Node Reference

Node Reference is a node that refers to a .node file in the project directory, which is obtained by exporting a node from the world.

The .node file usually contains a pre-fabricated node (or a hierarchy of nodes) with links to all materials and properties and configured physical bodies that are required for its rendering and behaviour. All changes made for the Node Reference content via UnigineEditor are saved into this file.

Node References should be used if a lot of identical objects are placed in the world: unlike regular nodes, Node Reference are loaded into the world faster because of the internal cache usage.

Using Node Reference enables to avoid manual editing each identical object if you need to make the same changes in all of them. You can simply add several Node References that point to one .node file and then edit only one Node Reference in order to update them all. Such approach enables to hold to integrity of instanced objects, especially if they are complex and sophisticated.

For example, the Node Reference can be used to add identical vehicles, characters, or buildings that should have the same look and behaviour and be updated at once, if necessary.

Node References support nesting, i.e. a Node Reference can include other Node References which is helpful for implementing complex instancing solutions.

Watch the following tutorial to learn the important things about Node Reference:

Important Notes#

See Also#

There are two ways to create a Node Reference via UnigineEditor:

• Create a Node Reference from a previously created .node asset. In this case, you should export a node into a .node file first.

• Convert a node with all its child nodes present in the nodes hierarchy list into a Node Reference. In this case, the source node will change its type to a Node Reference.

By Using a Node Asset#

By Converting an Existing Node#

1. Select a node in the World Nodes Hierarchy window (or directly in the scene).

2. On the Menu bar, click Edit -> Convert to NodeReference (or press Ctrl+Shift+G).

   

As a result, a new .node asset is created at the current folder and the source node is converted into the Node Reference:

Source node to be converted	Converted node

You can also clone the converted node in order to get the required number of Node References.

Notice

If you select several nodes and convert them into a Node Reference, they are saved into a .node file as child nodes of a Dummy Node.

Source nodes to be converted	Nodes grouped under a Dummy Node to which Node Reference refers

In the Reference section of the Node tab, you can change the asset of the source node or open the ReferenceNode Editor used to edit the source node:

To edit the source node, to which the Node Reference points:

1. Select the Node Reference in the World Nodes Hierarchy window.

2. Click Edit in the Node tab of the Parameters window.

   

   The source node becomes available in the World Nodes Hierarchy window as a child of the Node Reference and can be edited via the Parameters window.

   

   World Nodes Hierarchy window: source node in the edit mode

3. Edit the source node. For example, you can change the material applied to it:

   Node References with the red material applied

   Node References with the changed material

   You can also reorganize hierarchy and replace the source nodes, but keep note that only the first child will be saved in the Node Reference as Node Reference can contain only one root node.

4. After all changes are made, select the parent node in the World Nodes Hierarchy window and click Apply to save changes to the source node or Cancel changes to keep nodes unchanged.

   

   Reference section in the Node tab of the parent Node Reference

It is also possible to quick-replace the source node with another one stored in the same folder. To do that, select a Node Reference in the World Nodes Hierarchy window or the Viewport, hold Shift and use the mouse wheel or Page Up and Page Down buttons.

Instances of a Node Reference may be illuminated differently. Thus, when light is baked for each of them, they will have individual lightmaps and depth textures (shadow maps). If you modify the Node Reference (change its hierarchy, replace the referenced asset, etc), these textures will be rebaked automatically after the Apply button is clicked. In code, the textures are updated by using the corresponding method.

However, modifying (resetting) the path to the Node Reference's baked texture will affect all instances of the Node Reference, and automatic replacement of the unique baked texture for each individual Node Reference won't be available anymore. (You will have to replace baked textures manually for each instance.)

You can delete the Node Reference the same way as any other node.