William DeMayo

3/15/24

The Weapons System

Part 1: The Problem

The current challenge we're tackling revolves around the structure of our game's weapon system. Presently, all weapon functionality is integrated within the player character, resulting in a lack of modularity and efficiency. Our weapons consist mainly of skeletal meshes and a handful of variables stored in a data table. Recognizing the need for a more adaptable and streamlined approach, I embarked on the task of overhauling the weapon system to ensure its flexibility and performance.

The issue came to light during the development of a melee weapon with my colleague, Austin, for our base players. We aimed to incorporate two functionalities: enabling the melee weapon to function independently and allowing its use while another weapon is equipped. However, upon creating the melee knife as a derivative of the base weapon, it became apparent that crucial functionality, such as a basic attack function, was absent. This realization prompted our team to collectively decide on a comprehensive overhaul. We sought a system that could accommodate a variety of weapons effortlessly, facilitating future development with ease.

Part 2: The Solution

The initial step involved extensive consultation with team members to determine the most effective approach. Rather than starting anew, we opted to leverage existing resources and transition the functionality from the player to the individual weapons. Collaborating closely with John, who had previously developed the weapon system within the player, I gained insight into the existing framework before swiftly initiating the conversion process.

Our strategy entailed the creation of a firing and reloading interface, serving as the foundation for standardizing weapon actions across the board. Subsequently, I proceeded to override existing methods within the base weapon, ensuring uniformity in attack functions across all weapons. A crucial aspect yet to be implemented is incorporating a fire rate mechanism into the base weapon, enabling controlled firing intervals rather than continuous output.

Once the shooting and reloading functionalities are fully integrated into the new weapon framework, the ease of creating diverse weapons by simply modifying values and meshes will significantly enhance our development process.