Attack Trace & Heat Risk System
A work-in-progress UE5 Blueprint combat system featuring collision-based attack tracing, hit/miss detection, and heat-driven risk–reward mechanics.
How it works
This work-in-progress combat system uses multiple collision-box traces across the weapon’s swing path to detect whether an attack hits or misses. Each result affects the heat system differently: missed attacks generate more heat, while reaching maximum heat temporarily prevents further attacks until the weapon cools down.
My contribution
I designed and implemented the system entirely in Unreal Engine 5 Blueprints. My work includes the attack-tracing logic, hit and miss evaluation, damage handling, heat calculations, passive cooling, overheat lockout, UI integration, and visual debugging tools.
Challenge
The main challenge was making fast melee swings detect targets consistently while correctly separating successful hits from missed attacks. The system also needed to prevent a single swing from damaging the same enemy multiple times.
Solution
I created a sequence of collision-box traces that covers the full attack path and tracks enemies already hit during the swing. The final attack result is then passed to the heat system, creating a clear risk–reward loop in which inaccurate attacks carry a greater penalty.
Code flow
Attack & Overheat Flow
Unreal Engine 5 Blueprint attack flow that validates whether the player can attack, performs the hammer trace, calculates hit or miss heat, and activates the overheated state when the heat limit is reached.
Hammer Hit Detection
Unreal Engine 5 Blueprint function using a directional box trace to detect enemies, apply damage, and return whether the hammer attack successfully hit a target.
Heat Calculation Logic
Unreal Engine 5 Blueprint graph that applies different heat values for successful hits and missed attacks, clamps the result to maximum heat, and updates the player’s heat display.