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levelstreaming.md

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Levels and Streaming

In previous versions of SPDU, you needed to request streaming levels via USpudSubSystem, for example using ASpudStreamingVolume.

As of the latest version of SPUD, this is no longer required, but you can still use it for the other benefits.

SPUD now also supports World Partition.

Manually requesting streaming levels

	/// Make a request that a streaming level is loaded. Won't load if already loaded, but will
	/// record the request count so that unloading is done when all requests are withdrawn.
	UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable, BlueprintAuthorityOnly)
	void AddRequestForStreamingLevel(UObject* Requester, FName LevelName, bool BlockingLoad);
	/// Withdraw a request for a streaming level. Once all requesters have 
    // rescinded their requests, the streaming level will be considered ready to be unloaded.
	UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable, BlueprintAuthorityOnly)
	void WithdrawRequestForStreamingLevel(UObject* Requester, FName LevelName);

You can call these methods directly if you want to request levels explicitly. Or, you can use our convenience class ASpudStreamingVolume.

SPUD Streaming Volume

The ASpudStreamingVolume class is very similar to the standard streaming volume class, with 3 important differences:

1. Requests are routed via USpudSubSystem

This allows state to be stored/loaded at the right time

2. SPUD volumes trigger for player pawns

The default UE streaming volumes only respond to cameras. The problem with this is if you've got a 3rd person camera, you have to account for the way this camera might be separate from the character you're controlling, and be careful to ensure the camera can't accidentally "pop out" of the volume while the character is in it. This results in some rather unintuitive padding that you have to do.

The SPUD streaming volumes do trigger on cameras, but also on player-controlled pawns. This makes them much safer to use without having to pad things excessively.

3. You can associate levels directly with the volume

To associate a level with a UE streaming volume, you have to go to the level window, click the tiny button to open level details, then associate the volume with the level. This is unintuitive and fiddly.

The SPUD volumes make this much simpler. Just place the volume in the level, open up its own details, and pick one or more levels to associate with it. That's it. Associate the volume with levels in the same place you tweak its size and location. Much easier!

Placing streaming volumes

Make sure you're currently editing the persistent level, then under Place Actor, search for "Spud Streaming Volume". Drag one into the scene.

Position the volume, change its size in Brush Settings, and associate one or more streaming levels in the Level Streaming Volume section.

That's it! Now whenever a camera or a player controlled pawn enters that volume, the level(s) will be requested to be loaded.

Download the SPUD Examples project to see this in action.

WIP