Scene Levels and Maps

This topic covers how levels and maps can be configured within an Unreal Engine scene for control via RenderStream

The Unreal Engine plugin allows you to generate scenes from either Levels or Maps within a project. This functions similarly to how the ‘Effects’ parameter in Notch blocks work.

Levels/Maps in Unreal Engine (UE) can be composed of any number of actors. There are three options for deciding how scenes will be generated from your Unreal Engine project:

None - this offers no scene control and simply merges all Levels of your default Map into a single persistent level.

Streaming Levels - this option generates scenes from all Levels/Sub-levels within your default Map. The Actors within a Level other than the persistent level are unique to that level. The Actors within the persistent level are shared across all levels. Parameters exposed in levels other than the persistent level will only be available when the corresponding scene is chosen in the RenderStream layer. Parameters exposed in the persistent level will be available across all scenes in the RenderStream Layer.

Maps - this option generates scenes from all Maps within your project. The behaviour of Actors and exposed parameters with this option selected, is similar to that described for ‘Streaming Levels’.

To use this functionality:

  1. Select Edit and navigate to Project Settings…

    1. Navigate to Plugins/ disguise RenderStream in the left panel.

    2. Set Scene Selector accordingly.

  3. Create a sub-level:

    1. Return to the scene.

    2. Select any Actor from the World Outliner panel (e.g. Chair).

    3. Select Windowfollowed by Levels from the scene window.

    4. Click the Levels dropdown and select Create New with Selected Actors.

    5. Name the level and save.

    6. Rebuild lighting if required (Unreal Engine may display errors at this point but it will recover).

  5. Save and close Unreal Engine.

  6. Open the RenderStream Layer in Disguise software and Start the workload.

  7. Modify the Scene parameter.

    Notes:

    • When using the Maps Scene Selector option, all maps within your Unreal Engine project must be loaded in the Editor at least so that they are cached. If they are not loaded at least once, they will not appear within the scene selection.

    • When using the Maps Scene Selector option, sublevels are handled differently compared to when the Streaming Levels option is selected.

      • Maps will only display the Actors present within a sublevel and not include those in any parent levels.

      • Streaming Levels will display the Actors present within a sublevel as well as those included in any parent levels.

    • When using the None Scene Selector option, the scene Unreal will present when a workload is started will always be the Game Default Map set within the project settings (unless otherwise specified using the Custom Options field).

Level Streaming Mode

The Level Streaming Mode can be found in the Project Settings - Plugins - Disguise RenderStream . There are three options to choose from:

  • Level Streaming

    • The current Level Streaming system is designed for lightweight levels. It gives the user the ability to switch seamlessly between Unreal Engine levels. When correctly optimized.

    • Level streaming should be used when switching time is essential, most often on live shows featuring transitions and multiple scenes.

  • Maps

    • The Maps system is designed for heavier Unreal Engine Level structures, and should be utilised if switching between levels seamlessly isn’t required

    • Maps mode uses the Unreal Engine Map switching functionality. Allowing multiple “Persistent” Level hierarchies to be loaded directly from Disguise.

      • Persistent Level

        • Main Level One

          • Sublevel A

          • Sublevel B

          • Sublevel C

        • Main Level Two

          • Sublevel D

          • Sublevel E

          • Sublevel F

      • Outside of Disguise Persistent Level Hierarchy

        • Often this is employed in Film and Episodic shoots, allowing the operator to switch between levels without restarting the Cluster. But without the need for speed

  • None

    • This loads functionality based on the Default Editor Map. Any level switching, loading, and visibility has to be programmed inside the Persistent Level. Disguise RenderStream has no direct effect on the loading and visibility of Levels in this mode.

    • This is the recommended mode for custom loading and unloading functionality, often associated with game setups.