[Optimizing] Make Animation Blueprints on characters stop playing at distance

Hello UE4 community,

I’m trying to increase performance with my characters in the levels.

They’re low poly, utilising an Animation Blueprint. I have been able to render 240 of them before significant frame drops from physics interactions. (I’m trying to implement the “rigid body node” to make cheaper ragdolls). - If anyone has any tips with this I’d appreciate it.

However, I’m trying to stop animations playing at a distance or at least cull the mesh / replace with very low LOD when I’m far away. Even at far distances, the Animation blueprints still are playing and my gut instinct is that it’s using up significant resources to do so.

Any advice with this? Thanks.

Extra info, The NPCs are passive wandering AI, so detail at a distance should be minimal.