Fallen Valkyrie

The level is structured as a linear boss stage. Trigger volumes control progression into each space, while an event-driven enemy tracker coordinates state changes such as unlocking the main gate after combat conditions are met.

The boss encounter unfolds across multiple phases, with in-engine cinematics bridging major transitions. Environment and character packs supplied the visual assets; I was responsible for the level design, scene assembly, gameplay logic, and integration that turn them into a complete playable sequence.

The player can move between an unarmed state and two weapons: spear and bow. An enumerated weapon state selects the appropriate locomotion state machine and determines which animation montage responds to each input, allowing the same character framework to support distinct movesets.

Layered blends and animation slots separate upper- and lower-body behavior for actions such as aiming, healing, and switching weapons. Retargeted source animations were integrated into the final blendspaces and montages, while secondary motion on wings, hair, and cloth uses Kawaii Physics for a more responsive silhouette.

Health, stamina, and mana use a shared pattern for value changes, interface updates, and regeneration. Stamina and mana begin recovering two seconds after their most recent use, creating a clear rhythm between expenditure and recovery.

Damage is routed through a Blueprint interface that also filters trace results and passes hit information to other combat systems. Weapon colliders are attached to mesh sockets and enabled only during animation-notify windows, keeping damaging frames aligned with the authored attack motion.

Targeting changes with the equipped weapon. Spear attacks search for nearby actors through a sphere trace and orient the character toward a valid damage-interface target. Bow aim instead shifts to an over-the-shoulder camera and traces from the camera through the crosshair to calculate the projectile direction.

A separate lock-on input searches along the camera's forward direction and keeps the controller oriented toward the selected actor. Entering bow aim temporarily overrides that behavior, preserving free aiming without discarding the current combat framework.

Hit reactions use impact information passed through the damage interface. Because overlap events do not provide a usable hit location, the system immediately performs a short trace from the weapon socket—or from a projectile's recorded spawn position—to the affected actor.

The resulting direction is compared with the target's forward and right vectors to select an appropriate reaction. Individual attacks can also opt into knockdown behavior, and the reaction montage plays in a high-priority slot so a readable hit response can interrupt the current action.

Boss and lesser-enemy behavior is organized with StateTrees and reusable task modules. Configurable values allow related enemies to share a behavioral foundation while varying how they move, orient, attack, and transition between states.

The boss periodically enters a choice state and evaluates actions by condition and priority: close-range attacks, gap closers or spells, then repositioning fallbacks. Weighted substates add variation inside those categories, while selected movement actions can immediately request another decision to keep the encounter moving.

The encounter controller spawns the boss with phase-specific parameters, binds to its death event, and uses that signal to coordinate the next cinematic and combat state. The original actor is replaced with a newly configured version so each phase can use its own StateTree and presentation without overloading one actor with every variation.

During the second phase, a health threshold forces a mid-fight transition: the boss takes flight, becomes temporarily invulnerable, summons lesser enemies, and pressures the arena with projectiles. This creates a distinct pacing break before the direct fight resumes.