Fireside Props Pack: Usage Guide

Using the assets in the Fireside Props pack

This pack contains scenery and props designed to be used together to create a complete fireside scene, with variants to offer a great deal of flexibility.

Scene and example maps

Along with the overview scenes containing the mesh and material variants, the package contains a folder of example scenes to both demonstrate the object usage in situ and provide tutorials for using objects in conjunction.

All the example files are found in: Content>Fireprops>ExampleFiles

ExampleRooms

This scene features two example fireplace scenes placed in a stylised room environment, complete with lighting and post effects to show the objects in situ.

FireProps-FireplaceExamples

This scene features two similar example fireplace scenes in a standard scene for quick editing and experimentation.

FireProps-MaterialExamples

An example scene featuring varying ages and dirt levels controlled via the material instances.

FireProps-PositionExamples

As detailed in the text below, this scene features a walk-through example on attaching and locating the elements that have been designed to work together.

Prop items

Fireplaces

There are two fireplace types: a rustic stone fireplace with a wooden mantle and a more refined marble fireplace.

Marble fireplace: SM_Marble-Fireplace This is a complete object with a built-in, recessed hearth and back wall. There are two material instance types for use with this item: MI_Marble-Fireplace-White and MI_Marble-Fireplace-Dark, each with an additional dirty variant. The amount of dirt to be applied to the hearth is controlled with the Dirt parameter in the material instances.

Stone fireplace: SM_Stone-Fireplace This is a large, farmhouse-style fireplace with an open back designed to fit into your own scene, allowing the wall textures to be viewed through the hearth. There are three material instance types for use with this item: MI_Sandstone-Fireplace, MI_Stone-Fireplace and MI_Slate-Fireplace, each with an additional dirty variant. The amount of dirt to be applied to the hearth is controlled with the Dirt parameter in the material instances.

If you want to add a hearth recess to the stone fireplace, add the object SM_Fireplace-Recess to the scene and set its location, scale and rotation to be the same as the fireplace. To attach it to the fireplace for ease of editing later, right click on the recess object and choose the fireplace from the menu or using the eye dropper. In the menu that appears select 'None' rather than 'GrateSocket'.

Placing items in the fireplaces

To make placing items on the fireplaces easier, they each have a socket named 'GrateSocket' placed at the centre of the hearth to allow the wood burner and grate objects to be automatically located and attached.

To place objects using the sockets, just follow these steps:

1. Place the fireplace in your scene in the desired location.
2. Drop the item you wish to attach to the fireplace in the scene.
3. Right click on the item you want to attach and highlight 'Attach to' in the menu. From here you can pick the fireplace object by name or click on the eye dropper icon and select the fireplace directly in the scene.
4. A small menu should appear containing two entries: 'None' and 'GrateSocket'. Click on 'GrateSocket'. The attached item will then locate itself in the hearth.

The 'GrateSocket' has been placed to allow the following items to be located accurately:

SM_AshPile	SM_WoodBurner	SM_Grate
SM_Grate-Front-Iron	SM_Grate-Front-Modern

To see an example map containing an interactive guide to this process, go into the Content folder and load Fireprops>ExampleFiles>FireProps-PositionExamples

Wood burner

The wood burner consists of a main body object to be augmented by a choice of flue pipe models.

Iron wood burner: SM_WoodBurner This is simple iron wood-burning stove designed to fit in either modern or period-style scenes. The colour is fixed, since it is integral to the style, but there is an additional dirty variant. The amount of dirt to be applied to the stove is controlled with the Dirt parameter in the material instance.

Connecting a pipe to the wood burner

To ensure that the pipe of the wood burner can fit inside the fireplace or be used when the burner is free-standing, we have provided a choice of three flue pipes to be attached to the top of the burner. They can then be adjusted as you see fit. To make attaching the pipes easy, the wood burner has a socket named 'PipeSocket' placed at the top of the burner to allow the pipes to be automatically located and attached.

To place pipes using the socket, just follow these steps:

1. Place the wood burner in your scene in the desired location.
2. Drop the pipe you wish to attach to the burner in the scene.
3. Right click on the item you want to attach and highlight 'Attach to' in the menu. From here you can pick the wood burner object by name or click on the eye dropper icon and select the burner directly in the scene.
4. A small menu should appear containing two entries: 'None' and 'PipeSocket'. Click on 'PipeSocket'. The attached pipe will then locate itself on top of the burner.

The following choice of pipes is available:

SM_WoodBurner_Flue_A	SM_WoodBurner_Flue_B	SM_WoodBurner_Flue_C

To see an example map containing an interactive guide to this process, go into the Content folder and load Fireprops>ExampleFiles>FireProps-PositionExamples

Iron grate

If you want a real open fire in your scene, this iron grate will sit at the centre of the hearth to hold the logs and your choice of fire effects.

Iron grate: SM_Grate This is an iron grate designed to sit on the hearth stone of either fireplace type and hold the log models. It can be automatically located using the 'GrateSocket' in the fireplace object (see above for details). The colour is fixed, since it is integral to the style, but there is an additional dirty variant. The amount of dirt to be applied to the stove is controlled with the Dirt parameter in the material instance.

Iron grate front

When making an open fire, this front piece (commonly called a 'fret') is a safety guard to stop coal or logs falling out of the grate.

Iron fret: SM_Grate-Front-Iron This is an iron fret designed to sit on the hearth stone of either fireplace type in front of the grate. It can be automatically located using the 'GrateSocket' in the fireplace object (see above for details). The metal and dirt colours can be changed in the material instance, and the package contains black, blue and orange examples along with additional dirty variants. The amount of dirt to be applied to the stove is controlled with the Dirt parameter in the material instance.

Modern grate front

For more modern scenes, this is a more minimal fret design with a metallic finish.

Modern fret: SM_Grate-Front-Modern This is an metallic fret designed to sit on the hearth stone of either fireplace type in front of the grate. It can be automatically located using the 'GrateSocket' in the fireplace object (see above for details). The metal and dirt colours can be changed in the material instance, and the package contains black, blue and orange examples along with additional dirty variants. The amount of dirt to be applied to the stove is controlled with the Dirt parameter in the material instance. The metal and dirt colours can be changed in the material instance, along with the amount of metal effect, matt finish and dirt to be applied. Also, you can choose the type of wood for the handle. Included in the package are T_Wood-Cherry, T_Wood-Pine and T_Wood-Oak. The package contains matt black, chrome, brass and copper examples along with additional dirty variants.

Coal and log bucket

Add fuel to your scene stored in this period-style scuttle.

Coal bucket: SM_Bucket Add detail to the scene with this bucket, which can contain some of the lof objects included or any other fuel type you wish. The metal colours can be changed individually in the material instance for the body, handle and grip, along with the amount of matt finish to give each element a painted look if required. Overall settings for the metal sheen amount, dirt colour and amount of dirt to be applied are also available. The package contains several material instance examples: two-tone brass and painted black, silver metal (steel), brass and a multi-colour paint job, each with additional dirty variants.

Fire tools

A set of metal fire irons to add detail to your fireside scene.

Fire tools: SM_Tools A complete set of fire tools with a metallic finish. The metal colours can be changed individually in the material instance for the base stand, handles and tools, along with the amount of matt finish to give each element a painted look if required. An overall setting for the dirt colour and amount of dirt to be applied are also available. The package contains several material instance examples: black, silver metal, brass and a multi-colour paint job, each with additional dirty variants.

Ash pile

Make your fireplace look well-used by adding this pile of ashes.

Ash pile: SM_AshPile A transparency-masked heap of ash to be placed under the logs and grate. It can be automatically located using the 'GrateSocket' in the fireplace object (see above for details). The object can then be scaled to fit the fireplace. The material is applied directly rather than via an instance since the appearance is fixed IMPORTANT NOTE When placing in the scene, in the actor details panel under Lighting be sure to switch Cast Shadows to off to avoid shading artifacts.

Logs

Fireplaces and stoves need wood to burn!

Log items: SM_Log-A, SM_Log-B, SM_Log-C, SM_Log-D Four log objects, each with a centred pivot point to allow them to be accurately scaled, rotated and placed in the bucket, grate, fireplace or elsewhere in the scene. There are three material variants to show the logs in varying states of cumbustion: MI_Logs-New: Unburnt state for general use. MI_Logs-Embers: Ashen with glowing heat. MI_Logs-Ash: Burnt state.