Tune difficulty

This walkthrough uses the shipped class defaults from the template project. Values below were read from BP_SpaceRockGameMode, BP_Spaceship, and BP_SpaceRock in the open FAB project.

Spawn flow

flowchart LR
  StartGame --> StartSpaceship
  StartSpaceship --> StartAsteroidSpawn
  StartAsteroidSpawn --> SpawnNextAsteroid
  SpawnNextAsteroid --> RandomDelay["RandomTime 1–3 s"]
  RandomDelay --> Timer["Set Timer by Event"]
  Timer --> SpawnNextAsteroid

While Current Asteroids ≥ Max Asteroids To Spawn, the game mode stops spawning until rocks are destroyed.

Example — calmer arcade mode

Goal: fewer rocks on screen, slower spawns, more lives, gentler ship handling.

Blueprint	Property	Default	Example change
BP_SpaceRockGameMode	Max Asteroids To Spawn	30	12
BP_SpaceRockGameMode	bCan Spawn Asteroids	true	leave on
BP_Spaceship	Spaceship Lives	3	5
BP_Spaceship	Refire Time	0.2	0.15 (slightly faster shots)
BP_SpaceRock	Health	100	80 (easier to destroy)

Steps

1. Open Content → SpaceShooterTemplate → Blueprints → BP_SpaceRockGameMode.
2. In Class Defaults, set Max Asteroids To Spawn to 12. Compile and save.
3. Open BP_Spaceship → set Spaceship Lives to 5 and Refire Time to 0.15.
4. Open BP_SpaceRock → set Health to 80.
5. Play DemoMap → Start Game and confirm the screen feels less crowded.

Note

Spawn spacing uses Random Time (random float between 1.0 and 3.0 seconds) on the game mode Event Graph before each Spawn Next Asteroid timer. To slow spawns further, open BP_SpaceRockGameMode → Event Graph, find Random Float in Range feeding Set Random Time, and change Max from 3.0 to 5.0.

Example — hardcore mode

Blueprint	Property	Default	Example change
BP_SpaceRockGameMode	Max Asteroids To Spawn	30	40
BP_Spaceship	Spaceship Lives	3	1
BP_Spaceship	bEnable Continuos Firing	true	false (click each shot)
BP_Projectile	Damage	100	75
BP_SpaceRock	Asteroid Speeds → ExtraLarge	100	200

Per-size rock tuning (BP_SpaceRock)

Default maps on the BP_SpaceRock class:

Size	Scale	Speed	Score	Crit multiplier	Child count	Rotation rate
Small	0.25	1400	10	1.2	0	140
Medium	0.75	800	20	1.4	3	100
Large	1.25	400	30	1.6	4	60
ExtraLarge	2.0	100	40	1.8	5	40

Example: make large rocks split less — set Child Asteroids → Large from 4 to 2.

Child Asteroids is the number of smaller rocks spawned when that size is destroyed (0 = no split, as on Small).

Ship movement defaults (BP_Spaceship)

Property	Default	Notes
Acceleration	1000	Forward thrust
Turn Rate	250	Rotation speed
Restart Delay	3	Seconds before restart after game over
FOV	100	Camera field of view

Weapon defaults

Projectiles are configured on BP_Projectile (spawned by cannons):

Property	Default
Speed	10000
Damage	100

BP_TripleShot fires three BP_Projectile instances per Fire call — effective DPS is much higher than BP_SingleShot even with the same projectile stats.

Verify in PIE

1. Save all edited Blueprints.
2. Open DemoMap and press Play.
3. Run: start screen → play until game over → restart.
4. Confirm Asteroids Count on the HUD stays at or below your new Max Asteroids To Spawn cap.

Next steps

• Reskin the ship and asteroids
• Customize the HUD
• Blueprint reference