rdInst Tutorial 8.3 – Creating Procedural DataAssets

Last Updated: 28th April 2025
Tutorial created using rdInst version 1.50

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The rdProceduralActor can be assigned objects and parameters for population in a variety of ways.

The Procedural DataAssets are probably the most powerful of them, allowing easy setup, re-use in any level or project and very simple to assign to Procedural Actors.

You can even just drag the DataAssets into the level and they automatically create a compatible ProceduralActor for it.

This Tutorial goes through creating a couple of simple ProceduralDataAssets and a MultiDataAsset.

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Step 1. Create a new DataAsset

The first thing is to create the DataAsset.

Call it something like PA_Trees1, then open it in the Editor.

Click the (+) besides the Placements property to add a new entry (here, we’ll add 3 entries).

Here we add a Tree, a dead tree and a fallen tree StaticMesh, all other options are left as their defaults.

Create another DataAsset called PA_Stones1 and add 3 or 3 entries with stone meshes.

These 2 DataAssets can now form the basis for other MultiDataAssets – or dragged straight into the level, or dragged into rdProceduralActors.

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Step 2. Create a MultiPlacement DataAsset

MultiPlacement DataAssets are just collections of Placement Assets. Here we’re just going to create one which contains both the DataAssets made in Step 1.

Note: When using DataAssets with rdProceduralActors, you can edit the DataAssets and the ProceduralActor will automatically refresh the next time it updates.

So like in Step 1, create a new DataAsset, this time, subclass it from the rdMultiPlacement DataAsset.

Now just add a couple of items with the (+) and point them to the DataAssets you made in Step 1.

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Step 3. Done.

That’s it – now you can use them to drag into the level or into rdProceduralActors.

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