Multiplayer Dungeon | Gameplay Systems & Replication

1. Multiplayer Dungeon Prototype | Gameplay Systems & Replicatio | Unreal Engine 5

Initial Development: Sep 2025 – Feb 2026 Post-Internship Polish: +2 weeks

4-player multiplayer dungeon with fully replicated gameplay systems, AI combat, and physics-based interaction

Key Systems

• Multiplayer Systems: Session creation, lobby, Steam invites, and full gameplay replication (inventory, combat, interactions)

• AI Combat: Behavior Tree-driven enemies with combat states, hit reactions, and coordinated attacks

• Physics Interaction: Networked object handling (doors, chests, items) with constraints and player-driven manipulation

• Player Systems: Stamina, health, respawn, progression, and real-time feedback (FX, UI, ragdolls)

• Gameplay Loop: Exploration, combat encounters, traps, and cooperative progression

Goblins behaviour trees: frozen, attack/strafe, seeking/investigating and passive/wander states

Technical Highlights

• Designed a component-based gameplay architecture with reusable systems for damage, combat, and interaction

• Implemented hierarchical AI structure using parent-child Blueprints to share behavior and enable specialization

• Developed a shared combat component used by both player and AI, ensuring consistency across gameplay systems

• Built decoupled interaction systems allowing traps, enemies, and objects to communicate through shared components

Technical Challenges

Networking & Replication• Replicating physics-based object interactions consistently across multiple clients• Resolving synchronization issues between client input and server authority for interactive objects

System Integration• Integrating and adapting a third-party replicated grabbing system into an existing multiplayer architecture• Ensuring compatibility between replicated object handling and inventory systems• Managing complex object state transitions between world interaction (grab/drag/throw) and inventory ownership

Debugging & Stability• Debugging desynchronization and edge cases during object manipulation (dropping, throwing, re-picking)

Role

• Gameplay Systems Developer (Blueprints)

• Designed and implemented core gameplay systems, including combat, AI behaviors, interaction, and multiplayer functionality

• Took ownership of system architecture and implementation during internship, working with high-level design guidance

• Collaborated with team members through feedback-driven iteration rather than direct technical supervision

• Independently expanded the project post-internship by refining the environment and enhancing level interaction for improved gameplay and presentation

Overview:

Multiplayer co-op dungeon prototype developed in Unreal Engine 5, demonstrating the implementation of replicated gameplay systems and player-driven interaction.

Includes a full multiplayer pipeline with session creation, lobby system, and Steam friend invites. Core gameplay systems such as inventory, combat, and object interaction are fully replicated across clients.

Enemy AI is implemented using Behavior Trees with multiple states including patrol, investigation, and combat. Enemies feature attack combos, hit reactions, and synchronized animations across the network.

The interaction system allows players to grab, carry, throw, and equip items with a limited inventory. Objects such as doors and chests use physics constraints for dynamic manipulation.

The project also includes environmental hazards (spikes, traps), dynamic enemy spawning, and a mini-boss encounter. Player feedback systems include stamina, health UI, visual effects, and impulse ragdolls on enemy defeat.

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