Custom Billboard UE Plugin
No game can do without billboards. They are needed for many different mechanics. Game engines offer ready-made solutions. But often among the proposed solutions there are no optimal ones for absolutely all cases. This plugin is a high-performance solution that runs on a GPU. It does not require the presence and maintenance of additional components. Without having a significant impact on the CPU, this solution can be widely used in the game.
The plugin offers several nodes for different cases: CheapBillboard, Billboard, LockAxisBillboard, PointOriented, LockAxisPointOriented.
⚠ The Plugin works with WPO, therefore, it is important not to forget to enter “Max World Position Offset Displacement” or switch on “Always Evaluate World Position Offset“ in material properties.
⚠ All plugin nodes give Normal in Tangent Space.
CheapBillboard - this node is based on a high-performance algorithm. Everything that can be abandoned is cut off in it. Therefore, it can only be used for flat models. For example, plain.
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| The scale is set from the material. |
Billboard - this node can be applied to any geometry. In connection with this, an input for a normal map has been added. Node will support instance transformation at the level. Accordingly, you can change the forward vector, apply uniform scale.
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| This rule applies to all nodes without exception. |
PointOriented - This node is similar to a "Billboard" but instead of a camera, orientation occurs on a target position.
LockAxisBillboard and LockAxisPointOriented - these nodes with the “LockAxis” prefix gain the ability to be fixed along a specific direction.
