Natural PCG Tools

Natural PCG Tools runs on the Procedural Content Generation (PCG) system and Blueprints built into Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), extending the engine's native procedural workflow instead of replacing it. The tool is aimed at environment construction: placing props across terrain, projecting geometry onto Meshes, adding snow coverage, and keeping scattered objects inside or outside user-defined areas. The current release is V1.7, and from V1.7 onwards, only Unreal Engine 5.6 (UE5.6) and newer is supported.

The V1.7 Showcase video demonstrates only a portion of the feature set; the documentation supplied with the tool provides more comprehensive explanations and examples. More PCG Blueprints are planned for future updates, with additions or optimizations arriving over time. That makes the tool a moving target in a good sense—the function list in V1.7 is the starting point, not the ceiling.

Because everything runs through UE5's PCG and Blueprints, the tool stays close to the engine's own logic. There is no separate runtime to learn, and the Blueprints can be opened, inspected, and adapted like any other procedural setup in the Editor.

V1.7's Scattering and Projection Tools, Grouped by Job

The current function list splits into projection, scatter placement, exclusion, and scriptable editing tools.

MeshProjection and SnowProjection were both added in V2. The 1st projects objects onto Mesh surfaces, which suits placing geometry on uneven or complex surfaces. The 2nd applies the same idea to snow, generating snow coverage across a scene for winter or weather-driven environments. Projection aligns the generated objects with the surface they land on, which is what separates these 2 functions from the scatter group.

The scatter functions cover a wider range of layout patterns. Scatter Objects on a Mesh distributes objects across a Mesh surface. The spline-based options scatter objects along a Spline, scatter objects within a Spline, and scatter objects at any angle. A dedicated mode simulates scattering objects on vines or cables; that mode is only available in Scriptable Tool mode. ScatterObject also received a Scriptable Tool mode after its initial release, as did the spline-based and angle-based layouts.

Placement is controlled by multiple exclusion methods, including Spline, Grid, and Landscape Layer exclusion. These let a scatter setup respect specific areas defined in the scene or Landscape rather than covering everything uniformly. The exclusion methods work alongside the scatter functions, so defined zones can be kept clear instead of being covered uniformly.

2 Scriptable Tools handle broader workflows. The PCG ↔ Foliage Workflow connects PCG-generated results to the engine's Foliage system, and the S-PCGPaint Canvas Tool provides a paint-style canvas for working with PCG. Both exist in Scriptable Tool form, which is why enabling the Scriptable Tools plugins matters even if the base scatter functions seem sufficient at first.

Practical Grouping of the Placement Modes

Viewed by task, MeshProjection and SnowProjection cover surface dressing and seasonal coverage, the scatter modes handle Mesh, Spline, and angular placement, and the vine-and-cable simulation deals with objects along extended linear or hanging structures. The exclusion methods protect areas the user defines through Splines, Grids, or Landscape Layers, and the Foliage workflow moves generated output into the engine's Foliage pipeline for further editing.

Enabling Scriptable Tools and Required Plugins Before First Use

Setup starts in the Plugin Manager. Before using the tool, open Edit > Plugins and enable Geometry Script, PCG, PCGExternalDataInterop, and PCGGeometryScriptInterop. If the Scriptable Tool versions of the functions are needed, enable Scriptable Tools Editor Mode and Scriptable Tools Framework as well.

The engine must be restarted after enabling the required plugins. From there, the usage flow follows a small set of steps:

1. Open the PCG documentation Level and read the relevant Blueprint information and examples.
2. Find the required Blueprint and drag it into the scene.
3. Adjust parameters as needed—different Blueprints have different parameters.
4. Bake the Mesh if the function supports it.

The documentation Level is the practical entry point. It holds the Blueprint information and examples that the Showcase video cannot cover, and it is also where the few included models and textures live. Some Blueprints may require Nanite, so the geometry used with those Blueprints has to be compatible with that workflow.

What the Pack Ships: A Documentation Level, Blueprints, and Sample Assets

The package is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution and is presented as images and movies. Its content boundaries are stated clearly: Megascans assets and textures are not included, and the models and textures that appear in the Showcase are not part of the pack. The documentation Level contains only a few models and textures, all created by the developer. Similar textures can be found on Quixel Megascans, Poly Haven, and Noisecreater.

That makes this a workflow tool rather than a content library. The user brings the geometry, models, and textures; the Blueprints supply the scattering logic, projection behavior, exclusion rules, and Foliage bridging on top. Because everything is built from UE5's own PCG and Blueprints, the functions stay editable inside the Editor, and the Creative Commons Attribution license keeps the Blueprints reusable with credit.

Environment artists and Technical Artists already working in Unreal Engine 5.6+ will get the most direct use from V1.7. The tool extends the engine's procedural tools with ready-made Blueprints while staying inside the standard PCG workflow. The documentation Level shortens the initial setup, the licensing leaves room to adapt the Blueprints in your own work, and the planned stream of future Blueprint updates gives the tool room to grow alongside the projects that adopt it.

Related Resources Worth Checking

• Procedural Mesh Blueprint
• Calysto Village Procedural villages, farms with PCG
• AutoEnv Procedural Rock Cliffs
• Ultra Dynamic Sky
• Procedural Ivy Generator