Panel Reference

All the controls of the PVLK Light Menu panel

Full PVLK Light Menu Panel

Add Volumetric Setup

Spawns the tuned Exponential Height Fog and Post Process Volume, labeled and filed in the outliner. If a PVLK setup — or a default engine fog/post process — already exists, PVLK asks before replacing anything, and one undo restores it to how it was before.

Volumetric Setup isolated — Add Volumetric Setup - Spawns the custom PVLK Exponential Height Fog and PVLK Post Process Volume.

Show Height Fog / Post Process Settings

Off (both by default): Toggles the embedded settings panels at the bottom of the menu, so you can fine tune fog density, bloom, and exposure without hunting the actors down. Your choice persists between editor sessions.

Show EHF PPV isolated — Toggles the settings for the Exponential Height Fog and Post Process Volume.

Auto Name and Auto Folder Light Assets

On (by default): Duplicated lights are named and filed for you, no dialogs.
Off: You get a save dialog with full control, per-type folder memory (the last folder for the light type is saved in memory), and the rename/folder buttons appear next to each Light Library row.

Autoname Autofolder isolated — Toggles the ability for the assets to be auto-named and/or auto-foldered.

Show Light Library

Off (by default): Keeps the Light Library hidden. Best when only using the presets. (Optimal for quickstart)
On: You get every PVLK actor blueprint light type that exists in the Content Browser in each drop down menu.

Light Library isolated — Toggles the Light Library.

PVLK Light Library

1. Button to add your selected light type to the level. Uses the Spawn Distance.
2. Drop down menu, per light type, that is a PVLK light actor blueprint, and acts as a filter on only those blueprints. Shows every blueprint, project-wide, from the Content Browser.
3. Folder icon that allows you to rename/re-folder the selected blueprint in the adjacent drop down menu. The folder icon shows when the Auto Name and Auto Folder Light Assets check box is unchecked.
4. Arrow icon auto-navigates to the selected blueprint in the Content Browser.

Light Library annotated — Pick your light from the drop down menu (2), then spawn it in the level (1). Can be renamed or re-foldered (3). You can also auto-navigate (4) to the selected light in the Content Browser.

PVLK Light Presets

1. Button to add your selected preset light to the level. Uses the Spawn Distance.
2. Fixture drop down menu that can be light type specific (Candle or Lightbulb for Pointlight, for example).
3. Color drop down menu that gives the light color (Warm or Cool, for example. Based on Color or Temperature Color in Kelvins).
4. Volumetrics drop down menu that sets the level of volumetrics on your light (Cinemetic or NoVolumetrics, for example.).

None keeps the light's defaults.

Preset rows annotated — Pick a Fixture, Color, and Volumetrics level — then + to spawn. None keeps the light's defaults.

Spawn Distance

How far in front of the camera new lights spawn, in Unreal units. Applies to both preset and library spawns, and persists between sessions.

Height Fog & Post Process Settings

The embedded detail panels edit the placed PVLK setup actors live — fog density, height falloff, volumetric distance and color, bloom, and exposure — without leaving the menu. These settings can be shown by toggling them on or off at the top of the light menu.

The default Exponential Height Fog settings are set in such a way that allow for minimal environmental fog. This is so the PVLK volumetric lights can stand out with its volumetrics, by setting the volumetric scattery intensity to 500. This is great for interior scenes where fog doesn't really need to show, but can help give the lights a cinematic look. Unreal Engine sets volumetric scattering intensity to 1 by default, but we're overriding that to give easier controls on the volumetrics of the lights themselves. If you do decide to increase the environmental fog, say for an exterior setting, you will need to tune down the volumetric scattering intensity on all the lights, because if you don't, the light's volumetrics explode and overwhelm the visuals. It's best to plan your fog amount ahead of time according to your environment.

The default Post Process Volume settings for bloom is set to zero for PVLK. This is to help with optimization right out of the box, as it can decrease performance slightly. When choosing Convolution bloom, Unreal Engine notes that this is too expensive for games, so use caution. Standard is what games typically use when using bloom.When it comes to exposure, this is set 1:1 by default, to prevent the eye adaptation effect. If it is desired, or you need to have a lower light threshold, this can be changed to suit your needs. Unreal Engine's default is Min EV100 — -10 and Max EV100 — 20.

EHF and PPV settings — Some of the most used settings for Exponential Height Fog and Post Process Volume. With the minimal settings shown, it allows you to focus more on what matters most, and not overwhlemed.