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# Setup

This page gets an indie project from package install to a working Game Creator/GAT bridge, then lists the checks you should run before shipping or modifying the integration.

## Packages And Defines

| Item                          | Required | Purpose                                                                                                       |
| ----------------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Gameplay Ability Toolkit Core | Yes      | Provides abilities, effects, attributes, tags, cues, targeting, montage, input, and `AbilitySystemComponent`. |
| Game Creator Core             | Yes      | Provides Game Creator `Character`, Triggers, Visual Scripting, instructions, conditions, events, and `Args`.  |
| UniTask support               | Yes      | The bridge assemblies require `GAS_HAS_UNITASK`.                                                              |
| `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR`      | Yes      | Includes the Game Creator integration assemblies.                                                             |
| Game Creator Stats            | No       | The current bridge does not depend on Stats and does not map Stats assets.                                    |

Expected states:

| State                                                                 | Expected result                                                              |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| No `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR`                                           | GAT compiles without Game Creator. Game Creator assemblies are excluded.     |
| `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR` without `GAS_HAS_UNITASK`                    | Dashboard diagnostics report the missing UniTask define.                     |
| `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR` and `GAS_HAS_UNITASK` with Game Creator Core | Runtime, Visual Scripting, editor, demo, and test bridge assemblies compile. |
| Game Creator Stats installed                                          | No extra bridge is activated. Stats remains outside the integration surface. |

## Dashboard Enablement

Open:

```
Tools > Gameplay Ability Toolkit > Dashboard > Extensions
```

Enable the Game Creator extension. The Dashboard should add or confirm:

* `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR`
* `GAS_HAS_UNITASK`
* Game Creator integration assembly availability
* Game Creator diagnostics page availability

Then open:

```
Tools > Gameplay Ability Toolkit > Dashboard > Game Creator
```

Use this page before release. It verifies assembly visibility, required defines, Visual Scripting node metadata, icon and TIcon availability, and common authoring configuration.

## Assembly Checks

The current bridge is split so the base package stays usable without Game Creator:

| Assembly area                        | Gate                                        | Notes                                                                                   |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Game Creator runtime bridge          | `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR`, `GAS_HAS_UNITASK` | Ability definitions, effects, context, input gate, projectile, hitbox, montage backend. |
| Game Creator Visual Scripting bridge | `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR`, `GAS_HAS_UNITASK` | Instructions, conditions, events, getters, properties, icons.                           |
| Game Creator editor bridge           | `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR`, `GAS_HAS_UNITASK` | Ability Inspector, effect editor, cue editor, diagnostics, validators.                  |
| Game Creator Arena demo              | `GAS_ENABLE_GAMECREATOR`, `GAS_HAS_UNITASK` | Demo scene, assets, HUD, triggers, tests.                                               |

If an asmdef references Game Creator types directly, it must be under the same define gates. Do not add package-specific combat package references to the bridge asmdefs.

## Required Components

| Component                        | Where                                                              | Required for                                                                                                                           |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `AbilitySystemComponent`         | Ability owner and effect targets                                   | Granting, activating, ending, applying effects, reading attributes, and owning tags.                                                   |
| Game Creator `Character`         | Character-controlled actors                                        | Game Creator motion and animation routing. Plain actors can still use GAT runtime surfaces when they have an `AbilitySystemComponent`. |
| `GameCreatorAbilityInputGate`    | Actors receiving Game Creator Press and Release Triggers           | Preventing one physical press from dispatching multiple GAT press events before release.                                               |
| `MontagePlayer`                  | Actors playing GAT `AnimationMontage` assets                       | Cast, movement, melee, channel, and manual montage playback.                                                                           |
| `GameCreatorAbilityWeaponHitbox` | Created automatically when needed, or placed under a weapon object | Deterministic hitbox windows driven by montage markers or Visual Scripting instructions.                                               |

## Configuration

Assign normal GAT libraries in `GASConfiguration`:

* Gameplay Tag Library
* Gameplay Cue Library
* Ability Input Library
* Attribute definitions and effect assets used by your abilities

Game Creator does not replace those libraries. The integration exposes them to Visual Scripting and recipe assets.

## Stats Exclusion

GAT attributes remain GAT attributes. GAT effects remain GAT effects. Game Creator Stats assets are not required and are not synchronized by this bridge.

For in-game stat UI, read GAT attributes with the Essential attribute getters or the regular GAT runtime UI. If your project needs Stats synchronization, keep that project-specific glue outside the package bridge.


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