[RELEASED] CAT Game Builder:The easier, faster way to make games in Unity

Awesome! Those are all great suggestions for tutorials. I really want to get back to making more of the video tutorials. Did you find the existing ones helpful?

Also, if you get stuck on anything feel free to stop by our Discord at https://discord.gg/G4kJEW5

 

Hello, and thanks for your fast response!
Yes, your video tutorials and the "How To Cat" pdf manual are very helpful and easy to follow, but Im not a programer and will be great for people like me if you can add some short video tutorials to know how to make little things happen, using Conditions Actions and Trigers for very basic stuff, so later we can combine in bigger projects.
And as I said before, I like very much the simple and casual games (quizzes, logic, board games, educational games, etc.) so will be great to know how to apply the CAT solution!

 

We're using CAT on an educational game right now for one of our clients. Hopefully in the next week or so, I'll have some time to put together a few more tutorials. I like your idea about putting together shorter tutorials that show how to do common things!

 

Great!, I'll be waiting for those tutorials!

 

We just discovered a bug that affects using CAT in some Unity 2018 versions. We're submitting a fix to the asset store momentarily. It also includes the new usability features we've been working on such as showing targets during edit time instead of just during runtime:

 

Can I use CAT with A* path findinding, Opsive Third person Controller or Adventure Creator? What assets are integrated with CAT?

 

None of those are officially integrated with CAT. We are looking at starting to provide free integrations soon though. I'm sure they will work just fine alongside CAT though for now!

Also if anyone wants to provide their own integrations, feel free as long as you aren't distributing CAT with it obviously.

 

@MAXFORCE I worked with many assets and with all the controllers and I can tell you this:
- if you think that putting some bunch of assets next to each other and bam have a game, forget it ! it won't work ..
- if you think that any developer will invest a bunch of time to make them work for you, forget it! you have to do it your own

I renounced to almost anything I worked before with in favor of CAT (besides some level tools) and here is why:

- with just a logical approach and understanding of state machine, actions, triggers and folowing the manual you can do almost everything without learning to code and without needing any other asset to do it for you

- you will need to learn the other developer's assets anyway, so there is ilogical to learn many when you can learn only 1 that does for you almost everything you need

- you can ask for help and you will get fast help from DEV on Discord channel: this you wont meet very soon.
I have asked different things on "known" and "appreciated"discord channels >> most of those savvy guys treat non-experienced coders like garbage >> so form my point of view I wasted many many time for nothing

You won't regret going into it and I suggest you contact the DEVs on Discord channel.
You will renounce as me on many many pieces to combine and just do it all and logically in CAT.

 

Thanks for the support, VP_no1! It's good know we have fans out there!

We've been working on both the RPG addon and usability like I mentioned. As part of usability, we're adding a value browser which eliminates the need to know what properties are available on GameObjects.



We've also expanded our 2D path finding systems to support grid based path finding. These things will be available in an upcoming release.

 

Hi I see Cat today for the first time... I'm an aged unity user and I'm working on a fps shooter horror with survival and adventure mechanics..think my game like a sort of Resident Evil 7 but more focused on shooting and survival.. since player needs to eat and drink protect from cold and so on-.. plus my game has inventory system with basic crafing, a weapon system to manage several typos of ammo like firegun ,melee, thorowavle items and so on.. plus save and load system

I have all of this set in place but would to know if with Cat would be possible to achieve all of that.. many thanks for your time

 

Do you have any guesstimate when the rpg ad-on will be ready ? like jan 2019 march 2019 ?

 

Hi!

Saving and quests / missions comes with the base level CAT. It's pretty easy to build an inventory system and basic combat with base CAT. I haven't tried a crafting system. I think it might be more difficult to do without any code. However, crafting, inventory, combat, stats, etc are all going to be included in the RPG addon. See my next post for more info on that!

 

There's no hard release date yet (and approval through the the asset store can take some time after everything's done), but we are wrapping up the RPG project we made with the CAT RPG addon this week! It didn't use all the systems that we wanted to include, but I've implemented the rest over the last couple of weeks. I'm doing a refactor of the Ability system right now, which should be done in the next couple of days. What's missing is examples, documentation, and editor UI. Our editor UI guy will be freed up enough from another project in a week to start working on that. I'll be doing some basic programmer-art examples in the meantime.

My plan is to do a limited beta release as soon as there are example scenes for each system. This will probably be with the first few existing CAT users who are interested. It'll be rough and anyone involved should expect breaking changes as we fix issues. With that said, it's hard for me to predict a release date since it depends on what other projects we have going on. I'd love to have the beta going some time in November though.

The other thing to consider is that I'd really like to include a small but fully featured RPG example complete with art. I'm not sure how feasible that's going to be though considering the cost vs expected return there. The cost being 99% art in this case. We can't use art from other Asset Store packages in anything we sell, so we'd have to make our own art like we did for the existing CAT examples. Maybe if I could find an inexpensive off shore art team, it might work out, but that's potentially a big headache. At the very least, I'd like to do this with programmer art and/or reusing the art from the existing RPG example in base CAT.

Finally, I'd like to give you a teaser by listing all the included game systems:

1. Abilities / spells
2. Attack Slots (so attackers seem more organized)
3. Combat
4. Crafting
5. Dialogue
6. Factions
7. Interaction (does a click mean attack, speak with, pick up item, etc)
8. Interactive Objects (behaviors for doors, switches, spawners, moving platforms, destructible things)
9. Inventory
10. Loot (mostly loot tables, and a loot interaction)
11. NPC Behaviors (attack, flee, follow, merchant/shop, over head indicators, patrol, wander)
12. Progression (XP / level / skilltrees)
13. Stats
14. Threat List (for NPCs, who is the most threatening.)

They're all built integrated with CAT, so they should be very flexible. Just this past weekend, I merged our 3D and 2D pathfinding APIs so that all of this stuff will work in either. Oh also, in base CAT, there will be a grid based 2D path finding system along with virtual currency in the next release. We also have a UI manager and audio manager coming in from Treat Fighter. Those might be in the latest release already-- I'm not sure.

I'm really interested to hear if there are any systems missing or if anyone has specific requirements for any of the existing systems. To be clear, everything I mentioned above is already implemented, just without examples or documentation.

Also if anyone wants more info on any of those systems, just ask! This addon really shows the ultimate goal we had with CAT. It was never just a visual scripting solution for us. It was always about the integrated systems.

 

Sounds really good, I was going to ask about magic, but i see it is in the list.

No real rush on this for me, I was just curious about possible time lines. ( hobby guy ) ...

The Rpg art work or small example game, might I suggest just stand ins or ... free stuff that can be down loaded by the user, but not included with your release.

To my was of thinking this is a hassle for you guys and really any one should not just use your scene and
put it out for a game anyway, they should be using their own art work / etc ..

In any case, Thank you for your hard work on this, and support / speedy reply
Will look forward to the add-on when it comes. Thank you.

 

CAT is 50% off for Cyber Week! We should be pushing out another update shortly. We're just working on a few more editor UI improvements before doing so.

Also, we're looking for beta testers for the RPG addon. You'll need to have a copy of CAT already in order to be a tester, but if you participate in testing (usually by responding to surveys or providing feedback), then we'll give you a full copy of the RPG addon when it is released. It will still be a short while before we can start beta testing, but most likely in the next couple of weeks.

All RPG addon game systems are completed and tested. We've got examples of them separately and one big combined example of everything working together (with terrible programmer art). We've still got to build some editor UI things to make using it easier and more intuitive and then write up the documentation. We plan to start the beta after at least some of the editor UI work is done.

Reply here or in our discord if you are interested in joining the RPG beta!

 

We're still trying to get the RPG beta out asap, but in the mean time, we've also improved our localization UI. In the next release, you'll be able to add/edit localized strings right from any CAT that uses them. Also (not shown here), they can have categories to make it easier to organize them. Coming soon!

 

@sirgolan ,

What's in the first release of the RPG module?

Progression, levelling, experience?

Stats, buffs, debuffs, types and subtypes of Stats, stat modifiers?

Items, Races, Subraces, Classes, Skills and Abilities with Types and SubTypes?

Inventories, Shops?

With Items, Equippable items, consumables, equipment slots, container items, socket items and Socketing, Enchanting, affixes, etc?

Crafting and Recipes?

Multi currencies?

Loot tables and loot weighting?

Spawning?

Dialogues?

Quests and quest handling?

 

Yes! Progression supports normal level progression or skill tree. Or both at the same time.

All of the above!

Subraces, no. Though can you explain what you mean and maybe it'll turn into a yes. Everything else here, yes. Though I'm not totally sure what you mean by ability types.

Yes!

Container items and socket items, not currently, but everything else I think is in there.

Definitely!

Already in base cat or coming in the next release.

Certainly!

Yup!

Totally!

These are already in the base CAT.

Also not mentioned:

NPC behaviors (wander, patrol, flee, attack, pursue, follow, etc).
Threat list & threat behavior
Chests
Doors
Switches
Destructible things (like crates or whatnot)
Traps
Factions

Probably more that I'm missing. I have some gifs of some of these in action, but alas, they're too big to upload here. Also totally programmer art still.

All of these systems are done and working. We're just building the editor UI around them and need to write up the documentation before releasing.

 

Great News! Thank you.

 

@sirgolan ,

Hah! Comprehensive and encouraging response!

If you're doing affixes/prefixes/suffixes then Socketing nice but not essential.

In terms of Subraces, say Elf -} Snow Elf. Or. Dwarf. -} .Copper Dwarf. That sort of thing.

 

Hello, please give us more tutorials!!

 

Hi! Do you have a particular subject you're interested in seeing a tutorial on? I totally agree that we need to start cranking out more.

 

Hello,
will be great to have little tutorials to make a: memory game, word game, quizes, puzless, etc..

Thanks in advance!

 

Good ideas.. I'll see what we can cook up!

 

How's progress going on these updates?

 

I've been hoping to get some screenshots of the new art, but there hasn't been anything ready to show just yet. We are making good progress on it though! Hopefully I will have something in the next week or so.

 

RPG module?

 

Yeah. Art is in progress now. Still need to get the documentation done. That's pretty much all that's holding it up right now though!

 

Here's an early version of the docks from the big RPG example that our artist is working on:



This will be available as part of the RPG addon.

 

@sirgolan ,

Tell us all about the RPG add on...

Especially / also anything on items, Inventory, crafting, enchanting, socketing, affixes....

 

It is super nice to see the RPG add on is coming along

 

Also request please if this is possible. Could CAT be integrated with the new asset called Eliot-Ai,
it is a very good AI solution, I suspect will become one of the best Ai assets in the store.

 

I second this request.

 

If you don't mind some programmer art, here's a gif from the inventory example. For some reason that gif won't show inline.

And from the crafting example:



The UI is totally configurable, and like I said, that's just programmer art. I think I used some bits and pieces from other CAT demos even.

The inventory system is pretty fully featured, though at present, I don't think there's support for socketing and affixes. I'll have to think if we want to add those before the first release or make them a priority for after.

I wish I could share some things from the RPG that we're building with this since the art is very good, but unfortunately, that project is top secret, so I can't.

I'll post tomorrow with some more specifics on how it works though.

 

@sirgolan ,. Sounds great. I'd commend socketing and affixes to you. Would set this apart. Speaking of, will the add-on support stats (strength, dexterity) and vitals (health X/y) and buffs/ debuffs / over time?

 

Just taking a quick look at that, it seems like most of the functionality is already in base CAT or the RPG addon. The RPG addon comes with a pretty standard set of AI behaviors like flee, pursue, attack, wander, etc.

 

I will take a look at affixes and sockets. If it wouldn't be too difficult, then I'll get them in there.

There's support for all sorts of stats along with buffs and debuffs. They're pretty open ended. There's several types of stats:

• Base Stat - Just holds a normal value
• Derived Stat - Gets its value from other stats using some math operations you can define
• Leveled Stat - Changes every level based on a progression table you define
• Fuel Stat - Specifically for fuels like health, mana, etc

Then you can apply / remove Stat Modifiers to temporarily change the value of any of those.This is what you'd use for a buff or debuff.

 

Actually, Elliot AI goes way beyond simple states like that.

 

@sirgolan ,

Sounds really good.

In terms of socketing you would have socketable items and socket items. Different socket types. Sockets effecting properties of the main item, weapon, armour.

In terms of affixes, basically they would be prefixes (before main name of item, weapon, armour) or suffixes (after main name) (both changing name, to make unique name, and effect properties of item) and generic affixes (lists under item, effecting properties).

Also, in terms of items - Item Types, filterable in inventory? Container items?

Also, what about:-

* Multiple Classes ?
* Races / SubRaces ?
* Abilities? Passive and Active? Different types of Ability ?
* multi-character parties ?
* pets ? mounts ?

* all saveable / loadable ?

 

Are there particular things Elliot AI does that you're looking at? I watched a few more videos and it still seems like everything is covered by CAT RPG.

I'm also curious how you see them being integrated. Would you want CAT actions that can kick off behaviors?

 

Yeah, I think the only difficult bit will be making sure that stuff gets saved with the game state.

Right now there's 4 item types: Normal, Weapon, Wearable, and Stackable. The inventory UI is all up to you to make, so it is certainly filterable if you design the UI that way. I'm pretty sure it's possible make container items as well.

Per character? Not supported initially, though we will probably add that later. You can also make multiple skill trees which you could use to multi-class if you wanted.

Races-- like classes, one per character for now. SubRaces will come later as well.

Yes, yes, and I'm not sure what different types of abilities would mean. You can have instant effects, duration effects, and later will come held and charged. Held means they are active as long as some trigger is true (probably holding down a key or button). Charged means you charge it up and the longer you charge, the bigger it gets. Also included is support for standard projectiles, multiple projectiles, and what we like to call MIRV where a single projectile hits the primary target and then multiple projectiles fly out from there to secondary targets.

I'll have to check on this. I think there are a couple of systems that assume a single character, but I have it in the back of my mind that I need to fix that. So that will probably happen before launch.

Nothing official for those but no reason you can't make them.

Yup! Totally. Everything can be saved.

 

Quick update. We will be (hopefully) showing off CAT RPG at Made in MA at PAX East. If you're in the area, come check it out. We'll probably also be doing another CAT giveaway.

The RPG work is going well. We've made some progress on the documentation, and the art is really coming along. Don't hold me to this, but we are probably looking at May for release (plus however long it takes to be approved on the Asset Store).

This weekend, I added initial support for Asset Bundles and Drag and Drop into base CAT. We also merged in a ton of additions and fixes from another project we've been working on. I'm working on submitting that to the Asset Store, so you should see the new version in a few days hopefully. As a teaser, here's the release notes:

 

When I get around to it I'll look at integrating it myself. I'm focused on level design right now.

I'll let you know how the implementation goes.

 

Sounds good! Unfortunately, right now we don't really have the bandwidth to do integrations unless it's something we need to do for a client. We have a small Spine integration for instance. Speaking of-- I should figure out how we can release that (and if it's decent enough to be worthwhile).

 

Spine is something I eventually plan on picking up so an integration would be great.

 

Good news, everyone! The latest version of CAT Game Builder is live in the Asset Store! We have also decided to reduce the price to $64. You're getting quite a lot for that price, especially with the new (beta) support for Asset Bundles, the upgraded Localization system (more improvements coming), and all the other features.

 

Hello,
I'm doing a billiard-pool kind of game
My intention is to start a timer with a countdown when starting the game
And I have to put 4 balls before the time runs out

Once I have managed to get 4 balls, the time stops and gives me a score (the remaining time)

I already have the whole physical system for the game, I just need to manage the timer and the scores

Can you give me an idea of how to do it with CAT?

Thanks in advance!

 

I responded in Discord, but this was my solution:

1. StateMachine with Ready, Time, and AddScore States
2. Add a ValueHolder to it and add a Float Value (named Score) and a Timer Value (named Timer) The Timer Value should have an end of 120 and two operations. The first is Subtract 120 (or whatever the end value is) and the second is multiply by -1. This will cause the timer to appear to count backwards. I'll make sure to just include an option for this in a future release since it seems like a common thing to do. Note to anyone reading-- there is a bug with operations and Timer Values which will be fixed in the next release. If anyone needs it sooner, let me know and I'll give you the updated file with the fix.
3. Add a canvas with Score and Time UI Float Text Databinds and point them to your State Machine and Score / Time respectively.
4. Add a start and stop button to the canvas.
5. In the Ready State, Add a UI Button Trigger, point it to the Start button and give it a Change State action to the Time state. (optional) Use two Set Interactable Actions to enable the Start button and disable the Stop button

6. In the Time State, use a Start Timer Action with Reset on and pointed at the Timer value. Add A Float Value Trigger pointed at the Timer Value and set to Equal 0 and give it a Change State to AddScore (this will stop the game when the timer runs out.) Add a UI Button Trigger, point it to the Stop button and also give it a Change State to AddScore. This would be for when the player completes the objective. (optional) Two Set Interactable Actions again to disable Start and enable Stop.

7. In the AddScore State, Add a Stop Timer Action and point it to Timer. Add a Modify Float Value Action with the source and target pointed at Owner/Score, the operation as Add and the Modification Amount pointed to Owner/Timer. Then I added a Delayed Action and a Change State Action back to Ready. Again the optional Set Interactable Actions to disable Start and Stop buttons.


That's it! Obviously, in an actual game, you'll want the Start/Stop buttons to instead be whatever game logic starts and stops the timer.

Hope that helps!

 

Thanks a lot, I will try to implement in my game

 

If anyone here is going to PAX East this week, we'll have a booth at the Made in MA party on Thursday and will be showing off CAT RPG and Treat Fighter. You can get tickets here.

Here's another CAT RPG screenshot from the example game.



Oh yeah, and @Duffer123, Affixes and Socketing will be in there. Thanks for the suggestion!

Next week, we'll start full force on the documentation with the hope of submitting to the Asset Store in a month or so.