4D Simulator Version 2.0
Software: Unreal Engine 4. I am responsible for the design, layout, and programming, but the 3D meshes, textures, and particle effects are property of Epic Games.
A first-person platformer centered around time-manipulation and teleportation. Originally created in the Fall of 2019, I updated this game in the Fall of 2020. This was my first attempt at making a game with Unreal Engine. My focus was on mechanics rather than art, so I focused less on visuals. I called it 4D Simulator because the game allows you to slow down time and teleport (space and time often being considered the fourth dimension). To beat a level, the player must reach the door, open it, and exit.
Phase mechanic
When the player holds down the Right Mouse Button (RMB), time is frozen (as long as they are not moving) and a Phase representation is brought up. When the button is released, the player is moved to the representation's location and then time resumes. This was inspired by Dishonored's Blink mechanic, as I knew I wanted the character to be able to rapidly move short distances. In the original version, a simple dash mechanic was implemented because I wasn't experienced enough to emulate Dishonored's mechanic.
Phase mechanic visual scripting
Obsolete dash mechanic from v1 (NO LONGER USED)
Replaced by the Phase mechanic.
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Teleport mechanic
By left-clicking a glowing blue cube within the proper range, your character will be teleported atop the cube. This mechanic was made sort of as a counterpart to the Phase mechanic. The Phase mechanic allows players to travel short distances, but I also wanted to give the player a way to traverse longer distances in certain scenarios. That's why the placement of the glowing blue cubes are important to keep in mind for a player.
Teleport mechanic visual scripting
Slow time mechanic
By right-clicking, the player slows down time around them by a large factor while only slowing themselves down by a smaller factor. Slow-motion action has always been very cool to me. I've had this fixation with it ever since I saw the Matrix.
Slow time mechanic (event graph) visual scripting
SlowTime function visual scripting
Level 1
Of course, the game needed traps and obstacles. Here I had multiple moving hazardous red objects, as well as a barrier of fire. Touch one of the red objects or fire, and you die.
The yellow platform you see triggers another platform to appear beneath the exit door, allowing you to complete the level.
Level 2
In this level, the player must be even more careful. The entire ground floor is hazardous and will kill the player if they touch it. Not only that, but one of the glowing blue teleportation cubes is now moving, making teleporting to it more difficult. This is where slowing down time becomes useful, as it allows you to more easily aim at the fast-moving cube. The purple platform must be landed upon to make a yellow platform appear, which must be landed on to make the exit door's platform to appear.
Level 3
In the final level, the player must make a choice to give up one of two powers: slowing down time or phasing. It is possible to complete the final level either way.