Observe GCS in the Companion Project

The plugin package has no Content (CanContainContent is false). The companion project, provided separately after purchase, is a finished observation path: open /Game/GenericDemo/GCS in the Content Browser (the GenericDemo/GCS folder under the project's Content directory), load GCS_Demo, and you can see melee windows, ranged shots, lock-on, and combos reach the same attack-result pipeline. This page only says what you can compare there. Demo maps, characters, and UI are not plugin built-ins.

Related pages: the smallest do-it-yourself loop is Quick Start; concepts are in Core Features.

Map and asset names on this page are checked at path level. Blueprint graphs, Data Table row values, and component internals were not opened in the editor.

Prerequisites

You have the companion project and can open it in the editor.
The Content Browser can find GCS_Demo and the demo asset names below.
Compare by asset name and folder. Do not unpack Blueprint graphs to copy configuration.

1. Play the map, then unpack assets

Open GCS_Demo under /Game/GenericDemo/GCS (the map lives in Levels). PIE as BP_CombatCharacter against BP_CombatCharacter_Enemy. The demo combat-entity component is BC_DemoCombatEntity in the same Blueprints folder.

Confirm these runtime results before returning to the Content Browser:

A melee window that connects produces hit reaction or damage feedback.
A ranged shot shows a trail; lock-on follows when you change targets.
Repeated light attacks move from the opener into later steps, then return to the opener when you stop.

Open the optional GCS_AIMap when you want the AI placeholder. It shows how AI uses the same combat components. It is not the default player map.

2. Match paths to capabilities

Start with the companion project's core combat assets: open /Game/GenericGame/CombatSystem in the Content Browser (the GenericGame/CombatSystem folder under the project's Content directory). Core contains BC_GCS_CombatSystem and BC_GCS_CombatEntity, the samples for attaching combat components and implementing the combat-entity interface.

Search demo characters by path:

Capability	Open these paths or assets	Then read
How a character attaches combat components	`BP_CombatCharacter`, `BP_CombatCharacter_Enemy`, and `BC_DemoCombatEntity` under `/Game/GenericDemo/GCS/Blueprints`; then `BC_GCS_CombatSystem` and `BC_GCS_CombatEntity` under `/Game/GenericGame/CombatSystem`	Attach Combat Components, Combat Flow and Attack Results
Melee windows and hits	Land one hit in `GCS_Demo`, then compare attack and Trace samples in the `CombatSystem` core assets	Author a Melee Attack, Traces and Hit Windows
Ranged trajectory	Fire in the same map and compare bullet core assets	Author a Ranged Attack, Bullet Runtime
Lock-on and teams	Lock an enemy and cycle targets; compare Targeting / Team wiring	Targeting and Teams
Combos and weapons	Watch step changes on repeated attacks; demo weapon actors also live under Blueprints	Configure Combo and Weapon, Combos, Weapons, and the Combat Entity

Do not open these Blueprints to copy nodes or record unverified defaults. Matching paths plus a PIE result is enough to see which piece your project is missing.

3. Treat the demo as wiring only

The GCS_Demo HUD, input, and weapon looks belong to the companion-project demo layer. The plugin Runtime module does not ship those assets. A production project can replace the whole character and UI as long as it still attaches GCS components, implements IGCS_CombatEntityInterface, and reaches an Attack Result through attack definitions plus a Trace or bullet request.

Expected result

With the companion project open, the Content Browser finds GCS_Demo and the character plus core-component assets above. PIE is enough to compare melee windows, ranged trails, lock-on, and combo steps without opening Blueprint graphs.

Verify

The Content Browser finds GCS_Demo, plus BP_CombatCharacter, BP_CombatCharacter_Enemy, and BC_DemoCombatEntity.
Core under /Game/GenericGame/CombatSystem shows BC_GCS_CombatSystem and BC_GCS_CombatEntity.
After PIE, melee produces hit or damage feedback and ranged shots show a trail.
Lock-on changes the current target; repeated attacks show step changes.
Enabling only the plugin, without the companion project, does not create the /Game/GenericDemo/GCS assets.

Common failures

Symptom	Meaning
Plugin enabled, no `GCS_Demo` or `BP_CombatCharacter`	Those assets live in the companion project, not the plugin package. The companion project is provided separately after purchase.
Shipping the demo character or HUD as finished content	The demo is wiring. Character, animation, input, and UI stay with the project.
No `GenericDemo` folder in your own project	Folder layout follows the project you received. Searching by asset name is more stable than memorizing directories.
Copying Blueprint defaults as plugin guarantees	This page only verified paths and asset names. Treat internal fields as whatever you open in the editor.

After you have compared the demo, build the smallest loop in your project with Attach Combat Components. Do not copy the entire demo map.

Observe GCS in the Companion Project

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