Set View Target With Blend

December 01, 2017

UE4 Version: 4.18.3

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

For this tutorial we are using the standard first person C++ template with starter content. If you don't know how to add a new actor class to your project, please visit the Add C++ Actor Class post.

In this simple tutorial we will simply change the view target of the player with smooth blending movement when the game begins.

Create a new C++ actor class and call it SetViewTargetBlend. In the header file we will declare an actor variable and call it MyActor. Make the new actor editable anywhere.

SetViewTargetBlend.h

#pragma once

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

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

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

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

	// declare variables
	UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere)
	AActor* MyActor;
	
};

First, in order to possess the player we need to #include the Kismet/GameplayStatics.h file.

include files

#include "SetViewTargetBlend.h"
// include gameplay statics header file
#include "Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"

In this example all of our logic will go inside the BeginPlay function. We need to possess the current player by doing UGameplayStatics::GetPlayerController(this, 0). This will get the first player in the game scene. Next we are going to set our possessed player's view target with to our MyActor variable by using SetViewTargetWithBlend(MyActor, 2.f). We set the blending time to 2 seconds, this will indicate how long it will take for the camera to move to the new target. Below is the final .cpp file.

SetViewTargetBlend.cpp

#include "SetViewTargetBlend.h"
// include gameplay statics header file
#include "Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"


// Sets default values
ASetViewTargetBlend::ASetViewTargetBlend()
{
 	// 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;

}

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

	//Find the actor that handles control for the local player.
	APlayerController* OurPlayerController = UGameplayStatics::GetPlayerController(this, 0);
	
	//Smoothly transition to our actor on begin play.
	OurPlayerController->SetViewTargetWithBlend(MyActor, 2.f);
	
}

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

}

Compile the code. Drag and drop your new actor into your game. In the editor add a static mesh to the MyActor variable in the actor's detail's panel. Push play and the player's camera will move over to the new actor in 2 seconds.

Author

Harrison McGuire

Harrison McGuire