Multiple Questions for a Full Blueprint Project

Hi everyone :slight_smile:

I’m currently working on a (almost) full blueprint project with a small 4-man indie team. I’m also working on a (completly) full blueprint project alone (to build up my skills).

Right now we stand to a point where most of the developed systems are fully functionnal and we’re looking forward. I need to start building new features and I’d like to know if I’m heading in the right direction regarding the blueprint logic / the tool used. Hints on what are the most efficient ways to do what I want are also welcome.

Here are my questions:

/!\ Question 1 - Would like further informations

  • What tool should I use to build up an Inventory System like Diablo 3 (drag & drop, different item size, stacking…)?
    There seems to be an integrated drag & drop system for UMG, should I dig into that? Or should I build my own feature (still using UMG)?

/!\ Question 2 - Would like further informations

  • How to properly deal with multiplayer level loading?
    There seems to be very few blueprint tools to work around that. Right now I’m using Level Streaming but it’s not meant to be used that way I believe. Should I look for something else?

/!\ Question 3 - Unanswered

  • Any way to display a performance panel while playing in the Editor which shows what actors/scripts are using computer ressources?

/!\ Question 4 - Would like further informations

  • Is Blueprint strong enough to support a game that will be 1-2 player, published on Steam? Does it depend solely on how clean we build our blueprint logic? Are we going to have lags that we can’t get rid of? Are there things I should especially avoid?

/!\ Question 5 - Answered

  • How to deal with large lists of actors that need to be dynamically stored in-game to be use anywhen such as Items / Weapons / Upgrades?
    Should I just make them invisible Actors and let them in the scene to be used when I want to? Or should I get a reference of them or their properties, delete them when not needed and respawn them when needed? Should I dig more into “Actor Component” to do that kind of stuff?

/!\ Question 6 - Answered

  • How to handle Save Game Object for multiplayer?
    I know how to use the Save Game Object for both player, but I’m not sure of how it actually works. It saves a text file into the player hard drive if I’m correct. How can the server get reference to that? Can the player mess up with the save file (cheats its values for instance)?

That’s all (for now at least ;)). If you need more informations I’ll be there to provide that.

Thanks in advance for any answers :slight_smile:

Question 1
UMG would be the tool. I’m working on a system like that now. Drag and drop, item swapping and stacking all are fairly easy. Different sizes are a bit of a pain though

Question 2
Console command node lets you use server travel which will take all clients to the map you designate.

Question 3
There are a number of stat commands you can use. hit tilda ( ` ) and type in stat fps, stat ai, stat game, stat … The list goes on

Question 4
Blueprints are fine until they are not. If you find limitations then move to C++ if blueprints do everything you need, then you are fine.

Question 5
You can create a data array that holds classes of items (for something like a loot table I assume) and then spawn it when you need it.

Question 6
Yes they can cheat with the right knowledge. We don’t store critical information on the local save. Instead we have a online save as well for multiplayer. Local save for single player. The online save goes to our servers.

Thanks a lot for your answers :slight_smile:

However I’d like to dig a bit deeper into some of them:

Should I use / learn how to use the native Drag and Drop UMG system? Or should I build my own system?

I’ve read somewhere that console commands can stop working after the game was cooked, is this a real issue?

I don’t want to display the engine statistics, I want to display what actors / scripts are currently using the computer resources.

Do you mean your project is fine and lagless until it’s not? (for what kind of reasons?)
Or do you mean you can do everything with Blueprint until you find something you can’t?
Are there any “optimize your blueprint code” tutorial out there? (I’ll search anyway, just asking around)

> I’ve read somewhere that console commands can stop working after the game was cooked, is this a real issue?

Never heard of that. My servertravel commands have worked everytime I used them. In a packaged cooked project.