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Caustics

The caustics effect in Oceanology simulates the way light behaves when it passes through water and reflects on the ground beneath it. This feature is available for both ocean and lake environments, each having its own integration approach.

Ocean Caustics Setup

To enable caustics for ocean surfaces, follow these steps:

  1. Add the Light Source Controller Actor

    • Drag the OceanologyLightSourceController actor into your scene.

  2. Configure the Directional Light

    • Ensure you have a DirectionalLight in the scene.
    • Create a tag (e.g., "Sun") and assign it to both the DirectionalLight and the OceanologyLightSourceController. This tag is essential for identifying which light source will generate the caustics effect.

  3. Set Parameters in OceanologyLightSourceController

    • In the details of the OceanologyLightSourceController, specify:
      • The water component (BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean).
      • The directional light (the DirectionalLight with the tag "Sun").
      • Select the appropriate light function material (M_CausticsDirectional_LightInst) responsible for simulating the caustics effect on the ocean surface.

Once configured, the caustics will adapt dynamically to the movement of ocean waves, providing a realistic visual representation of how light interacts with the water.

Lake Caustics Setup

For lakes, the setup is more straightforward:

  1. Add OceanologyLake

    • Simply drag the OceanologyLake actor into your scene.

  2. Adjust Caustics Parameters

    • In the details of the OceanologyLake, navigate to the caustics section.
    • Enable "Enable Caustics on Ground" and tweak parameters like DarknessExposure, MaximumDarkness, and MinimumDarkness to control the appearance of caustics on the lakebed.

The lake uses a decal shader (M_Caustics_Decal_Inst) to project the caustics effect, allowing for fine control over its intensity and look.

Summary

By following these instructions, you can fully integrate caustics into your ocean or lake environments, enhancing the realism of light interaction with water surfaces. The caustics effect dynamically adapts to wave movement, offering a visually appealing representation of underwater light behavior, contributing to an immersive experience.