Key Techniques
- Blueprint-based movement and combat systems
- Component-driven architecture for modular pickups and level mechanics
- Custom materials and post-process shaders
- Save/Load system to track player's best times
- Interface-driven system for weapons/pickups
Project Goals:
After years of C++ development, I wanted to learn Unreal's blueprint system properly. Rather than fight it, I embraced blueprints entirely for this 3-week prototype. The goal: recreate the feel of Neon White's core mechanics and level feel while learning Unreal's workflow from UI to save systems using only blueprints.
Core Systems:
Movement & Combat:
The player has a rechargeable dash ability, a stamina system, and health/damage system that rewards aggressive movement. Multiple weapon types offer different strategies, including a grenade launcher that doubles as a mobility tool. Modular shootable buttons grant extra jumps, trigger launch portals, or open doors throughout the level.
Modular Pickup Architecture:
All pickups (weapons, abilities, ammo, health) inherit from a base component class with a common interface. This let me rapidly prototype new mechanics without touching level geometry. Designers can drop pickups into any level and they "just work" with the existing UI, inventory, and ability systems.
Hazards & Friction:
If the player can move fast, there needs to be hazards to enforce the player's precision. To introduce this friction, I added kill volumes on the bottom of levels, instant kill spikes, and fire traps that can be triggered, rotate on a timer, or just stay on based on exposed boolean variables to properly have something interact with the player health system.
Visual Polish:
Custom post-process materials for speed effects, cell shading, and outlined objects create a unique colorful aesthetic that's reminiscent of comics or manga, paired with animated menu transitions and particle systems for abilities. The goal was to make even prototype environments feel responsive and satisfying to move through.
Progression & Replayability:
Save/Load implementation persistently tracks best times per level. Players are encouraged to optimize routes and experiment with different strategies to shave seconds off their runs.
What I Learned:
- Blueprint paradigms: Event-driven logic, casting patterns, and when to use interfaces vs. direct references
- Unreal's component model: How to build modular, reusable systems that scale across projects
- Iteration speed: Blueprints enabled rapid prototyping of movement feel without recompiling
- Engine conventions: UI widgets, save systems, input mapping, and audio integration
While nothing here is groundbreaking, this project represents a crash course in Unreal's ecosystem. Every major system—UI, persistence, materials, particles, postprocessing, inheritance, interfaces, components, audio—got touched in service of recreating mechanics I love. Some of the music is original compositions as well. :)