Virtual Camera Multi-User Quick-Start Guide

You can use a Multi-User Virtual Camera (VCam) workspace to control and render Vcams in the same scene using multiple workstations. This lets multiple users simultaneously work on the same scene. Multi-User Vcam Multi-User Actor Replication feature, which is in beta.

Multi-User Vcam can only be used in Virtual Production projects.

This document provides an example workflow, which you can use to set up a connected work environment that enables multiple users to operate VCams in the same scene simultaneously.

Prerequisites

• Enable the Multi-User Editing Plugin. In the Menu Bar, navigate to Edit > Plugins, and locate the Multi-User Editing plugin under the Editor section. Alternatively, you can use the Search Bar. After enabling the plugin, restart the editor.

• You must have a functional Virtual Production project. If you do not have one, you can use the Template project.

• You must have a Multi-User Editor Server. For more information, refer to the Multi-User Quick Start Guide.

• Your project must have a Virtual Camera (VCam) Actor.

Launching an MU Session

Replication of a virtual camera between instances of Unreal Engine uses Multi-User Editing. All clients must be in a shared Multi-User (MU) session. For more information on joining an MU, session see Multi-User Editing in Unreal Engine

Replicating a VCam Actor

When a VCam actor is added to the scene in an MU session, the actor is displayed in the editor on every client. This is because no client has declared that it is the author of the VCam’s properties.

To declare authorship over a VCam, tap or click the Multi User button in the lower left corner of the VCam. This disables the output providers and modifier stack evaluation on the other clients, which hides the HUD and ensures that this client determines the values used by the Vcam. Tapping again relinquishes authorship and enables the output providers, HUD, and modifiers on every client so that a new client can claim authorship.

Recording Remotely

To record a Virtual Camera on a machine other than its host machine, you must add its respective Record Camera (named [VCamActorName]_Record) to Take Recorder, rather than the VCamActor itself.

Legacy Roles for MU

The legacy Virtual Camera Multi-User workflows are deprecated, but still function in Unreal Engine 5.4.

This workflow does not support new, high-frequency replication

This section provides an example workflow for using the legacy system for limited, low-frequency virtual camera operation in Multi-User mode.

Prerequisites

• Enable the Switchboard Plugin. In the Menu Bar, navigate to Edit > Plugins and locate the Switchboard plugin under the Virtual Production section. Alternatively, you can use the Search Bar. After enabling the Plugin, restart the editor.

You can access the Switchboard application using the Icon in the Unreal Engine Toolbar, after the plugin has been successfully installed.

• You must have a functional Virtual Production project. If you do not have one, you can use the Template project.

• You must have a Multi-User Editor Server. For more information, refer to the Multi-User Quick Start Guide.

• Your project must have a Virtual Camera (VCam) Actor.

Declare Virtual Production Roles

The Switchboard application requires each user to occupy a VP Role, such as an Editor or Render, to differentiate and identify which user is associated with which VCam Actor.

1. On your primary workstation in the Unreal Editor, navigate to the Toolbar, and select the VP Roles, then select (+) Add Role from the drop-down menu. Give the new role a name. In this workflow example the primary workstation is named Editor.

   

2. Using the same steps, add a second Role for your secondary device to occupy. In this workflow example, the secondary workstation is named Render.

   

3. In the Menu Bar, navigate to Edit > Project Settings, and under the Multi-User Editing section,set the Validation Mode property to Soft, using the drop-down menu.

   

If your project contains any dirty packages, an error prompt displays when you join a multi-user session. You then have the opportunity to cancel the connection or to fix any present issues. If you choose to proceed any dirty packages will be deleted.

Your project is now ready to connect other devices using Switchboard for multiple users to operate VCams simultaneously in the same scene.

For more information about connecting multiple users using the Switchboard plugin, refer to the Switchboard and the Switchboard Quick-Start Guide documentation.

Connect Your Devices

After creating your VP Roles in the Unreal Editor, use the Switchboard application to connect your devices to the Multi-User session.

1. In the Toolbar, click the options menu next to the Switchboard button, and select Launch Switchboard Listener.

   

2. In the Toolbar, launch the Switchboard application.

   

3. In the Add Device drop-down, select Unreal. This creates a new Switchboard Device, which represents the primary workstation.

   

4. In the provided field, set the Name and IP Address for the primary work station. The name must be the same name as the primary workstation role set in Unreal Engine. This workflow example uses Editor as the name.

   

5. Repeat steps 1-3 to create a second Switchboard Device. For the second device, use the same name as the second workstation's role. Both devices should now be listed in the Switchboard application, in the Unreal Devices list. This workflow example uses the name Render.

   

6. To automatically open a network connection and to connect a device to the Multi-User Editor session, select the Auto-Join and Network Connection icons for each device in the Unreal Devices list. When a device successfully connects to the network, the Connection Indicator appears blue.

   

7. Assign a VP Role to each connected device. In the Switchboard's Menu Bar, navigate to Settings > Settings, and scroll down to each connected device's section. In the Roles property, select one of the Unreal Engine VP Roles, for each device, using the drop-down menu.

   

You can open a Network Connection and enable Auto-Join for every listed device by using the Auto-Join and Network Connection icons in the Unreal Device's list header.

With your workstations connected, and their roles assigned, you can now launch each device and start operating VCams in a Multi-User environment.

Multi-User Virtual Camera Operation

1. To connect your primary workstation to the multi-user session, open the Switchboard application, go to the Unreal Devices list, locate the primary Editor device, and click the Launch. Once your project has launched, you can verify that the editor is connected to the multi-user session in the Multi-User Browser window. You can open the Multi-User Browser in the Menu bar, navigating to Window > Multi-User Browser.

2. In the World Outliner, select the VCamActor.

3. Select the VCam component in the VCam actor's Details panel.

4. Set the Role property to Edit in the Virtual Camera properties section and select the Editor VP Role from the drop down menu.

5. Enable the Virtual Camera by toggling the Enabled property.

6. In the Switchboard application, launch the Render device by clicking the Launch icon. Following the steps above, verify that the secondary Render device is also connected to the multi-user session, using the Multi-User Browser window.

7. Now that both editor instances are open, move the Virtual Camera on the primary Editor device and see the changes replicated in the secondary Render device in real time. In the example below the Editor device (Left) is operating a VCam Actor and the Render device (Right) is receiving the changes and rendering the scene.