Installing SpaceKit

Install from Fab

1. Buy or claim SpaceKit on its Fab listing.

2. Open the Epic Games Launcher and go to Unreal Engine → Library. Find SpaceKit in your Fab Library (called the Vault in older launcher versions).

3. Click Install to Engine and pick your engine version (5.4 to 5.8).

4. Open your project, go to Edit → Plugins, search for SpaceKit and enable it.

5. Restart the editor when prompted.

Apply the required renderer settings

SpaceKit’s terrain shadowing and atmospheres depend on the settings below. The plugin deliberately does not set them for you, because silently rewriting a project’s renderer configuration is not something a plugin should do.

1. Apply the settings in Project Settings → Rendering, or paste this block into your project’s Config/DefaultEngine.ini:

   [/Script/Engine.RendererSettings]
   r.GenerateMeshDistanceFields=True
   r.DynamicGlobalIlluminationMethod=0
   r.ReflectionMethod=1
   r.Shadow.Virtual.Enable=1
   r.DefaultFeature.AutoExposure.ExtendDefaultLuminanceRange=True
   r.DefaultFeature.LocalExposure.HighlightContrastScale=0.8
   r.DefaultFeature.LocalExposure.ShadowContrastScale=0.8
   r.OIT.SortedPixels=False
   
   [/Script/WindowsTargetPlatform.WindowsTargetSettings]
   +D3D12TargetedShaderFormats=PCD3D_SM6

2. Restart the editor and let the shaders recompile. Both are needed before the changes take effect.

DirectX 12 and Shader Model 6 are required

The planet terrain relies on virtual shadow maps, which need the Shader Model 6 feature level: DirectX 12 on Windows, Metal on Mac, Vulkan on Linux.

Check the engine plugins

SpaceKit depends on the ProceduralMeshComponent, EnhancedInput and Niagara engine plugins, and optionally SunPosition. Make sure they are enabled under Edit → Plugins.

Check that it works

Open /SpaceKit/Maps/MultiPlanetsMap and press Play. You should be standing on a procedurally generated planet with a ship parked beside you.

The other demo maps each focus on one part of SpaceKit:

Map	Shows
Maps/MultiPlanetsMap	Start here. The full loop: several worlds, the starship, boarding and landing
Maps/PlanetMap_Atmos	One planet, focused on atmosphere, volumetric clouds and the day/night terminator
Maps/RingMap	An O’Neill-style ring habitat with centrifugal gravity
Maps/StarshipDemo	The ship on its own, with no planet generation running
Maps/StartMap	A small level-select menu

If terrain shadows look wrong or planet materials render grey, the renderer settings are the usual cause; see Troubleshooting.

Already own PlanetGen or Starship?

SpaceKit needs neither, but all three can be installed at the same time. SpaceKit’s modules (SKPlanetGen, SKStarship), classes (ASKPlanet, ASKStarshipPawn and so on) and content root (/SpaceKit/) are namespaced, so nothing collides. The two copies are independent: Blueprints written against one will not accept the other, so pick one set per project unless you have a specific reason not to.

Next: Quick start.