If you’re running into some sticking points when using LODs in Unreal, we put together some workarounds to push your project forward.
We’re currently working to resolve this known LOD issue in Unreal in our next big Kits update, but in the meantime, we want to equip you with some solutions on how to fix this issue in your projects.
In case you’re getting started on your Unreal journey, here’s some helpful foundational education on LODs before we dive into the fix.
What are LODs in Unreal Engine 5?
LOD stands for Level of Detail, and it’s the process of making less detailed versions of your models when they’re viewed further away from the camera, which enables you to reduce the polygon count in your graphics. This ultimately allows you to reduce image rendering time and device energy usage in the project you’re creating.
The Current LOD Issue in KitBash3D Kits
It’s reported in some of our Kits, certain assets have the incorrect LOD3, so when zooming out on certain assets in your scene, the wrong textures will appear. Our engineering team is currently working on a solution for this that will be released in our next big Kit update projected to release early 2023. Check out our Roadmap on the Feedback Center to see what’s in our pipeline.
Here’s an example of what you might run into:
☝️How the model’s texture should look.
☝️What the texture looks like when you’ve encountered the issue.
How to Fix LODs for KitBash3d Assets in UE5
We’ve found a couple solutions you can implement as an effective workaround to move your project forward. Check em’ out. 👇
Solution 1:
Try implementing the following solution from one of our expert, Unreal Ambassadors:
“I find this issue usually happens when LODs are automatically generated in Unreal before materials are assigned to all the material slots. You can actually fix that specific LOD's materials in the editor. I usually check off "Custom" to see all the LODs, then you can apply any material to any LOD on a per ID basis. You can only apply materials this way based on their Material Slot, not through material references in the content browser.”
Solution 2:
You can render desired assets to not go past a certain LOD level. Follow the steps below to implement this solution into your project:
Select the object you're working with
Select all its components
Select LOD
Set the “Forced LOD Model” to 1
If you’ve encountered this issue in one of our Kits, let us know by reporting it to our Feedback Center. You’ll be able to follow along with status updates as we work to resolve this issue.