Aura

Info
Project Title	Aura
Project Type	Game
Engine	UE 5.3.2
Version Control	Diversion VC
Repository	request read-only access

Info

Aura is a top-down action RPG built with C++ in UE5, designed to learn some of the engine’s more complex systems such as GAS, Replication, AI (BT/EQS), and UI architecture (MVC/MVVM).

When I graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Game Programming and Development, I knew I was far from done learning Gameplay Programming.

That’s not to say I knew nothing—far from it. I’d just spent 3 years developing in Unreal Engine and already had a solid foundation in C++. However, one of the downsides of a game programming–focused degree is that the curriculum will never really keep pace with the industry. Even if it somehow could, there just aren’t enough teaching hours to learn every system that employers want to see on your resume (even for supposedly “entry-level” jobs… sigh).

Which is why I enrolled in an Udemy course to help myself learn Unreal Engine’s Gameplay Ability System (GAS) immediately upon graduating from university. And boy—am I glad that I did because this course has taught me about so much more than just GAS. I now understand the difference between dedicated and listen servers and can implement UI using both MVC and MVVM.

I’m still taking the course, so Aura posts will document what I learn as I go along—the wins and any weirdness that pops up—but I already have ideas to improve and tweak the system after I’m finished, so I don’t anticipate I’ll ever be fully done with this project.

Roadmap

Core Systems

• Project setup
• GAS: AbilitySystemComponent + AttributeSet
• Attribute Accessors macro
• Attribute HUD
• Gameplay Effects + Tags
• Attribute Menu + Point System
• XP on kill + Level Up UI
• Cooldown + Cost system

Abilities

• Basic Projectile
• EXPLOSIONS
• Projectile Spread
• AoE
• Passive Abilities
• Summoning

Enemies

• Ranged logic via EQS
• Melee, Ranged, Summoner archetypes
• Minion spawn math (fun math)
• Death + despawn
• Stun state
• Death impulse FX

Spell System

• Award spell points on level up
• Spell Menu (skill trees)
• Equip Abilities from Spell Menu
• Debuffs

UI / UX

• Attribute Menu
• Spell Menu
• Main Menu
• Save System (I’ve heard this is a cursed endeavor >.>)
• Map stuff™

TODO: After the course

• In function GetColorBasedOnBlockandCrit in WBP_DamageText, use bitmasks or enum and select node… anything but this mess:
• Fix Hit Message code
• Redo Menu Widgets to use more appropriate layout (no more wrap boxes and spacers)
• Refactor mapping the tags to attributes (get rid of yucky map to function pointers and automate the population of DA_AttributeInfo)
• Make Debuff Damage a Scalable float so that it scales with ability level

Timeline

gantt
    dateFormat  MM-DD-YYYY
    axisFormat  %b
    tickInterval 1month

    section Core Systems
	Project Setup                  :done,     proj,         02-25-2025, 1d
    GAS Setup                      :done,     gas,          02-25-2025, 02-28-2025
    Attribute HUD + Tags           :done,     attributes,   03-02-2025, 03-07-2025
    Cooldowns & Costs              :done,     cooldowns,    05-27-2025, 05-30-2025

    section Abilities
    Basic Projectile               :done,     proj,         04-12-2025, 04-17-2025
	Projectile Spread              :          spread,       after stun, 5d
	Passive                        :          passives,     after spread, 5d
    AoE                            :          aoe,          after passives, 5d
    Summoning                      :          summon,       after passives, 5d
	EXPLOSIONS                     :          boom,         after summon, 5d
        
    section Enemies
    Basic AI + EQS                 :done,     ai,           05-06-2025, 05-24-2025
    Archetypes & Minions           :done,     archetypes,   05-08-2025, 05-25-2025
    Stun + Death Impulse FX        :          stun,         after debuffs, 3d

    section Spell System
    XP & Leveling                  :done,     spellsys,     05-30-2025, 06-07-2025
    Spell Menu + Equip             :done,     menu,         after spellui, 5d
    Debuffs                        :active,   debuffs,      after menu, 4d

    section UI/UX
    Attribute Menu                 :done,     uimenu,       03-19-2025, 04-06-2025
    Spell Menu UI                  :done,     spellui,      06-10-2025, 07-15-2025
    Main Menu, Save, Checkpoints   :          mainui,       after boom, 10d
    Map Features                   :          map,          after mainui, 5d
    Finish Course                  :milestone,fin,          after map, 1d

    section Post-Course Cleanup
    Refactor DamageText Colors     :          refactor1,    after map, 5d
    Hit Message Fix                :          refactor2,    after map, 5d
    Auto Attribute Info Parse      :          refactor3,    after map, 5d
    Post to Portfolio              :milestone,post,         after refactor3, 1d