1.Introduction
This Game Machine is a plugin for unreal engine 4.10 and above. We have designed this plugin for designing mission.
2.General description
Game Machine plugin target is to ease the effort of level scripting in Unreal Engine. Possibility with this plugin would reduce majority of work effort in scripting missions/objrctives.
This plugin consists of 3 major graph editors:
- Game graph: This graph comprises of multiple mission graph objects defining Main Mission Sequences (Linear/Branched) as well as Side missions
- Mission graph:: This will define each mission’s objectives of different types (branched, sub-objectives, optional objectives, etc). Each objective will have action defining from a presets provided. Efector and effected actor can be linked from the existing level(Via Weak Pointers).
- Dialogue graph: Defines each Dialogue between actors. Audio, animation and actor can be linked from the existing level(Via Weak Pointers) so rest of the this will just work.
The aim is to provide proper interfaces and delegates required for actions to every part of the game like UI, saves etc
3.How to use
3.1 Overview
In game machine there are two type of graphs mission graph and dialogue graph which will going to give help mission designers to design missions easy and more efficient way.
3.2 Mission Graph
Mission Graph is the place where we are going to define the flow of our mission and design objectives. Here in mission graph there are four node’s Mission-Root-Node, Objective-Node, Branched-Objective-Node, Multi-Objective-Node
3.2.1 Mission Root Node
Root Node is the starting point of the graph and is responsible for all the data put in it’s children nodes and package it into single GameObject It can be a MainMission or a SideMission
As we know Mission root node is the initialization node which initialize our mission graph, this node have few properties
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Mission Type(Root Node) | Main Mission : for main missions Side Mission : for side missions |
| Mission Giver(Mission Properties) | Actor which is going to give mission or actor form where mission is going to start |
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | If node is branched |
3.2.2 Mission Objective Node
Objective Node contains a single objective with a unique name[ID]. An objective is defined by choosing one from given objective presets. Once entered into this state, Game Machine starts tracking for the progress of this objective based on the given preset it will decide weather to return Success or Failed path.
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Name(Objective Node) | Name of the objective |
| Description(Objective Node) | What mission is about |
| Checkpointable(Objective Node) | Is objective is having check point or not |
| Can Fail(Objective Node) | Objective can fail or not |
| Time Limit(Objective Node) | Is an Objective having any time limits or not and time is in seconds |
| Time Of Day(Objective Node) | In which time objective will be accessible (Morning,Noon,Evening,Night) |
| Action Type(Objective Properties) | Action type of the objective |
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | if node is branched |
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Location(Action Properties) | Location of the actor which is going to perform action |
| Radius(Action Properties) | Radius is the distance according to which action going to execute |
| XP(Reward Properties) | Reward player XP |
| Affinity(Reward Properties) | In affinity there are four option which can be manipulated. (City,Forest,Swamp,Mountain) |
3.2.3 Multi-Objective Node
Multi Objective Node works same as Objective Node but can contains multiple Sub-Objectives for single Objective. An objective is defined by choosing one from given objective presets. In addition to Objective Node, we can have more nodes depends on the number of Return Node(s) in DialogueGraph. Once entered into this state, Game Machine starts tracking for the progress of each Sub-Objective and it will decide weather to return Success or Failed path only when all Sub-Objectives are completed. Sub-Objectives can be declared as optional as well.
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Name(MultiObjectiveNode) | Name of the objective |
| Description(MultiObjectiveNode) | Description about the objective |
| Checkpointable(MultiObjectiveNode) | is the objective have check points or not |
| CanFail(MultiObjectiveNode) | is objective can fail or not |
| TimeLimit(MultiObjectiveNode) | is the objective have time limit or not and the time limit is in second’s |
| TimeOfDay(MultiObjectiveNode) | In which time of the day objective can be done |
| SubObjectiveCount(MultiObjectiveNode) | How many sub objective are in this objective node |
| MinObjectivesToComplete(MultiObjectiveNode) | What is the min no. of objective in total have to be done to complete this objective |
| InSeries(MultiObjectiveNode) | is the objective have to be done in series or not |
| ActionType(ObjectiveProperties) | Type of the action which this objective is going to perform |
| RefreshNode(NodeAction) | For refreshing the multi objective node after selecting the action type |
| SubObjectiveIDs(ReadOnly) | |
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | If node is branched |
Action Panel: If Action Type(Objective Properties) is Move to
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Location(Action Properties) | Location of the actor which is going to perform action |
| Radius(Action Properties) | Radius is the distance according to which action going to execute |
| XP(Reward Properties) | Reward player XP |
| Affinity(Reward Properties) | In affinity there are four option which can be manipulated. (City,Forest,Swamp,Mountain) |
Action Panel: If Action Type(Objective Properties) is Talk to
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| TargetActor(ActionProperties) | Actor which is going to speak |
| Dialogue(ActionProperties) | Dialogue of the target actor |
| XP(Reward Properties) | Reward player XP |
| Affinity(Reward Properties) | In affinity there are four option which can be manipulated. (City,Forest,Swamp,Mountain) |
Action Panel: If Action Type(Objective Properties) is Mind Voice
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Dialogue(ActionProperties) | Character’s dialogue |
| XP(Reward Properties) | Reward player XP |
| Affinity(Reward Properties) | In affinity there are four option which can be manipulated. (City,Forest,Swamp,Mountain) |
3.2.4 Branched Objective Node
Branch Node is basically a decision node connected to a DialogueGraph. Once entered into this state, depending on the Dialogue selection outcome (ex:While taking missions from Mission Giver) HELP or NO_HELP path in this case.
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Name(MultiObjectiveNode) | Name of the objective |
| Description(MultiObjectiveNode) | Description about the objective |
| Checkpointable(MultiObjectiveNode) | is the objective have check points or not |
| CanFail(MultiObjectiveNode) | is objective can fail or not |
| TimeLimit(MultiObjectiveNode) | is the objective have time limit or not and the time limit is in second’s |
| TimeOfDay(MultiObjectiveNode) | In which time of the day objective can be done |
| SubObjectiveCount(MultiObjectiveNode) | How many sub objective are in this objective node |
| ActionType(ObjectiveProperties) | Type of the action which this objective is going to perform |
| RefreshNode(NodeAction) | For refreshing the multi objective node after selecting the action type |
| SubObjectiveIDs(ReadOnly) | |
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | If node is branched (Should be TRUE) |
Action Panel: If Action Type(Objective Properties) is Move to
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Location(Action Properties) | Location of the actor which is going to perform action |
| Radius(Action Properties) | Radius is the distance according to which action going to execute |
| XP(Reward Properties) | Reward player XP |
| Affinity(Reward Properties) | In affinity there are four option which can be manipulated. (City,Forest,Swamp,Mountain) |
Action Panel: If Action Type(Objective Properties) is Talk to
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| TargetActor(ActionProperties) | Actor which is going to speak |
| Dialogue(ActionProperties) | Dialogue of the target actor |
| XP(Reward Properties) | Reward player XP |
| Affinity(Reward Properties) | In affinity there are four option which can be manipulated. (City,Forest,Swamp,Mountain) |
Action Panel: If Action Type(Objective Properties) is Mind Voice
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Dialogue(ActionProperties) | Character’s dialogue |
| XP(Reward Properties) | Reward player XP |
| Affinity(Reward Properties) | In affinity there are four option which can be manipulated. (City,Forest,Swamp,Mountain) |
3.2.5 End Node
End/Return Node returns the complete status of Mission/Objective status. Any objective Failed case can be linked to this node and return failed status of Mission/Objective otherwise Success
3.3 Dialogue Graph
This is a audio dialog graph catering each node of mission graph. In Dialogue graph there are four nodes: Root Node, Dialogue Node, Branch Node and End Node.
3.3.1 Dialogue Root Node
Root Node is the starting point of the graph and is responsible for all the data put in it’s children nodes and package it into single UDialogObject.
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | If node is branched |
3.3.2 Dialogue Node
This node is will take dialog text and audio array which then will be played on TargetActor provided by Mission Nodes
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Title(DialogueNode) | Title of the dialogue |
| Speaker(DialogueNode) | Speaker of the dialogue |
| Dialogues(DialogueData) | It is an array and each element of an array contains 3 members ID,Dialogue Text, Audio |
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | If node is branched |
3.3.3 Branched Node
Branch node is similar as Dialogue Node but in branch it can contain multiple dialogues and can be executed in an any sequence controlled by mission graph node.
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| Title(DialogueNode) | Title of the dialogue |
| Speaker(DialogueNode) | Speaker of the dialogue |
| Dialogues(DialogueData) | It is an array and each element of an array contains 3 members ID,Dialogue Text, Audio |
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | If node is branched |
3.3.4 End Node
Branch node is similar as Dialogue Node but in branch it can contain multiple dialogues and can be executed in an any sequence controlled by mission graph node.
| Properties Name | Properties Description |
|---|---|
| ID(DialogueReturnNode) | Returns id of the graph |
| Show Color Spectrum(Node Info) | Show the nodes color |
| Short Name(Node Info) | Name of the node |
| IsBranch(Node Info) | (Disabled) |
EXAMPLES
