Input Integration

Combo Inputs

First, Ninja Input greatly simplifies activating Gameplay Abilities and sending Gameplay Events, including the option to send Gameplay Events if an Ability is already active, which is very useful for the Combo System.

The Combo System uses Gameplay Events to advance the ongoing combo and in some scenarios, it may also require the Input Action to be provided as one of the Payload's Optional Objects.

You have two ways to implement this using Ninja Input.

Single Input Handler

You can use an Ability Activation Input Handler and enable the option to Send Gameplay Events if Active. This checks if the Gameplay Ability being activated is already active, and if so, sends a Gameplay Event instead.

This is a good approach if your Input Handler directly activates the Combo Ability.

Two Input Handlers

Alternatively, you can use an Ability Activation Input Handler and a Send Gameplay Event handler. The first one is used to activate the Ability and the second one is used to send Gameplay Events.

This is a good approach if you are using the Opportunity Attack and then a combo as a fallback, or others scenarios where the main ability cannot know for sure if the Combo Ability is Active.

Disable Input

Some Gameplay Abilities will automatically add tags to their avatar that are recognized by Ninja Input.

The Opportunity Attack Ability adds tags to its owner that, by default, disables inputs for movement and camera. This is done since the Opportunity Attack is expected to take control over both the character's movement and camera.

The Target Lock Ability adds tags to its owner that, by default, disables inputs for the camera. This is done since the Target Lock is expected to always focus on the current target, so the camera must be locked, at least on the yaw axis.

Input Buffer

Ninja Input also provides an Animation-Based Input Buffer, a common requirement for certain Combat Systems. This can allow some interesting things, such as buffering an Attack Input, while the character is performing an evade, or vice-versa.

Forward Reference

In some cases, the Input System may require a Forward Reference that always points forward. If you had to create one for your game, it can be reused by the Combat System, which always has this requirement.

To reuse your Forward Reference from the Input System, you can simply add the Combat.Component.ForwardReference tag to the Arrow Component, or you can return this Arrow Component in the GetCombatForwardReference function, from the Combat System Interface.