Cannot use Static Mesh Component with Set Vector Parameter Value

I’m extremely frustrated with this. I have a very basic problem I’m trying to work through; assign a new random color to a block every 30 game ticks. I’ve looked and there already seems to be a decent number of solutions to my problem, all of which use the Set Vector Parameter Value block. But frustratingly, in every single answer the block’s input values are fundamentally different from mine. All the solutions I’ve looked at show a Static Mesh Component being directly linked to a Target parameter on the block. However, on the block in my blueprint there is no Target parameter, only a Collection parameter, and trying to connect my Static Mesh Component to it gives me an error. Instead, it tells me it takes a Material Parameter Collection, which is seemingly incompatible with my Static Mesh Component. I have no idea what that is or how to use it, and not a single tutorial I come across mentions it at all.

Here is an image of my current blueprint;


What is this change, and why was it made? How am I meant to use the Set Vector Parameter Value block?

Edit: Here is a link to my project file;

Is this the node you are trying to get?

What? Why is yours different from mine?

Wasn’t sure if that was the node you were after or not.

Turn Context Sensitive off:

82564-vectorparameter2.png

Wait what? There are two nodes with the same name, and almost the same functionality? Who thought that was a good idea? Especially since the editor doesn’t recommend the other one.

Thanks, regardless.

No, nevermind, I still can’t use it. I can’t find a Set Vector Parameter Value node with the same inputs as yours; neither of the two that show up for me after disabling Context Sensitive have four arguments, and neither of them take my static mesh as an argument.

Here is an image of the two different Set Vector Parameter Value nodes I could find;


I suppose this is one reason people use Unity.

I think there is more than 2 of them…I have at least 3 just in the screenshot and I’ve seen more as well…the one with the green arrow is the one I used to connect the static mesh to:

82567-vectorparameter3.png

Here is an image of every single highlighted node I could find when searching for the keyword “vector parameter”;


None of them look like yours.
Are you sure you’re using the same version of UE that I am?

Yeah, 4.10:

82569-ueversion.png

Are you dragging off of a static mesh when you do the search?

No, i’m just right clicking in empty space. This is what my search looks like;


Pretty much identical to yours.

At this point i’m entirely convinced that you must somehow have a slightly different version of the editor, where the appropriate Set Vector Parameter Value node has that one extra input on it. And somehow, I don’t.

I am dragging off of a static mesh component in the blueprint to get that node…hover over the 2 listed under material and look for the one that doesn’t have MID in the description…MID is Material Instance Dynamic which is one of the nodes you posted already

Ah, fantastic! That finally worked. Why does it add that extra parameter only when you drag it off of the static mesh component? And why doesn’t it have that parameter by default?

Well, I ran the script, and it doesn’t work. The logic up until the set vector parameter node seems to be working perfectly fine, but the block’s color doesn’t actually change.

Here is my current blueprint;

Its not there by default because…reasons… I guess lol… I don’t really have a good answer for that…maybe I should ask this…just so I know exactly what you are trying to accomplish…what are you trying to get to happen to the static mesh on tick?

I explain it in the top post; I’m trying to assign a new random color to a block every 30 game ticks.

Ok sorry I was focusing on the Node problem…to do that:
First create your material and setup the Color parameter:

82576-colorsetup.png

The you need to create a Material Instance of that material so you have access to the parameter Color like this:

Then your BP needs to be setup like this:

For the Source Material of the Create Dynamic Material Instance node make sure that is set to the Material Inst you just made.

Thank you, this makes more sense. Can I ask what the Create Dynamic Material Instance and SET nodes are for? They don’t seem to affect any output at all. Couldn’t you just link the Set Material node directly to the Event BeginPlay node, and that would work?

Also, how do I set up the color parameter? If I try dragging my mouse out of the Base Color attribute of my Material, I can’t find a color node in the search list like the one you show. This is all I see;