Overview

A combat system consists of multiple components and has a certain learning curve. This document provides basic information and preparation guidance for the General Combat System (GCS), helping users quickly get started and understand how the system operates. For detailed functionalities of GCS, please refer to the dedicated documentation pages.

Preparation

Enable Plugin

Make sure you have installed Generic Combat System and Generic Game System from epic launcher, and then enable it in your project setting.

Plugin Compatibility

Uninstall Generic Gameplay Abilities and Generic Input System if you have installed these plugins through launcher. GCS includes both.

Purchase Verification

Users who have completed purchase verification will receive a complete project that includes core asset files, additional assets, and a demo.

Please check After-sales support and Verification

Familiarizing with Project Structure

Here is the general structure of the project provided by GCS. When learning, please refer to both the documentation and the project.

Folders	Descriptions
GenericGame/Shared	Includes UE5/4 Mannequins assets, and a number of reusable simple blueprints, as well as a number of free material from Epic content (please follow Epic's license to use)
GenericGame/AISystem	Some built-in reusable AI nodes for basic AI production needs.
GenericGame/CombatSystem	Some built-in camera modes, It's optional content.
GenericGame/EffectsSystem	Core: Blueprints needed for combat VFX/SFX. Extras: Pre-built settings for vfx/sfx.
GenericGame/CombatSystem/Core	GCS's core assets, which contain core blueprint assets, and reusable abilities.
GenericGame/CombatSystem/Extras	Additional assets for the GCS, containing predefined attack definitions, game effects, bullet configurations, Targeting presets, etc.
GenericDemo/GCS	Provides basic levels, character blueprints, weapons, etc. for showing how to use the GCS.
Other top-level folders	All are free resources from Epic that are used for instructional purposes and can be completely removed when migrating.

Migration Note

Avoid modifying the contents under the GenericGame folder. Instead, copy or inherit from the provided content and modify it to prevent overwriting during updates.

Avoid modifying the contents under the GenericDemo folder as it's for reference only. If you think the demo setup also meets your needs, then you can also copy the whole demo folder somewhere else and start modifying these files.

Migration to your project

To migrate to an existing project, only the contents of the GenericGame folder are essential. You can use Epic's built-in migration tool or safely copy and paste directly in the file browser. Additionally, all .ini files under Config/Tags need to be migrated.

Important Notes:

During migration, warnings regarding stripped third-party assets may appear; you can safely ignore these warnings.
After migration, to enable footstep sounds, you need to add SurfaceTypeToContextMap to the project settings (Project Settings -> Game -> GES Context Effect Settings).
Check GCS_Demo.uproject to confirm which plugins should be enabled.

Updating to New Version

Each time you update the plugin, you will also need to update the corresponding content assets (if updated).

The code plugin V1.1.X is compatible with content for V1.1.x, the code plugin for V1.2.x is compatible with the content for V1.2.x, and so on.

If you have already migrated GenericGame folder to your project, all you need to do is close the editor, then delete Content/GenericGame, and the Tags.ini file that was previously migrated over, and repeat the migration steps from the previous step.

If there are files renamed, or folder structures changed, I provide asset/code redirection configurations to ensure that no blueprint references are lost.

So again, the content in the Demo folder is for reference and learning. Try not to use it directly.