AdamCodd/unreal-engine-5-raw · Datasets at Hugging Face

Data Layers control the loading and unloading of Actors both in the editor and at runtime. Unlike Levels, Actors can be assigned to more than one Data Layer. To set the current Data Layer (or Layers):

Data Layer Outliner showing the Trees Data Layer set to current.

This adds the selected Data Layer to the current context. Its name and assigned debug color now display in the Actor Editor Context widget.

Actor Editor Context widget showing Trees as the current Data Layer. Click image for full size.

All Actors you add to the Viewport are assigned to the current Data Layer (or Layers). To clear the current Data Layer context, right-click in the Data Layer Outliner and select Clear Current Data Layer(s) or click the X button located in that section of the Actor Editor Context widget.

Clear the current Data Layer by clicking the X button in the Actor Editor Context widget.

Similar to Data Layers, you can also assign a current Actor Folder in the Outliner. To set the current Actor Folder:

Outliner showing Trees as the current Actor Folder.

This adds the selected folder to the current context. Its name now displays in the Actor Editor Context widget.

Actor Editor Context widget showing Trees as the current Actor Folder. Click image for full size.

All Actors you add to the Viewport are assigned to the current Actor Folder. To clear this context, right-click in the Outliner and select Clear Current Folder or click the X button located in that section of the Actor Editor Context widget.

Clear the current Actor Folder by clicking the X button in the Actor Editor Context widget.

The Actor Editor Context widget is enabled by default. To disable it, follow these steps:

Click the Viewport Options button in the top-left corner of the Viewport, then select Advanced Settings. This opens the Editor Preferences window.

Click the Viewport options button and select Advanced Settings at the bottom.

Navigate to the Look and Feel section of the Level Editor - Viewports settings and clear the Show Actor Editor Context checkbox.

Setting the Current Context

Toggling Actor Editor Context in the Viewport

Current Level

Current Level Instance

Current Data Layer

Current Actor Folder

Remarks

The Level Editor - Viewports settings. Click image for full size.

Rewind Debugger

Using the Rewind Debugger, you can record a gameplay segment of a project during runtime, and rewind the simulation to observe information about animation behaviors and interactions. Building off of the Animation Insights foundation, the Rewind Debugger provides a refreshed visual interface to debug animation content in Unreal Engine.

When working with character animation systems in Unreal Engine, it can be difficult to isolate the source of a bug. Using the Rewind Debugger, you can record a segment of gameplay, and then scrub through the recording to debug animation content in a more functional and stable work environment.

Animation data is represented visually, on tracks that populate the Rewind Debugger Timeline after selecting a target object. The Rewind Debugger tracks can contain information about Animation Blueprints, Sequence playback, animation variables, notifies and more.

To open the Rewind Debugger window, navigate in the Menu Bar to Tools > Debug > Rewind Debugger.

You can view more precise animation data in the Rewind Debugger Details panel, after selecting a track from the Rewind Debugger Timeline. To open the Rewind Debugger Details panel, navigate in the Menu Bar to Tools > Debug > Rewind Debugger Details.

The Rewind Debugger panel is populated with a unique interface you can use to observe animation data while navigating recorded gameplay segments.

Select the camera behavior for the gameplay recording playback. The Camera Modes are as follows:

Disabled: Disables camera movement, leaving the camera unattached and untethered to any game object.

Follow Target Actor: Locks the camera to the selected object from a pre-positioned location. You can position the camera anywhere in the level, and the camera moves along the same track as the selected object.

This option does not track the selected object, it moves the camera based on the same movement data as the character.

Eject the player control in the Project Simulation Controls before attempting to change the Camera Control Mode.

After recording a gameplay segment, you can choose a game object from the Object Outliner dropdown menu to populate the Rewind Debugger panel.

After selecting a game object, the Object Outliner lists the selected object, and all child objects and components, including any that are created or destroyed during runtime as well as any attached controllers.

The Object Outline has the following tools you can use to assist in selecting game objects to debug, and in filtering their connected components.

Some game objects are composed of many components, such as a Movement Component, Animation Blueprints, and more. Each of these components is listed as a child object in the Object Outliner with an associated track in the Rewind Debugger Timeline, and must be selected individually to see their respective data within the Rewind Debugger Details panel.

After selecting a game object to debug, the Rewind Debugger Timeline populates with the selected game object's components and child objects. Each component or child object is given a track where you can visually see changes in its data, variables, and curve values during the recorded gameplay segment.

You can select a track in the Rewind Debugger Timeline to observe more precise animation data values in the Rewind Debugger Details panel.

By clicking and dragging the red playhead, you can scrub through the Timeline manually to observe the animation data changes in the Rewind Debugger Details Panel and Viewport simultaneously.

The Rewind Debugger Details panel displays all available data depending on the selected track in the Rewind Debugger Timeline and the position on the Timeline. Displayed information can include variable values, boolean states, and more.

Depending on the track you have selected in the Rewind Debugger Timeline, contextual data populates the panel.

You can open the Rewind Debugger Details panel by navigating in the Menu Bar to Tools > Debug > Rewind Debugger Details.

To use the Rewind Debugger, first start the game simulation by clicking the Green Play Button in the Project Simulation Controls.

Click Record in the Rewind Debugger Playback controls to begin recording the project simulation.

To disconnect your cursor from the simulation, without stopping or pausing the simulation, use the hot key Shift + F1.