Skilled Interaction Device Design Examples

This interactive device is perfect for creating fun mini-games where players can practice various in-game skills. 

Starting a Fire

Use the Skilled Interaction device to quickly make a more engaging interaction for basic gameplay moments like lighting a campfire!

Devices Used

• 1 x Skilled Interaction device

• 1 x Player Spawner device

• 1 x Campfire device

Set Up the Devices

1. Place a Player Spawner device.

2. Place a Campfire device.

3. Customize the Campfire device:

   

   Option	Value
   Can Be Lit	No
   Can Be Extinguished	No
   Campfire Zone Size	2.5 Meters

4. Place a Skilled Interaction device.

5. Customize the device:

   

   

   Option	Value
   Interaction Type	Charge and Release
   UI Type	Pulsing
   Meter Thickness	100
   Good Zone Position	100%
   Perfect Zone Size	0%
   Scrubber Color	White

Bind Functions and Events

Direct event binding is how you set devices to communicate directly with other devices. This involves setting functions and events for the devices involved.

1. Configure the following event on the Skilled Interaction device so that a successful interaction lights the fire.

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function
   On Success	Campfire	Light

2. Configure the following events on the campfire so that entering the zone will trigger the Skilled Interaction device and leaving the zone will extinguish the fire.

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function
   On Entering Area	Skilled Interaction Device	Begin Interaction for Instigator
   On Leaving Area	Campfire	Extingui

You now have the basic functionality for a custom fire-starting interaction!

Design Tip

Setting the size of the Perfect interaction zone to 0% makes it so that there is only one successful interaction zone. This is especially  good for simple interactions like this one where there’s no difference in outcome between Good and Perfect.

Build a Volcano Escape

You can configure the Skilled Interaction device to require multiple player successes to complete the interaction. When paired with a time limit, this can create a tense and exciting interaction!

Devices Used

• 1 x Skilled Interaction device

• 1 x Player Spawner device

• 1 x Water device

• 1 x Baller Spawner device

• 1 x Button device

Set Up the Basic Gameplay

1. Start with the Volcano Island starter island.

2. Create a small platform inside the volcano using a rock from the Tropical Rock gallery.

3. Place a Player Spawner device on top of the rock and customize so it isn't visible in-game:

   

4. Place a Water device at the bottom of the volcano and tweak the placement of the zone and the dimensions to make it appear as if the water is contained within the volcano as it’s rising.

5. Customize the Water device: 

   

   Option	Value
   Zone Depth	3.5
   Zone Height	3.5
   Default Vertical Water Percentage	0.0
   Vertical Filling Speed (T PM)	8.0
   Water Type	Red River Styx

6. Configure the following event on the Player Spawner device so that the water begins rising right when the game begins.

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function
   On Player Spawned	Water	Start Vertical Filling

Set Up the Skilled Interaction

1. Place a Baller Spawner device and customize:

   

   Option	Value
   Enabled During Phase	None
   Visible in Game	Off

2.  Place a Skilled Interaction device and customize:

   

   

   Option	Value
   Movement Speed	75%
   Good Zone Size	10%
   Perfect Zone Size	0%
   Success Target	3
   Show Successes	On
   Success Counter Color	White
   Failure Limit	3
   Show Failures	On
   Fail Counter Color	White
   Scrubber Color	White

3. Configure the following event on the Skilled Interaction device so that it will spawn a baller when the interaction is completed successfully. If the interaction fails, the Button will be disabled and the player will not be able to complete the challenge!

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function
   On Fail	Button	Disable

4.  Place a Button device on the wall and customize:

   

   Option	Value
   Interaction Text	Create a Baller to Escape!

5. Configure the following event on the Button device so that it will start the Skilled Interaction when pressed.

   

You now have the basic functionality for a volcano escape!

Design Tip

With the events that the Skilled Interaction device can send, anything is possible. Use these interactions to trigger doors unlocking, new gameplay areas opening, item upgrades, or anything else you can imagine. Get creative with how to tailor the interactions to the action that the player is performing! 

Build a Fishing Quest Mini-Game

The Skilled Interaction device can be combined with a Fishing Zone and some Item Granter devices to create a fun and engaging fishing mini-game! With some other devices, you’ll create a basic quest in which the player must fish successfully to unlock a new gameplay area!

Devices Used

• 1 x Skilled Interaction device

• 1 x Player Spawner device

• 1 x Fishing Rod Barrel device

• 2 x Item Granter devices

• 1 x Fishing Zone device

• 1 x Lock device

• 1 x Character device

• 1 x HUD Message device

• 1 x Tracker device

Set Up the Basic Fishing Devices

1. Begin with the Mountain Ridge Island starter island.

2. Place the Lockie’s Lighthouse prefab near the water.

3. Place a Player Spawner device and customize so it does not show in-game:

   

4.  Place a Fishing Rod Barrel device next to the lighthouse.

5.  Place an Item Granter device and register a Flopper to the device.

6. Customize the Item Granter:

   

   Option	Value
   Drop Items at Player Location	Alway

7. Duplicate the Item Granter and rename the duplicate to Perfect Item Granter. Unregister the Flopper and register a Slurpfish.

8. Place a Fishing Zone device in the water and customize:

   

   Option	Value
   Pool Type	Trigger Only

9.   Place a Skilled Interaction device and customize:

   

   

   Option	Value
   Description Text	The better you do, the better the fish!
   UI Type	Bar
   Movement Type	Wiggle
   Wiggle Time Min	0.25 Seconds
   Wiggle Time Max	0.5 Seconds
   Movement Speed	100%
   Good Zone Size	25%
   Position Zone Randomly	On
   Scrubber Color	White

Set Up the Quest Devices

1. Place a Lock device on the door frame of the lighthouse, making sure that it glows blue to indicate that it is successfully connected.

2. Customize the lock so it is not visible in-game:

   

3. Place a Character device next to the lighthouse and customize:

   

   Option	Value
   Use Animated Idle	On
   Interact Type	Send Event Only
   Interaction Text	Talk

4.   Place a HUD Message device and customize:

   

   Option	Value
   Message Recipient	All
   Placement	Top Center
   Text Color	White

5.   Place a Tracker device and customize:

   

   Option	Value
   Target Value	3
   Assign on Game Start	Off
   Tracker Title	Catch Fish
   Description Text	Catch 3 Fish to Unlock the Lighthouse!
   Quest Icon	Fishing

Bind Functions and Events

1. Configure the following event on the Fishing Zone device to trigger the Skilled Interaction device when the player catches a fish in the zone.

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function

2. Configure the following events on the Skilled Interaction device so that when a fish is caught, it increments the value on the Tracker device and grant different fish, depending on whether the input was Good or Perfect.

   

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function
   On Good Input	Good Item Granter	Grant Item
   On Perfect Input	Perfect Item Granter	Grant Item

3. Configure the following events on the Character device so that when the player interacts with it, it will trigger both the quest and the HUD message that delivers the accompanying line of dialogue:

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function
   On Interacted With	Fishstick Dialogue Device	Show

4. Configure the following event on the tracker so that when the quest is completed, the lighthouse will open. 

   

   Event	Select Device	Select Function

You now have a working fishing mini-game connected to a quest system!

Design Tip

This type of fishing mini-game is very common in cozy farming games and other similar games. But more and more games of all genres are adding fishing as a fun side mechanic that players can use to unlock additional items. 

Consider different types of games that could benefit from a fishing mini-game and try adding one!