Target Locking
The Target Locking is feature built using the Gameplay Targeting System to select a target to be locked on.
Target Lock Ability
The Target Lock ability is responsible for collecting potential targets and track them until one of these things happen:
The target is deliberately deselected.
A certain distance threshold is passed.
The target's death delegate is broadcast.
The Target Lock ability ends.
Within the Target Lock category, you can set many relevant aspects of the lock, here's a breakdown of these properties.
Property | Description |
|---|---|
Targeting Preset | Targeting Preset data used to collect the appropriate target. |
Next Targeting Preset | A different preset that can be used if a next target is selected. |
Move to New Targets | If set to true, the Ability collects new targets when the current one becomes unavailable. |
Perform Async Targeting | Configures the Gameplay Targeting System to collect targets asynchronously. |
Distance Threshold | An optional threshold that, if exceeded, deselects the current target. |
Target Lock Effect Class | Gameplay Effect applied to the target once a target is locked. |
Activation
The Target Lock Ability can be activated normally, by Gameplay Tags or the Ability Class, but it can also be activated via Gameplay Events. This can be useful to AI Agents collecting their targets using the Perception System.
The Gameplay Event activation allows the new target to be provided in the Event Payload. Events can be used to either activate or deactivate the ability.
Gameplay Event | Description |
|---|---|
| A new target is set, obtained from the first Optional Object in the event's Payload. |
| The current target is cleared. This will also end the Target Lock Ability's execution. |
Targeting Presets
Targets are selected using Gameplay Targeting System, which provides a powerful and declarative way to find actors in the world.
It uses Targeting Presets, along with Targeting Tasks, to Select, Filter and Sort targets. You can find more details about this framework in the official documentation.
In the following image, you can see a sample of what a Targeting Preset could look like for the Target Locking ability.
The AOE Selection Task collects targets in a sphere, with a radius of 1600. It is set to ignore the source actor and instigator.
Selected actors are filtered by the Filter Actor Task, so only
PluginLabsCharactersubclasses are selected.Selected actors are filtered again by the Facing Filter Task to ensure an angle of 60 degrees from the source.
Finally, actors are filtered one last time to make sure they are not dead.
You can represent any criteria using Targeting Presets, and you can also create new tasks of any category.
Target Manager Component
The Combat Manager component is the default implementation for the Target Manager, which is defined by the CombatTargetManager Interface. This implementation provides the following properties that can adjust the Target Lock's behavior:
Control Rotation: Enables or disables automatic rotation of the Controller to face the current target.
Predict Target: Allows the local player to predict the target, before waiting for server confirmation.
Controller Rotation
The default Target Manager implementation (the Combat Manager) can optionally rotate the Controller to focus on the locked target. The following properties adjust this behavior.
Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Determines if the controller should be automatically rotated to the locked target. |
| Determines if the pitch should be locked or allow input. |
| Determines if the yaw should be locked or allow input. |
| Determines how fast the rotation happens. |
Combat Marker Actor
This Actor is used to represent the Player's current target. It can provide a cosmetic elements such as the target's health bar or status effects.
The Target Manager Component manages the Combat Marker Actor's lifecycle.
Integrated Systems
A common requirement for a Target Lock system is to have its owner strafing whenever they are locked on a given target. To that end, two relevant systems are automatically integrated with the Target Lock: Movement and Animation.
Character Movement Manager
The default Combat Character Movement Manager component can automatically toggle strafing if its owner has a locked target.
Combat Animation Instance
The base Combat Animation Instance can automatically modify the value of its strafing property depending on whether the owner has a locked target or not.