Precise NPC/character positioning not possible? Help appreciated :-)

Hi everybody,

I have dived into character usage within UE4 for the last 3-4 weeks and seem not to understand specific or maybe basic stuff.

For our music project I want to place multiple NPCs in a level. Some shall only sit around, pray etc. Others shall walk around on specific paths.

Now placing them needs tweaking of the animations/poses but it’s hard to do that because I never get to see this within the editor. Also with 2-bone-IK.
Changing all animations depending on the place the NPCs will be placed at looks like not the best option :wink:
I’d greatly appreciate feedback and to move ahead with this interactive music video.

An example for a non-moving NPC:

An angel is sitting on stairs in a more or less diagonal way

  1. Feet shall be placed on the appropriate stair surface, butt also.
  2. Knees should go more more up and feet should follow or vice-versa.
  3. I’d like to tweak little things like to angle of the back to test how much leaning forward looks best or where exactly the elbows should lye on the legs/knees.
  4. The wings shall move closer to the NPC when approching a wall.
  5. The NPC shall look at the player upon approach.

To 1,2,3:
Tried Blueprint automatics with two-bone-IK for 1 and 2 but I don’t get it as exact as I’d like to. Got it from this tutorial.
Trying to do that via exposed variables and maybe 3D widget (like shown in this tutorial) but I don’t see right now how to change the IK within the animation/s.

To 4 (wings):
Haven’t touch that yet but think that two-bone-IK could be best here dealing with the collisions towards stairs, walls etc.

To 5:
Think I have found a solution for this - hope it will work together with the rest.

109288-the-crystal-apes_fake_angel_ue4_3.jpg

109289-the-crystal-apes_fake_angel_ue4_2.jpg

I found a solution just fine for me by setting up 2 editable variables in the Character BP:

Casting them to the Animation BP I can lift or lower each foot manipulating the variables there which plug into the Effector Location inputs of my Two Bone IK nodes - works fine :slight_smile:

But can I make the changes visible within the editor without having to start the level?
I am playing around with the Character BPs Construction Script but no success until now - is it possible at all?