![]() ![]() This ensures that we’re not wasting resources on Tick, which can slow the game down significantly, if care isn’t taken. The final feature is real-time dynamic updates - whenever a new object is spawned in the game, we generate cover points around (and inside) it using Unreal’s event system via delegates. These are just simple floats that get added to the unit’s location upon hit-testing from cover. The best way I’ve found to accomplish this without using too many raycasts is to define “leaning offsets” on units. A tank can’t peek out of cover - a foot soldier can. In order to project how a unit may step out of cover to open fire, it is necessary to map out its peeking or leaning capabilities. hay), height, health, and so on with quick and efficient access.ĭata usage optimizations - for when your units are actively deciding which cover point to use in real-time - minimize the number of raycasts and ensure the availability of spatial lookup facilities (octrees) as well as support for direct fetch requests (arrays or maps). Using octrees appropriately also allows storing custom cover data, for example cover material (stone vs. To avoid this, it is best to use a data structure that was meant for real-time concurrent lookup of spatial data: the octree. Similarly, if access to cover data is too sluggish, your game slows down by a considerable amount, consuming large amounts of CPU and/or GPU cycles on cover queries. I demonstrate how to make use of the Unreal Engine’s excellent multi-threaded APIs to parallelize cover data generation, taking advantage of multi-core processing typically found in modern-day gaming hardware. ![]() If your cover data is generated synchronously, it causes a noticeable hitch in your game’s performance, resulting in lags in gameplay. I cover two data generation methods: navmesh edge-walking and 3D object scanning. Since this article focuses on creating a real-time dynamic cover system where cover may become available or disappear completely at run-time, it is essential to apply an optimized approach to all three. When designing a cover system, the three most important challenges you will face are as follows: You need a basic understanding of UE4, C++ and UE4’s Blueprints to understand the sample project and source code. The example project and source code were written in C++. The tutorial uses Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) version 4.18, however it should work with older releases of the engine as well. The project includes a fully functional implementation of all the techniques discussed above, complete with well-commented source code.ĭownload the demo project and source code. I recommend downloading the demo project and checking out how it all works when put together. Whether you’re making a next-generation real-time strategy (RTS) game or want to use this in a first-person shooter (FPS), I hope you will find the information in this article helpful. In this article, I challenge the static nature of cover systems by describing how to build a fully dynamic, real-time cover generation module from scratch in Unreal Engine 4, as well as providing the implementation of a cover finding module.Ĭreating a robust cover system may seem daunting at first, but once you realize it’s just a set of simple techniques glued together, the task at hand will seem a lot less intimidating. Cover generation is typically static and is done before the game starts, while finding cover happens in real-time during play. Such systems are composed of two distinct modules: cover generation and cover finding. Using a cover system enhances a game’s level of realism and introduces essential tactical elements to any genre. units to avoid direct fire, taking cover behind various objects on the map. By David Nadaski How to build a real-time dynamic cover system in Unreal Engine 4 IntroductionĪ cover system enables A.I. ![]()
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