Day night cycle with directional light rotation over time

Pattern: Variables TimeOfDay(float)=12.0, DayLengthMinutes(float)=10. Tick: TimeOfDay += (DeltaSeconds/DayLengthMinutes/60)*24 → FMod(TimeOfDay, 24) → MapRangeClamped(TimeOfDay, 0, 24, 0, 360) → MakeRotator(SunPitch, 0, 0) → SetActorRotation(SunLight). Update sky SunDirection and light color/intensity based on time.

PlayAnimation (widget) — play a Widget Animation

SpawnEmitterAtLocation — spawn particle effect at world location

UGameplayStatics::SpawnEmitterAtLocation. For Niagara, use SpawnSystemAtLocation.

Create a Blueprint for a spotlight that follows the player smoothly using RInterpTo

PlayAnimation on widget — play UMG widget animation

PlayMontage — play animation montage

ACharacter::PlayAnimMontage. Returns duration. Alternative: Montage_Play on AnimInstance.

string

string

LinearColorLerp — blend between two colors by Alpha

Create dynamic material and animate a parameter at runtime

Pattern: EventBeginPlay → GetMesh → CreateDynamicMaterialInstance(ElementIndex=0) → SetVariable(DynMat=ReturnValue). Then on Tick or timer: SetScalarParameterValue(ParameterName='Opacity', Value=SinWave). Or for color: SetVectorParameterValue(ParameterName='Color', Value=MakeLinearColor). Key: CreateDynamicMaterialInstance is called on the COMPONENT (GetMesh), not the actor. Must store the result before using Set*ParameterValue. ParameterName MUST match the name in the Material asset exactly.

MakeColor — construct FLinearColor from R G B A