FBX PNG Texture Workflow – Dr. Trippers Stuff

Correct Import Order for FBX + PNG (Texture)
1. Import the .fbx first

This brings in the Static Mesh

If the FBX references a texture and it’s embedded or correctly linked, UE might try to import the texture too. But don’t count on it—it’s hit or miss.

2. Then import the .png texture manually

Drag the .png into the Content Browser

UE will auto-create a Texture2D asset

From there, you can:

Plug it into a new Material

Or replace the default material on the mesh with a proper one

🛠 Bonus: Assign the Texture to the Material

Right-click in Content Browser → Create → Material

Name it something like M_Landspeeder_Base

Open it:

Add a Texture Sample

Assign your imported .png

Connect it to Base Color

Save → Apply it to the mesh
Where do I apply the texture?

You apply the texture inside a **Material**, and then apply that Material to your mesh.

Here’s the quick rundown:

– **Import FBX** → brings in your mesh (the shape).
– **Import PNG texture** → creates a Texture2D asset.
– **Create a Material** → this is like the “wrapper” that tells UE how to paint your mesh.
– In the Material Editor:
– Add a **Texture Sample** node.
– Assign your imported PNG texture to this node.
– Connect the Texture Sample’s RGB output to the **Base Color** input of the Material node.
– Save the Material.
– Now go to your Static Mesh in the Content Browser or viewport.
– Select the mesh, and in the Details panel, find **Materials**.
– Replace the default material with your newly created material (e.g., M_Landspeeder_Base).

**Why this way?**
Textures don’t directly “stick” to meshes — Materials handle the rendering properties, including textures, color, shininess, etc. So you *always* apply textures through Materials.

—

If you want me to, I can walk you through the exact Unreal UI steps or even provide a quick Blueprint or C++ snippet for procedural material assignment.
[SM6] (Node TextureSampleParameter2D) Param2D> Found NULL, requires Texture2D
Classic Unreal headache: That error means your **Texture Sample Parameter 2D** node in the Material expects a **valid Texture2D asset assigned**, but right now it’s NULL (empty).

Here’s what’s going wrong and how to fix it:

### What’s happening:
– You added a **TextureSampleParameter2D** node instead of a regular **TextureSample**.
– This node is designed for **material instances** and expects a **parameterized texture input**.
– If you don’t assign any texture asset to the parameter, UE flags it as NULL → error.

### How to fix:

1. **Assign a Texture to the Parameter:**
– Select the **TextureSampleParameter2D** node.
– In its Details panel, look for **Default Value** (or similar).
– Click the dropdown next to **Texture** and pick your imported PNG Texture2D asset.
– Save the material.

2. **Or swap the node to a regular Texture Sample:**
– Delete the Parameter node.
– Add a regular **Texture Sample** node (right-click in the graph, search “Texture Sample”).
– Assign your texture directly to this node (no parameterization).
– Connect it to Base Color.
– Save.

—

### When to use TextureSampleParameter2D?

– When you want to make a **Material Parameter** so you can create **Material Instances** later and swap textures dynamically.
– For quick one-off materials, use a regular **Texture Sample** node.

—

**Pro tip:** If you want flexibility but don’t want NULL errors, always assign a default texture to the parameter node. If you skip that, UE will complain like it’s hungry.

—

Got a screenshot or your material graph? I can eyeball the exact problem.
There is a way to apply this preview of the material graph rather than a sphere, to the actual mesh, how?
Absolutely! That “preview sphere” you see in the Material Editor is just a default preview mesh. It doesn’t affect your actual mesh in the scene until you apply the material there.

### How to get your material onto your actual mesh (not the preview sphere):

1. **Save your material** in the Material Editor (Ctrl+S or the save button).

2. In the **Content Browser**, locate your mesh (Static Mesh asset).

3. **Select your mesh asset**, then in the **Details panel** (right side):
– Find the **Materials** section.
– You’ll see one or more material slots.

4. **Drag your material asset** from the Content Browser onto the material slot(s) for the mesh.

– Or click the dropdown on the material slot and select your material.

5. Now, **place the mesh in the viewport** (or select an existing placed actor of that mesh), and it will show with your new material applied.

—

### Bonus: Applying material to a mesh actor already placed in the level:

– Select the mesh actor in the viewport or World Outliner.
– In the **Details panel**, under **Materials**, replace the material slot with your new material.
– The mesh will update immediately.

—

### Why doesn’t the preview mesh apply automatically?

– The Material Editor preview is a quick visual test, usually a sphere or cube.
– It doesn’t know your actual game mesh unless you assign the material to it manually.
– This lets you reuse one material on many different meshes.

—

Want me to walk you through how to do this dynamically via Blueprint or C++?
this texture is goddawful, i need to make another or find one suitable for this rather cool one person speeder
Ah, the eternal struggle — a sleek landspeeder deserves a sleek texture, not something that looks like it got printed on a potato.

### Options to upgrade that texture:

1. **DIY Textures:**
– Use tools like **Substance Painter** or **Quixel Mixer** (both integrate well with UE) to create a custom, realistic texture.
– Even Photoshop + some grunge brushes can work if you’re going for stylized.

2. **Free/Marketplace Textures:**
– Check **Quixel Megascans** (integrated into UE for free) — they have metallic panels, sci-fi skins, and tons of sci-fi materials.
– Unreal Marketplace also offers free sci-fi material packs.
– Look on sites like **textures.com**, **cc0textures.com**, or **ambientcg.com** for free, high-quality textures.

3. **AI-Generated Textures:**
– Use AI art generators (like Stable Diffusion with texture prompts) to create concept art or base textures, then clean them up.
– Just beware of resolution, seamless tiling, and weird artifacts.

4. **Photogrammetry:**
– If you want hardcore realism, try photogrammetry of real-life surfaces — rusted metal, scratched paint, worn plastics — and turn those into your textures.

—

### Quick tip for sci-fi land vehicles:

– Focus on **wear and tear** — subtle scratches, chipped paint, oily smudges.
– Add **emissive details** for glowing parts or tech panels.
– Use **normal maps** to fake depth on surface bolts, vents, and panel edges.

—

If you want, I can help you craft a workflow or generate a simple procedural texture in UE using nodes. Or I can help you script some AI prompts to generate a better texture. Your call, Doctor Tripper!
can I create one using comfyui?
Absolutely, you can create textures using **ComfyUI**, but with some caveats and a bit of creative workaround.

### Here’s the skinny:

**ComfyUI** is a modular node-based UI for Stable Diffusion-style AI image generation. It’s fantastic for concept art, patterns, or base images — but it’s not *specifically* designed for perfect tileable textures or game-ready maps (normal, roughness, metallic).

—

### How to use ComfyUI for textures:

1. **Generate Base Texture Art:**
– Use ComfyUI to create high-res diffuse (color) textures.
– Prompt it with keywords like “sci-fi panel texture,” “metal surface close-up,” “worn futuristic paint,” etc.
– Aim for a clean, somewhat seamless-looking pattern.

2. **Make it Tileable:**
– ComfyUI has some nodes or tricks to make generated images tileable.
– If not, you can edit the result in Photoshop/GIMP to tile seamlessly (offset filter + clone stamp).

3. **Generate Supporting Maps:**
– You can generate roughness or normal maps separately by prompting “rough metal texture” or “normal map of sci-fi panel.”
– Or use tools like **Materialize** or **AwesomeBump** to convert your diffuse map into normals, roughness, height maps.

4. **Import to UE:**
– Import your PNGs into UE.
– Build a Material using the diffuse texture and supporting maps for realistic shading.

—

### What you *can’t* do directly in ComfyUI:

– Procedural seamless texture creation like Substance Designer.
– Generate perfect PBR maps in one go.
– Auto-generate texture atlases or UV unwraps.

—

### Bonus tips:

– If you want to experiment, I can help build a ComfyUI node graph for tileable sci-fi texture generation.
– Also, I can help craft prompts to maximize your texture output quality.

—

In short: **Yes, ComfyUI can kickstart your texture creation**, but you’ll want to clean up and prep assets in a dedicated texture tool afterward for the best Unreal Engine results.

Ready to build your future speeder skin in AI?
write a prompt that describes a type of multi-function scanner for exoplanetary operations –

Absolutely. Here’s a prompt designed to describe a high-tech, multi-function exoplanetary scanner—usable in AI image tools like ComfyUI, Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion:

—

**Prompt:**

> “Futuristic multi-function exoplanetary scanner device, compact handheld unit with sleek alloy casing, glowing interface elements, modular sensor arrays, adaptive surface scanner, atmospheric analyzer, geologic probe and bio-sample intake ports, dynamic holographic display showing alien terrain metrics and lifeform indicators, rugged yet advanced design, used by astronauts and planetary explorers, sci-fi industrial aesthetic, NASA x Blade Runner fusion, high-tech, cinematic lighting, detailed and realistic”

—

### Additions for variations:

– **For a clean lab tech vibe**:
Add `cleanroom aesthetic, white and chrome materials, soft blue lights`

– **For a worn field unit look**:
Add `weathered casing, scratches, dust, field-modified components, used in harsh alien environments`

– **For UI-focused shots**:
Add `focus on holographic UI, detailed data readouts, alien script overlays`

—

Want to generate it as a texture overlay (e.g., the screen UI of the scanner) or as a full render of the device? I can tweak the prompt toward that goal too.
Sorta good – lets create a chamber that will hold the alternate suits for the character – industrial, glass viewport – heavy duty type pod for the suits to be in stasis.
Ohhh yes — suit stasis pods. Now we’re cooking with cryo.

Here’s a **refined prompt** for generating concept art (or base texture/design reference) of a **chamber holding alternate suits in stasis** — industrial, serious sci-fi tone:

—

**Prompt:**

> “Futuristic exosuit stasis chamber, heavy-duty industrial pod with reinforced metallic frame, thick glass viewport showing humanoid exploration suit suspended inside, cryogenic vapor or mist effect, illuminated status lights, mechanical clamps and life-support conduits connected to the suit, rugged floor with metal plating, dark interior with atmospheric lighting, control panels with holographic readouts, realistic sci-fi aesthetic, gritty textures, high-tech industrial look, spaceship or planetary base setting, cinematic lighting”

—

### Add-on prompt options:

– **Multiple pods in a row**:
Add `row of identical stasis chambers, each with a different suit style inside, uniform alignment, futuristic locker room`

– **Different suit types**:
Add `one suit is for desert, another aquatic, one armored for high gravity, suits differ in design and color`

– **More detailed environment**:
Add `metal walkways, overhead pipes, flickering lights, sci-fi decals and warning signs, moody shadows`

—

### If using ComfyUI:
– Use **ControlNet with depth or pose** to line up the chamber geometry.
– Use **LoRA models** if you want specific suit designs (e.g., Starfield or Prometheus style).
– Use **Upscale + Seamless** if you want to turn part of this into a game texture.

—

Want a version of this as a modular asset prompt (for 3D modeling)? Or want me to script out a ComfyUI node layout for generating several variations?
Now what is it going to take to dissect this ship so that I can put it together again?
Ahhh, the classic “take it apart so I know how to *really* build it” approach. My favorite. Here’s what it’s going to take to **dissect your landspeeder (or any complex model)** so you can rebuild it smart, clean, and *in-engine* like a god of modular sci-fi design:

—

### 🔧 STEP-BY-STEP: DISSECTING THE BEAST

#### 1. **Know What You’ve Got (Import Recon)**
– If it’s a single FBX file:
Likely one mesh. Could be multiple materials/submeshes.

– If it came from Meshy.ai, Sketchfab, or a 3rd-party generator:
It *might* be a mess of combined geo, hidden NGons, non-manifold geometry, or weird UVs.

#### 2. **Open in a 3D Modeling Tool**
– Load it into **Blender**, **Maya**, or **3ds Max**.
– Check for:
– **Separate mesh parts** (is the cockpit part of the body or separate?)
– **Modifiers / Bad Geometry** (smooth shading artifacts? faces inside faces?)
– **UV mapping** (are the UVs packed well or spaghetti junction?)
– **Material slots** (do they make sense or are they random AI soup?)

#### 3. **Break It Down by Function**
– Separate mesh into logical parts:
– Chassis
– Wings
– Underside propulsion nozzles
– Canopy or door
– Landing gear or hover pads
– Cockpit (separate if possible)
– Use `P > Selection` in Blender to separate into different objects.

#### 4. **Rename Everything Clearly**
– `SM_Landspeeder_Body`
– `SM_Landspeeder_Canopy`
– `SM_Landspeeder_Thruster_L`
– etc.

#### 5. **Clean Up UVs & Materials**
– Re-unwrap as needed
– Bake or repaint textures if the original ones suck
– Make smart **Material assignments** (so you can LOD, switch materials dynamically in UE)

—

### 🛠 Then: Prep for Rebuilding in UE5

#### 6. **Export as Modular FBX Parts**
– Export each cleaned piece as separate FBX.
– Keep **pivot points** logical (e.g., thruster pivots at center of nozzle, door pivots at hinge)

#### 7. **Reassemble in Unreal**
– Drag pieces into a **Blueprint Actor**.
– Parent them to the root and align them to rebuild the ship.
– Use Timeline/Events for animating parts (e.g., opening canopy, thruster gimbal).

—

### 🧠 Bonus Tactics

– Use **Sockets** if you want parts to be swappable (like interchangeable thrusters).
– Use **DataTables** if you want multiple ship variants with shared logic.
– Want full destructibility? Convert major components into **Chaos Geometry Collections**.

—

Want me to walk through dissecting a specific model you’ve got? Or write the UE Blueprint logic for procedural assembly/animation? I’m your shipwright, Rick.
How do I make this start in third person again?
Ah, the ol’ “Why am I floating in the void as a camera again?” issue.

To get your project to start in **third-person mode** (i.e., behind-the-back player character view), here’s what you need to double-check:

—

### ✅ Step-by-Step to Start in Third Person

#### 1. **Set Default Game Mode**
Go to:
“`
Edit → Project Settings → Maps & Modes
“`

– Under **Default Modes**:
– **GameMode Override** → Set to `ThirdPersonGameMode` (or whatever your custom GameMode is).
– **Default Pawn Class** → Should be `ThirdPersonCharacter` or your custom version.

#### 2. **Make Sure the Right Map is Set**
In the **same Maps & Modes** section:
– **Editor Startup Map** and **Game Default Map** → Set these to your actual level (not Default or Minimal_Default unless that’s intended).

#### 3. **Check Player Start**
– In your level, make sure there’s a **Player Start** actor in the scene.
– The arrow should face the direction you want the player to look on spawn.
– Delete and re-add one if it’s acting sketchy.

#### 4. **Possess the Pawn**
Make sure your GameMode is set to **Auto Possess Player 0**, or the pawn blueprint itself is set to be auto-possessed.

—

### 🔍 If It’s Still Not Working:
– Check that you’re not launching in **Simulate** mode (use **Play In Editor** or **Selected Viewport**).
– If you’re using a custom character or controller, make sure it’s properly assigned in your GameMode.

—

### Bonus: Reset Play Mode Viewport
Sometimes it spawns in a weird spot due to previous camera overrides.

– Click **Play Options** dropdown (next to the Play button).
– Select **Selected Viewport** or **New Editor Window**.
– Confirm it’s not stuck on a **custom camera actor**.

—

Let me know if you want a Blueprint or C++ setup for a custom third-person character — or if your project isn’t using the default UE template at all and you need to Frankenstein it back to life.
Working on the scanner- I have made a duplicate and name it bp_scanner. Lets add some functionality, whateve we can, in this
Ah yes — *BP_Scanner* — the Swiss Army knife of exoplanetary exploration. Let’s wire this baby up with some actual sci-fi juice. Here’s a modular, expandable baseline setup you can throw into the Blueprint right now.

—

## 🔧 SCANNER FUNCTIONALITY V1.0 — “Gettin’ Functional”

### 🧠 1. **Core Setup**
Make sure your BP_Scanner is a **child of Actor**, with at least:

– A **Static Mesh Component** → for visuals.
– A **Widget Component** (optional, for UI readouts).
– A **Sphere Collision** → to define scan range.
– A **Scene Root**

—

### ⚡ 2. **Basic Functionality to Add Right Now**

#### 🔹 **Activate Scan (Input Action)**
1. Go to Project Settings → Input → Add Action Mapping:
`Scan → Bound to E or Left Mouse`

2. In BP_Scanner:
“`blueprint
Event Scan
→ Play Animation / Light / Sound (optional)
→ Call Scan Function (custom event)
“`

—

#### 🔹 **Detect Nearby Actors (Scan Pulse)**
“`blueprint
Custom Event: Scan
→ Sphere Trace or Get Overlapping Actors (using Sphere Collision)
→ Filter by Tag or Interface (e.g., Scannable)
→ For Each Actor Found:
→ Add to array
→ Fire a custom event or print info
“`

—

#### 🔹 **Display Readout (Debug/Widget)**
– Create a widget with:
– Scan results (object name, distance, type)
– Cool scan lines or sci-fi visuals

– In BP:
“`blueprint
Create Widget → Add to Viewport
→ Feed it data from the scanned objects array
→ Destroy after short delay
“`

—

#### 🔹 **Cooldown / Scan Recharge**
Add a simple cooldown:
“`blueprint
Bool: bCanScan
Float: ScanCooldown = 3.0

On Scan:
→ Check bCanScan == true
→ Set bCanScan = false
→ Delay(ScanCooldown)
→ Set bCanScan = true
“`

—

### 🎮 Optional Add-ons

#### ▪ Emissive flicker when active
Set a scalar parameter on a dynamic material when scanning starts.

#### ▪ Play scan sound & visual FX
Use Niagara + SFX on scan activation — radial pulse effect.

#### ▪ Interfacing with Objects
Add a Blueprint Interface: `BPI_Scannable`
– Objects implement it and respond to scanning with:
– Reveal info
– Activate
– Show hologram

—

### Want More?
– Environmental analysis (display temp, air quality)
– Scan to create a minimap fog-of-war
– Add energy or battery limits for scan uses
– Upgrade system (scan range, scan types)

—

Say the word and I’ll give you the nodes, widgets, or even a C++ skeleton if you want this to scale like real explorer gear.
You are getting too fn far ahead again’
Roger that, pulling the hyperspace lever back. Let’s stay boots-on-the-ground.

You’ve got `BP_Scanner`, a duplicate Actor blueprint. Let’s just **give it one basic function right now** — **detect nearby actors** when a key is pressed. That’s it. No UI, no fancy particles. We’ll bolt the extras on later.

—

## 🔧 GOAL: Press a key → scanner finds nearby stuff → prints result

—

### 🪛 Step-by-Step (Keepin’ It Basic)

#### 1. **Add a Sphere Collision**
– Open `BP_Scanner`.
– Add **Sphere Collision** component.
– Set **Radius** to ~500–1000 units (your scan range).

#### 2. **Setup Input**
In `Project Settings > Input`:
– Under Action Mappings, add:
“`
Action Name: Scan
Key: E
“`

#### 3. **Enable Input in Blueprint**
In `BP_Scanner` Event Graph:

“`blueprint
BeginPlay
→ Enable Input (Get Player Controller)
“`

—

#### 4. **Add Scan Functionality**
“`blueprint
Event Scan (Input Action)
→ Get Overlapping Actors (from Sphere Collision)
→ ForEach Loop
→ Print Actor Name (Get Display Name)
“`

Done.

—

### 🧪 Result:
When you hit **E**, it scans the area around it and prints the names of any nearby Actors inside the sphere.

—

You good with that for now? When you’re ready, we’ll add glowing particles and AI lifeform IDs. But not before coffee.
A Sphere Collision → to define scan range. Can raycasting working here?
Hell yes — and in fact, **raycasting** (aka **line tracing**) can do **what sphere collision can’t**: detect exactly *what’s in front* of the scanner rather than anything within a radius.

So let’s break it down like a good sci-fi toolkit should:

—

## 🆚 Sphere Collision vs. Raycasting (Line Trace)

—

### ✅ So yes: **Raycasting works great here** — especially for:
– Aiming at one thing to scan
– Triggering a scan highlight or info readout on that object
– Interacting with specific targets (like ID tags on creatures or relics)

—

## 🧠 BASIC SETUP: Line Trace Scan (for BP_Scanner)

Here’s the simple Unreal logic:

“`blueprint
Event Scan (input action)
→ Line Trace by Channel
– Start: GetActorLocation()
– End: GetActorLocation() + (GetActorForwardVector() * ScanDistance)

→ Break Hit Result
→ If Hit Actor is valid:
→ Print Actor Name (or call custom scan function)
“`

—

### Quick Notes:
– You can make a **long-range scan beam** by adjusting `ScanDistance` (e.g., 1000 units).
– Want it to look like it comes from the scanner’s “barrel”? Use a **Scene Component** as the raycast start point.

—

Let me know which you want:
– Area detection (sphere)
– Precise targeting (raycast)
– **Or both** (because why not scan the whole damn biome)

Ready when you are, Commander.
area detection.
Perfect. Area scan it is — the classic sci-fi pulse.

Let’s lock in that **Sphere Collision–based scan** in your `BP_Scanner`.

—

## 🛠 Basic Area Detection Setup in `BP_Scanner`

### ✔ COMPONENTS (in the Components panel):

– `StaticMesh` → your scanner body
– `SphereCollision` → call it `ScanArea`
– Set `Sphere Radius` to ~500–1000 (your scan range)
– Set **Collision Preset** to:
“`
OverlapAllDynamic
“`

—

### ✔ EVENT GRAPH LOGIC

Here’s the blueprint logic to scan everything in the area:

“`blueprint
Event BeginPlay
→ Enable Input (GetPlayerController)

InputAction Scan (e.g., E key)
→ Get Overlapping Actors (from ScanArea)
→ ForEach Loop
→ Print String: Get Display Name of Actor
“`

—

### 🧠 OPTIONAL: Filter Results
Only want actors with a tag like `”Scannable”`?

Inside the loop:

“`blueprint
If Actor.HasTag(“Scannable”)
→ Print String: “Scanned ” + Actor Name
“`

—

### 🧪 Result:
You press **E** near a bunch of actors → scanner does a radial scan → prints out what it found.

—

### Next Steps (when ready):
– Add a **cooldown**
– Add a **pulse effect**
– Interface support (so scanned objects can respond)

Let me know when you’re ready to crank this up to “ScanVisor Prime.”
Draw the flowchart of the nodes needed
Alright, here’s a **flowchart-style breakdown** of the Blueprint node logic for your **area-based scanner using `SphereCollision`**, keeping it clean and minimal:

—

### 📈 FLOWCHART: Basic Area Scan Logic (Input + Detection)

—

### 🔩 Notes:

– `ScanArea` is the **Sphere Collision Component** you placed on the actor.
– `Enable Input` makes sure this blueprint receives the input key (`E`) during play.
– `Get Overlapping Actors` checks what’s inside the scan radius.
– The `HasTag` check is **optional** but keeps things clean so you’re not scanning random grass or chairs.

—

Want a screenshot-style diagram of this as nodes? Or want to expand it to add FX or a result list?
I am trying to add a glow or emitter to the front of the device – but I do not have any Niagara choices but one, do I need to create one?
Yep — sounds like you’re seeing the default placeholder system (probably `P_Default__`) and nothing useful. That’s because **Unreal doesn’t ship with fancy Niagara emitters by default** — you’ve gotta **create** or **import** them.

—

## 🔥 HOW TO ADD GLOW/EMITTER TO YOUR SCANNER

### ✅ Option 1: Use a Niagara System
You’ll need to **create one first**, then you can assign it.

#### 🧪 Step-by-step:

1. **Right-click in Content Browser** → **FX → Niagara System**
– Choose **“Create from Template”**
– Pick something like **`NS_Sparks`, `NS_Glowing Energy`**, or anything close

2. Name it something like `NS_ScannerGlow`

3. In your **BP_Scanner**, add a component:
– **Niagara Particle System**
– Assign `NS_ScannerGlow` to it
– Position it at the front of the device

—

### ✅ Option 2: Use a Glowing Material on a Static Mesh or Plane

If you’re not ready for Niagara yet:

1. Create a **glow material**:
– Right-click → Material → Name: `M_Scanner_Glow`
– Set blend mode to **Translucent or Additive**
– Plug a **Texture Sample** or **Constant3Vector** into **Emissive Color**
– Increase brightness with a **Multiply**

2. Create a **plane or small sphere mesh**, assign the material to it

3. In BP_Scanner:
– Add a `StaticMeshComponent`, assign that glowing mesh
– Attach to the scanner’s “emitter” point

—

### 🛠 Bonus:
– Use a **Scene Component** as a mount point if you’re planning to swap effects dynamically
– You can **trigger emitter activation** only during scans if you want it to flash/pulse

—

Let me know if you want a glow that pulses when scanning or if you’d like a basic Niagara emitter template. I can generate one quick for sci-fi pulse effects.