Adding a realistic day and night cycle to your Unreal Engine 5.5 project has never been easier, thanks to the new Day Sequence feature. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through enabling and using this feature to create dynamic lighting for your scenes.
Watch the full video tutorial on YouTube here.
Step 1: Enable the Day Sequence Plugin
To get started:
- Go to the Edit menu and select Plugins.
- In the search bar, type Day Sequence.
- Enable the plugin by clicking the checkbox.
- A warning message will appear stating that this is an experimental feature. Click Yes to proceed.
- Restart Unreal Engine to apply the changes.
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Step 2: Remove Existing Sky Actors
Before adding the new Day Sequence Actor, remove the existing sky-related actors:
- Directional Light
- Sky Atmosphere
- Sky Light
- Volumetric Clouds
This will clear the scene for the new system.
Step 3: Add the Day Sequence Actor
- Open the Place Actors panel.
- Search for Day.
- Drag and drop the Sun, Moon, and Day Sequence Actor into your scene.
Once added, you’ll immediately notice the built-in day and night cycle, complete with dynamic clouds, a realistic Sun, and a Moon transition.
Step 4: Customize the Day/Night Cycle
Adjust the Time of Day
- Use the Time of Day Preview slider in the Details panel to set specific times like 10:00 AM or 1:00 AM.
- Preview how the lighting dynamically changes throughout the day.
Live Time Preview
- Enable the live preview option to watch the time progress in real-time and see the transitions between day and night.
Control Day Length
- Adjust settings like Day Length and Time Per Cycle to control how long a full day lasts in your scene.
Why Use the Day Sequence Feature?
The Day Sequence system integrates all related actors, such as the Sun and Moon, into one cohesive system. This eliminates the need for separate Sky Actors, simplifying your workflow and providing a more streamlined experience.
Conclusion
With just a few steps, you’ve set up a fully functional day and night cycle in Unreal Engine 5.5 using the Day Sequence feature. This powerful tool makes it easy to add dynamic lighting to your projects, enhancing realism and immersion.
Check out the video tutorial for a full walkthrough!
For more tutorials and resources, visit Rambod.net.
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