Make Your Island Glow: Shading Models Explained

Have you ever wondered why some things look shiny like metal? Or why leaves look soft and see-through? The secret is in the shading model. It tells the game how light hits your objects.

In this tutorial, we will change how a simple block looks. We will make it glow like a neon sign! You will learn to tweak material settings. This makes your island look super cool.

What You'll Learn

• What a shading model is.
• How to change a material's look.
• How to make objects glow using emissive light.

How It Works

Think of a material like a skin for a 3D object. The shading model is the rulebook for that skin. It decides how light bounces off it.

Imagine a basketball. It is bumpy and matte. Light scatters everywhere. Now imagine a mirror. It is smooth. Light bounces straight back. These are different shading models.

In Fortnite, we use materials to control this. We can change colors. We can add glow. We can make things transparent.

A shading model is a setting inside the material. It tells the engine how to calculate shadows and highlights. For most things, we use "Default Lit." But we can add special effects.

One cool effect is emissive. This means the object makes its own light. It looks like a light bulb. It does not need the sun to shine. This is perfect for neon signs or magic crystals.

We will change a simple block. We will make it shine bright blue. It will look like it is powered up. Let's start building!

Let's Build It

We will build a glowing crystal. We will use a simple cube. Then we will change its material.

Step 1: Place a Cube

Open UEFN. Place a Cube prop in your island. Pick a spot in the center.

Step 2: Open the Material

Click the cube. Look at the Details panel on the right. Find Material. Click the box next to it. Select New Material. Name it "GlowingCrystal."

Step 3: Edit the Material

Double-click the new material. This opens the Material Editor. It looks like a puzzle board.

We need to add light. Find the Emissive Color node. If you don't see it, search for it. Drag it onto the board.

Connect the RGB output of the Emissive Color node. Connect it to the Emissive Color input of the main material node. This is the big node in the middle.

Step 4: Pick a Color

Click the Emissive Color node. Pick a bright blue color. Make it very bright.

Now, look at the Shading Model. In the main material node settings, ensure it is set to Default Lit. This is the standard for solid objects.

Click Apply. Go back to your island. Your cube should now glow!

The Code Behind the Visuals

While we use the editor for visuals, Verse controls the logic. Here is how we might turn this glow on and off with code.

# This script controls the glowing crystal
using { /Fortnite.com/Devices }
using { /Verse.org/Simulation }

# We create a device called GlowingCrystal
# note: Verse devices must extend creative_device; TrackedActor is not a real base class.
GlowingCrystal := class(creative_device):

    # This is our glowing cube prop device placed in the editor
    @editable
    CubeProp : cinematic_sequence_device = cinematic_sequence_device{}
    # note: Verse has no PropActor or SetEmissiveIntensity API.
    # We simulate glow on/off by playing (bright) and stopping (dark)
    # a cinematic sequence that drives the material's emissive parameter.
    # The closest real runtime control for a placed prop's visibility is
    # the creative_prop device toggled via a custom_event_device or
    # a cinematic_sequence_device for actual brightness. We use cinematic_sequence_device here.

    @editable
    GlowLight : cinematic_sequence_device = cinematic_sequence_device{}

    # This function runs when the game starts
    OnBegin<override>()<suspends> : void =
        # Turn on the glow
        GlowLight.Play()

        # Wait for 5 seconds
        Sleep(5.0)

        # Turn off the glow
        GlowLight.Stop()```

**What does this code do?**
*   `creative_device`: This is the real base class for all Verse devices in UEFN.
*   `@editable`: This exposes a variable so you can assign it in the editor.
*   `GlowLight`: This is a **light_source_device** placed near your cube. It acts as the glow.
*   `OnBegin`: This runs when the island starts.
*   `TurnOn` / `TurnOff`: These switch the light on and off. `TurnOn` is bright. `TurnOff` is dark.
*   `Sleep(5.0)`: This waits five seconds before turning the light off.

## Try It Yourself

Can you make the crystal pulse? Try changing the intensity in a loop. Make it bright, then dim, then bright again.

**Hint:** Use a `loop` expression. Switch the light on and off repeatedly. Use `Sleep(0.5)` to wait between changes.

## Recap

Shading models tell objects how to handle light. Materials are the skins that use these models. Emissive light makes objects glow on their own. You can change these settings in the editor. You can also control them with Verse code.

## References

- https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/uefn/UE/designing-visuals-rendering-and-graphics/materials/material-properties/shading-models
- https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/uefn/material-nodes-and-settings-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite
- https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/material-nodes-and-settings-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite
- https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/material-library-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite
- https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/fortnite/34-00-fortnite-ecosystem-updates-and-release-notes