Unreal 4 and 2D Fighters?

[darkmanx_429]

I am starting a project using Unreal 4.

I want to create a 2D Fighting game demo similar to Marvel Vs. Capcom 2.

Realistically the completed demo would just just be 2 characters and a background, (of course with the animations, and maybe one or two special moves etc.)

Looking through the new templates included in Unreal 4, I noticed a Sidescrolling Template.

I am not sure if this is the template that I should go with in my project and I am unsure about setting the camera up for a 2D (or I guyess it would be 2.5D) game etc. since there is not actually a fighting game template included.

I am not new to Unreal or UDK, but I am pretty fresh to Unreal 4 so I wanted to start this thread as I go through my project in regards to questions, suggestions etc.

I noticed that SF5 and both MKX (using a modified version of Unreal Engine) are using Unreal.

Does anyone have any experience using Unreal 4 to create a 2D Fighter?

Or can at least talk me through the process of getting my project started by posting here, sharing resources, etc.

Please be specific with me as possible so that I may learn.

Thanks for everyone’s help!

[Nawrot]

If you are serious about project, start from empty template, unless you know unreal well enough to know what is going on in template and are able to modify it without problems.
In your case start playing with sidescroller template see how it works then recreate what you need from it in your own game. Those templates are getting old fast, they were created for 4.2.0 or so.
Since initial release epic devs added many great tools )and bp programming ways) that were not present year ago.

[darkmanx_429]

Yeah, I am pretty serious about the project…lol

Starting with the SideScroller Template is exactly what I started doing that and reviewing Digital Tutors.

I have been looking at how Blueprint work which is very similar to Kismet, and I knew Kismet pretty well using Unreal 3.

I have also been piecing together the little information I have found about manipulating things in the Sidescroller Template in order to make it more 2D Fighter friendly.

It’s just a little frustrating because there is a severe lack of information about making a 2D Fighter using Unreal 4, however it can be done and other user’s have attempted to do so in the past, but there has been like zero information about the process.

You mentioned those Unreal templates starting to become out of date (which makes sense)do you have any other recommendations?

[YousefBuHazza]

I think the most difficult part would be the game mechanics, but glad you are taking this up it seems like an interesting project.

Since you mentioned MK and SF I would recommend going with Blender, 3D Max, or Maya great design and animation tools where you will be able to create the models and animate them. If you choose to import them to unreal in 3D or export the animations to 2D is up to you.

But if you are going with a more traditional approach something like Marvel VS Capcom 2 or Wrestelmania: The Arcade game using traditional 2D sprites I would recommend using Spriter Pro (Link) create the animation and export sprites. I would also recommend going to Sprite Database (Link) where you can get some sprites to use for testing and prototyping.

To my best knowledge MK9, MKX, Injustice:GAU all use the unreal engine in what is now known as 2.5D (technically 3D objects constrained to 2 dimensions).

Hope this helped.

[darkmanx_429]

@YousefBuHazza;267867

I think the most difficult part would be the game mechanics, but glad you are taking this up it seems like an interesting project.

Since you mentioned MK and SF I would recommend going with Blender, 3D Max, or Maya great design and animation tools where you will be able to create the models and animate them. If you choose to import them to unreal in 3D or export the animations to 2D is up to you.

But if you are going with a more traditional approach something like Marvel VS Capcom 2 or Wrestelmania: The Arcade game using traditional 2D sprites I would recommend using Spriter Pro (Link) create the animation and export sprites. I would also recommend going to Sprite Database (Link) where you can get some sprites to use for testing and prototyping.

To my best knowledge MK9, MKX, Injustice:GAU all use the unreal engine in what is now known as 2.5D (technically 3D objects constrained to 2 dimensions).

Hope this helped.

Thanks man! Yep, I would be using Maya for asset creation and ZBrush for Character Design of course.

My game will be 2.5D where the player action will be within a 2D plane, however the characters and backgrounds are rendered in a three-dimensional fashion. (More akin to the art style of Marvel Vs. Capcom 3.)

I know alot about using and creating Sprites bro, I have another project called Vamprotector, which is a fusion of Castlevania and Contra. You can see it on my website as well as all on YouTube. That game is being made with MMF2/Fusion 2.5. It’s been about a year’s worth of work. So I am good there!

Right now, I am concentrating on getting this Unreal Project off the ground because this is important for me as far as school is involved. (I am working on my Master’s in Video Game Design and Development, I currently have a Bachelor of Science in Video Game Art and Design.) so I am pretty proficient using tools such as Maya, Zbrush, Unreal etc.as well as traditional art and digital painting to include concept art and storyboarding.

Any knowledge that you guys can provide to me regarding Unreal 4 and making my game similar to Street Fighter Vs. Xmen or Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 would be greatly appreciated!

[YousefBuHazza]

All the tools you know will definitely help in creating the game.

Have you decided on the game design and and features of the game? (Hits, grabs, projectiles, grab cancels, grab in air, character switch in, special move meter, etc…)

I don’t know what you want to do but here are a few tips:

• Constrain character movements on the Y plane.
• Use an Orthographic Camera.
• Utilize animation states.
• Root motion will help a lot for the movement and hit animations.
• UMG will be used for displaying information.

Although not on Unreal Engine 4 a tutorial for an engine known as Universal Fighting Engine really helps (Link), they also have a lot of fighting game concepts and basics.

[darkmanx_429]

@YousefBuHazza;268463

All the tools you know will definitely help in creating the game.

Have you decided on the game design and and features of the game? (Hits, grabs, projectiles, grab cancels, grab in air, character switch in, special move meter, etc…)

I don’t know what you want to do but here are a few tips:

• Constrain character movements on the Y plane.
• Use an Orthographic Camera.
• Utilize animation states.
• Root motion will help a lot for the movement and hit animations.
• UMG will be used for displaying information.

Although not on Unreal Engine 4 a tutorial for an engine known as Universal Fighting Engine really helps (Link), they also have a lot of fighting game concepts and basics.

All that is explained more in depth in my High Concept Document, but for demo purposes everything will be on a much much smaller scale. The demo will consists of 2 characters, lifebar supports, collisions, and super jump.

Thanks for the tips I am doing just that by using Digital Tutors and looking at the Unreal Documentation. It’s early but it’s going well! Right now I am just trying to get the stage camera setup by using Blueprint:

@The Britain;268477

Hey there, gameplay programmer for Super Smash Ponies chiming in here. Good luck. We have had fountains of problems so far. We are just now getting close to something playable after many bug fixes, and some custom modifications/hacks/work-arounds. If you’re using 3D characters constrained to one plane, your life will be much easier. If you are working directely with 2D, you will have a unique set of problems since you can not accurately get the sprite frame, set the sprite frame, and there are no anim notifies or state trees for Paper2D.

Do you have anything you could contribute or tips? I am working with 3D assets and characters, but the fighting will be on a two dimensional plane.

[darkmanx_429]

@The Britain;268533

If you are using 3D characters, you will have a much better time. You can make use of anim notifies and the anim tree. These are both hugely useful for a fighting game. I can’t really advise, as I am still learning tons about creating fighting games. I can suggest you watch the interview/tutorial from the creator of Skull Girls. He is pretentious, but gives some great advice.

Is it a developer’s interview or is it just advice?

You mentioned a tutorial…where is that interview?

[darkmanx_429]

@The Britain;269205

I forgot how tricky it was to find this:https://youtube.com/watch?v=gpXganAM_qA
Our engine specialist is the one who hooked me up with this video. There is allot of really good advice in it if you can get past this guy’s pretentiousness.

I’m not going to knock him to hard though, because again, his advice is really good.

Edit: This is not a programming tutorial. This is a video about the foundation of a good fighting game based upon the views of this guy.

Thanks, but I really don’t need this kind of video, therefore I am in school for my Master’s in Game Design so I know a bit about game theory and UI design.

I am more interested in the technical aspects of how things work.

Not saying your suggestion wasn’t helpful I just don’t want to put the cart in front of the horse.

This won’t even be a full scale project at this point, just a uber small demo. If it does become a project I will have a full development team at that point.

[ZenrokStudios]

I don’t have much to add but maybe some of Mortusnyte’s 2D mechanics project Super Metroid Blueprint Project - Work in Progress - Unreal Engine Forums might interest you when your ready for collaborations

Checked out that pony smash game, love the attention to detail in the animations.

[darkmanx_429]

@ZenrokStudios;269261

I don’t have much to add but maybe some of Mortusnyte’s 2D mechanics project Super Metroid Blueprint Project - Game Development - Epic Developer Community Forums might interest you when your ready for collaborations

Checked out that pony smash game, love the attention to detail in the animations.

Not at the moment.

I am well versed in 2D, I actually have a project called Vamprotector which is a cross between Contra and Castlevania.

It’s been made with Fusion 2.5. You can see some progress on my website http://www.mrmauricejohnson.net.

You can also input Vamprotector on youtube for tons of vids and there is even a Facebook page.

It’s still a work in progress but there’s about a year’s worth of work in it as of right now, but the project has been around in it’s infancy stages longer than that.

I work on it when I am free and it’s a personal project of mine.

Right now though I am focused on this project.

[darkmanx_429]

So I have my camera set like I want in Blueprint, however how I make the camera follow the player when I press left or right?

As of right now, it just seems to stay fixed to the position I have it set in and the character just runs out of the player screen…

[Midyin]

I’m going to bookmark this thread. this is the same kind of project i want to do too. lol

[Blindeh]

Just wanted to mention “Guilty Gear Xrd” uses Unreal 4. It looks like a sprite/cel based fighting game but the characters are actually 3D geometry. Pretty cool stuff.

[President]

@Blindeh;280901

Just wanted to mention “Guilty Gear Xrd” uses Unreal 4. It looks like a sprite/cel based fighting game but the characters are actually 3D geometry. Pretty cool stuff.

since you mentioned it and I just saw this I’ll put this here… GuiltyGearXrd's Art Style : The X Factor Between 2D and 3D
them talking about their art style…for the game…

[darkmanx_429]

Project News

So I have been busy. The project is shaping up nicely. I have been making art and designing my game.

And I have started a development blog:

http://battleworld-wwe.blogspot.com/

I am also actively recruiting if anyone is interested in contributing to my game.

[anonymous_user_dcf45d50]

Do anybody know how to make stages for a fighting game.

[anonymous_user_ebd8845a1 (anonymous_user_ebd8845a)]

@AizenSoul Inc.;403657

Do anybody know how to make stages for a fighting game.

The same way you would make any other level. Just place everything facing the camera. I would just use the basic shapes to build it up, and then put collision on platforms. If you want to add effects like explosions and stuff some simple trigger zones and blueprints and you should be good to go. I’m working a 2.5D game now and thats pretty much it.