It feels like forever ago that I started the process of converting the core elements of my Shooter Sandbox project into modular plugins, and I am beyond excited to be able to share another one with you all today. It’s been far too long!
The Inventory System plugin is by far the most ambitious system to come out of the Sandbox thus far, and it represents a great deal of planning, trial and error, and discovery as I have worked through what I believe are the most important features in an Inventory System for a project like mine.
I’m not interested in reinventing the wheel, so I took the time to work out if and how I would have something new to offer. The jury’s still out on that one, but I remain optimistic.
I like to wear my inspiration on my sleeve, and I’ve directly referenced a number of games during this process of exploration. You’ll see where I’m coming from.
The resulting plugin has formed the backbone of many of the Sandbox’s new gameplay systems, and I hope it proves as useful to you as it has been for me.
Download the Unreal project
If you’re already a Patron of mine in the Tutorial Content tier you can download the Inventory System plugin right now via this downloads page. Let me know if you find it useful!
The Bigger Picture
This release took a bit longer than I anticipated, and that’s not just because I got sick halfway through and have spent the last week or so out of action and feeling gross.
I’ve had to be critical with my approach to this plugin because so much rides on its success. I’ve been forced to step back and redesign the entire system more than once as I kept falling into the same trap of assuming what was best for me and my project was best for everyone.
It’s really important to me that the Shooter Sandbox is maximally useful for as many of you as possible, and I’ve been trying not to make assumptions.
My primary goal with the Shooter Sandbox has always been to provide you with interesting systems, mechanics, and assets that you might not have the bandwidth to develop on your own.
This has led me to focus on more uncommon and/or unusual features first, and it’s the reason you can switch your weapon between hands but the locomotion system still remains primitive. I already know you can make a first-person locomotion system, and I’m more interested in things you might not even consider until you see them in action.
Another reason switching hands is so important is that it’s the immediate precursor to dual wielding.
Shooter Sandbox 0.1.5 has a lot of new content that I’m looking forward to sharing with you. This includes a complete interface overhaul, new animations/sounds, and more inventory interaction.
The only thing preventing its release right now is the amount of outstanding animation work I need to do now that you can manipulate your weapons in either hand. This is more complicated than it looks, and I’ll be sharing more about this process soon because I think it’s a feature we don’t see too often. I’d like to unpack why that is!
Until then, thank you all for your patience and ongoing support. ❤️
