Actor

The Actor class is the base class for all objects that can be placed or spawned in the HELIX world. All lights, pawns, and gameplay entities inherit from this class. It provides functionality for replication, ticking, input handling, transformation, and lifecycle control.

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Constructor

Actors are not instantiated directly. You spawn derived classes (e.g., Light, HCharacter, HVehicle, Trigger) which inherit all Actor functionality. Actors can also be spawned via the Unreal HWorld:SpawnActor API.

Blueprint

// Actors are not spawned directly in Blueprint; use derived classes.
// Access an Actor reference from the world or a spawn node.

Lua

-- Spawn an actor via HWorld
local Actor = HWorld:SpawnActor(
    UE.AActor,
    SpawnTransform,
    UE.ESpawnActorCollisionHandlingMethod.AlwaysSpawn
)

JavaScript

// Actor spawning follows the same pattern via PuerTS or Helix JS bindings.
// Refer to the Lua examples for the spawn API.

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Networking Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
SetReplicates	bInReplicates: boolean	void	Set whether this actor replicates to network clients.
SetReplicateMovement	bInReplicateMovement: boolean	void	Set whether this actor's movement replicates to network clients.
HasAuthority	--	boolean	Returns whether this actor has network authority (server-side check).

Ticking Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
SetActorTickEnabled	bEnabled: boolean	void	Enables or disables the actor's tick function.
IsActorTickEnabled	--	boolean	Returns whether the actor's tick is enabled.
SetActorTickInterval	TickInterval: number	void	Sets the tick interval of this actor's primary tick function. Takes effect on next tick.
GetActorTickInterval	--	number	Returns the tick interval of this actor's primary tick function.

Transform Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
K2_SetActorLocation	NewLocation: Vector, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	boolean	Moves the actor to the specified world-space location.
K2_GetActorLocation	--	Vector	Returns the world location of the actor's RootComponent.
K2_SetActorRotation	NewRotation: Rotator, bTeleport: boolean	boolean	Sets the actor's rotation.
K2_GetActorRotation	--	Rotator	Returns the world rotation of the actor's RootComponent.
K2_SetActorLocationAndRotation	NewLocation: Vector, NewRotation: Rotator, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	boolean	Moves the actor to the specified location and rotation.
K2_SetActorTransform	NewTransform: Transform, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	boolean	Sets the actor's full transform.
K2_TeleportTo	DestLocation: Vector, DestRotation: Rotator	boolean	Teleports the actor to a new location, adjusting if it does not fit.
SetActorScale3D	NewScale3D: Vector	void	Sets the actor's world-space scale.
SetActorRelativeScale3D	NewRelativeScale: Vector	void	Sets the actor's RootComponent to the specified relative scale.
GetTransform	--	Transform	Returns the full world-space transform (location, rotation, scale).
GetActorScale3D	--	Vector	Returns the actor's current world-space scale.
GetActorRelativeScale3D	--	Vector	Returns the scale of the actor's root component relative to its parent.
K2_GetRootComponent	--	SceneComponent	Returns the root scene component of the actor.
K2_SetActorRelativeLocation	NewRelativeLocation: Vector, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Sets the actor's RootComponent to the specified relative location.
K2_SetActorRelativeRotation	NewRelativeRotation: Rotator, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Sets the actor's RootComponent to the specified relative rotation.
K2_SetActorRelativeTransform	NewRelativeTransform: Transform, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Sets the actor's RootComponent to the specified relative transform.
K2_AddActorWorldOffset	DeltaLocation: Vector, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Adds a delta to the location of this actor in world space.
K2_AddActorWorldRotation	DeltaRotation: Rotator, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Adds a delta to the rotation of this actor in world space.
K2_AddActorWorldTransform	DeltaTransform: Transform, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Applies a delta transform in world space.
K2_AddActorWorldTransformKeepScale	DeltaTransform: Transform, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Applies a delta transform in world space while preserving scale.
K2_AddActorLocalOffset	DeltaLocation: Vector, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Adds a local-space delta location to the actor's root.
K2_AddActorLocalRotation	DeltaRotation: Rotator, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Adds a local-space delta rotation to the actor's root.
K2_AddActorLocalTransform	DeltaTransform: Transform, bSweep: boolean, SweepHitResult: HitResult, bTeleport: boolean	void	Adds a delta transform relative to the actor's local frame.
GetActorEyesViewPoint	OutLocation: Vector, OutRotation: Rotator	void	Returns the viewpoint (location and rotation) of the actor's eyes.

Attachment Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
K2_AttachToActor	ParentActor: Actor, SocketName: string, LocationRule: EAttachmentRule, RotationRule: EAttachmentRule, ScaleRule: EAttachmentRule, bWeldSimulatedBodies: boolean	void	Attaches this actor's RootComponent to another actor.
K2_DetachFromActor	LocationRule: EDetachmentRule, RotationRule: EDetachmentRule, ScaleRule: EDetachmentRule	void	Detaches this actor's RootComponent from any parent.
K2_AttachToComponent	Parent: SceneComponent, SocketName: string, LocationRule: EAttachmentRule, RotationRule: EAttachmentRule, ScaleRule: EAttachmentRule, bWeldSimulatedBodies: boolean	void	Attaches this actor's RootComponent to a scene component.
K2_AttachRootComponentToActor	InParentActor: Actor, InSocketName: string, AttachLocationType: EAttachLocation, bWeldSimulatedBodies: boolean	void	Simplified variant for attaching to another actor.
K2_AttachRootComponentTo	InParent: SceneComponent, InSocketName: string, AttachLocationType: EAttachLocation, bWeldSimulatedBodies: boolean	void	Lower-level variant for attaching to a scene component.
DetachRootComponentFromParent	bMaintainWorldPosition: boolean	void	Detaches the actor's RootComponent from its parent.
GetAttachedActors	OutActors: table, bResetArray: boolean, bRecursivelyIncludeAttachedActors: boolean	void	Fills an array with all actors attached to this actor.

Lifecycle Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
SetLifeSpan	InLifespan: number	void	Sets the lifespan in seconds. Pass 0 to cancel and prevent auto-destruction.
GetLifeSpan	--	number	Gets the remaining lifespan. Returns 0 if the actor lives forever.
K2_DestroyActor	--	void	Destroys the actor and removes it from the level.
IsActorBeingDestroyed	--	boolean	Returns true if the actor is currently being destroyed.

Collision Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
SetActorEnableCollision	bNewActorEnableCollision: boolean	void	Enables or disables collision for the whole actor.
GetActorEnableCollision	--	boolean	Returns whether collision is currently enabled.
GetActorBounds	bOnlyCollidingComponents: boolean, Origin: Vector, BoxExtent: Vector, bIncludeFromChildActors: boolean	void	Returns the origin and box extent of the actor's combined components.

Component Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
GetComponentByClass	ComponentClass: Class	ActorComponent	Returns the first component matching the specified class, or nil if none found.
K2_GetComponentsByClass	ComponentClass: Class	table	Returns all components of the specified class.
AddComponentByClass	Class: Class, bManualAttachment: boolean, RelativeTransform: Transform, bDeferredFinish: boolean	ActorComponent	Creates and adds a new component of the given class.
FinishAddComponent	Component: ActorComponent, bManualAttachment: boolean, RelativeTransform: Transform	void	Finalizes the creation of a new actor component.

Input Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
EnableInput	PlayerController: PlayerController	void	Adds this actor to the input stack for the specified PlayerController.
DisableInput	PlayerController: PlayerController	void	Removes this actor from the input stack.

View and Direction Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
GetActorForwardVector	--	Vector	Returns the forward (X axis) vector of the actor in world space.
GetActorRightVector	--	Vector	Returns the right (Y axis) vector of the actor in world space.
GetActorUpVector	--	Vector	Returns the up (Z axis) vector of the actor in world space.

Distance Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
GetVelocity	--	Vector	Returns the velocity in cm/s.
GetDistanceTo	OtherActor: Actor	number	Returns the full 3D distance to another actor.
GetSquaredDistanceTo	OtherActor: Actor	number	Returns the squared 3D distance (avoids square root).
GetHorizontalDistanceTo	OtherActor: Actor	number	Returns the horizontal (XY) distance to another actor.
GetSquaredHorizontalDistanceTo	OtherActor: Actor	number	Returns the squared horizontal distance.
GetVerticalDistanceTo	OtherActor: Actor	number	Returns the vertical (Z-axis only) distance.

Visibility Functions

Method	Parameters	Return Type	Description
SetActorHiddenInGame	bNewHidden: boolean	void	Shows or hides the actor in the game world.

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Examples

Moving an Actor

Blueprint

// Set actor location via the K2_SetActorLocation node
MyActor->K2_SetActorLocation(FVector(500.f, 0.f, 200.f), true, nullptr, false);

Lua

-- Move the actor to a new position
local success = Actor:K2_SetActorLocation(Vector(300, 0, 0), true, nil, false)

-- Destroy the actor after 60 seconds
Actor:SetLifeSpan(60)

-- Get the actor's forward vector
local fwd = Actor:GetActorForwardVector()
local target = Actor:K2_GetActorLocation() + fwd * 500

JavaScript

// Move the actor to a new position
const success = myActor.K2_SetActorLocation(new Vector(300, 0, 0), true, null, false);

// Destroy the actor after 60 seconds
myActor.SetLifeSpan(60);

Attaching Actors

Blueprint

ChildActor->K2_AttachToActor(ParentActor, "SocketName",
    EAttachmentRule::KeepWorld,
    EAttachmentRule::KeepWorld,
    EAttachmentRule::KeepWorld, true);

Lua

Actor:K2_AttachToActor(
    OtherActor, "SocketName",
    UE.EAttachmentRule.KeepWorld,
    UE.EAttachmentRule.KeepWorld,
    UE.EAttachmentRule.KeepWorld,
    true
)

JavaScript

// Attachment follows the same pattern via PuerTS or Helix JS bindings.
// Refer to the Lua examples for function signatures.

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Performance

Disable tick on actors that do not need per-frame updates. Calling SetActorTickEnabled(false) on static props can significantly improve server and client performance.