# The Material Actor

The BP\_Material actor is one of the most powerful interactive features in ShikorDriftXR. It allows you or your clients to change the appearance of objects in real-time during the interactive walkthrough, providing an immersive and customizable experience.

**Key Features**

* **Dual-Mode Interaction:** Instantly switch between a pre-defined material library or an advanced color picker.
* **Material Slots:** Save different combinations of materials and colors into customizable slots.
* **Highly Customizable:** Easily define your own library of materials, names, and icons using a central Data Asset.

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#### **Setup & Workflow**

Follow these steps to convert any static mesh in your level into an interactive material actor.

1. **Locate the Actor:** In your Content Browser, navigate to the following folder:\ <mark style="color:purple;background-color:$primary;">/ShikorDriftXR/Common/Blueprints/MaterialSetup/Blueprints/</mark>
2. **Add to Level:** Find the **BP\_Material** actor and drag and drop it into your level.
3. **Replace the Default Mesh:**
   * Select the **BP\_Material** actor in your level.
   * In the **Details** panel, first select the **StaticMesh** component from the actor's hierarchy.
   * Then, in the **Static Mesh** property, replace the default shape (e.g., a cube) with your own static mesh from the Content Browser.

<figure><img src="/files/vfFS5CLC4ThnarAcAZM0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

1. **⚠️ Merge Meshes First (Important!):**
   * The **BP\_Material** actor is designed to work on a **single static mesh**.
   * If your object (like a chair or a detailed asset) is made of multiple separate meshes, you **must merge them into one** before using it with this actor. You can use the **Merge** feature in the **Shikor Modifier** for this.
2. **Reposition the Actor:** Reposition the **BP\_Material** actor to its correct location in the scene.

Now, you are ready! When you play the game, this object will be interactive.

#### **Feature Showcase**

To see the **BP\_Material** actor in action, check out this short demonstration video:

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{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/HrIiCrZrrJo?si=DG7cghIJW7Z_yvN->" %}


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