Section 10: Outline and Glow Effects - Lecture 168

Material Pulse when Interping

Config/DefaultEngine.ini

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ r.GenerateMeshDistanceFields=True
 r.DynamicGlobalIlluminationMethod=1
 r.ReflectionMethod=1
 r.Shadow.Virtual.Enable=1
+r.CustomDepth=3
 
 [/Script/WorldPartitionEditor.WorldPartitionEditorSettings]
 CommandletClass=Class'/Script/UnrealEd.WorldPartitionConvertCommandlet'

Source/Shooter/Ammo.cpp

@@ -88,3 +88,13 @@ void AAmmo::OnAmmoSphereOverlap(UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComponent, AActor
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+void AAmmo::EnableCustomDepth()
+{
+	AmmoMesh->SetRenderCustomDepth(true);
+}
+
+void AAmmo::DisableCustomDepth()
+{
+	AmmoMesh->SetRenderCustomDepth(false);
+}

Source/Shooter/Ammo.h

@@ -53,4 +53,7 @@ private:
 public:
 	FORCEINLINE UStaticMeshComponent* GetAmmoMesh() const { return AmmoMesh; }
 	FORCEINLINE EAmmoType GetAmmoType() const { return AmmoType; }
+
+	virtual void EnableCustomDepth() override;
+	virtual void DisableCustomDepth() override;
 };

Source/Shooter/Item.cpp

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "Camera/CameraComponent.h"
 #include "Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"
 #include "Sound/SoundCue.h"
+#include "Curves/CurveVector.h"
 
 // Sets default values
 AItem::AItem() :
@@ -26,7 +27,14 @@ AItem::AItem() :
 	ItemIntepY(0.f),
 	InterpInitialYawOffset(0.f),
 	ItemType(EItemType::EIT_MAX),
-	InterpLocIndex(0)
+	InterpLocIndex(0),
+	MaterialIndex(0),
+	bCanChangeCustomDepth(true),
+	// Dynamic Material Parameters
+	GlowAmount(150.f),
+	FresnelExponent(3.f),
+	FresnelReflectFraction(4.f),
+	PulseCurveTime(5.f)
 {
  	// Set this actor to call Tick() every frame.  You can turn this off to improve performance if you don't need it.
 	PrimaryActorTick.bCanEverTick = true;
@@ -64,6 +72,11 @@ void AItem::BeginPlay()
 
 	//Set Item properties based on ItemState
 	SetItemProperties(ItemState);
+	
+	// Set custom depth to disabled
+	InitializeCustomDepth();
+
+	StartPulseTimer();
 }
 
 void AItem::setActiveStars()
@@ -119,6 +132,65 @@ void AItem::PlayPickupSound()
 	}
 }
 
+void AItem::EnableCustomDepth()
+{
+	if (bCanChangeCustomDepth)
+		ItemMesh->SetRenderCustomDepth(true);
+}
+
+void AItem::DisableCustomDepth()
+{
+	if (bCanChangeCustomDepth)
+		ItemMesh->SetRenderCustomDepth(false);
+}
+
+void AItem::InitializeCustomDepth()
+{
+	DisableCustomDepth();
+}
+
+void AItem::OnConstruction(const FTransform& Transform)
+{
+	if (MaterialInstance)
+	{
+		DynamicMaterialInstance = UMaterialInstanceDynamic::Create(MaterialInstance, this);
+		ItemMesh->SetMaterial(MaterialIndex, DynamicMaterialInstance);
+	}
+
+	EnableGlowMaterial();
+}
+
+void AItem::UpdatePulse()
+{
+	if (ItemState != EItemState::EIS_Pickup)	return;
+	
+	const float ElapsedTime { GetWorldTimerManager().GetTimerElapsed(PulseTimer) };
+	if (PulseCurve)
+	{
+		const FVector CurveValue{ PulseCurve->GetVectorValue(ElapsedTime) };
+
+		DynamicMaterialInstance->SetScalarParameterValue(TEXT("GlowAmount"), CurveValue.X * GlowAmount);
+		DynamicMaterialInstance->SetScalarParameterValue(TEXT("FresnelExponent"), CurveValue.Y * FresnelExponent);
+		DynamicMaterialInstance->SetScalarParameterValue(TEXT("FresnelReflectFraction"), CurveValue.Z * FresnelReflectFraction);
+	}
+}
+
+void AItem::EnableGlowMaterial()
+{
+	if (DynamicMaterialInstance)
+	{
+		DynamicMaterialInstance->SetScalarParameterValue(TEXT("GlowBlendAlpha"), 0);
+	}
+}
+
+void AItem::DisableGlowMaterial()
+{
+	if (DynamicMaterialInstance)
+	{
+		DynamicMaterialInstance->SetScalarParameterValue(TEXT("GlowBlendAlpha"), 1);
+	}
+}
+
 void AItem::PlayEquipSound()
 {
 	if (Character)
@@ -141,6 +213,9 @@ void AItem::Tick(float DeltaTime)
 
 	// Handle Item interping when in the EquipInterping state
 	ItemInterp(DeltaTime);
+
+	// Get curve values from PulseCurve and set dynamic material parameters
+	UpdatePulse();
 }
 
 void AItem::OnSphereOverlap(UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComponent, AActor* OtherActor, UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp,
@@ -247,6 +322,19 @@ FVector AItem::GetInterpLocation()
 	return FVector(0.f);
 }
 
+void AItem::ResetPulseTimer()
+{
+	StartPulseTimer();
+}
+
+void AItem::StartPulseTimer()
+{
+	if (ItemState == EItemState::EIS_Pickup)
+	{
+		GetWorldTimerManager().SetTimer(PulseTimer, this, &AItem::ResetPulseTimer, PulseCurveTime);
+	}
+}
+
 void AItem::SetItemState(EItemState State)
 {
 	ItemState = State;
@@ -360,6 +448,8 @@ void AItem::StartItemCurve(AShooterCharacter* Char)
 
 	// Initial Yaw Offset between Camera and Item
 	InterpInitialYawOffset = ItemRotationYaw - CameraRotationYaw;
+
+	bCanChangeCustomDepth = false;
 }
 
 void AItem::FinishInterping()
@@ -374,5 +464,8 @@ void AItem::FinishInterping()
 	}
 	// Set scale back to normal
 	SetActorScale3D(FVector(1.f));
+
+	bCanChangeCustomDepth = true;
+	DisableCustomDepth();
 }
 

Source/Shooter/Item.h

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class USphereComponent;
 class UCurveFloat;
 class AShooterCharacter;
 class USoundCue;
+class UCurveVector;
 
 UENUM(BlueprintType)
 enum class EItemRarity : uint8
@@ -82,6 +83,14 @@ protected:
 
 	void PlayPickupSound();
 
+	virtual void InitializeCustomDepth();
+
+	virtual void OnConstruction(const FTransform& Transform) override;
+	
+	void ResetPulseTimer();
+	void StartPulseTimer();
+	void UpdatePulse();
+
 public:	
 	// Called every frame
 	virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;
@@ -187,6 +196,39 @@ private:
 	UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
 	int32 InterpLocIndex;
 
+	/** Index for the material we'd like to change at runtime */
+	UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	int32 MaterialIndex;
+
+	/** Dynamic instance that we can change at runtime */
+	UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	UMaterialInstanceDynamic* DynamicMaterialInstance;
+
+	/** Material instance used with the dynamic material instance */
+	UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	UMaterialInstance* MaterialInstance;
+
+	bool bCanChangeCustomDepth;
+
+	/** Curve to drive the dynamic material parameters */
+	UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	UCurveVector* PulseCurve;
+
+	FTimerHandle PulseTimer;
+
+	/** Time for the pulse timer */
+	UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	float PulseCurveTime;
+
+	UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	float GlowAmount;
+
+	UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	float FresnelExponent;
+
+	UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, Category = "Item Properties", meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = true))
+	float FresnelReflectFraction;
+
 public:
 	FORCEINLINE UWidgetComponent* GetPickupWidget() const { return PickupWidget; }
 
@@ -207,4 +249,10 @@ public:
 	
 	/** Called from the AShooterCharacter class */
 	void StartItemCurve(AShooterCharacter* Char);
+
+	virtual void EnableCustomDepth();
+	virtual void DisableCustomDepth();
+
+	void EnableGlowMaterial();
+	void DisableGlowMaterial();
 };

Source/Shooter/ShooterCharacter.cpp

@@ -723,6 +723,9 @@ void AShooterCharacter::SetItemPickupWidgetVisibility(AItem* Item, bool visibili
 	if (Item && Item->GetPickupWidget())
 	{
 		Item->GetPickupWidget()->SetVisibility(visibility);
+		visibility ? 
+			Item->EnableCustomDepth() :
+			Item->DisableCustomDepth();
 	}
 }
 
@@ -750,6 +753,9 @@ void AShooterCharacter::EquipWeapon(AWeapon* WeaponToEquip)
 
 		EquippedWeapon = WeaponToEquip;
 		EquippedWeapon->SetItemState(EItemState::EIS_Equipped);
+		
+		EquippedWeapon->DisableGlowMaterial();
+		EquippedWeapon->DisableCustomDepth();
 	}
 }
 

Source/Shooter/Weapon.cpp

@@ -43,12 +43,14 @@ void AWeapon::ThrowWeapon()
 
 	float RandomRotation{ 30.f };
 	ImpulseDirection = ImpulseDirection.RotateAngleAxis(RandomRotation, FVector(0.f, 0.f, 1.f));
-	ImpulseDirection *= 20000.f;
+	ImpulseDirection *= 2000.f;
 	GetItemMesh()->AddImpulse(ImpulseDirection);
 
 	bFalling = true;
 	GetWorldTimerManager().SetTimer(ThrowWeaponTimer, this,
 									&AWeapon::StopFalling, ThrowWeaponTime);
+
+	EnableGlowMaterial();
 }
 
 void AWeapon::DecrementAmmo()
@@ -74,4 +76,5 @@ void AWeapon::StopFalling()
 {
 	bFalling = false;
 	SetItemState(EItemState::EIS_Pickup);
+	StartPulseTimer();
 }