Project Power prototype artwork

Unreal Engine 4 prototype

Project Power

A cinematic hack-and-slash prototype built around responsive combat, dramatic presentation, and iteration from player feedback.

Blueprint scripting Combat prototype Camera choreography

About

Cinematic hack and slash prototype

This final-year university project was made during a B.A. course with UCLan, as a homage to responsive and cinematic hack-and-slash games, especially DmC from Ninja Theory and inFamous from Sucker Punch.

The two main pillars used to design both combat and experience were "Make it Play Badass" and "Make it Look Badass".

Gameplay begins at 0:39 in the original project video.

Download available on Itch.

Aspects worked on

Research, tech, animation, camera

Research and development

  • Researched popular combat properties like DmC to find combo amount and balance.
  • Looked at AI patterns and trends in Arkham Origins to break down enemy movement and algorithm.
  • Modified existing model textures to personalise enemies to the setting.
  • Reiterated based on feedback, with dodge added late in development due to demand.

Tech features

  • Responsive combat system.
  • Everything scripted in Blueprint.
  • Artificial Intelligence gets enemies to take position and attack in turn.
  • Montage and Notification based system to make animations more responsive to control.
  • Dynamic materials made for the forcefield wall.

Animation features

  • Added IK to existing rigs to speed up animation process.
  • Imported animation from Mixamo and mocap data.
  • Cleaned and added root bones to existing animations.
  • Set up retargeting to share animations between characters.

Camera work

  • Mixed hand-animated and simulated camera work that tracks players.
  • Used three different cameras on the player alone, dynamically switching to show unique choreography.
  • Researched fight-scene camera tracking from the Daredevil hallway scene and The Raid series.

Early stage videos

Iteration and feedback

The original page included early stage videos to show how the project changed throughout development due to iteration and feedback.

Project media

Gameplay and supporting images

Project Power supporting image one Project Power supporting image two Project Power gameplay screenshot Project Power supporting image three