Milestones

Milestone 1 — Character + Camera + Input

Estimated Time: 6-8 hours over 2-3 sessions

Quick Overview:

• Create C++ project Platformer; enable Enhanced Input.
• Implement APlatformCharacter with SpringArm+Camera; camera centered.
• Input Mapping Context IMC_Player with actions: Move, Look, Jump, Interact, Sprint.
• Tune movement via UCharacterTuningData and UCameraTuningData.
• Acceptance: PIE starts with controllable player, camera centered, double jump and sprint.

📋 → Detailed Step-by-Step Guide

Milestone 2 — Interaction System + UI Prompt

Estimated Time: 4-6 hours over 2 sessions

Overview:

• IInteractable interface; UInteractionComponent with sphere trace.
• AInteractiveActor base; Pickup and Door examples.
• WBP_InteractPrompt shows verb+name on focus.
• Acceptance: Prompt appears within range; Interact performs action; hides out of range.

📋 [→ Detailed Guide Coming Soon]

Milestone 3 — Stats + Damage + Enemy AI

Estimated Time: 8-10 hours over 3-4 sessions

Overview:

• UStatsComponent (Health/Stamina); damage and death.
• IDamageable interface; melee attack from enemy.
• AEnemyNPC with AIController, Perception (sight), Behavior Tree (patrol → chase → attack).
• Acceptance: Enemy patrols, chases on sight, deals damage, death triggers respawn/log.

📋 [→ Detailed Guide Coming Soon]

Milestone 4 — Friendly NPC + Interactive Events

Estimated Time: 4-6 hours over 2 sessions

Overview:

• AFriendlyNPC as IInteractable (Talk); simple dialog log.
• ATriggerEventActor firing gameplay event on overlap; routed via subsystem.
• Acceptance: Talk works; entering trigger logs event with parameters.

📋 [→ Detailed Guide Coming Soon]

Milestone 5 — Tests + Polish

Estimated Time: 6-8 hours over 2-3 sessions

Overview:

• Automation tests: movement, interaction prompt, AI chase.
• Cvars for camera lag and interaction radius.
• Acceptance: Tests pass; no warnings in build.

📋 → Detailed Step-by-Step Guide

Stretch Goals

• Save/load system with player progress
• Basic inventory system for pickups
• Simple ability system (cooldown-based actions)
• Data-table driven dialogs for NPCs
• Level progression and checkpoints