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Water Bodys

Oceanology provides two main types of Water Body Actors to create realistic aquatic environments: BP_OceanologyLake and BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean. While they work similarly to Water Body Actors in Unreal Engine, Oceanology focuses on optimized solutions for lakes and oceans without including specific actors for rivers or channels. This guide explains how to use these actors and configure different elements such as audio, buoyancy, and water extension to achieve immersive environments.

Types of Water Body Actors in Oceanology

  1. BP_OceanologyLake

    • BP_OceanologyLake is designed to create lakes and limited water bodies.
    • It includes predefined settings for wave and underwater sounds, which you can adjust according to your project needs.
    • It also supports buoyancy, allowing objects to realistically interact with water when the OceanBuoyancyComponent is added.

  2. BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean

    • BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean is designed to generate an endless ocean using origin shifting technology. This ensures an infinite appearance without the performance cost of a huge static mesh.
    • This actor includes default underwater audio, but for coastal wave sounds, users must manually place instances of BP_OceanWaveAudio.
    • The BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean does not use splines to define its shape, unlike Unreal Engine Water Body Actors, which include spline-based configurations for rivers and channels.

Configuring and Using Water Body Actors

  1. Add Water Body Actor to Your Scene

    • Drag and drop the BP_OceanologyLake or BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean into your scene as per your project requirements.
    • If you want to create a lake or limited water body, use BP_OceanologyLake. For an infinite ocean, choose BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean.

  2. Configure the OceanologyManager

    • If you are using BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean, it is recommended to add an OceanologyManager to your scene. This component handles the heightmap texture in real time, which is essential for effects like shoreline foam and avoiding overlaps with terrain.

  3. Audio Configuration

    • BP_OceanologyLake includes audio settings for both wave and underwater sounds. Adjust the attenuation settings for appropriate behavior regarding distance and sound intensity.
    • For BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean, wave audio must be manually added using BP_OceanWaveAudio. Place these actors along the shore for realistic sound.

  4. Buoyancy Configuration

    • To make objects float on the water surface, add an OceanBuoyancyComponent to the actors you want to make buoyant.
    • Configure the pontoons in the component to define how the object will behave while floating. Water Body Actors in Oceanology interact directly with these pontoons to simulate realistic buoyancy behavior.

  5. Using QuadTree Tessellation

    • For large water bodies like the Infinite Ocean, Oceanology uses a QuadTree Tessellation system to optimize performance. Levels of detail (LOD) are dynamically adjusted depending on the player's distance, providing high quality near the character and lower quality at a distance.

Example: Creating a Lake and an Infinite Ocean

Create a Lake

  1. Drag the BP_OceanologyLake into the scene.
  2. Adjust the size as desired and configure the audio attenuation for wave and underwater sounds.

Create an Infinite Ocean

  1. Drag the BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean into your scene.
  2. Place the OceanologyManager and configure the bounds so the ocean interacts correctly with the terrain.
  3. Add BP_OceanWaveAudio along the shores where you want wave sounds to play.
  4. Configure the Infinite options in the actor to control whether the ocean should be infinite or limited.

Summary

The Water Body Actors in Oceanology allow you to create realistic and customizable water bodies for your Unreal Engine projects. Whether you are creating a limited lake or an infinite ocean, the BP_OceanologyLake and BP_OceanologyInfiniteOcean actors, along with the OceanologyManager and other components, offer powerful tools for generating immersive and high-performance aquatic environments.

For more examples and detailed assistance, join our Discord community, where you can find additional support and tips to make the most of the Water Body Actors in Oceanology.