[SUPPORT] Advanced Turn Based Tile Toolkit

[Wisdom-HELLy]

@Monokkel;629741

Hello DasMaeh,

online multiplayer is indeed something that I’ve not attempted to implement yet, as there have been many other features I’ve prioritized. It is on the list, but it is going to take a while before I’m there. So if you need online multiplayer for your ATBTT TBS game at this point I would suggest implementing it yourself. Something you can do is either messaging user Wisdom-HELLy who has been working on this or contacting user GS_Liam from GameSparks who has said earlier in this thread that he would be willing to help anyone wanting to use the GameSparks multiplayer framework with this toolkit.

I’ve read only now this post.
I will try basically to explain how to do this (sorry I cannot give blueprint references or blueprintue right now): Implementing GameSparks needs five steps:

1. Connect to GameSparks cloud with your API KEY and SECRET (which are available after create an account on GS website) using the GS UE4 OOTB API
2. Authenticate with a valid user on your Game (you need to register a game on GameSparks dashboard console, and then register a user by use a dedicated json request or a no-sql database insert into user collection). Also for this step you can use the OOTB API from GS
3. Create some log events on GS Dashboard Console (with Javascript Language and dedicated server API) and give them unique names.
4. Put a event listener (resolved by name) layer on a project blueprint (I put all event listeners under ATBTT_GameMode, but you can create the event listeners everywhere in your project).
5. Push an event everytime you want to engage the server during gameplay in the blueprint.

I will try to make an example for points 3-4-5:

3. You create a MOVEMENT_PROPAGATE log event on the GS Console:
   

with this javascript code:

4. You create an event listener using the GameSparks API plugin on Unreal Engine 4 and check if the incoming event has “MOVE_PROPAGATE” name.
   If this is true, you move the current pawn (which should be same on the two computers) to the index given from the incoming message using the ATBTT framework functions

5. Everytime you move a pawn, you have to send the MOVE_PROPAGATE message to the server, pointing the corrent target index of the grid and the opponent GameSparks ID.

This is how it works, sorry if I cannot share you a working blueprint.

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;650191

Okay, I’ve figured out the issue here. The problem is the Reachable Index Closest To Target function, which assumes units cannot pass through friendly units. This function does not fire if the target unit is in move range, so the bug only appears in cases where a unit which is set to pass through friendly units is not able to reach its desired target and there is a friendly unit between it and its target. I’ve found a solution that works, but I’ll try to think up something more elegant to include in the update. For now you can do this:

In ATBTT_AI_Controller in the middle of the Select unit and find path comment box:

The new function from the screenshot above:

Thanks. I’ll test this out shortly.

[xAdventPalaceTTV]

Hi everyone,

First off, I want to say thank you Monokkel for putting this toolkit on the marketplace. I’m new to UE4 and I downloaded this toolkit a few days ago and I’ve been messing around with a lot of the features and I think it’ll be a perfect start for what I’m trying to do.

But one thing I can’t seem to figure out is how would I go about starting with an empty grid and spawning units during play? Basically, I’m trying to make something like Disgaea (for reference, https://youtu.be/SbvUseGdhVY?t=1m35s), where both players each start with a spawner and can pull units from it as the game goes on.

[Monokkel]

Thanks for the rundown on GameSparks, WisdomHELLy. Looks like a great tool. Very useful for anyone thinking of implementing multiplayer.

[Monokkel]

A small update. I’ve been working a lot on the toolkit lately, particularly AI and have come pretty far. All abilities I’ve added can now be used by the AI. It took a ton of work, since I’ve chosen very different types of abilities, requiring completely different AI behavior trees for each one. With six different skills that means six different behavior trees where each is roughly the size of the ATBTT_AI_Controller. There is some overlap in the nodes for each, so I’ll want to do some refactoring down the road, but I’ll skip that for this update so that I can deliver it quicker. This update is going to be somewhat experimental when it comes to the new Tactical Combat game example. I’ve kept the blueprints separate from the main toolkit, but I might consider integrating some of the additions into the main toolkit later. I’ll be interested in getting feedback from you guys when I drop the update.

At the moment I’m tweaking the AI and have two AI teams fight it off. At the moment the AI is way to defensive and they usually end up having a mexican standoff where each team stands still and everyone enters overwatch. As soon as someone from the other team moves they all mow him down. After a while only the ones with the wits to stand still are alive and the game never ends I’ll try to increase their aggression next.

[Hamizaan]

like ur work

hi…just saw ur posts and ur expertise in turned based …i have a few questions of my own that i cant find answers too…i an new in the forums so cant message in private…

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;653615

A small update. I’ve been working a lot on the toolkit lately, particularly AI and have come pretty far.

Something that I found particularly annoying about the AI that I changed was that the delay during their activiation still runs, even if they don’t have anything to do (can’t find a pawn, don’t want to move etc), so if you have a bunch of pawns with no reason to move the game still cycles through all of them and stares at them for a good long time. You might wanna go change that if you haven’t already.

[Monokkel]

@Hamizaan;653780

hi…just saw ur posts and ur expertise in turned based …i have a few questions of my own that i cant find answers too…i an new in the forums so cant message in private…

I prefer this post to PMs anyway if the question is about the toolkit or TBS games in general. The PM system on these forums aren’t the best and if the question is about TBS games it might be of interest to other people viewing this thread. If the question is something you are absolutely sure is not of general interest or that you wish to keep private you can email me at knuteiliv@gmail.com, though I am generally quicker to respond in this thread as I always get reminded of all the work emails I should prioritize when visiting my inbox

@Selentic;653875

Something that I found particularly annoying about the AI that I changed was that the delay during their activiation still runs, even if they don’t have anything to do (can’t find a pawn, don’t want to move etc), so if you have a bunch of pawns with no reason to move the game still cycles through all of them and stares at them for a good long time. You might wanna go change that if you haven’t already.

Yeah, this is on the log of things to be fixed. I’ll need to change a few things to get this working correctly, so I won’t be fixing this for the coming update, as I want it to be done as soon as possible, but I’ll prioritize it for the next one.

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;653972

Yeah, this is on the log of things to be fixed. I’ll need to change a few things to get this working correctly, so I won’t be fixing this for the coming update, as I want it to be done as soon as possible, but I’ll prioritize it for the next one.

I’m pretty sure I changed it in like 3 nodes by just making it set the delay has passed boolean whenever it takes a route that results in no action. Granted idk what your ai looks like now, but so far that worked for me.

[Monokkel]

Ok, that is the same thing I did a while ago, but it ended up crashing the game and I had difficulty locating the source of the crash, so I put it on hold. If you are not getting any such errors I might give it a new try. My many changes to the toolkit since might have resolved the mysterious bug. The new AI is very different, but it is separated from the old AI using child blueprints, so the main AI blueprint is still pretty similar.

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;654076

Ok, that is the same thing I did a while ago, but it ended up crashing the game and I had difficulty locating the source of the crash, so I put it on hold. If you are not getting any such errors I might give it a new try. My many changes to the toolkit since might have resolved the mysterious bug. The new AI is very different, but it is separated from the old AI using child blueprints, so the main AI blueprint is still pretty similar.

I haven’t done any real testing beyond running it through a handful of times after making the changes, since the blueprint data loss issues make building a level exceptionally painful right now, but of the limited testing I did do I had no issues.

That said, I’ve done some pretty significant changes to the AI blueprints myself that may have affected something, but I can’t really see any of those affecting whether or not the delay being present was stable or not, but you never know.

[Monokkel]

@Selentic;654178

I haven’t done any real testing beyond running it through a handful of times after making the changes, since the blueprint data loss issues make building a level exceptionally painful right now, but of the limited testing I did do I had no issues.

That said, I’ve done some pretty significant changes to the AI blueprints myself that may have affected something, but I can’t really see any of those affecting whether or not the delay being present was stable or not, but you never know.

No, it seems to cause no problems now. It has been a long time since I looked at this last, and much has been changed inbetween, so it makes sense. It sucks with the data loss issues. You’re talking about variables of child actors being reset, right? Epic should really focus on this issue. It has been a problem with the engine for ages.

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;654374

You’re talking about variables of child actors being reset, right? Epic should really focus on this issue. It has been a problem with the engine for ages.

Yup. It happens within levels too, and every time I change something it won’t even last the day. Hopefully they find a way to fix it because it makes it impossible to accomplish anything on the level design side before the blueprints are finalized.

[Monokkel]

@Selentic;654442

Yup. It happens within levels too, and every time I change something it won’t even last the day. Hopefully they find a way to fix it because it makes it impossible to accomplish anything on the level design side before the blueprints are finalized.

Are you talking about variables you have set in the class defaults of child actors, or modifications to the public variables of individual actors placed in your scenes? If it is the latter, they keep resetting like clockwork in my maps as well, but if it is the first it is a very rare occurrence for me at least.

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;654951

Are you talking about variables you have set in the class defaults of child actors, or modifications to the public variables of individual actors placed in your scenes? If it is the latter, they keep resetting like clockwork in my maps as well, but if it is the first it is a very rare occurrence for me at least.

I have both, and same deal. Occasionally my child blueprints will lose data themselves, but it’s rare. Level actors lose their non default values multiple times a day.

[Monokkel]

@Selentic;654996

I have both, and same deal. Occasionally my child blueprints will lose data themselves, but it’s rare. Level actors lose their non default values multiple times a day.

Ok, I see. You could try to build around it and use unique classes for your different units (like the toolkit having separate child blueprints for enemy and friendly units with the only difference being the faction and allied factions). Though depending on what you are doing this might of course be too impractical.

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;655012

Ok, I see. You could try to build around it and use unique classes for your different units (like the toolkit having separate child blueprints for enemy and friendly units with the only difference being the faction and allied factions). Though depending on what you are doing this might of course be too impractical.

My units have their own specific inventories that need to be set on a level actor basis, so that’s off the table. Fortunately I’m far enough in that I can just switch over to working on art until this stops being a problem, but I really hope they fix this soon.

[Monokkel]

@Selentic;655015

My units have their own specific inventories that need to be set on a level actor basis, so that’s off the table. Fortunately I’m far enough in that I can just switch over to working on art until this stops being a problem, but I really hope they fix this soon.

Ok, I see. I’ve sent a bug report about this to Epic before, but you could also consider doing the same if you have not already. I’m impressed by your previous artwork on your site, so I’m looking forward to seeing your TBS game in motion.

[Envieous]

@Monokkel;655327

Ok, I see. I’ve sent a bug report about this to Epic before, but you could also consider doing the same if you have not already.

There’s already a bunch of answerhub threads on both variations, and a handful of posts in each engine announcement thread.

The Unreal Engine Issues and Bug Tracker

There’s that too, which I guess they’re aiming to fix for 4.16. We’ll see. vOv

@Monokkel;655327

I’m impressed by your previous artwork on your site, so I’m looking forward to seeing your TBS game in motion.

I’ll be sure to post here when I’ve got something presentable.

[Monokkel]

@Selentic;655454

There’s already a bunch of answerhub threads on both variations, and a handful of posts in each engine announcement thread.

https://issues.unrealengine.com/issue/UE-37428

There’s that too, which I guess they’re aiming to fix for 4.16. We’ll see. vOv

Crossing my fingers for 4.16 as well, then. I’ve voten on the issue, at least. Seems like one guy in the thread managed to avoid the problem by setting all values in the parent blueprint to none (I’m guessing 0 could work for numeric variables?). You could check if this workaround works.

@Selentic;655454

I’ll be sure to post here when I’ve got something presentable.

Awesome!

In other news I’m continuing to work on the update. As usual I keep creating more work for myself. After getting the new AI working I couldn’t help myself but tweak it for ages to make it more performant, but I think it is at the point where the skills are good enough for release. I still have a few more thins to add in the VR department and a lot of commenting before I’ll send it to Epic, though.

To give an impression of the amount of work put into the new update, here is a screenshot of the event graph of the Laser skill. One of six skills included in the coming update. Each skill contains a section for use by the player and one for use by the AI. The AI checks through every skill it has at its disposition to select the one that best suits its current situation, chooses the target it considers the best and moves to the best tile to use the skill from (based on cover, distance etc.). I’m looking forward to finally getting this stuff to you guys: