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, scripting logic, component’s arrangement etc.
Why was it worth?
After getting this project done, I’m feeling really confident when thinking about prototyping new or known mechanics & systems in Unreal blueprints/visual scripting!
Some details about what I've done
Here I will describe you some things I scripted in this project, they will be separated in 4 parts :
Controls & Physics – Interactions – Systems – Others
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
Class based interactions scripting
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.
Various items content
Each interactive item will have a specific behavior when picked up.
They all come with a set of sound, visual effects & animations.
Environment interactions
Using basic interaction systems, I created simple ‘puzzle’ situation based on environment interactions.
( Buttons, jump pads… )
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
By counting dynamically every collectible coin located in a level, the scoring HUD can show the player’s progress inside the current level.
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.