Creating a component

This page explains how to create a new component for Motion to extend Motion to your needs. In this example we will create a Health Component which adds a Health value to the Motion Character which we can then use to implement fall damage.

Creating a Motion Component

To begin, we need to create a new Actor Component by right-clicking in the Content Browser and selecting Blueprint Class.

In the modal that opens, scroll down and select BP_BaseCharacterCurvedComponent.

Name it BP_HealthComponent.

Double-clicking it will show you the empty Event Graph.

Listening to Event Landed

Since the Character Blueprint already comes with a Event Dispatcher for OnPlayerLanded we can just subscribe to that!

To do so, get the Character Core Component and from there the Character. Drag the Character reference, create a Bind Event to On Player Landed node and createa a new custom Event to it.

Then create a new function named HandleOnPlayerLanded. Inside this function we will place the code that is executed when the event fires.

Connect it to the EventOnPlayerLanded node.

Testing the Event Handler

Now our component is ready for testing! To test if our Event Handler is actually called, add a Print String node inside of Handle on Player Landed.

Adding Component to Character

For our new component to run we simply need to add it to our Character Blueprint. Open BP_MotionCharacter, press Add Component in the Components tab, search for the new Health Component and select it.

That's it already! Now to test if the previously added Print String node is actually called, hit the Play button in your editor's toolbar and jump. When landing, a message should appear on your screen.

Adding simple damage logic

This example will only cover a simple example solution for damage. Feel free to adjust and extended the logic as needed for your project.

Add a variable of Type Float and name it Health. Set it's default value to 100 in the Details tab and then replace the code inside of Handle on Player Landed with the following code:

Create a new variable of Type Boolean called bShowDebugInformation. Set it`s default value to True and create a new function Print Debug Information and add the following code:

Then call it in Event Tick as follows:

Hit the Play button in your editor's toolbar again and it should look like this now when you jump and land:

You have successfully created a component for Motion! Congratulations!