Mecha Runner - UE4 level scripting study

KimKwanbo

It is my first time posting any thread on polycount, hello to all.
I recently started studying on UE4 blueprint, and just wanted to share my progression on creating a project with blueprints. Since I have no experience, any tips or help would be nice.

So first off, I would like to make a mockup/ list on what I plan to do.
I plan to create 3D rush game where a character jumps to proceed from platform to platform. The platform where the character stands on will collapse after certain seconds after the character steps on it.

Here is the brief concept idea about my game. 


Logic needed for the game algorithm.
1. Main menu- Stage mode/ unlocking various stages
2. In game – Patterns of platforms/ player passing through the level
3. Multiple stages, adding new features as further the stage goes.

Game design
- Models
-Basic platform
-Player character
-Broad background model
-2 models that fits the scene floating around
-special platforms that has different system
-moving, spikes, accelerated, slowdown, etc…

- Textures
-Simple flat color textures for the models above

- Animations
-Character animation (movement, stay still, jumping, falling)
-Platform animation (collapsing, shaking)
-Animation for obstacles

- Effects
-Special effects for certain obstacles (perhaps laser trap and such)
-sounds effect
-Background music, jump sound, trap sounds, platform/ character falling sound

These settings may be modified.

KimKwanbo

Here are the updated stuffs I've done so far. 
I've tried out several background models (something like skysphere) and eventually just chose blank void like space and discarded previous ones.
(since the industrial visuals that were made weren't showing from the game camera view)

After these, I created a concept art for the assets in the game, modeling them in 3D. I've unwrapped some and I am testing out simple texturing.

KimKwanbo

For this week, I paused for the art part for a moment and worked on the scripting part of the game. I worked on the platform, which is the core part of the game. So far, I made a script that enables the platform to move along the track i create, able to set it loop or one way, and able to keep it where it is as well. When the player steps on it, the platform falls after few seconds. 

The movement part of the script was referenced from a tutorial, however, it has been customized and created by my own with full understanding of the original script. 

Obscura

Nice learning project. Keep going!

KimKwanbo

I continued working on the blueprint part of the game, fixing some problems regarding the moving platform and adding some new features, etc.
First thing fixed with the platform is that now it falls correctly after the player steps on it. Previously, it used to glitch terribly because it was trying to follow the track while it was falling. I also implemented tiling script to platform, allowing me to easily create level out of them. 

For the character, I've made it available to jump.


As for the types of platform, there are 3 so far - moving(falls), falling platform and none falling platform.
Also, you can choose the type of tiles out from none falling, falling and empty pitch.

KimKwanbo

For this week, not much has been accomplished due to the problem that occurred. First thing that has been implemented newly is that there is restart system in the game now. When the player falls, the game will restart shortly. Also, I have changed the angle of the camera. 

The problem is that the level I was creating by labeling platforms as pit and otherwise that has specific order, got all jumbled up at randomized when I reopened the project after saving. (The platform that was invisible becoming visible, and vise versa, ruining the whole level that was created.)
This has happened twice, and I still haven't figured out what is triggering this issue. One certain thing is that quite a lot of work and time put to create the base level has gone in to the ruins. 


(hard to see that the game restarted because the gif is repeating itself, but the character returns to the starting point when it dies.)

KimKwanbo

This time I've discovered the problem that was messing up the level. Basically, the platforms are duplicated in the format of 'name_number'. In which when the project is reopened, the modification that was done in the correct order of numbers gets redone in order of name_1, name_10~19, name_100~, name_2 ... and so on. Resulting the mixed ordering of the level. To solve this problem, I made a for loop that adds +1 for each loop, and made the platforms work when the number outcome matches with it's platform number. With this, the problem was solved.

For art wise, I modified some models, textured them and added them to the project. Also made some particles as well.

            
Cannon - Shoots cannons / Turbine obstacle


Electricity Obstacle




As the screenshot shows, the electricity particles are stuck to target mesh, in which when the mesh moves the particle follows.
However, the platforms that move by path blueprint seems to not compile well with it. Since in game they do not get attached to the mesh.

KimKwanbo

Alright, so for this week, I've solved the problem with the electric particle not following the mesh. Instead of using blueprint track system, I changed to matinee to move the platform (just for the electricity ones). And now the particle moves along without problem. 
The game restarts if u touch the electricity.



I also added the wind turbine to work, that if player gets near it, the speed of the player gets slowed down.

KimKwanbo

For this week, I worked on different part, which was to enable the menu and starting screen. For now, I simply tested so that you can start a level from start screen and go back to start screen through menu in the game. More things will be added later- such as choosing different level and artsy design for the HUD etc.