Unreal Engine - Turn Based Game Fundamentals (1/3)

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the fundamentals of creating a turn-based game using Unreal Engine. By following these steps, you will learn key concepts and techniques that are essential for developing a turn-based game, including setting up the game environment and handling player turns.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Project

1. Open Unreal Engine and create a new project.
2. Select the "Games" category and choose "Blank" as your project type.
3. Ensure the "Blueprint" option is enabled, as we will utilize Blueprints for scripting.
4. Name your project (e.g., TurnBasedGame) and choose a location to save it.
5. Click "Create" to set up your new project.

Tips

• Choose a template that fits your game style if you prefer to start with pre-existing assets.
• Familiarize yourself with the Unreal Engine interface for easier navigation.

Step 2: Creating the Game Board

1. In the Content Browser, create a new folder named "GameBoard."
2. Right-click in the folder and select "Blueprint Class."
3. Choose "Actor" as the parent class and name it "GameBoard."
4. Open the GameBoard Blueprint and add a Static Mesh component to represent the board.
   • You can use a simple cube or a custom mesh for visual representation.
5. Set the scale of the board to fit your game's dimensions.

Practical Advice

• Use a grid system for your board to help manage player movement and actions.
• Consider using colored materials to differentiate between different areas on the board.

Step 3: Implementing Player Turns

1. Create a new Blueprint class named "PlayerController."
2. In the PlayerController Blueprint, create a variable named "CurrentPlayer" to track whose turn it is.

Set up a function called "NextTurn" that

• Switches the "CurrentPlayer" variable to the next player in the turn order.
3. Call this function after each player's action to ensure turns are managed correctly.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Ensure that your turn logic resets correctly after each round.
• Test the turn switching to avoid scenarios where multiple players act simultaneously.

Step 4: Adding Player Actions

1. In the PlayerController Blueprint, create a function for player actions (e.g., "PerformAction").
2. Define the types of actions available (e.g., move, attack) and create corresponding functions for each action.
3. Set up input bindings in the Project Settings to allow players to trigger actions using keyboard or controller inputs.

Real-World Application

• Consider implementing a visual feedback system (like animations) to indicate the action being performed by a player.

Conclusion

This tutorial introduced the foundational steps to create a turn-based game in Unreal Engine. You learned how to set up your project, create the game board, manage player turns, and implement player actions. As you advance, consider exploring additional features like AI opponents, complex movement systems, and user interfaces to enhance your game. Happy developing!