Unreal Engine 5 – Gameplay Ability System – Top Down RPG by Stephen Ulibarri

In this extensive course, you’ll delve deep into Unreal Engine development, focusing on creating a top-down RPG-style game with an emphasis on the Gameplay Ability System (GAS). With over 100 hours of video content, this course is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to architect a fully-functional RPG game, complete with intricate systems and AAA-quality code.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Setting up a Top-Down Project from scratch
• Enemy and item selection with outline effects
• Proper use of OOP and inheritance to create a character class hierarchy
• Introduction to the Gameplay Ability System and its core classes
• Custom Gameplay Ability System Components and Attribute Sets, with a focus on replication
• Utilizing Attributes for player stats, including Primary and Secondary Attributes
• Implementing Gameplay Effects and Tags for enhanced functionality
• Efficient handling of complex UI in an RPG game
• Designing full Attribute and Spell Menus, with upgrade abilities and spell trees
• Creating various types of Gameplay Abilities to handle spells and character capabilities
• Implementing different RPG Classes in a scalable manner
• Developing a full RPG-style combat system with damage types, resistances, and debuffs
• Implementing enemy AI behavior using Behavior Trees and Environment Query System (EQS)
• Incorporating visual feedback for combat mechanics, such as floating text and status effects
• Managing Ability Cost and Cooldown, with spells costing Attribute resources
• Creating a fully functional HUD with equipped spells and experience (XP) display
• Implementing an Experience and Level-Up System, with associated attribute and spell upgrades
• Crafting Passive Spells and a variety of Offensive Spells
• Saving Progress and managing Level Transitions
• Exploring intermediate/advanced Unreal Engine topics, including custom Async Tasks and Blueprint Function Libraries
• Understanding the principles of SOLID Coding and code architecture for a scalable project
• Determining the appropriate use of C++ versus Blueprint functionality

This course is not designed for beginners and assumes prior knowledge of the C++ programming language and Unreal Engine. It provides a serious-scale project foundation with approximately 50% Blueprints and 50% C++ architecture, showcasing best coding practices and principles.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of Unreal Engine, empowering you to create your own well-architected projects and add value to any development endeavor.

Join this course and embark on the biggest leap of your game development career.

Stephen Ulibarri, founder of the Druid Mechanics Game Developer Community

Note: This course project is created in Unreal Engine version 5.2, with periodic updates to ensure compatibility with newer engine versions.