Modeling Mode provides an array of tools for creating and editing geometry. These tools are organized into specific categories to help guide you through your modeling process.
The Shapes and Create categories can get you started with building a new mesh. To edit and inspect properties of your mesh you can use the following categories:
- PolyModel: Edit a mesh using PolyGroups.
- TriModel: Edit a mesh through its triangles.
- Deform: Sculpt or distort a mesh as a whole or in specific areas.
- Transform: Adjust the placement or representation of a mesh.
- MeshOps: Optimize a mesh's geometry.
- VoxOps: Convert a mesh into voxels to perform volumetric operations before converting it back into a mesh.
- Attributes: Inspect and adjust the secondary properties of a mesh.
- UVs: Edit UV coordinates of a mesh.
- Baking: Generate textures and vertex color data for meshes.
- Volumes: Convert between Volume, mesh, Binary Space Partitioning (BSP), and Simple Collision representations.
- LODs: Edit and manage the levels of detail (LODs) for a mesh.
Each tool per category opens a specific toolset and settings in the Modeling panel. Refer to the categories below to learn how to implement them in your workflow.
The modeling tools are usable when you are working on various types of Actors in Unreal Engine, for example, a Static Mesh, a Dynamic Mesh, or a Volume. These are collectively referred to as "a mesh" or "meshes", except for occasions where a tool is only usable for a specific Actor type.
Shapes
Create a new mesh using a selection of predefined primitives shown in the image below.
To learn more, see the Shapes Category documentation.
Create
Build meshes from paths or existing geometry.
Several tools, such as PolyExt and PathExt, use a grid to draw shapes. To control the position of the grid, Ctrl + Click your desired location.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PolyExt | Draw and extrude polygons freehand or from a selection of predefined shapes. | |
| PathExt | Draw and extrude PolyPaths to create new meshes such as walls and ramps. | |
| PathRev | Draw and revolve pathways around an axis to create a symmetrical mesh. | |
| BdrRev | Revolves the mesh boundary loops to create a new shape. | |
| Merge | Combines multiple meshes into one, keeping intersecting geometry. | |
| Dupe | Duplicates a single mesh, creating a new Actor. | |
| Pattern | Tile one or more selected meshes along a Line, Grid, or Circle oriented on a movable 3D plane. |
PolyModel
Perform granular editing using a mesh's PolyGroups.
PolyModel stands for PolyGroup Model, not to be confused with polygon.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PolyEd | Opens tools, such as Extrude, Bevel, and Edge Loop, to edit meshes via PolyGroups. | |
| PolyDef | Opens tools to deform meshes via their PolyGroups. | |
| CubeGr | Create blockout meshes using a repositionable grid. | |
| MshBool | Subtract or add mesh pairs. | |
| MshCut | Split one mesh into parts using a second mesh. | |
| SubDiv | Increase the resolution of a mesh by PolyGroups or triangles. |
To learn more about these tools, see PolyModel Category.
TriModel
Perform granular editing using a mesh's triangles.
TriModel stands for Triangle Model.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TriSel | Quickly select triangles to edit a mesh and adjust secondary properties. | |
| TriEd | Opens tools to edit the mesh via triangles. | |
| HFill | Fills any holes in your mesh. | |
| Mirror | Reflect a mesh(es) along a given plane to create new geometry. | |
| PlnCut | Cut the selected mesh on a plane. | |
| PolyCut | Cuts the selected mesh with extrude polygon and open tools to define the new mesh. | |
| Trim | Trim or cut selected meshes with a second mesh. |
Deform
Alter or distort a mesh as a whole or in specific areas.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| VSculpt | Sculpt the target mesh, adjusting its vertices, using various brushes. | |
| DSculpt | Sculpts the target mesh using various brushes and dynamically adds new geometry to the mesh through remeshing. | |
| Smooth | Even out the surface of the mesh, helping remove jagged artifacts. | |
| Offset | Adjust the positioning of the mesh's vertices by a specified amount along their normal. | |
| Warp | Reshape a mesh using non-linear transforms such as Blend, Flare, and Twist. | |
| Lattice | Edit a mesh via its vertices using a structure of points. | |
| Displace | Distort the vertices of a mesh based on preset algorithms, user-generated weight maps, or texture maps. |
To learn more about these tools, see Deform Category.
Transform
Adjust the placement or representation of a mesh.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| XForm | Transform different aspects of the selected mesh. | |
| Align | Repositions the selected meshes in relation to one another. | |
| Pivot | Edit the pivot point placement on the selected mesh. | |
| PivotAct | Adds an Actor object to the selected mesh to act as a pivot for child components. Opens tools to edit the pivot points and Actor object. | |
| BakeRS | Bakes the scale and rotation values into the mesh. By default scale is uniformly set to 1, while rotation is uniformly set to 0. | |
| Transfer | Transfers the data of one mesh to a target mesh or to a specific LOD used by the target mesh. | |
| Convert | Change the Output Type of a mesh between a Static Mesh, Dynamic Mesh, or Volume. | |
| Split | Takes a mesh with disconnected geometry and splits them into separate mesh. |
VoxOps
Convert a mesh into voxels to perform volumetric operations before converting it back into a mesh.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| VoxWrap | Wrap a selected mesh using voxels—helping remove holes as well as removing self-intersections and hidden triangles. | |
| VoxBlnd | Blend selected meshes using voxels. | |
| VoxMrph | Offset or inset the surface of the selected meshes using voxels. | |
| VoxBool | Perform boolean operations on selected meshes and then wrap the result with voxels. | |
| VoxMrg | Merges selected meshes then voxelates the result. |
Attributes
Inspect and adjust the secondary properties, such as normals and PolyGroups, of a mesh.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Inspct | Visualize attributes, such as wireframes, tangent vectors, and bowtie vertices, and view mesh statistics. | |
| Nrmls | Recomputes the normals and opens tools to set Normals calculations by toggling options on and off and setting the Normals Topography. | |
| Tngnts | Edit the mesh's lines and tangents. | |
| AttrEd | Edit the mesh's different attributes, including UVs, and add new attributes as well. | |
| GenGrps | Generates PolyGroups for your mesh. | |
| GrpPaint | Paint PolyGroups onto a mesh using brushstrokes. | |
| MapPnt | Paint on specific Weight Map Layers, which first need to be generated with the AttrEd tool. | |
| MatEd | Assign multiple materials and new material elements to triangles selected via brushstrokes. |
UVs
Edit the UV coordinates of a mesh, changing how textures are mapped to the surface.
To learn more, see to the UVs Category documentation.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AutoUV | Automatically unwrap and pack UVs for the selected mesh. | |
| Unwrap | Recompute UVs for existing UV islands or PolyGroups, helping minimize stretched and squashed areas. | |
| Project | Creates UVs from casting a predefined shape or point onto your mesh. | |
| SeamEd | Interactively separate edges in the Viewport to create seams. | |
| XFormUV | Interactively scale, rotate, and translate UV islands in the Viewport. | |
| Layout | Transform, stack, or repack existing UVs. | |
| UV Editor | Launch a dedicated Editor for creating and editing UVs. |
Volumes
Convert between Volume, mesh, Binary Space Partitioning (BSP), and Simple Collision representations. You can also inspect the collision and physics properties of the selected mesh.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vol2Msh | Define and convert a Volume Actor to a Static or Dynamic Mesh Actor. | |
| Msh2Vol | Defines the conversion of a mesh to a new Volume. | |
| BSPConv | Convert Binary Space Partitioning geometry to a mesh. | |
| PInspct | Inspect physics geometry for the selected mesh. | |
| Msh2Coll | Convert the selected mesh(es) to Simple Collision Geometry for the last selected mesh. | |
| Coll2Msh | Converts Simple Collision Geometry to a new mesh Actor. |
MeshOps
Optimize a mesh's geometry.
When using the following tools it is helpful to change the View Mode and enable Mesh Edges under Show > Advance.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Simplify | Attempts to reduce the triangle density of the selected mesh. | |
| Remesh | Retriangulate and increase triangle density on the selected mesh. | |
| Weld | Automatically combines disconnected edges of the selected mesh within a given tolerance. | |
| Jacket | Removes hidden triangles from the selected meshes. | |
| Union | Combines multiple meshes into one, resolving self intersections. | |
| Project | Map or Re-mesh one mesh onto the targeted mesh (the second selected mesh). |
Baking
Generate textures and vertex color data for meshes.
For proper baking, the source mesh(es) and target mesh need to be overlapping.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BakeTX | Bake the source mesh's details to a target mesh as textures. | |
| BakeAll | Bake textures for a single mesh from multiple source meshes. | |
| BakeVtx | Bake a source mesh's details to a target mesh as vertex colors. | |
| BakeRC | Bakes textures for a target mesh from multiple source meshes via a virtual photo or render capture. |
LODs
Edit and manage the levels of detail (LODs) for a mesh.
| Tool | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LODMgr | Opens the LOD Manager to define and create LODs for the selected Static Mesh Asset. | |
| AutoLOD | Opens a toolset to generate and define Static Mesh LOD Assets. | |
| ISMEd | Edit instances in Instance Static Mesh Components. |
