Unreal Development Kit Game Programming with UnrealScript Beginner's Guide

Table of Contents

Unreal Development Kit Game Programming with UnrealScript

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

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Free Access for Packt account holders

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Time for action – heading

What just happened?

Pop quiz – heading

Have a go hero – heading

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the example code

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Project Setup and Test Environments

System requirements

Minimum requirements:

Time for action – Installing the UDK

What just happened?

Directory overview

Binaries

Development

Engine

UDKGame

Using external programs to code

ConTEXT

Time for action – Installing ConTEXT

What just happened?

Time for action – Configuring ConTEXT

What just happened?

UnCodeX

Time for action – Installing UnCo

What just happened?

Time for action – Configuring UnCodeX

What just happened?

nFringe

WOTgreal

Setting up a project

Time for action – Setting up AwesomeGame

What just happened?

Have a go hero – More editing of ini files

Compiling and testing

Time for action – Compiling and testing AwesomeActor

A quick note about comments

Pop quiz – Files and directories

Summary

2. Storing and Manipulating Data

Variables and arrays

Booleans

Time for action – Using booleans

What just happened?

Integers and floats

Time for action – Using integers

What just happened?

Time for action – Using floats

What just happened?

Strings

Time for action – Using strings

What just happened?

Enums

Time for action – Using enums

What just happened?

Arrays

Time for action – Using arrays

What just happened?

Dynamic arrays

Time for action – Using dynamic arrays

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Copy an array

Structs

Time for action – Using structs

What just happened?

Vectors

Time for action – Using vectors

What just happened?

Rotators

Time for action – Using rotators

What just happened?

Variable properties

Default properties

Time for action – Using the default properties block

What just happened?

Editable variables

Time for action – Editable variables

What just happened?

Config variables

Time for action – Creating config variables

Have a go hero – Editable configurable variable?

What just happened?

Common operators

Standard arithmetic

Time for action – Math!

What just happened?

Modulo

Time for action – Using modulo

What just happened?

Comparisons

Time for action – Comparisons

What just happened?

Logical operators

Time for action – Using logical operators

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Writing logical statements

Concatenation

Time for action – Concatenation

What just happened?

Variable functions

Ints

Floats

Strings

Vectors

Rotators

Flow control

If else

Time for action – Using if/else

What just happened?

For

Time for action – Using the for statement

What just happened?

While

Time for action – Something

What just happened?

Do until

Switch

Time for action – Using switches

What just happened?

Return

Goto

Pop quiz – Variable madness!

Summary

3. Understanding the Class Tree

What is a class?

Time for action – All classes are created equally

What just happened?

Inheritance

Time for action – Examining inheritance

What just happened?

Time for action – Making a custom weapon

What just happened?

Time for action – Experiments with inheritance

What just happened?

Function overriding

Time for action – Creating a custom GameInfo and PlayerController

What just happened?

Time for action – Experiments with function overriding

What just happened?

Actors as variables

Time for action – Experiments with Actors as variables

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Keeping references to spawned actors

Casting

Time for action – Casting Actor variables

What just happened?

Time for action – A practical example of casting for our game

What just happened?

Pop quiz – Chopping down the class tree

Summary

4. Making Custom Classes

Creating a class

Awesome Game quicky design document

Class breakdown

Time for action – Creating the weapon branch

What just happened?

Class modifiers

Placeable

Notplaceable

Abstract

Time for action – Using abstract

What just happened?

Native

Config

Hidecategories

Time for action – Hidecategories

What just happened?

Hidedropdown

Actors versus objects

Common UnrealScript classes

The GameInfo

Time for action – Expanding AwesomeGame

What just happened?

Time for action – SHOOT NOW!

What just happened?

Time for action – Customizing the Pawn class

What just happened?

Have a go hero – A different end condition

The Controller

Time for action – Expanding the Controller

What just happened?

Time for action – No, my left!

What just happened?

The Pawn

Time for action – Detecting collisions to give our Pawn damage

What just happened?

Time for action – Making the TestEnemies move

What just happened?

The HUD

Time for action – Using the HUD

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Kills on the HUD

Pop quiz – Figuring out Functions

Summary

5. Using Functions

What's your function?

Creating and calling functions

Time for action – Writing a function

What just happened?

Time for action – Calling custom functions

What just happened?

Time for action – What's your malfunction?

What just happened?

Local versus instance variables

Local Variables

Time for action – Using local variables

What just happened?

Actors as local variables

Time for action – Using Actors as local variables

What just happened?

Time for action – Modifying the projectile

What just happened?

Function parameters and modifiers

Function parameters

Time for action – Using function parameters

What just happened?

Time for action – Out parameters

What just happened?

Return values

Time for action – I'd like to return this please

What just happened?

Function modifiers

Native

Const, NoExport, latent, and iterator

Event

Simulated, server, client, reliable, and unreliable

Singular

Exec

Time for action – Filthy cheater

What just happened?

Static

Time for action – Using static functions

What just happened?

The super

Using timers

Time for action – Just five more minutes mom

What just happened?

Putting it all together

Time for action – Expanding Awesome Game

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Displaying a timer

Pop quiz – All about functions

Summary

6. Using States to Control Behavior

It's a state of mind

Creating a state

Time for action – Writing a state

What just happened?

Switching between states

Time for action – Switching states

What just happened?

Function overriding in states

Red state, blue state, no state, new state?

Time for action – Multiple personalities

What just happened?

Non-state functions

Time for action – Calling non-state functions

What just happened?

Time for action – Non-state functions from inside a state

What just happened?

State changes and detection

BeginState

Time for action – BeginState

What just happened?

EndState

Time for action – EndState

What just happened?

State detection

Time for action – Using state detection functions

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Rewriting the SetMaterial calls

Subclassing states

Time for action – Subclassing the Seeking state

What just happened?

Keywords, labels, and latent functions

Keywords

Time for action – Using ignores

What just happened?

Labels and latent functions

Time for action – Do we really need to give labels to everything?

What just happened?

Like a boss

The cleanup job

Time for action – Reverting our code

What just happened?

Attack of Schellenberg

Time for action – Creating the abstract base class

What just happened?

Time for action – Creating and spawning the boss

What just happened?

Time for action – I like you, I kill you last

What just happened?

Time for action – Rage mode activate

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Subclassing

Pop quiz – Using states

Summary

7. Working with Kismet

Overview of Kismet

A simple introduction

Time for action – Using Kismet

What just happened?

Building complexity

Time for action – A more complex Kismet sequence

What just happened?

Time for action – Bug fixing time!

What just happened?

Kismet actions

Creating Kismet actions

Time for action – Creating Kismet actions

What just happened?

Using variables in Kismet actions

Time for action – Using variables in Kismet

What just happened?

Kismet handler functions

Time for action – Using handler functions

What just happened?

Time for action – Differentiating Kismet inputs

What just happened?

Have a go hero – The toggle input

Kismet conditions

Time for action – What condition my condition was in

What just happened?

Kismet events

Time for action – The cleanup job

What just happened?

Creating and triggering a Kismet event

Time for action – Our first Kismet event

What just happened?

Giving the event some meaning

Time for action – Moving functionality into Kismet

What just happened?

Further expanding our Kismet

Time for action – Setting the wave size

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Expanding the Kismet

Supported events

Time for action – Using SupportedEvents

What just happened?

Time for action – Creating a custom SupportedEvent

What just happened?

Latent actions

Time for action – Creating a latent action

What just happened?

Pop quiz – Kismet craziness!

Summary

8. Creating Multiplayer Games

The server-client relationship

One state to bind us all

Testing network code

Setting up the server

Time for action – The server batch file

What just happened?

Setting up the client

Time for action – The client batch file

What just happened?

Fixing Awesome Game

Time for action – Unbreaking the player

What just happened?

Time for action – Unbreaking the game

What just happened?

The GameReplicationInfo class

Time for action – Making the GameReplicationInfo

What just happened?

Fixing enemy fleeing

Time for action – RUN AWAY!

What just happened?

Time for action – Bossing around

What just happened?

Replicating function calls

Replication function modifiers

Reliable versus Unreliable

Client functions

Time for action – Setting up for the client function

What just happened?

Time for action – Using the client function

What just happened?

Server functions

Time for action – Using a server function

What just happened?

Simulated functions

Time for action – Setting up the map

What just happened?

Time for action – Using simulated functions

What just happened?

Time for action – COMBO BREAKER!

What just happened?

Role and authority

Role and RemoteRole

Time for action – Examining Role and RemoteRole

What just happened?

Time for action – Respect my authority!

What just happened?

NetMode

Time for action – Checking the level's NetMode.

What just happened?

Replicating variables

The replication block

Time for action – Replicating a variable

What just happened?

Replication variables

ReplicatedEvent

Time for action – Using ReplicatedEvent

What just happened?

Have a go hero – The Replication, The!

Pop quiz – Replication

Summary

9. Debugging and Optimization

Compiler errors

Time for action – Preparing for brokenness

What just happened?

Time for action – A new script package

What just happened?

Time for action – Breaking the class itself

What just happened?

Time for action – Breaking some more code

What just happened?

Time for action – Misleading errors

What just happened?

Time for action – Captain obvious to the rescue!

What just happened?

Time for action – Setting up a twofer

What just happened?

Time for action – Mal-function

What just happened?

Time for action – Taking care of other function errors.

What just happened?

Time for action – Actor variable errors

What just happened?

Time for action – Other variable errors

What just happened?

Debugging

Accessed none

Time for action – Dealing with Accessed None

What just happened?

Time for action – Fixing an Accessed None

What just happened?

Time for action – Accessed None in function parameters

What just happened?

Using the log

Time for action – Setting up a scenario

What just happened?

Time for action – Debugging using the log

What just happened?

Optimization

The profiler

Time for action – Using the profiler

What just happened?

Clock / UnClock

Time for action – Using Clock and UnClock

What just happened?

Best practices

Pop quiz – Errors and conditions

Summary

10. Odds and Ends

Using Components

Time for action – Adding a Component to an Actor

What just happened?

Time for action – Component compiler error

What just happened?

Interacting with Components

Time for action – Components as variables

What just happened?

Have a go hero – Using SetStaticMesh

A practical example

Time for action – Creating a toggleable flashlight

What just happened?

DLLBind

Time for action – Using DLLBind

What just happened?

Final Thoughts

Other Resources

Pop quiz – Components and DLLBind

Summary

A. Pop Quiz Answers

Chapter 1, Project Setup and Test Environments

Chapter 2, Storing and Manipulating Data

Chapter 3, Understanding the Class Tree

Chapter 4, Making Custom Classes

Chapter 5, Using Functions

Chapter 6, Using States to Control Behavior

Chapter 7, Working with Kismet

Chapter 8, Creating Multiplayer Games

Chapter 9, Debugging and Optimization

Chapter 10, Odds and Ends

Index

Unreal Development Kit Game Programming with UnrealScript

Beginner's Guide

Unreal Development Kit Game Programming with UnrealScript

Beginner's Guide

Copyright © 2011 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: December 2011

Production Reference: 1081211

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

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Birmingham B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-84969-192-5

www.packtpub.com

Cover Image by Tom Mooney (<tomofnz@gmail.com>)

Credits

Author

Rachel Cordone

Reviewers

Edward Davies

Dave Voyles

Acquisition Editor

Wilson D'Souza

Development Editor

Meeta Rajani

Technical Editors

Pramila Balan

Kavita Iyer

Llewellyn Rozario

Project Coordinator

Kushal Bhardwaj

Proofreaders

Mario Cecere

Chris Smith

Indexer

Hemangini Bari

Graphics

Manu Joseph

Production Coordinator

Arvindkumar Gupta

Cover Work

Arvindkumar Gupta

About the Author

Rachel Cordone is a designer and self-taught UnrealScript programmer, who has been working with the Unreal Engine since 1999. She has worked for various game and simulation companies since 2003, including Pipeworks Software and Parsons Brinkerhoff, and has started up her own game company, Stubborn Horse Studios, to make independent games with the Unreal Development Kit. Stubborn Horse's first project, Prometheus, won several awards in Epic Games' Make Something Unreal Contest.

I would like to thank my crazy goat for his love and support while writing this book!

About the Reviewers

Edward Davies is in the final year of his Game Art and Animation degree at the University of Glamorgan. He has a strong interest in game design, particularly the Unreal Development Kit, concept art, and 3D modeling and texturing. More of Edward's work may be seen at www.kungfoowiz.deviantart.com/gallery.

Dave Voyles is a Managing Editor and Podcast Producer for Armless Octopus. He covers Xbox LIVE Indie Game, Xbox Live Arcade, and Playstation Network news, reviews, and developer interviews. He holds a BS in Communication Studies from SUNY Oneonta, and is currently attending the New York Institute of Technology to work on his MBA in Management of Information Systems. His additional work within the gaming community includes working as the Coordinator of the Indie Games Summer Uprising, which looks to promote the most outstanding titles on the Xbox LIVE Indie Games platform. Dave is also an Unreal Script programmer for two titles that will be released on PC and iOS, at the end of 2011. Most notably, he is the founder of the New York City-based UDK meetup group, where he works with other developers to collaborate on endeavors in a physical environment, as well as provide tutorials. You can find more of his work by visiting his sites http://www.DaveVoyles.wordpress.com or http://www.ArmlessOctopus.com.

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Preface

Welcome to Unreal Development Kit Game Programming with UnrealScript! This book teaches you how to program using the UnrealScript language so you can create your own game projects using the UDK. Instead of using dry, hypothetical code you will use the topics learned in each chapter to build an actual working game. By the end of the book, you will be comfortable enough with the language to start working on projects of your own.

What this book covers

Chapter 1, Project Setup and Test Environments, guides you through the installation and setup of the Unreal Development Kit as well as ConTEXT and UnCodeX, two programs that we will use to write our code. We also examine the directory structure of the UDK and take a look at the configuration files.

Chapter 2, Storing and Manipulating Data, covers the different types of variables we can use in the UDK as well as the flow control statements we can use to react to our changing environment.

Chapter 3, Understanding the Class Tree, examines the class tree so we can understand the relationship between objects in the world. We learn about inheritance and function overriding to customize our object's behavior.

Chapter 4, Making Custom Classes, focuses on the creation of classes of our own. The core classes for any UDK project are discussed, and we create our own versions of them for our game. We change how the camera works, what the rules of the game are, and how the player is controlled.

Chapter 5, Using Functions, covers the use of functions to expand our game. Here we learn how to pass information from one object to another, and how to manipulate that data and return it to the original object. Custom functions are created for our objects to create functionality that didn't exist in the original UDK classes.

Chapter 6, Using States to Control Behavior, covers states and how they can be used to organize and control complicated behavior such as enemy classes for our game. Creating states, changing states, and working with functions within states are discussed.

Chapter 7, Working with Kismet, discusses the use of Kismet in UDK games as well as the creation of custom actions and events. These are used to demonstrate the power of Kismet to tailor the gameplay to each individual level's needs.

Chapter 8, Creating Multiplayer Games, covers running a server and a client on a single machine for multiplayer testing. We also cover the fundamentals of networking code and how to design your game with multiplayer in mind.

Chapter 9, Debugging and Optimization, discusses common errors encountered when compiling and running UnrealScript as well as solutions to these problems. Different ways of optimizing code to make your game run faster are also discussed.

Chapter 10, Odds and Ends, covers the use of Components to customize the visual look of objects in our game. The use of DLLBind to communicate with programs outside of the UDK is also discussed.

What you need for this book

A computer capable of running the UDK is required for this book, see http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/DevelopmentKitFAQ.html for the minimum requirements. ConTEXT and UnCodeX are included in the files with the book. See http://www.packtpub.com/ for downloading code files.

Who this book is for

This book is for people who are new to the Unreal Development Kit and who wish to create their own game projects using UnrealScript. The information here is also useful to programmers having experience in another language and who wish to expand their knowledge by learning UnrealScript.

Conventions

In this book, you will find several headings appearing frequently.

To give clear instructions of how to complete a procedure or task, we use:

Time for action – heading

Action 1

Action 2

Action 3

Instructions often need some extra explanation so that they make sense, so they are followed with:

What just happened?

This heading explains the working of tasks or instructions that you have just completed.

You will also find some other learning aids in the book, including:

Pop quiz – heading

These are short multiple choice questions intended to help you test your own understanding.

Have a go hero – heading

These set practical challenges and give you ideas for experimenting with what you have learned.

You will also find a number of styles of text that distinguish between different kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles, and an explanation of their meaning.

Code words in text are shown as follows: We can play the example game that comes with it to get an idea of what the UDK can do by going into C:\UDK\UDK-AwesomeGame\Binaries\Win32 (or Win64 if we have a 64-bit operating system) and running UDK.exe

A block of code is set as follows:

Class AwesomeActor extends Actor

  placeable;

defaultproperties

{

  Begin Object Class=SpriteComponent Name=Sprite

      Sprite=Texture2D'EditorResources.S_NavP'

  End Object

  Components.Add(Sprite)

}

When we wish to draw your attention to a particular part of a code block, the relevant lines or items are set in bold:

Begin Object Class=SpriteComponent Name=Sprite

  Sprite=Texture2D'EditorResources.S_NavP'

HiddenGame=True

End Object

Components.Add(Sprite)

New terms and important words are shown in bold. Words that you see on the screen, in menus or dialog boxes for example, appear in the text like this: Let's click on Return to Desktop for now.