Making Iron Galaxy’s cross-platform tower defense experience in UEFN
When Iron Galaxy set out to build their first experience in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), their goal was to create a game that’s accessible and fun for players across platforms.
The result is Deathtrap Dungeon, a tower defense experience where players choose a base and defend it from relentless waves of invaders using an arsenal of traps, turrets, and magical abilities. Along the way, the team explored UEFN’s toolset, Verse scripting, Fortnite assets, and Niagara VFX to bring the experience to life.
Here’s a look behind the scenes at how Deathtrap Dungeon came together.
Finding the right game concept
As the team explored what to build for their first UEFN project, they wanted something that would both showcase the platform’s capabilities and provide opportunities to learn its systems.
“Ultimately, we settled on a tower defense game because it balanced the use of available tools, creating something novel, and giving the team a chance to learn as much about UEFN as possible,” says the team.
Although Deathtrap Dungeon incorporates familiar Fortnite mechanics, the gameplay offers a fresh twist.
“In Deathtrap Dungeon, players interact with many familiar Fortnite mechanics, but they utilize them in a unique way,” continues the team. “Players still move their character in space and are charged with the goal of defeating opponents, but they battle using a custom-built set of traps. This allows them to play around with all kinds of fun effects, applying them to the invading NPCs.”
The result is an experience that feels instantly recognizable while encouraging players to think strategically about how they defend their dungeon.
Rapid iteration with Verse
One of the biggest advantages the team found during development was the speed of iteration made possible by Verse.
“The Verse language allows for quick and safe iteration without the memory management or runtime errors engineers can encounter in lower-level languages,” says the team. “This simplified nature allowed us to get several feature prototypes up and running quickly.”
As UEFN evolved throughout development, new capabilities further accelerated the team’s workflow. Midway through development, support was added for Unreal Motion Graphics (UMG) widget control via Verse variables.
“This was an incredible boon for the team,” says the team. “Taking much of the guesswork out of making custom UI allowed for much more efficient development.”
These improvements helped the team move quickly from prototype to polished gameplay while spending less time wrestling with UI implementation.
Building the dungeon
On the art side, Fortnite’s extensive library of modular assets allowed the team to establish the game’s look early while retaining flexibility throughout production.
“The availability of snappable Fortnite playset assets made for quick iteration on level design,” says the team.
The team quickly established a space with theming and mood, having plenty of time to adjust as the game evolved. “The variety of similar kits also allowed for mixing and matching while keeping a consistent theme,” adds the team.
Visual effects also played a key role in bringing the traps to life. The team’s VFX artist enjoyed having full access to the Niagara system, enabling them to create custom visuals using a familiar workflow. “Look for their custom VFX on traps that players place in the dungeon,” says the team.
By combining modular environments with custom Niagara effects, the team was able to create a dungeon that feels both cohesive and full of personality.
Defend the dungeon
Deathtrap Dungeon showcases how UEFN empowers teams to rapidly prototype, iterate, and build polished gameplay experiences using powerful Unreal Engine workflows alongside Fortnite’s growing ecosystem of tools.
Think your defenses are strong enough to survive the waves of greedy adventurers? Jump into Deathtrap Dungeon and put your strategy to the test: