ECABridge — AI-Powered Unreal Engine 5 MCP Plugin

390+ MCP tools for UE5 editor automation via Claude, ChatGPT, or any MCP-compatible AI agent.

Using this with an AI agent? Pair it with ue5-mcp — a Claude Code / Cowork skill that loads the hard-won knowledge your agent needs to use these tools without crashing the editor or wasting hours on silent-fail APIs. ECABridge is the plugin (what tools exist); ue5-mcp is the field manual (which calls actually work, which crash, and the workarounds). Install both.

Features

• 390+ MCP tools organized by category
• 12 Rosetta Stone commands — full JSON dumps of assets, blueprints, levels, materials, Niagara, sequencer, widgets, animation, MetaSound, and DataTables
• 6 workflow commands — project overview, cross-blueprint search, asset validation, snapshot/diff, undo-batching, class hierarchy
• 5 refactoring commands — replace references, bulk rename, search-and-replace properties, world settings
• 5 advanced system commands — landscape, source control, PCG graphs, Control Rig, Gameplay Ability System
• 22 MetaHuman commands — full procedural pipeline from asset creation through cloud texture/rig through groom attachment and outfit tinting
• 5 Enhanced Input commands — actions, mapping contexts, key bindings
• 2 Niagara Data Channel commands — create and dump cross-system data channels
• HTTP/SSE MCP server on localhost:3000 (Streamable HTTP transport)
• UE 5.7 compatible (built and tested against 5.7.4)
• No engine modifications — drop-in plugin

Rosetta Stone: Deep Introspection

LLMs can't read binary .uasset or .umap files. These commands serialize UE5 assets into structured JSON, making any asset fully legible in a single MCP call:

# See everything about a material
dump_asset(asset_path="/Game/Materials/M_Hero")

# Search for all blueprints in a folder
find_assets(class_filter="Blueprint", path_filter="/Game/Blueprints/")

# Read the full node graph of a blueprint
dump_blueprint_graph(blueprint_path="/Game/Blueprints/BP_Enemy")

# Get all actors in the current level (lightweight mode)
dump_level(max_actors=100)

# What would break if I changed this texture?
get_asset_references(asset_path="/Game/Textures/T_Hero_D", direction="referencers")

# Full Niagara system with module stacks and renderers
dump_niagara_system(system_path="/Game/Effects/NS_Fire")

# Read a complete sequencer timeline with keyframes
dump_level_sequence(sequence_path="/Game/Cinematics/MySeq")

# Inspect a widget tree hierarchy
dump_widget_tree(widget_path="/Game/UI/WBP_MainMenu")

Command Categories

Quick Start

1. Copy the plugin folder to your project's Plugins/ directory
2. Add to your .uproject:

   {"Name": "ECABridge", "Enabled": true}
   

3. Build and launch the editor
4. ECABridge starts automatically on localhost:3000

Claude Desktop Config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ue5": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "http://localhost:3000/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Test with curl

# Initialize MCP session
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/mcp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{"protocolVersion":"2025-03-26","capabilities":{},"clientInfo":{"name":"test","version":"1.0"}}}'

# List all tools
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/mcp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":2,"method":"tools/list"}'

# Spawn a cube
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/mcp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":3,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"create_actor","arguments":{"actor_type":"StaticMeshActor","name":"MyCube","location":{"x":0,"y":0,"z":100},"mesh":"/Engine/BasicShapes/Cube"}}}'

Mutable Character Customization

The plugin includes 15 commands for Epic's Mutable (Customizable Object) system, enabling AI-driven character creation:

# Create a customizable object
create_co → add_co_node → set_co_node_property → connect_co_nodes → compile_co

# Modify characters at runtime
set_co_instance_param(actor_name="CharacterActor", param_name="Body Type 1", param_value="Strong")
set_co_instance_param(actor_name="CharacterActor", param_name="Skin Tone", param_value=0.5)
set_co_instance_param(actor_name="CharacterActor", param_name="Head Accessories", param_value="Helmet")

Level Sequencer

6 commands for cinematic creation:

create_level_sequence → add_sequence_camera → add_sequence_transform_key → play_sequence

MetaHuman: Zero-Touch Procedural Character Creation

22 commands that drive Epic's MetaHuman Character pipeline end-to-end from natural-language prompts. No UI clicks required (after Epic sign-in).

Extending MetaHuman support? Read docs/METAHUMAN.md first — it points to the canonical technical reference with the reflection patterns, the Collection+Instance groom flow, the EMetaHumanCharacterSkinPreviewMaterial enum inversion gotcha, Epic sign-in requirements, and every 5.7 API pitfall we've already walked into. Copy the patterns; don't reinvent them.

The full pipeline:

create_metahuman(package_path="/Game/Characters", asset_name="MH_Hero")

describe_metahuman(character_path=".../MH_Hero",
  description="tall muscular with vivid purple hair and green eyes and light freckled skin")
  # matches: body, skin, eyes, hair keywords → sets 7+ properties

set_metahuman_face_preset(character_path=".../MH_Hero",
  preset_path="/MetaHumanCharacter/Optional/Presets/Grace")
  # 29 preset faces: Ada, Bruce, Celeste, Dominic, Grace, Isaiah, Jelena, Kelvin, Lorenzo, ...

set_metahuman_body_type(character_path=".../MH_Hero", body_type="f_tal_nrw")
  # 18 body presets: {gender}_{height}_{weight}, e.g. m_tal_ovw, f_med_nrw

set_metahuman_body_constraints(character_path=".../MH_Hero", constraints=[
  {name: "Height", target_measurement: 178, active: true},
  {name: "Chest",  target_measurement: 94,  active: true},
  {name: "Waist",  target_measurement: 72,  active: true}
])  # 30 parametric body dimensions in cm

set_metahuman_makeup(character_path=".../MH_Hero",
  lip_type="Natural", lip_color={r:0.5,g:0.15,b:0.2,a:1},
  eye_type="SoftSmokey", blush_type="Apple")

set_metahuman_preview_mode(character_path=".../MH_Hero", mode="skin")
open_metahuman_editor(character_path=".../MH_Hero")
download_metahuman_textures(character_path=".../MH_Hero")  # cloud — needs Epic sign-in
rig_metahuman(character_path=".../MH_Hero", rig_type="full") # cloud

attach_metahuman_groom(slot_name="Hair",
  wardrobe_item_path="/MetaHumanCharacter/Optional/Grooms/Bindings/Hair/WI_Hair_L_Straight")
attach_metahuman_groom(slot_name="Eyebrows",
  wardrobe_item_path="/MetaHumanCharacter/Optional/Grooms/Bindings/Eyebrows/WI_Eyebrows_M_Dense")
# 96 hair/beard/eyebrow/eyelash grooms ship with the engine

refresh_metahuman_preview(character_path=".../MH_Hero")
spawn_metahuman_actor(character_path=".../MH_Hero")
tint_metahuman_outfit(actor_name="MetaHumanDefaultEditorPipelineActor0",
  shirt_color={r:0.6,g:0.1,b:0.1,a:1})

take_metahuman_editor_screenshot(character_path=".../MH_Hero",
  file_path="D:/Screenshots/Hero.png")

Photo → MetaHuman workflow: pair Claude's vision with the MetaHuman commands. The AI analyzes a photo, extracts features (skin tone, hair style, face shape, beard, etc.), picks the closest preset from Epic's 29, attaches matching grooms, and builds a photo-inspired character. Not a perfect likeness (that needs Epic's Mesh-to-MetaHuman scan pipeline) but genuinely readable.

Commands: create, dump, describe, set_property, preview_mode, open_editor, build, download_textures, rig, spawn_actor, get/set_body_constraints, set_body_type, attach_groom, list_grooms, list_presets, set_face_preset, set_makeup, refresh_preview, take_editor_screenshot, tint_outfit.

Requires: Epic sign-in (click the person icon in the MetaHuman editor toolbar) for cloud operations — texture synthesis and auto-rigging both hit Epic's MetaHuman service.

Things to Try

Once the editor is running with ECABridge loaded, point your AI agent at it and try these:

See your whole level as JSON for the first time:

dump_level(max_actors=200)

Reverse-engineer any Blueprint without opening the editor:

dump_blueprint_graph(blueprint_path="/Game/Blueprints/BP_PlayerCharacter")

Understand a material's full node graph:

dump_material_graph(material_path="/Game/Materials/M_Landscape")

Find every asset of a type and then deep-dive one:

find_assets(class_filter="NiagaraSystem", path_filter="/Game/Effects/")
dump_niagara_system(system_path="/Game/Effects/NS_Explosion")

Check what would break before you change something:

get_asset_references(asset_path="/Game/Textures/T_BaseColor", direction="referencers", depth=2)

Read back a cinematic you built, keyframes and all:

dump_level_sequence(sequence_path="/Game/Cinematics/Intro", include_keyframes=true)

Inspect a UI widget tree hierarchy:

dump_widget_tree(widget_path="/Game/UI/WBP_HUD")

See an Animation Blueprint's state machine structure:

dump_animation_blueprint(anim_bp_path="/Game/Characters/ABP_Mannequin")

Dump a DataTable — schema and all rows at once:

dump_datatable(asset_path="/Game/Data/DT_WeaponStats")

Serialize any asset you can't otherwise read:

dump_asset(asset_path="/Game/SomeOpaqueAsset", include_thumbnail=true)

Get a bird's-eye view of an unfamiliar project:

get_project_overview(path="/Game/", max_depth=3)

Find every Blueprint that calls a specific function:

search_blueprint_usage(search_term="SetActorLocation", path_filter="/Game/Blueprints/")

Understand a class before you use it:

get_class_hierarchy(class_name="Character", include_functions=true)

Validate your work after making changes:

validate_asset(asset_path="/Game/Blueprints/BP_Enemy")

Track what changed — snapshot before, diff after:

snapshot_asset(asset_path="/Game/Materials/M_Hero")
# ...make changes...
diff_asset(asset_path="/Game/Materials/M_Hero", snapshot_id="<id from snapshot>")

Batch multiple operations into a single undo step:

batch_operation(
  description="Setup enemy spawner",
  commands=[
    {name: "create_actor", arguments: {actor_type: "StaticMeshActor", name: "Spawner", ...}},
    {name: "set_actor_material", arguments: {actor_name: "Spawner", material_path: "..."}},
    {name: "add_actor_tag", arguments: {actor_name: "Spawner", tag: "EnemySpawn"}}
  ]
)

Swap all references to one asset with another (safe refactoring):

replace_asset_references(old_asset_path="/Game/Materials/M_Old", new_asset_path="/Game/Materials/M_New", dry_run=true)

Bulk rename assets with find/replace:

bulk_rename_assets(path_filter="/Game/Textures/", find="T_Old", replace="T_New", dry_run=true)

Change a property on every actor of a class at once:

search_and_replace_property(class_filter="PointLight", property_name="Intensity", find_value="5000", replace_value="3000")

Read or change world settings:

get_world_settings()
set_world_settings(property="KillZ", value="-10000")

Understand a class hierarchy before working with it:

get_class_hierarchy(class_name="Character", include_functions=true)

Inspect landscape terrain — components, layers, material:

dump_landscape()

Check source control status for pending changes:

get_source_control_status(path_filter="/Game/", include_unchanged=false)

Dump a PCG graph — all nodes, edges, parameters:

dump_pcg_graph(graph_path="/Game/PCG/PCGG_ForestSpawner")

Read a Control Rig's hierarchy (bones, controls, nulls):

dump_control_rig(rig_path="/Game/Characters/CR_Mannequin")

Inspect a Gameplay Ability / Effect / AttributeSet:

dump_gameplay_ability(asset_path="/Game/GAS/GA_Fireball")

Create a MetaHuman procedurally from natural language:

create_metahuman(package_path="/Game/Characters", asset_name="MH_Kai")
describe_metahuman(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai",
  description="tall muscular dark-skinned man with brown eyes and black hair")
set_metahuman_face_preset(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai",
  preset_path="/MetaHumanCharacter/Optional/Presets/Kelvin")
set_metahuman_body_type(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai", body_type="m_tal_ovw")
open_metahuman_editor(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai")
download_metahuman_textures(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai")  # Epic cloud
rig_metahuman(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai", rig_type="full") # Epic cloud
attach_metahuman_groom(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai", slot_name="Hair",
  wardrobe_item_path="/MetaHumanCharacter/Optional/Grooms/Bindings/Hair/WI_Hair_S_CurlyFade")
attach_metahuman_groom(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai", slot_name="Beard",
  wardrobe_item_path="/MetaHumanCharacter/Optional/Grooms/Bindings/Beards/WI_Beard_L_Full")
refresh_metahuman_preview(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Kai")

Discover what groom assets you have available:

list_metahuman_grooms()  # Groups 96 engine-shipped wardrobe items by slot
list_metahuman_presets() # Lists the 29 preset faces

Morph a MetaHuman's body with 30 parametric dimensions:

get_metahuman_body_constraints(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Hero")
set_metahuman_body_constraints(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Hero", constraints=[
  {name: "Height", target_measurement: 185, active: true},
  {name: "Chest",  target_measurement: 108, active: true},
  {name: "Thigh",  target_measurement: 62,  active: true}
])

Apply Hollywood makeup in one call:

set_metahuman_makeup(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Hero",
  lip_type="Hollywood", lip_color={r:0.5,g:0.1,b:0.15,a:1},
  eye_type="SoftSmokey", blush_type="Apple", foundation=true)

Drop a MetaHuman into the level and tint their outfit per-actor:

spawn_metahuman_actor(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Hero")
tint_metahuman_outfit(actor_name="MetaHumanDefaultEditorPipelineActor0",
  shirt_color={r:0.1,g:0.3,b:0.8,a:1})

Capture the MetaHuman editor tab remotely:

take_metahuman_editor_screenshot(character_path="/Game/Characters/MH_Hero",
  file_path="D:/Shots/hero.png")

Photo → MetaHuman (with Claude's vision in the loop): Share a photo with your AI agent. It analyzes the image (skin tone, hair, face shape, beard, etc.), picks the closest face preset, attaches matching grooms, and builds a photo-inspired MetaHuman. Not a perfect likeness — that requires Epic's Mesh-to-MetaHuman scan tool — but genuinely recognizable.

Build an input system from scratch:

create_input_action(asset_path="/Game/Input/IA_Jump", value_type="Digital")
create_input_mapping_context(asset_path="/Game/Input/IMC_Gameplay")
add_input_mapping(context_path="/Game/Input/IMC_Gameplay",
                  action_path="/Game/Input/IA_Jump", key="SpaceBar")
dump_input_mapping_context(context_path="/Game/Input/IMC_Gameplay")

Create a Niagara Data Channel for cross-system communication:

create_niagara_data_channel(
  asset_path="/Game/FX/NDC_Hits",
  variables=[{name: "Position", type: "Vector"}, {name: "Damage", type: "Float"}]
)

Requirements

• Unreal Engine 5.7+
• Visual Studio 2022 (for building)
• For Mutable commands: Mutable plugin enabled
• For MetaHuman commands: MetaHumanCharacter plugin enabled

License

Internal use — Agile Lens / ibrews