This week, after numerous attempts to refine the grappling hook mechanic in Unreal Engine, I decided to pivot. The transition was driven by both technical challenges and workflow frustrations. I chose Unity as my new starting point, largely because of its more accessible C# scripting and the abundance of clear, beginner-friendly guides available.

Once I made the switch, progress came quickly. I rebuilt most of my grappling hook functionality within a simple test layout. The player character can now sprint, jump, crouch, and a shoot the grappling hook using left click. The hook connects to surfaces, allows for swinging, and can be retracted mid-swing by pressing the spacebar, which adds acceleration to the movement and gives the swing a more dynamic feel.

Although the environment is basic for now, this rebuild has brought more stability and control to the overall movement system. The next steps will focus on improving the feel of the rope physics and building out more environments to test gameplay flow.