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The Water system uses GPU-driven wave data to simulate the surface of waves on Water Body Actors. The Water Waves Asset provides the individual wave parameters that are governed by its simulation model.

Creating a Water Waves Asset

Water Bodies are supplied with a wave simulation model to use with a Water Waves Asset assignment slot. By default, one is already supplied that uses the TODOLINK Gerstner wave simulation model.

While you do not need to create a new Water Wave Asset every time you use a Water Body, there are times when you want different types of wave input from the simulation model to behave differently, or when you want to use a completely different wave simulation model.

You can create your own Water Waves Asset using the Content Browser to click Add/Import or use the Right-Click Context Menu . From the menu, select Water > Water Waves .

On a selected Water Body , use the Water Waves Asset assignment slot to apply this asset.

Editing the Water Waves Asset

When creating, or opening an existing, Water Wave Asset, you select the type of wave simulation to be used, when multiple simulation models are available to choose from. Any editable properties will populate the panel to configure the simulation.

The Waves Source specifies the wave simulation model that is to be used for generating waves on Water Bodies. When one is selected, it provides parameters that are exposed through the selected Waves Source file to control the wave simulation. For example, the Gerstner Water Waves source provides parameters under the Gerstner Wave Generator .

You can configure these parameters to define the look of the wave simulation on any Water Bodies placed in the Level that have this Water Wave Asset assigned to them.

Gerstner Water Waves Properties

The Gerstner Water Waves simulation model provides the following parameters for wave simulation.

Setting the Number of Waves and Randomness

The Default category of parameters define the overall look of the Lake and Ocean Water Bodies.

The Num Waves parameter specifies the number of waves. This creates the overall look of the waves that are formed. By default 16 waves are used. Using fewer waves is more performant, but offers less variation in the randomness of waves colliding.

The Seed parameter creates a deterministic starting point for a random value, which is passed to the wave simulation algorithm to create variations with the waves. The Randomness parameter feeds random values to the minimum and maximum wavelength and amplitude values, to reduce repeating patterns in the wave simulation.

Wavelength of the Waves Simulation

The Wavelengths parameters specify a minimum and maximum value range for the distance between waves when a falloff value is used. The Seed and Randomness values work together with the Wavelength minimum and maximum value ranges to further define the look of the water surface.

Amplitude of the Waves Simulation

The Amplitude parameters specify a minimum and maximum value range for height displacement between waves. This controls the peaks and valleys of the wave crests. The Seed and Randomness values work together with the Amplitude minimum and maximum value ranges to further define the look of the water surface.

Direction and Angular Spread of Wind

The Directions parameters specify the direction wind is traveling. With the Dominant Wind Angle , the wind will push the waves in the wind's general direction.The Dominant Angular Spread specifies a secondary angle that waves move along while traveling in the direction set by the Dominant Wind Angle.

Steepness of the Waves Simulation

The Steepness parameters define how pointed or rounded the cresting waves become. The steepness of the wave crests is achieved through lateral motion, and controls how much the waves move side-to-side.

Small steepness values have softer, rounded wave crests. Large steepness values have sharper wave crests. These values provide random wave interactions that produce both softer and sharper wave crests without all wave crests being completely soft or sharp.

Adding Your Own Wave Simulation Model and Wave Generator

Unreal Engine provides the Gerstner wave simulation model for the Water System. The Water system is capable of supporting additional wave simulation models through the Water Wave Asset with configurable parameters, which can be done either through C++ code or Blueprint.

The information in this section uses the Gerstner wave implementation as a working example for creating your own wave generator backend for evaluating surface waves.

In C++, you would start by creating a new type that derives from UGerstnerWaterWaveGeneratorBase`and uses GenerateGerstnerWaves_Implementation(TArray &OutWaves) const`.

In Blueprint, the Parent Class inherits from the GerstnerWaterWaveGeneratorBase class.

In the Blueprint, you override and add your own Generate Gerstner Waves function that uses the Make GerstnerWave and Make GerstnerWaveOctave nodes to output to an array that stores information.

In the Water Waves Asset, the Gerstner Wave Generator selection dropdown lists any classes that inherit from the Gerstner Wave Source.