Combat Stealth States

Combat and Stealth States

State Management Systems

Character states determine what abilities can be used and how the character behaves. The two primary states are Combat State and Stealth State, which have specific rules about when they can be active.

Combat State Implementation

Core Combat Rules

• Stealth Restriction: Cannot enter stealth while in combat state
• Duration: Combat state lasts 5 seconds after activation
• Auto-Deactivation: Automatically turns off after timer expires

Combat State Variables

Create combat state management in master character blueprint:

• Combat Boolean: Tracks whether character is currently in combat
• Combat Timer: 5-second timer that controls combat duration

Combat State Functions

// Combat State Activation
CE_Combat_State() {
set_combat_to_true;
start_5_second_timer;
// Timer calls F_Combat_State_Off when complete
}

// Combat State Deactivation
F_Combat_State_Off() {
set_combat_to_false;
}

Combat State Triggers

Combat state activates when:

• Character receives damage
• Character uses attack abilities
• Character enters hostile encounters

Stealth State Implementation

Stealth Functions

Create stealth management functions in master character blueprint:

Stealth Activation

• Function: F_Stealth_On
• Movement: Set move speed to walk
• Visual Effects: Apply stealth appearance changes

Stealth Deactivation

• Function: F_Stealth_Off
• Movement: Set move speed back to run
• Visual Effects: Return to normal appearance

Stealth State Rules

• Combat Prevention: Cannot activate stealth while in combat
• Combat Breaking: Entering combat automatically breaks stealth
• Movement Speed: Stealth forces slower movement speed

Visual Feedback Systems

Player Character Appearance Changes

Implement visual feedback for stealth state using dynamic materials:

Material Setup Process

1. Create Dynamic Materials: Create material instances for character mesh elements
2. Material Parameters: Add scalar parameter named “color_stealth”
3. Default Values: Set default color_stealth value to 1.0
4. Stealth Values: Set stealth color_stealth value to 0.3 for transparency effect

Implementation Code

// Create dynamic material instances for mesh
F_Mesh_Materials() {
create_dynamic_material_instance_element_0;
create_dynamic_material_instance_element_1;
store_as_mesh_material_variables;
}

// Apply stealth visual effects
F_Stealth_On() {
set_scalar_parameter('color_stealth', 0.3);
set_move_speed_walk;
}

F_Stealth_Off() {
set_scalar_parameter('color_stealth', 1.0);
set_move_speed_run;
}

Material Modification

Modify character materials to support stealth effects:

1. Add Multiply Node: Connect to base color output
2. Add Scalar Parameter: Name “color_stealth” with default value 1.0
3. Apply to All Materials: Repeat for each material used by character mesh

State Integration

Damage Integration

When character receives damage:

• Activate combat state immediately
• If character was in stealth, break stealth state
• Combat state prevents re-entering stealth for 5 seconds

Attack Integration

When character uses attack abilities:

• Activate combat state
• Break stealth if currently active
• Prevent stealth reactivation until combat cooldown expires

Keybind Setup

Temporary Testing Keybind

Create temporary keybind for testing stealth functionality:

• Key: Q (or chosen test key)
• Combat Check: Branch to verify not in combat state
• State Toggle: Use flip-flop to toggle stealth on/off
• Error Feedback: Print message if stealth blocked by combat state

The combat and stealth state system provides the foundation for tactical gameplay mechanics and ensures proper interaction between different character abilities.