Getting Started

Before You Start

Install and enable the plugin first. The full setup checklist is in Installation, including Enhanced Input, bundled demo widgets, optional example tags, and Linux packaging notes.

For the fastest first pass, enable Show Plugin Content and open the bundled demo map at /InteractionFramework/Environment/Maps/InteractionDemoMap. The physical plugin file is Content/Environment/Maps/InteractionDemoMap.umap.

What You Are Building

A working interaction has three parts: an Interaction Runtime Target Definition asset that describes the interaction, a UInteractionRuntimeTargetComponent on the actor that exposes it, and a UInteractionRuntimeInteractorComponent on the pawn or actor that can focus and activate it. UInteractionUIManagerSubsystem and widgets based on UInteractionUIWidgetBase present the focused surface as prompts.

Create The Target Definition

1. Create an Interaction Runtime Target Definition asset and open it in the target definition editor. See First Target for the detailed authoring pass.
2. Use the starter point, starter variant, and starter command row when present. If the asset is empty, use Add Point; that creates one point with one default variant and one default command row.
3. Assign a stable FInteractionRuntimePointId and FInteractionRuntimeCommandId.
4. Assign a button-style Boolean UInputAction to the command row when the command is interactive.
5. Add execution actions only after the command activates successfully without them.

Add Runtime Components

1. Add UInteractionRuntimeTargetComponent to the actor that should expose interactions.
2. Assign the target definition to the component’s Definition property.
3. Add point bindings when an authored point should follow a scene component or socket.
4. Add UInteractionRuntimeInteractorComponent to the local pawn or actor that should scan, focus, and activate interactions.

Connect Input And Prompt UI

Assign UInputAction assets on interactive command rows, More markers, Back markers, and multi-participant cancel controls where those controls should show. For the standard local player path, the UI manager watches the local player controller and pawn, finds a UInteractionRuntimeInteractorComponent on the current pawn, and binds to it automatically. Use BindInteractor only for custom ownership patterns, non-pawn interactors, debug overlays, or troubleshooting.

First Play-In-Editor Pass

1. Place the target actor in the level.
2. Confirm the actor has a target component with a definition assigned.
3. Confirm the player pawn has an interactor component.
4. Walk into the point range and look at the point origin.
5. Confirm a prompt widget shows the command entry.
6. Press the assigned input action and confirm the command event or execution action runs.

Minimum Working Content

The smallest useful setup is one target definition, one target actor, one interactor pawn, one command input action, and one prompt widget class. You can use WB_VerticalInteractionList from the bundled demo widgets for the first pass. Confirm that path first, then add requirements, execution actions, custom widgets, saving, linked groups, composite points, or multi-participant routes one system at a time.