Physics Platformer Toolkit

Setting up a physics-driven platformer in Unreal Engine 5 usually means wrestling with capsule simulation, state transitions, and ability orchestration from scratch. The Physics Platformer Toolkit handles that heavy lifting entirely in Blueprints. It provides fully implemented 3rd Person and Side Scroller characters shaped by a physics-simulated capsule, along with a suite of weapons, equipment, and interactive objects. The implementation relies on UE5's default State Tree plugin for state machine logic, and recent versions route ability execution through a dedicated Gameplay Ability System to keep character components modular and customizable.

Character Variants and Movement Setup

Different platformer concepts demand different character architectures. The toolkit includes four distinct character variants to accommodate varied production needs: a 3rd Person Kinematic Character based on the default character, a 3rd Person Physics Character also based on the default character, a 3rd Person Physics Character built from the Pawn class, and a Side Scroller Physics Character likewise based on Pawn.

The Pawn-based characters are constructed from the bottom up, giving developers direct control over physics simulation behavior without relying on default character movement overrides. The state machine governing these characters is built using the new UE5 default State Tree plugin. As of version 1.2.0, the State Tree is decoupled from the character and components entirely. Everything routes through the Gameplay Ability System, and transitions are reimplemented using events instead of tick operations for performance optimization.

Core movement dynamics include Walk/Run, Jump, and Air Control. For the 3rd Person Physics Character, movement behavior is encapsulated within a single movement component, simplifying code maintenance. Controller support and all relevant movement events are implemented, and input actions are explicitly defined for all inputs.

Ability System and Aiming Customization

Version 1.2.0 introduced a Gameplay Ability System intended for orchestration and seamless integration with custom characters. A single interface sits between abilities and the ability system, allowing developers to add new abilities without diving deep into core character logic.

Aiming logic is decoupled from movement and handled in a separate component. This separation makes customizing how a character tracks targets or calculates aim vectors significantly easier, as changes to the aiming component do not require rewriting movement code.

Abilities currently implemented in the toolkit include Stomp and Grab Objects. The Grab functionality is merged with the Physics Gun; both use a single component behind the scenes. The grapple hook, however, operates strictly in simulated mode and is fundamentally incompatible with the kinematic character mode.

Weapons and Equipment Integration

Weapons and equipment are optional modules that can be included or excluded at compile time. The toolkit emits debug messages when required components are missing, making troubleshooting straightforward during integration.

The weapon set includes:

• Punch (with added animation and sphere trace)
• Rocket Launcher
• Grenade Launcher
• Balloon Gun
• Bubble Gun

Equipment covers the Jetpack, Grapple Hook, and Physics Gun. All weapons and most equipment have been ported to the Default 3rd Person Character, with an example character setup on a separate map.

Building Environments with 25+ Dynamic Physics Assets

The toolkit ships with over 25 self-contained physics assets. Each can be used independently, and many support per-instance configuration in the editor to create visual and behavioral variation without duplicating Blueprints.

Core environmental assets include variable length chains, fixed length ropes, pull levers, push buttons, light bulbs, and hanging lamps. Level designers can place five types of hanging platforms and four types of forcefields—directional, radial, damping, and antigravity. Additional interactive elements include blowing fans, hinged doors, and rope bridges.

For traversal puzzles and dynamic encounters, the pack provides physics surfaces with bounce and friction properties, helium balloons, soap bubbles, launch pads, spring pads, spring boards, and seesaws. Physics-driven mechanisms such as a simple cart, battering ram, crankshaft (flywheel), simple propeller, and punching bag allow for mechanical interactions driven entirely by Chaos physics simulation.

State Machine Refinements and Modularity Updates

The codebase underwent significant cleanup between versions 1.1 and 1.2.1. Actor functions were simplified, and the Grab and Physics Gun systems were merged to reduce component overhead. The Side Scroller character was reimplemented using the same components as the other characters, unifying the architecture across both perspectives.

A dedicated Player Controller and Game Mode were implemented to increase modularization. This allows developers to subclass and override game rules and input handling without modifying the core character blueprints.

Camera behavior for the physics-based 3rd Person Character saw fixes and simplifications for horizontal and vertical shifts. Character in-air facing was corrected for instances where the character spawns with a different orientation.

Compatibility, Limitations, and Known Issues

The Physics Platformer Toolkit requires the State Tree UE5 plugin. It is compatible with Unreal Engine 5.5 through 5.7, with explicit support added for UE 5.6 and UE 5.7 in version 1.2.1. The implementation is strictly Blueprint-based, with no C++ code included.

The pack is focused on physics simulation. The included meshes, materials, and effects exist solely to showcase the physics assets and are not the primary deliverable. Because physics simulation is inherently unpredictable, some specific scenarios may require custom adjustments to achieve reliable results.

The toolkit has not been tested in VR or multiplayer environments.

Two known engine-level issues currently affect the toolkit:

• The grapple hook visual representation does not update correctly when latching onto a geometry collection. The grapple function itself works, but Blueprints cannot currently retrieve the location of a specific part of a geometry collection.
• In a physics field, physics constraints break if one of the attached components goes to sleep. This appears to be an engine bug. The workaround involves applying a Physical Material that prevents sleep to components affected by the field.

Production Readiness and Practical Takeaway

For developers prototyping or building a full physics-based platformer, this toolkit provides a modular foundation. The decoupled aiming component, event-driven state transitions, and compile-time weapon inclusion give teams clear hooks for customization. The reliance on the Gameplay Ability System for orchestration means new mechanics can be slotted into existing characters through a single interface. While the pack requires manual tweaking for edge-case physics scenarios and lacks VR or multiplayer validation, its Blueprint-only architecture makes it accessible for developers who need to inspect, modify, and extend character logic without compiling C++ code.

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