Why don't Niagara particles collide with skeletal meshes?

Default Niagara collision uses Distance Field, which is generated only for static meshes. Skeletal meshes need Generate Mesh Distance Fields enabled and the global SDF rebuilt. Or use GPU collision with explicit mesh.

Skeletal Mesh DF vs Bounding Box?

DF is per-pose so accurate for posed meshes; expensive. Bounding box is cheap but inaccurate for animated skeletons. Pick based on visual need.

Use Niagara Skeletal Mesh Sampler module to read bone positions, then implement collision in the emitter logic against bone capsules.

Fix: Niagara Mesh Particle Ignores Skeletal Mesh

Quick answer: Skeletal Mesh asset → Generate Mesh Distance Field on. Or use Niagara Skeletal Mesh Sampler for capsule-based collision.

Sparks should bounce off the player. They pass through. Player is a SkeletalMeshComponent and Niagara collision module reads only static-mesh DFs.

The Fix

Skeletal Mesh asset:
  Build Settings:
    Generate Mesh Distance Field:    true
    Distance Field Resolution Scale: 8

Niagara Emitter:
  Collision Module:
    Source:                          Distance Field
    Bounce:                          0.5
  // or
  Skeletal Mesh Sampler:
    Source Skeletal Mesh: PlayerSkelMesh
    Sample Random Bone → capsule check

SDF method requires DF generation per skeletal asset. Sampler method walks bone positions and you collision-test capsules manually.

Verifying

Sparks bounce off player. Frame Debugger: collision module reports hits. Without DF gen: passes through.

“Generate DF on skel. Or sample bones. Hits register.”

Related Issues

For Niagara DF Collision general, see DF collision. For Stateless emitter, see stateless.

DF on skel mesh. Sparks bounce.