skills.rest
kevinpbuckley
kevinpbuckleyCOMMUNITY
Explore all skills by this author →
GitHub

ue-uds-setup-and-modes

Configures Ultra Dynamic Sky installation and top-level rendering modes in Unreal Engine levels.

55|5|Updated Mar 26, 2026
Search Tags:#lighting#unreal engine#volumetric clouds#mobile rendering#ultra dynamic sky#sky mode#level setup
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/kevinpbuckley/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-uds-setup-and-modes-kevinpbuckley
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: ue-uds-setup-and-modes
Source: https://github.com/kevinpbuckley/unreal-engine-skills/tree/main/skills/ultra-dynamic-sky/ue-uds-setup-and-modes
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/kevinpbuckley/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-uds-setup-and-modes-kevinpbuckley

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Setting up Ultra Dynamic Sky (UDS) in an Unreal level involves removing conflicting stock lighting actors and choosing the right combination of Sky Mode, Color Mode, Project Mode, and Feature Level — picking wrong values causes black scenes, missing clouds on mobile, or tanked frame rates. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Clean Level Setup: Lists exactly which stock actors (Directional Light, Sky Light, Sky Atmosphere, Volumetric Cloud, Exponential Height Fog) to remove before dragging in the UDS actor, plus lighting rebuild guidance. - Mode Selection Guidance: Decision tables for Sky Mode (Volumetric/Static/2D/Voxel/Aurora/Space), Color Mode (Sky Atmosphere vs Simplified), Project Mode (Game vs Cinematic), and Feature Level (Desktop/Mobile), including runtime Blueprint control via GetUltraDynamicSky(). - Troubleshooting Gotchas: Covers black-scene exposure issues, mobile feature-level mismatches, Cinematic mode left enabled, and UDW ownership of Cloud Coverage/Fog. - Use Case: You are shipping a mobile build and volumetric clouds vanish on device — this Skill explains setting Feature Level to Mobile so incompatible sky modes auto-swap for mobile-compatible replacements. ## Quick Start Add Ultra Dynamic Sky to my current Unreal level and configure it for a mobile build with performance-friendly clouds.

Frequently Asked Questions about ue-uds-setup-and-modes

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I add Ultra Dynamic Sky to an Unreal level?▼

Remove existing Directional Lights, Sky Light, Exponential Height Fog, Sky Atmosphere, and Volumetric Cloud actors, then drag the Ultra Dynamic Sky actor from the plugin's Blueprints folder into the level. If ambient light remains, rebuild lighting to clear baked static light.

Which UDS Sky Mode should I use for my project?▼

Use Volumetric Clouds for hero desktop/console quality, Static or 2D Dynamic Clouds for performance-bound or stylized projects, Voxel Clouds for voxel art styles, Volumetric Aurora for aurora-focused scenes, and Space for outer-space scenes with no atmosphere.

Why are volumetric clouds missing on mobile with UDS?▼

Volumetric Clouds and Volumetric Aurora are incompatible with the mobile renderer. Set Feature Level to Mobile on the UDS actor so incompatible sky modes auto-swap at runtime for mobile-compatible replacements configured in the Mobile category.

Why does my scene render black after adding Ultra Dynamic Sky?▼

The black scene is caused by exposure conflicts. Disable post process volumes that override exposure, check Game Settings in the viewport's Lit dropdown, or disable Apply Exposure Settings in the UDS Exposure category.

Should I use Cinematic Project Mode for gameplay in UDS?▼

No. Cinematic/Offline mode updates every dynamic property each frame and bumps quality at runtime, which tanks live performance. Use it only while rendering films or stills, then switch back to Game/Real-time mode.

Why are Cloud Coverage and Fog settings ignored on the UDS actor?▼

When Ultra Dynamic Weather (UDW) is present in the scene, it owns Cloud Coverage and Fog. Set those values on UDW's weather state instead of the UDS actor.

Related Skills

Explore More Design & Creative Skills→
ziyarducziyarduc
1

lighting-and-lumen

Configure UE5 light components, Lumen GI, shadows, and post-process exposure in C++.

Community
Advanced
XyrcesXyrces
2

3D Lighting and Environment

Configure SDFGI, VoxelGI, LightmapGI, shadows, fog, and post-processing for Godot 4 scenes.

Community
Advanced
CK42BBCK42BB
8

procedural-weather

Generate procedural weather effects in Three.js using WebGPU compute and shaders.

Community
Advanced
NebulavenusNebulavenus
36

forge-procedural-sky

Render physically-based atmospheric skies in SDL GPU projects with LUT generation.

Community
Advanced