VeteranBuild

This project replicates common building mechanics found in popular games such as Minecraft; however, the primary inspiration came from Robocraft.

Developed in Unreal Engine 5.1, this project served as an in-depth study of voxel-based building systems.

Mechanics

The building system comprises several key components working in harmony:

Block Selection Interface

A dedicated menu for easily selection of building blocks.

The menu is in a basic in-development form. Additionally it features a weight icon which is a mechanic that would have been factored later when movement parts are added.

block menu

Ghost Preview System

An interactive cursor mechanism displays a transparent preview of the selected block, allowing precise placement visualization before commitment.

The ghost preview is placed on a projected line (Ray Trace) from the camera forward (middle of the screen) to the ground.

block preview

Dynamic Animations

Smooth scaling animations provide visual feedback when blocks are placed or removed, enhancing user experience and spatial awareness.

scaling animation

Rotation Controls

Players can rotate blocks 180 degrees relative to the target surface, offering flexibility in construction orientation.

The rotation is done by scrolling the mouse wheel or pressing the R key.

rotation animation

Connection Validation

An intelligent validation system ensures structural integrity by:

Verifying connections between adjacent blocks
Updating the connection validation when a block is placed or removed
Marking blocks to update their connection in the next tick to avoid lag
Highlighting disconnected blocks in red
Managing specialized connection points (e.g., slopes with restricted connection faces)

connection validation

These systems work together to create an intuitive and robust building experience while maintaining logical construction rules.