Viewport III – Snapping

Viewport III – Snapping is a feature in Unreal Engine that helps you move, rotate, and scale objects precisely by locking their transformations to fixed intervals. It ensures better alignment and uniformity, making it easier to create clean and organized levels. This guide explains how to use snapping effectively.

Step 1: Understanding Viewport III – Snapping

• Snapping allows you to:
  • Move objects by fixed distances on the grid.
  • Rotate objects at specific angles.
  • Scale objects in defined steps.
• It is particularly useful for placing objects like walls, floors, or modular assets that require perfect alignment.

Step 2: Enabling and Disabling Snapping

1. Look at the toolbar above the Viewport.
2. Find the snapping icons for Move, Rotate, and Scale:
   • Grid Snapping (for movement).
   • Rotation Snapping (for angles).
   • Scale Snapping (for resizing).
3. Click the icon to toggle snapping on or off.

Step 3: Grid Snapping

• When Grid Snapping is enabled, objects move by fixed distances (e.g., 10 units at a time).
• To adjust the snapping distance:
  1. Click on the dropdown arrow next to the Grid Snapping icon.
  2. Select a value (e.g., 1, 5, 10, or 100). Smaller values give finer control, while larger values help with broader adjustments.

Step 4: Rotation Snapping

• With Rotation Snapping, objects rotate by fixed angles (e.g., 15° increments).
• To change the snapping angle:
  1. Click on the dropdown arrow next to the Rotation Snapping icon.
  2. Choose an angle (e.g., 5°, 15°, 30°, or 90°).
• Disable snapping for free rotation if needed.

Step 5: Scale Snapping

• Scale Snapping adjusts the size of objects in uniform steps.
• To modify the snapping step size:
  1. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Scale Snapping icon.
  2. Select a value (e.g., 0.1, 0.5, 1, or 2).
• For non-snapped scaling, turn off Scale Snapping.

Step 6: Local vs. World Snapping

• Snapping can work in two modes:
  • World Space: Aligns transformations to the global grid.
  • Local Space: Aligns transformations to the object’s own orientation.
• Switch between Local and World Space using the toggle button in the toolbar.

Step 7: Snap Settings for Advanced Control

• Open Editor Preferences to customize snapping behavior:
  1. Go to the Edit menu.
  2. Select Editor Preferences > Snapping.
  3. Adjust advanced settings, like snap to the nearest vertex or grid customization.

Step 8: Using Snapping with Modularity

• Snapping is highly effective for modular level design:
  • Place walls, floors, and other repeating objects perfectly aligned.
  • Combine snapping with the Duplicate function (hold Alt and drag) for quick placement.

Step 9: Tips for Effective Snapping

• Keep snapping on for precise alignment but toggle it off for free placement when needed.
• Use smaller snapping values for detailed work and larger values for broader layouts.
• Combine snapping with the Focus (F) tool to center your view for better control.

Snapping is a powerful feature that saves time and ensures accuracy in level design. Practice using Grid, Rotation, and Scale Snapping to create well-organized and polished projects!