Idea Generation for Computer Games - Shield Setup.

For added functionality, which could ultimately be utilised as a blocking mechanism to void damage later on, I have implemented a shield stance, in line with the riot shield mesh I originally created.
For this, I needed to create a multi directional blendspace and add in each of the blocking strafe animations necessary. After linking the actual functionality in terms of how it would be used into the character blueprint, I needed to assign it correctly in the animation blueprint, and this presented a problem.

A prior error which had arisen for both me and my peers arose again, when changing weapons, after a single attack with the secondary weapon, the character would automatically switch back to the primary sword and shield combo.
Whilst the shield mode was meant to be given its own state machine and its own slot, referred to as 'waist', the animations did not sync correctly at all, and resulted in the character being able to move backward and forward correctly, but strafing both left and right with only the right strafe leg movement in use, giving the effect that the character was walking forwards, whilst moving backwards.

This issue was fixed by adding the shield mode into the initial motion state machine, and altering the animations in use within the blendspace, as the initial guideline for the blendspace simply did not work with the suggested animations.

After the animations were added and the shield mode connected correctly within the state machine, and after a simple hook up in the character blueprint, the shield was able to be visibly raised when not attacking. This animation in question  was hooked up to the right mouse button on the condition that no attacks were in progress, otherwise a special attack would be linked in instead.

Below is a shot of my motion state machine with the workaround fitted in, and a shot of my blendspace once fixed;

I had at this point, implemented everything I had been provided resource on, with only two features missing, this is a damage buffer for whilst the shield is raised, and an ultimate attack.

I am quite happy with where I am but I will be continuing to make tweaks as and when I get time amongst other work prior to my deadline for this unit.

I will almost certainly be blueprinting in a damage buffer whilst the shield is raised, to either stop damage being taken completely or minimise the damage received from projectiles only. This will be a design decision made on the basis that my NPC is a large mutant/alien and could easily breach the defences of a small shield with melee attacks.

I have made a design decision to not add an ultimate attack at this point in time as I do not think the ultimate attack variants I have been shown are either suited to my character, or appropriate for my theme. This is based on my character being a humanoid Bounty Hunter, with no superpowers to make such ultimate attacks work, only heart, determination and the will to succeed driving him onward to capture his targets.

The main features I am looking to implement right now, are a jumping animation and controller support. The jumping animations are not in any way necessary taking my level into account as every surface is mountable already so jumps are not really a requirement. I am looking to add the controller support so that my level can be played not only with a keyboard and mouse, but with a controller also. To test this functionality, I will be using both the Wired Xbox 360 Controller for Windows, but the Wireless Xbox One Controller for Windows also, dependent on my location and the operating system I have at my disposal.

Any further implementations I make from this point onward will be detailed in changelogs.