The Creature Placer device is a way to set up when, where, and how creatures will spawn on your island. You can use variations on how this is done to create a number of game modes.
Triggered Enemy Spawn
The Creature Placer device gives you control of exactly where and when a creature is spawned. In this example, you’ll spawn a creature in front of a player when they walk inside a building.
Devices Used
1 x Creature Placer device
1 x Player Spawner device
1 x Trigger device
Set Up the Gameplay
Start with the Greasy Grove POI Island starter island.
Place a Player Spawner device in front of a house.
Place a Creature Placer device inside the house.
Customize the Creature Placer as follows:
Option Value Enable on Game Phase
Never
Place a Trigger device on the floor in the doorway.
Customize the Trigger as follows:
Option Value Visible In Game
Off
Times Can Trigger
1
Trigger VFX
Off
Trigger SFX
Off
Configure the following event on the Trigger so that when the player steps through the doorway, the creature spawns:
Event Select Device Select Function On Triggered Send Event To
Creature Placer
Enable
You now have the basic functionality for a triggered creature spawn!
Design Tip
You can accomplish a similar but less precise mechanic by setting the device to spawn the creature when the player gets within a certain range.
The version here is better if you want the creature to spawn when the player steps on a specific location, but both can be useful in different situations!
Random Creature Spawning
This basic functionality of the Creature Placer, along with the events it can transmit, can be combined with more devices to create more complex gameplay mechanics.
In this example, you’ll use the Random Number Generator device to create a random spawning system.
Devices Used
3 x Creature Placer devices
1 x Player Spawner device
1 x Item Granter device
1 x Random Number Generator device
3 x Trigger devices
Set Up the Basic Gameplay
Place a Player Spawner device.
Place an Item Granter device and register a Legendary Revolver to the device.
Customize the Item Granter as follows:
Option Value Receiving Players
All
Spare Weapon Ammo
999
Grant on Game Start
On
Place a Creature Placer device a bit away from the Player Spawner.
Customize the Creature Placer as follows:
Option Value Creature Type
Brute
Enable on Game Phase
Never
Despawn Type
Do Not Despawn
Spawn Only if Needed
Off
Duplicate this Creature Placer two more times in the surrounding area, changing the Creature Types to Ranged and Poison Fiend.
Create the Random System
Place a Random Number Generator device.
Customize the Random Number Generator as follows:
Option Value Value Limit 2
3
Roll Time
Instant
Zone Direction
Forward
Length
1.5
Visible During Game
No
Play Audio
Off
Place a Trigger device within the first sequencer section of the Random Number Generator.
Customize the Trigger as follows:
Optionn Value Visible In Game
Off
Triggered by Player
Off
Trigger VFX
Off
Trigger SFX
Off
Configure the following event on the Trigger so that when it is triggered by the Random Number Generator, it spawns the first creature:
Event Select Device Select Function On Triggered Send Event To
Creature Placer 1
Enable
Duplicate this Trigger two more times into the other two sequencer areas of the Random Number Generator. Update their On Triggered events to Enable Creature Placer 2 and 3 respectively instead of Creature Placer 1.
Configure the following event on the Player Spawner so that when the player spawns, the Random Number Generator will also spawn a random creature.
Event Select Device Select Function On Player Spawned Send Event To
Random Number Generator
Activate
Configure the following event on each of the Creature Placers so that when the player eliminates one, the Random Number Generator will spawn another immediately:
Event Select Device Select Function On Eliminated Send Event To
Random Number Generator
Activate
You now have the functionality for a random creature spawning system!
Design Tip
The On Eliminated and On Spawned events open up a world of possible connections with the Creature Placer.
As you’ll see in the next example, this allows you to react when only one specific creature is spawned or eliminated, where other devices will react any time a creature of that type is spawned or eliminated.
Build a Fixed Camera Survival Game
The beauty of the Creature Placer is the control it gives you over individual creatures, so in this example, you’ll spawn creatures when the player enters different rooms in a third-person survival game!
Devices Used
6 x Creature Placer devices
1 x Player Spawner device
2 x Item Granter devices
1 x Lock device
1 x Conditional Button device
1 x Third Person Controls device
1 x Post Process device
7 x Volume devices
7 x Fixed Point Camera devices
Set Up the Play Area and Gameplay Structure
Place the Haunted Manor prefab.
Replace the three back doors (two on the lower level, one leading out the balcony) with walls so that the only way out of the house is through the front door.
Replace the opened floor pieces leading up to the third floor with closed floor pieces to restrict the player to the first two floors.
Place a Player Spawner inside the door.
Customize the Player Spawner as follows:
Option Value Visible in Game
Off
Place an Item Granter and register a Pistol to the device.
Customize the Item Granter as follows:
Option Value Receiving Players
All
Spare Weapon Ammo
999
Grant on Game Start
On
Place a Lock on the front door.
Customize the Lock as follows:
Option Value Visible During Game
Off
Hideo Interaction when Locked
Vibrant Purple
Place a Conditional Button on the front door and register a Key to the device.
Customize the Conditional Button as follows:
Option Value Interact Time
1.5 Seconds
Interact Text
Escape!
Missing Items Text
Find the Key!
Disable After Use
On
Visible During Game
Hologram Only
Configure the following event on the Tracker so that if the player completes the objective, they win the game:
Event On Activated Send Event To
Lock Device
Unlock
Place a Third Person Controls device.
Customize the Third Person Controls device as follows:
Option Value Movement Speed Multiplier
0.5X
Movement Speed Multiplier when Shooting
0.5X
Movement Speed Multiplier when Aiming
0.5X
Targeting Assistance
Off
Place a Post Process device.
Customize the Post Process device:
Option Value Post Process Effect
Horror Movie
Configure the Rooms
You will use a series of Volumes to define the different rooms in the Manor and update which room the player is in. Start by placing a Volume in the middle of the entryway.
Customize the Volume as follows to ensure that the volume covers the entire entryway and stairwell up to the upstairs hallway:
Option Value Volume Width
2.0
Volume Height
2.0
Duplicate this Volume six times, placing one in each of the other six rooms located in the first two floors of the house. Adjust the Volume dimensions to cover the room area. The rooms are divided as follows:
Downstairs
Entry
Sitting Room
Kitchen
Dining Room
Upstairs
Hall
Office
Bedroom
The rooms in the house all have whole-number tile dimensions! Use the grid snap feature to place Volumes in the center of the rooms and keep these dimensions in mind when setting up the Volumes. Some rooms on the first floor are not perfect rectangles, but it’s okay if the bounds of the Volume extend out of the back of the house a little bit!
Place a Fixed Point Camera in the upper corner of the Entry.
Customize the Fixed Point Camera as follows:
Option Value Transition In Time
0.0 Sec
Transition Out Time
0.0 Sec
Look at Focus Target on Activate
On
Look at Target
Yes
Configure the following function on the Fixed Point Camera so that when the player enters the area defined by the Volume, the camera becomes active:
Function Select Device Select Event Add to Player When Receiving From
Entry Volume
On Enter
Duplicate this Fixed Point Camera six more times, placing each in an upper corner of each remaining room. Update the Add to Player function on each to respond to the On Enter event for the corresponding room’s Volume.
Set Up the Creatures
Place a Creature Placer in the Sitting Room.
Customize the Creature Placer as follows:
Option Value Enable on Game Phase
Never
Spawn Only if Needed
Off
Restore Player Shield on Elimination
Off
Configure the following function on the Creature Placer so that when the player enters the Sitting Room, it spawns:
Function Select Device Select Event Enable When Receiving From
Sitting Room Volume
On Enter
Duplicate this Creature Placer five times and place each one in one of the other rooms (not including the Entry). Update their Enable functions to respond to the On Enter event of the corresponding room Volume.
Place an Item Granter and register a Key to the device.
Customize the Item Granter as follows:
Option Receiving Players
All
On Grant Action
Keep All
Configure the following event on the Creature Placer in the bedroom so that when the player eliminates this specific creature, they are granted a Key:
Event Select Device Select Function On Eliminated Send Event To
Key Item Granter
Grant Item
Place a Creature Manager.
Customize the Creature Manager as follows:
Option Movement Speed
Very Slow
Modify Island Settings
Make the following modifications to the island settings.
Go to Island Settings > Player.
Under Equipment, change Environment Damage to Off:
Under Locomotion, change Allow Sprinting to Off.
Go to Island Settings > World.
Under Ambiance, change Time of Day to 10:00 PM.
You now have the core functionality for a third person survival game!
Design Tip
The use of FIxed Cameras in this way can add gameplay tension by restricting how much the player can see! Creatures that are familiar can take on an entirely new feeling when the player’s camera and ability to control it are changed! Slow, basic creatures suddenly become very dangerous and spooky when the player moves more slowly and has to aim from a fixed camera!
