22 - GameMode logic, win or defeat, score and UI

After my detour through the weapon actions, I returned to the game loop logic. I started by creating a DesertDefenderGameMode class and used it for the TinyTown level. I added four functions:

• ActivateSpawners(), called from PostLogin(), to manage SpawnPoints and introduce a warmup delay before starting fight snakes.
• PlayerEliminated(), which sends the player back to the MainMenu map when he is killed by the snakes.
• BasePointDestroyed(), which sends the player back to the MainMenu map when the base is destroyed by the snakes.
• PlayerWon(), which sends the player back to the MainMenu map when he wins.

SpawnPoints activated after a Warmup Delay

Then, I created a HUD and CharacterOverlay classes to move the UI logic from level blueprints to C++. I parented my existing WBP_Main to the new class. I added a PlayerScore TextBlock in the top left corner of the screen and in the C++, I used the UPROPERTY(meta = (BindWidget)) property to be able to modify the value from code.

The WBP_Main parented to the CharacterOverlay with a PlayerScore TextBlock

After that, I have setup all the UI related code in the PlayerController class to clean my code. Now, it is the controller that is responsible to call the HUD from OnPosses() to add the WBP_Main to the viewport, to initiate the score to 0 and to update the UI when snakes are killed .

The WBP_Main PlayerScore updated after a kill

Finally, I added a function in the GameMode so when the player score is higher than a value, the player wins the game.

In summary, now:

1. Snake is killed and calls TakeDamage()
2. The function calls UpdatePlayerScore() in the PlayerController
3. It updates the PlayerScore in the CharacterOverlay widget through the HUD
4. The GameMode checks win conditions
5. When the player or the base are attacked, the GameMode checks defeat conditions