This post showcases a simple but very useful tool in Unreal that automatically places books in piles or rows and swaps textures based on world position.
Part 1: World Position Texture Swap
This tool utilizes a technique that automatically switches textures based on world position. The material gets the world position and uses it as an offset to select a specific UV from a texture atlas.
World Position Texture Swapping allows environment artists to place props quickly and with ease, not having to worry about creating and applying extensive amounts of material instances. In this example it is used to switch textures on the books but this can be used for plenty of other props that have variations such as vases, glassware, etc.
Part 2: Book Placement Tool
The Book Placement Tool allows the user to place a blueprint down to create either a stack or row of books. It takes the books dimensions and uses it as an offset to place the next book. This tool also uses a seed system so if the user finds a configuration they like they can remember the seed and reuse it.
Creating a tool like this solves issues of having to place hundreds of books by hand and can quickly fill up bookshelves and desks. The interface allows the user to adjust the amount of books, rotation variation, and the seed.
This environment was downloaded from the Unreal Marketplace, which can be found here: