Automation Game Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Poster Mods

2024-12-16T08:06:50Z

NetBlitzer: /* Fixing image placement, changing cooking mod to heading */

==Overview==
Poster layout mods are used in the Automation poster creator as pre-made designs for users to make car posters.
[[File:PosterExample.jpg|none|thumb|969x969px|Automation poster screen]]

To make a poster layout for Automation you need 2 parts:

'''Poster user widget:''' Made in Unreal engine.

'''Preview file:''' Made in Unreal engine.
===Recommended Knowledge===
*Making blueprints in Unreal
==Creating your poster layout==
The poster layout is a '''CarStatLayout''' widget. The widget contains '''PosterSlots''', which are used by the player to adjust settings.

An example poster layout can be found in the '''ExampleCarPoster''' folder.
===Make a new blueprint===
#Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
#In the search field, enter '''CarStatLayout''' and select it from the list.
#Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
===Create the layout===
[[File:PosterDesigner.jpg|none|thumb|965x965px|Poster screen]]

The poster layout is built using widgets from the '''Palette''' panel. The layout is designed hierarchically by placing poster widgets inside panel widgets. You can use the pre-made widgets in your poster layout or create your own widget blueprints to customize your layout further.

To make your widgets accessible to be edited in Automation you need to assign them a slot:
#In the Details panel, navigate to the Poster Slot section.
#Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button '''> Generate''' to generate a '''Slot UID'''.
#In the '''Name''' field, enter a name for the poster slot.
===Pre-made widgets===
The Automation SDK features several pre-made widget for you to use in your poster layout:

'''PS Car Image UW'''

Displays an image of the car. You can adjust the default parameters in the '''Photo Info''' section.

'''PS Background UW'''

Allows the player to display their own image from a jpg or png file. The default is the Automation background image.

'''PS Creator Name UW'''

Displays in the format “Creator: [input]”. The input can be set in by the user in the poster widget.

'''PS Car Stat Socials UW'''

Displays the car statistics.

'''Poster Custom Car Name Stacked UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Name UW'''

Displays the engine name in the format “Engine – Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Power Torque Graph UW'''

Displays the power-torque graph of the engine.

'''Poster Engine Stats UW'''

Displays the engine statistics.

'''Poster Engine Thumbnail UW'''

Displays a picture of engine.

'''Poster Slot Car Performance UW'''

Displays the car performance statistics.

'''Poster Company Car Name UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

=== Creating a custom poster stat widget ===
You can create your own poster stat widget to customize what car data is displayed.

To make a poster stat widget:

# Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
# In the search field, enter '''PS_Data_UW''' and select it from the list.
# Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create a new function. This function will be used to access car data from Automation and create the custom slots on the poster layout. Note: See the '''PS_ExamplePoster_Stats''' widget for examples of how to script the functions. You can use multiple functions in your widget.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create an override and select the '''LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Open the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Wire your functions. [[index.php?title=File:PosterStatFunctions.jpg|left|frameless|918x918px]]
# On the Event Graph, add the '''Pre Construction''' event if it isn’t already present.
# Add the '''Clear Children''' function. Set the target to '''Stats Panel'''.
# Add the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function. [[index.php?title=File:PosterOverrideCustomStats.jpg|left|frameless|924x924px]]

=== '''Create the''' preview file ===
# Right-click in the '''Content Browser''', select '''Camso > Car Stat Layout'''.
# Enter the name for your trim widget.
# Open the preview file.
# In the '''Poster''' section, select your user widget from the '''Widget Layout''' dropdown menu.
# In the UID section:
## Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button > '''Generate''' to generate a GUID.
## Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button > '''Generate''' to generate a Family GUID.
## In the '''Name''' field, enter the name for your poster layout.
# Save the preview file.
[[index.php?title=File:PosterLayoutPreview.jpg|frameless|466x466px]]

== Cook the mod ==
Your mod needs to be cooked before it can be used in Automation.

To cook your mod, follow these steps:

# In the menu bar, select '''Mods > Share Mod'''.
# Select your mod from the list.
# Select or create an empty folder for the project. The folder directory path must not have any spaces.

Warning: Any files in the selected folder will be deleted when the mod is cooked.

=== Test the mod ===
You can test your cooked mod without uploading it to the Steam Workshop:

# Copy the <code><MOD_NAME></code> folder from <code><SDK_FOLDER>\<MOD_PATH_FOLDER>\WindowsNoEditor\AutomationGame\Mods\</code> to <code><STEAM_INSTALL_FOLDER>\steamapps\common\Automation\UE427\AutomationGame\Mods\</code>. If the Mods folder doesn’t exist, create it.
# Start Automation. Your trim widget should be available in-game.

=== Upload the mod to the Steam Workshop ===

# Open the '''Automation Steam Workshop Publishing Tool''' from Steam.
# Select '''New item'''.
# '''Content Path''' is the directory where your mod is. To choose your content path, click '''Pick Path'''. In the file window that appears, select the folder with your cooked mod.
# In the '''Content Title''' field, enter the name for your mod.
# In the '''Content Description''' field, enter a description for your mod. Note: The content title and description will be used on the Steam Workshop. These can be edited on the Steam Workshop page for the mod.
# To choose a preview image, click '''Pick Path'''. In the file window that appears, select the image you want to use.
# In the '''Mod Type''' box, select '''Poster'''.
# In the '''Visibility''' dropdown, select the privacy setting for your mod on the Steam Workshop.
# Click '''Submit'''. Your mod will upload to the Steam Workshop and a browser window will open to its Steam Workshop page.

Poster Mods

2024-12-16T08:01:36Z

NetBlitzer: /* Inserting final images */

==Overview==
Poster layout mods are used in the Automation poster creator as pre-made designs for users to make car posters.
[[File:PosterExample.jpg|none|thumb|969x969px|Automation poster screen]]

To make a poster layout for Automation you need 2 parts:

'''Poster user widget:''' Made in Unreal engine.

'''Preview file:''' Made in Unreal engine.
===Recommended Knowledge===
*Making blueprints in Unreal
==Creating your poster layout==
The poster layout is a '''CarStatLayout''' widget. The widget contains '''PosterSlots''', which are used by the player to adjust settings.

An example poster layout can be found in the '''ExampleCarPoster''' folder.
===Make a new blueprint===
#Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
#In the search field, enter '''CarStatLayout''' and select it from the list.
#Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
===Create the layout===
[[File:PosterDesigner.jpg|none|thumb|965x965px|Poster screen]]

The poster layout is built using widgets from the '''Palette''' panel. The layout is designed hierarchically by placing poster widgets inside panel widgets. You can use the pre-made widgets in your poster layout or create your own widget blueprints to customize your layout further.

To make your widgets accessible to be edited in Automation you need to assign them a slot:
#In the Details panel, navigate to the Poster Slot section.
#Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button '''> Generate''' to generate a '''Slot UID'''.
#In the '''Name''' field, enter a name for the poster slot.
===Pre-made widgets===
The Automation SDK features several pre-made widget for you to use in your poster layout:

'''PS Car Image UW'''

Displays an image of the car. You can adjust the default parameters in the '''Photo Info''' section.

'''PS Background UW'''

Allows the player to display their own image from a jpg or png file. The default is the Automation background image.

'''PS Creator Name UW'''

Displays in the format “Creator: [input]”. The input can be set in by the user in the poster widget.

'''PS Car Stat Socials UW'''

Displays the car statistics.

'''Poster Custom Car Name Stacked UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Name UW'''

Displays the engine name in the format “Engine – Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Power Torque Graph UW'''

Displays the power-torque graph of the engine.

'''Poster Engine Stats UW'''

Displays the engine statistics.

'''Poster Engine Thumbnail UW'''

Displays a picture of engine.

'''Poster Slot Car Performance UW'''

Displays the car performance statistics.

'''Poster Company Car Name UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

=== Creating a custom poster stat widget ===
You can create your own poster stat widget to customize what car data is displayed.

To make a poster stat widget:

# Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
# In the search field, enter '''PS_Data_UW''' and select it from the list.
# Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create a new function. This function will be used to access car data from Automation and create the custom slots on the poster layout. Note: See the '''PS_ExamplePoster_Stats''' widget for examples of how to script the functions. You can use multiple functions in your widget.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create an override and select the '''LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Open the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Wire your functions. [[File:PosterStatFunctions.jpg|frameless|748x748px]]
# On the Event Graph, add the '''Pre Construction''' event if it isn’t already present.
# Add the '''Clear Children''' function. Set the target to '''Stats Panel'''.
# Add the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function. [[File:PosterOverrideCustomStats.jpg|frameless|570x570px]]

=== '''Create the''' preview file ===
[[File:PosterLayoutPreview.jpg|none|thumb|452x452px|Poster layout preview file]]
# Right-click in the '''Content Browser''', select '''Camso > Car Stat Layout'''.
# Enter the name for your trim widget.
# Open the preview file.
# In the '''Poster''' section, select your user widget from the '''Widget Layout''' dropdown menu.
# In the UID section:
## Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button > '''Generate''' to generate a GUID.
## Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button > '''Generate''' to generate a Family GUID.
## In the '''Name''' field, enter the name for your poster layout.
# Save the preview file.

=== Cook the mod ===
Your mod needs to be cooked before it can be used in Automation.

To cook your mod, follow these steps:

# In the menu bar, select '''Mods > Share Mod'''.
# Select your mod from the list.
# Select or create an empty folder for the project. The folder directory path must not have any spaces.

Warning: Any files in the selected folder will be deleted when the mod is cooked.

=== Test the mod ===
You can test your cooked mod without uploading it to the Steam Workshop:

# Copy the <code><MOD_NAME></code> folder from <code><SDK_FOLDER>\<MOD_PATH_FOLDER>\WindowsNoEditor\AutomationGame\Mods\</code> to <code><STEAM_INSTALL_FOLDER>\steamapps\common\Automation\UE427\AutomationGame\Mods\</code>. If the Mods folder doesn’t exist, create it.
# Start Automation. Your trim widget should be available in-game.

=== Upload the mod to the Steam Workshop ===

# Open the '''Automation Steam Workshop Publishing Tool''' from Steam.
# Select '''New item'''.
# '''Content Path''' is the directory where your mod is. To choose your content path, click '''Pick Path'''. In the file window that appears, select the folder with your cooked mod.
# In the '''Content Title''' field, enter the name for your mod.
# In the '''Content Description''' field, enter a description for your mod. Note: The content title and description will be used on the Steam Workshop. These can be edited on the Steam Workshop page for the mod.
# To choose a preview image, click '''Pick Path'''. In the file window that appears, select the image you want to use.
# In the '''Mod Type''' box, select '''Poster'''.
# In the '''Visibility''' dropdown, select the privacy setting for your mod on the Steam Workshop.
# Click '''Submit'''. Your mod will upload to the Steam Workshop and a browser window will open to its Steam Workshop page.

Poster Mods

2024-12-16T07:57:48Z

NetBlitzer: /* Adding the rest of the text content for poster mods */

==Overview==
Poster layout mods are used in the Automation poster creator as pre-made designs for users to make car posters.
[[File:PosterExample.jpg|none|thumb|969x969px|Automation poster screen]]

To make a poster layout for Automation you need 2 parts:

'''Poster user widget:''' Made in Unreal engine.

'''Preview file:''' Made in Unreal engine.
===Recommended Knowledge===
*Making blueprints in Unreal
==Creating your poster layout==
The poster layout is a '''CarStatLayout''' widget. The widget contains '''PosterSlots''', which are used by the player to adjust settings.

An example poster layout can be found in the '''ExampleCarPoster''' folder.
===Make a new blueprint===
#Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
#In the search field, enter '''CarStatLayout''' and select it from the list.
#Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
===Create the layout===
[[File:PosterDesigner.jpg|none|thumb|965x965px|Poster screen]]

The poster layout is built using widgets from the '''Palette''' panel. The layout is designed hierarchically by placing poster widgets inside panel widgets. You can use the pre-made widgets in your poster layout or create your own widget blueprints to customize your layout further.

To make your widgets accessible to be edited in Automation you need to assign them a slot:
#In the Details panel, navigate to the Poster Slot section.
#Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button '''> Generate''' to generate a '''Slot UID'''.
#In the '''Name''' field, enter a name for the poster slot.
===Pre-made widgets===
The Automation SDK features several pre-made widget for you to use in your poster layout:

'''PS Car Image UW'''

Displays an image of the car. You can adjust the default parameters in the '''Photo Info''' section.

'''PS Background UW'''

Allows the player to display their own image from a jpg or png file. The default is the Automation background image.

'''PS Creator Name UW'''

Displays in the format “Creator: [input]”. The input can be set in by the user in the poster widget.

'''PS Car Stat Socials UW'''

Displays the car statistics.

'''Poster Custom Car Name Stacked UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Name UW'''

Displays the engine name in the format “Engine – Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Power Torque Graph UW'''

Displays the power-torque graph of the engine.

'''Poster Engine Stats UW'''

Displays the engine statistics.

'''Poster Engine Thumbnail UW'''

Displays a picture of engine.

'''Poster Slot Car Performance UW'''

Displays the car performance statistics.

'''Poster Company Car Name UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

=== Creating a custom poster stat widget ===
You can create your own poster stat widget to customize what car data is displayed.

To make a poster stat widget:

# Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
# In the search field, enter '''PS_Data_UW''' and select it from the list.
# Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create a new function. This function will be used to access car data from Automation and create the custom slots on the poster layout. Note: See the '''PS_ExamplePoster_Stats''' widget for examples of how to script the functions. You can use multiple functions in your widget.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create an override and select the '''LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Open the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Wire your functions.
# On the Event Graph, add the '''Pre Construction''' event if it isn’t already present.
# Add the '''Clear Children''' function. Set the target to '''Stats Panel'''.
# Add the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function.

=== '''Create the''' preview file ===

# Right-click in the '''Content Browser''', select '''Camso > Car Stat Layout'''.
# Enter the name for your trim widget.
# Open the preview file.
# In the '''Poster''' section, select your user widget from the '''Widget Layout''' dropdown menu.
# In the UID section:
## Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button > '''Generate''' to generate a GUID.
## Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button > '''Generate''' to generate a Family GUID.
## In the '''Name''' field, enter the name for your poster layout.
# Save the preview file.

=== Cook the mod ===
Your mod needs to be cooked before it can be used in Automation.

To cook your mod, follow these steps:

# In the menu bar, select '''Mods > Share Mod'''.
# Select your mod from the list.
# Select or create an empty folder for the project. The folder directory path must not have any spaces.

Warning: Any files in the selected folder will be deleted when the mod is cooked.

=== Test the mod ===
You can test your cooked mod without uploading it to the Steam Workshop:

# Copy the <code><MOD_NAME></code> folder from <code><SDK_FOLDER>\<MOD_PATH_FOLDER>\WindowsNoEditor\AutomationGame\Mods\</code> to <code><STEAM_INSTALL_FOLDER>\steamapps\common\Automation\UE427\AutomationGame\Mods\</code>. If the Mods folder doesn’t exist, create it.
# Start Automation. Your trim widget should be available in-game.

=== Upload the mod to the Steam Workshop ===

# Open the '''Automation Steam Workshop Publishing Tool''' from Steam.
# Select '''New item'''.
# '''Content Path''' is the directory where your mod is. To choose your content path, click '''Pick Path'''. In the file window that appears, select the folder with your cooked mod.
# In the '''Content Title''' field, enter the name for your mod.
# In the '''Content Description''' field, enter a description for your mod. Note: The content title and description will be used on the Steam Workshop. These can be edited on the Steam Workshop page for the mod.
# To choose a preview image, click '''Pick Path'''. In the file window that appears, select the image you want to use.
# In the '''Mod Type''' box, select '''Poster'''.
# In the '''Visibility''' dropdown, select the privacy setting for your mod on the Steam Workshop.
# Click '''Submit'''. Your mod will upload to the Steam Workshop and a browser window will open to its Steam Workshop page.

File:PosterLayoutPreview.jpg

2024-12-16T07:57:05Z

NetBlitzer: Example of the poster layout preview file

== Summary ==
Example of the poster layout preview file

File:PosterStatFunctions.jpg

2024-12-16T07:56:40Z

NetBlitzer: Functions to add stats to stat rows

== Summary ==
Functions to add stats to stat rows

File:PosterOverrideCustomStats.jpg

2024-12-16T07:56:20Z

NetBlitzer: Functions to override custom poster stats

== Summary ==
Functions to override custom poster stats

File:PosterDesigner.jpg

2024-12-16T07:45:09Z

NetBlitzer: The blueprint editor of a poster widget

== Summary ==
The blueprint editor of a poster widget

File:PosterExample.jpg

2024-12-16T07:44:23Z

NetBlitzer: NetBlitzer uploaded a new version of File:PosterExample.jpg

== Summary ==
An example of the poster screen in Automation
== Licencing ==
{{Copyright Game}}

File:PosterExample.jpg

2024-12-16T07:42:42Z

NetBlitzer: An example of the poster screen in Automation

== Summary ==
An example of the poster screen in Automation
== Licencing ==
{{Copyright Game}}

Poster Mods

2024-12-16T07:34:20Z

NetBlitzer: Adding "Creating a custom poster stat widget" section

==Overview==
Poster layout mods are used in the Automation poster creator as pre-made designs for users to make car posters.

[[Index.php?title=File:PosterExample.png|Automation poster screen]]

To make a poster layout for Automation you need 2 parts:

'''Poster user widget:''' Made in Unreal engine.

'''Preview file:''' Made in Unreal engine.
===Recommended Knowledge===
*Making blueprints in Unreal
==Creating your poster layout==
The poster layout is a '''CarStatLayout''' widget. The widget contains '''PosterSlots''', which are used by the player to adjust settings.

An example poster layout can be found in the '''ExampleCarPoster''' folder.
===Make a new blueprint===
#Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
#In the search field, enter '''CarStatLayout''' and select it from the list.
#Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
===Create the layout===
[[Index.php?title=File:PosterDesigner.png|Poster designer]]

The poster layout is built using widgets from the '''Palette''' panel. The layout is designed hierarchically by placing poster widgets inside panel widgets. You can use the pre-made widgets in your poster layout or create your own widget blueprints to customize your layout further.

To make your widgets accessible to be edited in Automation you need to assign them a slot:
#In the Details panel, navigate to the Poster Slot section.
#Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button '''> Generate''' to generate a '''Slot UID'''.
#In the '''Name''' field, enter a name for the poster slot.
===Pre-made widgets===
The Automation SDK features several pre-made widget for you to use in your poster layout:

'''PS Car Image UW'''

Displays an image of the car. You can adjust the default parameters in the '''Photo Info''' section.

'''PS Background UW'''

Allows the player to display their own image from a jpg or png file. The default is the Automation background image.

'''PS Creator Name UW'''

Displays in the format “Creator: [input]”. The input can be set in by the user in the poster widget.

'''PS Car Stat Socials UW'''

Displays the car statistics.

'''Poster Custom Car Name Stacked UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Name UW'''

Displays the engine name in the format “Engine – Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Power Torque Graph UW'''

Displays the power-torque graph of the engine.

'''Poster Engine Stats UW'''

Displays the engine statistics.

'''Poster Engine Thumbnail UW'''

Displays a picture of engine.

'''Poster Slot Car Performance UW'''

Displays the car performance statistics.

'''Poster Company Car Name UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

=== Creating a custom poster stat widget ===
You can create your own poster stat widget to customize what car data is displayed.

To make a poster stat widget:

# Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
# In the search field, enter '''PS_Data_UW''' and select it from the list.
# Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create a new function. This function will be used to access car data from Automation and create the custom slots on the poster layout. Note: See the '''PS_ExamplePoster_Stats''' widget for examples of how to script the functions. You can use multiple functions in your widget.
# In the '''My Blueprints''' panel, create an override and select the '''LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Open the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function.
# Wire your functions. [[File:PosterStatFunctions.png|frameless|930x930px]]
# On the Event Graph, add the '''Pre Construction''' event if it isn’t already present.
# Add the '''Clear Children''' function. Set the target to '''Stats Panel'''.
# Add the '''Override_LoadCustomStats''' function. [[File:PosterOverrideCustomStats.png|frameless|931x931px]]

File:PosterOverrideCustomStats.png

2024-12-16T07:32:09Z

NetBlitzer:

Event Pre Construct function to clear children and override load custom stats

File:PosterStatFunctions.png

2024-12-16T07:29:47Z

NetBlitzer:

Blueprint functions for adding new stat rows and getting data from the Car Info

Poster Mods

2024-12-16T07:21:23Z

NetBlitzer: Fixing image links

==Overview==
Poster layout mods are used in the Automation poster creator as pre-made designs for users to make car posters.
[[File:PosterExample.png|none|thumb|971x971px|Automation poster screen]]

To make a poster layout for Automation you need 2 parts:

'''Poster user widget:''' Made in Unreal engine.

'''Preview file:''' Made in Unreal engine.
===Recommended Knowledge===
*Making blueprints in Unreal
==Creating your poster layout==
The poster layout is a '''CarStatLayout''' widget. The widget contains '''PosterSlots''', which are used by the player to adjust settings.

An example poster layout can be found in the '''ExampleCarPoster''' folder.
===Make a new blueprint===
#Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
#In the search field, enter '''CarStatLayout''' and select it from the list.
#Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
===Create the layout===
[[File:PosterDesigner.png|none|thumb|969x969px|Poster designer]]

The poster layout is built using widgets from the '''Palette''' panel. The layout is designed hierarchically by placing poster widgets inside panel widgets. You can use the pre-made widgets in your poster layout or create your own widget blueprints to customize your layout further.

To make your widgets accessible to be edited in Automation you need to assign them a slot:
#In the Details panel, navigate to the Poster Slot section.
#Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button '''> Generate''' to generate a '''Slot UID'''.
#In the '''Name''' field, enter a name for the poster slot.
===Pre-made widgets===
The Automation SDK features several pre-made widget for you to use in your poster layout:

'''PS Car Image UW'''

Displays an image of the car. You can adjust the default parameters in the '''Photo Info''' section.

'''PS Background UW'''

Allows the player to display their own image from a jpg or png file. The default is the Automation background image.

'''PS Creator Name UW'''

Displays in the format “Creator: [input]”. The input can be set in by the user in the poster widget.

'''PS Car Stat Socials UW'''

Displays the car statistics.

'''Poster Custom Car Name Stacked UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Name UW'''

Displays the engine name in the format “Engine – Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Power Torque Graph UW'''

Displays the power-torque graph of the engine.

'''Poster Engine Stats UW'''

Displays the engine statistics.

'''Poster Engine Thumbnail UW'''

Displays a picture of engine.

'''Poster Slot Car Performance UW'''

Displays the car performance statistics.

'''Poster Company Car Name UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

Poster Mods

2024-12-16T07:18:39Z

NetBlitzer: Creating the first half of poster mods

==Overview==
Poster layout mods are used in the Automation poster creator as pre-made designs for users to make car posters.
[[index.php?title=File:PosterExample.png|frame|Automation poster screen]]

To make a poster layout for Automation you need 2 parts:

'''Poster user widget:''' Made in Unreal engine.

'''Preview file:''' Made in Unreal engine.
===Recommended Knowledge===
*Making blueprints in Unreal
==Creating your poster layout==
The poster layout is a '''CarStatLayout''' widget. The widget contains '''PosterSlots''', which are used by the player to adjust settings.

An example poster layout can be found in the '''ExampleCarPoster''' folder.
===Make a new blueprint===
#Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
#In the search field, enter '''CarStatLayout''' and select it from the list.
#Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.
===Create the layout===
[[index.php?title=File:PosterDesigner.png|none|frame|Poster designer]]
The poster layout is built using widgets from the '''Palette''' panel. The layout is designed hierarchically by placing poster widgets inside panel widgets. You can use the pre-made widgets in your poster layout or create your own widget blueprints to customize your layout further.

To make your widgets accessible to be edited in Automation you need to assign them a slot:
#In the Details panel, navigate to the Poster Slot section.
#Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button '''> Generate''' to generate a '''Slot UID'''.
#In the '''Name''' field, enter a name for the poster slot.
===Pre-made widgets===
The Automation SDK features several pre-made widget for you to use in your poster layout:

'''PS Car Image UW'''

Displays an image of the car. You can adjust the default parameters in the '''Photo Info''' section.

'''PS Background UW'''

Allows the player to display their own image from a jpg or png file. The default is the Automation background image.

'''PS Creator Name UW'''

Displays in the format “Creator: [input]”. The input can be set in by the user in the poster widget.

'''PS Car Stat Socials UW'''

Displays the car statistics.

'''Poster Custom Car Name Stacked UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Name UW'''

Displays the engine name in the format “Engine – Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Power Torque Graph UW'''

Displays the power-torque graph of the engine.

'''Poster Engine Stats UW'''

Displays the engine statistics.

'''Poster Engine Thumbnail UW'''

Displays a picture of engine.

'''Poster Slot Car Performance UW'''

Displays the car performance statistics.

'''Poster Company Car Name UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

Modding

2024-12-16T07:16:02Z

NetBlitzer: Fixing links for poster and advanced trim widget mods

'''''Modding''' of the legacy Kee Engine version is possible, but discouraged, as this version is no longer in development.''

Modding of the UE4 version of Automation is supported, having started at the end of September 2017.

== Mod types ==

*Cars
**[[Car Body Mods]]
**[[Custom Paint Mods]]
**[[Export Material User Data]]
**[[Rim Mods]]
**[[Tyre Mods]]
*Fixtures
**[[Fixture Mods]]
**[[Badge Fixture Mods|Badge Mods]]
**[[Decal Mods]]
**[[Advanced Trim Widgets]]
*Photoscenes
**[[Photoscenes|Photoscene Mods]]
**[[Prop Mods]]
**[[Animatic Mods]]
**[[Poster Mods]]

== Required software ==

* The [https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/ UE4 Editor]
* A 3D modeling suite (e.g. [https://www.autodesk.com/products/3ds-max/overview 3DS-Max], [https://www.blender.org/ Blender], or [https://www.autodesk.com/products/maya/overview Maya])
* The Automation SDK (from [https://store.steampowered.com/app/293760/Automation__The_Car_Company_Tycoon_Game/ Steam])

== Installing UE4 ==
You will need to download and install the Epic Games Launcher from here: https://www.unrealengine.com/download

then download and install <code>UE4 version 4.27</code>.

'''''Do not''''' install the UE4 Editor to Program Files. Instead, install it to a custom location '''''without a space in it,''''' like <code>C:\UE4\UE_4xx</code> or similar.
== Installing the SDK ==
Within Steam, go to <code>Library -> Tools</code>, and download <code>Automation - Car Company Tycoon Workshop Tool</code> . This contains the SDK for Automation.

It is recommended to '''''copy''''' the <code>AutomationGame</code> project '''''to another folder''''' before using it. This eliminates the risk of mod files being overwritten or erased in the event of an SDK update.

Make sure that the SDK is installed to a directory that does not contain spaces, and does not require admin user privelages.

Browse to the location of the modding SDK in your Steam Tools library (by default, this is <code>C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Automation_SDK</code>), and copy the project folder to a new location.

Once installed, open the <code>AutomationGame</code> project by:

* launching the UE4 Editor from the Epic Games Launcher
* browse to the project file, which is located in <code>Automation_SDK\AutomationGame\AutomationGame.uproject</code>.
<gallery mode="nolines" widths="240" heights="180">
File:Project browser 01.png
File:Project-browser-02.gif
File:Project-browser-03.gif
File:Project-browser-04.gif
</gallery>

== Troubleshooting startup issues ==

* The first launch of the SDK will be very slow (on slower computers, it can take between 30 minutes and 2 hours). This is due to the editor generating cache data (in <code>DerivedDataCache</code>). If you make a shortcut to <code>UE4Editor.exe</code>, you can change the target to <code>D:\UE4\UE4_424\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor.exe D:\AutomationGame\AutomationGame.uproject -LOG</code>. With the paths updated to where your UE4Editor is installed, and where you have copied the Automation SDK to. This will open the editor with a Log Console Window along with the splash screen, which will give you an idea if it is actually processing items or has gotten stuck.
* If you get errors relating to the FMOD Studio plugin not loading, or other plugins not loading, this could be due to redistributables and dependencies not being installed correctly. [https://support.microsoft.com/en-nz/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads Visual C++ 2019] and [https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/download/details.aspx?id=40784 Visual C++ 2013] redistributables, along with [https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/download/details.aspx?id=8109 DirectX June 2010] runtimes, are required.

== SDK Performance considerations ==
As Automation supports ray tracing since the 4.2 update, it's also enabled by default in the SDK, meaning that level editors will automatically ray trace the scene on supported cards (being ones that support both '''DirectX12''' and '''Ray Tracing''').
[[File:Project settings.png|thumb|358x358px]]
As this is not needed for 99.99% of mod making (other than some Photoscene mods which bake the level using GPU Lightmass), to prevent this from happening, it's recommended on cards that are at least an '''Nvidia''' '''GTX 1060 or better''' to disable this in the project. To do so, click on the '''"Edit"''' button on the menu bar on top, and select '''"Project Settings"'''.

Now scroll down to '''"Rendering"''' (under '''"Engine"''') and click it, and search for '''"Ray Tracing"''' in the search bar, and disable '''Ray Tracing'''. You will need to restart Unreal Engine for it to take effect, and it will need to compile shaders again if you have compiled them before.

After that, the editor should now run a lot smoother.

[[File:Disabling ray tracing.png|left|800x800px]]

== Core concepts ==

* Despite being referred to by UE4 as 'plugins', mods are stored in the 'Mods' folder.
* Do not create any assets in the Root '''Content''' folder. Only make assets in your mod's folder. (See "Content Browser" below.)
* Editor assets cannot be used directly by the game; they have to be 'cooked'. Additionally, only plugins can be cooked, hence the requirement to make content in your mod folder.

=== Mod performance considerations ===
Performance of [[Fixture Mods|fixtures]] and [[Car Body Mods|bodies]] in UE4 is a heated topic. While it is true that in terms of mesh rendering and draw calls, there is practically zero performance impact for meshes with less than 2,000 polygons, the same cannot be said for shader rendering or fixture stamping.

* Shading is calculated with a 2x2 grid, so poly count only impacts performance here if you end up with polygons too close together in screen space. This is usually not an issue in Automation, but meshes that are too dense or small will impact performance. This is a negligible consideration compared to raycasts for fixtures, however (explained below).
* There is a performance impact to poly count with fixtures in that a ray is cast to the body for every vertex; the more vertices there are in a mesh, the longer it'll take to conform to the body. This is why you'll see more detailed fixtures sit there for a few seconds before conforming to the car. This is doubly so for fixtures that cut into the body—a UV mesh's vertices are raycast to the car on every frame while you're dragging the fixture around. UV meshes impact performance signinficantly with a higher poly count; try to keep UV meshes as low-poly as possible.
* Likewise, the poly count of a car body impacts performance in that the more polygons a car has, the longer it takes to complete fixture raycasts. A 10K-poly body may make dragging fixtures around and conforming them to the car take slightly longer than usual, but if that same body uses morph targets in addition to (or instead of) bones, this poly count is multiplied by the number of shape keys and the vertices they move. A 10K-poly body with 10 shape keys affecting every vertex effectively has 100K polygons that the fixture system has to raycast to, and this significantly impacts the time it takes for fixtures to conform.

==== For optimal performance: ====

*Keep UV meshes lower than 100 triangles. With between 100 and 150 triangles, the fixture may lag when being dragged around; any higher and it will lag too much to use properly.
*Try to keep conforming meshes lower than 5,000 triangles. Higher-resolution meshes take longer than usual to conform to the car once they are placed.
* try to keep bodies between 7k-30k polygons, and use bone weighting for as many morphs as possible. Use shape keys and morph targets sparingly.
**The fewer vertices a body has, the less information there is to interpolate the cutouts, so some fixtures may have misaligned holes.
**the greater vertices a body has, the longer it takes to stamp a fixture.

This is a body that uses only bone weighting for its morphs, and has 7K polygons:

{{#ev:gfycat|DiscreteLonelyBluetonguelizard}}

This is a body that uses only shape keys for its morphs, and has 40k polygons:

{{#ev:gfycat|InfinitePaleJellyfish}}

== Content browser ==
Click on the 'Show or hide sources' icon to the left of the Content Browser search box to view the folder structure. Click on 'View Options' (bottom right of the content browser), and turn on 'Show Plugin Content' to view all mods.

[[File:Project-browser-05.gif|frameless|600x600px]]

== Creating and cooking your mod ==
To create a mod, refer to the following sections:

* [[Car Body Mods#Import Car Body to Unreal Engine|Import Car Body to Unreal Engine]]
* [[Fixture Mods#Fixture setup within Unreal Engine 4|Fixture Mods]]

When you've made your files and want to share your mod, select 'Share Mod' -> [Mod name to share].

[[File:Project-browser-06.gif|frameless|840x840px]]

'''''WARNING:''''' The folder you select as the cooking path will have '''''all of its contents deleted.''''' You have been warned!

Select an empty or new folder, in a path '''''where there are no spaces''''' in the file path.

#<code>C:\Users\Name\Documents\Unreal Projects\AutomationGame</code> will ''not'' work, as there is a space between "Unreal" and "Projects".
#<code>C:\Users\Name\Documents\UnrealProjects\AutomationGame</code> ''will'' work, because there is no spaces in the file path.

To fix possible cooking issues:
* Search the Output Log for <code>Error:</code>. Relevant lines will be prefixed by <code>UATHelper</code>.
** If Error contains "Unable to find PackagePlugins" or similar, this is due to the Editor being in Program Files. It will be unable to copy <code>Camso_UATScripts.Automation.dll</code> to <code>Engine/Binaries/DotNet/AutomationScripts</code>. You can do this yourself by going to <code>AutomationGame/Build/Camso_UATScripts/bin</code> and copying the DLL to <code>UE4/Engine/Binaries/DotNet/AutomationScripts</code>.
**If Error contains "an item with the same key already exists", then you have a mod or plugin somewhere with a duplicate <code>.uplugin</code> file. navigate to the plugin and mod files in a file browser, and delete any duplicate <code>.uplugin</code> files and try again. If any one mod has a duplicate, all mods will fail to cook.

You can visit the Automation [http://discourse.automationgame.com/ forum] or [https://discord.gg/automationgame Discord] for further help.

== Testing your mod ==
After cooking, it's possible to test your mod in-game without having to upload it to the Steam Workshop.

The file path of your cooked mod should look something like this:<pre>
ExampleMod
└─ WindowsNoEditor
├─ Manifest_NonUFSFiles_Win64.txt
└─ AutomationGame
└─ Mods
└─ ExampleMod <- Copy this folder over
├─ metadata
├─ ExampleMod.uplugin
└─ Content
└─ Paks
└─ WindowsNoEditor
└─ ExampleModpakchunk0-WindowsNoEditor.pak
</pre>Subscribed mods are stored in <code>[Steam install folder]\Steam\steamapps\common\Automation\UE427\AutomationGame\Mods</code>, which is where you can copy your cooked mod. To be specific, copy the <code>ExampleMod</code> subfolder directly inside of the cooked mod's <code>Mods</code> subfolder.

After copying your mod, be sure to '''''start Automation without the launcher''''' to make sure it recognizes the new mod.

== Uploading your mod to the Steam Workshop ==
Once you have your cooked content, navigate to the modding SDK folder and open <code>Automation Workshop Publishing Tool.exe</code>. This tool will handle the initial upload of any mod you want to share with the community. Once you have uploaded your mod and created a Workshop page for it, you can edit some of its properties, such as uploading images, editing the description, or setting the visibility, from the Steam Workshop page of the mod.

This tool is also used for updating mods; to do so, select an existing mod from the list on the left and upload a new version with an optional change note.

[[File:SteamModSharing_01.gif|frameless|840x840px]]

# Your list of uploaded mods. Select 'New Item' to upload a new mod.
# The mod file path. Browse to the location of your mod by picking the path or typing the location in manually. The mod location is the root mod folder that you cooked the mod to; said folder should contain a <code>WindowsNoEditor</code> subfolder.
# The title and description field. These can be edited from the mod's Steam Workshop page. A long-enough description that belongs to an already-uploaded mod may be cut off when said mod is selected—this only applies to the Workshop uploader tool, and the description can be recovered from the Workshop item's description edit page (or saved in a text file beforehand). Copying the description from the Workshop page itself will likely result in the loss of any [https://steamcommunity.com/comment/Guide/formattinghelp text formatting] used.
# The main image file path. The image you select will show up as the thumbnail when browsing the Workshop, and if you don't have any images on the actual workshop page (uploaded via Steam), then this image will also be the header image at the top of the page. All thumbnail images must be under 1 MB. Be aware that '''''the main image of a mod cannot be changed via Steam.'''''
# The visibility setting. This can be edited later in the Workshop page for your mod. By setting it to private or hidden first, you can see if any text formatting and images on the Workshop page appear as they should before publishing it.
# The mod category tags. While optional, these help with discoverability, as players may be looking for specific types of mods.
# The optional change note field. This can be used to label versions in case you need to revert to an earlier version. Change notes can be edited via Steam.

Once the submission or update process is complete, a browser window will open to the newly created Steam Workshop page for your mod.

== Known issues ==

* any custom material initially assigned to a mesh will be kept as long as the player does not change the material. As soon as a fixture's material slot is changed in the fixture menu, any custom material assigned to that slot is lost (but can be reverted using the material reset button).

== See also ==

*[[Mods and the Beam.NG Exporter|Mods and the BeamNG Exporter]], for custom materials
*[[Blender Specific instructions|Modding in Blender]]
*[[Upgrading 4.21 Mods to 4.24]]

[[Category:Articles]]

Index.php?title=Poster Mods

2024-12-16T07:12:52Z

NetBlitzer: Creating the first half of poster mods

==Overview==
Poster layout mods are used in the Automation poster creator as pre-made designs for users to make car posters.

[[File:PosterExample.png|frameless|969x969px]]

To make a poster layout for Automation you need 2 parts:

'''Poster user widget:''' Made in Unreal engine.

'''Preview file:''' Made in Unreal engine.

===Recommended Knowledge===

*Making blueprints in Unreal

== Creating your poster layout ==
The poster layout is a '''CarStatLayout''' widget. The widget contains '''PosterSlots''', which are used by the player to adjust settings.

An example poster layout can be found in the '''ExampleCarPoster''' folder.

=== Make a new blueprint ===

# Right-click in the content browser, select '''Blueprint Class'''.
# In the search field, enter '''CarStatLayout''' and select it from the list.
# Click the '''Select''' button to create a new blueprint.

=== Create the layout ===
The poster layout is built using widgets from the '''Palette''' panel. The layout is designed hierarchically by placing poster widgets inside panel widgets. You can use the pre-made widgets in your poster layout or create your own widget blueprints to customize your layout further.
[[File:PosterDesigner.png|frameless|969x969px]]

To make your widgets accessible to be edited in Automation you need to assign them a slot:

# In the Details panel, navigate to the Poster Slot section.
# Click the [[File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png|frameless]] button '''> Generate''' to generate a '''Slot UID'''.
# In the '''Name''' field, enter a name for the poster slot.

=== Pre-made widgets ===
The Automation SDK features several pre-made widget for you to use in your poster layout:

'''PS Car Image UW'''

Displays an image of the car. You can adjust the default parameters in the '''Photo Info''' section.

'''PS Background UW'''

Allows the player to display their own image from a jpg or png file. The default is the Automation background image.

'''PS Creator Name UW'''

Displays in the format “Creator: [input]”. The input can be set in by the user in the poster widget.

'''PS Car Stat Socials UW'''

Displays the car statistics.

'''Poster Custom Car Name Stacked UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Name UW'''

Displays the engine name in the format “Engine – Trim”.

'''Poster Engine Power Torque Graph UW'''

Displays the power-torque graph of the engine.

'''Poster Engine Stats UW'''

Displays the engine statistics.

'''Poster Engine Thumbnail UW'''

Displays a picture of engine.

'''Poster Slot Car Performance UW'''

Displays the car performance statistics.

'''Poster Company Car Name UW'''

Displays the car name in the format “Model - Trim”.

File:PosterDesigner.png

2024-12-16T07:08:18Z

NetBlitzer:

Editing a poster layout in Unreal Engine

File:UnrealArrowDropdown.png

2024-12-16T07:06:03Z

NetBlitzer:

Unreal Engine 4 dropdown arrow

File:PosterExample.png

2024-12-16T06:59:12Z

NetBlitzer:

The Automation poster screen.

Modding

2024-12-16T06:48:04Z

NetBlitzer: /* Adding links to posters and advanced trim widgets */

'''''Modding''' of the legacy Kee Engine version is possible, but discouraged, as this version is no longer in development.''

Modding of the UE4 version of Automation is supported, having started at the end of September 2017.

== Mod types ==

*Cars
**[[Car Body Mods]]
**[[Custom Paint Mods]]
**[[Export Material User Data]]
**[[Rim Mods]]
**[[Tyre Mods]]
*Fixtures
**[[Fixture Mods]]
**[[Badge Fixture Mods|Badge Mods]]
**[[Decal Mods]]
**[[Index.php?title=Advanced Trim Widget|Advanced Trim Widget]]
*Photoscenes
**[[Photoscenes|Photoscene Mods]]
**[[Prop Mods]]
**[[Animatic Mods]]
**[[Index.php?title=Poster Mods|Poster Mods]]

== Required software ==

* The [https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/ UE4 Editor]
* A 3D modeling suite (e.g. [https://www.autodesk.com/products/3ds-max/overview 3DS-Max], [https://www.blender.org/ Blender], or [https://www.autodesk.com/products/maya/overview Maya])
* The Automation SDK (from [https://store.steampowered.com/app/293760/Automation__The_Car_Company_Tycoon_Game/ Steam])

== Installing UE4 ==
You will need to download and install the Epic Games Launcher from here: https://www.unrealengine.com/download

then download and install <code>UE4 version 4.27</code>.

'''''Do not''''' install the UE4 Editor to Program Files. Instead, install it to a custom location '''''without a space in it,''''' like <code>C:\UE4\UE_4xx</code> or similar.
== Installing the SDK ==
Within Steam, go to <code>Library -> Tools</code>, and download <code>Automation - Car Company Tycoon Workshop Tool</code> . This contains the SDK for Automation.

It is recommended to '''''copy''''' the <code>AutomationGame</code> project '''''to another folder''''' before using it. This eliminates the risk of mod files being overwritten or erased in the event of an SDK update.

Make sure that the SDK is installed to a directory that does not contain spaces, and does not require admin user privelages.

Browse to the location of the modding SDK in your Steam Tools library (by default, this is <code>C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Automation_SDK</code>), and copy the project folder to a new location.

Once installed, open the <code>AutomationGame</code> project by:

* launching the UE4 Editor from the Epic Games Launcher
* browse to the project file, which is located in <code>Automation_SDK\AutomationGame\AutomationGame.uproject</code>.
<gallery mode="nolines" widths="240" heights="180">
File:Project browser 01.png
File:Project-browser-02.gif
File:Project-browser-03.gif
File:Project-browser-04.gif
</gallery>

== Troubleshooting startup issues ==

* The first launch of the SDK will be very slow (on slower computers, it can take between 30 minutes and 2 hours). This is due to the editor generating cache data (in <code>DerivedDataCache</code>). If you make a shortcut to <code>UE4Editor.exe</code>, you can change the target to <code>D:\UE4\UE4_424\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor.exe D:\AutomationGame\AutomationGame.uproject -LOG</code>. With the paths updated to where your UE4Editor is installed, and where you have copied the Automation SDK to. This will open the editor with a Log Console Window along with the splash screen, which will give you an idea if it is actually processing items or has gotten stuck.
* If you get errors relating to the FMOD Studio plugin not loading, or other plugins not loading, this could be due to redistributables and dependencies not being installed correctly. [https://support.microsoft.com/en-nz/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads Visual C++ 2019] and [https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/download/details.aspx?id=40784 Visual C++ 2013] redistributables, along with [https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/download/details.aspx?id=8109 DirectX June 2010] runtimes, are required.

== SDK Performance considerations ==
As Automation supports ray tracing since the 4.2 update, it's also enabled by default in the SDK, meaning that level editors will automatically ray trace the scene on supported cards (being ones that support both '''DirectX12''' and '''Ray Tracing''').
[[File:Project settings.png|thumb|358x358px]]
As this is not needed for 99.99% of mod making (other than some Photoscene mods which bake the level using GPU Lightmass), to prevent this from happening, it's recommended on cards that are at least an '''Nvidia''' '''GTX 1060 or better''' to disable this in the project. To do so, click on the '''"Edit"''' button on the menu bar on top, and select '''"Project Settings"'''.

Now scroll down to '''"Rendering"''' (under '''"Engine"''') and click it, and search for '''"Ray Tracing"''' in the search bar, and disable '''Ray Tracing'''. You will need to restart Unreal Engine for it to take effect, and it will need to compile shaders again if you have compiled them before.

After that, the editor should now run a lot smoother.

[[File:Disabling ray tracing.png|left|800x800px]]

== Core concepts ==

* Despite being referred to by UE4 as 'plugins', mods are stored in the 'Mods' folder.
* Do not create any assets in the Root '''Content''' folder. Only make assets in your mod's folder. (See "Content Browser" below.)
* Editor assets cannot be used directly by the game; they have to be 'cooked'. Additionally, only plugins can be cooked, hence the requirement to make content in your mod folder.

=== Mod performance considerations ===
Performance of [[Fixture Mods|fixtures]] and [[Car Body Mods|bodies]] in UE4 is a heated topic. While it is true that in terms of mesh rendering and draw calls, there is practically zero performance impact for meshes with less than 2,000 polygons, the same cannot be said for shader rendering or fixture stamping.

* Shading is calculated with a 2x2 grid, so poly count only impacts performance here if you end up with polygons too close together in screen space. This is usually not an issue in Automation, but meshes that are too dense or small will impact performance. This is a negligible consideration compared to raycasts for fixtures, however (explained below).
* There is a performance impact to poly count with fixtures in that a ray is cast to the body for every vertex; the more vertices there are in a mesh, the longer it'll take to conform to the body. This is why you'll see more detailed fixtures sit there for a few seconds before conforming to the car. This is doubly so for fixtures that cut into the body—a UV mesh's vertices are raycast to the car on every frame while you're dragging the fixture around. UV meshes impact performance signinficantly with a higher poly count; try to keep UV meshes as low-poly as possible.
* Likewise, the poly count of a car body impacts performance in that the more polygons a car has, the longer it takes to complete fixture raycasts. A 10K-poly body may make dragging fixtures around and conforming them to the car take slightly longer than usual, but if that same body uses morph targets in addition to (or instead of) bones, this poly count is multiplied by the number of shape keys and the vertices they move. A 10K-poly body with 10 shape keys affecting every vertex effectively has 100K polygons that the fixture system has to raycast to, and this significantly impacts the time it takes for fixtures to conform.

==== For optimal performance: ====

*Keep UV meshes lower than 100 triangles. With between 100 and 150 triangles, the fixture may lag when being dragged around; any higher and it will lag too much to use properly.
*Try to keep conforming meshes lower than 5,000 triangles. Higher-resolution meshes take longer than usual to conform to the car once they are placed.
* try to keep bodies between 7k-30k polygons, and use bone weighting for as many morphs as possible. Use shape keys and morph targets sparingly.
**The fewer vertices a body has, the less information there is to interpolate the cutouts, so some fixtures may have misaligned holes.
**the greater vertices a body has, the longer it takes to stamp a fixture.

This is a body that uses only bone weighting for its morphs, and has 7K polygons:

{{#ev:gfycat|DiscreteLonelyBluetonguelizard}}

This is a body that uses only shape keys for its morphs, and has 40k polygons:

{{#ev:gfycat|InfinitePaleJellyfish}}

== Content browser ==
Click on the 'Show or hide sources' icon to the left of the Content Browser search box to view the folder structure. Click on 'View Options' (bottom right of the content browser), and turn on 'Show Plugin Content' to view all mods.

[[File:Project-browser-05.gif|frameless|600x600px]]

== Creating and cooking your mod ==
To create a mod, refer to the following sections:

* [[Car Body Mods#Import Car Body to Unreal Engine|Import Car Body to Unreal Engine]]
* [[Fixture Mods#Fixture setup within Unreal Engine 4|Fixture Mods]]

When you've made your files and want to share your mod, select 'Share Mod' -> [Mod name to share].

[[File:Project-browser-06.gif|frameless|840x840px]]

'''''WARNING:''''' The folder you select as the cooking path will have '''''all of its contents deleted.''''' You have been warned!

Select an empty or new folder, in a path '''''where there are no spaces''''' in the file path.

#<code>C:\Users\Name\Documents\Unreal Projects\AutomationGame</code> will ''not'' work, as there is a space between "Unreal" and "Projects".
#<code>C:\Users\Name\Documents\UnrealProjects\AutomationGame</code> ''will'' work, because there is no spaces in the file path.

To fix possible cooking issues:
* Search the Output Log for <code>Error:</code>. Relevant lines will be prefixed by <code>UATHelper</code>.
** If Error contains "Unable to find PackagePlugins" or similar, this is due to the Editor being in Program Files. It will be unable to copy <code>Camso_UATScripts.Automation.dll</code> to <code>Engine/Binaries/DotNet/AutomationScripts</code>. You can do this yourself by going to <code>AutomationGame/Build/Camso_UATScripts/bin</code> and copying the DLL to <code>UE4/Engine/Binaries/DotNet/AutomationScripts</code>.
**If Error contains "an item with the same key already exists", then you have a mod or plugin somewhere with a duplicate <code>.uplugin</code> file. navigate to the plugin and mod files in a file browser, and delete any duplicate <code>.uplugin</code> files and try again. If any one mod has a duplicate, all mods will fail to cook.

You can visit the Automation [http://discourse.automationgame.com/ forum] or [https://discord.gg/automationgame Discord] for further help.

== Testing your mod ==
After cooking, it's possible to test your mod in-game without having to upload it to the Steam Workshop.

The file path of your cooked mod should look something like this:<pre>
ExampleMod
└─ WindowsNoEditor
├─ Manifest_NonUFSFiles_Win64.txt
└─ AutomationGame
└─ Mods
└─ ExampleMod <- Copy this folder over
├─ metadata
├─ ExampleMod.uplugin
└─ Content
└─ Paks
└─ WindowsNoEditor
└─ ExampleModpakchunk0-WindowsNoEditor.pak
</pre>Subscribed mods are stored in <code>[Steam install folder]\Steam\steamapps\common\Automation\UE427\AutomationGame\Mods</code>, which is where you can copy your cooked mod. To be specific, copy the <code>ExampleMod</code> subfolder directly inside of the cooked mod's <code>Mods</code> subfolder.

After copying your mod, be sure to '''''start Automation without the launcher''''' to make sure it recognizes the new mod.

== Uploading your mod to the Steam Workshop ==
Once you have your cooked content, navigate to the modding SDK folder and open <code>Automation Workshop Publishing Tool.exe</code>. This tool will handle the initial upload of any mod you want to share with the community. Once you have uploaded your mod and created a Workshop page for it, you can edit some of its properties, such as uploading images, editing the description, or setting the visibility, from the Steam Workshop page of the mod.

This tool is also used for updating mods; to do so, select an existing mod from the list on the left and upload a new version with an optional change note.

[[File:SteamModSharing_01.gif|frameless|840x840px]]

# Your list of uploaded mods. Select 'New Item' to upload a new mod.
# The mod file path. Browse to the location of your mod by picking the path or typing the location in manually. The mod location is the root mod folder that you cooked the mod to; said folder should contain a <code>WindowsNoEditor</code> subfolder.
# The title and description field. These can be edited from the mod's Steam Workshop page. A long-enough description that belongs to an already-uploaded mod may be cut off when said mod is selected—this only applies to the Workshop uploader tool, and the description can be recovered from the Workshop item's description edit page (or saved in a text file beforehand). Copying the description from the Workshop page itself will likely result in the loss of any [https://steamcommunity.com/comment/Guide/formattinghelp text formatting] used.
# The main image file path. The image you select will show up as the thumbnail when browsing the Workshop, and if you don't have any images on the actual workshop page (uploaded via Steam), then this image will also be the header image at the top of the page. All thumbnail images must be under 1 MB. Be aware that '''''the main image of a mod cannot be changed via Steam.'''''
# The visibility setting. This can be edited later in the Workshop page for your mod. By setting it to private or hidden first, you can see if any text formatting and images on the Workshop page appear as they should before publishing it.
# The mod category tags. While optional, these help with discoverability, as players may be looking for specific types of mods.
# The optional change note field. This can be used to label versions in case you need to revert to an earlier version. Change notes can be edited via Steam.

Once the submission or update process is complete, a browser window will open to the newly created Steam Workshop page for your mod.

== Known issues ==

* any custom material initially assigned to a mesh will be kept as long as the player does not change the material. As soon as a fixture's material slot is changed in the fixture menu, any custom material assigned to that slot is lost (but can be reverted using the material reset button).

== See also ==

*[[Mods and the Beam.NG Exporter|Mods and the BeamNG Exporter]], for custom materials
*[[Blender Specific instructions|Modding in Blender]]
*[[Upgrading 4.21 Mods to 4.24]]

[[Category:Articles]]