Hello, hello, hello.
I’ve separated everything into sections so everyone can jump straight to whatever interests them most.
<strong>Additions and improvements</strong>
-Added weapon customization system
-Added helmet module selection system (perks)
-Created curved distortion effect for the HUD
-Added distance meter in location selection
-Optimized enemy CPU load (mainly by disabling procedural movement and other unnecessary processes at distance)
<strong>Design reflections</strong>
I’ve been thinking quite a lot about the game’s structure.
While testing, I realized that once the support packages arrive and the player returns to the bunker, following the world first design logic, extraction should happen as soon as possible.
It would not make much sense to force three or more filler objectives just to artificially extend the experience. That would only weaken the main tension of the moment.
At the same time, I also realized that the player needs a short preparation phase.
That is why, before extraction, the player will receive a small customization package for the Sturmgewehr 44.
The rifle will feature 3 customization layers, each with 2 possible variations.
For example:
Choosing between a laser sight or an attached flashlight
In addition, I have designed 3 helmet expansion modules (perks), inspired by different military doctrines from the central Oberkommando.
Reconnaissance
Focused on improving environmental awareness and detection.
Intelligence
Focused on tactical information and anticipation.
Shock Forces
Designed for a more aggressive and direct approach.
The idea is simple.
I want to give the player a brief moment to stop and think:
“This is the loadout I have chosen to escape.”
I do not want this section to feel generic.
<strong>Technical side</strong>
Since the weapon customization system was never meant to scale to multiple weapons or a large number of components, it was relatively straightforward to design.
I was able to avoid dealing with:
data tables
complex structures
overly abstract modular logic
Instead, I went for something much more direct and practical.
The truly infernal part was drawing those cursed connection lines on screen.
Finding a way to make them work properly with: the camera, the locomotion system rotation, the projection of the 3D weapon onto the HUD
was quite a battle.
In the end, I solved it in a rather brute force way. I temporarily removed possession from the player, transferred it to another actor, and worked from there. After that, I had to convert the weapon sockets from 3D space into HUD coordinates in order to draw the lines correctly.
In Unreal Engine 4, at least for this very specific case, there is practically no useful information or clear documentation available, so it ended up being a matter of fighting through it with trial and error until it worked.
Thank you very much for reading all the way to the end
🦐🦐🧡
https://coyrestaurado.itch.io/rattenkorps-example