Cable Actor invisble when switching levels

Hi

I am using the cable actor like peter newton showed in his tutorial for the grappling hook:

https://www…com/watch?v=ym1hseCJl7c&list=UUEPTMZtcqG0-nsi1DtsKg_Q

Especially when switching levels for example with a trigger, the grappling system still works but the cable isn’t rendered anymore. This happens when the level in which I load into has a bigger landscape (standart 65x65 or higher) in it with a importance volume. Sometimes it happens also while playing in this level with the big landscape.

I am using the mobile third person template.

I checked if the set visibility node is still being fired, which is the case. Is this a memory issue when bigger landscapes are in place?

Hi spaceharry,

I believe it is a memory issue. I just tested this in-house with a 255x255 landscape with multiple streaming levels and active AI. Although I had a hesitation when it loaded, the cable component was always rendered correctly.

Thanks for testing!

Did u use the exact same blueprint setup as Peter Newton used in his tutorial? I figured it might not be related to the cablee actor at all, but how the target points for the cable are updated.

Maybe also something is differen from the mobile template background?

I didn’t use anything to manipulate the movement of the cable during run-time. I used a simple setup where I attached a cable component to the player. This maybe why I’m not seeing the same thing you are.

I have another technician here that is working on a setup very similar to yours. I’ve asked him to test your issue once he’s finished. We will post back here once he has.

Maybe this could also happen if the lightmass importance volume is too big?

ok I checked this again and I am sure now that it has nothing to do with the cable actor itself, but the way the target points are updated.

Sometimes it works all fine in the editor then on my Galaxy S4 the cable doesnt show up. Even if I replace the cable with a beam efffect with target and source the beam sometimes refuses to be rendered.

Hi ,

Does your cable actor only have rendering errors on your s4 or does this occur in the editor as well?

Hi ,

Well before it also had problems in the editor. Then I removed a too big character detail lighting box and it renedred correctly. On rare occassions the error

But still on mobile it sometimes keeps disappearing after 2 or 3 times of shooting the grapple hook. Maybe on mobile the lightmass importance volumes has to be even smaller.

Again, I don’t think the reason for this is the cable actor anymore, because also a laser beam particle effect which is attached to a target stops rendering when replacing it for the cable.

Hi ,

Thus far I haven’t been able to reproduce this on my end, can you share a screenshot of what is occurring along with screenshots of how you are setting up a blueprint that is experiencing this error?

Its a pretty big blueprint for taking screenshots. Basically its the cable setup from the first link above. The problem ocurrs randomely. For example when I swing around the level and then turn the camera around fast, it suddenly stop rendering.

I am still experiencing this problem with the cable actor, so I replaced the cable with a beam emitter.

Also the beam “cable” had the same “not rendering” problem until I changed source and target point’s node index to 1 for both. Not really sure why it fixed the problem.

Recently the engine crashes in this level when I hit simulate. Not said that the rendering issue doesn’t happen in other levels too. But at least there the engine isn’t crashing on simulate.

I attached all the logs.

How far does your cable actor go for your grappling hook? It could be culling out the entire object if it stretches too far (If so I can test this). Thus far I’ve been unable to reproduce what you have described.

Did you make any changes to the project before it began crashing? For instance, did you change engine versions?

Yes I started the project on 4.3 and I am now on 4.5.1.

Ok crash when simulating happens because of a avtivate touch interface after a event begin play node in the level blueprint. When I remove this node the engine doesn’t crash on simulate.

In this activate touch interface node I referenced to touchinterface.h which was a copy of the one from the engine folder with no control elements in it in order to hide the hud at level start before input gets enabled.

So I guess the reason for crashing on simulate was using a “activate touch interface” node with a “New Touch Interface” with 0 control elements in it. Or something went wrong with the copy. So now I just don’t select any assets at all in this node an it doesnt crash.

However the cable rendering/ target point problem still persists and was unrelated to this.

Well…, I shot to early. Now the level doesn’t crash on start simulate but crashes after a some seconds when moving around while simulating.

This way of removing the mobile joystick hud works when hiting normal play withouth problem, but it seams to crash the engine on simulate. When removing the activate touch interface from the level blueprint the engine doesn’t crash at all while simulating.

Some other guy had a similar problem:

I added a showing a video with 2 levels using the exact same character with the same targeting system for the cable.
In one level the cable shows up together with beam and in the other only the beam shows up.

Hi spaceharry,

If you are comfortable with it, can you send me a copy of your project? We have not been able to reproduce this on our end.

I will send you a DB link in Forum by private message.

Hi spaceharry,

I attempted to download the file but it was too large, can you the files up and post them again? Thank you!