Edit perk behavior
Build a new perk graph, or open an installed perk and save a patch.
A perk program is a list of conditions and effects. The game’s code runs each operation. The graph sets each operation’s inputs, phase and order.
Edit an installed perk
- Open your installation. Open a project when you want to save changes.
- Choose Assets > Edit perk behavior…, search by the perk’s name or description, and press Open node editor. Or open the perk program in the Perks list and press Edit in the viewer toolbar.
- Select a node to edit its supported inputs.
- Press Compile and save. Its tip says the change may not work in game. For an installed perk it also says the change reaches every item with this perk.
The change is saved as a byte delta in the project. Edit > Undo restores the earlier bytes. If another edit changes the same asset while a draft is open, saving stops. Reload source drops the draft and reads the current project bytes.
Editing an installed perk may not work in game.
Some perks have no behavior program of their own. The picker says so and opens nothing. A node with inputs Studio cannot decode stays visible and keeps its data.
Create a behavior
- Open the Perks list. Press New in its header, or Clone to copy a program.
- Under Start from, choose Blank graph or Pick existing. Enter a name.
- Choose Activation, then Add node to add the starting condition.
- Choose Effects, then add the operation the perk performs.
- Add a Deactivation condition if the effect should end.
- Read the checks and press Compile and create.
Pick existing opens an installed or project program in the editor. Clone in a perk’s viewer starts with that program, also for a perk the project added. Create writes the copy as a new entry. The source program is not changed. A program Studio cannot read is refused with “Uses operations that cannot be compiled yet.” Package ID sits under Advanced > Package settings.
No item uses the new program yet, and it may not work in game.
New in the Weapons list creates an exotic weapon. It creates two graphs and connects them to their perk items, sockets and sandbox entries. See Create an exotic weapon.
The exotic workflow can also create a third graph for the catalyst’s bonus perk. The bonus has its own name and sandbox identity. Choose New graph on Catalyst bonus perk to author it with the same node editor.
Work with nodes
Select a node to see its inputs. Drag a node to change the layout. Earlier and Later change its order within a phase. Undo and Redo restore graph edits. Frame all fits the graph into view. Arrange resets its layout.
A link shows which phase owns a node. It is not an execution path. The program stores the conditions and effects as ordered lists.
Conditions
A phase passes when any one of its conditions passes. Every condition has a Probability.
These conditions react to the perk itself, combat and the weapon:
condition
what passes it
inputs
When activated
the perk enters the phase
probability
After a delay
the phase timer runs out
duration
On kill
the owner kills a target
only this weapon, weapon slot mask, minimum damage share
On kill credit
a kill is credited to a listed player
minimum and maximum damage share
On damage dealt
the owner damages a target
only this weapon, weapon slot mask, minimum damage share, damage above zero
On owner damaged
the owner takes damage
damage share, attacker distance, damage types, slot and part masks
On shot resolved
a shot hits or misses
only this weapon, slot mask, result
On reload
the active weapon reloads
only this weapon, flag tests, slot mask, recent kill window
On ammo picked up
ammo is picked up
weapon slot mask, ammo type mask
On aim change
aiming down sights starts or stops
aiming, not airborne, only this weapon
On finisher phase
a finisher reaches a phase
phase
On object picked up
the player picks up an object
pickup definition, two value ranges
On player spawned
the player spawns
spawn reason mask
These react to items and abilities:
condition
what passes it
inputs
On item readied
an item becomes active, for example a drawn weapon
only this item, slot mask
On item equipped
an item is equipped
only this item, slot mask
On item unequipped
an item is unequipped
only this item, slot mask
On item stowed
an item leaves its active or equipped state
only this item, slot mask
On item event
an item event per slot; “fired” is a guess
only this item, slot mask
On weapon counter tick
a weapon counter rises
only this item, slot mask
On weapon event 41
a weapon event of unknown meaning
slot mask
On ability used
an ability in the mask is used
ability mask
On ability event 7 and 9
other ability messages
ability mask
On ability gained, On ability lost
the owner gains or loses an ability definition
ability definition
These react to named events and flags:
condition
what passes it
inputs
On gameplay event
the perk receives an event hash
event hash, from the hashes installed perks use
On gameplay event (second stream)
the same, on a second message
event hash, from installed hashes
On incident
a world incident of a type
incident type and role, from installed values
On hashed message
a message with a hash
message hash, or Any
On tracked entry timer, On tracked object gone
an entry stored by Register a tracked target
tracked name, distance
On owner message
an owner message; “death” is a guess
none
On another player killed
another player is killed; raised for every other player
damage types, only with no other living teammate
On crouch change, On action state change, On flag 25 change, On flag 36 change
a flag changes to the chosen value
state
And these combine or watch state:
condition
what passes it
inputs
While a state holds
a property of the weapon is in range, tested on every update
property, minimum, maximum, hold time, invert, only while this weapon is active
… while a state holds
the inner condition passes while the state test holds
the state inputs and the inner condition’s inputs
Counter reaches a threshold
the perk counter reaches the threshold
threshold, reset level, minimum, maximum, and its rows
All groups pass
every group passes
its groups
A slot mask has one bit per slot. 0 accepts any slot.
While a state holds offers the property names Studio can read from installed perks: super_active, is_thermal, is_arc, is_void, reloading, nearby_enemy_count, melee_energy, equipped_item_magazine_fraction, is_guarding_with_sword and melee_overcharge_state. None skips the range test.
Add node lists four state-gated conditions in the main list. The rest are under While a state holds: one for every condition that reacts to a single event.
A counter is a list of rows. Each row is a condition plus three inputs: what it does to the counter when it passes (add, set or multiply), the value, and a window in seconds. Select a new counter and use Add row. A row can be any condition that reacts to a single event, plain or state-gated.
All groups pass holds groups. A group passes when any of its conditions passes, or passed within its window. Select a new All groups pass node and use Add group, then select the group and use Add condition. Groups with a window must come before groups without one. The checks say so if they do not.
The rows and groups of an installed node keep their layout. You can still edit their values.
Effects
These change the weapon or the owner while the perk is active:
effect
what it does
inputs
Change object property
writes a named property
target, property, value, arithmetic operation and restoration
Damage multiplier
multiplies damage by one plus the bonus
bonus, bonus against players, element mask, any element, only this weapon
Owner damage multiplier
multiplies the owner’s damage; “damage taken” is a guess
multiplier, distance, damage types
Add labels to damage
adds a label to damage records
label, damage types
Add labels to item events
adds a label to item event records
label
Add ability modifier key
adds or removes a key on one ability
ability, modifier key, remove
Override projectile
writes an object definition into the weapon
object definition
Set weapon mode tag
sets a tag that while-state tests can read
tag hash
Add a named flag to items
adds a flag that properties can read
this item, other slots, flag hash
Set a channel hash
sets a hash on a component channel
target, channel, hash, owner too
Set radar values, Raise the radar counter, Set radar byte
change the radar
values
Add to a team stat
adds to the owner’s team stat
stat name, amount
Set three weapon values, Set two weapon bytes, Set slot weapon byte, Push a weapon override byte, Set weapon element choice, Raise a weapon flag count
set weapon values of unknown meaning
values
Enable sword guard, Set owner flag, Set slot flag
turn on a behavior
none
Adjust ammo drops
changes drop chances
primary, special and heavy interval, chance and repeat modifiers
Extend timers on event
a passing condition adds seconds to running timers
seconds, cap, and its conditions
These act once, when the perk activates:
effect
what it does
inputs
Spawn an object
creates an object, removed when the perk ends
target, object definition, keep on removal, removal message, counter parameter
Spawn an object driven by a value
creates an object and pushes a value into it
target, object definition, expression, constant, input, divide by magazine size
Spawn an object once
creates an object that outlives the perk
snap, face, position, object definition
Create orbs
creates pickups for the player and allies
position, count, value, definition
Create an ammo drop
creates an ammo drop
position, who gets it, attached object, per-category amounts and weights
Add ammo (rounds), Add ammo (fraction)
adds ammo to weapon slots
magazine or reserves, flags, per-weapon and per-ammo-type amounts
Refill magazine from reserves
moves reserves into the magazine
flags, input, five fractions
Grant ability energy
adds part of a full charge to one ability
ability, gate, amount, cap, expression, constant, input
Set perk counter
sets or adds to the perk counter
mode, value
Run a behavior script
runs an installed script
three targets, script
Scale component values
changes named component values by an expression of an input
component name, cap, mode, input and target objects, expression
Movement mode
puts the owner into a movement mode; “hover” is a guess
two sets of speed limits and other mode values
Apply a component config
applies an installed config to a target
target, config
Post a sim object
posts a sim object for a player owner
definition hash
Register a tracked target
stores a target under a name
target, tracked name
Transmat or Ghost effect
picks the player’s transmat or Ghost effect
effect key, from the installed effect table
The object definition decides what a spawn does. The picker lists every installed definition. Definitions an installed perk uses come first. Studio cannot author a new definition.
An expression is either Constant or Pass input through. With Constant, the value is the constant. With Pass input through, the value is the input, for example the perk counter. Installed nodes with longer expressions show Other (read-only).
A label comes from the installed label table. Picking one writes both the label row and its bit.
A property operation needs a property the target exposes. Any other hash does nothing to damage, fire rate or heat. Ammo-drop modifiers change how drops are generated. They do not refill a magazine or reserves.
Owner damage multiplier stores the perk’s own tag. Create writes the new entry’s tag.
Label filters
Many conditions and effects test the labels of an item, a weapon, a victim or a damage source. The inspector shows each label filter as four lists:
list
passes when the tested thing has
Any of
at least one of the labels
All of
every one of the labels
None of
none of the labels
Not all of
at least one of the labels missing
An empty list does not test anything, so a filter with four empty lists passes everything.
Add label offers the installed label table: 306 single labels and 22 label groups. A group stands for several labels at once. Names show where Studio can resolve them. The rest show as hex. Studio refuses a label that is not in the table. On save, Studio writes the label rows and rebuilds the game’s compiled form of the filter. Every installed filter rebuilds to the same bytes the game ships.
A filter in a form Studio does not write is kept as installed and shown read-only. No installed perk has one.
Pickers
Some inputs take only values installed perks already use: event hashes, incident types and roles, tracked names, message hashes, modifier keys, sim objects, stat names and channel hashes. Their meaning is not known, so a new value would have no known effect. The picker fills once Studio has read the installed perks.
Read-only parts
Installed nodes can hold settings Studio does not write for new nodes. Examples are relation filters, range rows and longer expressions. The inspector lists them as read-only lines, such as Other native settings (kept as is). Studio saves them unchanged.
Every installed node kind can be written fresh. Some installed nodes still hold parts Studio only keeps, such as the longer expressions of Scale component values and movement blocks of other classes.
What works in game
A working exotic weapon uses When activated, After a delay and Adjust ammo drops. These work in game. Every other condition and effect may not work in game.
- Damage multiplier is partly unverified. It is not known whether it scales the owner’s damage or the damage the owner takes. The element mask values (2 Solar, 4 Arc, 8 Void) are assumed.
- Many names above are guesses from perk names: death, fired, crouch, airborne, orbs, sword guard, projectile, damage taken, element choice, drop magazine.
- The event, incident, message and channel hashes have no known names.
- The ability slots (grenade, super, melee, class ability) and the gate values are assumed from perk names.
- Input meanings other than the perk counter are assumed.
- What a driven spawn does with its value is not known.
- The weapon slot mask meanings and the counter row window are assumed.
- New On kill, On damage dealt and On item stowed nodes start with empty label filters. Most installed ones have one, so add the labels a new node should test.
- What most labels and label groups mean is not known beyond their names.
Show the perk in the HUD
A perk is invisible in game unless it adds an entry to the HUD buff tray. With no node selected, the inspector shows HUD buff:
- Show while active adds a tray entry while the perk is active.
- The label list holds labels the game already has icons and text for. Ammo Finder is the first.
- Show deactivation timer shows the countdown of the graph’s deactivation timer. It needs an After a delay node in Deactivation.
An installed perk that already has HUD feedback keeps it. The graph cannot add a second entry.
HUD buff may not work in game.
Limits
- HUD feedback, cooldown branches and stack branches are kept, but the graph cannot edit them.
- Adding a condition to a perk with stack branches is refused. Every condition needs an index no other condition uses, and Studio cannot read the stack branches to check.
- A copy must name its own entry. Copying a program whose stack branches name the program itself is refused, because Studio cannot rewrite those branches.
- Relation filters and expressions other than a constant or a pass-through stay as installed. Studio cannot author them yet.
- New graphs and edited programs pass the package round-trip checks. In game, only the three kinds in What works in game are tested.