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HELIX is in Closed Alpha. Some features and documentation may be non-functional or out of date.

Configuring the map at runtime#

You can add markers and change most map settings while the game runs, from Lua. Every call here maps to a function in the HMap API reference — this page covers what you can change; the reference has the exact signatures and options.

One rule shapes everything below: a baked map exposes fewer runtime knobs than a live one. Anything that changes the captured image itself — projection, capture altitude, the area covered, tile geometry — is fixed at bake time on a pre-baked map. On a live Scene Capture map those same settings re-render on the fly. Markers and pure display options work the same on both.

Configurations for both types of map#

These work whether the surface is live or baked.

Markers#

Add a marker that follows an actor (it's removed automatically when the actor is destroyed):

Marker on an actor
HMap.AddMarker(QuestNPC, { Title = 'Bob', Description = 'Has a quest for you' })

HMap.RemoveMarker(QuestNPC)   -- to remove it early

Add a marker at a fixed world location — it returns a handle you keep for removal:

Marker at a location
local Handle = HMap.AddMarkerAt(UE.FVector(12000, -3400, 0), { Title = 'Drop-off' })

HMap.RemoveMarkerAt(Handle)

For every marker option (custom icon texture, colour, size), see the HMap reference.

Shared display options#

These don't depend on how the map is rendered, so they apply to live and baked surfaces alike:

  • Minimap zoom, rotate-with-player, and whether orientation follows the camera or the pawn.
  • Icon size on either surface.
  • Full-screen map behaviour — open-on-player, zoom and pan animation speed.

Each is a HMap.Set... call listed in the reference.

Zoom the minimap out while driving
HEvent('HEvent:EnteredVehicle', function() HMap.SetMinimapZoom(0.2) end)
HEvent('HEvent:ExitedVehicle',  function() HMap.SetMinimapZoom(0.5) end)

Runtime-only map settings#

These only take effect on a live Scene Capture surface. On a baked map they would require re-running the bake (an editor step), so they do nothing at runtime:

  • Projection mode and capture altitude.
  • The captured area — map centre and extent.
  • Tile geometry — tile world size and resolution.

Use them to reshape a live map on the fly. For a shipped, baked map, set these before baking instead. The HMap reference marks which calls apply live versus need a re-bake.