Actor

In Unreal Engine, an Actor is any object placed in a level. Actors are the building blocks of your project and can include everything from static objects like walls and chairs to dynamic elements like characters, lights, or cameras. This guide will explain how to work with Actors.

Step 1: Understanding Actors

• An Actor is anything that exists in your level.
• There are different types of Actors, such as:
  • Static Mesh Actors: Non-moving objects like furniture or terrain.
  • Skeletal Mesh Actors: Characters or objects with animations.
  • Light Actors: Used for adding light to the scene.
  • Camera Actors: For controlling the player’s view.
  • Blueprint Actors: Interactive elements with scripts or logic.

Step 2: Adding Actors to a Level

1. Open your level in Unreal Engine.
2. Use the Place Actors Panel on the left side of the screen.
3. Drag and drop the Actor you want into the Viewport (the main editing area).

Step 3: Moving and Transforming Actor

• After placing an Actor, you can adjust its position, size, and rotation:
  • Use the Move Tool (arrows) to drag the Actor around.
  • Use the Rotate Tool (curved lines) to change its angle.
  • Use the Scale Tool (boxes) to make it larger or smaller.

Step 4: Properties of Actors

• Select an Actor to view its properties in the Details Panel.
• Here, you can adjust settings like:
  • Location: Where the Actor is in the level.
  • Materials: How the Actor looks (color, texture, etc.).
  • Physics: Whether the Actor can move, fall, or interact with other objects.

Step 5: Blueprint Actors

• A Blueprint Actor allows you to add functionality to objects.
• For example, you can make a door that opens when the player walks near it.
• To create a Blueprint:
  1. Right-click in the Content Browser and select Blueprint Class.
  2. Choose Actor as the base class.
  3. Add logic using Blueprint Nodes.

Step 6: Types of Actors

• Unreal Engine provides a variety of built-in Actors:
  • Volumes: Invisible shapes that can trigger events, like starting a cutscene or loading a new level.
  • Light Sources: For adding realistic lighting.
  • Audio Actors: For playing sounds or music.
  • Particle Systems: For effects like fire, smoke, or explosions.

Step 7: Organizing Actors

• Use folders in the World Outliner to organize Actors in your level.
• This helps keep your project neat, especially when working with many objects.

Step 8: Testing Actors

• Test your Actors by clicking the Play button.
• Make sure they behave as expected, especially if they have animations or interactions.

Actors are essential for creating your project in Unreal Engine. By learning how to place, customize, and manage them, you can build complex and interactive worlds with ease!