Project : Visual scripting exercice
Engine : Unreal Engine
Platforms : PC
Status : Working prototype
Date : 2021
What is this project?
This project is a game prototype based on a Third Person rolling ball type of gameplay.
I wanted to (re)learn basics about visual scripting and go even further to strengthen my skills. It was a good opportunity to improve my understanding of some of Unreal’s tools, visual scripting logic, component’s arrangement etc.
Why was it worth?
After getting this project done, I’m feeling really confident when thinking about making functional customizable systems, mechanics and prototyping new things in Unreal blueprints/visual scripting!
Some details about what I've done
CONTROLS & PHYSICS
360° pawn movements
Pawn movement abilities, affected by torque force applied to the ball.
Also have ability to jump, wall jump & ground detection.
Camera movements
Able to fully rotate the camera around the ball with movement behind behind binded to camera forward vector, being very intuitive.
INTERACTIONS
There are several different interactive items in the prototype such as coins, bombs and health items.
Each of those items share the same trait, they are pick-ups.
Considering this fact, I built a base Pickup parent class which would define a pickup’s base behavior.
Each pickup comes with its type and values, contained within itself and communicating these to the pickup base.
SYSTEMS
Saving/Loading states
Between each level, variables are stocked into save states.
When entering a new level, this saved state is loaded.
Dynamic scoring system
Picking a coin will add a custom amount to the player’s score.
By counting dynamically every collectible coin located in a level, the scoring HUD can show the player’s progress inside the current level.
The point system is flexible, changing it won’t break the progress HUD or score count.
Dynamic Health system
Basic health system with Healing collectibles that can replenish it.
An HUD element does show your health dynamically.
Getting it to 0 would restart the current level.
OTHERS
Procedural fence spawning tool
I made a little script which procedurally creates a fence, using a starting & final point. Filling up the desired distance with the assigned model.
It can support rotation too.
This little addition made the levels construction even faster (and fun!).
Some Blueprints examples
Building a Pickup base
BP_Coin
When the Ball controller overlaps with a pickup, it will trigger the OnPickup function.
The child blueprint (Coin pickup here) will achieve a specific task until going back to its parent, the PickupBase blueprint, to continue with the common pickup behavior. In this case, the coin pickup will increment the score.
BP_PickupBase
Door with a linked button
Simple puzzle where a button opens a door.
When the Ball controller overlaps with the button, it will trigger a timeline that will move each of these elements and change materials
BP_DoorPuzzle
Timeline Door & Button