Installing the Megascans Plugin for UE4 on Windows

❗Note: This installation manual is geared towards Windows OS. For Mac users, please visit this article.

Plugin installation is part of Bridge Export Settings. These settings are global and once set up, will not need to be changed too often.

You can install the plugin using any one of these methods:

1. You can set up the plugin when you launch Bridge after installing it for the first time on your machine.
2. Through export settings.
3. Through the Manage Plugins option in the Edit menu.

❗Note: Please make sure Unreal Engine is closed on your machine before proceeding with plugin installation.

Installation during initial Setup

• When you launch Bridge after installing it for the first time on your machine, you will see initial setup options. Choose the folder on disk where you would like your asset library (your downloaded assets) to be in the Library Path:

The Library Path is important because this is where Bridge will store your assets and plugins. If you don’t already have a folder for this purpose Bridge will create it for you.

• Click Next.
• Bridge will now check if you have Unreal Engine already installed. If yes, it will automatically populate the Export Target drop-down.

• Click Download Plugin to begin downloading the plugin.

• Once the plugin has been downloaded you should see a Plugin Downloaded Successfully message in Bridge and a few new options will show up to let you configure the plugin’s installation.

• Select the version of Unreal you want to install the plugin on from the Engine Version drop-down.

• Next, click the folder icon in the Plugin Location field and browse to where Unreal Engine's plugins are installed, most commonly: C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_4.2x\Engine\Plugins. The path should basically be where your engine's plugins are installed.
  
  Note: Please ensure to not install the Plugin in Program Files (x86) as this is the incorrect location and will lead to errors when you attempt to open Unreal Engine.

❗Note: If you're trying to install the plugin on a custom Unreal Engine build, just specify the path of your custom build's ..\Engine\Plugins folder.

• The MS Plugin for Unreal Engine places all the Megascans assets inside a folder called Megascans in your Unreal project’s Content folder. If you want to customize this location, you can do so by specifying that location in the Default Project field. You may also leave it blank. 

❗Note: The folder you select in the "Default Project" field should be inside your project's Content folder.

• Once the installation is done, start up Unreal Engine. You should see a green Megascans button inside the editor which means the plugin was installed successfully.
  
  
  
  

The plugin will run automatically whenever you start Unreal Engine. To export assets:

• Go to Bridge, select the asset you want to export from the Local tab in the left panel.
• Click the Export button and your asset should pop up inside your Unreal Engine scene.

❗Note: Ensure that UE4 is running in the background before you begin to export assets.

Installation via Export Settings

• To access the settings, click the gear icon on the bottom left corner of the asset’s right panel in your "Local" tab (as shown in the screenshot), or go to Edit > Export Settings.

• Click Export Settings in the pop-up menu to view all the export options. You can tweak your settings, like texture format, LODs, mesh format (FBX or OBJ), etc. These settings are Global. 

• Then simply open UE4 in the background, and hit Export. You should see the following pop-ups in Bridge, and alongside, UE4:

Installation via Manage Plugin option

• Go to Edit > Manage Plugins.

• In the Manage Plugins window that opens, click on the Download button (highlighted in the image below) to start downloading the plugin.

• You'll see a Downloading Plugin toast notification informing you that plugin download is in progress.

• Once the download is complete, you'll see another toast notification informing you that the plugin download completed successfully.

• Now head over to your Local Library tab (highlighted below) and click on an already downloaded asset.

• Open the Export settings and you'll see that the plugin is already installed. Simply go back after tweaking your Export settings accordingly, and hit Export while UE4 is open in the background.

In case of any technical issues or errors, please submit your report to support@quixel.com along with all the requisite info requested here.