Input Management
Last modified: 05 December 2024The Input System was designed to separate player input handling logic from Pawn or Character classes. By doing so, it further enables reusability of such logic, even across different projects.
Input Handler
Input Handlers are small objects that will react to certain Trigger Events, from specific Input Actions. They are meant to separate all input handling logic from pawns or characters.
The Input System contains provides many Input Handlers ready to be used. You can also create your own Input Handlers by extending the NinjaInputHandler class.
Input Handlers are bundled along with their respective Mapping Context in an Input Setup. Input Handlers can also be buffered using the Animation-Based Input Buffer.
Input Manager
The Input Manager is the backbone of the Input System. It's responsible for initializing and maintaining Input Setups and routing Input Actions to appropriate Input Handlers.
tip
Chain of Responsibility
In OOP terms, the Input Manager implements the Chain of Responsibility pattern. It allows all Handlers to evaluate incoming Inputs to decide on whether they will execute or ignore them.
The Input Manager can be added to the Player Controller, which is recommended, or Pawn/Character. Regardless, you can always access the Pawn related to the Input Manager by calling GetPawn.
The Input Manager is also an implementation of the Ability System Interface. It will attempt to retrieve the Ability System Component from the current Pawn.
In an Input Handler, the Ability System Component can be obtained from the Input Manager, using the GetAbilitySystemComponent function, available in both Blueprint and C++.
Component Initialization
During initialization, the Input Manager will bind itself the Enhanced Input Subsystem and load any Input Contexts provided by default, via the appropriate Input Setups.
The component will automatically initialize and, if assigned to a Player Controller also re-initialize when a new Pawn is possessed.
Input Buffering
The Input Manager is a valid implementation of the Input Buffer. It can capture player inputs while the buffer is open, and executing them later on once the buffer closes.