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Creating Interaction Options

An Interaction Option (UGameplayInteractionOption) is a data asset that fully describes one action a player can perform on an entity — what triggers it, what it does, what it costs, and how it looks in the UI.

A separate Interaction Options container (UGameplayInteractionOptions) holds the full list of options for a given entity.

Step 1 — Create the Container Asset​

  1. In the Content Browser navigate to Miscellaneous → Data Asset.
  2. Select GameplayInteractionOptions as the class.
  3. Name it to describe the entity (e.g. DA_Options_Door).
  4. Open it and add entries to the Available Options array — each entry is a reference to a UGameplayInteractionOption asset (see Step 2).

Step 2 — Create an Interaction Option Asset​

  1. In the Content Browser navigate to Miscellaneous → Data Asset.
  2. Select GameplayInteractionOption as the class.
  3. Name it to describe the action (e.g. DA_Option_Door_Open).

Step 3 — Configure the Option​

Open the option asset. The properties are grouped by category:

Matching​

These control when the option appears in the player's available list.

PropertyDescription
RequiredComponentTagIf set, the option only appears when the trace hits a mesh component carrying this tag. Leave empty to match any component on the entity. Use this for multi-part entities (e.g. ButtonA, ButtonB).
PlayerRequirementsTag query evaluated against the player's owned gameplay tags. Default blocks when Gameplay.Interaction.Ongoing is present (prevents re-entry while mid-interaction).
TargetRequirementsTag query evaluated against the entity's dynamic tags. Use to gate options on entity state (e.g. "only show Lock option when the entity has State.Unlocked").
CooldownTagsIf any of these tags are present on the entity's dynamic tags, this option shows a Gameplay.Interaction.Cooldown failure. Add a matching tag to the entity after use and remove it after the cooldown elapses.

Execution​

PropertyDescription
InteractionTypeInstant — fires immediately on input press. Timed — requires holding for InteractionDuration seconds.
InteractionDurationHold duration in seconds for timed interactions.
ActionTagDescriptive tag consumed by interactive entities implementing the interaction logic (e.g. Interaction.Action.Door.Open).
bEndAbilityOnExecuteWhen true the ability ends as soon as the action executes. Set false for interactions that must persist (e.g. dialogue that requires an explicit exit).

Player — On Start (Temporary)​

Applied while the interaction is active, removed automatically when the ability ends.

PropertyDescription
PlayerTemporaryGrantedTagsOnStartTags loosely granted to the player. Default includes Gameplay.Interaction.Ongoing to block re-entry.
PlayerTemporaryRevokedTagsOnStartTags removed from the player while the interaction is active.
PlayerTemporaryEffectsOnStartGameplay Effects applied for the duration. Handles returned and removed in EndAbility.

Player — On Finish (Persistent)​

Applied when the interaction successfully completes. Not removed automatically.

PropertyDescription
PlayerPersistentGrantedTagsOnFinishTags granted permanently on completion.
PlayerPersistentRevokedTagsOnFinishTags removed permanently on completion.
PlayerPersistentEffectsOnFinishGameplay Effects applied on completion.

Target — On Start (Temporary)​

Applied to the entity's dynamic tag container while the interaction is active.

PropertyDescription
TargetTemporaryGrantedTagsOnStartDynamic tags added to the entity on interaction start.
TargetTemporaryRevokedTagsOnStartDynamic tags removed from the entity on interaction start.

Target — On Finish (Persistent)​

Applied to the entity's dynamic tags when the interaction completes.

PropertyDescription
TargetPersistentGrantedTagsOnFinishDynamic tags added permanently on completion (e.g. add Gameplay.Interaction.Disabled so a single-use entity can't be used again).
TargetPersistentRevokedTagsOnFinishDynamic tags removed permanently on completion (e.g. remove State.Locked after unlock).

Feedback​

Context-sensitive feedback selected via tag query at runtime.

PropertyDescription
FeedbackConfigsArray of FGameplayInteractionFeedback entries. Each entry has a QueryTag, a GameplayCueTag, an AnimationMontage, a SoundOverride, and a ParticleOverride.
DefaultFeedbackFallback used when no FeedbackConfigs entry matches the query.

Query feedback from your ability using:

FGameplayInteractionFeedback Feedback;
if (CurrentOption->QueryFeedback(YourContextTag, Feedback))
{
    // Execute Feedback.GameplayCueTag, play Feedback.SoundOverride, etc.
}

Matching supports tag hierarchy — querying Feedback.FPP.Injured will match a config entry tagged Feedback.FPP.

UI​

PropertyDescription
ActionTextShort label for the button prompt (e.g. "Open", "Hack").
ProgressTextLabel shown during a timed hold (e.g. "Opening...").
DescriptionLonger description for detail panels. Supports multi-line.
InteractionIconIcon displayed in the HUD prompt or radial menu slice.

Step 4 — Assign the Container to the Entity​

  1. Open your interactive entity Blueprint.
  2. Select the Interaction Component in the Components panel.
  3. In the Details panel, set Interaction Options to your DA_Options_Door container asset.

Common Recipes​

Single-use entity (door that can only be opened once)​

On DA_Option_Door_Open:

  • TargetPersistentGrantedTagsOnFinish → add Gameplay.Interaction.Disabled

The entity's blocking tags include Disabled by default, so no further interaction will be possible after the first completion.

Cooldown between uses​

  1. On the option, add your custom cooldown tag (e.g. State.Door.Cooldown) to CooldownTags.
  2. On TargetPersistentGrantedTagsOnFinish, add State.Door.Cooldown.
  3. After your cooldown timer elapses, call RevokeDynamicTags on the entity's Interaction Component to remove State.Door.Cooldown.

Locked door requiring a key​

On DA_Option_Door_Open:

  • PlayerRequirements → FGameplayTagQuery::MakeQuery_MatchAllTags({Item.Key.MasterKey})

The option is hidden/unavailable until the player's ASC has the Item.Key.MasterKey tag. Also make sure to add this tag to the ObservedTags on the player interaction component, so it updates the interaction whenever that tag is present.

Two-sided interaction (Open / Close toggle)​

Create two options:

  • DA_Option_Door_Open — TargetRequirements matches when entity does not have State.Door.Open. TargetPersistentGrantedTagsOnFinish adds State.Door.Open.
  • DA_Option_Door_Close — TargetRequirements matches when entity has State.Door.Open. TargetPersistentRevokedTagsOnFinish removes State.Door.Open.

Both live in the same DA_Options_Door container. The player-side component auto-selects the appropriate option based on current entity state.

Step 5 — Assign an Interaction Ability​

Each option drives execution through a Gameplay Ability. You do not set the ability class on the option asset itself — instead you grant the ability to the player and it reads CurrentOption from the cached state at activation time.

The plugin ships GA_Interact (wraps UGameplayAbility_Interaction) as a reference implementation. See Creating Interaction Abilities for how to create custom logic per option.