Army of One Games has launched a fresh scattering plugin for Unreal Engine 4. Simple Scatter aims to bring the popular scattering workflows seen in 3D DCC packages directly into Unreal.
Key features allow scattering on surfaces like Terrain objects and Static Meshes, with control over object density and scale using surface attributes such as height and slope angle. Areas can also be controlled using Unreal’s built-in spline primitives (both open and closed), along with the option to exclude objects from a scatter based on their position under another object.
As you’d anticipate, the transforms of scattered items can be randomized, and the scene can be optimized using techniques such as distance-based culling and fade effects. The developers note that the plugin is currently “primarily for editor-time visualization and cinematic purposes.”
While it should function with packaged builds, it hasn’t undergone thorough testing in live production scenarios yet. They recommend exercising caution if you plan to use the plugin for this purpose during the beta phase. You can discover more on the Unreal Engine marketplace.
