📘Weapon Blueprint

In this page we will cover how weapons work.

Overview

Every weapon consists of two important parts:

1. Weapon Settings data asset: contains data (e.g. animations, weapon mesh).

2. Weapon Base blueprint: executes gameplay logic (e.g. firing, reloading).

Here is how the weapon spawning logic works:

1. Iterate over the TArray of Weapon Settings provided by the Character Settings.

2. Instatiate a Weapon Blueprint specified in the Weapon Settings.

3. Update the Weapon Settings variable of the newly instantiated weapon.

Note: weapon blueprints don't contain weapon models. Instead, WeaponMesh from BP_Viewmodel is updated with the active weapon SkeletalMesh.

Weapon Settings

This data asset consists of 2 major categories:

• Animation: properties related to the character and weapon animation.

• Gameplay: properties related to the weapon features (e.g. fire rate, ammo, etc.).

Animation group.

1. UE4 and UE5 represent Viewmodel Settings for different Mannequin meshes.

2. Weapon Anims: weapon animations Viewmodel Animations.

3. Weapon Mesh: Skeletal Mesh of this weapon.

4. Weapon Anim Instance: weapon animation blueprint.

5. Ads Blend: blend between absolute and additive aiming.

6. Recoil Settings: recoil animation settings.

7. Sprint Trigger Discipline: whether to use trigger safety when sprinting.

8. Fire Trigger Weight: weight of the finger rotation when firing.

Now let's break down the Gameplay category:

Gameplay properties.

1. Ammo: ammo capacity of this weapon.

2. Ammo Refil Time Scale: ammo will be refilled when the reload ends, but this time can be adjusted with this multiplier.

3. Fire Mode: supported fire modes.

4. Fire Rate: fire rate in rounds per minute.

5. Weapon Class: Weapon Base blueprint class.

6. Recoil Shake: camera shake asset.

7. Fire Sound: this sound cue will be played when firing.

Now let's learn more about the weapon blueprints.

Weapon Blueprint

Weapons must have a runtime entity to run its logic like reloads or firing. This logic is implemented in blueprints derived from the Weapon Base class:

The plugin uses 4 main weapon types.

These blueprints use different implementations for reloading animations, other gameplay features are the same.

Equipping

When a weapon is equipped, it binds its functions to the BP_Viewmodel Dispatchers. So, when an input is triggered, a weapon function will be invoked:

Reloading function binding.

Note: it is important to clear bindings when a weapon is unequipped to prevent functions getting invoked on unequipped guns.

Reloading

When a reloading function is called, the Weapon Base will play a reloading animation based on the left ammunition:

1. If there is no ammo, an empty reload will be played.

2. If there is some ammo left, a tactical reload will be played.

Some weapons have exceptions, however. For example, manually reloaded KXG12 and Kar98k follow this algorithm:

1. Play reload start animation.

2. Play reload loop based on how many cartridges need to be inserted.

3. Play reload stop to finalize the reload.

MGX5 is a machine gun, it has 3 reloading animations:

1. Empty reload.

2. Tactical reload.

3. Less reload, when we have some guntape cartridges left.

All other weapons use general reloading logic.

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Now that we are familiar with the gameplay logic, it is time to understand how animations work in the project.