Release notes

This release introduces support for 3D Tiles layers. 3D Tiles are an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard, similar to the Indexed Scene Layer (I3s) specification, designed to facilitate the visualization of extensive 3D datasets in accordance with the OGC 3D Tiles specification. A 3D Tiles layer can reference and render spatial data from online services, tilesets (.json), or 3D Tiles archive formats (.3tz), ensuring compatibility across OGC-compliant platforms. Leveraging a hierarchical data structure, 3D Tiles enable optimized streaming and rendering of complex geospatial content for enhanced performance and scalability. In addition, the 3D Tiles layers clip and mask functions are similar to those with 3D scene layers (e.g., integrated mesh, 3D object), making it easier to integrate them with other layers in your scene. Furthermore, 3D Tiles layers support vertical coordinate systems and automatic grid transformations, which enhances their adaptability in various spatial environments. For more information, see the 3D Tiles Layer page.

With this release, the authentication workflow has been updated to provide a more streamlined user experience. The ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine supports OAuth 2.0 user authentication, enabling developers to authenticate users and access secured resources using the ArcGIS platform. The SDK also supports ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise authentication workflows, allowing users to sign in with their ArcGIS credentials to access their content and services. It additionally supports accessing private content from multiple portals simultaneously. For more information, see the Authentication page.

The ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine now supports custom materials in tile layers. You can now colorize these layers, which is especially useful for operations like 3D viewshed analysis.

Editor support for setting a map spatial reference has been added to the Modes Panel UI. This feature allows users to set the spatial reference of the map directly in the editor UI. Users can enter the preferred spatial reference using the Well-Known ID (WKID). This enhancement simplifies the process of configuring the map's spatial reference and ensures that the map is accurately positioned in the scene.

Support for elevation exaggeration has been introduced in this release, providing users the ability to enhance the visibility of subtle surface changes and improve understanding and analysis of terrain features. This feature is particularly useful when visualizing terrains where the horizontal extent significantly exceeds vertical changes, to make any differences in the elevation more prominent. Users can also apply fractional elevation exaggeration to flatten or reduce surfaces with extreme vertical variations to help create a more balanced view of the terrain. For more information, see the Elevation page.

This release expands support for Esri's hosted global Open 3D Buildings and Esri 3D Buildings layers, enabling you to work with these layers in Local Map Mode in the Web Mercator projected coordinate system, the default when using basemaps from the gallery.

With this release, the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine now supports multiple maps in a single scene. This feature allows users to display and interact with multiple maps simultaneously, each with its own set of operational layers, basemaps, and viewpoints. Users can create and manage multiple maps using the UI or API, which provides methods for adding, removing, and updating maps in the scene. This capability is particularly useful for applications that require side-by-side map comparisons. See the Overview Map sample for more information.

The ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine now includes a no-code option for users to enter the spatial reference WKID of a preferred vertical coordinate system directly in the UI editor whenever a point or a location/position is involved. For more information, see the Vertical Coordinate System section in the Spatial Reference page.

Vertical Coordinate Systems (VCS) help to accurately define the origin for height or depth values in relation to other spatial data, ensuring that the data is spatially located correctly, which is crucial for accurate visualization and analysis. Each VCS includes a unit of measure, typically linear units such as feet or meters, and a direction that indicates whether values are "positive up" (heights above a surface) or "positive down" (depths below a surface). There are two main types of VCS: ellipsoidal systems, which use a mathematically defined ellipsoidal surface (commonly used by GNSS receivers), and gravity-related systems, which are based on average sea level.

• Authentication related APIs have been added to support authentication workflows, including various classes and enums such as:
  • ArcGISAuthenticationChallenge class
  • ArcGISAuthenticationManager class
  • ArcGISCredential class
  • ArcGISCredentialStore class
  • ArcGISOAuthUserConfiguration class
  • ArcGISOAuthUserCredential class
  • ArcGISOAuthUserTokenInfo class
  • ArcGISUserInterfaceStyle enum
• ExaggerationFactor property has been added to ArcGISMapElevation class to support elevation exaggeration.
• MaterialReference property has been added to ArcGISMapElevation class to support user-defined material to render the map elevation.
• ArcGISOGC3DTilesLayer class has been added to support 3D tiles layers.
• ArcGISOGC3DTilesLayer enum value has been added to ArcGISLayerType enum.

• A new node Create ArcGIS OGC3DTiles Layer is added under ArcGIS OGC3DTiles Layer for adding group layers.
• A new node Create ArcGIS OGC3DTiles Layer With Properties is added under ArcGIS OGC3DTiles Layer for getting the properties of the 3D Tiles layer and working with its visibilities and opacities.

• Authentication configuration settings have been updated on the ArcGISMap component under the Authentication section. - An ArcGISSceneComponent has been added to the ArcGISMap component to support selecting an active map when there are multiple maps in the scene.
• An elevation exaggeration slider to adjust the exaggeration factor has been added to the ArcGISMap component under the Elevation section.
• Editor support for setting a map spatial reference has been added to the ArcGISMap component under the Spatial Reference section.
• Vertical coordinate system support has been added to various components (e.g. ArcGISMap, ArcGISCamera, etc) to whenever a location/position is involved.

• Authentication configuration settings have been updated on the Authentication tab in the Modes Panel UI.
• An elevation exaggeration slider to adjust the exaggeration factor has been added to the Elevation tab in the Modes Panel UI.
• Editor support for setting a map spatial reference has been added to the Map tab in the Modes Panel UI.
• Vertical coordinate system support has been added to various places in the UI editor to set the vertical coordinate system spatial reference whenever a point or a location/position is involved.

• The MultipleMap sample (MultipleMap.umap) has been added to the plugin samples to demonstrate displaying multiple maps in a single scene. The sample can be found in the directory indicated below:

Plugins/ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine Content/Samples/

• The following events and classes have been removed in this release:
  • ArcGISAuthenticationChallengeIssuedEvent event
  • ArcGISAuthenticationConfiguration class
  • ArcGISOAuthAuthenticationConfiguration class
  • ArcGISOAuthAuthorizationCredential class
  • ArcGISOAuthAuthorizationCredentialIssuedEvent event

• Support for iOS/iPadOS 16 is deprecated. The last release to support this version is 2.0. A minimum of iOS/iPadOS 17 will be required at the next release.
• Support for Android 8 (API level 26) is deprecated. The last release to support this version is 2.0. A minimum of Android 9 (API level 28) will be required at the next release.
• Support for macOS Ventura (version 13) is deprecated. The last release to support this version is 2.0. A minimum of macOS Sonoma (version 14) will be required at the next release.

• ENH-000174769: Have OpenStreetMap (OSM) 3D Buildings Layer be able to display in a Local scene with the default basemaps.

• BUG-000169958: Services cannot be loaded with the item URL if non-ASCII characters are in the service URL.

  Summary: When there are non-ASCII characters in the service URL, the layer cannot be loaded by using the item URL.

  Workaround: Use the service URL that is encoded in UTF-8.

• BUG-000169959: On Zoom to Layer/Elevation, the editor camera is misaligned with the horizon.

  Summary: After you click "Zoom to Layer" or "Zoom to Elevation" and then start and stop Play mode, the editor camera orientation is misaligned with the horizon.

  Workaround: Reset the editor camera in the Pawn actor.

• Question on Esri Community: Collider offsets in rendered OSM 3D buildings.

  Summary: The collision mesh is not properly aligned with the corresponding rendered OSM 3D building, which can result in inaccurate collision detection or unexpected behavior when interacting with the 3D environment.

  Workaround: No workaround available.

• BUG-000164676: Exceptions not handled correctly in Blueprints.

  Summary: Open the Blueprint sample scene, open the level blueprint, go to the "If the Map Type is Local" node, change the map type enum selector to Local, save and press play, Unreal crashes.

  Workaround: Use the UI or C++.

• BUG-000175650: Unreal Engine crashes if reprojected outside of current extent.

  Summary: If you reproject the dataset (for example, change the WKID) while you have an extent enabled, and the extent is different from the WKID extent, Unreal Engine crashes.

  Workaround: Uncheck the "Is Extent Enabled" checkbox or have an extent that encompasses the extent of the spatial reference.

• BUG-000176171: API keys does not work in the Authentication tab.

  Summary: If you enter your API key in the Authentication tab, the map does not load.

  Workaround: Enter your API key in project settings.

• BUG-000177451: 3D Tiles appear unlit and are not affected by light.

  Summary: 3D Tiles may appear dark during the day and overly bright at night due to not responding to light.

  Workaround: No workaround available.