rdBuildBuddy is a set of Blueprints to help build large scale constructs. A procedural spawning system that can spawn Static Mesh Instances, Blueprints, Niagara FX and virtually anything you can think of, in systematic ways.
Unlike other procedural spawning systems, these spawners are based on Components and any number of them can be added to “Placement” Actors in the level and can be controlled as groups or separately.
There are 4 basic Placement types:
Point Placement.
Build Components attached to these build blocks in radius from the point, either in 2D or in 3D.Line Placement.
Build Components build blocks along the line in either 2D or 3D.Box Placement.
Build Components build blocks in the Box, either filled or hollow and either 2D or 3D.Spline Placement.
Build Components build blocks along the spline in either 2D or 3D.
There are 3 types of Build Component:
Distribute.
Blocks are distributed along their path in various ways.Scatter.
Blocks are scattered along their path in various ways.Wall/Pipe.
Blocks are built along their path in various ways.
Each type of Build Component supports features to:
- Add any number of gaps at any position along their path.
- Add a combination of Static Mesh (Instanced or not), Blueprint and/or Niagara FX.
- Add randomization to the blocks transform.
- Run a Blueprint to modify each of the blocks transform/state or add its own actors.
- Pass build information such as level, row and column to blocks that create Blueprints.
- Have any number of blocks to randomly or sequentially choose from to add.
- Blocks can be told to lay on the ground rather than use their Z position.
rdBuildBuddy has a custom factory system where you can specify custom Static Mesh Instance generators. It’s as simple as dragging one of your Instance generator classes (SubClasses from BP_BaseFactory) onto the level and setting all rdBuildBuddy blueprints you want to use it to point to it.
rdBuildBuddy comes with 3 Factories as default, more can easily be added by subclassing BP_BaseFactory.
Default
– Creates Instances from Child Components of each rdBuildBuddy in your levelrdInst
– Uses rdInst to create high speed, managed InstancesLight Weight Instances
– Creates instances using the new Light Weight Instancing Plugin (requires UE5 or above).
rdBuildBuddy can be used to create complex Buildings. It’s possible to create multi-level, fully populated buildings, car-parks, Subway stations etc from Nested rdBuildings and Blueprints.