Month 2 of Project Leumen Dev

Project Leumen is slowly coming along! Above you should see a gallery of a lot of, but not all, the game assets I've gotten done over the last 2 months, but for the time. Later this month I'll have some videos going up showing my progress and talking about what I'm doing! For now, here are days 32-53!

Day 32

Today I finally made my first set of 100% unassisted code off of all the various systems I've been working on. I used the variable currenthealth to check for the health of an enemy every tick and then when they die, they drop items using the AC_Lootcomponent and AC_Inventory component I've added to them from the inventory system.

Making progress on vendors as well. A lot of this rudimentary stuff I think I can more or less just get in place, now it's a matter of starting to actually make the rest of the game's systems and things like weapons.

I'm also starting to set up damagetypes, specifically as of right now:

Physical

Magic

Energy

Day 33

I updated a ton of blueprints, including adding damage types using the project settings and a bunch of other things. Combined the code I made yesterday for inventory/loot dropping and put it at the end of event takeanydamage + dealt with the associated logic.

Tomorrow I'll be making new weapons (probably 2-3) and go from there. One magic, one energy and one mixed damage type weapon (maybe on the alst one, not sure about that one.)

This is going to all be posted on worldwalkeruniverse.com today just to show how things are being worked on, but this is a great start!

Day 34

Today I added magic weapons to the game and an associated projectile. Tested all their damage calculations, which are working properly (thankfully!)

Then I started looking at fixing animation blueprints so that my character actually aims with his gun out. This is going to be a longer process and will be the next thing I work on, as currently testing aiming is extremely annoying due to the fact that I don't have a proper aim offset/aiming functionality.

I'm not quite sure how I'll be implementing this yet, I think I'll probably look into grabbing some lyra assets and then going from there but first I apparently need to get a version of visual studio installed on this laptop (which I thought I had already) to actually get a lyra project started. I will probably only be using the actual aiming animations from lyra.

I'm starting to get a lot of really basic functionalities done though. I think I'll worry about doing AI last and for now just work with this single AI fleshoid I have. Get all of my items done, get my vendors done, get the “hub” area done and all the features associated with that (including unlocks) and then go from there.

Day 35

Worked more on the health system, added new variables like maxhealth which is the max health of a character. Then created equipment which can change your current max health as well as meat that can heal you for 50 health. This is just for now as this is all easily editable throughout different pieces of equipment and items.

I have finally added my first “trinket” to the game, fleshoidfinger.

This item adds HP when equipped, currently + 50. We don't really have an armor value yet/resistance values as a whole yet. This will eventually change. As of right now, I know I can make character models change size and I can increase/decrease max hp. I'd like to have another that does more damage at the expense of HP.

Now this glowing fleshoid finger, henceforth GFF, is going to be a key item for just working on these systems in the future. I've also added that new maxhealth variable to the current widget BP I'm doing, however I'm not going to work too much on this for now – maybe some small fixes tomorrow, as I've already noticed some gamebreaking glitches such as the removal of the max hp duplicating (probably needs a do once node, a node which gasps makes something only get done once.)

Day 36

Started working on more items, fixed a glitch with the whole maxhealth thing going up and up and up NONSTOP. Likewise, set up a layered blend per bone for the ABP which will let everything work properly so that the legs move while the aim offset from the spine_01 upward. I also added the pistol mesh and I have a few pistol animations I can retarget.

Now I need to look into properly setting up multiple aimoffsets for specifically the ranged weapons, maybe the melee weapons...which isn't hard. I'm not sure if I'm going to have melee attacks animation lock the entire body (think elden ring/monster hunter but more simplified) or have the upper body attack while the legs can move (think fortnite/overwatch.)

Day 37

Today was all animation work – figuring out how to get things blending properly, getting a working replicated aimoffset, etc. Things are mostly set up (at least alright for the time being) but I do have some issues.

To test the animations I have to disable use controller yaw and orient rotation to movement. This will let me see hand placements on guns by spinning around in-game. Otherwise, my camera follows the direction I look. Which to be fair is what I need for a third person shooter. Right now, idle animations don't actually aim – so I either need to add a button to aim or I just need to make the idle animations standing still shooting. I also still need to add actual firing animations to the character so it looks like guns have some recoil.

Some replication isn't actually working properly either, when I play an unequip or equip animation the client just sort of jumps between items instead of playing the pullout or putaway animation. This means it's not being replicated properly, but I'm not sure where the issue is. All the variables look like they're replicated. It could just be that this system doesn't have the variable replicated (for some reason) and as such I'll just need to make a replication montage, which should be super easy.

There's also issues with turning, it's not smooth – I think it's due to the way the legs are set up currently. I gotta fix this.

Day 38

Today I did a lot of research on line tracing because I'm having an issue where projectiles aren't actually going to my crosshair, but are shooting straight out of the muzzle of my gun. While this is the most realistic looking, in terms of actual gameplay I need the projectile to actually hit the crosshair in the center of my screen.

I've made 3 different blueprints, none of which work. I need to work more on this tomorrow, this ate up like 4 hours of my time. I need a solution for this tomorrow, so tomorrow will be dedicated to fixing this.

Day 39-42

I figured it out. It's imperfect, it's stupid, but it works. The logic is as follows – I run the first line trace on the client, wherever the client is looking.

Then, the SERVER gets their muzzle location – since the server should have the properly location of all characters at all times.

THEN it calls a projectile from that location to the first line trace. Again, it's super jank, but I think this works for now. Words cannot describe my annoyance at how long it took to figure this out, as many of the tutorials online did not make much sense...so I basically did it alone, using some brain power and a lot of guessing.

Today, specifically, I'm working on adding a healing system (more food/health items) and destructible walls. This has, unfortunately, crashed my shitty laptop about 3 times now (PAIN)

I need a new portable computer.

Day 43

I got a lot done tonight

1: I figured out how to actually apply different gameplay tags using nodes. This unfortunately still uses casting, but that's alright – it makes it so that I can edit basically everything on the fly resistance-wise, allowing our equipment system to edit the stats of every character.

I created 3 backpack items

> Physical shield

> Energy shield

> Magic shield

I also created a speed trinket, which lets players run VERY slightly faster. There will be better versions of this, but similar to the fleshoid finger I had to let it access stuff on the character, in this case the movement component. All of this stuff was hard to set up but pretty fun, and I'm actually really starting to enjoy the actual process of just making things in unreal engine 5 now. I guess I'm finally starting to actually just get comfortable enough.

I also didn't even watch any tutorials for this code, I did all of it BY MYSELF. Do you have any idea how awesome that feels? Like I still don't know everything obviously, and I'm pigybacking off the equipment system I bought, but I'm really starting to understand things now and I can literally feel myself getting better and better with the program. That's a VERY cool feeling and something I wasn't sure I was capable of. It's amazing what publishing my first book did for my confidence, I feel like I can take on any challenge!!

Day 44

Today was mostly just setting up some basic vendors. I'm still trying to figure out economy, which is gonna take some time to do as enemy loot pools will play a part in that. I want all enemies to have at least 1 rare drop, either weapon or equipment, 1 common drop that's weapon or equipment, and then currency they drop. I think this will make killing enemies worthwhile. Perhaps they can drop crafting materials to make custom weapons with using data + those items? I have a built-in premade crafting system in this pack I bought, I could see what's doable with that. This could literally let us combine equipment to make stronger equipment, for example.

I think we may have some sort of overall “hotel happiness” meter, but that's gonna take a while to figure out. What that will do is as you damage the hotel, kill enemies and just spend time doing objectives there, the hotel will grow more and more irritable until it spawns “defenders” to protect itself.

Day 44

Today I made a breakable wall (I made one previously and I don't think I wrote about it) using a projectile, however this needs a lot of work. I'm working on a new weapon that shoots out a shockwave which knocks back enemies and breaks breakable environment pieces, however I'm still kind of figuring this out.

I have a few main things I need to focus on tomorrow now that I have the basics of my gameplay systems in place.

1: Coming up with some new/more items

2: Deciding on if I'm going to add crafting (I think I am.)

3: Look for animations or make animations for my characters. Maybe downloading the animations of mixamo? Not sure.

4: Finish working on breakable wall/launching weapon. This is really bothering me and I want to get it done.

Day 45

I made a cube that falls down and hits things, then kills it...THE PROBLEM IS THE CUBE JUST SEEMS TO FUCKING DELETE THE THING FROM THE WORLD, WHICH IS NOT WHAT I WANT

IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME

It's using the same goddamn damage system. The collision should be right. But it just deletes the enemy instantly when it touches them. If it does less damage, it hits the enemy multiple times...AND THEN DELETES THEM.

WHY? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?

It's something with the fucking physics. I know it is. BUT WHAT?

Day 46-50

I've been bad about keeping up with the dev log because I've spent so much time just actually working on stuff. Allow me to give the long list of things I've done.

1. I fixed the collision – the box was larger than the actual collision component. And I had to keep the actual mesh small so the bullet actually effects the physics in the game world. What I did was scale it in the game world but keep the base mesh small, and by doing this I can now shoot the cube and crush the enemy. It works PERFECTLY for the most part, although sometimes it's a bit laggy (mostly due to my horribly dog shit laptop.) The reason this was so hard to figure out is because ALL my collision settings were right, but I couldn't actually SEE the cube collision component BECAUSE IT WAS INSIDE THE CUBE.

2. I then, on day 47, realized EVERYTHING WAS NOT REPLICATING.

3. I HAD TO REDO EVERY SINGLE ITEM I MADE INCLUDING RESISTANCES, HEALING ITEMS AND MORE. THIS TOOK FOREVER AND I WANT TO DIE. The way I fixed all of this was by using blueprint interfaces which call things on the actual individual characters so that character clients actually update and not just the server gets various stat buffs. This was a huge problem as for a while only the server was getting my buffs like resist changes, healing,etc. This took MULTIPLE DAYS, but I finally got it working, although I have no idea how good/bad it actually is.

4. I started adding crafting.

5. I added a new map, but I'm going to need to work more on it once I get lighting because right now it does not look proper.

6. New crafted weapon called a fleshgun. You can shoot with it and heal a little bit. This gun is actually how I figured out my replication was not working as it was ONLY healing the server, not the clients using it when necessary. This uses a gun, data and the fleshoid finger currently. But yeah that will probably change eventually.

7. I added a temporary energy gun.

8. This energy gun will be used to test energy damage resistances.

9. Started adding fishing, as fishing will be in this game – semi-core mechanic? I don't know for sure. I know fish will be used as items and currency. Some will also give data for purchasing things.

10. I've also started slowly working on melee, I have a really bad animation started up.

11. I added destructible walls, but it's not perfect – in fact it has a lot of issues and probably needs a ton of revamping.

12. Added the living painting enemy, working on setting that up.

Day 51

Today I worked on my fishing system, which is horribly messed up in every which way. I grabbed a FAB asset and of course, it wasn't replicated properly despite being advertised as replicated. I got every part of it working and changed a ton of stuff in the system too. Thought maybe I messed something up. Lo and behold, no – even on a blank project the client can only fish one time before every time they fish it automatically fails them.

Very annoying. So I started doing more work on the living painting enemy and the falling/crushing chandelier. Not perfect, but it's relatively working in regards to the chandelier – although I wish I had more explosion effects to replicate it breaking. Maybe I can literally make it shatter.

If this fishing system doesn't work, I'm going to deconstruct it myself and make my OWN system just using it as a building block. I'll basically read the blueprints, completely take them apart and go from there. I don't WANT to do this because this will take a LOT of time, and incorporating this system will already take long enough on its own.

Day 52

Alright well the fishing system is good to go mostly! Now I gotta get my own animations and fish assets in here but I think we're more or less set, which is actually fantastic. It'll still require a ton more tinkering (fish spawn rates, making different pools of water/what they drop, etc) but I'm VERY happy with this.

Likewise I'm starting to work on melee animations. I'd like to tie hitboxes to each individual weapon without doing a ton of casting. Animations are currently triggered via the equipment event function, but I'll be 100% honest with you I might forgo this specifically for melee weapons and some other components to give each weapon it's own animations, hitboxes, etc.

Also, I now have an advanced movement component – and I'm using a new tick called “override global orientation” when aiming. I might make this a possible freecam though when you hit a button, allowing players to look around but disabling all other inputs. Not sure yet. Likewise, a swap to first person boolean has been added which I'll eventually mess with.

Day 53

Today I started on my melee system...and it went poorly. I basically got nothing done in 3 hours, which hurts my soul. But that's just the way it is sometimes, unfortunately! I'm gonna try and get this working when I get home, but there's no guarantee I will. I did fix it when I got home! It's mostly working, although there are still some issues with it. But that's for tomorrow!

Thanks for reading dev log 2!