Slash

Inspired by the soulslike genre, Slash is my most recent research project. Built entirely from an empty level up, this project showcases major Unreal Engine plugins such as Lumen, Niagara, and eventually Nanite. Other elements, such as the built-in Foliage plugin and skeletal IK support are also on display. At the time of writing, this project is 60% complete.

Learning Objectives

Environment and Foliage

Slash utilizes assets from Quixel Bridge to create intricate environments. Mixed with the built-in Foliage system, I was able to paint a realistic open world for players to travel around.

Basic IK and Animation Montages

Other major focuses thus far from this project have been the constant work with Character Animations. Some of the elements I’ve been working with include:

• Basic Inverse Kinematics on slanted surfaces

• Implementation of Animation Montages to give better control over Character actions

• Rig transformations between skeletal meshes to adapt animation assets to the proper Character

Custom Macros, Inline Statements, and Debug Tools

A big point I’ve taken away from this project has been the debugging tools and tips for code structuring provided by this project. Additionally, some other core functions I took away included:

• Utilization of UE5’s new Enhanced Input System

• Creating custom macros for use across the project

• The implementation of inline statements and drawing debug traces to visualize collisions

Video Playthrough

Development

Team Size: 1

Status: In Progress

Engine: Unreal Engine 5

Platforms: PC

Coming Soon:

This research project is still in progress. Other features to come include:

• Advanced Combat Mechanics

• Breakable Environmental Objects with Nanite

• AI, Expanded

• Further Polish Elements