Connecting to a Vicon Datastream using blueprint functions involves the following stages:

Create a new blueprint

  1. Open Unreal Engine 5 and open a project.

  2. Go to Window > Content Browser > Content Browser 01.

  3. In the content browser window (or dialog box), click Add.

  4. Under Create Basic Asset, click Blueprint Class.

  5. In the dialog box, select Actor so that it can be spawned or placed in the level.

  6. Name the actor blueprint and add it to your project.

  7. In the new blueprint dialog box, in the toolbar along the top, click Event Graph.

Set up the blueprint function

  1. In the new blueprint dialog box, right-click an empty space in the graph to create a new node.

  2. In the All Actions for this Blueprint dialog box, search for Create Vicon Live Link Source.

  3. Select Create Vicon Live Link Source to spawn a node in the graph.

  4. Connect an event trigger to the input of the node. This example uses the event EventBeginPlay as this creates a Live Link connection when play starts.

     

  5. Enter the following parameters into the Link Link node:

  6. Compile and save the blueprint.
  7. Drag the blueprint from the content browser directly into the level.

Tip

When a source has been created, it continues to exist until it is manually removed, so you may accidentally create multiple sources during your work. Ensure the final node graph looks like this screenshot:

Check the source has been created successfully

  1. With the blueprint placed in the level, go to the toolbar at the top and click Simulate.

  2. Go to Window >Virtual Production >Live Link.

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  3. In the Source panel, check that a source has been successfully created.

     

  4. Go to Window > Developer Tools > Output Log.

  5. Ensure the output log reports the same input parameters for Unreal Engine and the source at creation.