Open Door With Lerp and Overlap

February 10, 2018

UE4 Version: 4.18.3

Github Link: https://github.com/Harrison1/unrealcpp/tree/master/OpenDoorWithLerp

For this tutorial we are using the standard first person C++ template with the starter content.

In this Unreal Engine 4 C++ tutorial we will learn how to automatically open a door depending on which way the player is facing using the lerp function and overlap events. Create a new actor class and call it whatever you want, in this tutorial I will call it OpenDoorWithLerp.

First, in the .h file let's #include the BoxComponent at the top of the file. Make sure it comes before your Actor's generated.h file.

include BoxComponent

#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/Actor.h"

// include before generated file
#include "Components/BoxComponent.h"

#include "OpenDoorWithLerp.generated.h"

Next, we will create our variables. We'll declare the Door UStaticMeshComponent, the UBoxComponent, our overlap functions, a bool, a float, and an FRotator variable for the Door's rotation.

three bool variables to determine the state of the door and fourfloat variables to set different numbers for the door. Next, we'll add in functions for toggling the door and building the door itself with a UStaticMeshComponent and UBoxComponent. All elements will go under the public section of the header file.

Our Header Variables

...
public:	
	// Called every frame
	virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;

	UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere)
	UStaticMeshComponent* Door;

	UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere)
	UBoxComponent* MyBoxComponent;

	// declare overlap begin function
	UFUNCTION()
	void OnOverlapBegin(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex, bool bFromSweep, const FHitResult& SweepResult);

	// declare overlap end function
	UFUNCTION()
	void OnOverlapEnd(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex);

	bool Open;
	float RotateValue;
	FRotator DoorRotation;

Next, we'll move into the Actor's .cpp file. We'll first want to #include the the KismetMathLibrary header file. We'll use a math function in the overlap function.

Include the KismetMathLibrary header file

#include "Kismet/KismetMathLibrary.h"

In the constructor function we will set our default variables. We'll first set our Door's Open bool to false. Next, we'll setup our UBoxComponent and UStaticMeshComponent. We will set the UBoxComponent will be our RootComponent. Then, connect the overlap functions to the UBoxComponent. Later, We will create the overlap functions that they are calling.

constructor function

AOpenDoorWithLerp::AOpenDoorWithLerp()
{
 	// Set this actor to call Tick() every frame.  You can turn this off to improve performance if you don't need it.
	PrimaryActorTick.bCanEverTick = true;

	Open = false;

    MyBoxComponent = CreateDefaultSubobject<UBoxComponent>(TEXT("My Box Component"));
    MyBoxComponent->InitBoxExtent(FVector(50,50,50));
    RootComponent = MyBoxComponent;

    Door = CreateDefaultSubobject<UStaticMeshComponent>(TEXT("My Mesh"));
    Door->SetRelativeLocation(FVector(0.0f, 50.0f, -50.0f));
    Door->SetupAttachment(RootComponent);

    MyBoxComponent->OnComponentBeginOverlap.AddDynamic(this, &AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapBegin);
    MyBoxComponent->OnComponentEndOverlap.AddDynamic(this, &AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapEnd);
}

In the Tick function we will check if the door is open and and run our lerp function. A lerp function must be run in the Tick function. We will grab the Door's rotation by using Door->RelativeRotation to return the rotation of the door on every frame. After getting the Door's rotation we will smoothly move the Yaw value to 90, -90, or 0.

Tick function

void AOpenDoorWithLerp::Tick(float DeltaTime)
{
	Super::Tick(DeltaTime);

	DoorRotation = Door->RelativeRotation;

    if(Open)
    {
        Door->SetRelativeRotation(FMath::Lerp(FQuat(DoorRotation), FQuat(FRotator(0.0f, RotateValue, 0.0f)), 0.01f));   
    } 
    else
    {
        Door->SetRelativeRotation(FMath::Lerp(FQuat(DoorRotation), FQuat(FRotator(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f)), 0.01f));
    }

}

Next, let's create the overlap functions. OnOverlapBegin will first do conditional checks for null values to see if the function should proceed. Then, the function checks which direction the player and actor are facing depending on their location and rotation. In this function the our player which is our Pawn is the OtherActor parameter being passed into the function. We subtract the Pawn's location from the Actor's location to get a direction FVector. We then need to account for the rotation of the parent component so we run UKismetMathLibrary::LessLess_VectorRotator. This method was taken from Unreal Engine 4's Content Examples. If the player is in front of the door then the RotateValue will equal 90.0f, if not the RotateValue will equal -90.0f. Then, finally we will set Open to true.

OnOnverlapEnd simply sets Open to false.

Overlap Functions

void AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapBegin(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex, bool bFromSweep, const FHitResult& SweepResult)
{
    if ( (OtherActor != nullptr ) && (OtherActor != this) && ( OtherComp != nullptr ) ) 
    {
        FVector PawnLocation = OtherActor->GetActorLocation();
        FVector Direction = GetActorLocation() - PawnLocation;
        Direction = UKismetMathLibrary::LessLess_VectorRotator(Direction, GetActorRotation());

        if(Direction.X > 0.0f)
        {
            RotateValue = 90.0f;
        }
        else
        {
            RotateValue = -90.0f;
        }

        Open = true;
    }
}

void AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapEnd(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex)
{
    if ( (OtherActor != nullptr ) && (OtherActor != this) && ( OtherComp != nullptr ) )  
    {
        Open = false;
    }
}

We are done with the code. Go into the editor and compile. Drag and drop the actor into the game world. Set the BoxComponent's collision presets to Trigger and add in the door static mesh from the starter content as the UStaticMeshComponent.

Below is the final code.

OpenDoorWithLerp.h

#pragma once

#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/Actor.h"
#include "Components/BoxComponent.h"
#include "OpenDoorWithLerp.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class UNREALCPP_API AOpenDoorWithLerp : public AActor
{
	GENERATED_BODY()
	
public:	
	// Sets default values for this actor's properties
	AOpenDoorWithLerp();

protected:
	// Called when the game starts or when spawned
	virtual void BeginPlay() override;

public:	
	// Called every frame
	virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;

	UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere)
	UStaticMeshComponent* Door;

	UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere)
	UBoxComponent* MyBoxComponent;

	// declare overlap begin function
	UFUNCTION()
	void OnOverlapBegin(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex, bool bFromSweep, const FHitResult& SweepResult);

	// declare overlap end function
	UFUNCTION()
	void OnOverlapEnd(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex);

	bool Open;
	float RotateValue;
	FRotator DoorRotation;
	
};

###OpenDoorWithLerp.cpp

#include "OpenDoorWithLerp.h"
#include "Kismet/KismetMathLibrary.h"


// Sets default values
AOpenDoorWithLerp::AOpenDoorWithLerp()
{
 	// Set this actor to call Tick() every frame.  You can turn this off to improve performance if you don't need it.
	PrimaryActorTick.bCanEverTick = true;

	Open = false;

    MyBoxComponent = CreateDefaultSubobject<UBoxComponent>(TEXT("My Box Component"));
    MyBoxComponent->InitBoxExtent(FVector(50,50,50));
    RootComponent = MyBoxComponent;

    Door = CreateDefaultSubobject<UStaticMeshComponent>(TEXT("My Mesh"));
    Door->SetRelativeLocation(FVector(0.0f, 50.0f, -50.0f));
    Door->SetupAttachment(RootComponent);

    MyBoxComponent->OnComponentBeginOverlap.AddDynamic(this, &AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapBegin);
    MyBoxComponent->OnComponentEndOverlap.AddDynamic(this, &AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapEnd);

}

// Called when the game starts or when spawned
void AOpenDoorWithLerp::BeginPlay()
{
	Super::BeginPlay();
}

// Called every frame
void AOpenDoorWithLerp::Tick(float DeltaTime)
{
	Super::Tick(DeltaTime);

	DoorRotation = Door->RelativeRotation;

    if(Open)
    {
        Door->SetRelativeRotation(FMath::Lerp(FQuat(DoorRotation), FQuat(FRotator(0.0f, RotateValue, 0.0f)), 0.01f));   
    } 
    else
    {
        Door->SetRelativeRotation(FMath::Lerp(FQuat(DoorRotation), FQuat(FRotator(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f)), 0.01f));
    }

}

void AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapBegin(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex, bool bFromSweep, const FHitResult& SweepResult)
{
    if ( (OtherActor != nullptr ) && (OtherActor != this) && ( OtherComp != nullptr ) ) 
    {
        FVector PawnLocation = OtherActor->GetActorLocation();
        FVector Direction = GetActorLocation() - PawnLocation;
        Direction = UKismetMathLibrary::LessLess_VectorRotator(Direction, GetActorRotation());

        if(Direction.X > 0.0f)
        {
            RotateValue = 90.0f;
        }
        else
        {
            RotateValue = -90.0f;
        }

        Open = true;
    }
}

void AOpenDoorWithLerp::OnOverlapEnd(class UPrimitiveComponent* OverlappedComp, class AActor* OtherActor, class UPrimitiveComponent* OtherComp, int32 OtherBodyIndex)
{
    if ( (OtherActor != nullptr ) && (OtherActor != this) && ( OtherComp != nullptr ) )  
    {
        Open = false;
    }
}

Author

Harrison McGuire

Harrison McGuire