A Player Bounds System for Unreal Engine

When you open your game editor, it can feel overwhelming. A blank level represents near-infinite possibilities. In an era of massive open-world games, the pressure to build something equally expansive can creep in quickly.

But here’s the truth:

Every great game is built with constraints. Even large-scale AAA titles rely on invisible boundaries and controlled spaces to guide gameplay, protect performance, and define rules.

That’s where intentional design begins.

Enter the Player Bounds Template

The Player Bounds system is a lightweight, dynamic volume actor designed to constrain only the player character. Not every actor in the scene.

Instead of using traditional blocking volumes that affect everything, this system:

• Restricts player movement within a defined area

• Allows other actors to pass freely

• Can be resized dynamically

• Can be toggled or moved during gameplay

• Helps maintain performance by reducing unnecessary collision checks

It’s simple to use, flexible to customize, and designed for developers who want clean control over their play space.

Example 1: Infinite Runner 

Example 2: Top-Down Shoot ‘Em Up

Now imagine launching hundreds of meteors at the player.

You're looking for chaos!
You want speed!
Still want to maintain control!

By resizing the Player Bounds volume to define your combat area, you ensure the player stays within the intended gameplay zone. Projectiles and enemies can move freely across the boundary without interference.

Consequences for crossing the boundary?
That’s up to you.

This template intentionally leaves gameplay logic flexible — so you can implement health drain, teleportation, damage, or visual feedback as needed.

The system enforces limits.
You define the rules!

Example 3: Third-Person Shooter (Storm Wall Style)

Popular battle royale games rely on shrinking boundaries to define match pacing. The Player Bounds system allows you to emulate this functionality.

• Toggle boundary enforcement from the Player Blueprint

• Resize the bounds during runtime

• Trigger messages when the player breaches the limit

• Enable visual materials or wall indicators
  
  

By default, the template includes debug messaging when the player exits the boundary. What happens next is entirely up to your design.

That flexibility is intentional!

What You Get!

• Player-only boundary volume Blueprint

• Adjustable extents

• Runtime resizing capability

• Toggle control in Player Blueprint

• Preconfigured boundary material setup

• Example map implementations

Start Building with Intention

Design your Game.
Define your play space.
Control your rules.

Then build within those limits!