Igloo Unreal Toolkit v1.0

Please follow the above links to install, use, and build, with the Igloo Unreal toolkit.

Supported Unreal Versions

5.0.0 - DirectX11
5.0.1 - DirectX11

Support and Guidance

Please read this document carefully before submitting a support request.

To create a support ticket, please visit: http://myadvocate.igloovision.com

Alternatively, please directly email myadvocate@igloovision.com (not as CC) to create a ticket.

Performance expectations

The Igloo Unreal Toolkit creates 6 cameras in world space, that capture the Unreal level. This amount of cameras does affect performance, and as a result frames per second are lowered substantially.

Here at Igloo, we recommend a 30 fps frame rate for all interactive content which is easily achievable with this Toolkit, and a modest understanding of project optimisation. If you are seeing a lower frame rate than this and would like to improve it please look at the following guidance:

As a 360 camera system is created, the effect of Occlusion Culling is minimal. This is most of the performance lost when adding the Igloo Toolkit to a level or project. Occlusion culling is the backbone of high-end visuals. The only instance where it works effectively is when occluders are correctly identified and objects behind them are hidden.
Post-processing has immediate diminishing returns: Within the Igloo space, you are between 2 and 3 meters away from the screen, which means you lose a lot of graphic fidelity created by post-processing. Due to how the post-processing systems work in Unreal, most won't function through the 360 camera even if you attempted to use them, as they only ‘work’ on the main camera (which is on the console monitor and not part of the camera rig). To mitigate both of these issues, use global post-processing effects that are on the cheaper side of rendering costs. i.e tone mapping, ambient occlusion, and lighting effects.
Keep particle effects to a minimum, aim for Mobile gaming levels of particles, or use VR particle systems.
Exposure control will need to be manual. Automatic will create visible lines within the Igloo output.
Level of Detail (LODs) on models is the best way to reduce draw calls and poly count. Along with draw distances set at conservative levels.
Texture quality can be high, but again; as you’re standing so far away from the screen the difference between a good 1024px texture, and a standard 4k texture is minimal.

Design Recommendations

There are a few differences to consider when developing a 360 system compared to a standalone PC experience, or even a VR experience.

Try to not spin the camera rig, the rotation multipliers are set to 0 for this reason. If you do need to spin the camera system or tilt it. We recommend only allowing this when holding down a specific button, then snapping it back to 0 once complete. It can cause extreme motion sickness for anyone standing in the Igloo Structure with the player.
UI must be a world space to be visible inside the Igloo structure. We rarely have access to the console monitor when inside, and it would break immersion to consistently look down at it. We do try and create Diegetic UI’s wherever possible as it creates incredible immersion without a HUD.
In most Igloo structures, the floor and sky are not visible without tilting the camera up/down, try to make any key objects appear between eye and waist height.
Cinematics are possible, but require the 360 camera system to have its follow object swapped from the player’s camera to the cinematic camera. It may also be required to follow all of the cinematic camera’s angles to get the perfect shot. When this is the case, ensure movement is not too fast for motion sickness concerns.