VDB / SVT Helper

This plugin provides several blueprints to help you control and set up static and animated sparse volume textures (SVT) with Unreal’s Volumetric Clouds, Unreal’s Volumetric Fog and others (Niagara, Static Mesh etc.).

These blueprints offer a unified solution for editor, sequencer, and game.

Only compatible with Unreal Engine 5.4 and above.

Links: Feature overview video | Volumetric Clouds set up | Volumetric Fog set up | Documentation.

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The Volumetric Fog blueprint is a simple drag and drop solution that allows you to have as many SVTs in your level as you want. Even though Unreal Engine doesn’t allow you to play SVT animations in the editor, this plugin makes it possible thanks to the accompanying custom C++ class that ticks in editor. (Disclaimer: Unreal’s Volumetric Fog is a low-resolution solution associated with lots of drawbacks, I would probably recommend not using it if possible and use Heterogeneous Volumes instead.)

The Volumetric Cloud blueprint lets you control up to 21 static or animated SVTs in the provided cloud material. These user-controlled cloud SVTs are controlled in the editor and can be individually translated/scaled/rotated with a diamond gizmo. These custom clouds can be mixed with procedural clouds in the material (not implemented in the plugin). Please note that Unreal Engine only supports a single Volumetric Cloud entity per level. Custom cloud animations can be played in the editor (which isn’t natively supported by Unreal), controlled from sequencer, and played in game.

• Sub-frame interpolation is supported on both Volumetric Fog and Volumetric Cloud for cinematic quality.
• Level of Detail for both streaming and display is supported on both methods to help improve framerate for real-time applications.

I'm also providing parent SVT blueprint templates to be used with other effects like Niagara systems or Static Meshes or else.

Release notes:

1.2:

• Made plugin even more generic and easier to extend and reuse.
• Now showing SVT support with Niagara System and Static Mesh.
• 3 new demonstration levels, 1 new VDB/SVT animation, 3 new static VDB/SVT
• Play Rate can now be controlled per-cloud
• Breaks retro-compatibility

1.0:

• Initial Release