You can use Barrier devices to construct an impenetrable zone that blocks both player movement and weapon fire. Keep going to find a few novel ways to apply this device to your own gameplay!
Make a Map Border
The Barrier device is often used to create an outer boundary around a play area. In this example, we’ll use the Hollow Box shape of the barrier to create an invisible wall to keep players contained.
Devices Used
1 x Barrier device
1 x Player Spawner device
Set Up the Devices
Place the Barn prefab. (You can find all prefabs from the Creative Menu).
Place a Player Spawner device on the ground.
Place a Barrier device in the middle of the barn.
Customize the barrier as follows:
Option
Value
Description
Barrier Material
Invisible
The player will not see the boundaries of the barrier.
Zone Shape
Hollow Box
This sets the boundaries at the perimeter of the box.
Barrier Depth
10.0 TIles
The depth of the barrier.
Barrier Width
10.0 Tiles
The width of the barrier.
Barrier Height
5.0 Tiles
The height of the barrier.
You now have the basic functionality for a contained play area using the Barrier device!
Design Tip
The Hollow Box shape is a great way to set this up quickly, but sometimes, for more complicated maps, it can be helpful to use multiple overlapping barriers. This can give you more control over the shape of the area, how high it extends in different spots, and how the barrier looks in different sections.
Build Protected Spawn Zones
You can set the Barrier device to block players from specific teams. In this example, you’ll set up a multiplayer island with protected spawn areas for each team.
Devices Used
2 x Barrier devices
8 x Player Spawner devices
1 x Item Granter device
2 x Button devices
2 x Timer devices
Set Up the Play Area
Create a basic play area using assets from the Obstacle Course Gallery Black. Populate the area with smaller pieces to create interesting hiding places and sight lines for players.
Create two spawn areas on either side of the play area, one red and one blue, using assets from Obstacle Course Gallery Red and Obstacle Course Gallery Blue.
Place four Player Spawner devices in the blue spawn area.
Customize each player spawner by adding a specific team to be spawned.
Place four more player spawners in the Red spawn area and update the Player Team for each to Team 2.
Place an Item Granter device outside of the play area. Register a Legendary Tactical Assault Rifle to the device.
Customize the Item Granter
Receiving Players
All
Grant on Game Start
On
Customize the Barriers
Place a Barrier device in line with the doorway leading into the blue spawn area.
Customize the barrier.
Option
Value
Description
Barrier Material
Blue Forcefield
Barrier Depth
Minimal
Ignore Team
Team 1
The Barrier will not block players on Team 1 from entering and leaving their own spawn area.
Invisible to Ignored Players
On
Set Up the Infiltration Mechanic
To spruce up the gameplay, you’ll now give players the ability to “infiltrate” the enemy’s spawn zone!
Place a Button device to the left of the door leading into the red spawn area.
Customize the button.
Option
Value
Description
Interact Time
2.0 Seconds
The interact time is very long to make it difficult to infiltrate the enemy's spawn area.
Activating Team
Team 1
Interaction Text
Infiltrate
Place a Timer device above the button.
Customize the timer.
Option
Value
Description
Duration
5.0 Seconds
Can Interact
No
The player should not be able to start or stop the timer manually.
Completion Behavior
Reset
Timer Color
White
Timer Running Text
Blue is Infiltrating the Red Spawn Area!
Configure the following events on the button to allow the player pressing the button to pass through the barrier and start the timer.
Event
Select Device
Select Function
On Interact
Team 2 Barrier Device
Add Player to Ignore List
On Interact
Team 1 Infiltrate Timer Device
Start
Configure the following event on the timer to turn the barrier back on for the infiltrating player.
Event
Select Device
Select Function
On Success
Team 2 Barrier Device
Remove All Players from Ignore List
Copy these two components and paste them in the same place next to the Blue spawn area.
On the button, update the Activating Team setting to Team 2.
On the timer, update the Timer Running Text to Red is Infiltrating the Blue Spawn Area!
On both devices, update Direct Event Bindings to ensure that the barrier being referenced is the Team 1 barrier and not Team 2.
Modify Island Settings
Make the following modifications to the island settings.
Go to Island Settings > Player.
Under Equipment, change Environment Damage to Off.
You now have the basic functionality for protected spawn zones with the ability for players to infiltrate!
Design Tip
Even though a team can freely walk through the barrier in the door of their own spawn zone, note that they still cannot fire weapons through it. This is a good thing; it means that players can’t just sit in their spawn area and freely shoot out into the play area.
Build a Melee Time Trial!
The Barrier device is useful for blocking off areas of the map until a player completes an objective.
In this example, you’ll use a barrier to prevent entry into a volcano lair until players manage to complete the climb within a set time limit!
Devices Used
1 x Barrier
1 x Player Spawner
1 x Item Granter
6 x Creature Placer
2 x Button
1 x Timer
1 x Trigger
1 x Teleporter
Set Up the Basic Gameplay
Begin with the Volcano Island starter island.
Inside the volcano, place a platform of glass panels from the Glass Gallery.
Furnish the volcano interior with assets from Residential Gallery A.
Place a Player Spawner device near the bottom of the path up the volcano.
Customize the player spawner by setting Visible in Game to Off.
Place an Item Granter device and register an Infinity Blade to the device.
Customize the granter.
Option
Value
Receiving Players
All
Grant on Game Start
On
Place a Creature Placer device on the path leading up the volcano.
Customize the device.
Option
Value
Activation Range
1.0 Tiles
Enable on Game Phase
Never
Duplicate the Creature Placer device five times, placing each one along the path. Adjust the Creature Type setting to spawn different creatures from each device.
Place a barrier in the mouth of the volcano at the same height as the platform that extends over the mouth.
Customize the barrier.
Option
Value
Description
Barrier Material
Dreamy Sky
Barrier Depth
4.0 Tiles
This is configured to cover the mouth of the volcano without extending out through the sides.
Barrier Width
4.0 Tiles
This is configured to cover the mouth of the volcano without extending out through the sides.
Barrier Height
Minimal
Invisible to Ignored Players
On
Configured correctly, the barrier should look like this:
Configure the Objective
Place a Button device at the beginning of the path up the volcano.
Customize the button to set the Interact Text to Start?
Place a Timer device.
Customize the timer.
Option
Value
Duration
30.0 Seconds
Can Interact
No
Success on Timer End
False
Completion Behavior
Reset
Visible During Game
Hidden
Timer Color
White
Timer Running Text
Reach the top of the volcano before time runs out!
Place a Trigger device at the top of the path. Make the trigger large enough to cover up the entire area that the player will walk across to ensure that they don’t accidentally walk around it.
Customize the trigger.
Option
Value
Visible In Game
Off
Enabled on Game Start
Off
Trigger VFX
Off
Trigger SFX
Off
Place a button next to the trigger at the top of the path.
Customize the button by setting the Interaction Text to Try again?
Place a Teleporter device at the bottom of the path.
Customize the teleporter.
Option
Value
Teleporter Rift Visible
No
Play Visual Effects
No
Play Sound Effects
No
Face Player in Teleporter Direction
Yes
Bind Functions / Events
Direct event binding is how you set devices to communicate directly with other devices. This involves setting functions and events for the devices involved.
Configure the following event on the button at the beginning of the climb to enable the creature placers, enable the finish line trigger, and start the timer.
Event
Select Device
Select Function
On Interact
Creature Placers (1-6)
Enable
On Interact
Finish Trigger
Enable
On Interact
Timer Device
Start
Configure the following events on the Timer to disable the Creature Placers and the finish line Trigger if the player runs out of time.
Event
Select Device
Select Function
On Failure
Creature Placer 1-6
Disable
On Failure
Finish Trigger
Disable
Configure the following events on the button at the top of the path to teleport the player back to the beginning if they fail and want to try again.
Configure the following events on the trigger at the top of the path to reset the timer and allow the player to ignore the barrier blocking the entrance to the volcano if they reach the trigger in time.
Event
Select Device
Select Function
On Triggered
Barrier Device
Add Player to Ignore List
On Triggered
Timer Device
Reset
Modify Island Settings
Make the following modifications to the island settings.
Go to Island Settings > Player.
Under Equipment, change Start With Pickaxe to No.
You now have a melee time trial island that uses the Barrier to create an unlockable area!
Design Tip
The fact that we’re adding the successful player to the Barrier’s ignore list (rather than just disabling the Barrier) means that this functionality could be used easily in a multiplayer game where only players who have completed the objective should be able to access the area. Also, take a look through the different Barrier Materials. There are tons of cool options that can create really interesting effects!