As the culmination of my Unreal Engine course, I developed a third-person zombie shooter prototype that introduced me to the full potential of Unreal Engine 5. This project allowed me to explore key development systems—ranging from character animation and loadout mechanics to AI behavior and modular enemy design. It served as a hands-on opportunity to build immersive gameplay, apply structured programming patterns, and experiment with scalable architecture. The result is a solid foundation for a fully realized action game that can be expanded upon.
To create a responsive and dynamic player character, I imported custom meshes and animations into Unreal Engine 5, gaining hands-on experience with animation blueprints, blend spaces, bone retargeting, and seamless animation blending. I used state machines to manage transitions between states like Idle and Aiming, ensuring smooth, realistic movement. This project deepened my understanding of UE5’s animation systems and served as a valuable exercise in building fluid, immersive character behavior.
I designed a dynamic loadout system to support modular weapon integration, starting with an Assault Rifle, Shotgun, Melee Weapon, and Grenades. Weapon interactions use ray tracing for precise collision detection, ensuring responsive and accurate combat. To enhance realism, I implemented animation montages for actions like reloading and weapon swapping, allowing them to blend seamlessly with player movement. This system adds both visual polish and gameplay fluidity, contributing to an immersive and engaging combat experience.
I integrated two enemy types by importing meshes and animations, building a scalable framework using inheritance for easy expansion. An AI system powered by behavior trees enables dynamic, decision-based behavior, with strategically triggered abilities programmed directly into the tree. This structured approach ensures both flexibility and depth in enemy design.