bend as the Type.
10. Drag it above the first Simple Deform Modifier and change the Angle to make into the shape of a dome.
11. You will now need to move and scale all of the objects so the decorative structure can be seen properly.

Conclusion

Creating a Roman Dome in Blender 3D is a fun and rewarding challenge, combining classical architectural principles with the power of modern 3D modeling. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you’ll have a better understanding of how to model curved structures for your realistic scene. Whether you're building historical scenes or working on personal projects, this skill will be a valuable addition to your Blender toolkit.

In this tutorial, I will walk you through the steps to use your materials and save them in Blender 3D’s Asset Browser. I will be using a materials pack that I sell for this tutorial (links below). These materials will be applied to objects in Blender and stored for easy access in the Asset Browser.

Blender Materials Pack ($):
FAB: https://www.fab.com/listings/f6810840-9fc1-4c5d-b59a-ea8d77a4010f 
Gumroad: https://jsabbott.gumroad.com/l/blender-materials-pack?layout=profile
Itch.Io: https://olde-tinkerer.itch.io/blender-materials-pack
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/s/a1cfb2222c

Blender Materials Mini Pack (Free):
FAB: https://www.fab.com/listings/8010a3f2-ea0e-44fb-ba87-4eba9f04af61
Gumroad: https://jsabbott.gumroad.com/l/blender-materials-mini-pack?layout=profile
Itch.Io: https://olde-tinkerer.itch.io/blender-materials-mini-pack
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/s/9a1866567b

Step 1: Import Your Materials into Blender

1. Import Your Materials
   • If your materials are in a Blend file, you can simply append them into your current project:
     • File → Append and navigate to the Blend file.
     • Go to the Material folder and select the materials you want to add.
     • Click Append to import the materials into your current project.
2. Apply Materials to Your Objects
   • Select the object you want to apply the material to.
   • In the Materials tab of the Properties Panel, assign the material to the object by selecting it from the dropdown in the material slot.

Step 2: Save Materials to Blender's Asset Browser

Blender’s Asset Browser is a fantastic tool for organizing reusable assets like materials, models, textures, and more.

1. Set Up the Asset Browser

• Switch to the Asset Browser by splitting the Viewport, then use the dropdown menu to switch to the Asset Browser.

1. Set up the Asset Library Path
   • Under the Edit menu, open Preferences.
   • Open the File Paths panel. This is where you will set up the file path for your Asset Libraries.
   • Click on the Plus-Button to add a new Asset Library.
   • Open the Folder Location and click on Add Asset Library.
2. Mark Materials as Assets
   • To save a material to the Asset Browser, you need to mark it as an asset:
     • In the Shading workspace, select the material you’ve applied to your object.
     • Right-click on the material and select Mark as Asset.
     • Once you save the Blend file into the same folder as the Assets, you will now see your material in your newly created Asset Library.
     • This will also work if you build your materials within Blender itself – either through Procedural Textures or external PBR Textures.

Step 3: Reuse Your Materials from the Asset Browser

Now that your materials are saved in the Asset Browser, you can easily reuse them.

1. Drag and Drop Materials
   • To use a material, simply drag it from the Asset Browser and drop it onto the object you want to apply it to.
2. Preview Assets
   • The Asset Browser will show you previews of the materials, so you can quickly identify them without needing to click and check them individually.

This process helps you create an efficient, reusable material workflow in Blender. You can now quickly apply and organize the materials you’re using in multiple scenes without the hassle of searching for them again.

Creating a realistic ceramic material in Substance Painter can bring your 3D models to life with realistic details like smooth surfaces, matte finishes, subtle imperfections, and varying levels of glossiness. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to achieve a high-quality ceramic material.

Step 1: Set Up the Project

Open Substance Painter and load your 3D model.

Choose a suitable PBR template (usually PBR – Metallic Roughness works well for ceramic materials).

Select the texture resolution based on your needs (e.g., 2048x2048 or 4096x4096).

Open the Texture Set Settings and bake the Texture Maps.

Step 2: Apply a Base Material

Create a Fill layer.

This layer will serve as the base of your pottery material.

Name it Base.

Set Base Color:

In the Properties panel, under the Base Color section, turn off all the maps except Color and Roughness.

Choose a color like an off-white.

Add Roughness:

Ceramic often has a slightly rough surface, so set the Roughness value to something around 0.4.

This will make the material look more natural.

Add Texture:

Ceramic often has a slightly textured surface.

Duplicate the Base layer and rename it. Right-click and add a Black Mask to the Texture. Then add a Fill to the Black Mask.

Activate the Height Map and add a Texture to the Fill of the Black Mask. Adjust the Height Properties. [Grunge Roughcast]

Change the Color to a slightly darker tint.

This will make the material look like it has a texture.

Adjust the Balance and Contrast of the Grunge Map.

Step 3: Add a Glossy Layer for Glaze (Optional)

Create a New Layer for the Glaze:

In the Layers panel, add a new Fill Layer. Name this layer "Glaze".

Make sure this layer is above your base ceramic material layer in the stack.

Adjust the Glaze Material:

Set the base color of the glaze to a light color (e.g., light blue, or green, depending on the type of glaze).

Set the roughness to 0.05-0.1 for a glossy finish. This will simulate the smooth, shiny surface typical of glazed ceramics.

Lower the opacity if you want the glaze to be semi-transparent or if you want to see the underlying ceramic color through it.

Step 4: Saving as a Smart Material

You can easily save this material as a Smart Material for future use.

Smart Material:

Add a Folder and name it appropriately.

Move all the Layers into the Folder.

Right-click on the Folder and choose ‘Create Smart Material’.

Conclusion

You’ve now created a beautiful ceramic material in Substance Painter. Feel free to experiment with different base colors, roughness, and glazes to customize your material further for specific projects!

In this tutorial, I'll guide you through the essential steps to get started with MetaHumans in UE5.6. By the end of this tutorial, you'll be ready to bring your MetaHumans to life in Unreal Engine and take your projects to the next level.

Step 1: Enable the MetaHuman Creator Plugin

1. In the Epic Games Launcher, open the Intallation Options for version 5.6 and make sure you have MetaHuman Creator Core Data enabled.
2. Create a Third Person Project.
3. Navigate to Edit → Plugins.
4. Search for MetaHuman Creator and enable it.
5. Restart Unreal for the changes to take effect.

Step 2: Create a MetaHuman

1. Right-click in the Content Browser and go to the MetaHuman menu. From here, choose MetaHuman Character and rename the Character to something like MC_Character.
2. Open the Character you just created. If you see alerts for any missing plugins, make sure to enable those plugins before proceeding.
3. In the center of the window is the Viewport where you can view your Character.
4. The RMB or Scroll Wheel can be used to zoom. The LMB is used to rotate around the Character. Using the MMB allows you to pan around the Character.

Step 3: Customize Your Character

1. On the left, you will see your customization options.
2. Open the Presets at the top of the list and choose a Preset for your base MetaHuman.
3. Next on the list is the Body. Here you can Blend different body types together.
4. You can also use Conform to import your own external file for the MetaHuman Character.
5. The Model option allows you to change the proportions of the Character.
6. Now you can move on to changing the Head. Here you can Blend different head types together.
7. You can use Conform to import your own external file and use it for the MetaHuman Character.
8. The Transform option allows you to make broad adjustments to the facial features.
9. Sculpt permits you to make fine adjustments to the facial features.
10. The Teeth and Eyelashes option allows you to make granular changes to your Character’s teeth and eyelashes.
11. You can use the Materials controls to customize the skin, eyes, makeup, teeth, and eyelashes of you Character.
12. To further change the style of your Character, you also have the option of changing the hair, eyebrows, and clothing of your Character. There are many options that you can import from Fab and use on the MetaHuman Character.

Step 4: Rig and Export Your Character

• The Assembly option is how you can export the Character. This is where the process of building the Character to use in your project is.
• You have four different options but the two most people will use is the UEFN Export for the UEFN engine and the UE Optimized for the UE game engine. You can choose the Quality, Save Location, and Name of the Character.

1. You will need to Rig the Character by selecting the ‘Create Full Rig’ button. You will then be taken to a separate site where you will need to log in using your UE account.
2. Once the Character is rigged, click on the ‘Download Texture Source’ and choose the Resolution you want to use.
3. When the Textures are downloaded, you are now able to export the Character.
4. There is a slight glitch, so switch to one of the other panel options and then back to Assembly. Now you will see the Assemble button which allows you to download the MetaHuman.

Step 5: Character Blueprint

1. In the MetaHumans folder, open the Character Blueprint and open the Viewport.
2. If you notice the eyes missing when you zoom in, select the LODSync.
3. Change the Number of LODs to 2 and the Forced LOD to 1.
4. Compile and Save the Blueprint.
5. Leave this Blueprint open if you want to swap the Mannequin for your Character.

Step 6: Mannequin to MetaHuman

• You do have the ability to exchange the default Mannequin for your new Character.
• In the Third Person folder, open the Third Person Character Blueprint.
• In the Components panel of the MetaHuman Character Blueprint, SHIFT-Select everything from Body to MetaHuman and copy (CTRL + C) the Components.
• Open the Third Person Blueprint and select the Mesh (Character Mesh). Paste (CTRL + V) the copied Components onto this Mesh.
• Select the Body and drag it onto the Mesh to Parent it to the Mesh.
• In the Details panel, reset the Location and Rotation to zero. In the Viewport tab, you will now see your Character.
• However, the Mannequin is still present.
• To hide the Mannequin, select the Mesh (Character Mesh) Component and in the Details panel, search for Visible.
• Disable the Visible option.
• Search for Visibility and set the Visibility Based Anim to ‘Always Tick and Refresh Pose’.
• Compile and Save

Step 7: Retargeting the MetaHuman

• To animate your Character, open the Construction Script.
• Drag in the Mesh Component.
• Drag off from the Mesh Pin and search for ‘Set Leader Pose Component’.
• Connect the Construction Script to the top Pin and connect the Mesh to the ‘New Leader Bone Component. (You will need to hold down the ALT key and disconnect the Target.) This will replace the Mannequin with your Character.
• Drag in the Body, Face, and Skeletal Mesh Components and connect them to the ‘Target’ of the Set Leader Pose Component. This tells Unreal that you want to use the Character and not the Mannequin as your Target.
• Compile and Save the Blueprint.
• When you go back to the Level, you will now see your Character being properly animated.

Step 8: Exporting as an FBX

• To export the Character to be used in external software, open the MetaHumans folder.
• In your Character folder, open the Body folder.
• Right-click on the Skeletal Mesh and under the Asset Actions menu, choose Export.
• Open the Materials folder and export the Material using the same actions.
• You will need to do this for each component of your Character.

Conclusion

You’ve now learned how to create, customize, and animate your MetaHumans in Unreal Engine 5.6. With the powerful MetaHuman Creator plugin, you can bring incredibly lifelike characters into your projects with ease, whether you're creating games, films, or interactive experiences.